december "joy" list

Now that the holiday season is in full swing, I'm excited to complete my December "joy" list. It's a list I've created of the things that I want to do throughout the month of December, whether it's personal goals or the act of spreading joy to others. I've always been told it's important to give back during this season, but I never really knew how. So... I've been jotting down goals that I want to accomplish before the new year. Some are silly, some are fun, some are heartfelt... but my goal is to have a meaningful & joyful December. 

1. volunteer at a local food bank- This is a great way to give back! I plan to get a group of friends together and volunteer throughout the month.  
2. make homemade holiday presents- I'm hoping to make DIY sugar scrub with cutie wooden spoons... I will definitely keep y'all posted! 
3. pay it forward & buy someone's Starbucks- I go to Starbucks daily...and I've always thought about doing this. This month, it's happening. 
4. try Indian food- This one is silly... but I need to expand my palette & enjoy food from other cultures. I'm excited. 
5. read a classic book- I'm thinking Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte or Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I was instructed to read these classics in high school, but I didn't appreciate them. 
6. donate books to an elementary school- Being an elementary education major, I've learned that being exposed to books at a young age is extremely important. Also, I've learned that not every child is given this opportunity, and it was definitely something that I took for granted.  
7. host a holiday party- I'm so excited about this. I'm hosting a donut & mimosa pajama party, complete with a gift exchange and lots of glitter confetti. Here's the invitation I made for my little soirée :  

I created this on the Martha Stewart Craft Studio app 

There's more to my list... and I'm continuing to add more as new inspirations are presented to me. If you'd like, join me and we can create a joyful December together. 

have a great day, 

m