Merry Christmas! and …Welcome or Welcome back to the blog.
“Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everybody believed in everybody?” — A Season of Miracles
Hello, my friends. I hope you are doing well this holiday (no more stress, it’s here!). Please take the time to slow down and enjoy the day with friends and family.
Friends, this is the final post in my 12 Days of Christmas series. While I didn’t post every single day as planned, I’m grateful I got to spend this season here with you. So for today a quiet finale with my shared playlist, and a poem for the season
The décor is up, the tree is dressed, the gifts are wrapped, and the shopping is done. Tonight, I’ll bake the ham and make a pot of delicious mulled wine. We’ve watched a few movies, started a puzzle, baked two kinds of cookies (the sugar cookies are still coming), and dipped into some trivia. More than anything, though, we’ve been intentional about soaking up as much of the season as possible.
Life around the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) can feel heavy, so this stretch of time off—to slow down, listen to holiday music, and truly live in my own skin—has been a gift in itself.
Holiday Playlist (I Love Music)
I’ve been building this list over the years—songs I grew up with alongside newer renditions of the classics. These songs evoke memories of a younger, more carefree me, stretched out on the floor by our Christmas tree. Just being near it made me feel warm, and there was truly nothing else like it.
And Then, A Holiday Poem
Mistletoe
By Walter de La Mare
Sitting under the mistletoe
(Pale-green, fairy mistletoe),
One last candle burning low,
All the sleepy dancers gone,
Just one candle burning on,
Shadows lurking everywhere:
Some one came, and kissed me there.
Tired I was; my head would go
Nodding under the mistletoe
(Pale-green, fairy mistletoe),
No footsteps came, no voice, but only,
Just as I sat there, sleepy, lonely,
Stooped in the still and shadowy air
Lips unseen—and kissed me there.
[Source: The Poetry Foundation]
Looking for Puzzles This Season!
Our typical go-to is one of our 1,000-piece White Mountain puzzles, a tradition we come back to every year. We’ve tackled a Charlie Brown puzzle in the past, along with one featuring holiday stamps and wreaths. This year, we’re changing things up with a Hallmark holiday puzzle that’s only 500 pieces—perfect for a quicker turnaround and instant satisfaction. Below are a few puzzles currently sitting in my shopping cart for next year’s holiday season.
I love finding unique shops like Puzzles of Color, Puzzledly, and Gailson because I like supporting small businesses, but you can also find puzzles at Etsy, Target, Walmart, or White Mountain.
ookies? Those I can always tweak and fine-tune until they’re just right.
(One More Time) Holiday Movie Bingo
Previous Post…I know this is a bit of a shameless plug, but I love sharing my holiday movie bingo. It could probably use a little tweaking, but if I overthink it, it’ll never be ready in time for the season—so after hours of tinkering, I’m calling it done. I do plan to add more cards eventually, but for now, three was all I could create without becoming repetitive. As we all know, most holiday movies follow the same familiar themes—unless you’re watching Krampus or Die Hard. And even then, they still stick to the basic holiday structure: one with action, the other rooted in folklore.
So print these out… enjoy, and if you think I should add more images, share your thoughts below.
Download the PDF here.
***
Friends, I want to take the time to say thank you 🎁, and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your friends and family. LifebyWyetha is run by a woman of one “me”, so I’ll be taking a [much-needed] break for the holidays. I’ll be returning with my “Best of the Best” for 2025, so stay tuned.
Don’t forget to like or comment, and I’ll see you back here soon – Peace.
Love the bingo cards!
🙌🏾