Monkey Bread, Magic, and Slowing Down

Hey there and Happy Holidays!

I find myself a little too breathless and anxious this year. I don’t like it at all. I hope you don’t feel like this but I suspect some of you do. As December is unfolding, I find myself wanting to pull back from all of this craziness, and noise, and instead, focus on the beauty of things. As a wise man once said to me “You can only control what you can control” (I’m looking at you Drew Abel) and there’s just so damn much we can’t control, which is very hard on this Aries., But I’ve come to realize how much peace there is in reconnecting with what truly matters—the small, grounding rituals and traditions that give this time of year its magic.

 I can always count on my sisters to ground me when I feel like this. I find myself missing them even more this year than usual. Luckily I was able to spend Thanksgiving with my two older sisters and will be seeing my baby sister, the goofball in the picture below…to be specific, she’s on the left…in just about a week. I am inordinately excited to see her. These women are the best of the best. No one can crack me up, piss me off, make me roll my eyes, or ache for their company like these humans. I decided this year, to feel closer to them while I spend Christmas away from them, I am going to make my sister Mary’s traditional Monkey Bread and my mom’s egg casserole for Christmas morning.

Katie, Jenny, and I just pretty much laid around and ate as our Christmas contribution so I will be doing that as well. 🙂 

Here is the Monkey Bread recipe if you’d like to try it. Don’t think for a minute that you can use anything but Rhode’s! That would be Christmas heresy! What are the traditions that you all enjoy around the holidays, be it Christmas or Hanukkah or whatever it is that you celebrate this time of year? And for those of you who don’t celebrate, I’d love to hear what it is that you find soothing and nostalgic that you go back to annually or seasonally. I heard from so many of you last month (which I LUV, thank you!) I would love to hear what it is that makes you feel at home especially in these cold months, around the holidays. 

As I think about the year ahead, I’ve settled on my theme for 2025: “Thrive in '25.”

For me, thriving isn’t about reaching for something big or bombastic. It’s about leaning into the things that make life sweet and full—traditions, family, friends, connection, creativity, and finding ways to bring beauty back into the everyday. 

For now, I’m keeping this season simple. Whether it be a quiet evening by the fire with my amazing husband, Jeff, and our perfect dog, Bonnie while we enjoy the soft glow of lights, or enjoying the comfort of something handmade, or taking in the nostalgic scent of Monkey Bread on Christmas morning. I will savor these moments that remind me that even as imperfect as life is, there is so much to hold on to and be grateful for. And I for one, am very grateful.

Wishing you a season filled with warmth, tradition, and a little bit of magic.

See you next year,
Arlene