On why I love December

December brings people together. Friends and family return home for the holidays, there are celebrations left, right, and centre, everyone allows themselves to indulge, (in the best possible way) and we all finally take a few days off from work.

And on Tuesday, I turned twenty-five. Cue the panic attacks!

I’ve always viewed this age as a major milestone. My life has unfolded in unexpected and unimaginable ways. On many fronts, I’ve achieved more than I could have ever hoped for this age: I live downtown in a major metropolis (which was a major goal of mine as an eighteen-year-old prairie girl in North Dakota), I’ve progressed from unpaid intern to receiving respectable compensation to do what I love most (writing and social media!), and I’ve ventured beyond my comfort zone both physically (through travel) and emotionally – to places and spaces I had only dreamed of in high school. These are vague examples of praise because let’s face it: we don’t give ourselves enough credit. We’re guilty of beating ourselves up over our ‘failures’ rather than celebrating how much we’ve grown!

After almost a year in Toronto, I’m beginning to find my footing, to truly feel at home. I spent my first birthday at Guu SakaBar, a rowdy, over-the-top, delicious Japanese restobar and Get Well, a happy hipster hangout on Dundas West with a few absolutely amazing people. Thank you to everyone who made my birthday so special.

Here are some highlights:

Dinner at Guu

Coffee and good conversation with one of my best friends.

Get Well propaganda

Club Monaco friends

Food and Wine Show

Excited for the Club Monaco Christmas Party

Our host and store manager.

The Kennedy siblings always look fierce.

One of many blurry, red-lit photos taken at Brian’s pad.

May the new year bring more of all things good.