Christmas is here again!

Right after Thanksgiving was over, I was ready to bring on the Christmas spirit. I'm usually not so gung-ho about Christmas right from the get-go, but once the turkey was gone I was excited to decorate and shop.

I think part of the reason for my November 27 cheer is that I've been focusing on a lot of holiday-themed communications for the past month or so at work, and that has kept Christmas on my radar. Needless to say, all the decorations are up in our apartment and have been for a week.

I'm also in good shape with my Christmas shopping. I even have some wrapped gifts under the tree and I don't think that has ever happened that early.

Here are a few of my go-to gift suggestions for this year:

* Personalized photo gifts: The 2009 Snapfish calendar that I made for my aunt was such a hit that I'm making another one this year. This gift is personal, fun, functional and affordable. Snapfish has great deals going on now until Christmas. I've found that it's so easy to find great family photos to use because of the photos shared on Facebook or blogs. And if you don't have enough photos to create a calendar, Snapfish offers a number of great items that can be personalized like mugs, ornaments or posters.

* Gifts that give back: A number of charities like the Make-A-Wish Foundation, The Jimmy Fund and St. Jude's offer great gifts and cards that include a donation to the organization in the purchase price. So you're not just buying a gift, you are also contributing to a cause. I think it makes a gift thoughtful, especially for big-hearted friends.

* Books: I think books are always a thoughtful gift, especially when someone has taken the time to pick out a book that matches the reader's interests or was something he or she enjoyed and wanted to share. The key with making a great choice when choosing a book for someone is finding that book about a topic you think the recipient would enjoy -- there is a book out there for every interest! I also love to write a little inscription on the inside cover whenever I give a book as a gift.


(Note: although I proclaimed last year that I am a real-tree advocate, our little $5 fake Walmart tree is just fine and looks lovely in our reading corner. I still love real trees and intend on having them in the future, but not when we live on the top floor of a dry-air, carpeted apartment!)

My Favorite Holiday

It's the Friday before July 4th and I couldn't be more excited for the long weekend.

I've been looking forward to July 4th for weeks and a new blog post from my friends at Sand Pail List have inspired me to share some of my thoughts on my family's traditions for the Fourth.

The main reason why July 4th is so special in my fam is because it's my grandmother's birthday. This year, my hilarious and lovable Nana will be turning 89. We always celebrate with a big cookout at my aunt's house featuring plenty of food like hamburgers, hot dogs, lobsters and my mom's trademark dish: Renee's chicken. (The recipe for which actually came from loyal blog reader Auntie Lisa!) Growing up, I looked forward to the big cookout to see my cousins, eat lots of food and hope that someone brought along some illegal sparklers.

The Fourth also marked the official start of the summer for me-- I knew the weather would now be consistently nice and the beach would be crowded with tourists and visitors. I could also look forward to seeing summer friends again and plan on family members coming to visit.

Now that I'm older, the Fourth still holds special meaning for me. I get excited to go to our big family cookout and see friends on the Cape during July 4th weekend. And to get a little corny, the Fourth is a time to count my blessings-- I get to be on the Cape, my favorite place, and see so many of my favorite people.

I hope celebrating our Nation's (and my Nana's) birthday holds special meaning to you too!

(P.S.-The Fourth is also the birthday of my cousin Mike and a few friends, including Korri. :) It may also be the b'day of Korri's soon-to-arrive son, Teddy! Yay! )

Some of the family at the 2008 Cookout