December 12, 2018

78 Things to be Grateful for this Holiday Season

 

    1. Uninterrupted family time
    2. turkey and stuffing
    3. snuggling with your family dog
    4. being your family dog’s favourite
    5. that we’re not in an ice storm
    6. Ugly Christmas ornaments that you made when you were 6
    7. sufganiyah
    8. people smiling at one another in the streets
    9. enjoying the snow
    10. good health
    11. that all three of your pets have their own stockings
    12. Christmas lights and decorations that make the streets glow
    13. The smell of pine that welcomes you home
    14. Sleeping from boxing day until new year’s eve
    15. Your mom’s famous shortbread cookies
    16. being gifted a book you never need you needed
    17. That no one got hurt during the annual boxing day football game
    18. Michael buble’s Christmas album
    19. Handwritten cards
    20. to be loved
    21. Your favourite sushi restaurant being open on Christmas day
    22. Hoarding all of the gelt from your siblings and then having a chocolate feast
    23. Going to the movies on Christmas day
    24. Drinking hot chocolate all day, every day
    25. Time out of the office
    26. Getting a cute photo with your significant other at the Distillery District Christmas market
    27. Egg nog
    28. winning the family snow ball fight because you're the best fort builder ever
    29. Showing off your dish-washing skills
    30. Spoiling your nieces and nephews
    31. Long walks in the snowy outdoors
    32. Chatting with your grandpa about his childhood and learning about your family history
    33. Playing poker with your cousins
    34. The movie Love Actually
    35. The movie Elf
    36. The most obvious Christmas movie... Die Hard 
    37. Gift swapping with the silliest things you can find
    38. Singing Christmas carols
    39. Taking a moment for yourself with a long bubble bath
    40. chocolate covered almonds
    41. Sending sweet texts to your loved ones
    42. Going to the mall on December 23rd with your best friend and getting all of your shopping done in an afternoon
    43. Spending the day at the local community centre and making a big dinner for people who wouldn’t get one otherwise
    44. Looking through old family photos and watching home videos
    45. Showing your loved ones that you appreciate them
    46. seeing the snow on the trees 
    47. Beating your uncle at chess… again
    48. Wrapping your presents so beautifully that people don’t want to open them
    49. Wrapping your presents in news paper in under 10 seconds
    50. Hearing that 3 of your friends got engaged
    51. Picking out the perfect Christmas tree
    52. Not completely ruining your Christmas tree while driving it home
    53. Baking Christmas cookies with your kids
    54. making snow angels 
    55. when the snow is just the right amount of fluffy to be packed into a snowball, snowman, snow-fort or other type of snow-architecture
    56. matching themed pyjamas 
    57. your parents
    58. all of your loved ones
    59. Reading A Christmas Carol before bed
    60. Dreaming about the new year
    61. Reflecting on everything you learned this past year
    62. Getting out of the city
    63. The start of the ski season
    64. Brisk winter night air and a vast, open sky filled with the brightest stars you'll see all year
    65. when the snow comes down in that soft, romantic, drifty way
    66. Scrambling to organize new year’s eve plans
    67. Getting all dressed up for holiday events
    68. outdoor skating rinks 
    69. helping your kids build their first snowman
    70. moments of uncontrollable laughter 
    71. Grandma kisses on your cheek 
    72. when the sun peaks out on snowy days
    73. tobogganing so fast you can't even scream
    74. planes, trains and automobiles to get to you your loved ones 
    75. starting new traditions
    76. dimmer switches
    77. fresh cut flowers  
    78. all of the candles

Written by Maggie Aurocco