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Sweater: Jcrew Old (similar) (similar)  (similar) Necklace: Versona Old (similar) Boots: Old (this years version) Purse: Similar

Christmas began early this year for my family.  My aunts, uncles and cousins all came in town on the 22nd and we celebrated on the 23rd.  It was a little smaller gathering this year than in years past due to scheduling conflicts, but it was still so much fun to spend time with family!  My cousin has been wanting me to make my hot chocolate for her ever since I posted about it, so I promised her that when she came in town for Christmas I would make it then.  We got in the car and braved the grocery store to pickup the ingredients and had fun making hot chocolate.  Afterwards we all gathered around and opened presents.  All too soon the time came for family to head home, but thankfully Christmas weekend was still just beginning!

Christmas Eve I went to a candlelight service in the evening.  I am an old soul at heart, so I loved being at church in a room filled with candlelight singing carols of old and remembering the true reason for Christmas.  Christmas has always been my most favorite time of the year, everyone is a little nicer, the winter evenings are lit by twinkling lights, and there is this wonderful feeling of expectation, knowing that something is coming.  It is the time that we celebrate when God set his biggest and most beautiful miracle of all time into motion, the coming of His son as a baby to grow up and die for our sins to save us all.  The miracle that would be completed thirty three years later on a cross and then in an empty tomb.  It truly does not get better than that!

After the candlelight service my dad read one of our favorite Christmas stories to the family.  It is in this tiny old book called A Budget of Christmas Tales and is maybe three pages long, but it leaves us in stitches of laughter every time.  It is called Billy’s Santa Claus Experience and tells the tale of a young boy named Billy who tries to be Santa Claus to his little brother Tommy, but things quickly get out of hand.  My dad first read the book to my sisters and I when we were quite young, and it is one of my favorite stories to read at Christmas.

Before we knew it, Christmas morning was upon us!  We all gathered around the tree where my dad read the Christmas story from Luke before we opened presents.  This year all I asked for was money to buy books for school.  I was sooooo excited when between my Christmas and birthday money I was able to buy a commentary set for the New Testament!  I cannot wait until it arrives in the mail early next week!  We spent the day with some of my grandparents and in the evening we decorated gingerbread houses together.  When it came time for the judging I came in last place, but what can I say, it was my first time and my house kept falling apart while I was decorating it, lol.  Lesson learned, NEVER decorate the house until the icing is dry!

How was your Christmas?  Do you have any special traditions that you enjoy doing each year?

Xoxo,

Leighton Michele

Shirt: (old) Similar  Vest: Same  Boots: (old) Similar  Necklace: Same

In honor of the Christmas season, I decided to share my Christmas bucket list today.  Christmas is my most favorite season of the year, so is basically goes without saying that I love all of the fun activities and traditions that come with this time of year.  I would love to know what is on your bucket list for this season, so please comment below with what you want to make sure you do this year!

1. Read Maggie’s Miracle- Maggie’s is my all time favorite Christmas story.  I discovered it when I was thirteen and have read it every Christmas since.  It is the sweetest story and if you haven’t read it I can’t recommend it enough!
2. Go Look At Christmas Lights- Can you really have celebrated Christmas if you haven’t gone to look at lights?
3. Go On A Horse Drawn Carriage Ride- We don’t get enough snow where I live to be able to do a ride in a one horse open sleigh, but there is a nearby shopping center that does free carriage rides every Friday and Saturday leading up to Christmas, so I definitely plan on going on one.
4. Sip Homemade Hot Chocolate While Watching Christmas Movies- No need to explain this one, the title says it all. 😉
5. Watch White Christmas- This is my most favorite Christmas movie of all time, and if I am being totally honest, probably just my favorite movie period.  It has everything, a sweet story line, hilarious moments that leave you laughing, gives you all the feels (I even sometimes cry during it, and I NEVER cry) and a beautiful love story.  Definitely all the ingredients for a perfect movie.
6. Go To a Christmas Party- Christmas Parties are so much fun, so I definitely plan on going to as many as I can.  I love the festive spirit and spending time with dear family and friends.
7. Read the Christmas Story With My Family- every year before we open our Christmas presents my dad gathers the family together and we all read the Christmas story.  I love starting Christmas remembering what it is all truly about.
8. White Elephant Gift Exchange- I cannot WAIT to go to a white elephant Christmas party.  I figured out the PERFECT gift last year and can’t wait to put the idea to use this year!!!!
9. Decorate Gingerbread Houses- I have never decorated a gingerbread house before, so I bought a kit this year and can’t wait to do it with my sisters.  Expect a post on that!
10. Play Christmas Music On The Piano- I enjoy playing the piano, and Christmas music is always my favorite music to play
11. Make Cinnamon Rolls- I don’t know why, but I always love cinnamon rolls at Christmas.  While they are good anytime during the year, they are always extra good at Christmas.

Xoxo,

Leighton Michele