Pass the Pie.

I am a self proclaimed “Pie Enthusiast”, so Thanksgiving it where it’s AT for me. Every year I bake no less than five — yep, you read that right, five — pies. Don’t get me wrong, I love all of the savory dishes too, but pie is the thing I anticipate the most, and part of the glory of making so many pies is that there are always leftovers. And leftover pie for breakfast is my jam.

Like most holidays, it is important to take a moment to look past the table full of delicious food and consumer gimmicks to get at the heart of it all. What are you thankful for? How do you show your thanks? How do you share your bounty with others? I recapped some of my thoughts on this in my last post, but this year, I really do feel the warmth of thankfulness.

As we move in to the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I am taking a moment to make a list of all of the things I want to savor this year. Ways to soak in the holiday spirit, give back to my community, and be more thoughtful in my gift giving. I’ve created a festive template to write down all of my holiday wishes, and I am sharing it here with you as a free download.

I encourage us all to enjoy the season and pay attention to all of the little moments that make it so magical. A big goal of mine this year is to find more ways to share that magic with those who don’t have the financial means to do so on their own. If you have any favorite charities, recommendations for ways to give back to the local community, or any other ideas I would love for you to share them in the comments. If you can’t give financially, your time is one of the most valuable things you can give, so please share ideas for ways you can donate your time as well.

I hope you enjoy this template and it inspires you to make the most of the holiday season!

Here are some of the things that will be making an appearance on my list:

• Go for a walk as a family to look at Christmas lights

• Donate toys, clothes, or food to a local charity

• Volunteer at a local shelter

• Watch your favorite holiday movies (some of ours are “Elf”, “The Holiday”, and “White Christmas”)

• Do something nice for a stranger

• Shop from small businesses (this is my go to book for children!)

• Decorate sugar cookies

• Bake my mom’s Apricot Braid (a holiday tradition!)

• Enjoy a hot cocoa date with a friend

• Spend as much time as I can with friends and family

• Listen to my favorite holiday albums (even if they are still N*Sync and Celine Dion’s).

• Get matching pajamas (because my pup Brady in pjs would just be too cute).

P.S. Our Goldendoodle who we love to the moon and back makes a little appearance on the template. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to add some reindeer antlers to his fluffy head! Click the link below to download yours!

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