Merry and Bright
I love Christmas and the holiday season! The lights and warm wishes, the focus on giving and sharing, time spent with family as you celebrate. Joy to the world! (This list contains affiliate links to items that I love and enjoy. If you purchase somet...
Gifts to Put A Smile On Anyone's Face
'Tis better to give than to receive, and I couldn't agree more! (Though I also wouldn't mind receiving any of the gifts on this list myself)
These are a great gift for any group that you're shopping for! Personalized and thoughtful (and yummy!), everyone loves a steaming cup of hot cocoa.
So simple, dainty, and elegant, this minimalist initial letter necklace with a birthstone will put a smile on anyone's face. It's great for a best friend gift or for your mom, wife, girlfriend, or sister. (Honestly, I don't know who wouldn't love to ...
Candles sometimes get a bad rap as a gift, and I personally think that's nonsense. I love candles, and they're such a warm, inviting gift to share.
Such a thoughtful, classy, personalized gift for any writer in your life or anyone who enjoys being organized or making lists.
This is such a cute gift for avid readers!
When I was little, I used to hate getting socks in my stocking, but as an adult, I honestly can't think of something I enjoy more than a really fabulous pair of soft, warm socks.
The Hostess With The Mostest
I'm an unfussy host, but I do love to make people feel welcome in my home.
This custom charcuterie board is absolutely gorgeous and perfect for hosting any holiday party!
Aprons are such a fun and cute way to protect your outfit from kitchen insanity while you're getting food and drinks ready up until the last minute. This adorable one can be customized with your choice of words.
I love my milk frother, and it always delights my guests when I can add that special extra of frothed milk to their beverage.
A good stiff doormat is so welcoming, and it also helps save a little vaccuming on the other side of the party.
Murphy beds have come a long way, and if you want to have a spot for guests without dedicating an entire room to it full-time, this is a great option!
This is another great bedding alternative. I've found this foldout mattress to be especially helpful when kiddos spend the night. (affiliate)
I'm the coaster queen. It saves furniture, and I always appreciate when people have coasters strewn about their home at easy grabbing distance for drinks. These are nice and absorbent.
Holiday Traditions
I love that every family has different holiday traditions. Here are some of my family's (and some that would be fun to incorporate.)
I love learning about how people around the world celebrate winter holidays. This is a fun article, and it has some great ideas that you could incorporate into your own family traditions.
While I'm amused by other parents' antics putting their “Elf on the Shelf” into wild situations and funny capers, I'm not going to lie. I am waaaaay too lazy for that. This is a great alternative. Pull him out, plop him down. (affiliate)
One of our family's traditions is to get a LEGO Advent calendar set each year and take turns putting together the mini sets. It's always fun to pull out past year's sets, and we've developed quite a large (and eclectic) little Christmas village at th...
This Advent calendar can be personalized, and you can put a treat in the little drawers as you count your way down to Christmas.
If you have younger children or more than one child, this sweet rolling Advent calendar has hooks that you could hang multiple treat bags from.
We started the tradition of “reindeer dust” when our boys were very young, and they still love sprinkling it out on the lawn. And if the recipe just happens to have food that the birds love as well…that's a bonus. ;)
My family always does a puzzle over the holidays. This was last year's, a Jane Austen puzzle featuring all of her characters in their manor houses. Such a fun, intricate piece.
Some years, when we're having an especially low-key holiday, we like to go watch a movie, either on Christmas evening or on Boxing Day. Alama Drafthouse is one of my favorite movie chains with their comfy seats and large menu!
Baking and decorating cookies is one of the only traditions that the grandkids/cousins can ALL agree on (and request each year).
It's not bedtime on Christmas Eve until we've left out cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer!
I love this beautiful Nativity set carved out of olive wood. If your family celebrates the Advent season, it's a sturdy set that kids can play with as they read through the Christmas story as you go through your Advent readings.
This menorah is beautiful! One of my Jewish friends always hand-makes a new menorah with her son every year, and she's gotten so creative, adding holes and candles to everything from dinosaur toys to LEGO bricks.
Fun Holiday Travel
One thing that we love to do as a family around the holidays is go on vacations! With my husband's family, we've done several beach and cruise trips. But the winter holidays are also a great time to visit the mountains or cozy up in a cabin getaway. ...
Going on a cruise with Royal Caribbean is always a blast, but it's extra fun during the holidays when the ship is decorated to the nines! Such a special way to celebrate with family.
Disney is my other favorite cruise line. We did one Christmas cruise with my husband's family, and it doesn't get much better than Christmas cookies with Mickey and Minnie!
If you want to stay in the heart of the 30A beach stretch in Seaside, Florida, with a big group, this incredible property is perfect!! Right on the beach, beautifully appointed, sleeps 10…you can't go wrong.
If your family is into skiing, this home is amazing and the perfect place for everyone to rest their heads while hitting the slopes! It sleeps 10 comfortably, so great for an extended family holiday get-together.
We had so much fun staying in this deluxe cabin in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, one year for New Year's with family. It had plenty of space for everyone to spread out and get comfy, was a close drive to Dollywood, downtown Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and e...