The Magic is You {Capture the Magic Project}

Over the course of the last few days I've been trying to think about my favorite Christmas memories from childhood until the present and dissect what exactly it is that makes up "that feeling." It's magic. That captivating, enchanting, ubiquitous feeling is magic. How do you achieve it? That's where it gets complicated. Unlike the nature of "magic" itself, the magic you feel during the holidays has a distinct, recognizable source. The reason for the season is to celebrate the birth of Christ. And while as a practicing Christian that reason is more than enough to explain that wonderful holiday feeling, there are traditions, events, music, scents and flavors that further enhance it. That's where the magic comes from.

I'm realizing that it was the people around me that made the magic for me. Mostly my amazing mother and father, but also grandparents, neighbors, teachers and friends. The magic was in the details, and in the big things too. Now that I'm all on my own here in NYC, it's up to me to make the holiday magic in my home and find the magic around me.

It's up to you to make the magic.

Someone strung up those twinkle lights. Someone cooked the ham, baked the cookies, or made that melt-in-your-mouth fudge. Someone filled your stocking. Someone planned the caroling and made the warm cocoa. Someone started the traditions you treasure. It's the sensory overload of sights, sounds, scents, and flavors combined that create that magical feeling.

My plan for creating the magic this week (that I will then capture with my camera, of course!):

Monday 11/29: Christmas shopping at 18th Street, attend a local tree-lighting event
Tuesday 11/30 : Finishing touches on home decorating (we put up our tree this weekend). Organize and assemble our holiday activity advent calendar - SO excited about this
Wednesday 12/1 : Shop for family Christmas gifts, visit the Fabric District to get materials to make a tree skirt... Make a tree skirt.
Thursday 12/2: Wrap Christmas presents to put under the tree and make invites for Ella's Holiday Cookie & Cocoa play date
Friday 12/3: Tree-lighting at the MET, holiday shopping on the Upper East Side
Saturday 12/4: Go see Rockefeller Center Tree and shop windows. Attend annual holiday concert at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Sunday 12/5: Work together as family on our holiday card design, make spritz cookies, get Christmas packages ready to go.

What are your thoughts? Any fun plans for the week? Are you buying a real tree or a an artificial one? We bought a real tree this year and it smells divine...

Capture the magic {Holiday Challenge}

I was talking to my Dad the other day and he asked me what I was doing to prepare for the upcoming holidays. I thought about it for a minute, then shared a few tentative plans I have for our Thanksgiving meal, for a Christmas activity advent calendar I'm making for my kiddos, etc.

I wish I could remember exactly how it played out, but somehow we started talking about the feeling surrounding the holidays, and all the anticipation, the excitement, the joy you feel starting at Thanksgiving and continuing through the new year. And how some years the holidays lives up to those emotions, and some years they don't. He asked whether it was even possible to capture that feeling, and if so, how could we go about making sure that feeling is present throughout the holiday season. Somehow it turned into a project that we are both SO excited about that includes community events, home decor, holiday sweets, lots of twinkle lights, and of course, photography.

In the weeks to come I am excited to post my ideas about how I plan to create and capture the magic of the holiday season for my family. And maybe make a few new friends in the process here in NYC. I'll be looking to all of you to share great ideas and to share your lovely images from the holidays too. I'd love it if you would join in and capture the magic in your home, in your city.

PLEASE comment below and share with us one Thanksgiving tradition you love. This is my first year on my own, and I'd love to start some new traditions to go along with the old. Please share!

And if you have never made a comment, I'd love it if you'd introduce yourself and share your blog link (if you have one).