On the 12th Day of Joy, Celebrate with Friends

It’s our final and last day of joy, the 12th Day of Joy! And Happy Christmas Eve! Are you ready? Let’s jump right in.

On the 12th Day of Joy, Mango Muse Events shared with me…

The joy of celebrating with friends

On the 11th Day of Joy, we relished in alone time. But, you also need interaction. If you think about your best memories, the ones you cherish, they always involve others. I feel most alive, connected and loved when I’m with other people.

I love the time that I get to spend laughing with friends, playing games with family or sharing a meal. Just being with them is a celebration. We may not be celebrating a birthday or a wedding, but we’re celebrating life. And I love that.

This time of year, in particular, is when I feel it most. This is when we gather, enjoy each other’s company and really appreciate all I have. It’s the end of the year and a time for reflection. And this is when I celebrate. I celebrate the good times, the bad times and everything that happened. I celebrate the people I have in my life. Because I know that I’m luckier than I realize.

So, today or sometime this week, take the time to celebrate with your friends and/or family. Celebrate each other. And celebrate simply being alive, well and in good company. The joy will just overflow with smiles and laughter all around.

(Photo credit: Chrisman Studios)

Can you believe it? That’s it for our 12 Days of Joy. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I have to say I am simultaneously so happy and so sad because this is it. It’s been a blast sharing my joys with you and hearing about all of your joys.

When I first came up with the idea for this year’s 12 Days of Joy, I wasn’t sure how it would be received. If you’ve been hanging around the blog for a while, you know that I typically talk about weddings and wedding planning specifically. That’s my expertise, so, this was a bit different for me. But with all that is happening in the world, life and how we’re feeling is about more than just weddings. And joy applies to more than just wedding planning.

This year’s 12 Days of Joy was about sharing small ways to add joy to your day and your life. Even if just for a second. Because we could all use more joy in our lives. And joy is contagious. When you’re happy, those around you feel it too. It rubs off in all good ways.

The surprise I didn’t expect was the immense joy I’ve received as well. With every post, I also felt so much joy. Just writing the post made me happy. I didn’t even have to actually take action and I reaped the benefits. But, when I did my own small act of joy, it felt awesome.

It’s amazing how such a small thing can change your mood or your outlook and also change how you treat others. We live in a scary world at times and many days life is uncertain and frustrating and hard. One small joy can make such a difference. So, I hope you’ll continue the joy revolution and take these ideas and find other small joys you can appreciate and share with others.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!