5 Quick Things #311 🎅

ebenezers, neighborliness, musicality, and the real MVP

Hey there,

Today is our boys’ last day of classes until the new year, and tomorrow is when my oldest comes home from college! 🙌 It’s a big deal for me, having a freshman who now lives a thousand miles away returning from her first semester. We’ll all be together under the same roof, and I can hardly stand it.

I’ve got quite a bit to do today to get ready for her arrival, so let’s get right to it, shall we?

Little Girl Looking Downstairs at the Christmas Party, by Norman Rockwell (1964)

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5 Quick Things ☕️

1. I appreciate

Gracy Olmstead

’s perspective here on recalling our ebenezers—both in the traditional sense of them being a physical commemoration to remember God's help in our lives, and also why Dickens' most famous Christmas character is named as such. (Plus, her Ebenezer-ish list of writing reminders feels similar to a good Rule of Life.)

2. I am in complete agreement with

Chloe Langr

—we should walk our neighborhoods whenever it's possible. I love living in a highly-walkable area, but even if your area isn’t classically thought of as walk-friendly, it’s still worth it to make a daily trek of some sort. As she says, “But after months of intentionally choosing walking as a mode of transportation, I want to shake you out of that convenience and get you outside.” Yes ma’am.

3. “Last year, we found that we really wanted to celebrate Advent in a more social way as well—to have something Advent-y to do in community beyond attending Mass. And so we organized our very first (outdoor) community Lessons and Carols.” I love the spirit of

Dixie Dillon Lane

’s family's foray into a new community-focused Advent tradition. Have you done something like this?¹

4. It made the rounds last year, but it's good to dust it off as a reminder that Mary Bailey is the big hero of It's a Wonderful Life—keep these things in mind as you enjoy your annual viewing of the undisputed best Christmas movie.

5. And finally, this new-to-me family has more musical talent in one of their pinky fingers than in ten copies of my entire person. Beautiful.

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Currently Reading, Watching, Listening 📺

Rewatching All Creatures Great & Small (new season drops January 7, 2024!)

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Quotable 💬

“For it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child himself.”

-Charles Dickens

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Last Minute Gifts! 🎁

You’ve still got time (but probably only through this weekend) to get some thoughtful gifts from the Commonplace Gift Guide for your favorite nerd—books, tees, and a few accessories fit the bill. If you’re still not sure what to get, go with a book and a bookish tee:

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What’s your favorite activity in December? 🎅

There’s so much good stuff to do this month, it’s hard to name it all (I had to leave some stuff out in the options, or at least assume it’s covered in these broader categories). My choice is a tough call because I love so many of these, but since I now have a kiddo who lives far away from me, I’m going with ‘seeing friends and family.’ And my version of this includes things like baking, decorating, going to events, and watching movies together. There, that’s how I hack the system.²

• Decorating: 29.5%

• Seeing friends & family: 18.3%

• Baking: 18%

• Watching movies: 16.2%

• Going to local events: 10.4%

• Shopping & wrapping gifts: 4.4%

• Traveling: 1.8%

• Summer-y stuff: 1.4%

Find this week’s poll here.

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Quick Links 🔗

• 📐Create your own Rule of Life

• 🎧 Listen to A Drink With a Friend

• 📔 Order First Light & Eventide

• 🇬🇷 Join Me in Greece: June 20-30, 2024

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Question(s) For You to Ponder… 🤔

Where do I need to give myself a lot of grace right now?

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Have a great weekend,

- Tsh

p.s. I remember watching this live.

1. Local friend Meredith: this feels like something you’d be good at spearheading in our ‘hood. No pressure.

2. That I created.