In this December 2025 bullet journal plan with me, I’m setting the cozy ambiance first—lighting a candle in a walnut holder my dad made, sipping my must-have tea (chai + English breakfast), and then diving into my Hobonichi plain notebook inside a DIY traveler’s notebook cover I made years ago. I flip past my last week of November and start with a very meaningful title page: I’m using a Christmas card I received the first Christmas after my husband passed in 2023. I wanted to preserve that memory in my journal, so I used heavy-duty double-sided tape and then experimented with gouache to blend colors that match the card. I’m not a professional painter, but I’m glad I took the chance—even with a few “oops” moments. Next I create my December calendar page using a printable (because drawing calendars can frustrate me), then I add recurring items right on the days and highlight holidays in red. I also mark my Goodwill discount days (Sunday veteran discount and Tuesday 55+), and when something doesn’t look right, I pivot with stickers and washi—because we’re here to make it functional and joyful. From there I set up my to-do this month spread (church, health, home, work), a gratitude list (1–31), a “write about it” page, and a simple, colorful first weekly spread using stickers—ending with a reminder to take care of our one body and seek God first.