MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE!🎄

How lovely is Christmas time?! I celebrate the entire month.. I feel like every day in December is Christmas Day. I love the anticipation of Christmas.. the decorations, the cookies, the home-cooked meals, the sweaters and scarves and snuggles. It’s such a sweet time to celebrate with your family. To get days off work. It’s a reason for your whole family to get together. I am so thankful for that. Thank God for holidays, even just to be a reason to get around your family.

Christmas has been such a joyful time for years. To think that this has been a holiday that has carried throughout history and has connected so many people. At church Friday night, Pastor Jason told us the story about the Christmas Truce in 1914 during World War I where the German and British troops ceased fire to take a moment to celebrate, sing their own carols, and even exchange gifts. A few german soldiers initiated it by approaching the Allied lines singing “Merry Christmas” in their enemies’ native language – not their own. The Allied soldiers noticed that the Germans were unarmed and joined.

I love that in this story it takes an initiator. It took someone to risk their life for the sake of celebration. For the sake of Christmas. Christmas, for years, has united people across the globe. I love that!

The truth is that Christmas unites us so much because that’s what happened when Jesus was born. This was the most anticipated birth of all time. A man born to die. The people at that time had hoped and longed for this baby to be born. They knew this would be their Savior. He would be the one to bring a New Law. They would no longer have to sacrifice their best. He would be their best and be the Ultimate Sacrifice. They no longer had to count their sins. Jesus would wipe them all away, covered with Grace. The Christmas Story is the greatest story of all time. I hope that you have heard the Good News this Holiday Season.

SO for Christmas, I’ve already opened gifts on my mom’s side! I got some awesome cooking utensils – cutting knives, a cast iron skillet, a mini egg pan, and a chili pot! WOAH! Talk about things a girl learning to cook NEEDS! I also got the wonderful Tarte Limited Edition Treasure Box! Eeeep! It’s got eye shadow, blush, bronzer, highlight, eyeliner, mascara, and lipstick in it! I put it on today to test it out and I LOVE IT. I truly think that Tarte eyeshadow is my favorite. It is so easy to use. Highly pigmented, soft, smells great, and stays forever (until you take it off at night).

My older sister got us all different colored sweatshirts that say “Schrute Farms Bed & Breakfast” from the Office. She’s the best!! How funny is that?! They’re super comfy and we all wore them to see Star Wars together last night. We have a family tradition where we see a movie during Christmas time. Normally we go on Christmas Day, but that’s not always easy to do!

She got the sweatshirts from Etsy.

My sweet friend Chelsea bought me this sweater from H&M. I love her SO MUCH! She’s a gem to my life. The sweater comes also comes in more colors!

I bought these earrings in Jonesboro form Francesca’s when I went to visit Chelsea – I COULD NOT resist buying them!! They’re so festive and just beautiful! The colors melt me. I thought it went really well with my Zara purse (which is sadly not available anymore).

My jeans are from Elysian and necklace was a gift from my beloved friend Kristen.

Okay I’m going to spend Christmas with my family now. Thank y’all for taking time to read this today. I hope it encourages and inspires you and that you take time, just like the German soldiers, to set aside your weapons (whatever that could be – maybe something you have against a family member or another) and just celebrate what unites us all.

xx, Claire