Remembering to Move Forward … Ah, 2021! Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes? While the spectacular shenanigans of your predecessor are, for the most part, best left to the recesses of our minds, some things are worth noting as we begin with you. Whether good, bad or ugly, many lessons were learned, and are necessary to remember, to move successfully into brighter days. … THE GOOD … While 2020 proved to be a very trying year, it was not unfruitful. Yes, there were shutdowns, reopenings, natural disasters, a public health crisis, social discourse and very scary circumstances in abundance.
I remember going into 2020 thinking it was going to be my year and plotting my world domination. I remember racking up one New Year’s resolution after another at the end of 2019. I remember planning out all the things I wanted to be a part of and everything I wanted to accomplish, including going off the grid for the first few months of the year so I could lose a bunch of weight.
Weeks ago, Christmas decorations began popping up in windows and yards all over our area. Truly, this has been a year like no other! In the 1966 Broadway musical Mame, Angela Lansbury introduced us to the song, “We Need A Little Christmas,” and it has become a classic. No doubt we could all use a BIG dose of Christmas right now! This year has taught us a lot about what truly matters. Many of our “normal” holiday activities have been cancelled, but there are so many ways to enjoy every moment of this season.
We are of no relation, but Janice Porterfield is what I call a “constant” in my life. She lives in my hometown and I can always count on her to be watching my family from the outside looking in. I take comfort in knowing that she’s just a phone call away when I need encouragement or sound advice. It should also be noted that Mrs. Janice can cook you the best Texas sheet cake known to man, even though she hails from Tennessee.
The jewelry business is an event driven business. Often jewelry is given as a gift from one person to another or as a token of some special event in a person, couple or family’s life. Some of those gifts will be special enough to be passed from one family member to another through generations. They will become the heirlooms of the family. … Sometimes an heirloom can be a particular diamond or wedding set that will be passed along. It could be a special piece of jewelry that was custom made for a special event. Most of the time it will be a piece that is timeless.
What if you could give everyone on your shopping list a personalized gift? There is something special about giving a thoughtful, personalized gift during the holidays. Friends and family will love personalized gift baskets that are tailored specifically for them. Kat Stone, with Julie's Deli & Market, tells us how to make the perfect gift basket for anyone on your nice list. … Julie's is the perfect place because their well-stocked gourmet market is packed with delicious items for everyone.
There are technically only five love languages, but I believe there is a sixth option… food. Food is one of my love languages. When I ask my family, “What do you want to do?” I’m really just asking, “What do you want to eat?” We’ve planned stops on road trips around meals, scheduled girls’ trip itineraries by who has the best brunch, and I have made meaningful memories cooking meals for family. Hello Fresh is a nightly routine at our house. My 10-year-old, John Henry, will sometimes help me prepare the meals. Those are minutes I will treasure for a lifetime.
Christmas 2020—YAY or YIKES? … Whew! What a year it has been, to say the least… and I mean the very least. Pandemic. Economic shut down. School shut down. Church shut down. Quarantining with our people. Masks. Stage one opening. Stage two opening. Back to stage one opening. School re-opening with a virtual option. The election of the century. Good night! I’ve never seen anything like it! It makes me wonder, can something as regular as celebrating Christmas be a valid option this year? … Well, my friends, I’m just going to go ahead and claim Christmas as a YES!