"Not Big Christmas People" - Day 5 of 12 Days of Beauty

What do you do when you're not into the holidays, but your husband is?

Best gift ever, this male human on my shoulder.

Welcome to Day 5 of “12 Days of Beauty,” a spin on the seasonal classic in which you receive a daily amuse-bouche for the mind and spirit to close out 2024. Runs from 12/19 to 12/30.

Dear Beautiful Friends,

Here’s a little Christmas Story, from my first year with Steve (if you’re reading this, hi love!).

Let it be known: My family of origin, the Mishels, weren’t big Christmas people.

It’s easy to be tradition-less when your parents don’t originate in the U.S. and come from small clans. The four of us—my mom, dad, brother, and I—lived without any surrounding family, so it was easy to do whatever we wanted. My paternal grandparents lived in Laguna Beach (we saw them often), and Detroit (not so often). My mom’s dad and brother lived in Sydney, and we saw them once. My dad was an only child. For four years we lived in Rome, and did whatever the locals did.

Christmas in Rome, with a Mafioso Santa.