Beautifully Candid: Holidays

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Tips For Juggling The Holidays-Girl Chat Link Up

Turkey, ham, cookies, gifts, home decor...oh my! The holidays can be a time of togetherness, traditions, love, and so much more. But it can also be a time of stress, sadness, and some people (gasp) just aren't that into them. Wherever you fall on the all things holiday cheer meter, that's ok.

This month for our girl chat link up topic, we are discussing ways to help juggle the holidays. If you're the one hosting, traveling, going the extra mile with things, or are a big shopper, there are times when the holidays can leave your head spinning.

I'm sharing ways that have helped me to enjoy, de-stress, and have a calmer holiday season.

START SHOPPING EARLY:

this might sound good in theory, but trust me, it makes such a difference when you don't have to battle the crowds, worry about last minute ideas, if your packages will arrive in time, or stress about what to get. I won't say that I still don't have my moments where I need to run out for that last minute thing, but making a dent and really getting a head start, is really helpful. I've also gotten into the habit of picking things up throughout the year and keeping a section in our attic for gifts. I also take a picture of what I got with my phone so I don't forget about it up there and we know what we got. We hit a major sale at Target last year and got most of the boys shopping done way back when.

THINK THOUGHTFUL INSTEAD OF PERFECT:

speaking of gifts, I try my best to get things that I know people could use or need. Instead of getting little things that might never get used, we like to go more practical or treat someone to something they've had their eye on. If it's buying for family, I try to pay attention to little things throughout general conversations that might spark a gift idea. If you spend majority of your time looking for that perfect gift (whatever that might be) then you better start early.

LET TRADITIONS FALL INTO PLACE:

one of the best things about having little ones has been the traditions we've started with them and some that we've carried over from both mine and Eric's childhood. While there are a lot that we would like to stick to, sometimes it might not be realistic to get them all accomplished in the holiday season. Like this year, I shared how we won't be making it to the yearly Thanksgiving parade. We also might have to push our yearly elf on the shelf welcome breakfast back a week or two instead of doing it Thanksgiving weekend. My suggestion is to focus on the traditions you are able to keep up with and try not to get discouraged if you can't get to all of them.

DON'T OVER THINK FAMILY PHOTOS:

I know we all want amazing pictures to put on our holiday card to send out to friends and loved ones, but in a Pinterest driven society and age of digital cameras, it can be so easy to get caught up in wanting the perfect shot. There's nothing wrong with hoping for that, but if it causes you more stress or you have unrealistic expectations, is it really worth it? I've shared several times about our failed attempt one year that ended up turning into being one of my favorites.

BE FLEXIBLE WITH DATES:

sometimes it can be so hard to get everyone together on that one specific day to celebrate. The best thing we did was change things up last year and had everyone over on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas day. It made the day so much more relaxing and allowed others to have more flexibility with how they wanted to spend the day. We also enjoyed getting together over Thanksgiving weekend instead of just keeping it to that Thursday.

CONCENTRATE ON GUESTS:

if you're the one hosting it's so important to focus on your guests. While the decor and little details are also great, there's nothing like coming to someone's house and feeling welcomed and relaxed. We set out throw blankets, allow people to kick their shoes off, have extra fuzzy socks to put on, and plenty of comfy seating. Most people want to relax and lounge around (especially after that big meal) and sometimes sitting at the table all night isn't what everyone prefers. The more you can make people feel right at home the more others will want to come over.

DON'T BE AFRAID TO DELEGATE:

this goes back to the hosting aspect of things, don't be afraid to have someone lend a helping hand. Most people want to help, and will offer. People enjoy feeling needed. You can keep some of the small tasks for when guests arrive to help out with instead of you running around like a chicken with a head cut off throughout the whole day. You can also have people bring side dishes or desserts to help with the overall meal.

GIVE BACK:

there's something really special about extending our time to give back to others. I don't know about you, but every time we participate in something philanthropic or give to someone else in need, it is such a humbling and rewarding feeling. Of course these are things that should be done all throughout the year, but they can feel even more important around the holidays. When we take a step back from the focus being on us it really puts things into perspective.

QUALITY TIME WITH FAMILY:

I'll never forget the first time we hosted Thanksgiving I spent majority of my time in the kitchen and before I knew it everyone was leaving and we barely got a chance to visit with each other. I was so exhausted by the end of it and sad that it went by so fast. After that I made a promise to myself, the dishes can stay in the sink, the cleanup can wait, but the memories and moments created with family need to happen. Ever since then we leave the cleanup for after and make sure we take time to visit with each other.

BE RESPECTFUL OF OTHERS:

as much as the holidays can be such a special and joyous time they can also be a really sad reminder for others. It could be someone spending the holiday without their mother or a loved one, someone who has been trying for a baby is reminded that it hasn't happened yet, or financial reminders for someone who isn't able to give like they want to. Kindness always goes a long way and showing love and support to others can make such a difference.

accessories Holidays

Dressing Your Phone Up With CaseApp

Thank you CaseApp for sponsoring this post. All opinions remain my own.

One of the things I've loved doing over the seasons is changing out my cell phone cover. I used to go with a neutral cover or just plain black, but ever since I was introduced to CaseApp my taste has completely changed. Bring on all the fun designs and customization options!

This season I decided to go with a silver and gold theme because I love those colors for this time of year. Of course there is nothing wrong with going with the typical red or green, or even having a big tree or your favorite lyric from a Christmas carol on the back on your case. There are so many options that you can't go wrong. Speaking of carols, does anyone else think of the song from Rudolph whenever they hear silver and gold? No? Well, that movie has been a classic for our family ever since I can remember and that's what pops into my head every time.

It's so important to me to keep my phone protected because the boys love getting their hands on it or sitting me with to watch my friends insta stories. If there are other kids in the video or someone's pet, they are easily amused. We also have fun with some of the silly filters.

With the holidays quickly approaching, I always like to check my lists twice to make sure I didn't forget anyone. Giving a cell phone cover makes for a great stocking stuffer. With the customization options you can make it personal for that special someone or keep it simple for your good friend.

I was so stuck between this case and this case that it was hard for me to narrow them down. I knew that I wanted to go with a marble one and the gold stripe caught my eye on this one. I plan on switching to that one for the new year. I also kind of love that it matches my nail polish. A girl can always coordinate, right?

Be sure to use code BCANDID20 for 20% off your next purchase until December 20th. Tis the season to be giving.

Christmas Decor DIY Holidays

Decking The Halls In Our Home

This time of year is one of my all time favorites, there's just something so special about having our home all decorated and feeling bright and cheery. Even though the laundry, dishes, and the every day ins and outs are the same, it feels more relaxed and not as hectic. I mean how could it be when you look around and see pretty lights and shiny ornaments.

Getting our tree has always been a special time for us and is now even more special since the nuggets have their input and help in the selection process. I have a feeling in the years to come we might decide on having multiple trees. In the midst of all that shine, one of the things I love that we've done with our ornaments is, every time we go on vacation we buy an ornament from that country or state which then makes its way onto our tree.

I've noticed this year I'm on a big gold, silver, and white kick which is kind of surprising because I've never been a typical girly girl and attracted to all things sparkly. I guess maybe my taste has changed. Since we only plan on being in this house for another year (if need be) I didn't want to go overboard with buying all new things only to be in a different space and maybe have another vision.

This room here with the fireplace is one of my all time favorite rooms. The simple fact that it has a fireplace is awesome, but I also love the stone work and the reclaimed mantel. If you haven't noticed my style tends to be a mix of rustic chic (if that's really a term). Our mistletoe is also hung in between the walkway here and at the top we always add in a few clippings for our tree.

I have more built-ins here which I love but it also adds for more decorating (not necessarily a bad thing). I might add a few more things to this section, but for now it works. I just have to be careful with what I put on the lower shelves because the nuggets are fascinated and want to play with things. Who can really blame them?

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