November 5th, 2026
On Holiday Traditions & Building A Life That Feels Like Home
On Holiday Traditions & Building A Life That Feels Like Home
I didn’t grow up with holiday traditions and it felt like I spent most holidays alone in my room. That was until one of my friends invited me to her annual Christmas eve party. I think I was in 5th grade…or 7th…I’m not sure.
I was SO excited to have something to do on Christmas eve. I couldn’t wait to feel the holiday cheer that had left my spirit years before. I was so excited to be invited.
From the moment I arrived at that party, I was hit with the smell of stromboli, her families’ traditional Christmas eve meal, Christmas cookies, & rosemary. I never knew Christmas could have a smell…
Her family was singing karaoke, dancing, and there was a Christmas tree filled with gifts. I couldn’t remember the last time I had a Christmas tree, actually. It felt like the Christmas magic they talk about in the movies.
A kind of holiday magic that awakened all of my senses. I am so thankful for the experience to understand what Christmas could look like, what family could look like, what home could look like.
From that moment on, I knew that one day I too wanted a home filled with the kind of Christmas magic they talked about in the movies.
Food As A Love Language
When I moved out at 18, my mind was filled with how to do my taxes, get my own health insurance, and learn how to “adult” on my own. I felt like I had no one to call & that was isolating - sometimes it still is.
It just seemed like everyone else around me had a sort of guidance on how this stuff worked - you know?
As I slowly tried my best to figure out everything that comes with adulting, there was a feeling I could’t shake.
I can learn how to do my taxes.
I can learn how to pay my bills.
I can learn how to do all the paperwork in the world but how will I learn how to build a home?
Well…that was the hard part.
So I did the best thing I could’ve done and that was to dig into my mind and find the moments from my childhood that did indeed feel magical.
And there it was - the Christmas eve party.
I really do think it changed my life.
So I took that magical moment and I just try to recreate that in my home as much as possible.
I want you to be able to do the same even if you never had an example of what that holiday magic could feel like. I was sitting on that thought and it brought me to this…what if I made you an entire Thanksgiving menu to follow? With tips and tricks, and a timeline…so that we don’t have to do this thing alone anymore.
Tomorrow, my first ever annual Thanksgiving menu & guide is coming out and I plan for each menu to have a different theme every year. I know how scary it can be to host the holidays for the first time, especially if you didn’t really have a magical holiday season growing up. Most importantly, I know how lonely it could be. This menu is for everyone, but most importantly it’s for people with a similar story to me.
I put my entire heart and soul into this menu and I truly hope you love it and I hope it reminds you that you can create that holiday magic you have always dreamed about. You can build those special traditions everyone in your family looks forward to and you don’t have to do it alone.
I’ll keep sharing everything I learn along the way.
I hope you love the Thanksgiving menu!
A little collection of what I’m cooking, loving, wearing, growing, and thinking about this week.
Growing in the garden:
Somehow our garden is still producing SO many tromboncino! This is an old photo but she’s still goin!
Things I am loving recently…
I am very excited for all things holiday hosting!!!! These are some of the tabletop items I am eyeing for the season!
If it’s your first time hosting for the holidays, I am sure you have so many questions about all the kitchen essentials you may need! I created a little collection below with all of my favorites from roasting pans to dutch ovens and slow cookers!
Hosting soon…
Friendsgiving and Thanksgiving!! Yay!
Something that brought me joy…
Knowing that I can be the person to introduce someone to holiday magic for the first time like my friend did for me growing up.
See you next week!
