Holidays!

 I have so much catching up to do here! 

Sweet Anita and I at Mistletoe!

Once I returned from Egypt, the holiday season was in full swing back at home. Each year, I scoop up at least one friend and attend Mistletoe Marketplace. This annual holiday market, hosted by the Jackson Junior League, supports a different charitable organization each year, and I always find fun Christmas gifts there! 

This year, my friend Anita and I attended one of the ticketed events - a lovely brunch - and bought all kinds of holiday goodies! (The way the Junior League decorates the Mississippi Trademart for this event is UNREAL. You don't even believe it's the same building/space. These women are geniuses.) 

Next up was one of my favorite Jackson holiday traditions - Capital City Lights! Each year, the city's businesses stay open late, serving cider and hot chocolate, the beautifully decorated governor's mansion is open for tours, live music stages are set up in the street, and small ensembles play in spaces like the Capitol Building. 

All kinds of businesses and entities are giving away free holiday cookies and drinks, you can get your photos made with Santa (There's often more than one Santa in attendance!), and the holiday vibe is real. 

This year, my friend Shawn and I met for a tasty holiday dinner at Estelle, then hit the street! The Westin, the hotel that Estelle is located in, is also home to a pretty collection of holiday trees decorated by different local businesses, so you get to see those, too. There was a tree there that someone had decorated in a Taylor Swift/Travis Kelce theme, and it was a HOOT! (Santa remembered us from last year!) 

Santa remembered Shawn and I from last year! 

Another annual event - the Yule Run - was held in Clinton the following morning. Melanie, Kelly, Caron and I all came out in our holiday best for this fun 5K. It's sponsored by Continental Tire, and I think this is my third or fourth year to participate in it. The finisher's medal is always cute, and the event is well organized. Plus, I get to hang out back in my old stomping grounds! (And did I wear my "I'm in my Grinch era" t-shirt and a holiday headband? Yes. Yes, I did.) 

My son said my "I'm in my Grinch
era" t-shirt was cringe. 
I do not care!

That same weekend (It was a BUSY ONE.), hubs and I went to dinner at Eudora's and enjoyed Deck the District at The District at Eastover. This event is held throughout one  weekend in December each year. It features "snow," free family movie screenings, Santa photos (again!), live music, fun drink specials, and typically some live performances. We've been going to it for a few years now, and we really enjoy it. (I threw on a red plaid dress for what was, I think, my third Santa photo of the weekend. HA!) 

Those are only a few of the holiday events that we squeezed in, and there a many more to come! (Stay tuned.) It just goes to show you that you're only bored if you want to be. There's always a ton of stuff going on, especially during December!