The days are flying by, and this weekend I managed to cross several items off my to-do list. Between holiday errands and small household projects, it felt good to make steady progress and get things organized for the coming weeks.
First on my list was the Crate & Barrel holiday box. I skipped it last year because I wasn’t keen on the seasonal designs, but this year they offered items I genuinely liked. I was pleasantly surprised by how reasonable their prices are, especially for dishes and small kitchen accessories. Good design and good value make for a satisfying find during the busy season.
I have a soft spot for snowmen and most classic Christmas decor—snowmen, festive mugs, and cheerful plates always draw my attention. I steer clear of nutcrackers; something about them feels too close to clowns, and that’s not my thing. Snowmen, on the other hand, bring warmth and a little bit of whimsy, which I love.
The pattern on some of the pieces reminded me—oddly enough—of Switzerland, which in turn made me think of a trip in March 1994 and the good memories of snowy afternoons and cozy moments in a German bar. It’s funny how a small design detail can trigger a chain of nostalgia.
After eyeing the new dishes and imagining molten chocolate cakes baked in snowflake ramekins, I tackled a more mundane but necessary chore: clearing out school projects and crafts that had overtaken my table. The holiday season in my classroom is wonderfully chaotic—five-year-olds making ornaments, gingerbread houses, Santas, and snowmen means glitter and glue take over everything. We read holiday books, including the Polar Express, which always gets me emotional at the end. I try to keep it together at school, but watching it at home usually ends in a big, ugly cry, followed by a call to my mom.
As I sorted through the mess, I noticed how many snowman-themed mugs and plates I own, many of them from Pier 1. They’re cheerful and have become part of my seasonal ritual: special dishes for special moments.
A separate weekend task involved cooking for a coworker. The casserole I made required crushed Ritz crackers, and I discovered a gluten-free cracker at Manna Grocery that worked perfectly as a substitute. I prepared Poppy Seed Chicken—a comforting classic I hadn’t made in years because of the need for a specific cracker topping and canned soup. This time I used the gluten-free crackers for texture and Progresso Creamy Mushroom soup, which I found to be a slightly thinner but flavorful alternative to the old familiar cream of mushroom. The dish turned out great, and I plan to make it again, next time remembering to take photos to document the result.
December also brings holiday pajamas and seasonal coffee. I picked up a bag of Starbucks Christmas blend that listed Sumatra as part of the base, and Stephen immediately declared it his new favorite thanks to its spicier profile. We enjoy both their blends, but it’s nice to have something a bit different for the season.
My busy weekend is finished, but the pace doesn’t let up. As the holidays approach, the schedule only gets fuller with school events, gift shopping, and preparations at home. One more week of school stands between me and a brief chance to rest—until then, I’ll keep ticking items off the list and enjoying the small moments that make the season special.