Slow Down: Don't Rush the Holidays

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For the past few weeks I've flooded the blog with Christmas posts. I've had everything from the Ultimate List of of Sweets and Treats to a post dedicated to the True Meaning of Christmas. But within most of these posts, there's one recurring theme that I keep coming back to: slowing down and enjoying the holidays.

Not to sound like a broken record over here, but we are nearly halfway through December! Two more weeks to enjoy Christmas time and then POOF! It's gone for another 365 days.

If you are like me, you've got about 5 bajillion things left to do before Christmas, so I totally get it. I have no idea how I am going to get it all done and as much as I've talked about and fought against a hectic holiday, here I am stressin'!

But I STILL believe that we can slow down and enjoy the rest of the holidays. I think there are ways in which we can still embrace Christmas cheer.

Turn on that Christmas Music

Whether you are at home, in the car, or at work (if it's feasible) turn on that Christmas music, folks! Let it play pretty much non-stop and make sure to sing.
Singing is a stress-reliever for a lot of people, so use those lungs to loosen you up and get you feeling more cheery.

Plug in the Tree

Guys, there's very little that I enjoy more than plugging in the Christmas tree when I get home from work, turning off all other lights, and taking a few minutes to relax.

 Whether I just sit back admiring the tree, sip some hot chocolate (Mint Chocolate by Land O' Lakes is most fantastical 😉), or work on my blog- having the tree as the main source of lighting is just so beautiful. Sometimes it even feels therapeutic. Trust me, friends. Take the time. It'll lift your spirits!

Decide to Finish Your Shopping at ONE Store

I LOVE Christmas shopping. I love picking out gifts specifically tailored to each loved one. But sometimes I can get carried away and I end up going from place to place to find the perfect gift.

However, when I'm in a hurry and running behind on my Christmas to-do list, going from place-to-place adds more stress. There's no shame in getting all of our gifts from one place. In fact, places like Walmart, Target, Sam's Club, Costco, Marshall's, Etc. have such a large variety that it's pretty easy to find something for almost everyone on the list. Plus, all of those places are fairly budget-friendly.

So if you are scared you won't get everything done, cut down some of your stress by picking one location to buy the rest of your gifts.

Choose Your Parties and Events Intentionally

Around the Holidays, it seems like there is a party, a cookie swap, or a light show every night in December. For me, it's extremely tempting to sign myself up for all of them, but I already know how that ends - with a very exhausted and cranky Kristin. Not pleasant, right?

I think it's important to remember that savoring the season means that we are more intentional about what we are doing, which will result in more enjoyment of the events we do decide to take part in. 

So choose the one cookie swap or tree lighting that you think you will enjoy the most. Attend a party or two, but decide which ones sound like the most fun and choose those. 

Rest, Rest, Rest

Okay friends- this last point is a biggie. No one wants to spend Christmas with the Wicked Witch of the West. But if you don't rest, that'll end up being you. So calm down, take a breath, and be okay with taking some time to rest when you get home from work.

Yes, there's stuff to do, but if you look at your list you will probably find that not everything is a necessity. Cut those things out or at least put them off. Rest your feet, rest your eyes, and just calm down.

The Ultimate List of Christmas Sweets and Treats

Cookies, cakes, cakepops, hot chocolates, pies, and snack mixes are all over Pinterest right now and it's making me drool. So many yummy things to bake and I haven't even started yet!!!

With so much to do around the holidays, it makes complete sense. It's tough finding a balance between getting everything done and staying sane. I am certainly not going to stress myself out over unbaked cookies, but there are several things I would really like to make before the holidays are over.

And since it's not only difficult to find time to bake, but also hard to decide what to bake, I have put together one giant list of holiday sweets and treats you may want to make this Christmas. Who knows, you may even find your new favorite recipe!

Christmas Cookies

1.) 3 Ingredient Buttery Shortbread Cookies

2.) Buttery Jam Thumbprint Cookies (A personal favorite)

3.) White-Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies

4.) Egg Nog Snickerdoodles

5.) Candy Cane Cupcakes

6.) Sugar Cookie Truffles

7.) Pecan Thumbprint Cookies

8.) M&M Cookie Bars

9.) Peppermint Cake

10.) Christmas Chocolate "Lasagna"

11.) Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes

12.) Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

13.) Peanut Butter Christmas Cookies

14.) Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies

15.) Eggnog Pie

16.) Oreo Krispies (Video Tutorial)

17.) Maple Pecan Cupcakes

18.) Melting Snowman Oreo Balls

19.) Gingerbread Bars w/ Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting

20.) Ritz Cracker Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

21.) Easy Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Bites

22.) Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups

23.) Candy Cane Pie

24.) Graham Cracker Toffee

25.) Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars

26.) Pretzel Hugs

27.) Crockpot Salty Sweet Candy

28.) Cheesecake Cookie Bars

29.) Oreo Truffles

30.) Peppermint Brownie Cake Pops

31.) Dark Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies

32.) White Chocolate Ginger Cookies

33.) Peppermint Kiss Oreo Balls

34.) Salted Caramel Chocolate Cheesecake

Savory Holiday Treats

1.) Baked Cheddar Crackers

2.) Cheddar Rosemary Shortbread

3.) Italian Seasoned Crackers

4.) Sriracha Chex Mix

5.) Sweet-N-Salty Snack Mix

Holiday Beverages

1.) Grinch Hot Chocolate

2.) Sparkling Cranberry Pineapple Punch

3.) Creamy White Christmas Punch

4.) Slow-Cooker Cranberry Apple Cider

5.) Hot Pumpkin Nog (Non-Dairy)

6.) Polar Express Hot Chocolate

7.) Slow-Cooker Spiced White Hot Chocolate

8.) Christmas Sangria

9.) Peppermint White Hot Chocolate

10.) Easy Mint Mocha Coffee


Whew! Seriously, friends- that's a lot of yummy stuff!! What sounds the best to you? And do you have any Christmas favorites that you always make? Mine are homemade Rice Krispy Treats, raspberry thumbprints, and chocolate chip cookies!

Happy baking!

This post was originally published 12/22/15, but has since had a complete overhaul :)

Fun & Simple Traditions to Celebrate During the Christmas Season

Do you love celebrating Christmas traditions with your friends and family? Try these fun and simple Christmas traditions to celebrate during the holiday season.

What is the True Meaning of Christmas? | Jesus Is More Than a Baby

Christmas is about more than traditions. Christmas is about Jesus coming down to earth, chasing after us, and providing us with exactly what we needed. Christmas is about more than just a baby - Christmas is about sacrifice, love, and joy. Though we do celebrate the birth of Christ at Christmas, we are also celebrating the sacrifice Jesus made to save us from our sins. Christmas is about all that Jesus has done, not just His birth.

I've been having so much fun lately with the Christmas lights, the happy overload of both Christmas cookies and Christmas music, and the wonderfully bad, low-budget Christmas movies. I am officially in Kristin-Christmas-Tradition-Heaven.

It's such a great feeling to truly enjoy all of the holiday scents, tastes, noises, and sights. I get warm-fuzzies every time I think about it. And even though I'm thankful for those things, at some point, the warm-fuzzies have to take a backseat, because at the core what we really need is a deep reflection on the true meaning of Christmas.

It is entirely possible to embrace tradition and reflect on the deeper things of life at the same time. In my pondering and celebrating the real meaning of Christmas, I will still be eating just as many cookies, singing just as many songs, and watching just as many Christmas movies. But while doing this, I will make sure that the more important things in life come first and are not replaced by the things that matter much less.

Jesus Is the Reason for the Season | What Does That Really Mean?

It's true that Jesus is the reason for the season. But I'm sure you've heard that phrase a million times and you may be thinking, "Yeah, but what does that really mean?"

The story of Jesus' birth is found in Luke 2 in the Bible. If you've never read it, or you need a refresher, you can read it here.

A lot of people "know" that Christmas is about Jesus - a little baby who was called the son of God, and born in a stable. Great. But many people don't go past that.

The thing is though, it's when you go past the basics that you truly begin to understand the meaning of Christmas. Go past the fact that Jesus was born to a young girl who had never had sex. Go past what you know about wise men, bright stars, and a feeding trough for a bed. Then you will start to see the point of this beautiful holiday season!

Guilt and Love | Why Jesus Came

From the very beginning of our lives, we are sinful people. We aren't innocent. We aren't good enough. We make mistakes every day that pull us further and further away from God.

But since God loves us, He wanted to bring us back to Him. However, He is a holy God and He couldn't just act like our sin was acceptable - because it's not. He needed a perfect person to take the punishment we deserved: death and eternal separation from God.

God knew that if He didn't step in, our sin would keep us from Him, from His love, and from experiencing his goodness and glory for all of eternity. But thankfully, our God isn't helpless. Our God wasn't scrambling around trying to figure out what to do. He already had a plan. He already had the perfect solution to our soul-devouring sin. He had His Son.

Complete Perfection | Jesus Is the Perfect Response to Sin

As baby Jesus grew up, He never sinned. He was human, and yet He was God at the very same time. He stood firm against the sins that we give into. He was the only perfect person.

So when the Jews decided to kill Jesus, they were killing a perfect, spotless man.

God planned the death of Jesus as a sacrifice for all sin. Jesus took our death sentence and He served it Himself. Since Jesus is God in the flesh, He was actually able to defeat the death sentence He was serving for us.

Death, which was meant to be an irreversible and final event, was defeated and conquered. It was for us. It was for me. And it was for you.

We no longer have to pay the penalty of sin - Jesus already did.

God did all of the work. The only thing He requires of us is that we believe and trust in Jesus as the savior - that His death paid the full penalty of our sins just like God said it did. All we have to do is trust in Jesus and His blood as the saving grace we desperately need.

That is the gospel in a nutshell, and the gospel is what Christmas is all about.

It's not about how many wise men went to see Jesus when He was born. It's not even about the fact that Jesus' mom was a virgin (though that is important). Christmas is about a Savior - the only Savior - who came to live, die, and defeat death for us. Christmas is about God's goodness, despite our utter and constant failure. Christmas is about the cross.

Check Your Response | Is Your Heart Focused on Christ?

Christmas is a humbling experience. I don't like being told that I am a sinner, but I know it's true.

I look out for myself instead of others. I care far too much about my weight, my curves, my personality, and other people's opinions. I try to appear better than I actually am. I complain about nearly everything that doesn't go my way.

And chances are, you do the same things, because you are a sinner too. You and I are imperfect people, in need of a Savior.

So check your response. Don't be mad that God confronts you and your sin. Instead, be thankful that you don't have to serve your death sentence. Accept Jesus as the Savior He is. Spend Christmas with new-found joy that you don't have to be handcuffed to your sin anymore.

Christmas is about praising God because He gave us what we needed. God is love. That is what Christmas is really about!

What Is Christmas Really About?

• Christmas is about sin
• Christmas is about death
• Christmas is about redemption and salvation
• Christmas is about God's love for us
• Christmas is about God's glory
• Christmas is about the sacrifice Jesus made for us
• Christmas is about God

How to Deal with Difficult Family During the Holidays

Are the holidays a stressful time because you have a dysfunctional or dramatic family? Do you know how to deal with difficult family members during the holidays? Learn how to deal with your difficult family over the holidays in a Biblical, Christ-like way.

I'm extremely thankful (for many reasons) that I have a really good family with far less drama than most people I know. I am well-aware that if I was in a more dysfunctional situation, I would be tempted to get myself into all sorts of trouble.

But what if you are in a volatile situation? What if you have a mother who closely rivals Emily Gilmore? (guess what I've been watching...). What if it's even worse than that? I am so thankful that the holidays are a fun time for me and my family, but for many, the holidays are the most terrible time of the year.

So in that situation, how does a person manage to be a light for their family? How does someone remain Christlike when dealing with difficult people? Are there biblical principles to follow?

Helpful Tips for Fall and Thanksgiving

Are you feeling overwhelmed about the holidays already? Are you hoping to have a fun, laid-back, and stress-free Thanksgiving with your family and friends? Learn how to have a fantastic Thanksgiving with the help of these tips and resources.

Happy Friday, lovelies! This has been a very busy week with lot's of tasks on my to-do list. Lot's of candles to make (praise God for business!), lots of blogging goals to meet, and most pressing has been getting ready for our joint yard sale with my mom.

Despite all the busyness going on around the Cook house though, I have really been feeling good about my blog lately. There's a lot I haven't accomplished yet, but there's also a lot that I have been proud of. I'll take it! 😁

And if you saw my November Goals post on Wednesday, you know that I am trying really hard to accomplish the things that are important to me, without missing the blessings that are right in front of me- I'm calling it my contented hustle. I think it sounds like the newest dance...buuuut, maybe that's just me.

I guess I could stop yammering on, because I know you are ready for your Friday links to read with your coffee. I don't really blame you. There's some pretty awesome stuff in there 😎

Sending Out Snail Mail for Christmas

*This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I may be compensated. All opinions are my own, however.

If you're anything like me, one of the best things in the world is getting cards and letters via snail-mail. This is especially true now that our lives are becoming more and more electronic. Cards used to be boring and emails were exciting, and now it's the other way around entirely.

Christmas time often yields a card or two, making an already-exciting holiday even more exciting. And now that Taylor and I are married (it's our second Christmas), I really want to send out cute, personalized Christmas cards. Any other newly-married couples with me on that?

As Black Friday approaches, I know there are going to be all sorts of ads for presents, gift wrap, recipe books, and Christmas cards. There are an umpti-bazillion (sure...that's a number) places you could turn to buy those cute cards, but one place I am loving is Minted. Minted has all sorts of holiday cards, post cards, stationary and gifts. They offer personalized cards and post cards with hundreds of styles and colors to chose from.

Minted is known for having unique designs made by independent artists, and being able to customize those looks to fit your own needs. Here are a few of my favorites for this Christmas:

I love this post card for it's simplicity. The color at the bottom gives it a Christmas feel without adding too much, you can add your own little note, and the script adds an elegant touch.

I absolutely adore the Christmas tree text. It's fun, a little quirky, but still not overdone. How cute would that be to send to your friends and family?

This Christmas card comes in several different colors and features Luke 2 as it's text. You can also add your personalized text at the bottom. If you are looking for a more blatantly Christian card, this one is a great choice.

One of my favorite Christmas songs is "O Holy Night", and my favorite color is purple, so I am loving this card. You can personalize the "Merry Christmas From:" at the bottom, and you also can personalize the back of the card. This comes in a few more colors if you don't love purple as much as I do.

Isn't this gorgeous?! I love the color combo and I love the word "Noel", which means "news" in French. I love that Christmas is all about bringing the news of hope to the world.
With this card you can chose from a few other colors (black, green, and red).

Though these were my top 5 cards at Minted, there are so many different options. I highly recommend checking them out. They have post cards, mini-post cards, foil-pressed cards, ornament cards, and more.  Use this link to check it all out!


I am getting really excited about sending out cards, putting up the Christmas tree with my hubby, baking cookies, and listening to LOTS of Christmas music.

What traditions do you have? Are you sending out cards this year?