Jessica's Friday Five: I wrote you 3 permission slips

Hi Reader,

This week has been so, so interesting. I've been documenting what I'm up to from the time I wake up until the time I fall asleep, and sharing it with y'all in a Google Doc. I have really enjoyed connecting with you in the comments, and I think it's made a positive impact on my focus for the week. I'll keep it up throughout the rest of today - keep the questions and comments coming! Oh, and thank you to everyone who joined me for my live workshop yesterday (replay here for a few days if you couldn't make it live).

Let's get to your Friday Five!

1. Reduce motion sickness as a passenger: This iPhone feature is SO helpful to me as someone who gets motion sickness - I wish I'd known about it months ago! For Android, get the KineStop or MotionEase apps for the same kind of feature.
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2. Displaying cards: Here’s a holiday tip. If you like to display the cards you receive during the holiday season, here’s one easy but beautiful way to do it (it's also ok if you enjoy them briefly and recycle them, no shame!).
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3. I want to give you three permission slips for this holiday season:
   • The permission to skip sending holiday cards unless you really enjoy it. This is such a huge project that it should only be undertaken by folks who have a great time with the whole process.
   • The permission to not say yes to all social invitations. A lot is going on this season. If you need to veg out on the couch with a movie instead of dressing up for an event, here's your permission slip.
   • The permission to be totally extra on things you love. Do you love making holiday desserts from scratch? Or matching pajamas? Putting up way too many inflatable decorations in your yard? Go all out if you love it, and don't apologize.
4. Keep your hosting items in one place: A reporter asked me about how to keep hosting items organized since we host a lot at our home. Here's what I said: "We have a storage box labeled ‘Hosting Gatherings’ that we pull out anytime we have people over." Inside, it has paper plates, napkins, and plastic utensils, as well as tools we sometimes bring out to add to the fun (like a harmonica to get everyone's attention, or an instant Polaroid camera that is fun for parties). It even has adhesive nametags for when we're hosting groups where everyone doesn't yet know each other. It takes so much of the mental load off when preparing to host because we know that we do not need to go hunting around for these critical items, and it also helps us keep track of what might be running out and needs replacing."​
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5. 🎁Lizzy's Christmas Party started yesterday! This event is like walking into the world’s biggest digital Christmas market and being told everything is free for the next 8 days. It's so good. And you can get one of the offers that I sell for $25 completely free inside the party. And the price of admission to the party? $0. The party'll be over by the time I send the next Friday Five, so don't wait.

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P.S. - Already have a Brooklyn Robot Foundry nearby? Check out their kids' programs - or enjoy the fun yourself with their adult team-building workshops and parties! This resource is from one of our Friday Five sponsors - thank you to them for keeping this newsletter free for readers!

Last Friday's Most-Clicked Link: The Christmas Countdown printable for families.

Bonus Tip: If you've been around these parts for a while, you probably know how much I care about decent news that isn't super-partisan and tells the truth. One of the best places to get that news is the 1440 newsletter, which is 100% free. You can unsubscribe anytime, so I absolutely recommend checking it out and seeing if you like it. See below.⬇️