Cool Yule Picks for 31 Days of Holiday Fun in December

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So, the December calendar looks pretty…ah…full. What you see below is just a sample! Hopefully, you’ll find something to look forward to doing. Here are the Cool Yule picks for each day in December!

Sunday, December 1. Winter Bird Walk 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, Chantilly. $6.

Monday, December 2. Church Street Holiday Stroll. Santa will arrive on his firetruck at the Freeman Store (131 Church Street, NE, Vienna) at 6:15. Tree lighting. 6 p.m – 8:30 p.m. Cool Yule Tip: The Freeman Store has unique gifts, candy and stocking stuffers for sale.

Tuesday, December 3. Holiday Extravaganza and 23rd Annual Norwegian Tree Lighting Ceremony. 6 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Union Station, Washington DC. Cool Yule Tip: Look for the Yeti on the model train display! It’s really hard to find.

Wednesday, December 4. U.S. Capitol Tree Lighting, 5 p.m. West Lawn, U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC. Cool Yule Tip: Lighting the tree will be House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Thursday, December 5. She and Him (Zooey Deschanel) Christmas concert. 8 p.m. The Anthem, Washington, DC. $46 – $76. Cool Yule Tip: You’ll love their Christmas CD! Zooey is the love interest in the movie, “Elf.”

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Black Friday Deal Dresses to Wear for Christmas and New Year’s Eve

Do you need an amazing dress for Christmas or New Year’s Eve? Well, the time to shop is now. Many dresses I saw were half of today online and in stores. I bought a green velvet dress last night from WetSeal.com for $10!

Take a break with a gratitude meditation

This year, I have been learning and practicing meditation and mindfulness as part of my self care and personal development. I wanted to share this gratitude meditation. It’s only 5 minutes long.

If you feel your attention wandering, just notice the feeling or thought and turn your attention back to your breath. It’s normal to feel distracted or think of other things.

Reston Holiday Parade, turkey walks and more this weekend

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! The upcoming weekend is full of fun things to do. Shopping is just one of them, but if Black Friday isn’t your thing, how about the ballet? Or a nature hike? Don’t miss the absolutely delightful Reston Holiday Parade tomorrow morning!

Friday, November 29, Black Friday

• Reston Holiday Parade. 11 a.m. – Noon. Reston Town Center.
• Zoolights Opening Night. National Zoo. 5 p.m. Washington, DC.
• Holiday Open House, Merrifield Garden Center (also November 30 and December 1). All locations: Merrifield, Fair Oaks and Gainesville.

Saturday, November 30, Small Business Saturday

5 Reasons to Complete Your Holiday Shopping Early This Year

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I have a small gift list, so this is easy for me, but each year, I try to get my gift shopping done before Thanksgiving.  The benefits of shopping early are many!

Turkey Day Trivia!

QUESTIONS

1. Who painted “Freedom from Want?” in 1943, depicting a Thanksgiving scene?

2. Say “thank you” in Spanish, French, Italian and German.

3. What is the difference between “stuffing” and “dressing”?

A playlist of Thanksgiving-perfect songs

You know what goes great with a Thanksgiving meal and get-together?

Music.

A soft backdrop of positive, beautiful music sets a gracious mood and enhances conversation, not takes away from it. It is calming, and a proven mood-lifter and stress-buster. Music has been shown to help you slow down and really enjoy food, as well as make healthy eating choices.

With this list, you’re always ready for holiday guests

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Entertaining guests and family is one of the most fun parts of the holidays. Sometimes, guests come over when you’re not expecting it. And sometimes, when you do! 🙂  It’s nice to be ready, right?

Host or Hostess Gifts for Thanksgiving

Are you having Thanksgiving in someone else’s home? Then, you’ll want to bring a gift to show your appreciation. Here is an assortment of ideas from Cracker Barrel.

The year there were TWO Thanksgivings

Here’s a Thanksgiving episode of the Jack Benny Show from 1939. The running gag is that there were two Thanksgivings that year…and there really was!

A Newsweek Magazine 1939 cartoon that depicted which states were celebrating which Thanksgiving date. Note that the Pilgrim looks like FDR! (Wikimedia)

Thanksgiving had not yet been set as a fixed holiday, as it was set each year by Presidential Proclamation. Presidents had traditionally set Thanksgiving for the last Thursday in November as President Lincoln had first done.

But in 1939, President Roosevelt acquiesed to the request of retailers who wanted to have an additional week of Christmas gift sales. At that time, shoppers tended not to shop for Christmas presents until after Thanksgiving.