Christmas vibes are the best vibes and December is my favourite month of the year. Twinkling fairy lights are everywhere, and every corner of every street becomes decked out with beautiful Christmas decor. I have a really severe case of chronic Christmas fetish, and it is already getting so bad that it is mentally impossible to concentrate on studying for final exams. And this is really bad when finals are on average worth 50% of your final grade. And to be honest, I really should be studying right now. But I can’t seem to straighten out my priorities and all I can think about these past few days is to be finally able to relax and spend some quality time with some special people during the holidays because I’m so extremely excited I think I may actually cry out of happiness.
To spread some Christmas cheer this holiday season, I’m going to write a whole lot of Christmas cards and bring them with me wherever I go, so I can leave them at different locations for people to stumble upon. Sounds cheesy but I am a cheesy person and that’s the way I like it. Chew livin’ the cheesy lifestyle, weowww I love it! Upon finishing my exams, I’m going to blast some Christmas tunes and transform into a Christmas card writing machine. I’m so excited for this little “Operation Christmas Cheer” project, and maybe I’ll get Leung to join me as well. Except she’s probably going to think I’m a little cuckoo, but she already does, so there’s definitely on harm in asking. And we know each other so well it’s kind of scary, so there really isn’t any hard feelings if she refuses to join my super-awesome-but-maybe-a-little-weird “Operation Christmas Cheer”.
I’ll probably get one or more of these reactions (ranging from “NO” to “YUS” :
“…k. You go do dat.”
“…. why…?”
“… how will it even work?”
“Sures” (in my experience, this means “I don’t really want to but I don’t want to say no” in Leung’s dictionary)
“Yeah sure I’ll join”
“Ya sounds like a plan!”
“YUS OMG”
Anyhow, while scrolling through Pinterest the other day in attempt to get some photography inspiration, I cam across this quote that really spoke to my heart:
“When you choose joy, you feel good. And when you feel good, you do good. And when you do good, it reminds others of what joy feels like. And it just might inspire them to do the same.”
So whether it be baking cookies for family and friends for the holidays, organizing a food or clothing drive, carrying around some spare change for the Salvation Army Christmas campaign, or even the simple act of exchanging a smile with others, make it a goal this December and end the year off right with your radiance of joy and happiness. People often ask me “How are you always laughing?” or “Why do you laugh so much?” and I simply laugh even more because laughter is contagious and it’s probably one of the best things you can do to lower your cortisol. Show life some love and life will love you back.
Of course, the holiday means the gathering with family and friends, and appetizers are always a must at holiday parties and gatherings. Cranberries and brussel sprouts are classic holiday foods, but with pumpkin hummus in an edible bowl, this appetizer is bound to be a hit at any holiday gathering. It not only looks impressive to the eyes, but your tastebuds will love it as well!
- BALSAMIC GLAZED BRUSSEL SPROUTS
- 1 lb brussel sprouts
- Coconut oil
- Balsamic glaze
- PUMPKIN HUMMUS BOWL
- 1 small kabocha squash
- ⅓ c. pumpkin puree
- 1 can (540 mL) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ lemon's juice
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2-4 tbsp water
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- CRANBERRY SAUCE
- About 1 cup (115g) fresh cranberries
- ½ orange's juice and zest
- 3 tbsp. maple syrp
- 1 tbsp miso
- 2 tbsp honey*
- FOR THE BRUSSEL SPROUTS AND KABOCHA BOWL
- Preheat oven to 375⁰F.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Drizzle brussel sprouts with coconut oil and balsamic vinegar and mix to coat.
- Bake the kabocha squash whole with the brussel sprouts on the same baking sheet.
- Bake for around 45 minutes, or until the kabocha squash is soft when poked with a fork and brussel sprouts are crispy.
- FOR THE HUMMUS
- Put chickpeas, pumpkin puree, lemon juice, tahini, garlic powder, paprika in a food processor. Add in water, 2 tbsp at a time if the mixture is too dry.
- Process until mixture is smooth.
- Add salt and cracked pepper to taste.
- FOR THE CRANBERRY SAUCE
- Preheat a pan on medium heat.
- Add in cranberries to the pan, as well as juice of half an orange and maple syrup.
- Leave in pan, shaking it often, for around 10-15 minutes or until most cranberries pop. Leave cranberries in saucepan until cooled. You should see the sauce thicken upon cooling. If not thickened, cook cranberries a little longer.
- Transfer cranberries into a medium bowl.
- Add in orange juice, zest, miso, and honey/liquid sweetener of choice.
- Mix together until mixture form into a sauce.
Love this hummus idea! And laughter is definitely contagious so I love your project!
Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy day to comment! Let us know how you like the recipe if you decide to try it out for the holidays!! Much love!!