The December Agenda: Holiday Edition

It’s starting to feel a lot like winter in these parts. Long gone are the mornings that I can jump into my car without first defrosting it…run out of the house in just a cozy sweater dress…or order an iced coffee from Starbucks without raising eyebrows. Yes, winter is upon us. While I don’t enjoy the cold, there is something special about this time of year—when holiday fairs happen almost weekly and houses are decked out with festive flare.

Even if the thought of snow is enough to send a shiver down your spine, you can still embrace this exciting time of year. Here’s what’s on my agenda this month:

Go: What could be better than getting your holiday shopping done? How about getting your holiday shopping done while scoring deep discounts? Sounds good, right? Then head to the Village of Port Jefferson, New York this Saturday, December 10th from 9 am to 5 pm for the annual Port Jefferson Shopping Crawl. It’s a fun day for the whole family where retail, professional, and services offer 10% and 20% discounts. You know I will be stopping in at Chocology for some fudge!

See: One of my all time favorite things to do this time of year is to head into New York City to see the store windows. Last year, I made the (near fatal) mistake of heading in on SantaCon (which for those who aren’t familiar, is essentially a very large pub crawl where everyone dresses up like Santa). I’m wiser this year and have planned my trip around avoiding the crowds that SantaCon generates. During my visit, I hope to get a good glimpse of the beautiful tree at Rockefeller Center, take a trip to the New York Public Library and see Patience and Fortitude in their holiday attire (remember them?), and perhaps finally stop at the infamous Max Brenner Chocolate Bar.

Do: Now that the house is decorated and the tree is up, I am in full-on holiday shopping mode. I’ve seen so many amazing gift guides, like this one and this one. So thanks, fellow bloggers, for helping me find great gifts for everyone on my list!

Visit: After going on the Holiday Historic House Tour in Huntington, New York last weekend, I think it is fair to say that I am obsessed with Long Island history and historic restoration. Seeing the painstaking details in these older beauties and the great lengths that the homeowners went to in the restoration process, truly blew me away. I loved learning about the history behind the property, who owned it, and how the property was used. The tour opened my eyes to the rich history in my own backyard. Long Island has many old mansions that are now museums and are open for the public to tour (check the list out here). I am under no illusion that I will be able to visit all of these properties this month, but my goal is to see at least one in December.

What’s on your agenda this month?