Countdown to Christmas 2018

Besides Halloween, I will admit I still get excited for Christmas time. Things just seem to be more magical in the month of December.Now for the third year in a row life has been hard -- this year from having my own health crisis to having heartbreak yet again but it was a lesson learned the hard way and quite easily which put me back on my path of growth. I am big on traditions and routines so here is an outline. Most of the things will be done either by myself or with my friends and family. Also, just because there is a date attached does not mean it will happen on that date unless it is specific events with tickets attached -- it is more of a checklist.

November 23rd: Visit the Union Square Holiday Market (Done!)
November 24th: Attend Halestorm and In This Moment concert at Hammerstein Ballroom (Done! Had a fantastic time!)
November 25th: Start reading the book The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand. Finish it by Christmas.
November 26th: Make Christmas playlist on Spotify (Done!)
November 27th: Get holiday cards. (Done!)
November 28th: Wear mistletoe headband. (Done!)
November 29th: Watch the movie Die Hard (Done!)
November 30th: Start writing out holiday cards (Done!)
December 1st: Watch the movie Scrooged. (Done!)
December 2nd: Visit Artists and Fleas at 568 Broadway (at Prince Street)
December 3rd: Order 2019 calendars on Amazon (Done!)
December 4th: Watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (Done!)
December 5th: Mail out holiday cards. (Done!)
December 6th: Get a holiday inspired manicure. Make sure one nail is sparkly!
December 7th: Watch A Nightmare Before Christmas. (Done!)
December 8th: Read one story in the collection My True Love Gave To Me (Done! Read the story Polaris is Where You'll Find Me by Jenny Han)
December 9th: Build a gingerbread house (Did not do this year as I did not want to do it by myself)
December 10th: Watch He-Man & She-Ra A Christmas Special (Done!)
December 11th: Get a holiday inspired candle from Bath and Body Works. (Done!)
December 12th: Go visit the Rockefeller Center tree
December 13th: Go watch some ice skaters in Bryant Park and walk around the Winter Village. (Done!)
December 14th: Go see Anna and the Apocalypse in theaters (Could not see it in theaters as it was taken out due to low sales. :( )
December 15th: Cozy up in some pajamas and watch the Pee Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special.
December 16th: Watch Home Alone (Done!)
December 17th: Start reading the book Together at Midnight by Jennifer Castle. Finish it by New Years Eve by midnight.
December 18th: Watch The Christmas Chronicles on Netflix
December 19th: Wear ugly Christmas sweater to work. (Done!)
December 20th: Watch A Charlie Brown Christmas (Done!)
December 21st: Start my Yule candle ritual. (Done!)
December 22nd: Watch The Original Christmas Classics (Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, The Little Drummer Boy) on DVD (Done!)
December 23rd: Watch Gremlins.
December 24th: Watch Red Christmas.
December 25th: CHRISTMAS!!! Watch The Muppets Christmas Carol and spend time with my loved ones.

Have a very merry holiday season!

Countdown to Christmas/Advent Calendar 2017

Besides Halloween, I will admit I still get excited for Christmas time. Things just seem to be more magical in the month of December. Now for the second year in a row life has been hard -- from the stage 2 lung cancer diagnosis for my mother, the numerous celebrity deaths that prove that I am getting older and all of my influences and inspirations are dying, to heartbreak yet again but not as bad as last years and I was able to bounce back from it quite easily and continue on my path of growth as well as find a worthy champion. So for this years calendar -- I am going to keep it fairly small but still bring some fun to the end of the year. For the seventh year in a row, I am doing an activities Advent Calendar to count down to Christmas after reading some great articles online about it. I am big on traditions and routines so here is an outline. Most of the things will be done either by myself, with friends, or with my family. Also, just because there is a date attached does not mean it will happen on that date unless it is specific events with tickets attached -- it is more of a checklist.

November 24th: Go to Brazil first and then walk around the Union Square Holiday Market (Done!)
November 25th Visit Diagon Alley in Newton, NJ followed by attending East Coast Professional Wrestling in Colts Neck, NJ (Done!)
November 26th: Gather clothes and bring to The Bowery Mission. (Done!)
November 27th: Make Christmas mix CD for friends (With the power of Spotify....can share it!)
November 28th: Get holiday cards.(Done!)
November 29th: Wear mistletoe headband. (Done!)
November 30th: Watch the movie Die Hard (Done!)
December 1st: Watch the movie Scrooged. (Done!)
December 2nd: Go bake some french macarons at Mille-Feuille Bakery NYC (Done! It was a lot of fun!)
December 3rd: Start reading one story a day in the collection My True Love Gave To Me (3/12)
December 4th: Watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation(Done!)/Start writing out holiday cards (Done!)
December 5th: Mail out holiday cards. (Done!)
December 6th: Get a holiday inspired manicure. Make sure one nail is sparkly! (Done!)
December 7th: Watch A Nightmare Before Christmas.
December 8th: Visit the Life Size Gingerbread House in Madison Square Park (Done!)
December 9th: Attend ASCW Christmas Chaos in New Eqypt, NJ (Done! Had a lot of fun!)
December 10th: Watch He-Man & She-Ra A Christmas Special (Done!)
December 11th: Get a holiday inspired candle from Bath and Body Works.(Done!)
December 12th: Make Star Wars themed Christmas ornaments.
December 13th: Go watch some ice skaters in Bryant Park. (Done!)
December 14th: Cozy up in some pajamas and watch the Pee Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special. (Done!)
December 15th: Attend Ring of Honor Final Battle in NYC. (Done! Has an incredible day even though it was cold and snowy.)
December 16th: Attend Pro Wrestling Magic Kingdom Come: Copacabana (hopefully!) (Decided to not go as I needed rest. Catching up on some Christmas movies instead.)
December 17th: Go see the movie Star Wars: The Last Jedi and attend the Dark Side Bar.
December 18th: Make sure all of my gifts are wrapped.
December 19th: Wear ugly Christmas sweater to work. (Done!)
December 20th: Watch A Charlie Brown Christmas (Done!)
December 21st: Go to Dyker Heights and take a look at some Christmas lights(Done! It was a lot of fun!)/Start my Yule candle ritual. (Done!)
December 22nd: Watch The Original Christmas Classics (Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, The Little Drummer Boy) on DVD (Done!)
December 23rd: Catch up on any Christmas movies or specials. (Done!)
December 24th: Watch Gremlins.
December 25th: CHRISTMAS!!! Watch The Muppets Christmas Carol and open presents as well as spend time with my family.(Done!)

Have a very merry holiday season!

December Advent Calendar 2015

Besides Halloween, I will admit I still get excited for Christmas time. Things just seem to be more magical in the month of December. Maybe it is because of finally finding the love of my life or maybe it is due to still working in Kindergarten; I do not know. For the fourth year in a row, I am doing an activities Advent Calendar to count down to Christmas after reading some great articles online about it. I am big on traditions so here is an outline. Most of the things will be done either by myself, with George, or with my family. Also, just because there is a date attached does not mean it will happen on that date -- it is more of a checklist.

November 29th: Give George his Countdown to Christmas advent calendar (25 wrapped books. He opens up one a day to countdown until Christmas.)(Done!)
November 30th: Watch the 50th Anniversary Special of Charlie Brown/A Charlie Brown Christmas (Done!)
December 1st: Gather clothes and bring to The Bowery Mission.
December 2nd: Make Christmas mix CD for George. (Done!)
December 3rd: Get holiday cards. (Done!)
December 4th: Wear mistletoe headband.
December 5th: Watch the movie Scrooged.
December 6th: Get some chocolate coins and give them to people who make me smile. (Done!)
December 7th: Wear Christmas ornament earrings, get some hot chocolate at Hu Kitchen & walk around Union Square holiday market. (Done!)
December 8th: Watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
December 9th: Start writing out holiday cards. (Done!)
December 10th: Get a holiday inspired manicure. Make sure one nail is sparkly!
December 11th: Watch A Nightmare Before Christmas.
December 12th: Attend CZW Cage of Death with George. (Done!)
December 13th: Mail holiday cards (Done!)
December 14th: Watch He-Man & She-Ra A Christmas Special
December 15th: Get a holiday inspired candle from Bath and Body Works.
December 16th: Make Star Wars themed glitter snowflakes.
December 17th: Go watch some ice skaters in Bryant Park.
December 18th: Watch one of my favorite movies Untamed Heart and have a good cry.
December 19th: Cozy up in some pajamas and watch the Pee Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special.
December 20th: Give my Funshine buddy her present.(Done!)
December 21st: Watch The Original Christmas Classics (Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, The Little Drummer Boy) on DVD.
December 22nd: Make sure all of my gifts are wrapped. (Done!)
December 23rd: Wear ugly Christmas sweater to work. (Done!)
December 24th: Go Christmas caroling in Washington Square Park. (Due to the weather, I didn't go.)
December 25th: CHRISTMAS!!! Open presents and watch The Muppets Christmas Carol.
December 26th: George visits to celebrate Boxing Day and Christmas. Go and see Star Wars: The Force Awakens, go to dinner, and just celebrate our time together.

I hope all of my readers are enjoying this holiday season! What did you do for the season? Leave a comment below to let me know!

My Activities Advent Calendar for December

As I am sure a lot of people are aware -- it is Christmas month and I am more excited this year than ever. It might be due to being a Kindergarten teacher and that is okay. This year I am doing an activities Advent calendar to count down to Christmas after reading some great articles online about it. I am big on traditions so here is an outline. Some of the things will be done by myself, with others, with David, or with my family.

December 1st: Start decorating house and gather Christmas music.
December 2nd: Get a delicious scarf from the Union Square Holiday Market (support small businesses!) and start going through my winter accessories to donate to The Bowery Mission.
December 3rd: Visit nephews and start to get cards ready.
December 4th: Donate winter accessories to The Bowery Mission. Help someone in need.
December 5th: Watch Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer with my class.
December 6th: Make paper snowflakes and hang in windows.
December 7th: Wear custom made mistletoe headband to work.
December 8th: Try and take photo with Santa Claus.
December 9th: Go to Bryant Park and watch the ice skaters. Ever since breaking my left ankle and left foot I am deadly afraid to put anything on my feet besides shoes.
December 10th: Eat some Ferrero Rocher chocolates and try a peppermint mocha at Starbucks.
December 11th: Go with David or by myself for some hot chocolate at Jacque Torres Chocolate. If you are reading this and would like to join me, please do!
December 12th: Watch Pee Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special with my class.
December 13th: Get some chocolate coins or candy canes and give them to the people who make me smile.
December 14th: Make a gingerbread house for my classroom during recess.
December 15th: Get a sparkly manicure and pedicure at Blush Nail Lounge.
December 16th: Start getting letters and decorations together for Secret Santa party at school.
December 17th: Start wrapping my gifts before attending Family Wrestling Entertainment in NYC.
December 18th: Take picture in Santa hats with David in Union Square.
December 19th: Watch Dr Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the cartoon) with my class.
December 20th: Visit Rockefellar Center Christmas tree.
December 21st: Wear Christmas themed/ugly Christmas sweater clothes at work.
December 22nd: Wear mistletoe headband again.
December 23rd: Check out Christmas themed windows along 5th Avenue.
December 24th: Dinner with David (this will be our 3rd engagement anniversary)
December 25th: Watch A Charlie Brown Christmas and other Christmas specials with David after opening presents and having dinner with family.

Are you doing a activities Advent calendar this year? If so, please let me know!