We’ve been home every weekend in November thus far, and after a hectic second half of September and October, it has felt absurdly luxurious. It’s allowed me to take the holidays slow, as I wrote in my November goals post, which is just as I like it. For the most part, I try to keep Christmas in December, but there are a few things I like to do in November to set myself up for a peaceful and joyful Advent. If you’re curious, here they are! Prettiest Christmas decor from one of my favorites, Sweet Shady Lane! 1. I order our Christmas cards. I usually save the stuffing, addressing, and stamping until the first week of December or so (it’s cozy to do in front of the fire with a Christmas movie on!), but I order our cards and send our newsletter to print in November so they’re ready when I am. Can’t wait for you to see this year’s choice! (From Minted, of course — little peek at our family session here!). 2. I plan our calendar. There are several pieces to this: — I confirm any dates we’ll have houseguests, or that we’ll be traveling. I make sure we’re clear on holiday plans for both sides of the family.— We decide where we’re going to go for our end-of-year celebration dinner and make a reservation. Weekends in December book up fast! So do babysitters!!— I look up the dates of any “external” holiday activities we want to do and make sure they’re on our calendar. For us, this includes a concert we go to every year, our town’s Christmas parade, and often a Nutcracker performance. I have also been known to proactively text friends who usually host things in December (like a caroling party) to check on the