DETTY DECEMBER - Newsletter 11

I cannot even believe I have given you content every month for the last eleven months. I mean even though it is a far cry from when I had all the time in the world to write two to three times a month I still cannot fathom how I have held up my end of the deal for almost a year. I must have learned and mastered this consistency thing or what! Any who from my end all my Christmases have come early and although November is still a week from ending I have begun my "Detty December" plans. Detty December is arguably, the most used word towards the end of the year, especially in Nigerian and African pop culture, It's basically the partying that occurs in December, to celebrate the end of the year, and the beginning of a new one. I know you will still argue that December is a week or so away but honestly thinking it is December already has been the one thing that has helped me together like an epoxy glue in the face of the drama that is my life this month. Happy Thanksgiving

How are you spending these 3 days mandatory holidays? I for one do not appreciate the break this year because it only means I will have hell to pay in the few weeks before the semester draws to a slow end. I have myself to blame for galivanting the face of the earth instead of staying put and getting real work done. Now I am precociously awaiting next week and all the stress it will bring. I probably am whining and should be thankful I get 3 free days off school and work huh? Last year, I had so much to be thankful for and if there is one thing I pray for is the ability to never overlook all my blessings even though they may not seem huge. I started my gratitude box this year and over the last eleven months, I have been able to track all my blessings, near-misses and aspirations. It is the one thing I want you to do in 2024 apart from drawing your vision board. I had tried the journaling method but could never stay consistent but with my box, I was always excited to put something in so it spurred me to always remember to write down whatever good thing happens daily, weekly and monthly. I have this beautiful idea of pinning the gazillion sticky notes I have in the box onto my vision board sometime in mid-December. I have chosen to call this my personal KPI tracking from God. I understand the anxiety that comes with the end of the year so it is perfectly okay if you are still doubtful of what you're thankful for today or throughout the year. I will say start out with the very basic things you have overlooked: good health, sound mind, clothes to wear, food on your table no matter how less frequent it has been, and a roof over your head. See how fast we got five things already? Delve deeper into your nuclear/extended family and voila you'll see there are a million things that have worked out for you this year you just had to introspect. I honestly pray that you have a lot more big W's in 2024 and have a jar as full as mine with beautiful testimonies.

It is with utmost preparedness that I announce to you that your Detty December plans ought to have been highlighted at this point if you really want to have a bang this Christmas. I mean how else are you going to deck the halls in good time and 'fa la la la la la la la la' to your heart's content if you haven't pictured what Christmas might look like. I will have no business with you if you are still on the drawing board at this critical stage. Forgive my hastiness and judgement but your plans are closer to four short weeks for execution so you know how timely you have to be. For the second year in a row, I am looking forward to the Christmas holidays and planning to live my life in reckless abandon before the time is up and we are called to the shindig that is the new year. At this point, you can tell I have meticulously made the necessary arrangements to have a wonderful time and so should you. What is Christmas without all the happiness it brings save for the new year it ushers in: the one where I grow older and gain another year to my ridiculous age. What are your plans? I am excited to hear all about it and will even share mine if you want. The weather in my city has been less bipolar so I know for a fact that everything is about to be lit for December. Again I will say don't blame me, looking forward to the Christmas holidays is the only thing that has kept me sane since October. My inner child is exhilarated and I cannot even blame it because my adult self shares in the joy. I will start a draft from the first week of December so I am able to send out the final newsletter on time before I set sail to Honduras or wherever it is I have decided to go this year.

I reckon it's best to end things here seeing that it is the holiday and you might be too lazy to read my long spiel: God forbid I bore you with it all. 

Your Yuletide Bearer

Helen Damilola 💞