December 2022 Month in Review

For once I can say that a month lasted so long. From Nashville to Boise with plenty of festive activities in between, it feels like December 1 was half a year ago, not just a couple of weeks. I had such a restful time back in Idaho with my family for Christmas, and while I’m excited to be in Denver again, I was also so sad to leave the good ole’ potato state. The goodbyes have been getting harder, not easier!

What’s New?

• I’ve been a terrible blogger this month, as you probably noticed… I don’t know why, but I’ve been feeling so unmotivated lately! I have a whole list of posts to share and just haven’t gotten myself to actually write them, even though they’re time sensitive. Sheesh… I’m hoping the excitement and buzz of the new year gives me a little energy to get my act together. Thanks for always sticking around!
• December was a busy travel month. I started with a week-long trip to Nashville, came back to Denver for a few days, and then went to Boise for two weeks. I just made it back to Denver yesterday so I could spend New Year’s Eve with my boyfriend. Thank goodness we both made it, despite flying Southwest… I had so much fun in Nashville and am still working on putting together travel and outfit guide blog posts (two of those time sensitive ones I’ve been putting off for weeks, oof). Christmas with my family was also so much fun. This was our second year doing a Secret Santa gift exchange instead of trying to get a present for everyone, which I actually really enjoy. It allows us each to get one or two things we really want/need instead of a bunch of stuff just for the sake of having presents. This year I got a pair of cowgirl boots that I am SO excited about!
• Today’s photos are from that modeling photoshoot I did at the local Apricot Lane Boutique several weeks ago. The ladies at the boutique had already picked out a couple of looks for me by the time I arrived, so I threw them on before we wandered around the mall to take photos. They’re not all pieces that I would wear myself, but I loved trying on fun, trendy items nonetheless. I especially like the outfit above, with the silky white button-down and sequin pants. Perfect for NYE!

Top Performing December Blog Posts

• These Boots Were Made for Walking…
• Weekly Recap #49, 2022
• November 2022 Month in Review

Favorite Outfits from December

• I had a hard time choosing favorite outfits this month, so I ended up with four! The first was the chic black and purple plaid combo from my Vivaia collaboration blog post. I wore this on a date night and felt so stylish!
• The second outfit was what I wore out in Nashville when we went line dancing on Broadway. Did I look like every other girl in the bar? Sadly, yes… but I still felt really cute in this simple black crop top and my straight leg jeans.

• And of course, I couldn’t forget the holiday outfits. I’ve never attended a Christmas party before, and this year I was fortunate enough to go to two! I wore a red bow dress to one and a dark red sparkly dress to the other. Which holiday look do you like better??

What I Watched

• Falling for Christmas—My boyfriend and I thought it would be a fun Christmas date to play a drinking game revolving around a cheesy Christmas movie, but no amount of alcohol could make this movie worth watching. It’s safe to say we will not be making the Hallmark movie drinking game a holiday tradition…
• “White Lotus” Season 1—I couldn’t take it anymore, I had to see what all the hype was about regarding this show… I haven’t watched season 2 yet but the first season was SO cringy. It was like a car wreck… I couldn’t look away. I can’t say I particularly like the show, but I also can’t deny that it was extremely entertaining. I binged it in two nights!
• “Fleabag”—My boyfriend and I are going through a British TV phase at the moment, which started with “Fleabag”. The show was so uncomfortable to watch yet at the same time hilarious and sad, unlike anything I’ve ever seen… The nice thing about British television is that it’s generally short episodes with short seasons, so binging isn’t a huge commitment. I recommend it if you like dark humor!
• “Ghosts”—This is the other show we’ve been watching as part of our British TV kick, but apparently there’s also an American version of the show that’s terrible. I will say, I wasn’t into “Ghosts” at first because the humor seemed really dumb, but if you can make it past the first few episodes and into season 2, it’s hilarious and very light-hearted.
• “The Handmaid’s Tale” Season 5—This show is a classic example of a series that should have ended a long time ago. I’ll finish watching it once the final season comes out next year, but I don’t think it’s any good anymore. The plotline became way less interesting once the main setting was no longer in Gilead. Fascinating characters and relationship dynamics, though.
• Fatman—This was the terrible violent Santa movie (Mel Gibson as Santa) that we watched on Christmas because we didn’t want to pay for Violent Night. All I can say is that there’s a reason you’ve never heard of this one before.
• “Olive Kitteridge”—My mom has a special talent of picking the worst, most depressing shows and movies. We watched this 4-part series with my grandpa, and it was the type of show that had absolutely no plot and just left you feeling sad.
• Beast—This is the Idris Elba movie about the big lion that came out this year. It was entertaining enough but I wouldn’t recommend it.
• Everest—I watched this with my parents a few nights ago, about the 1996 hiking disaster on Mt. Everest (the same one that the book Into Thin Air is about). I didn’t really know anything about the incident, or climbing Everest in general, before this movie so I thought it was fascinating… and obviously tragic.

December Spotify Playlist

I think this month’s playlist might be my favorite of the year. It has some songs I heard in Nashville, some songs that remind me of home, and a whole lot of oldies. My best study abroad friend has been making monthly playlists for years and I’m so glad she turned me onto the idea. It’s such a fun little memento from each month to listen to and be transported back in time! You can check out my December songs here.

What I’ve Been Loving Lately

• Contexto—My boyfriend keeps getting me hooked on all these phone games that are a complete waste of time, yet I can’t stop playing. In Contexto, you are trying to guess one single word… You have unlimited guesses, and AI gives your guesses a number ranking to indicate how close you are to the word (the word you want is #1, so if you guess a word that’s #20, you’re very close to winning). It’s a fun game but also extremely frustrating and time consuming, ha.
• Boise Fry Company—If you ever visit Boise, you must eat at Boise Fry Company. Their slogan is “burgers on the side”, which could not be more fitting as you get to choose from a variety of potato types, fry shapes, salts, and sauces when ordering your fries. What better way to get the true potato experience while visiting the Potato State? Their food is so delish.

What I’m Looking Forward to in January

Honestly, I think I’m most looking forward to a slower pace of life in January. This year was amazing with so many adventures and travels, but it was also really tiring… I have no major plans for the upcoming month and wouldn’t have it any other way!

This Month on Graceful Rags

• Weekly Recap #48, 2022
• Weekly Recap #49, 2022
• November 2022 Month in Review
• These Boots Were Made for Walking…
• Weekly Recap #50, 2022
• Weekly Recap #51, 2022
• December 2022 Month in Review

Which of these looks is your favorite? And what was the best part of your December? I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and that you have a safe time ringing in the new year tonight. As always, thanks so much for stopping by the blog today!

Miles of smiles,

Grace