Ho-ho-holy moly is it hot! With temps skyrocketing this week and the pleasant, cooler days that still retained some semblance of spring now a thing of the past, it would seem more apt to think of palms than Christmas trees, but I’m a holiday loving gal! I woke up this morning delighted by the fact that the six month countdown until Jolly Old St. Nick arrives has begun! Indeed you might as well call me Ms. Festive; from decoratiing the tree to basting the bird, stuffing stockings to baking gingerbread, I’m wild about the winter holidays! What I’m not however, is one to buy into the mass consumerism and boatload of stress that sadly so often accompanies modern day holidays of all sorts. No matter the current year, to my mind, Christmas is eternally about the spirit of love and joy, about giving and sharing, spending time with those you hold dear and being thankful for what you have and what you can bestow upon others. A simple Christmas is a beautiful Christmas in my books, which is a huge part of the reason why I love to turn to the past when I think of this cheerful time of the year. I know that a lot of my fellow readers are sweltering under soaring temps now, so I thought it might oodles of fun to imagine for a few moments that it was suddenly December and we’re getting ready to deck the halls, linger under the mistletoe with a certain special someone, open our gifts, and sit down to a mouth-watering meal, as a gentle breeze blows picture-perfect snowflakes past the window. Naturally, we’ll be celebrating in vintage style! ♥ ♥ ♥ December’s just begun, which means it’s time to start the advent calendar and count down the “sleeps” until the big day arrives! There’s so many wonderful things to do this month, but before the days fly past, we must ensure that we’ve checked our list twice, our Christmas card list that is! Wouldn’t want to accidentally forget a dear friend at this most amicable time of the year! Next comes a different kind of list, the one youngsters (and the young at heart) pen to Santa! For that task, every member of the family will definitely need to pour through the Wishbook. From Johnny to Sally, mom to pop, there’s always something that everyone secretly hopes to find under the tree :) With wish lists clutched firmly – and eagerly – in hand, it’s time to go pay a visit to Santa himself. Remember to tell him you’ve been extra good all year, kids – and to smile! With friends dropping by, packages being sent to relatives, and plenty of hungery little snowman builders bustling around the kitchen, we’ll definitely need to whip up plenty of cookies and baked treats to have on hand. The holidays are a time for socializing, from big office parties to small, intimate gatherings around the fireplace, and everything in between. So dust off your party dress, invite the gang ‘round and celebrate with festive cheer! With the days ticking down, it’s time to head out to the woods – or for those of us who live in the city to the neighbourhood tree lot – and bring home a lovely tree for everyone to help decorate with all the beautiful, treasured ornaments you’ve collected over the years. At last Christmas Eve has arrived; time to ensure that everything is ready for tomorrow! From prettily wrapped gifts under the tree to cookies and milk left out for Santa, the only thing left to do is hang our stockings and figure out a way to fall asleep! Did you get any sleep or were you too excited to rush downstairs and discover the gifts piled beneath the tree? Or were you thinking about the delicious supper that awaits everyone later this afternoon? Whatever you’re jubilant about today, and however your family celebrates the holidays, I hope you have a very merry Christmas! {All images in this post are from Flickr. To get more information on a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective Flickr page.} Did you enjoy our brief escape from the blistering heat, as we peered into Christmases of the past? I truly hope so, because I had an absolutely delightful time putting this post together. Having hit the six month mark until December 25th, are you looking forward to counting down the months or dreading the thought of another holiday season? Personally I’m stoked, there’s nothing like the joy of celebrating the holidays in vintage style, watching my all-time favourite Christmas movie (White Christmas), singing carols, and roasting a turkey with all the trimmings to put a mile-wide smile on my lips in and in my heart.