My Favorite Things

I may never be an enthusiastic celebrant of the holidays (the fact that this year I considered requesting a medically induced coma from mid-November until well into January indicates I have a way to go yet), but even this borderline Grinch has to admit to still finding plenty of things that spark joy. This time of year, my social media feeds are lousy with “best of” and “top ten” lists, which inspired me to articulate my own list: my favorite things. (Disclaimer: I’m no Oprah, and most days I have at least one article of clothing on inside out, so if you’re looking for polish, affluence, and luxury, maybe keep looking.)

I used to be a pretty avid consumer. Despite not caring about status symbols and stuff per se, for a long time some combination of unexamined consumerism and lack of self-awareness made me approach shopping like an Olympic sport. If things were available for purchase and I had the money to do so, why not? And maybe the right clothes would make me feel better about myself. Or maybe buying ten souvenirs everywhere I traveled would improve the memories. Maybe if I bought all those hobby materials I’d actually become the kind of person that excelled at that hobby. Later, as a mom, I added buying things for my family and for the house. You can ignore a myriad of ills when you’re busy making sure everyone has everything they need and then some.

Although I’d begun leaning in the direction of more conscious consumption, I didn’t really appreciate the total superfluity of the majority of my possessions until I left “the marital home” with little more than a laundry basket full of clothes and books. This is when my love affair with minimalism began, as I stocked my new apartment with the bare necessities and it slowly dawned on me that almost all of the stuff I left behind didn’t matter.

So it’s no surprise that these days most of my favorite things cost nothing at all. Those that do require money are heavily weighted toward experience, self-care, or natural beauty.

My Favorite Things That Cost Nothing

A twenty-minute nap

Digging into a long-awaited library book

Making someone laugh

Finding the perfect word to express myself

A real hug

Being the first person up in a houseful of people

Solving a puzzle

The first fall breeze in the tropics

The sound of the train in the distance while I’m falling asleep

The smell of the ocean

Discussing esoterica with the CWP

An early morning swim

A surprise phone call from someone I love

When my dog looks into my eyes like I’m the second coming

A visit from a cardinal

Unexpected personal mail

Free delivery

Removing unwanted items from my environment

My Favorite Things for a Minor Outlay

A perfect cup of coffee

A good croissant

An outdoor happy hour (bonus if it’s on a rooftop)

A trip to the crystal store

Finding the perfect gift for someone

Weekly fresh flowers

Making a delicious meal (which involves pasta)

Coffee chip ice cream

A museum visit

A trip to the Dollar Store

A tiny, useful reminder of my travels

Twinkle lights, anytime, anywhere

My Favorite Things to Splurge On

A shampoo and blowout

Silky loungewear

A trip to the foot spa

“Home Edit” organizing products

A facial

A “just because I want to see it” trip

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Let’s talk! What are some of your favorite things, material or otherwise? Favorite thing you’ve received this holiday season?