What are your simple holiday joys? Earlier this week, I shared three of mine and asked readers to tell me about theirs. Today, I’m delighted to share what I heard. Let’s spread some joy and happiness this Christmas season!
Welcome to the 91st edition of The Sunday Spark, a series with weekly thoughts and highlights, nuggets of learning, and a decluttering challenge for the week. In addition to your simple holiday joys, this week’s edition discusses eco-friendly Christmas tree nets, a new type of tree, and the sad truth about your “recycled” clothing.
On my mind this week: Your simple holiday joys
In the busyness of the holidays, it’s easy to overlook the simple things that make the season special. Earlier this week, I shared three of my simple holiday joys and asked my readers to tell me about theirs.
Today, I’m sharing the comments I received from my readers. I’d love to hear about your simple holiday joys! Drop me a comment below, or on the original post, and I’ll add your ideas to next week’s Sunday Spark. Let’s fill December with simple pleasures!
Your simple holiday joys
The first response came from LA at Waking Up on the Wrong Side of 50 who said, “Seeing decorations with my daughter. Watching my favorite Christmas movies. Ginger bread.”
Vicki Atkinson from Victoria Ponders chimed in with, “As a fellow early morning person, I love the quiet and holiday lights in the morning are delightful.”
My dear friend Cher from The Chicago Files added, “I love watching A Child’s Christmas in Wales. That brings me so much joy and feels ‘like Christmas’ to me.”
An anonymous poster shared, “I’m a sucker for a good holiday movie and actually have a list of favourites that I run through every year. Nothing like cozying up under a blanket and relaxing watching something you enjoy.”
Finally, when I shared the post on Facebook, my friend Glenda said, “Family. Friends. Food.” You can’t get simpler or more joyful than that!
Thanks to everyone who responded. I invite you to reflect on your simple holiday joys and make them a priority over the next couple of weeks. And don’t forget to share them with me so we can fill December with joy!
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Three highlights of the week
It’s important to celebrate big milestones and simple pleasures in life. Keeping the trend going, here are three highlights and simple pleasures of the week gone by:
- We’ve had about 30 cm (6 inches) of snow over the past week. At this time of year, snow makes the Christmas lights seem even brighter. (Now there is another simple holiday joy!)
- Friday was the latest chapter in the ABCD lunch series with my high school girlfriends Christina, Doris and Cindy. D is for Dundas, Ontario where we spent some time exploring the local shops and had a delicious Mexican lunch at The Thirsty Cactus.
- My daughter Colleen flew out to BC to visit her sister Laura. On Friday night the girls went to the Taylor Swift concert at BC Place in Vancouver. I love seeing my girls having fun together.
Things I learned this week
Life is all about learning. Here are three things I learned this week:
Local company develops an eco-friendly Christmas tree net
In the last few days, I’ve seen several articles debating the real vs. fake Christmas tree question. (See this post for my thoughts on that.)
Something those discussions often overlook is the plastic net used to bale trees for transportation. Chickadee Christmas Trees in Puslinch, just a short drive from here, has developed Bio Tree Net—a cotton Christmas tree netting that biodegrades in under four months when buried.
(Source: CBC What on Earth)
A new type of tree
Speaking of trees…most people are familiar with hardwood trees and softwood trees, but researchers recently identified a new type of tree. Midwood trees, like the yellow poplar, have characteristics of both hardwood and softwood trees. Midwood trees grow quickly, meaning they sequester more carbon than other trees.
(Source: Happy Eco News)
What happens to your “recycled” clothing?
Our desire for new and cheap clothing is strangling our planet. Have you ever considered what really happens to the clothing you drop in the recycling bin at your favourite fast fashion retailer? It’s greenwashing at its finest…they ship much of it across the world where it becomes someone else’s problem.
This week I watched the Netflix documentary Buy Now, The Shopping Conspiracy where I learned that a staggering 15 million pieces of “recycled” clothing a week arrive in Ghana. The documentary showed beaches littered with discarded clothing.
I highly recommend you watch this documentary. It should make you rethink your shopping habits. And you can learn more about fast fashion in this post.
This week’s decluttering challenge – Finances
In 2024, I’ve been revisiting the 52-Week Decluttering Challenge I completed in 2021. This week’s challenge was decluttering and organizing finances. I didn’t get rid of anything, but I did take some time to ensure everything was well organized and in good order. Find the details, along with my top 10 financial organizing tips, in this week’s decluttering post.
Join the challenge! Visit this post to download your free checklists and jump right in with this week’s task.
I’d love to hear your simple holiday joys and share them with my readers. Drop me a comment below with your thoughts and ideas.
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I am shocked about the recycled clothes! I often give my clothes to Oxfam, where I also buy occasionally. But last year it happened to give one winter jacket to a shop where I bought a new one. After what I read here, I will never do it again. And I will watch the recommended documentary. Thank you for raising awareness Michelle!
It shocked me too! I have taken clothing into H&M in the past, but I refused their coupon. It’s just a trick to get you to buy more. I usually take my clothes and other items to the Salvation Army Thrift Store because they have a good reputation for getting the most out of the donations they receive. I’ll be curious to know what you think of the documentary. It just made me very sad.
I may write a blog post about it, so you will know!
Our textile recycling practices have changed tremendously over the past 50 years. As a child, we didn’t throw out old clothes. They were handed down to others if they were still in good shape. If they had a hole, it was darned. The oldest clothes were cut into rags to be used for cleaning. I still have a quilt made of clothing scraps that was made in the 1970’s. We also didn’t buy new clothes as often and closets were much smaller in those days too. The rise of fast fashion has a lot to answer for.
I agree Caroline. At one time there were four fashion seasons a year. Now there are 52. Stores bring in new designs weekly and want you to think the stuff you bought last week is out of style. It’s ridiculous. I have clothing in my closet that I’ve owned for years.
I love the simple joys of the holidays, such as slowing down, sleeping in, decorating and getting together with loved ones. The simple things truly are the best parts of the holidays!
It is nice to slow down during the holidays, Ab. It’s just a shame we have to remind ourselves to do that!
I am so jealous that you had lots of snow.
It was nice but it has warmed up now and they’re calling for rain tomorrow so it will all disappear. Areas north and west of here got several FEET of snow. It’s crazy this early in the season.
Love, love, love your thoughts about simple holiday joys — even snow, LOL — when it’s decorative! Thanks for always making me think and smile on Sunday mornings, Michelle. 🥰
Thank you Vicki! Unfortunately, we’re supposed to get warmer temperatures and rain over the next couple of days so our snow will turn into a slushy mess. Oh well. It was pretty while it lasted! 🤗
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