The month of December is often associated with Santa Klaus and X-mas; both associative of good behaviour and presents in lieu. Having studied in a Convent school, Christ, Christmas and carols were an intrinsic part of my schooling. So it’s not surprising for me to have continued the tradition of decorating a christmas tree into my adulthood.
As I wrote this gratitude post for December, I couldnt help being surprised to see how blessed a month this has been for me in terms of travel, friendships, occasions, and of course presents!!!! The universe has been most kind and giving to me and I pray it continues to do so in 2018 too.
♥ Foodgasm, a wedding & romancing history ♥
First up was a travel to the city of Nawabs – Lucknow to attend my dearest friend’s (Maitreyee) wedding; we met online & then became besties offline in a short span of time. Through her I met and made loads of other amazing friends; some of them were at this wedding and boy did we rock it!!! Anu & I decided to do Lucknow darshan along with attending the do (travel posts are being cooked even as I type this) and sampled some delish fare- both at the wedding & food joints in Lucknow.
Sightseeing was done in plenty and we were quite blown away by the monuments, history and the politeness of the townsfolk. The grandeur of the Nawabs was visible and preserved with joy in the many monuments that dot the urban landscape now.
The best and warmest part of the trip was meeting M’s family who welcomed us with wide open arms & hearts and ensured that were looked after really well. From food to stay to roaming around in town – we had the best hosts who delighted in making us feel special. I came back with some very warm ties and beautiful memories of family who loved and shared with us.
♥ An X-mas affair ♥
Hosting a christmassy party with my besties has become a trend of sorts and the piece-de-resistance is my mulled wine and a boozy rum cake which I brew/soak for days before. This year I made a tree out of my bookshelf and it did look pretty even if I do say so myself 😉 And the bash was well attended with tonnes of merriment to go around till next year.
♥ It rained Santa this year ♥
It literally did! I played Secret Santa with my blogging buddies and I was delighted to receive my favourite Harry Potter book in the graphic form which is a recent add onto the series. Wowza a Santa who knew me really well!! Next up an online friend from Mumbai sent me a gorgeous parcel of stuff (books, magnet, ear rings) – we have been exchanging christmas gifts since last two years. It was heartening to see that we continued the tradition! And then there was the bumper load from my GFs, each brought a gift for me and one another at the Xmas do!
♥ Health & Fitness check ♥
My 2017 resolution was to get back into shape; happy to state that the mojo for that is continuing well into the New year. Though I had a health setback in mid 2017; things are under control and I am inching back to my ideal fitness levels.
♥ On the blogging front ♥
I was keen to end the year with loads of writing and in pursuit of that goal, I organised a bloghop with 28 other bloggers; each wrote a guest post for me and I wrote one for them. All in all I wrote 28 guestposts this December and was zapped at my storehouse of ideas for them. Some were easy as the host had sent me a topic/image to write on. But for the most part I had to get creative – it was very challenging and at the end of this bloghop, I hit the 25,000 hits mark on my blog – YAY!!!! Icing on the cake was the connect with such a good bunch of bloggers.
♥ 31st Night ♥
Do you remember the scene from Sex and the city-1 movie where Miranda rings Carrie who gets dressed and tramps over freezing cold NY city to make it to her apartment to relieve Miranda of her feeling of being lonely on New Years Eve? I cherish that scene and was blessed enough to have plenty of Carrie-s in my life this new year’s eve. Landed at Sups place who cooked some delish and exotic fare for us and we welcomed the new year with a tequila shot each. Gabbing till 4 in the morning with your besties is the best TLC in the world.
What I especially loved was the effort folks made to call me on New year’s eve as they were making sure to call their “important” ones, once before the year ended. So much gratitude for this thought; humbling to know I have a place in their hearts!
Ending my post with a heartfelt wish for abundance, blessings and love for all in 2018! Hope your New Year is brimming with resolutions, ideas and plenty of motivations!!
Technically the first post of 2018 but as it’s about 2017; lets count it there! Adding it to many of my favourite bloghops on #gratitude!!!
#mondaymusings #chattyblogs #gratitudecircle
Happy New Year. Love your very interesting book Christmas tree.
Thanks so much Suzy! 🙂
Wish you a fabulous 2018 ahead
Wow! You had a rocking December! Wishing you a successful 2018
Thanks so much Neha and wish you a very blessed 2018 too 🙂
Sounds like you had a wonderful end to 2017! I’ve missed reading your personal posts on your blog 🙂 Hope you have an amazing 2018!
Thanks Sanch and yes this last year has been a mixed bag but I am going to say it was all good!! Personal posts will be up with regularity from this month onwards; heartening to hear they are missed 🙂
Such a happy happy post. December sounds like a great month for you. I read a number of your guest posts and was amazed at the variety of topics you covered and also at your prolificity. Wish i could have joined in but was caught up all of December. Another time perhaps. Oh and I’m so happy you visited my hometown. Lucknow! There’s something about anyone going there and saying nice things about it that fills me with pride even though I’ve been out of there for over two decades. Sigh! Glad you had a good time.
Thanks so much Tulika. The blog hop came out to be truly awesome; even I was surprised at its success! I enjoyed writing 28 posts and amazed at my own writing skills to put them out; best part was the pics I had in plenty for each and every post. I loved doing guestposts and am now planning to include them in every month on my blog. I will write for one blogger and invite one to write for me – lets see how it goes. maybe you could be my first this year – what say? 🙂
Lucknow was just amazing and I havent had my fill; so heading back there soon again!! Do check out my posts on Lucknow that shall grace my blog very very soonest!!!
Any post that starts with food has to be good 🙂
I’m so jealous of the secret Santa gifts you received this year. They are so damn good!
Wishing you a very happy 2018, Shalz.
Yeah my present haul this year was really impressive Soumya; I am totally blown away by the kindness showered on me by my friends and peers; hope this continues all year long!!
Wish you a very happy 2018 too Soumya 😉
Your 2017 has ended on a delicious and blessed note, Shalini. I am so happy for you. I was thrilled to be your Santa this time and sending that book was a pleasure for me. And looks like book 3 is a mutual favourite among many.
Congratulations on the blog milestones. Those are some wonderful numbers but more than that the sense of community is what you’ll cherish more, I know. Hugs and wish you a lovely 2018.
I still cannot express my joy at getting that book Shy- it was such a happy surprise and I have just freaked out over it. I am going to reasure this one forever and will remember you everytime I open its pages to go through it! Its on my to-read for this month! Thank you once again for such a splendid gift!!
Yes 2017 ended blessedly well and foronce the year sped past very fast for me. Its been a mixed bag year but glad that it ended on a hppy note. I hope yours was equally so and wish you a very blissful and prosperous 2018!!!
You seemed to have had a happening December! The Lucknow pics look amazing. Its such a beautiful feeling when friends go out of their way to ensure that you’re with them during important times like New year’s eve. By the way, that was one of my favorite scenes from Sex and the City! 🙂
Hi five on that Vinodini! Friends are indeed such a big bliss in life and I give gratitude for having a circle of them around me! Lucknow shall be detailed out in the coming days with some more posts on what all fun I had there! So do come back for another visit soon! Wish you a very happy & blessed 2018!! 🙂
Wow, looks like this was a fab month with the wedding, Christmas party and so many presents . There is this thing about December that brings in cheer and a feel good feeling. I was hoping to see some scrumptious food from Lucknow
Thanks Akshata:-) Food from lucknow is another post which will soon be up in January itself!
Sounds like an awesome December and a fulfilling 2017.
I too wish to visit Lucknow someday soon. The city of Nawabs is truly inviting.
Congratulations on reaching the blog millestones. that certainly can make a blogger super-happy!
Wishing you a great 2018.
Thanks so much Jyoti; you must visit Lucknow and in fact I will be writing a few posts on my visits to the monuments and the food sampling; so do come back for another read soon!!
Wish you a blessed 2018 🙂
these are amazing achievements and superb pictures . wishing a very happy new year and hoping you had much more in upcoming year.
Thanks so much Surbhi. Wish you a very abundant and happy 2018!! 🙂
Love the pictures and the ‘stories’ behind them, Shalz. You’ve had a wonderful year and you’ve worked hard to make it a great one! May 2018 be better still!
Thanks so much Corinne!! Wish you a very happy 2018 too!
That surely was an amazing 2017. Glad to have connected to your blog through the blogging challenges we attempted this year, Shalini. All the very best for 2018 too. I am sure you’ll rock!
Thanks so much Aesha; blogging challenges are a great way of getting to know and read new blogs. Ditto on the association and wish you a very happy and prosperous 2018 🙂
It is great to know your December happened and ended on a high note 🙂 All those gifts look lovely and especially that Christmas tree made out of books and the lights on it is my most favourite. Congratulations for the grand success of your first ever hosted bloghop.
Happy New Year and have a wonderful 2018.
Thanks so much Anamika for the kind words. I wish you a very happy 2018 too 🙂
oh so beautiful. feeling jealous. Married in lucknow and still have not visited any of the monument you have mentioned. feeling nostalgic partying with dearest friends … lovely idea of xmas tree. Wish you a very Happy n prosperous Year.
Thanks so much Priya- feels good to hear such praise. I simply loved Lucknow and hope to be back to another trip there soon enough!!
Wish you a very happy 2018 🙂
Sounds all so blissful. I could not agree more on the vibes during the holiday season. I have the same background as yours. Last year I too made a Christmas Tree out of books and it was good. Missed the celebrations this year cos of the travel. I went to Lucknow when I was a standard 7 student. It was an educational tour in December and totally loved it. May be I will visit once again in life 🙂
Your time with friends, calls from folks and those gifts, make me feel you had a warm and happy last month of 2017. wishing you happiness all the year round.
P.S Congrats on the blog hop and that quarter million hits. It’s a biggie for sure 🙂
Thanks os much Parul- been loving your travel tales too. Its fun to read and see account/pics of fellow bloggers when they travel as they pack so much into little things.
Yes 2017 december was memorable for me and I hope the energy continues in this year too!
Wish you a very blessed 2018 too Parul 🙂
You had a fab December Shalini hoping the new year keeping the same fun going.
Thanks so much Manisha!