Fitting Christmas into One Week.

We all know that the holidays tend to fly by. Sometimes, it's the day after Thanksgiving, and you're listening to Jingle Bells play while you're shopping all the decorated stores, and you're making all these Christmas plans in your head. You're going to host a fancy Christmas party, go on the best Christmas dates, make handmade Christmas presents, bake all sorts of Christmas cookies and have Christmas movie marathons...it's going to be the best Christmas season ever.

Then, you go to sleep that night, and wake up the next morning to find that somehow, it's already the week of Christmas, and you didn't get to do any of that stuff. And even though Christmas hasn't come yet, that can make you feel like you missed out on everything that you wanted Christmas to be. But you didn't! We've got one week until Christmas, and while you may not be able to do all of the extravagant plans you had in mind, you can still fit the best parts of Christmas into one week.

Fitting Christmas into One Week: 

Watch Christmas movies. What movie do you know you're going to regret letting the season pass by without watching? Watch it! If you haven't watched Elf yet this year, then there's your answer.

Make your house smell like Christmas. Whether you like your house to smell like a Christmas tree, or Christmas cookies, or candy canes..whatever your favorite Christmas scent is, pick up a candle and make your house smell festive.

Bake something. What screams Christmas to you? Cookies and milk? A certain pie? A cupcake recipe your grandma passed down? Bake it!

Go look at Christmas lights. Just because you may not have gotten around to creating the winter wonderland you had in mind doesn't mean you can't enjoy everyone else's hard work! Grab some hot chocolate and make a date out of looking at all the Christmas decorations around you!

Have your own Christmas party. Sure, it may be a little late for the well-attended, formal holiday party you had in mind. But who cares? Have your own! Whether it's a family dinner, or drinks with a few friends, or a fancy date with just you and your man. Whether you can go all out and dress up or just meet at a restaurant after work and then watch The Grinch after...if you say it's a party, it's a party.

Celebrate Christmas Eve. If you don't celebrate Christmas Eve already, then you are missing out! Two days of Christmas...come on! Christmas eve is one of my favorite days of the entire year (I may like it even more than Christmas Day!) and it turns a 24 hour celebration into a 48 hour celebration. What's not to love?

Make your to-do's merry. This week is probably packed full of things you need to do-not just celebrating Christmas. But just because you have a long to-do list doesn't mean you can't celebrate Christmas while checking things off! Sip on a peppermint mocha while you're finishing up your shopping. Put on a Christmas movie while you wrap gifts. When you get out of a meeting super late, take advantage of the dark and go look at Christmas lights. Don't let having a lot to do keep you from celebrating this week.

Read the Christmas story. Slow down, grab a hot drink, and read the Christmas story. It's good to stop and remember what it's all about.

Do the one thing you do every Christmas. What makes the season special for you? Having Christmas dinner with your family? Going a certain place? Watching a classic movie? Making something? If nothing else, make time to do that one thing that makes Christmas special for you.

How are you celebrating this week?