Favorite Things, Life, Smiles

smiles this week – 12/19/25

Kari

i wrote a post the week of thanksgiving on a whim, thanks to a journaling prompt. it turned out to be such a great post to write. i loved the act of keeping a list of things that made me smile. paying attention to the things that made me physically smile feels different than my daily grateful journal, and i’m still figuring out why that is.

there is a lot of sad things going on in the world. this practice hasn’t fixed any of that, but it has helped me notice moments of light inside it. that feels worth paying attention to.

a few of you suggested i do this weekly, and that’s what i’m going to try to work on in place of the tater tot posts. i can’t promise a weekly smile post, but i can promise to try.

before i forget, i want to share that my mri results were stable, which is good news. i wrote a post back in november about my stomach issues and an upcoming mri, and then never followed up, which feels a little like vague-blogging. i’m doing much better now. metamucil twice a day is what’s helping at the moment- something to be grateful for and it even makes me smile!

on to what made me smile this week:

-the teenager working the drive thru the other morning on the way to take ella to school. he told us to drive safe, and it felt like a little spell of protection. we did, in fact, have the best commute to her school in a very long time.

-i’m listening to christmas music for the first time in many years. i used to love it, then i didn’t for a very long time. now, i’m listening again. 🎄

-my dear friend dina is making tote bags for herself and her mom out of her dad’s clothing. she said she wants to make one for my mom and me out of my dad’s clothing. 💜

christmas, gifts, stocking stuffers, christmas stockings, gift ideas teens, teenagers

-my friend judy wrote a post about her childhood christmas stocking, and it reminded me of how much i loved opening our stockings. it was actually my favorite part of gift opening, and it turns out it’s our daughter’s favorite part as well.

–my friend nicole doesn’t love the song wonderful christmastime, but bijoux and i laugh every time this guy on tiktok dances to it. his joy is undeniable, and i know nicole would love that part.

@callmechoko8

That One Person Who Loves December 🎄🤣 #chokoschristmas #callmechoko

♬ Wonderful Christmastime – Edited Version / Remastered 2011 – Paul McCartney

and finally, this song was released today- mother by sara diamond. it is absolutely beautiful and genuinely made me smile.

that’s it for this week. small things, ordinary things, but they mattered to me. i’ll keep noticing and see what shows up next week. 🌈

what made you smile lately?

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44 thoughts on “smiles this week – 12/19/25”

  1. I love Christmas music (including the sappy Paul McCartney song), but it’s not something I can listen to nonstop all day. An hour here and there is just about perfect. I’m glad you’re enjoying it again. Do you have a favorite song?

    Like you, I love stockings. I’ve always been really good at filling them; I consider it an art of sorts.

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    1. Me too- I can only listen to it here and there. This Christmas by Donny Hathaway is one of my favorites. How about you?

      It IS an art! I consider myself really good at filling them too, but there’s definitely pressure each year because they know how good I am. 🤣🤣

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  2. The dog cartoon is so cute! I’ve had so many times where childhood pet dogs dropped their favorite toy at my feet. It really is a sign of how much they love us, isn’t it?

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    1. Isn’t it? It really is, my friend. 💜

      There’s a TikTok of two dogs sitting in the window, their profiles outlined as they wait for their owners to get home, and it’s so touching. I might share it here so you can see it. It’s both heartbreaking and beautiful. We’re so lucky to have dogs.

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      1. Oh, that is so sweet! I’m seen the cutest clips of pets. I recently saw one where a family left out the front door and waved toward the cat in the window, and when they reviewing in-home cameras, the cat waved at the same exact same timestamp. Pets really are special. 💜

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  4. The tote bag idea is wonderful. I hope yours gives you a cozy feeling of warmth and contentment.

    I always loved getting stocking stuffers for the boys. They were a mix of snacky things, useful things, silly things, and inexpensive thoughtful things that showed that I not only listened to, but really knew them.

    Noticing the Light CAN stop the darkness in our world. When we walk through life with a lighter heart, leaving kindness and positivity in our wake, we may change someone’s moment or someone’s day. The effect of that can’t always be measured. But darkness can end with us, one at a time.

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    1. It really is such a wonderful idea, isn’t it?

      This is such a beautiful description of why we love stockings, Nance. The way you described stocking stuffers as a way of truly knowing someone really touched me. That kind of attention is its own form of love.

      And the way you framed noticing the light as something that can ripple outward in ways we may never fully see gives me so much comfort. Small kindnesses, thoughtful moments, gentle attention, they really do matter.

      Thank you for this beautiful comment. 💜

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  5. That’s good news on the MRI.

    I’m hit or miss with Christmas music – much depends on my mood, except for Snowman by Sia, always a good time – but lately, I’ve been watching TikToks of people performing Christmas carols in other styles – Jingle Bells sounding like Bollywood dance numbers, and so on – and that makes me happy.

    Stockings were the best. Happiness is a Mandarin orange in the toe.

    Happy holidays.

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    1. I’m hit or miss too, still. I made a “zen holiday” playlist with all instrumental christmas music, and that helps a lot. I’ve heard this Bollywood Jingle Bells on TikTok, maybe the same one you have, and it’s so funny and joyful. It’s made me smile a lot this season.

      Happiness is a mandarin in the toe- I love that. 🍊

      Happy Holidays to you too, Michelle. 😘

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  7. I’m happy the MRI went well! Cheers to your health with glasses of Metamucil! I clicked to see the man dancing, but got a video of a lady making macaroni & cheese, which led me down a rabbit hole of a million mac & cheese recipes, which also made me smile. I’ll be making mac & cheese for dinner!

    I love your Smiles this week idea, and I look forward to more!

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    1. Thank you, friend! Yes, cheers! Omg, this made me laugh so hard. Maybe you were meant to see the mac and cheese instead? The universe wants you to have it, so it shall be! 🤣🌈

      Aww, I’m so glad! Here’s to more smiles ahead!

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  8. I swear, every time that guy pops up on my TikTok, I am smiling my ass off! He just cracks me up! I’m glad Nicole will get to see him now.

    I’m so glad your MRI was normal and that you found something that is helping the situation. I follow a GI doctor on TikTok and she introduced me to Bellway psyllium husk supplement and it has made a world of difference for me because I just can’t seem to eat enough fiber every day. It’s probably the same as Metamucil.

    I agree that stockings are so much fun. I always put in a pack of fun toothbrushes or socks for my grands and a beanie baby (I’m slowly getting rid of the ones my mother had stockpiled as well as the ones my own kids had as children. They are still a hit!

    So, this little act of kindness made me smile . . . yesterday on my Blink camera, I saw a woman I didn’t recognize leave a little gift bag by my front door. When I retrieved it, inside was a foil envelope of (likely expensive?) Mexican hot chocolate and a Christmas card from a realtor. Yes, she was trying to drum up business, but how nice was that?

    Merry Christmas! Love you, my friend! XO

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    1. Me too! I hope it brings her as much joy as it brings us!

      I can’t seem to either, which is why I have to take it twice a day. My mom said you can even take it three times a day.

      Stockings are just so much fun.

      I love this little surprise! 💜

      Merry Christmas to you! Love you, my friend! 😘

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  9. I work at a university and grades for the semester have been posted. Going through my students of concern and seeing how well (most) did has been heartening. But, best of all, I have a few who are graduating! They did it! They persevered and worked hard and I’m so proud of them!

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  11. “a little spell of protection” — yes, this is how I always feel when someone tells me to drive safely! It’s a talisman. (I once had someone tell me they got annoyed by people who said that, and I have been annoyed at their irritation ever since, ha.)

    Tote bags out of a lost loved one’s clothing? I instantly teared up at that, how beautiful and practical and lovely and smart.

    I love your tater tot posts, and I love these lists of things that make you smile. Thank you for sharing the things that matter to you.

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    1. I love when things like that annoy others. It makes me want to say it in front of them every time I see them. 🤣

      Right? She’s so thoughful.

      Thank you for reading and commenting, my friend.

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  14. Pointing out what makes you smile is such an important reminder for all of us. I love it! Let’s concentrate on the positive instead of the negative! It’s always the “little things” that make my day too. ..like right this second I am lounging in bed catching up on emails and such. Calm, cool, and collected..lol Your shout out about my stocking post made me smile, for sure! I’m glad I was part of your “smile week”, my friend! Happy Weekend!

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    1. I agree, friend. Your stocking post was such a lovely reminder of how much I love that tradition and how I keep it going with my girls. I met a friend for coffee on Saturday, and she told me her mom did stockings for her and her sisters until she passed away. 💜

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  15. Hahaha that tennis ball!!! I spit out my coffee laughing. Brb, wiping things up.

    Maybe I’ll watch that tiktok but on silent so I can’t hear the music!

    I think that’s a beautiful idea, to make tote bags out of clothing. My kids loved the 2010 Olympics and they had t-shirts that had all the mascots on them. When they outgrew the shirts my mom made them into pillows. They still have the pillows and love them.

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    1. Yes- definitely watch on silent. 🤣

      I heard our favorite Christmas song (Last Christmas) dubbed with Birds of a Feather by Billie Eilish yesterday, and it sounded beautiful.

      Oh, I love the pillow idea so much! I met my friend for coffee this morning and got to see the tote bag she made for her mom in person- it’s so lovely.

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  17. This post made me smile! The dog meme was smile-worthy. That TikTok video was definitely smile-worthy!

    The song is also lovely my friend.

    Last night I watched the documentary Stiller-Meara, and it did make me smile (and cry); it was good.

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  18. I chuckled at the tennis ball comic. Hilarious.

    What made me smile? I was showing Mini an Alexa for sale on the FB marketplace. I wanted to buy it for my parents. I told Mini I think it’s like the one on our counter. She looked at my phone and then said, ARE YOU SURE IT’S NOT THE ONE ON OUR COUNTER? I died laughing, because I hadn’t noticed that the photo had the same backsplash and a very similar counter top as our kitchen.

    Having two cousins here this weekend as a surprise for Curly’s 18th bday made me smile a lot.

    I’m typing this during family movie night, so I look forward to coming back to listen to the song later.

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  19. What made me smile…

    My son. “Mom. I like your hair.”

    My daughter. Crying at the picture of a kitten.

    Bjork’s song “Human bevahior”

    A morning sun

    Vapor out of my mouth, b/c it was so cold.

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  20. I don’t like Christmas music in general. My mother doesn’t either, so maybe I get that from her? I do like non-traditional Christmas music this time of year, such as intrumental or jazz – I played some the other day and now I’m done for the year, ha ha.

    We didn’t have stockings growing up. Not sure why. Maybe nowhere to hang them? But Brian and his sisters had them (5 kids!) and no fireplace, so who knows. I’ll have to ask my mom. I’ve always done stocking for my kids – and still do for Tim! I got a few little things for Brian this year too, and stuck in his childhood stocking.

    After Phil passed, my mom made a blanket/quilt for Tim from Phil’s t-shirts. <3

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    1. I also love non-traditional Christmas music! I’m also officially done for the year. 🤣

      We didn’t have a fireplace when I was little, so my parents told us Santa came through the front door. 😊

      I love that you still do stockings for Tim. I plan on doing them for the girls forever—they love it, and I love doing it. I especially love that you put things in Brian’s childhood stocking.

      Omg, that quilt! Have you ever shown it to me before? 💜

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