Advent: I feel like Advent is the most special time of year. A time to look to God and His promises, a time to see the people who are invisible in our society and address their needs, and a time to focus on those we love. This year I am following Kate Bowler’s Advent devotional, which can be downloaded here. It’s beautifully written, thoughtful, and an overall joy.

Family: My sister and her family will be in Michigan immediately following Christmas, and I am so excited to see them. This year in particular, I miss the days when it was a given that I’d see all of my family on holidays because we all lived in the same place. And, as my dad gets older and more fragile, I don’t know how many holidays we will all have together, so I feel like each one needs to be treasured.

Holiday Decor: I am a firm believer in making everything festive in December and decorating all the things. As it’s a weird holiday season for me, I am overcompensating by decorating like a Hallmark Christmas movie heroine. You know, the one who has a sad conversation with her sister about whether she’ll find the time to get a tree this year while they are baking Christmas cookies in a kitchen that is exploding with Christmas garlands, with a mini wreath gracing each kitchen cabinet door? I’m her now.

Sweet July Fall/Winter Issue: I’m a bit of an Ayesha Curry fangirl. If you saw my gift guide, you’ll see her cookbook was on there. Curry, a cookbook author/entrepreneur/social justice activist/NBA spouse/mom of three, is a woman that I think is really inspiring. While most magazines are clickbaity in nature, hers just feels like a collection of things that interest her, so she’s sharing with everyone else. In this issue are holiday recipes, practical ways to address child hunger, profiles of innovators in the food industry, etc.

Halfway Down the Stairs: As a nonfiction editor of HDtS since 2005, I am excited to share our December issue, which is themed Storm. Some favorite pieces include The Women of Jerusalem by H. Neiling and Whiteout, by Mary Beth Hines (fiction); Quito Storms by Lorraine Caputo and Circle High, Shelter Within the Eye by Ellen Lager (poetry); and Home is Where the Heart Is by Ann V. Klotz and Storm Damage, by Diane Elayne Dees (nonfiction).