I’m dreaming of a white Christmas.
Not literally, I am.
Even though we’ve lived in Chicago for seven years, this Christmas will be our first one in the city. Usually we head to either Los Angeles or Florida this time of year, but because we will be welcoming a baby in February, we decided to stay here for the holidays. My family will be flying in this week so it will be our first time hosting Christmas! And although we’re bursting at the seams in our condo (which if all goes well, we won’t be in much longer… more on that soon!), there was no way I was going to celebrate a Christmas without a tree.
Even when we travel to LA and rent an AirBNB, my family always gets a tiny tree to celebrate. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever not had a tree for Christmas, so we found the perfect little 5 foot tree to put in the corner of our living room. The dogs are still intrigued by it and it’s a little Charlie Brown-esque, but it’s perfect for our space!
Christmas Eve has always been a bigger deal for my family, and usually my mom makes stuffed shells that night… along with many other sides. Christmas morning we open presents and have homemade waffles. Usually we spend the day hanging around in our pajamas and relaxing. I’m looking forward to the low-key holiday and ending the year that way. We’re planning on spending New Year’s Eve with friends watching the ball drop and while I’m so anxious to have a baby next year to enjoy the holidays with (I shared some traditions I’m looking forward to starting with him here), I also plan on soaking up the little time we have left just us two.
[You can shop this sweater dress here – it’s currently on sale for $54 and non-maternity!]








x Jill