I’m changing things up a little here. While I love a curated playlist, and there are many great ones shared on Substack, I love the idea of recommending an album that encompasses the sentiments of the season. Listening to it from start to finish, embracing different dimensions of a story, finding a new favorite song in the midst.

I think April is the perfect month for the soft guitars and sticky-melodies in Gracie Abrams’ The Secret of Us. (Go for the deluxe for the undeniable treat of That’s So True).

I also think there is just something springy about the youthful energy behind Taylor Swift’s Speak Now and the light, but buoyant Harry Styles’ Harry’s House.

GET A PASTEL MANICURE

Whether that’s a shade of lilac or lavender, or maybe you dive into a multi-pastel-palette. Adding color to your nails is one of my favorite ways to add a glimmer of fun in my day-to-day life.

PAIR A DENIM VEST WITH A MAXI SKIRT

I am massively here for this trend, and honestly, it feels a bit timeless to me. Like something I’ll continue returning to, despite it’s eventual fade from trendiness.

EMBRACE LAVENDER-FLAVOR

Similar to how pumpkin and peppermint add something special to autumn and Christmas, something about the taste of lavender in the Spring just feels goooood. And it pairs particularly well with lemon!

I just had a client bring us a lavender-lemon cake at work, and it was to-die-for. While I’m slightly intimidated by making a full-on lavender baked good, I think a lavender lemonade or lavender iced coffee is certainly up my alley!

WATCH STEEL MAGNOLIAS

A fabulously standout cast and all-time favorite movie! If you aren’t familiar, the movie follows a group of Southern women who experience the highs and lows of life together, all the while growing their bonds between one another in the process.

(*Note to self: have tissues available, especially since I’m realizing this will by first time watching since becoming a mother myself…).

WATCH MISS CONGENIALITY ON “THE PERFECT DATE”

EASTER (April 5th)

I wrote an entire little post on how to magic-make for Easter, which you can read below. But one fun idea I forgot to include? Make hot-crossed buns on Good Friday.

This is something my Mugga did (while watching Jesus Christ Superstar…HA, gosh I love her!). I’ve never done it myself, but I plan to attempt to this year in her honor.

It’s also the perfect reason to watch the Gilmore Girls episode A-Tisket, A-Tasket for my fellow Gilmore Girls lovers.

EARTH DAY (April 22nd)

• ’s Earth Day post from last year (Earth Day Every Day) is just too good not to share. I love her idea of picking an Earth Day resolution, similar to the idea of an annual new year resolution, but making it with the planet in mind.

• Listen to What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong, on repeat

In Joy with Brittany Viklund

Earth Day Every Day 🌎

Happy Earth Day. While you’re out hugging trees today, may we all remember that this generous planet gives us everything we need. And now, more than ever, it desperately needs us to return the favor…

Read more

a year ago · 75 likes · 43 comments · Brittany Viklund

NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK (April 19th-April 25th)

Libraries are incredible, magnificent places. Support your local library! Go there and browse books. Sign up for a card if you don’t already have one. Get lost in the books. Bring your kids along. Donate. Volunteer. Attend their events (I bet you’d be surprised at how many they have!). Do an act of kindness for your local librarian.

Outside of the special occasions, holidays, and seasonal festivities - we have our monthly rituals. The true things that truly nourish and nurture our souls. Before you find your plate full of crowded calendars and to-do-lists, take the time to schedule out these monthly rituals for yourself:

• CONNECTION. Reach out to one person in your life and schedule some quality time.

• NATURE DATE. Fresh air is medicinal. Plan one nature-based outing.

• TRY ONE NEW THING. Big or small! A new food, a new skill, a new class. You know the one you’ve been thinking about. Now’s the time to go for it.

• ONE ACT OF KINDESS/GIVING BACK. Buy a stranger coffee, volunteer your time, donate to a cause. Whatever your kind heart is called to.

• ONE DAY OF DO-NOTHING (TRUE REST). I totally get that this can be hard with responsibilities as an adult. Especially if you have littles you’re taking care of! But there are not hard and fast rules here. Maybe this is taking an afternoon off to lay in bed or it’s letting yourself get to bed early and not set an alarm for the following morning. It’s okay if this means tapping in someone for help. We all need rest as part of a healthy foundation. Prioritize it!

• WATCH ONE SUNRISE.

• WATCH ONE SUNSET.

Thank you for reading along! Cheers and happy celebrating!

As a mother, knowing that is within my hands to craft those magical moments - I mean… what an honor. What fun. It’s one of my favorite parts of the gig. The magic-making.

Easter is in a few weeks, so I thought I’d share the ways I’m magic-making in our own home.

A Holiday Home

First things first, decorate the house. You don’t have to go overboard - aka you don’t have to head to your local TJ Maxx and fill up the cart. Just a few themed pieces, that you can reuse every year, goes a long way! For us, we stick to a few areas where we swap the seasonal decor in-and-out of.

Keeping a simple structure is a way to add fun in the home, but not in an overly consumeristic or overwhelming way. Just 4 simple things to place out in the home. But it really does add that sense of special.

• The Mantle - We will drape some sort of seasonal garland across the mantle above our fireplace. It’s somewhat the focal point of the living room, so adding a little bit here really sets the tone. I’ve had good luck at finding affordable garlands at Michael’s. If you’re the craft type, garland is something you could totally DIY.

• Entry Table - We have a small table where we enter our house. We always have a basket for all our keys, a picture of our families on our wedding day, and then in the middle, a seasonal trinket. For Valentine’s Day, it’s a little red typewriter. For St. Patrick’s Day, a little pot of gold. And for Easter, it will be a little wooden bunny. (Once again, another crafting opportunity if you so please).

• The Kitchen Island - In the middle of our island, I placed a black round flat serving tray that houses a seasonal smelling candle and a vase for seasonal flowers. I recently bought peony-tulips from Trader Joe’s (I didn’t even know these were a thing???), and I love them. Peonies are my favorite flower.

Pssst…I stumbled upon this idea on Pinterest and think I might try to recreate this next:

A Bunny-Inspired Breakfast

I’m normally a savory over sweets gal for breakfast, but there’s something about a sweets breakfast on holidays that just feels right. I tend to always turn to pancakes that you can create and arrange in fun shapes.

This could very well be because I grew up with a dad who was a chef and would often work holidays (meaning I would be there hangin’ out because my mom was in charge of marketing and sales). Events often included a breakfast buffet that had a pancake station, where my dad could make pancakes into whatever shapes or characters people requested. He is also insanely artistic.

With that said, I am not insanely artistic, but these bunny-pancakes are perfect because it’s a few simple circles with a spritz of whipped cream and sweet-candy-bunny toes. You can totally do berries here too.

Cadbury Egg Blondies

Like I said, something about sweets for a holiday feels essential. Even as a teenager, I’d want to be part of making a dessert for holidays. But now as a mom, I feel like it’s time I really learn how to nail down some holiday staples. The things my family will look forward too annually. And these Cadbury egg blondies where the first time I did that. I use this to make M&M cookie bars too, which is my husband’s favorite cookie and in our yearly Christmas rotation.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups + 2 Tbs all-purpose flour

• 1 Tspn salt

• 1/2 Tspn Baking Soda

• 2 sticks butter (melted + cooled)

• 1 1/2 cup light brown sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 2 Tspn vanilla extract

• 1 cup Cadbury mini-eggs

• 1/4 cup mini ch. chips

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9x13 dish with parchment paper

• In one bowl, mix together your flour, salt, and baking soda. (Dry-ingredient bowl)

• In a separate bowl, beat together your butter and brown sugar. (Wet-ingredient bowl)

• In your wet-ingredient bown, crack in one egg and then mix. Crack in the second egg, mix. The add in the vanilla extract, and mix.

• Add dry ingredient bowl to the wet ingredient bowl.

• Stir in the cadbury eggs and mini chocolate chips

• Pour mixture into the 9x13 and then sprinkle extra cadbury eggs on top

• Bake for 21-25 minutes and let it cool for at least one hour before cutting/serving.

Easter Basket Goodies

The fun annual tradition for the kids: Easter baskets!

First and foremost, when my daughters were born, I invested in Pottery Barn baskets with personalized liners, knowing I wanted these to be the baskets they have their entire lives. Truth be told, you could probably get a cheaper basket elsewhere or even thrift, but I think a personalized liner is the magic touch.

This year, our girls Easter baskets will include:

• Bubble Wands & Easter Egg Chalk - Fun toys to use outside, that will get used up throughout the summer!

• New Swimsuits + Summer Sandals - Some genuine essentials for the next few months ahead!

• One new toy each - For my oldest, I got her a Moana Barbie Doll to add to her princess-Barbie-collection. She’s obsessed and already has Anna, Elsa, Ariel, and Belle. For my youngest, I got her the Miss Rachel 1-2-3! Roll Vehicle. She is massively into Ms. Rachel and Fischer Price Little People, which this toy really resembles. As they got older, I really try to personalize these gifts to what our kids’ individual interests.

• Candy, of course! A few Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs and Bunny KitKats

Gather Your People

The real key to holiday-magic is people. Who you celebrate with. I want my kids to grow up around a sense of community, love, family, friends, neighbors and big, wide-open arms. I also believe that in order to create a village, you have to be a villager. If you ever find yourself wishing there was some sort of holiday gathering to attend, this is your sign to throw one yourself.

I love hosting get togethers for people that I love, giving us a reason to all share company and making everyone feel included. In my phase of life, hosting an Easter egg hunt for our girls and the other littles in our lives is a ton of fun.

(Pre-kids, I definitely attended a “beer hunt” where there were hidden bottles of beers for us to put into an empty-sick-pack… hilarious).

I also think Hosting a Brunch is perfect for Easter! Make it a potluck with everyone bringing their own favorite brunch item.

I hope these ideas add a little sparkle to your pastel-paletted Easter. Wishing y’all a Hoppy Easter! (I had to do it).

The world is comin’ alive, y’all! The birds are back and chirping as the sun rises. My winter coat is tucked away as my sundresses begin to prance out of closet corners. Time has sprung forward an hour, giving us glorious, extra daylight to bask our evenings in.

Just the simple daydream of opening our backdoor and watching our kids run wild around the backyard gives me Christmas-morning-levels of excitement.

What a reprieve this season is. The exhale of Spring.

My favorite tradition of a new season is creating a seasonal Bucket List, something I started as a teenager on summer breaks. Each year, I go about it a little different (see last years and the year before). It all really just depends on what I’m feelin’, what season of life I’m in. And this year I’m taking a very simplistic approach. Or I guess you could say a light approach for a light season.

I’m mapping out just 10 things I want to do and experience these next three months.

1 Pick a Favorite Team to Root for in the Women’s March Madness Tournament

My husband is an all-around sports fan - football, basketball, golf, hockey. He enjoys watching it all. I will indulge in time to time for Penn State football or an ocassional exciting game (maybe UNC v Duke rivalry or a championship game). But I had a recent epiphany. We have never watched women’s sports. It made me think of my own girls and how they’re soaking in so much information. And I want them to soak in the knowledge that women’s sports are fun to watch. It’s that simple.

I think the seasonality of March Madness is fun, so I’m gonna find a girls team to root for just for the heck of it.

I think that’s the best part of all of this. It’s all just for complete fun. My best friend and I texted about picking ‘our team’ for the year and had the hilarious parameters of: a slight underdog and has a good vibe. And we landed on…Minnesota Golden Gophers! Y’all, the mascot is named Goldy. I mean, come on. It’s fun!

2 Craft Sun Catchers

Craft a suncatcher to hang in your windows for the sunny months ahead! Another great kid activity, but fun as an adult too! There are plenty of sun-catcher kid kits you can buy (I’m totally eyeing-up this Eric Carle one), but you can get even craftier and go the DIY route with some cardboard, colored contact paper and tape!

For the adults, you can even get jewels and beads and mirrorballs to beautifully reflect the light through out the room!

3 Watch The Devil Wears Prada 2 in Theaters

This may be something I turn into a girls night or could just be a little solo date night.(I love going to the movies alone. If you’ve never done it, trust me.)

I am all for the come-back of a classic rom-com! Massively looking forward to this release.

4 Make Butterfly-Chocolate-Pretzels

I need to be better about making my Pinterest boards come to life. Why am I pinning all these fun ideas and pictures when I can be LIVING them?! These Butterfly Pretzels were one of the many fun things I’ve discovered on Pinterest so I’m vowing to make these as a special bonding moment and treat with my daughters.

5 Get Professional Family Photos Taken

In January, I had a heartbreaking realization that I have very, very few photos of us as a family. So I vowed that this year would be different, and one of the ways I’m keeping my promise is investing in professional family pictures. I want to remember and commemorate the way my girls are now, at these undeniably fun ages - tiny, curious, playful, giggly. Complete love bugs.

6 Visit a Tulip Field

We just so happen to live about 30 minutes from a farm with tulip fields! This is simply something I’ve never done before that I think I’d enjoy seeing at least one time in my life. Pictures of tulip fields are breathtaking - all the bright, beautiful colors. I can picture my daughters excited faces as we’d walk through the fields and picking which ones to bring home.

7 Have a (Mother’s Day) Picnic in the Park

I love the idea of a picnic when the sunshine comes out. The reality is I live in the South and I’ve learned that summers are simply too hot for that sort of thing. Sad, but true. It took a while for me to wrap Pennsylvania-raised head around that. So Spring is the time to enjoy those outdoor festivities before daytime temperatures get a bit too toasty.

We did this on my very first Mother’s Day as a mom, and I’d love for it to be our family tradition. However, we never know if that may end up being a rainy-day, so we’ll just aim to do it sometime in the Spring.

8 Make Spring Pasta Primavera

Apparently, Primavera means ‘Spring’ in Italian. So obviously, it’s the perfect time to make this delicious meal with in-season produce and your favorite noodle-shape. (Bowties are the best, and yes I know they’re actually called farfalle, but I will stick with my whimsy-self and keep calling them bowtie). I’ll be following this recipe!

9 Plant Something New

One of my favorite things about owning a house is the fact that I can attempt to plant whatever my heart desires in our backyard. I’ll be planting vegetables once again, and my mother-in-law introduced me to the concept of adding a trellis which is 1000% happening this year.

I also love the idea of adding a butterfly bush to our backyard, but I’m not quite sure if this is the year.

But the point is plant something and watch it grow in the months to come. I still remember the first time my Mugga ever gave me a tomato plant and how excited I got as a little girl when I saw the little yellow flowers bloom.

included a great idea in her March Issue of the American Girl Magazine for Adult to paint flower pots as a seasonal craft. We have a box built for our girls to have their own herb garden, and now I can’t wait to get creative and paint it.

10 Plan a Spring-Break-Day

The sad reality is that, as adults, we do not get the luxury of Spring Break. One week to be completely carefree. But! I do think we can find ways to incorporate that energy into our lives. We may not be able to afford a whole week because life, responsibilities, yadda-yadda. But I want to try to plan one day of a “spring break” day for me and some of my fellow mamas. Just one day. Maybe it’s brunch or going shopping. All that matters is the attention to get together, sans kids. Girl time is good for the soul.

Happy Spring, my friends! What are you adding to your bucket list this season?

Leave a comment

March is the first whispers of spring - warmth and light and beautiful blooms. Daylight dawning. At laaaaast! It makes me think of soft guitar strums, slightly-synthy-pop, and upbeat melodies. It’s the perfect time to listen to Kacey Musgraves Golden Hour or Deeper Well on repeat. Preferably both, actually.

My Breath of Fresh Air Playlist, on Tidal

PLAN YOUR SUMMER GARDEN 🪴

Carve out the time to plan your summer garden now so you enter planting season ready-to-go. This will be my third year of gardening, and while I was certainly not born with a green thumb, I thoroughly enjoy embracing a beginner’s mindset and learning a bit more each year.

Think of things you love to eat and cook with - tomatoes and zucchinis are staple for us! Then at least one new thing to plant. Learn about companion planting (Trust me - it makes a difference). Lean into the curiosity and play of-it-all.

I’m excited to have my toddlers have their own ‘herb garden’ box this year to make them feel included, too.

VISIT A BUTTERFLY SANTUARY OR ARBORETUM 🦋

The beauty of this time of year is how it feels like the entire world is waking up. Take a day trip and appreciate nature blooming.

WEAR FLORALS 🌼

“Florals, for Spring? Groundbreaking.” Enough said.

READ MARY OLIVER POEMS 📖

Mary Oliver wrote beautiful poems inspired by nature. Grab a book of her poetry and enjoy reading a few of them each morning while you sip on some coffee as the sun comes up.

FIRST DAY OF SPRING 🌷

• Make a seasonal bucket list. Fill it with things personalized to YOU, and what you hope to this particular spring.

• Enjoy a meal outside.

• Craft sun catchers. Embrace your inner child and craft beautiful sun catchers to bring some color and beauty inside your home through out these next few months of sunshine.

PI-DAY (3/14) 🥧

Order or home-make a big pizza pie for pi day! Or if sweets are more your thing, you could totally go for some actual pie. But I myself prefer the savory.

ST. PATRICK’S DAY (3/17) 🍀

• Wear green - DUH!

• Indulge in a delicious Rueben.

• Make Lucky Charm treats and watch Luck of the Irish (90s kids, rise up ✊🏼).

  PS: Another fun dessert idea is Guiness Cupcakes with a Bailey’s buttercream frosting. Decadent and delicious - I get rave reviews on every year, but I think I’ll be forgoing this year because, well, toddlers.

Outside of the special occasions, holidays, and seasonal festivities - we have our monthly rituals. The true things that truly nourish and nurture our souls. Before you find your plate full of crowded calendars and to-do-lists, take the time to schedule out these monthly rituals for yourself:

• CONNECTION. Reach out to one person in your life for some quality time. A phone call, a lunch date. Anything where you’re actually committing time to strengthening a relationship in your life.

• NATURE DATE. I swear, fresh air is medicinal. Plan one nature-based outing.

• TRY ONE NEW THING. Big or small! A new food, a new skill, a new class. You know the one you’ve been thinking about. Now’s the time to go for it.

• ONE ACT OF KINDESS/GIVING BACK. Buy a stranger coffee, volunteer your time, donate to a cause. Whatever your kind heart is called to.

• ONE DAY OF DO-NOTHING (TRUE REST). I totally get that this can be hard with responsibilities as an adult. Especially if you have littles you’re taking care of! But there are not hard and fast rules here. Maybe this is taking an afternoon off to lay in bed or it’s letting yourself get to bed early and not set an alarm for the following morning. It’s okay if this means tapping in someone for help. We all need rest as part of a healthy foundation. Prioritize it!

• WATCH ONE SUNRISE.

• WATCH ONE SUNSET.

Know anybody with birthdays, anniversaries, or big milestones? Make/send them a card.

One of my goals this year was to send physical cards to loved ones to celebrate them. I’ve enjoyed having my kids make cards for their family - they get very excited to color. I’d like to think I’m teaching them kindness and thoughtfulness. I have officially taken my first calligraphy class, so I’m hoping to take this a bit further myself and make beautiful cards for love one’s special occasions. Brittany’s Art of Letter-Writing post was kismet. I’ve been using this for practice too!

I also like to use a Polaroid printer and print a special photo to slip into the card. Just a small way to let someone know they’re cared for.

Thank you for reading along - cheers and happy celebrating!

I am continuing to feel more and more called to it. To make everyday life feel like the special occasion it truly is. As I’ve been making my way through The Artist’s Way, I’m realizing that I have always been to drawn to mentality in a way; through hosting, events, and indulging in seasonal activities and holiday fun. All of this has inspired me to carve out my own… 🥁🥁🥁 Monthly Celebration Guide!

Each month I’ll curate simple and intentional ways to celebrate. Think: fun and simple things that aren’t about applying pressure, but about making meaning. Let’s dive in!

First things first: A curated playlist to set the tone.

When I think of February, I think of:

Big-infectious-pop-love-songs (like Carly Rae Jepsen’s I Really Like You)
Sweet acoustic ballads (like Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer)
Modern songs, that sound old school (like Ariana Grande’s Tattooed Heart)

Your swoon-worthy-soundtrack awaits you below!

It’s also the perfect time to indulge in Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving.

What’s your all-time favorite love song?

Leave a comment

GET A VALENTINE’S THEMED MANICURE

Sweet, poppy pinks or romantic shades of red! I love the colors of Valentine’s Day and can’t wait to decorate my hands with these lovey-dovey hues! I love OPI Bubble Bath for a soft shade of pink and OPI Big Apple Red is a classic. But for Valentine’s Day, I’m eyeing up OPI Hi Barbie! or Without a Pout…

WEAR RED MARY-JANES. The perfect pop of red to elevate your outfit! I need these in my closet so consider this me speaking it into the universe so that I can successfully thrift a pair ;)

MAKE CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES & CHOCOLATE COVERED PRETZELS. An indulgent snack I can’t get enough and is fun to make with kids.

WINTER OLYMPICS (2/4)

Get ready to cheer on your favorite athletes! Figure skaters always dazzle.

• My Winter-Olympic-inspired movie night recs!

SUPERBOWL (2/8)

The big game of the year! Plus, let’s be real - the halftime show, the commercials, and the snacks.

• Make snacks that pay homage to the representative cities. Last year we happily indulged in Philly Cheesesteak Sliders (go birds!). I sadly was hoping for Buffalo Wings this year because I can’t help but root for Josh Allen. But alas no such luck…

• Pillsbury Dough Football Cookies - A simple sweet treat that makes toddlers extra excited! My daughter loves ‘baking’ these.

• Put together your own Superbowl Squares with family + friends (Here’s how.)

• Play commercial bingo. Print out blank Bingo sheets and fill in the squares with brands you predict to see commercials for. Lays, Mountain Dew, State Farm, etc. First one to hit ‘Bingo’ wins! What do they win? Whatever your heart desires.

HOST A GALENTINE’S GATHERING: PIZZA, PAJAMAS, + PROSECCO

Channel your inner Leslie-Knope and host your own Galentine’s gathering. Make it a pajama party, because let’s be real - comfort is everything. Add in pizza (either home-made or delivered) and some prosecco/poppi! Put on a classic 2000s rom com and just enjoy some good ol’ fashioned girl time.

VALENTINE’S DAY (2/14)

A day all about giving and showing love, to those you love! I’m all about it.

• Channel your inner child and home-make valentine cards. Get crafty!

• Forgo the gifts and plan a special date night with your loved one instead. My husband and I started this tradition years ago, and it’s created some of our favorite memories together!

• Buy/send someone (or yourself) flowers. My husband gets our daughters' each their own rose every year. ADORABLE.

• If you have littles, get pink-sprinkled-donuts for breakfast and strawberry milk. (I LOVED strawberry milk as a kid. Probably because it was pink, if I’m honest. I’ll pass as an adult, but it’s fun to make it a “special” thing for my kids).

LUNAR NEW YEAR (2/17)

It’s year of The Horse! From what I’ve gathered, it seems like that means this year is all about embracing change, challenges, and chasin’ dreams after last year’s ‘skin shedding’ during the year of The Snake.

I think it’s fun to learn about different traditions. Some for Lunar New Year include wearing red, making dumplings, and eating mandarin oranges.

One of my best friends from high school celebrated these traditions with her family, and she even gave me a ‘red envelope’ to represent prosperity and blessing as my wedding gift - completely warmed my heart!

What the Year of the Horse in 2026 Means — and 5 Ways to Work With Its Energy

Outside of the special occasions, holidays, and seasonal festivities - we have our monthly rituals. These are the true things that truly nourish and nurture our souls. The type of things life has a way of distracting us from. Before you find your plate full with more than you can chew, take the time to schedule out these monthly rituals for yourself:

• CONNECTION. Reach out to one person in your life for some quality time. A phone call, a lunch date. Anything where you’re actually committing time to strengthening a relationship in your life.

• NATURE DATE. I swear, fresh air is medicinal. Plan one nature-based outing.

• TRY ONE NEW THING. Big or small! A new food, a new skill, a new class. You know the one you’ve been thinking about. Now’s the time to go for it.

• ONE ACT OF KINDESS/GIVING BACK. Buy a stranger coffee, volunteer your time, donate to a cause. Whatever your kind heart is called to.

• ONE DAY OF DO-NOTHING (TRUE REST). I totally get that this can be hard with responsibilities as an adult. Especially if you have littles you’re taking care of! But there are not hard and fast rules here. Maybe this is taking an afternoon off to lay in bed or it’s letting yourself get to bed early and not set an alarm for the following morning. It’s okay if this means tapping in someone for help. We all need rest as part of a healthy foundation. Prioritize it!

• WATCH ONE SUNRISE.

• WATCH ONE SUNSET.

And just-for-more-fun, here’s a little digital bingo card to put all those ideas together!

Thank you for reading along, friends. Here’s to celebrating!

Admittedly, I spent years being a winter-hater. I blame it on growing up right outside of Lake Erie and experiencing one too many anxiety-induced drives on icy roads. But I can say with time (and maybe a bit of distance, considering I now live North Carolina..), I’ve softened when it comes to winter. Sometimes I even miss the softness and comfort of a blanket of snow outside the window.

No, winter isn’t my favorite of the four seasons. But it definitely has it’s own wonderful qualities to enjoy. And one show that opened my eyes to the magic of winter? Gilmore Girls.

If you’re new here, I am a big, big Gilmore-Girly.

I know, Gilmore Girls is known as a quintessentially-fall-show. And yes, it is! But some of my personal favorite and the shows most cozy episodes take place in winter where the fictional, quirky small town is covered in (fake, but beautiful) snow. Lorelai, a fictional character who has my heart, is winter’s biggest fan. She romanticizes and celebrates the snow.

So in my own efforts to romanticize and celebrate my life, I’m here to share How to Have a Gilmore Girls Winter, with activities and ideas inspired by favorite episodes and characters - and my personal winter watch list at the end!

Get a Baby Blue Scarf

Lorelai and Rory both wear blue hats and scarves through out the show’s snowy scenes, and it always makes me wish I had my own. Time to find one! Make it a fun challenge to thrift one, or even better - make your own!

Plus, I swear, everyone looks good in blue (it’s why I made that the color of my bridesmaid’s dresses).

Take a Walk in Fresh Snow Fall | Inspired by Season 1, Episode 8: Love & War & Snow

You cannot deny how pretty the first, fresh snowfall is. The stillness it blankets the world in. Maybe you are similar to me and no longer live somewhere with snow, but you can absolutely still take a walk in the brisk, colder air and take a minute to appreciate your surroundings. I know - it seems like the least likely time you want to get outdoors. But I’m telling you, that’s what makes it feel even more magical.

Bring Coffee/Hot Chocolate to Someone You Love and Appreciate | Inspired by Season 1, Episode 8: Love & War & Snow

Luke, you old softie! Despite Luke acting grumpy with the local town folk, his heart of gold peaks through when he brings them all some warm, cozy drinks from his diner.

Do this act of kindness for someone you love or appreciate this season.

Make Your Winter Reading List

Winter is the perfect time to cozy up and read like Rory. Take some time to browse some book options and make your own Winter Reading list.

Some of my favorite wintery reads include:

• The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah (Historical fiction set in Alaska - my favorite Kristin Hannah book! And she has many great ones)

• One Day in December by Josie Silver (Dreamy romance)

• Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May (Memoir on seasons of healing)

My current Winter TBR:

• Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

• Heart the Lover by Lily King

• Kate and Frida by Kim Fay

• The Little Book of Winter: A Cozy Guide to a Season of Comfort and Happiness by

• Fun for the Whole Family by Jennifer E. Smith

• Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

is one of my favorite Substack’s for book recommendations!

Host a Cozy Dinner Party | Inspired by Season 2, Episode 10: Bracebridge Dinner

My favorite episode. When snow causes travelers to cancel on the big dinner Lorelai and Sookie were hosting at the inn, they end up making lemonade out of lemons and invite the entire town to join them for a night of fun and shared company.

The older I get, the more an more I realize that’s the good stuff. Time with your people - and doing that over a shared meal together really is lovely. Gather a group of people you love, pick a fun or wacky theme (the options are endless) and enjoy!

is the queen of dinner party ideas if you need some inspiration!

*Other honor mention activities inspired by this episode including building a snowman and going on a sleigh ride.

Cook & Bake Like Sookie (Featuring from Eating Gilmore!)

I knew I had to reach out to Larisa to get her take on what makes a Gilmore Girl Winter and to hear her recommended GG Winter Dishes. Larisa has an entire website with recipes inspired by EVERY episode of Gilmore Girls and lucky for you - she’s on Substack too! Here is what she shared:

“When I think about a Gilmore Girls winter, naturally, the first thing that comes to mind is Lorelai and Rory riding in the sleigh together through town the morning after the Bracebridge Dinner. Fun fact, did you know this is actually Amy Sherman Palladino’s favorite scene from the show? It’s an iconic moment with THE Stars Hollow royalty, riding through town in the beautiful snow. It embodies a Gilmore Girls winter in the best way, festive, warm, and most importantly, cozy.

A Gilmore Girls winter is about finding festive moments that are special to you, whether that’s a Santa burger or a walk during the first snow of the season. Creating warmth for you and your loved ones, whether that’s literally by road-tripping to Florida to escape the cold or curled up reading the portable Dorothy Parker with your loved one. And most importantly, embracing the cozy: sleigh ride optional but smelling snow is required.

My recommended Gilmore Girls winter dishes:

• Homemade Wassail

• Santa Burger (you need to make it at least once)

• Warm Glogg

• Butternut Squash Soup

• Weston’s Rum Balls

You can read more from Larisa at or follow her on Instagram!

Attend a Winter Carnival (or another local, seasonal event!) | Inspired by Season 3, Episode 10: That’ll Do Pig (and Season 6, Episode 12: Just Like Gwen and Gavin)

Stars Hollow is simply known for it’s many seasonal town events. (I’m tempted to do a ranking of what I’d consider my least to most favorite…). The Winter Carnival is one that appears in many!

Consider this your sign to do some research and see what seasonal events your town or nearby ones are hosting and then get out there!

Go Ice Skating | Inspired by Season 5, Episode 11: Women of Questionable Morals

My favorite Luke & Lorelai moment is when he builds her an ice skating rink in her front yard to make her fall back in love with snow after she has a bad day. So sweet! There’s just something that feels nostalgic about ice skating. The childlike play of it all.

And there you have it! Have any of your own favorite winter time activities? I’d love to hear them! I’ll be celebrating this solstice with a golden milk latte today and then watching these episodes in bed tonight!

Wishing you warmth, coziness and some sparkle this winter!

I’ve talked here plenty about my newfound excitement for the holidays this year! It seems like I spent a lot of November planning and prepping and now I am ready to indulge in December.

Below I’ve mapped out 24 holiday activities - one you can participate each day until Christmas! These are based on what I included in our family advent calendar, but there are no rules here, friends. Mix and match. Do ‘em all or choose a few. The point is simply: have fun and make memories!

• December 1st: Decorate your tree! 🎄Find a new ornament that is reflective of your year - this is an annual tradition we’ve started for our daughters.

• December 2nd: Weekly Holiday Movie Night 🎥🍿Alternate who chooses each week! With our daughters in bed by 7:30pm, these will be more of an at home date night between my husband and I so we’ll alternate between ‘Mom & Dad’ choice each week. As the girls get older, it will be fun to include them in the ‘choosing’.

• December 3rd: Hot Coco Night! 🍫 (Or chocolate milk for the kiddos)

• December 4th: Craft a Christmas Bird Feeder 🐥

• December 5th: Gather with friends for a ~nice~ dinner out at a local restaurant! 🍝

• December 6th: Christmas Light Drive! ✨

  • We have a retirement community that hosts a ‘Lane of Lights’ every year. We’re piling up the mini van with our neighbors to drive through together!

• December 7th: Attend a local tree lighting! ⭐️

  • Our towns happens to be on the 7th, but if yours is on a different day, just mix it up with another activity. Or just head downtown to enjoy the holiday decor put up!

• December 8th: Grab a festive seasonal coffee from a local coffee shop and pay it forward for the person behind you. ☕️

• December 9th: Weekly Holiday Movie Night 🎥🍿 I’m picking The Holiday or The Grinch, obviously.

• December 10th: Pancakes for dinner! 🥞

• December 11th: Take a walk around your neighborhood at night to look at lights and decorations! ✨🏠

  • This is an annual tradition of ours. It’s fun to bundle up with a cozy drink in hand and play some music through our phones as we walk around.

• December 12th: Take the kids to Visit Santa! 🎅 Our local children’s museum is hosting a ‘cookies with Santa’ event.

• December 13th: Watch the Nutcracker 🩰 My daughter is performing in this, but on years when I didn’t live near a theater showing it, I could find performances online to watch!

• December 14th: Host a cookie-exchange party🍪The more the merrier! Invite friends and family.

• December 15th: Make Christmas-tree shaped cinnamon rolls for breakfast 🍮

• December 16th: Weekly Holiday Movie Night🎥🍿

• December 17th: Deliver cookies to your local post office 🍪 They are busy and working hard!

• December 18th: Make a Gingerbread House - or craft a Gingerbread man! 🎨(I’m not going to lie, I hate Gingerbread houses so I am opting for the gingerbread man option here…)

• December 19th: Make Christmas-shaped pizzas for dinner! 🍕

• December 20th: Deliver cookies/goodies or send flowers to your local hospitals nursing station 💐

• December 21st: Go out for Brunch! 🥐Try a special/limited time option on the menu.

• December 22nd: Go do something fun in your community 🎠

  • Whether it’s visiting a museum or a park or a theater, head out as a family for some fun out of the house. Our town is hosting a ‘Christmas in the Park’ that we plan to attend - our downtown also has a carousel and little train for children so I can’t wait to see that decorated for the holidays!

• December 23rd: Weekly Holiday Movie Night 🎥🍿

• December 24th: Celebrate Christmas Eve with loved ones! ❤️

If you’re having a Blue Christmas…

I wanted to take a moment to send love to those who may be having a rough holiday season. When you are in a personal season of sorrow and it seems the entire world is indulging in joy, it can feel incredibly hard and isolating. Whatever the circumstances, I hope you can take time to connect with people who care about you and to do little things that make you happy. In moments when I’m sad, a phone call with my best friend or hitting play on a favorite song are some of my go-tos. Go easy on yourself. Give yourself grace.

Outside of the holiday season, it’s also the last month of 2025! We’ve made it!

Wishing you a cozy, celebratory final month on the year.

I have a confession to make. I used to think Christmas was just alright. I never understood why it seemed to be universally lauded as the ‘best holiday'. My favorites as a kid had always been 4th of July and Halloween.

But there’s been something that has shifted for me these past few years…

The thing about motherhood is that while you are parenting your children, you start to naturally reparent yourself. You start to reflect on your own childhood, with a wider perspective and deeper understanding. You understand the short-lived magic that childhood brings and are eager to feel that same magic again.

So friends, I am ready to DECK. THE. HALLS! And I invite you to join me in crafting a truly whimsical holiday season. The good news is it’s pretty simple to do. Here’s how.

Craft a Holiday Bucket List

Grab a roll a brown craft paper, some colorful markers and come up with a list of holiday activities you want to do with your family! This can be year-old traditions or something completely new. Big or small. Some items for our family/myself include: a Christmas light walk around our neighborhood, attend a local tree lighting, baking cookies, watching The Grinch, and seeing The Nutcracker.

Let yourself have fun with creating it - let yourself (and your kids) doodle and draw. It doesn’t have to look perfect! Then proudly put it on display in your house!

Send Holiday Cards

Physical cards in the mail are underrated, heartwarming joy. I love getting holiday cards from friends and family and displaying them all through out the house. I always aim to design our card in November and order it so that we can send them out in early December - that’s the planner in me, but heck you can send yours our whenever you want!

We love ordering ours through Costco/Shutterfly!

PS: We have an address file on Google Sheets from when we sent our wedding invitations and we just duplicate it every year. When friends or family move, I just update the sheet. Easy, breezy!

If you are in your forever home (or at least one you know you’ll be in for a few years), I highly recommend getting a custom made address stamp ($30)!

Get An Old-Timey Holiday Record

I welcome all holiday music - give me modern pop right alongside the classics. But I have to say that there’s something delightfully cozy about listening to a 1950s/1960s Christmas vinyl. I have my hands on Elvis, Nat King Cole, and Bing Crosby. If you have a record player and are able to find a record shop near you, go in and explore and pick out your extra cozy soundtrack for the year. Or better yet - maybe family has some they’re willing to pass down!

I have some of my Mugga’s Christmas records this year. And while it may be a blue Christmas without her, listening to her records will let me still that piece of her this holiday season.

Host a Cookie Exchange Party

A family tradition of mine growing up was all the women on my mom’s side of the family would get together for a cookie exchange. Each person would bring one type of cookie and there would usually be lunch and games. As everybody got older, this tradition fell to the waist side, but I’d love to bring this back for my family - and opening it up to whoever wants to join! Family, neighbors, etc.

Set the date, invite your guests, and ask them to claim the cookie they’ll bring!

How many cookies should everybody bring? Take a look at your guest list and multiply that by 4 (so each guest can take home 4, but let’s be real - there will be some tasting at the party!) and then round it up to the closest dozen-amount.

Example: If you have 7 people coming, that means each person brings 28 cookies! But since it’s easier to bake in dozens just round up and ask them to bring 3 dozen!

Go to the Theatre

I have a vivid memory of my Mugga taking me to see The Nutcracker at our local theatre. The nutcracker has been one of my favorite holiday traditions ever since. I just love the idea of getting all dolled up, putting on some red lipstick, going out for a nice dinner and enjoying a show.

I get it that not everybody enjoys ballet, but I guarantee your local theatre has plenty of holiday shows and programs to enjoy! Gather a group, buy your tickets, and make a marvelous night out of it!

Get Festive Pajamas

If you don’t already have a fun set of holiday printed-pajamas, now is the time! I am not somebody who will buy new prints each year, but last year I found the CUTEST pink Christmas pajamas that I can’t wait to wear again! Going to bed while feeling cute feels like a little luxury.

I did get my growing girls new matching pajamas this year - Old Navy is the best for this!

Ambience

What actually makes the holidays so special is the hominess of it all. Being surrounded my loved ones, in the same houses year after year. So make sure to make your house feel truly homey.

This does not mean you need to spend a ton on decor - it’s actually even better if you are more intentional about it. I once read a tip for decorating a room. Rather than looking at it and thinking what you want to see, think about what you want to feel in that room. What activities you envision doing in there.

I picture my dining room as a place for family meals and late night puzzles. So I plan to decorate the room with things that have soft, twinkly-light touches and metallics that reflect light.

I picture my kitchen as a place to bake cookies with my daughters. So I have touches of gingerbread decor, along with their crafts and artwork proudly displayed on the fridge and the windowsill.

Our living room will showcase the joy of Christmas morning and movie nights with my husband where we can take a collective sigh together after putting our two daughters to bed. So while it may need to still be a bit baby-proof, there will be elements of Christmas joy like our stocking across the mantle, an advent calendar that will have a mix of little goodies and festive activities, and a red and green plaid blanket.

There will be festive candles lit and music playing and pine and holly swapped with the usual-greenery in our vases.

The holidays are a busy time - so there’s no need to put on more self-induced pressure. Instead, just remember what made the holidays feel so joyful to you as a kid. It was in all the simple moments - the Christmas Eve parties, the car ride sing-a-longs, staring at the house upon house of lights, the indulgence of a sugar cookie.

I am wishing you an extra cozy holiday season ahead! Thank you for reading along!

We decided to throw a Pumpkin-Themed Birthday Party to go along with this time of year, and it was perfect! I loved that I could repurpose our own home pumpkin decor we already had, embrace all the fall flavors, and use a little creativity!

Here were some of the things that helped bring our party to life!

Matching Pumpkin Outfits

We got the girls matching outfits from Etsy! I loved that they had the same outfit on, just in different colors. It felt like each went with their personality!

Personalized Banner

My sister-in-law found Emilie Hendren, a talented TikTok creator who paints adorable banners! She was able to send her the invitations we used and she used that to design the banner! It was a perfect backdrop for the girls while they smashed into their cakes! My sister-in-law also knows how to put together a balloon arch, so that added a fun party-touch.

DIY Backyard Pumpkin Patch

I was proud of this one! We dug up our garden bed for the year, and I realized it opened up the perfect opportunity: a pumpkin patch for the kiddos! We intended to have the kids paint them, but when the kids were happily entertaining themselves as is we decided to just let it be. If it ain’t broke…

My husband loves wood working so he was excited to make signs for it that used fun alliterations of the girls names! This was such a simple thing to do, but a lot of fun to pull together.

Party Favors

My mentality with party favors is to embrace consumables! Things that can be used up or experienced. While knick-knacks or little toys can be cute, I know at times you can take them home and not quite know what to do with them. For our party favors, we made little bags of Bobo’s Pumpkin Bars, fall Crayon sets, and pumpkin stickers. Don’t underestimate how much kids love stickers! We put them all together in these little linen drawstring bags, that I think are perfect for reusing to store tiny items together.

On the Menu

I am all about catered food for a party. I know that if I took on trying to cook for everyone, I would be stressed and not as present for the actual party itself. “Know thyself” and all that. We got catered trays of chicken tenders, wraps, and mac and cheese - I think my toddler may have eaten an egregious amount of the mac and cheese. But hey, it’s a party!

We also got the Costco celery grain salad (I am obsessed with this stuff) and cut up some fruit, vegetables, and a charcuterie display. Shout to to my sister-in-law’s amazing mama who makes the most beautiful charcuterie boards - a skill I am severely lacking.

And of course, sweets! My sister-in-law made cupcakes and scones, and I used an amazingly talented local baker for the party cake.

Thoughts from the Day

Lyla was as adorable as ever during the party. She is my calm kiddo, but make no mistake - she’s also active and fearless. The way she loved being in the tiny bounce house we set up, despite a bunch of toddlers jumping all around her… I’ll never forget her cackles! She looked angelic in her little pink tulle dress!

Highlight of the Day: Undoubtedly, the smash cake! It’s funny how even when kids are just babies, you get a sense of their personality. And while Lyla is my sweet and quiet girl, I just knew that she was going to get immensely into the cake. And oh boy did she! She at one point picked the whole thing up and brought it to her face. The funny part is how she did it all so slowly and casually. It felt “very her.” Eat that cake, baby girl!

I have to say another moment I had was realizing how grown and independent my toddler was. My husband and I joke that it felt like a switch flipped with her that day. She just seemed so content that day, happily playing with kids and engaging with family. And honestly, she seemed genuinely happy for her little sister! As anyone can imagine, there are times when that has not quite been the case as she’s adjusted to being a big sis. But this day was a moment I was really proud of her, and it made me look forward to more future sister bonding as they grow up.

My kids’ birthday parties always fill me with immense gratitude. I look around the room and see people who are celebrating and loving my kiddos. As a mom, I could not ask for more. Since my family lives in Pennsylvania, they aren’t able to see my kids as much. Since I was pregnant for the first time, that has been in my head. “Will my kids wonder why they don’t see half their family?! Will they be jealous of their friends or cousins?!” I know that I’m giving it too much thought and weight. That it’s almost silly - so many families grow up all over the country from one another.

As my kids have grown, I’ve been able to root myself in the present and reality more so than dwelling in fears and “what ifs”. I can see they are loved immensely - both by people here and when we visit/have phone calls to PA. All that I can do within my power as a mom is show up. And I am grateful for the others that do that for my kids, too.

Happy Birthday to my sweet, Lyla! You are so easy to celebrate.

Essentially, they are little (or I guess even big) baskets filled with Halloween-related toys and trinkets and snacks, etc. Basically the Halloween equivalent of a Christmas stocking or Easter basket. And I have some thoughts…

I tend to bite my tongue when it feels like what I’m saying is dripping in pessimism - who am I to rain on someone’s parade? At the end of the day, do whatever makes you happy.

But I cannot help but take a look at this parenting trend and poke holes in it. It seems like another instance of us all missing the plot.

My thought process is something along the lines of: What draws you to make the basket? It’s a way to participate in and cultivate seasonal joy. You want to do something to make your kid excited! Okay, I totally get that. Amazing, wonderful intentions. It is not the intentions I am questioning. Instead, it’s taking a minute to acknowledge the true intentions of it and finding ways to honor that that isn’t…well…. Buying useless or unnecessary things. A large life lesson I’ve personally learned and try to instill in my parenting-ethos is: creating experiences and memories is what fulfills a person, not items.

I am on such a soap box about this. I can sense the eye rolls I am likely receiving from some readers. But I just sincerely think that our lives in general can be better off if we take a minute to pause and think about the ‘why’ we want to do something. Would you have made a Boo Basket if you didn’t see a TikTok mom making one?

This article from The Cut articulates so well what I find myself struggling to put into words. The author shares her experience as a child when her father lovingly made her and her siblings Valentine’s Day breakfasts and *gasps* - there wasn’t a social media platform to post about it. She goes on to share her reservations and concerns with parenting in our current digital-times:

“Parenting has changed a lot in 30 years, though, and as I’ve come to develop my own holiday traditions for my two children, I’ve had some reservations. Something like fancy Valentine’s breakfasts — what felt then like a private, authentically motivated act of holiday goodness — when refracted through the fun-house mirror of modern parenting now smacks of performance, perfectionism, and careless consumerism. Is it no longer possible, I wonder, to experience that sweet “treat your kids” moment without the intrusion of the digital gaze?”

In this light, the practice is a reminder of how we have become accustomed as parents (again, read: mothers) to maximizing every childhood moment and signaling to others that we have done so. It’s hard to find the joy in that.”

My thoughts don’t come from a place of judgement. Sincerely. Parents question themselves enough as it is. It’s more so a questioning of how the digital lens and social media in general shift the influence around parenting and lifestyle. It’s a genuine desire to inspire people to break free from that noise and influence and listen to themselves and tune in with their own family first, rather than one you see in 15 second clips through a screen.

So, I have an idea. If I were to make a boo basket (for a friend or for my kids), what would I include in it? Then asking myself why I would include that idea - and then replacing the item instead with an experience that honors that intention. Here it goes.

A Blanket/Slippers or Stuffy → Plan a comfy at-home movie night. Make some sort of cozy-cushion fort on the floor for optimal-fun-viewing.

A Cute New Mug → Go to a local coffee shop with someone you love and order a seasonal special.

Sweets → Bake a new or even a familiar favorite recipe. Double it and make one for yourself and one to give to someone else.

A Fall Candle → Embrace a cozy at-home activity, like puzzles or board games. Or if you have something like this near you, you can make your own candle! I’ve done this twice (my bachelorette party and our babymoon) and both times I loved it. The scent reminded me of those fun memories every time I lit the candle.

Bodycare (Lotion/Perfume/Etc.) → Unwind with a relaxing bath and comforting playlist or podcast one evening.

A New Book → Honestly, I say embrace books. But make an experience out of it by exploring your local library or a local bookstore. Let yourself browse and pick something out in the moment.

A New Toy → Take your kids somewhere they can play, like a playground or a children’s museum.

A Knick-Knack → Do an art activity that incorporates nature. My daughters daycare has had them paint with apples and leaves, and I love this! I’m excited to this this with her at home on the weekends.

I love the idea of embracing the moment - but remember you do not have to buy anything extra to participate in enjoying life. Wishing you a joyful week ahead! Thanks for reading!

Love,

Cass

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