The Christmas Edition

wintering | volume 4

Merry Christmas Eve-Eve! Christmas Adam, as some call it. In our family, this is usually the day where we go to the thrift store and pick out books for each other and exchange them while we eat muddy buddies and listen to Christmas music. My kids were quite impatient this year, so we did this a few weeks ago. Instead, my plans for tonight are to put the three year olds in bed and play a board game with the older kids. It will likely end in fighting and crying, but ‘tis the season, right?

As we enter the last chapter of Christmas season, I hope you’re able to enjoy the present, reflect on what’s been, and hope for what’s to come. That’s kind of what it is, right? The end of the season, the end of the year, the turning of a new page. We honor the coming of Christ and what it meant for us and we look forward, with hope, towards what it will continue to mean for us as we move through this life.

xoxo

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Hygge in Connecticut …

I wanted to show you this very Hygge/Cozy/Wintering store I found not too far from where I live. They have an online shop too, but if you’re in the Northern Connecticut/Western Mass area, take a drive and see it in person. The ladies who run it are delightful and the store is full of gifts, clothing, books, and fresh bread!

A little glimpse at my visit to The Scandi Shoppe :

I could have walked out with the whole store, but I settled on this tea, tea strainer, some chocolates, and a package of cardamom cinnamon rolls. They were *delicious.*

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in this wintering volume …

Something to play
Something to read
Something to eat
Something to watch
Something to make
Something to think about

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Something to play
I’ve shared this game with you before, in last year’s wintering, and I’m sharing again because I think it should be a wintering classic. Creature Comforts is such a sweet board game and if you have competitive kids (or grown ups!) in your house, this is one that’s pretty hard to get dirty with. I’m not saying there’s zero competition, but we have some kids in this house who don’t just want to win, they need to win, and board games are a time of very little peace. Haha. But this one’s pretty chill.

(I crocheted those little bowls to manage all the pieces — there’s a ton!)

In the game, you’re a little forest animal preparing your den for the winter. You gather supplies and food and the coziest den wins. I like it so much I play it by myself sometimes!

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Something to read :

For the grown ups :
Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva
The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan

For the kids :
Pick a Pine Tree by Patricia Toht
The Christmas Eve Tree by Delia Huddy

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Something to eat :
We make monkey bread every Christmas morning. I get it all ready the night before and pop it in the oven at some point during the opening presents chaos. By the time they’re ready to eat, it’s on table, hot and sticky and delicious.

Here’s an easy recipe from self proclaimed foodie.

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Something to watch :
If you’re bored of Christmas movies, how about a round up of Christmas shorts?

On Disney + :
The Hip Hop Nutcracker
Pluto’s Christmas Tree
Prep + Landing
An Almost Christmas Story

On Netflix :
Angela’s Christmas
Shaun the Sheep : The Flight Before Christmas
Robin Robin

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Something to make :
These toilet paper trees are so cute. I was thinking this would be a fun project to do with all the empty wrapping paper rolls you might have! Maybe something to do alongside a read of Pick a Pine Tree.

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Something to think about :
I’ll leave you with this quote from Madeline L’Engle.

Have a very Merry Christmas!