december goals

I don’t know if it is the mild weather or the long lead up to Thanksgiving, but it doesn’t quite feel like December to me yet. We have our tree up and I’m almost done Christmas shopping, so I’m not sure why I feel like December snuck up on me, but here we are, barreling our way toward the end of the year. The last few weeks have been a whirlwind from driving home for Thanksgiving, maximizing our time with family, getting and starting a new job, decorating for Christmas and taking advantage of the shopping deals for Christmas gifts. It is all exciting and wonderful, but still a very new and different experience from past Decembers where I have been deeply settled in my routines. Maybe that is why it doesn’t quite feel like December. I see it on the calendar and in the lights twinkling on the tree, but navigating this season for the first time with all the unknown – in a new city, a new home (where to put the decorations?), and with a brand new job – makes it feel very different, very much not like the December I am used to. Despite my discombobulation, Nashville is excited about December. There seem to be pop up shops, craft markets, and events in local stores all the time this month and I’m excited to explore some over the next few weekends. My December goals are slowing down as I get used to all of these changes, rest with family over the holidays, and prepare for the new year and new decade ahead. I can’t wait to see what it holds.

November Goals
– Be present and enjoy time with family over Thanksgiving and Will’s vacation – it was so so nice
– Try at least one new place when my parents visit – visited lots of shops in Franklin and tried a new restaurant
– Decide on all of our Christmas gifts (and buy as many as we can) – Decided on and bought all but one in November or on Cyber Monday!
– Complete a holiday craft (either for Thanksgiving or Christmas) – Made red, pink, green, and white pom poms to put around our apartment
– Create 4 gift guides – Created the graphics for 4 gift guides but only got 2 posted
– Finish reading Nickel Boys and start reading The Dutch House (by Nashville native, Ann Patchett!) – Finished Nickel Boys, haven’t started The Dutch House yet; maybe this month
– Celebrate 12 years together with Will! – We went on an impromptu date that was so fun!

December Goals
– Finish Christmas shopping by 12/8
– Read the Christmas story
– Be a great host for medical students during their residency interviews
– Explore a few local shops during their Christmas events
– Finish decorating for Christmas by 12/11 (2 weeks before Christmas :) )
– Bake Christmas cookies – new and traditional!
– Send Christmas cookies to some of our family who we won’t see on Christmas
– Do something Christmasy with Will in Nashville or continue our tradition of pre-Christmas coffee/breakfast date (TBD based on his schedule)
– Unplug for a few days and truly enjoy Christmas and family time