It’s rolling into the very early hours of Christmas Eve on the west coast and I’m tucked in my old bedroom at my parent’s house (it’s now my dad’s office where I’m sleeping on an air mattress) eating takeout Thai food, gathering our links for Sunday reading. All of this to say, this feels right. I’m also hoping my dad didn’t count the number of peanut butter cookies he just baked off before going to bed because I’m going to get into those before the night is out.
I hope you’re ready to rest and holiday the way you do. I hope you feel like you’re where you belong. Here’s a short list of reading for this week:
• Here’s to radical liberty and just going to the movies. The Gift of Loneliness: a single woman’s secret to surviving the holiday season alone.
• A list for all of us- all of the time really. 8 Ways To Have Better Relationships in 2018. More resolutions coming soon.
• Goals for 2018, get us a pajama lounge.
• Have you listened to Jessie Ware’s latest album Glasshouse? It’s fantastic. See also: Jessie Ware is working on being a working mom. There’s gin involved which does make sense to me.
• Are you baking for Christmas morning? Are Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls on the docket? Maybe these Chocolate Babka Muffins? Each have make-ahead options (aka an overnight rise in the refrigerator) so there’s no excuse not to have warm cinnamony dough with Christmas presents.
• Have you taken a visit to The Kitchn’s Cookieland? Meet me over at the Temple of the Last Minute Cookie Baker.
• What good fortune! Adrianna made us this gorgeous Crunchy Brussels Sprout Salad with pecorino, apples, and candied pecans!
• I’m very excited about making a Vision Board at the start of next year. It’s true.
• Get the pole out of the crawl space: Festivus For the Rest Of Us.
My holiday love- comin’ atcha!
xo Joy
Abbi
Oh- Jessie Ware is just fantastic. Can’t stop listening to Glasshouse. So excited to see an article about her! Thanks for linking.
Shellie
We have a Christmas cinnamon roll tradition and these ones are now our go-to recipe!
Becca Kramer
Thank you for that first link. I’m fairly comfortably alone, but I spent Christmas eve listening to a family member talk about a niece who isn’t married, and how inevitably she would find someone. I just desperately wanted to say “or maybe she won’t, and it will be ok”. I don’t begrudge anyone that hope- I hold it myself – but I also seriously grate at the way in which we societally treat people who don’t ‘find someone’ as some tragic aberration.
Anyways, happy new years- I’ll be in Zion with a friend because sometimes you should just go to the movies :D.
Nha Dep So
Wonderful! I wish I had read it before. Hope you enjoy the time with your family and friends in the new year holiday!
LelandOpire
You really make it appear really easy with your presentation however I to find this matter to be actually one thing that I think I might never understand. It seems too complex and very broad for me. I’m looking ahead to your subsequent post, I’ll try to get the hang of it!
Madeleine S
Merry Christmas! I always make the cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning (proving overnight). This year I subbed some items and made them vegan-they still work fantastically!
Kate
Merry Christmas! Thanks for being such a bright part of the internet. ???
Stella P
Merry Christmas and Joy to the World,
Thank you for being you Joy, love your generous spirit and kind smile. May all the happiness and goodness a New Year brings be yours for the asking. I baked peanut butter cookies too and chocolate cake for the family to share; holiday desserts are the best!
Lori
Merry Christmas Joy! Love your recipes, make them over and over to everyone’s delight!