Holiday Thoughts

Hey, guys! I didn't have any products I was really excited to review this week, so instead I wanted to take some time out to share a little bit about my thoughts on the holidays. We'll be back to our regularly scheduled scent-related product reviews after Christmas (but probably not next Sunday, since I'll be on a plane).

Last year was the first time ever that I wasn't with my family for Christmas. I grew up in New England and until last year, that's where my entire family was. My parents are still there, but about a year and a half ago, I moved to Tennessee. My sister followed a few months later (though she's moved again now). And then last fall, my aunt, who was pretty much the keeper of Christmas, moved to Florida. At that point, our traditional Christmas plans pretty much fell apart. I could have gone back home, or to Florida, but I'd just gone home for Thanksgiving and plane tickets are expensive. Plus I was working in retail at the time, and if you've ever worked in retail, you know how hard it is to get time off around the holidays. As it was, I'd had to fly back Friday afternoon after Thanksgiving to work Black Friday. So the thought of spending a few hundred dollars to have a couple good days but ultimately have another holiday ruined by my job was unappealing. My sister and I went to see the Christmas lights at the Opryland Resort (if you ever find yourself in Nashville around the holidays, this is a must-see), saw Frozen, and had dinner at Dave & Buster's (not our first choice, but surprisingly good, if a little depressing). We made do, but it was not a holiday to write home about. This year, I swore things would be different.

When Black Friday ruined my Thanksgiving, I promised myself that this year I would not be working retail. Thankfully, I was able to keep that promise. I had a couple of part-time coworkers whose full-time jobs were at a company they raved about. Just about the time I was having to remind myself on a daily basis, "You cannot quit. You have nowhere else to go. Remember rent? Yeah, that's a thing that needs to be paid," they said their company was hiring. They passed along my resume and I got hired in June. Besides the regular hours, the health insurance, and the awesome coworkers, one of the best things about this job is the fact that I have vacation time and holidays off. Working around the holidays and having those sad little breaks last year really made me appreciate how important the uninterrupted family time that comes with holidays is to me.

I got to spend six days at home for Thanksgiving this year, which was awesome. I had a relaxed holiday, took a side trip to New York City, caught up with a couple friends I hadn't seen in a while, and just enjoyed being home with my family. It was fantastic. And for Christmas, I invited myself to Florida. It's going to be a short trip, but I'll be with my aunt and her husband, enjoying home-cooked meals and catching up after going way too long without seeing her. Last Christmas could have been worse (all I can say is thank goodness my sister was living here at the time), but I'm definitely thrilled that I won't be having Christmas dinner in a sports bar.

Anyway, I just wanted to take some time to reflect on how much things can change in a year, and to urge you to enjoy your families and friends this time of year. I know we can all get caught up in the sales and the presents and the parties, and those things are great, but it's nice to remember how much joy the simple things can bring us, too. Whether you're spending Christmas/Chanukah/Kwanzaa/etc. with friends and family or at a Dave & Buster's, I hope you find a way to make it a special time.

Happy Holidays!