Similar to last year, today was my last day of work for 2023 and I’ll be off for the next 13 days (including weekends). Campus is closed from Christmas to New Year’s, and I have extra vacation time to use before the end of the year. Let’s see what I have planned:

Getting a tattoo: Yep, I’m getting another one after getting one on my forearm last month. It’ll be a surprise for now… 🤫

Going to holiday parties: The theater group I volunteer with is having a holiday gathering for board members and committee members (that’s me) at a local brewery. Josh is my plus one, so we’ll go for a little while and have some pizza and beers and do a bit of socializing. Then on Christmas Eve, we’re going to Josh’s parents’ house for a Christmas Eve dinner/Yankee Swap. (We had his other big family party last weekend, and that’s always fun.)

Celebrating Christmas with Josh: We’ll be having our own little Christmas celebration for the two of us since he’ll be working on Christmas day. I think the plan is to make dinner, open gifts, have festive drinks, and watch a Christmas movie.

Reading and TV: I think a town library trip is in my future before the end of the year, and I have a few movies on Netflix I want to watch when I’m home.

Going home for Christmas: I’ll be heading home Christmas morning to open gifts with my parents, then we’re going to my uncle’s house for our Christmas meal (although it’s at noon), and after that I’ll probably hang out at my parents since Josh will be at work.

Planning Josh’s birthday party: Josh’s birthday is very early into the new year and since he’s turning 30 (!!!) I’m organizing a birthday party for him. I have to finalize when I’m placing food orders, what the food orders actually are, go to Party City to get decorations, and figure out day-of logistics. That’s all I’m saying for now since Josh reads my blog. (He at least knows we’re doing something on a particular day for his birthday—he just doesn’t know what exactly.)

Getting together with friends: This includes the group of Josh’s friends and me meeting up with a friend/old co-worker.

McCray’s light walkthrough: Josh and I went last year and loved it, so we’re going again!

Other miscellaneous things: A hair appointment, ordering a dress for Josh’s work holiday party in January (I’m looking into renting a dress from Rent The Runway), and working on blog posts (my year in review, December monthly review, resolutions/bucket list, and what I read in 2023).