There’s one person you’re probably forgetting about this season, and that’s yourself. You want everyone around you to spend the last few weeks of 2017 wrapped in love, joy, and holiday cheer so much so that you forget to take care of YOU! So, do yourself a favor and indulge in a few treats and experiences that you know will make your heart happy.
**This post may contain affiliate (which means I make a small commission when you shop from them) and sponsored links (gift items are indicated with a [c/o] and sponsored links with a [sp]), because we all have to pay our bills, and I’d rather keep creating awesome content for you than get a real job. All opinions are my own.**
A Pair of Fuzzy Socks
I’m not all about the cold, so if it’s soft, cozy, and keeps me toasty, I’m on board. I love wearing fuzzy socks like these ones around the house as the weather gets colder! Ones with fun patterns or bright colors also lift my spirits up when I’m feeling the fall blues.
Non-Traditional Holiday Songs
There are more Christmas songs than the 20 they overplay on the radio. That’s why I had our in-house music expert – and I say in-house because I live with him 😉 – round up his top 10 non-traditional songs for you to add to your holiday playlists (you can even listen to it right from within the post!).
The Mood Booster Journal
By now, you’ve seen me mention The Mood Booster Journal [sp] a few times (including my full review here) and if you haven’t gotten yours yet, now’s the time. The second half of the journal is a “Year of Happiness” portion that I am making a commitment to start jotting small memories in for 2018. The Mood Booster Journal has already helped me find more pockets of happiness in my life and I cannot wait to use it more in 2018.
Julep’s Monthly Beauty Box
Give yourself a present every month with Julep’s Monthly Beauty Box. Every Julep product I’ve tried so far I have LOVED, and they’re always coming up with more innovative beauty buys. You can get the box for as little as $19.99/month. If you’re not up for a commitment, you can still save with their 24 Days of Deals going on right now!
Simple Shopping
You’ve got enough stress to worry about this time of year, and if you’re like me, maybe you haven’t done much of your holiday shopping yet (there’s nothing like waiting until the last minute, right?). At The Gem, we’ve tried to make your gift buying as easy as possible this year by picking out the best finds for everyone on your list. View the gift guide for guys, gift guide for the go-getter, and under $50 gift guide for her.
DIY Ornaments
I remember painting and decorating ornaments when I was little and it was so much fun. I made one with my baby doll Jenny’s name on it that I still make sure hangs on my mom’s tree every year, hahaha. We used to make marbled ornaments like this and they were very simple (even for the worst DIYer on the planet – aka me).
Cutting Down Your Own Tree
For me, one part of learning to slow down is making tasks into an experience instead of just a to-do list item. So instead of “having to go get a tree” this year, we decided to cut down our own down and make a memory out of it. Here’s a few tips and instructions we have for you if you decide to cut down your own as well!
Hot Cocoa Oreos
Shaun literally buys every single limited edition Oreo that comes out. Most of the time, we eat a few of them and then the rest of them sit there and the packages pile up in our kitchen (since they’ve been coming out with a new flavor like every other week these days). But these Hot Cocoa Oreos are SOOOOO delicious that we eat every last one.
Holiday Scents
I’ve seen a lot of people on social media say that they haven’t done much decorating this year because life has just been crazy (and I get it, there are like 9 ornaments on our tree and it’s been in our house for 2 weeks). Scents however, are a great way to add a lot of festiveness with a tiny but of effort. I’ve been burning these lately (I have a festive little tea light holder similar to this one, but there’s a regular jar candle, too) and they give the house a fresh, Christmas smell without being too overpowering.
Make Your Own Donut Snowballs
Oreos aside, Shaun also loves donuts. I’ve never made them because I just didn’t think they were something you could easily make at home. But on The Today Show yesterday, they made Donut Snowballs that looked SO simple! I haven’t made them yet, but I plan to!
Do you have any “treat yourself” suggestions for next month? Tell me in the comments and you might find yourself in the January “10 Things” post!
