The holidays are upon us again. This weekend is all about my annual rewatch of The Holiday and making headway on my Christmas prep list: perhaps baking some cornbread (it freezes well), addressing Christmas cards, and wrapping presents. The Buddy Man is anxiously awaiting something to appear under the tree we put up last weekend.
This time of year also prompts my annual reflection of the past year. In 2024, I finally began to address some of my personal sticking points in a tangible way, including finances (see below.) And of course, I am always looking for ways to beat back seasonal depression after the holidays are over. Send any ideas and suggestions my way, please.
I love writing Links I Love. If you enjoyed reading half as much as I enjoyed writing, that’s a win for me. Thanks so much for reading and Happy Holidays to you and yours.
My favorite finds from around the web:
We offer gift links for articles whenever possible (you may still need to create an account with the publication); if there’s no gift link and you’re not a subscriber, check to see if your library carries the publication or use a service like Pocket.
The Nap Bishop is Spreading the Good Word: Rest. (The New York Times gift link) I am committing myself to rest this winter. Team member Ginger reminded me of the work of Tricia Hersey, also known as the Nap Bishop. Hersey released a new book We Will Rest!: The Art of Escape (Amazon) this past November. Maybe I will get it as a Christmas gift?
Elif Shafak on the Power of Literature and Being a Writer in the “Age of Angst”. (Literary Hub) Shafak’s There are Rivers in the Sky (Amazon) was one of the best books I read this year. If you missed her interview with Anne on What Should I Read Next?, listen here.
27 Ways to Romanticize Your Life this Winter. (The Everygirl) Not all of these are for me (or you) but I’m paying particular attention to number 27.
Money Dials: How to Spend & Why. (I Will Teach You to Be Rich) Ramit Sethi’s article on money dials has changed how I spend. My main dial is Luxury and I have enjoyed finding small ways to add it to my life (see below).
In What Should I Read Next #454: Gift recommendations for readers of all ages, Anne and I recommended Sethi’s book I Will Teach You to Be Rich (MMD). He’s releasing a new book Money for Couples (Amazon) this January and I have already preordered it.
I noticed a colleague wearing a pair of jeans that looked particularly great so a year later (yes, you read that right) I mustered up the courage to ask her about the brand: KUT from the Kloth (Nordstrom). I bought a pair and they might be the most comfortable pair of jeans I have ever owned.
A Blackwing rep came to my local bookstore The Snail on the Wall and introduced me to their luxurious pencil and stationery brand. I am obsessed. I have it on good authority that I will be receiving the pencils as a Christmas gift but I bought myself the pencil sharpener (Amazon) and I am never going back. EVER!
Most Anticipated Book Club Books of 2025. (She Reads) The Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club’s February selection, Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson (Bookshop), is on this list. We will be talking with the author on February 27 and I can’t wait!
Jon Baptiste finds the Blues in Beethoven. (NPR) As a pianist, I am in awe of musician extraordinaire Batiste’s rendition of Für Elise and can’t wait to listen to his new album Beethoven Blues after the holidays are over. Hopefully my “blues” will only be musical this upcoming winter.
Don’t miss these posts:
15 books about books for bibliophiles. For everyone who loves books about books!
Unconventional packing tips for your next trip. This isn’t your usual packing list.
10 series kids love (and their parents do, too).
Have a great weekend!
About the author
Shannan Malone is our MMD Cohost and What Should I Read Next? Patreon Community Manager. Her go-to genre depends on her mood! You can find Shannan on Instagram @shannanenjoyslife.
14 comments
Welcome to the wonderful world of Blackwing. You may love their volume 811, which was a tribute to libraries. It features the green color of library lamps, is glow in the dark, and has a quote from Maya Angelo. They are sold out now, but you can buy an individual pencil on Etsy or eBay.
Thanks for letting me know, Katherine.
This is so cool! I live in your community and love that bookstore!
Glad to hear it Buffie. Maybe I will run into you sometime.
Thanks for this weekly “links I love” update. I look forward to it every week, and love the heading photos – they are always so nice!
I have 7 year old grandsons (twins) who are big DogMan fans right now, so thanks for the recommendation on other options for them.
I am also a Blackwing devotee. I have one with me nearly all the time. I ordered the sharpener off Amazon and it looks super classy but idk it isn’t as great as I had hoped. I think I prefer my less classy looking Prisma Color sharpener for my Blackwings.
Hmm, I have no experience with Prisma. Black wings have several sharpeners. I like the one that looks like a little bottle. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Ahhh, the Nap Bishop…I love it! My grandmother always, even when she had 5 children and was keeping house, cooking big homemade meals for family and farm crew, and book keeping, or whatever she was doing, would try to get a 20 minute cat nap every day after lunch. She’d be in a recliner or on her love seat, with her book, and then just shut her eyes for 20 minutes. She lived until her mid-90s and taught me so much from her example that I’m finally absorbing. The power of rest is lovely!!! Great reminder esp. for this busy season!
Thanks for sharing these links, Shannan. I’m particularly interested now in “There Are Rivers in the Sky” because my One Word for 2025 will (likely) be Ripple, and the water theme in this book would be apropos. It was SO good seeing you in person yesterday!!! Thanks for the book recommendations. Now I’ve got to start wrapping Christmas gifts at some point. But not today. 🙂
Love it, Lisa. Thanks for commenting.
The Money Dials article was interesting to me, but I am still trying to figure out how it fits into my life. My first reaction to “which dial would you spend an extra $25,000 on?” was Travel, but I don’t usually spend a lot on it because it costs a lot and I have a job. And I thought I used a lot on Convenience, but looking at the list, I really don’t. I definitely don’t spend extra money on home maintenance (as plaster falls around me as I type this) or a cleaning person.
I spend way more than I would like on a car because I would like to spend $0 by living somewhere where it is easy to take public transit to everything I need, but, alas, I do not. My love is most definitely NOT cars or getting anywhere by car.
Maybe I will just have to leave it at Books.
Hi Shannon, I really enjoyed the 27 Ways To Romanticize Your Life. I will be working on that morning walk and sending some letters and postcards. I always enjoy reading this even if I don’t get to it for a few days.
The Money Dial article is interesting, but there needs to be a dial just for books since that is where I spend most of my extra money!
The truest truth!
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