How to Enhance the Holiday Spirit in Your Life

There are many ways that we naturally engage in the holiday season but sometimes we want to get out of our routines and do something unique! I am the biggest sucker for November and December and I love to get as festive as I possibly can! Below is my list of how I get involved in the holidays. I hope you find maybe one or two things that stick out to you.

Let's start with the essentials, shall we?

1. Decorate! - This one is a given. We all decorate but this year, try going even one step further. Get creative with lights or your Christmas tree!

2. Listen to your favorite holiday music- I personally love Pandora for all the Christmas songs I long to hear. My favorites are Michael Buble's and Frank Sinatra's station. Listen in the car or in the morning when you're getting ready! It puts you in the mood all day.

3. Try a new recipe- It doesn't have to be intricate or gourmet, maybe it's just a new cookie or drink. I always try to bust out a new sugar cookie and frosting recipe and make fun Christmas shaped cookies. If you're adventurous, try a new entree.

4. Serve someone- Cliche, I know. But really it can be as simple as dropping a treat off at the neighbors house. I try to participate in as many service projects within the community as I can. This year I will be making blankets for children and babies as well as serving New Year's Eve dinner to all of the homeless people of Salt lake City. The food canaries always need help sorting and I'm sure there is someone in your neighborhood in need of an hour of friendly company.

5. Visit downtown and see the decorations- Most downtowns have decorations or lights somewhere. For me, I visit downtown Salt Lake City and walk around Temple Square to see the beautiful lights. They decorate with hundreds of thousands of lights in every tree and all over!! Go find something to see!

A few years ago at Temple Square in Salt Lake

6. Gift exchanges- Draw names from a hat with your family and friends or go to dinner and do a white elephant exchange. Do SOMETHING to get the people in your life excited about giving gifts. Along with my close friend and family gifts, I like to give something small yet thoughtful to my neighbors and friends.

7. Craft! - Crafting is always a fun activity for a lonely evening or a free afternoon. Maybe even make it a girls night. Make a Christmas Wreath or customized Christmas cards. There are so many Christmas crafts. Just browse Pinterest.

8. Go on a Holiday date- If you don't have a significant other, grab a friend and go ice skating and get hot chocolate! Or watch a Christmas movie with popcorn and treats.

9. Attend a Christmas Concert- Don't make excuses. There is always a Christmas concert SOMEWHERE that you can attend.

10. Have a cozy book night around the fire- Christmas books are always special to me because my mom used to read them to me as a child. Nothing says Christmas spirit like a fireplace and holiday books.

11. Invest in an ugly sweater- If you don't have one, get one! Go to the DI and snag the ugliest sweater you can find. Go to a friend's ugly sweater party (they're always having those) or throw your own!

12. Take lots of pictures- Hopefully there is snow this holiday season. Take lots of family and friend pictures of all the fun activities you do this year so you won't ever forget them!

13. Drive around to look at the Christmas lights- Go on a drive around the neighborhood or surrounding neighborhoods to look at the Christmas lights on the houses. I love to see all the different things people do with their lights as well as the trees shining through the windows!

14. Don't forget to write Thank-you cards- After a nice meal or gift, remember that someone put time and effort into that for you and don't forget to thank them. Send them a card in the mail or hand deliver it to their porch. Thank-you cards go a long way now days. They're rare and mean the world. Don't believe me? Try it!

15. Read and focus on the true meaning of Christmas- Take a few minutes to read the verses in the Bible that describe Christ's birth and the story of Christmas.