Friday, December 14, 2012

What Brings Me Comfort and Joy



Hello Boils and Ghouls!

We’ve made it through the 13 Days of Creepmas, so now it is back to our regularly scheduled programming!

We all know the holiday season can be hectic and every now and then we all need to take a breather and just unwind and reflect on our blessings. It can be the smallest things that bring a smile to your face!

Here is a little list of what is bringing me comfort and joy this holiday season:

  • Trader Joe’s Candy Cane Green Tea – I love unwinding with a cup of good tea and this pepperminty flavor is perfect for that! It has a refreshing peppermint candy cane taste and a smooth green tea finish…plus it just tastes festive!
  • Baking - I usually don't get to do much of this as Mister Spooky doesn't have a big sweet tooth, but I really do enjoy baking (much more so than actual cooking!). You probably saw several cookie posts during Creepmas and you can blame my sweet tooth (I make up for Mr. Spooky's lack of sweet tooth with my own)! Plus, there is just something so fun about making sweets from scratch and getting to enjoy them fresh from the oven with a cup of tea or coffee.
  • Rainy weather – We have had lots of days of rain and good gloomy weather for once! And it has been wonderful! SoCal doesn’t get much rain, so this was a perfect break to the usual sunny weather. Rain also means cooler temps, which I also love. I just wish people could actually drive in the rain instead of insisting on going 25 mph in the fast lane on the freeway, oy vey!
  • Re-visiting favorite TV shows – I just re-watched American Horror Story season 1, Freaks and Geeks and love watching episodes of Buffy, Twilight Zone and The Munsters on Netflix. There is a comfort to returning to these familiar shows and I love having marathon couch sessions (especially on rainy weekends) where I can turn my brain off and re-visit favorite characters. Plus, I can always jump to my favorite episodes if I’m so inclined! 
  • The Order of the Good Death – I forget how I stumbled upon this blog run by charismatic mortician Caitlin Doughty, but I am sure glad I did!! I have always been fascinated by the corruptibility of the human body and by death and decay in general, but her blog opened me up to a whole new world of wonder! Caitlin advocates for natural burial and embracing death as a part of life. I love her writing and her perspective and have devoured her writings on her blog! She also hosts a YouTube series called “Ask a Mortician” that is absolutely fascinating and highly recommended. 
  • Reading - In the same vein as The Order of the Good Death, I am currently reading the groundbreaking book The American Way of Death Revisited by Jessica Mitford, which was originally published in the ‘60s and is an exposé on the funeral industry. It was updated in the late ‘90s (when the “revisited” part was added) and is an eye-opening account of funeral practices and business in the U.S. It is fascinating to me and oddly enough, I began reading it prior to finding The Order of the Good Death. Doughty and Mitford have similar ideas on the traditional funeral methods in the U.S. and both are strong advocates for more accountability on the part of funeral businesses as well as more freedom to do what we want with our bodies upon casting off the mortal coil. A highly recommended read! 
  • Christmas season – I love Christmas, dear fiends, even though my “in-real-life” friends don’t believe it. BUT I DO!! I love the decorations, the feeling of coziness, getting together with friends and family to celebrate the season and all the pretty, pretty lights! Plus, I have my birthday in January to look forward to as well! What’s not to love?
  • EcoScents – I am seriously obsessed with these scented wax melts! They have all kinds of scents, but right now I am filling my home with the scent of Cedar and Pine and Home for the Holidays! 
  • Lush’s Snow Fairy Shower Gel – I love this stuff and look forward to it every holiday season (the only time Lush carries it)! It smells like cotton candy and vanilla and brightens up my gloomiest days with its cheery pink sparkles. Makes me smell good enough to eat!

I made the same list last year for a community blogging event. It's funny, a lot of the same types of things are on last year's list as this year's list! If you want, you can check out 2011's list here

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