I don’t make resolutions each year, because I’m afraid of disappointing myself. But that is exactly why I need to this time. Because fear (of forgetting, of flailing, of failing) is holding me back. Years pass while my dreams gather dust on a shelf, and what good are dusty, old dreams? Exactly. So. In 2004, […]

When I was in junior high and high school, one of my favorite things to do at the end of a year was sit on my bed with a blank calendar and a pile of colored pens. I loved reading my old calendar to see what I did that year and marking the new one […]

Rima and I rescued a tree from the lot last night. He is so Charlie Brown Christmas Tree that we fell in love instantly. We had to take him home. LAUNCH PHOTO ALBUM

Two co-workers pass in the office halls. One asks the other, with a smile: “Are you planning on doing anything for the holidays?” “It’s already the holidays,” he mutters. “No it’s not,” she responds. “It begins next week.” “Yes it is,” he says dryly. “It’s been–” She catches on before he can finish. “Well, I […]

OK. I have moved into full-force Christmas mode. My room looks like Ms. Santa’s workshop: piles of gifts stuffed in shopping bags, slivers of wrapping paper on the floor, spools of ribbon on my dresser. I don’t know where the scissors are, but I’m sure they’re around here somewhere. They are the most popular office […]

Inspired by some magical advice I got last night, I am taking deep breaths and thinking Simple. A Christmas tree covered in twinkly lights and colored balls. Gifts wrapped in kraft paper in twine. Packets of store-bought hot cocoa and tiny marshmallows. This time of year doesn’t have to be about extravagant expectations. I need […]

Last year, I made stockings kindergarten-style, adding sparkly red glitter and glue to cheap, red-and-white fur. They were cute and they did the job, but this year, I wanted to make something a tad more sophisticated. So, I used felt. Okay, okay, I know felt doesn’t exactly echo sophistication, but the results are starkingly more […]

One of my favorite things about Christmas is the anticipation. I love counting the days until it’s time to sing the carols, eat the feast and unwrap the gifts. That’s why I have always adored Advent Calendars, because they help me count down. As a little girl I loved the store-bought kind, with pieces of […]

When it comes to airing out my laundry, I’d rather rejoice than grieve. I like sending the Good Things list because it makes me happy and I know it makes you happy, too. But I don’t like talking about the bad stuff. I’d rather not think about it myself, much less share it with anyone […]

I love buying gifts. Some people, I realize, don’t. It’s a chore, it’s a mystery, it’s a pain in your butt. But here’s a good rule of thumb: If you find something so fantastic that you’re tempted to keep it for yourself, it’s probably a good gift. That’s why I think the online shops below […]

I saw two squirrels flirting this morning. They were dancing on an electrical wire by the lake where I go walking. It reminded me of the Cha-Cha: Forward, then back. Forward, then back again. Just get it on already, I thought to myself as I briskly walked by. Squirrel #1, however, had something else in […]