99.4% pure

99 bottles of beer on the wall

99 luftballons

99 parts perspiration

99 days until Christmas

Yikes! Only 99 days until Christmas! That must explain why I’m starting to see Christmas displays and decorations for sale in the stores. They don’t have themselves decorated yet. Halloween is the theme for their own decor but there are indeed in store Christmas displays started to crop up. I went to At Home last week and walked by close to a hundred artificial trees just inside the main entrance.

I’ll be the first to admit I’ve tried (often failed but tried) to adhere to the adage “proper planning prevents poor performance” but I don’t think the first space shot took three months of preparation. Ok, that’s probably not true but still.

Since the world is giving us three months to prepare for Christmas (or whatever winter holiday you want to celebrate, I’m picking Christmas), here are 99 suggested activities. One for each day.

1. Tell someone you love them
2. Tell someone you love who you haven’t talked to for a while that you love them
3. Read something you know will make you smile
4. Watch a movie
5. Give blood or give a donation to your local blood bank
6. Listen to a song you used to sing along to
7. Send somebody a card or letter – a real one, not one with an “e” in front
8. Hug a friend
9. Buy flowers for yourself
10. Offer to help
11. Take a walk
12. Read something you know will make you cry
13. Update your emergency contact information
14. Splurge on yourself
15. Pet a dog
16. Watch a cartoon
17. Call a friend (Don’t text!)
18. Do something without thinking
19. Apologize for what you did yesterday
20. Straighten your sock drawer
21. Meditate
22. Hold a door open
23. See the dentist! At least make an appointment
24. Try something healthy
25. Eat a cookie
26. Try something new
27. Retry something old
28. Have a waffle
29. Go to a museum
30. Sing along to a song you used to listen to.
31. Leave a penny
32. Call a relative
33. Play with a child’s toy
34. Draw a picture
35. Play solitaire
36. Exercise until you like it
37. Watch an old movie
38. Change (or make) your email signature
39. Read a short story
40. Sing a song a capella
41. Laugh for no reason
42. Make up a knock knock joke
43. Be nice to someone you don’t agree with
44. Eat an apple
45. Eat candy
46. Unplug
47. Talk with an accent
48. Sleep late
49. Put together a jigsaw puzzle
50. Take a ride for no reason
51. Pet a cat
52. Hug a friend again
53. Recycle
54. Give something away
55. Change the batteries in your smoke detectors
56. Whistle a happy tune
57. Pickle something
58. Be bold
59. Be careful
60. Admit fault
61. Talk to others nicely
62. Tell a story
63. Invite a friend over
64. Talk to yourself nicely
65. Let someone go in front of you
66. Don’t be late!
67. Take a chance
68. Buy a chance
69. Yell out loud
70. Say something nice
71. Give thanks
72. Buy something you don’t need
73. Put on a happy face
74. Take a selfie
75. Organize the spice cabinet
76. Go to bed early
77. Offer to help
78. Have a brownie
79. Donate something you haven’t used yet this year
80. Smile
81. Agree – respectfully 
82. Look at old pictures
83. Work it out
84. Be silly
85. Clear your mind
86. Ask for help
87. Disagree – respectfully
88. Wear plaid
89. Write a review
90. Clean the mirrors
91. Clean the refrigerator
92. Tell someone a secret
93. Learn three new words
94. Draw something
95. Wave to the neighbors
96. Welcome an old friend
97. Plan next year’s resolution(s)
98. Take responsibility
99. Say a prayer

Merry Christmas. Eventually.