Holidays, Take 2!

Goofy holiday tourist photos with hubs in Meridian

 

Did you think I was done celebrating the holidays? Oh no, my friend. I was just getting started. 

You, too, can build your own volcano, kids!

This season, I buddied up with my work besties on two holiday volunteer projects. The first one is a long-standing tradition. Our group picks a morning, meets up for a delicious breakfast, and then heads to a retailer that has a Toys for Tots box. 

We spend about an hour buying all the toys we always wanted for Christmas (Did I get some lucky kid a "Build Your Own Volcano" kit? You BET I did.), and then we stuff the box! Everyone spends as much or as little as they like, but we generally fill up the box twice over. This is a great team-building activity, you get to give back to the community, and it is FUN. 

We added a second, new volunteer activity this year - decorating and signing Christmas cards for veterans of the armed forces. This was so cool! We bought several boxes of cards, some fun holiday sticker sheets, and a set of holiday ink stamps. We spent a happy hour or two writing warm holiday wishes in each card, decorating it with stickers and stamps, and drawing holiday doodles on it. Then, we sealed them all up and sent them off! It was easy, fun, and was great for getting in the holiday spirit! 

Getting into the holiday spirit!

Hubs, my son and I also made time for a family tradition of our own - getting rich hot chocolates at Cups (#protip - Bring a small flask and have them leave room in the cup for a shot!) and strolling the holiday lights at Winner's Circle Park. It's always so beautiful, and we've been doing this since my son was very small. We bundle up, walk, sip, talk, laugh, and admire the lights for an hour or so. I also usually have a holiday playlist on my phone, so we bring our own soundtrack. 

If you know me, you know I'm a big fan of our local repertory theatre - New Stage. I've been in a few productions there, and I also served on their board for a time. They present a holiday show every season. Often, it's a version of A Christmas Carol, but this year, it was the musical Elf! I loaded up a group of my lady friends, and we began our evening at The Apothecary. This locally owned bar was doing a pop-up event for the holidays - Miracle. The pop-up features a ton of beautiful retro holiday decor, so you're eating and drinking in a Christmas cocoon! 

Miracle at The Apothecary

We all got big, juicy burgers and fries, ordered holiday cocktails that came in outrageous glasses, and enjoyed talking and laughing before it was time to get going for curtain. Then, we headed over to the theatre and had a fantastic time at the show! (I knew a few of the cast members, and my friend Chris, who played Santa, was especially hilarious. The show features great music, dancing Santas, Christmas snow, and TONS of holiday spirit! What's not to love?) 

Preservation Hall Jazz Band at the MSU Riley Center in Meridian

Lastly, my friend Shawn had bought a set of four tickets to a holiday performance by New Orleans' Preservation Hall Jazz Band in Meridian. The performance was taking place at the beautifully restored MSU Riley Center. We had a fantastic dinner at Harvest Grill, where hubs and I had a delicious meal and split the table top s'mores for dessert. (Once a Girl Scout, always a Girl Scout.) Then, we took a few goofy holiday tourist photos and headed to the theatre for a great show! They played a ton of holiday standards, as well as some New Orleans classics, and the house lighting was full of red, green, and gold. 

Am I done with holiday-ing? Not. Quite. Yet! Stay tuned!

A few of my Christmas cuties!