wishes & friends

It seems that gift guides are more abundant than ever this year—between work stuff, radio announcers, and seeing everyone else's cool gift ideas on other blogs, I now feel thoroughly versed in "what to get absolutely everyone on your list". And yet, in the middle of all the holiday buying hubbub (yes, hubbub) I still find myself trying to not give in to what feels like a tasmanian devil of materialism.

You may or may not have read my post earlier this week about the Simple Gift Giving Philosophy, but let me just say, narrowing down my wish list to just 4 things was both easier and harder than I anticipated. Easier because when I spend time actually thinking about it…I don't really need more stuff and I feel entirely blessed just to spend this holiday season with friends and family; harder because there are so many fun, cool things out there that we are taught to want. So in effort to enjoy the gift-giving while still practicing simple giving, here's my little graphic wish list:

• Want—I'm trying to collect a Willow Tree Nativity Set but since it's so expensive, I'm just asking for one piece each year. Last year…Mary, Joseph, and Jesus; this year…wise men. This way, by the time I have kids, our family will probably have the whole set.
• Need—I genuinely struggled with this one because even though I'd really like a nicer camera, I don't really need it right now. And even though I could certainly use this food chopper, I don't actually need it either. When I sat down to think about it and that green word "NEED" was staring at me, I realized that there isn't a single thing I need this year. Especially when I look at the abundant blessings I have and all those who are truly in need this year. So let's call this the "Would Be Helpful to Have" category instead.
• Wear—This one is just for fun…but who wouldn't want this totally baller Dr Who t-shirt from Unicorn Empire?!?
• Read—Alright alright, I couldn't quite narrow down this category to just one, but I tried and trust me, choosing just two books for Christmas is a huge improvement for me. First up is this amazing Holman Study Bible which due to my (incredible) mom, I already know that I'm getting this year (can't wait!!). Second, is RUMO by Walter Moers.
• Something extra—Just throwing this out there, I would definitely not turn down a gift card to Spoonflower fabrics (ah-maz-ing) or a year subscription to Real Simple Magazine. I may be way too poor to fit their target audience but I can DIY the junk out of some of their ideas!

In truth, I'd trade everything I'm potentially getting this year for one other thing, but it's quite a bit bigger to ask for and I can't be blabbing about it too much on the internets. Just keep your fingers crossed!

Also, I have a SUPER AWESOME ANNOUNCEMENT!!

Since connecting with people and finding new friends is one of my absolute favorite things about this whole blog adventure, starting next week, I'll be introducing you to some of my very favorite bloggers each Friday! These 18 incredible women all agreed to let me write a little about them and their rockin' blogs. So get excited and make sure to come back every Friday and meet someone new!

Your turn…what's at the top of your wish list this year?