So, we are 9 days away from Christmas. Super stoked because we have orchestra seats at the Kennedy Center for the Sounds of the Season, tonight! We went last year and it was beautiful and lovely. But we were on tier 2 and the family friendly atmosphere up there was a little too hype.:) So me and my teen princess will dress up and leave home an hour and a half early so that we can make it through traffic and parking. And yes, I live close, D.C. traffic is that epic!

I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel like I’ve done enough Christmasy things because the close ones in my life aren’t as into it as I am. I went to a really cool event though at in a Episcopal church in Glen Echo Maryland on Saturday. But I need more!

We saw the Eric Byrd trio https://ericbyrdtrio.com/

and they played the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack after the movie was over and it was phenomenal. So much so that I bought the CD and like many of you, I do not buy CDs anymore. One awesome portion of the concert was the performances by his (Eric’s) sons on guitar and vocals on the “Christmas Time is Here” song.

This Saturday we are having a drama class party at my place with 10 freshman, God help me:). But Sunday I am really excited because it is all about me and all about Christmas!!!

We are going:

Ice skating at the National Gallery of Art sculpture garden across from the Archives https://www.nga.gov/visit/ice-rink.html which is so picturesque being on the National Mall.

Then we are walking over to the United States Botanic Gardens, https://m.usbg.gov/plan-your-holiday-visit one of the many free places to visit in D.C. by the way, and we will see the cool Christmas train exhibit that is so pretty and has different themes every year.

After the lines and crowds we will stroll on over to the world renowned and historic Willard Hotel https://washington.intercontinental.com/events/holiday-caroling-philomela/ to hear some amazing Christmas Caroling in a beautifully decorated and posh environment. I will share pics next week, it is that gorge. It costs nothing to listen, but we will probably by a signature drink or 2 so we do not look like total cheapskates.

Lastly, we will get our last steps in as we go to the Ellipse by the White House to see the National Tree https://thenationaltree.org/ and the 50 trees for all of our fab 50 states. The National Tree itself is cool to the first time but after 16 years of seeing it, it’s like, meh. But it is nice to walk around and see how different states decorated their trees. And this is also a free event. Can’t beat that! And the White House is nearby!

After weaving our way among the trees, we will go home and crash! I feel that after all of that that I will have fully participated in the Christmas season this year. And because I am known by a few, coined by D, the girl who loves Christmas, I need to do lots of activities during December because I literally detest January-March. It is so dull. And I love the Christian spirit that seems to be present everywhere during the month of December.

Hopefully this motivated you all on this dreary and cold Monday, at least if you are on the east coast, to enjoy today and the remaining days of this beautiful season to celebrate Christ’s birth.

~simply

Dee

*image taken by me, courtesy of A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles Schulz

I do not own rights to this music or photo but am merely using this photo and video to describe and commemorate an event.