Holiday traditions

Last year—completely lost in the chaos of December—I began thinking about the importance of traditions, and what a difference they can make when it comes to embracing the holiday spirit. This month can feel so absolutely crazy, between the shopping and the gift giving and the crunch of what always feels like a much shorter month. I realized I needed a ritual to help me take everything in, and appreciate the joy of this season above everything else. On a whim, I purchased the last two available tickets to see Pink Martini (a band I've always loved) perform with the Holiday Pops at Carnegie Hall. The seats were obstructed view, but I didn't care—I was convinced that this was the ticket to my forgotten holiday bliss.

When Matt and I arrived at the concert, we pushed through the crowds to our seats. The view wasn't bad, even though we were promised worse. The people around us were cranky, and it was hard to ignore the alerts and emails with holiday to-dos that kept popping up on our phones. Five minutes to showtime, we shut everything off. 

Then, the music began. It was beautiful. By the second set, I was completely lost in it—so in awe of the energy and love radiating from the stage, it was impossible to think about anything else. I left feeling inspired; my holiday spirit renewed. It reminded me that all I really needed was a moment to pause and enjoy the season, instead of just racing through it.

So, this year, Matt and I are going back to the Pops for their holiday show, and I'm counting the days. It's our new, can't-miss holiday tradition, for all the reasons explained above. :)

What are your Christmas traditions? 

PS—A clip from the concert last year.
PPS—More singing!

(Image 1, 2)