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Christmas morning has officially begun and whether you have kids in the house who are eager to see what Santa has brought them or you are bringing forth from within you your inner child, this morning each year is always a special occasion. While I know not every subscriber celebrates Christmas, no matter how you welcome the 25th day of
December, I hope the last Friday in 2015 finds you and yours well.
In my household, it is a simple, yet quite special morning. As you might imagine, the boys' (my dogs') stockings are stuffed full of toys and
treats along with one decadent meal, and the tree will be glowing no matter at which hour I wander down the hall from my slumber. Just as importantly as the opening of the gifts, the breakfast has been planned well in advance, and this year frozen croissants picked up yesterday from one of my favorite bakeries in town will be placed into the oven to not only offer my tastebuds, but my nose a sweet smell for Christmas morn. Paired along with some bacon, special eggs and black tea, the
morning will be for lounging and then the snow beckons a walk to be enjoyed. However this year a new tradition will begin: touring (or nordic skiing or classic skiing or cross country skiing).
Yep. The skis have been rented, the trail has been found and boys will be bounding beside me as we welcome the festive day. And as it is the time for gifts and giving, the best gift I have ever only dreamed about for ten years up until this past spring was to live in Bend. And as that dream has be granted, I have been feeling as though I am living in my only little fantasy land. After all, the snow has been falling for more than two weeks, the local holiday plays
and movies have been offered in delightfully cozy, festive venues and while walking outside Wednesday night in downtown Bend after having viewed the must-see holiday film of the season The Christmas Story, I looked up to see a brilliant full moon offering a backdrop to the glistening snow. Truly sublime.
A pinch-me moment indeed. And so, as I mention in this week's This & That, a handful of new traditions have begun for the holidays, and I feel fortunate to have the opportunity enjoy them this year and for many years to come. Wherever the holiday finds you, I hope you too feel as though your everyday life is the best gift you have given yourself as you find much joy in the simple
moments.
Now for some business. Some exciting business, that is. If you haven't tuned in to this week's episode of the podcast, you missed some exciting news. But
do not worry, the event that was introduced will be taking place on Friday January 1st.
If you are like me, you love to plan, simplify and feel productive at the end of each day. Being organized, keeping track of my progress on goals, maintaining lists
of books and films to read as well as staying on top of my health, is an everyday habit that I love to engage in. However, tailoring a planner to our needs is crucial to cultivating the life we want. After all, excess is unnecessary, so as readers have requested since the book was released last year, I have created TSLL Planner Templates which will be available for download on January 1st. From day planner pages, two-page monthly calendars, capsule wardrobe planners,
goal planners and more, TSLL planner is aligned with living a simply luxurious life. Have a look here, here and here to see glimpses of the pages that will be available, all of the necessary details and be sure to stop by the blog this Friday to download the pages you need to design your very own uniquely fulfilling life.
And in yet more announcement news, Au Courant Weekly will be returning after being put on hiatus this past September. Moving to Sunday mornings, tune in starting Sunday January 3rd for the first episode of 2016. In fewer than 15 minutes you will be in the know and up-to-date on all world and cultural news as well as
learn a new French Word of the Week. I look forward to bringing back this much-loved weekly addition to the podcast.
Last but not least, today's newsletter is the last newsletter of 2015 as TSLL will be taking its annual one week off. The next newsletter
will return on Friday January 8th, but in the meantime, the Top Posts and Podcasts of 2015 will be shared on the blog, so be sure to stop by and discover what readers have been loving and sharing.
What a year 2015 has been, and none of the success
and engagement would have been possible without you. Thank you for continuing to seek out ways to live your very own simply luxurious life. It is a dynamic process, but a worthwhile process most definitely. I do hope you have a wonderful Christmas and an auspicious start to 2016. Until next year, I'll see you on the blog!
