Hi friend,
December arrived quietly this year — not in a dramatic rush, but in a soft, familiar way that settled into our home almost before I realized it. The kind of winter that invites you in gently… with twinkle lights, warm evenings, and small traditions that end up meaning more than anything else.
Maybe that’s why motherhood feels different this month.
Not busier — though there’s plenty to do — but more tender.
More rooted.
More aware of the tiny moments I don’t want to miss.
And it’s these small rhythms — the simple ones, the ones that aren’t grand or forced — that are shaping our December in the sweetest ways.
Tree Lightings & Santa Parades — The Magic of Showing Up
There’s a certain kind of magic that only small towns can make.
Last weekend we bundled the kids up and headed to the town tree lighting — warm drinks in hand, the air buzzing with chatter, and the kind of excitement that only comes from counting down to a moment everyone knows is coming, but still feels magical when the lights switch on.
And when the tree glowed to life — warm, golden, steady — I swear their faces glowed too.
Then came the Santa parade, full of decorated trucks, holiday music, and kids waving so enthusiastically you’d think Santa himself was in every vehicle. There’s something so charming about a parade that isn’t trying to impress — just trying to bring joy.
These small traditions anchor the season for us.
Not because they’re extravagant, but because they’re together.
Motherhood has taught me that tradition doesn’t need to be perfect to matter.
It just needs to be felt.
The Soft Rhythm of December Days
Even without dramatic weather changes, winter naturally slows us — in subtle, beautiful ways. The afternoons are darker, the evenings stretch a little longer, and the house becomes a cocoon where the sweetest moments seem to happen.
This year I’m noticing:
• how my kids drift toward cozy spaces without being asked
• how quiet mornings feel like their own kind of gift
• how the tree lights steady the whole house
• how evenings together feel easier, slower, more connected
• how simple moments seem to hold more weight
December has a rhythm all its own.
And motherhood inside that rhythm feels softer than any other time of year.
Cozy Evenings at Home
Some of my favorite winter memories come from the simplest evenings:
The fireplace humming.
Lights dimmed except for the glow of the tree.
Kids wrapped in blankets, choosing a Christmas movie they’ve watched a dozen times but still love.
Warm mugs of cocoa in small hands.
Soft conversations drifting through the room.
These nights make me feel like time slows just enough for us to really see each other.
They’re not planned or curated — they just happen.
And every time, I think:
I want to remember this.
The Magic We Don’t Realize We’re Making
It’s funny how often I worry about whether I’m doing enough — enough traditions, enough memories, enough intentional parenting. But then I look at my kids… and the way their eyes light up at the tree, the parade, the cocoa, the movie nights… and it hits me:
They’re already living a magical childhood.
Not because of what I do, but because of who we are together.
Magic isn’t in the big things.
It’s in the warm ones.
The close ones.
The everyday ones.
It’s in the way we show up.
Again and again.
A December Reminder
If this season feels busy, or imperfect, or not quite how you pictured it — you’re not alone. Motherhood rarely looks like the holiday movies we love.
But here’s what I hope you hold close:
You are creating magic simply by being here.
By taking them to the tree lighting.
By standing on the sidewalk at the parade.
By pouring the cocoa.
By turning on the fireplace.
By watching their favorite movie one more time.
By noticing the tiny things they love.
This is the heart of December.
This is what they’ll remember.
And you are doing it beautifully.
With warmth,
Aurora 🤍
This Means Home 
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