Christmas Gift Guide, Giveaway + Black Friday Sales

Fa La La: The Ultimate Christmas Gift Guide

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It’s my favorite time of the year, you guys: It’s officially socially acceptable to listen to Christmas tunes around the clock, plus I have a valid excuse to spend hours scouring the Internet in search of great gift ideas for you to give your loved ones! (I may also have shopped a little lot in the process. Oops.)

Christmas Gift Guide, Giveaway + Black Friday Sales

Note: Some of these featured products are from our sponsors, while others are affiliate links that will earn me a small commission. 

So without further ado, here’s what I’m digging this year:

FOR THE NOMADIC SOUL

Have a friend or family member in your life who is only satisfied when doing something new, exciting and/or unique? (I know a little something about that!) Well, Tinggly has the cure that ails them. I’ve always been a fan of giving experiences instead of mere stuff, and this is the perfect solution: You can gift your loved one a personalized box that contains a voucher to a bucket list kind of item that most people only dream of. Dinner with a NASA astronaut? James Bond sightseeing tour in Thailand? VIP helicopter over the Vegas Strip? Yoga retreat in India? Tango lesson in Buenos Aires? Tinggly has something for every taste. I also love that you can choose your box by theme: birthday, Christmas, wedding, couples and more.

Tinggly for Christmas Gift Guide

FOR THE SUN BUM

True story: I allot more space in my luggage to sunglasses than I do to anything else, as heaven forbid I be photographed in the same shades over and over again! But I can’t help it: I’m always outside doing something fun, and if there’s one thing fashion-wise that I care about the most it’s what’s on my face. And I love the selection of women’s sunglasses available at Sunglass Warehouse. I’m a huge fan of Aviators—bonus points if they’re mirrored—and Sunglass Warehouse has so many different kinds of Aviators in stock, many available for under $20. (With as much as I change out my shades, I like keeping my cost per item as low as possible.) For those shopping for the holidays, Sunglass Warehouse is offering 40% off one pair of shades from now through Nov. 30 with the code SPENDLESS40.

Sunglass Warehouse for Christmas

FOR THE TECH-HEAVY TRAVELER

We’ve all been there before: You’re traveling all day and your iPhone quickly depletes of all power. It’s near impossible to locate an outlet at an airport, and even my backup battery usually dies well before my travel day has ended (a nightmare scenario as I rely on it for ride-sharing when I finally reach my destination). Which is why Lynktec’s Reeljuice 5X Power Bank + 10 Watt Rapid Wall Charger is my new favorite thing; it’s got four feet of retractable charging cord, and it gives me FIVE full charges before it needs to be re-powered. No more fighting my fellow fliers for coveted outlet space at the airport; in fact, I can even charge my phone while I fly. I’m giving one of these bad boys away down at the bottom of the post, but you can also get 25 percent off (site-wide!) with the code LUNATICATLARGE25.

Lynktec Charging Station for Christmas Gift Guide

FOR THE SCIENCE GEEK (OR THE TWEEN)

This Lock Pick Beginners Box is at the very top of my DIY-loving husband’s own list, and for good reason: It gives you the tools (literally and figuratively) that you need to learn how to pick locks, with two different sets of practice locks that have clear sides so that the trainee can see what’s going on behind the scenes with the mechanisms. This is the perfect present for a dude—what husband/boyfriend doesn’t love tinkering?—but also would be a fantastic and affordable option for your fidgety, problem-solving tween.

Lock Pick World

FOR THE PHILANTHROPIST

You guys know my love for St. Jude runs deep. It’s just so cool what they do there: On top of being one of the top research facilities in the world, St. Jude also ensure that its patients don’t have to worry about a thing (like, for example, cost or lodging for the family) other than getting better. I donate to St. Jude periodically throughout the year, but I’m loving their new initiative, This Shirt. All you have to do is sign up to donate $20 to St. Jude monthly, and you get this exclusive Tee that all your favorite country artists (and your favorite blogger!) are wearing. Because helping others is really the reason for the season.

St. Jude's This Shirt Saves Lives T-Shirt
St. Jude's This Shirt Saves Lives T-Shirt
St. Jude's This Shirt Saves Lives T-Shirt

St. Jude's This Shirt Saves Lives T-Shirt

FOR THE ETERNAL STUDENT

Alert, alert, self plug coming! Kristin Sweeting and I are headed to Portugal next July to teach the ultimate writing, photography, marketing and business workshop—and we’d love for you to join us! We’ve extended registrations through Dec. 31 and have a handful of spots left (and a really amazing group attending so far!). Come learn the ropes of the biz with us while surfing, roaming, doing yoga and exploring Lisbon’s charming surrounds with us in your downtime. Bring your significant other or business partner or come solo. Just think of it as continuing education, a tax write-off and a vacation all rolled into one! As a Christmas special, I’m including two one-hour coaching sessions for anyone who signs up by Dec. 15, one by Skype prior to the trip and one in Portugal.

Creative Workshop in Portugal

FOR THE AT-HOME COOK

We’re always experimenting in the kitchen, and try to eat as clean (i.e. no processed food) as possible, meaning that adding herbs and spices is clutch for our style of dining. I’ve had a subscription to Raw Spice Bar for the past year, and I love that every three months, a collection of six individually packaged, freshly-ground, seasonal spices arrives in my mailbox and that I don’t have to commit to buying the entire spice jar before I know I like it. You can even customize your diet to Paleo, vegan, vegetarian, healthy or “eat anything” and, of course, buy more from the Raw Spice Bar shop if you like what you tried.

Raw Spice Bar for Christmas Gift

FOR THE HEALTHY DINER

I’m all about collecting cookbooks, even if SVV is technically the chef in our household. My current favorite is A Beautiful Mess Weekday Weekend, which just came out this month and compiles even more healthy, vegetarian recipes than Elsie and Emma post on their blog. If you already own ABM, may I suggest the following: Laura Lea Balanced, Body Love and Cravings (maybe technically not healthy, but who doesn’t want to look like Chrissy Teigen?!).

Cookbooks for Christmas

FOR THE NEW HOMEOWNER

Earlier this year, my interior designer friend Kendall Simmons and her husband Kane launched Salut Home, a thoughtfully curated collection of home goods and accents, and I drool over all their colorful offerings every time the email hits my inbox. My current obsession? Their new collection of Leah Singh pillows (all things Leah Singh, really)—they have 96 styles in stock! And bonus, they’re on sale for Black Friday (use the code LEAH20), or you can sign up for their newsletter and receive a promo code for 10 percent off.

Pillows on Black Friday Sale
Pillows on Black Friday Sale
Pillows on Black Friday Sale

FOR THE SHUTTERBUG

While I’ll never fully replace my DSLR, ever since my mom gave me the Canon G7X Mark II for Christmas last year, it’s replaced my Canon 6D in my purse as my daily camera. It’s still got the manual settings so I can play around with the exposure, but is small and compact and great for videos. (Check out the travel videos I’ve been making for evidence.)

Canon Camera for Christmas

FOR THE BIG KID IN YOUR LIFE

For SVV’s last birthday, I got him a Phantom 4 Pro+ drone, and he loves it. He was a former aviation tech in the Navy and daydreams about flying all the time. Coupled with his penchant for photography, it was the perfect gift (and has come in handy on many a work project for us, too!). I think the P4 Pro is great for someone who does photography professionally; however, if your loved one isn’t that well-versed in drones yet, I recommend a cheaper, lighter model like the DJI Spark as a starter drone. OR this quadcopter is an excellent budget version at $60 for those who just want to learn to fly and don’t care about the photography aspect.

Drone for Christmas
Drone for Christmas

FOR THE ADVENTURER

I’ve had five different GoPros since I got my first one seven years ago, and the quality has improved significantly. After watching some of my YouTubers film exclusively with the GoPro Hero 6, I’m adding the newest model to my wishlist for our upcoming ski adventures (and it finally comes equipped with an LCD screen, too—you used to have to buy those a la carte).

GoPro Hero 6 in Christmas Gift Guide

FOR THE DOG OWNER

I bought a pair of travel pillows from the entrepreneurs behind Doggie Duffel, and I’m intrigued by their latest (fully-funded) project that’s essentially an all-in-one travel kit for your pup. Ella doesn’t have one of these yet, but I think I know what she’ll be finding under the Christmas tree…

Doggie Duffel

FOR THE ART LOVER

I’ve been a long-time fan (turned friend) of Leslee Mitchell’s, and every time her gorgeous photography pops into my feed, I mentally bookmark it for the next time I’m doing a room makeover. I recently snagged several of her toy car prints, and I’m absolutely in love! Any giftee would be lucky to own a series of prints from this talented artist.

Leslee Mitchell Art Prints

FOR THE SPORTY GIRL

Pretty much all my travel apparel comes from Gap Fit or Athleta—after all, I’m a girl who places comfort above style, but with most athleisure, luckily you can have both!—and a few pieces I’m loving this winter are: this metallic sweatshirt, this jersey keyhole top, this pullover hoodie and these black, leopard-print leggings.

 

FOR THE VINTAGE LOVER

Wish you’d grown up in the 70s? (Me, too.) You can embrace a bygone era with this sleek record player in a portable brief case that doubles as a CD player and has USB ports. Bonus: It comes in five different colors!

Record Player in Christmas Gift Guide

FOR YOUR FRIEND WHO WORKS FROM HOME

You know that girl who works in her coziest pajamas and barely leaves her computer desk all day long, except to refill her coffee/water/bourbon glass? (AHEM.) Welllll, how much would she love to upgrade from her ratty old PJs to this amazing unicorn onesie? (Really bad, I’ll tell ya!) For one that’s a bit more subtle, Nordstrom currently has this beauty on sale.

Unicorn Onesie for Christmas
Unicorn Onesie for Christmas

Stocking Stuffers Under $50

  • Savannah Bee Co. body products. I was stoked when I recently spotted Savannah Bee’s entire line, like this body butter, for sale at Target!
  • Geometric rings. Psst, SVV, looking for something small to get me? Start here.
  • Paddywax candle. My favorite candles are those that you can reuse the container as tabletop decor after it’s burned out.
  • Herb mill and grinder. As someone who’s very lazy in the kitchen, I love any tool that does the hard work for me.
  • S’well bottle. My cousins gave me one of these nifty canteens two years ago, and it’s been a game changer in my travels as I no longer have to abuse the planet by buying bottled water.

Stocking Stuffers Under $20

  • Taylor Swift’s reputation album. The Old Taylor can’t come to the phone because she’s out there SLAYING it with her new album. Man, this one is going to rack up the awards, and it should be in any music lover’s repertoire of tunes.
  • Flamingo ornament. I’m a sucker for all things flamingos and also ornaments, and Nordstrom at Home has a whole lot of cute, travel-themed ones, many of which are on sale.
  • Vintage maps. SVV and I are map lovers to the core. We own more than 30 globes and a number of vintage maps, but those are tough to find, which is why I like this Etsy store, which has both domestic and international city prints.
  • Monogrammed copper wine stopper. Because who doesn’t want their initial atop their vino?!
  • Twist Magazine’s winter issue. Launched by my good friend Keryn, this new travel publication is a gorgeous glossy that’s the perfect stuffer for the family traveler.
  • A taco holder. What taco lover doesn’t need this in their life?!

Stocking Stuffers Under $10

  • Sheet masks. I’ve been addicted to sheet masking for a year now, and while the TonyMoly variety pack is my go-to order, I’m equally as obsessed with these reindeer and penguin masks from Target.
  • eos holiday lip balm. I keep an eos in every bag I own, and I just popped this trio of holiday flavors (peppermint mocha, vanilla bean, ginger) into my shopping cart!
  • A manatee tea infuser. Or if manatees aren’t your thing (you crazy), there’s also a sloth, shark or loch ness monster.
  • iPhone charging cords in myriad colors. Show of hands if you, like me, are always on the hunt for that missing iPhone/USB/mini-USB cord?
  • The Oregon Trail Card Came. Because kids these days don’t even know what it’s like to ford a river and then die of dysentery when you’re almost there.
  • Pop socket. This little doodad changed my life—and made me stop dropping my iPhone altogether. I didn’t know how I’d feel about it, but I love it.
  • Rare earth magnets. We bought these to tack things to our wall on our four-month RTW cruise, and they’ve been a game-changer on actually keeping all of our cards and photos up on the fridge. They never fall, like, ever.

 

PIN IT HERE

Best Holiday Gifts for 2017
Best Holiday Gifts for 2017
Best Holiday Gifts for 2017
COMMENTS
  • November 23, 2017
    Jillian

    My husband & I watch National Lampoon Christmas and have fancy cocktails while we open gifts!

  • November 23, 2017
    Suzanna

    We always buy our kids a lego set for Christmas and as they grow a lot of their toys they play with themselves, but I always sit down and put together the LEGO set with them. It’s a solid hour together before I lose them to their other toys.

  • November 23, 2017
    Emily

    Long time reader but first time commenter.. favorite holiday tradition would have to be driving around to look at lights and decorations on Christmas Eve!

  • November 23, 2017
    Wendy Pence

    Our favorite holiday tradition is to put up the Christmas tree after Thanksgiving dinner. We turn on Christmas music and sometimes watch a Christmas movie. Then I spend a little down time (after cooking all day) looking through the Black Friday ads to decide if there’s anything I want to go out shopping for.

  • November 24, 2017
    Shannon Duncan

    I make a box that we open on Christmas Eve with new pjs, a new game, hot chocolate, candy and whatever little necessity I find to have a fun, family game night while we wait for Santa 🙂

  • November 24, 2017
    Meagan Beasley

    My favorite tradition is watching National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation in the wee hours with my husband as we set up our kids’ Christmas.

  • November 24, 2017
    Allie Dempsey

    I want a drone sooo badly this year!!

  • November 24, 2017
    Soraya

    My favorite Christmas tradition is definitely watching It’s a Wonderful Life on Christmas Eve!

  • November 24, 2017
    Stacy

    Throughout the year, as we go on a trip or do something special, we get an ornament. Then, when we decorate the Christmas tree, we all get to talk about our favorite memories from how we got those ornaments. I have ornaments from my childhood, hy hubby’s childhood and of course, those crafty ones my little ones made. Our Christmas trees are never what you would call “beautiful”, but they are full of memories. And I have this special tradition to pass down to my girls.

  • November 24, 2017
    Shirley Jones

    Decorate a Travel Christmas tree with ornaments that 1 have bought for years at places we have travelled.

  • November 24, 2017
    Sara

    We have a lot of favorite traditions, we host a Christmas eve cocktail party with our signature drink “jingle juice” and it is always a fun and memorable time.

  • November 24, 2017
    Anne

    We also get ornaments when we travel, so decorating the tree is full of reminiscing.

  • November 24, 2017
    Tracy

    Favourite holiday traditions are getting coffee/hot chocolate and driving around with the kids looking at the Christmas lights. And getting cozy on the couch watching a Christmas movie. Elf has been a family favourite the last couple of years.

  • November 24, 2017
    Renee Flowers

    Our favorite, yet at times frustrating tradition, is putting up the Christmas tree! My oldest son, Fischer, has been a big help with this since he was a toddler. As we unwrap each ornament to put on the tree we share our memories of where they came from and what they represent!

  • November 24, 2017

    My favorite tradition is watching Elf on Christmas Eve with a mug of hot chocolate spiked with peppermint schnapps.

  • November 24, 2017
    Barbara

    My favorite traditions are decorating the Christmas tree while listening to holiday music (or watching Love Actually) and opening our gifts at midnight on Christmas Eve.

  • November 24, 2017

    I’m all about practical gifts! Portable chargers are on top of my list this year. Great list!

  • November 24, 2017
    Sam K

    It’s not Christmas until I’ve made a kazillion batches of peanut brittle to give away!!!

  • November 24, 2017
    Lee Beecher

    We are a family who loves jigsaw puzzles. We start a Christmas jigsaw puzzle the morning of Christmas Eve and by evening it’s usually done.

  • November 24, 2017

    Christmas isn’t Christmas at our house without watching Love, Actually.

    Great list! The unicorn onesie and the taco holder are hilarious. Oh, and I just bought 3 PopSockets on Amazon. They’ll make great stocking stuffers! 🙂

  • November 24, 2017
    Adrienne Taylor Long

    My favorite tradition growing up was singing carols in front of the tree before bed each night. I can’t wait to recreate that tradition with future little ones.

  • November 24, 2017
    Andrea

    My favorite holiday traditions are going to the Candlelight service on Christmas Eve, watching Christmas Vacation and baking all the things!

  • November 24, 2017
    Lori

    We open one present Christmas Eve and then open the rest Christmas Day after we have a family breakfast. My sisters and I also do matching pj pants as a fun tradition.

  • November 24, 2017
    Jodi

    Our favorite tradition is eating unusual foods as a family challenge throughout the day on Christmas, in-between opening presents. Chocolate-covered ants, odd Asian delicacies, super spicy foods. The crazier and wackier, the better.

  • November 24, 2017

    A hundred years ago when I started blogging, another local blogger (Hi, Shauna!) introduced me to her family tradition of Little Cokes and Pizza. You have to wait until you’ve decorated for the holidays, and then you bring home a really good pizza, like better than you usually buy, and enjoy it with cokes in the real old school glass bottles. I’m thinking Pastaria this year. (Which I could pump up with Raw Spice Bar. Just sayin…)

  • November 24, 2017
    Donna

    I just love opening up one present on Christmas Eve, which is always pjs for everyone!!

  • November 24, 2017
    Cassie Galentine

    My favorite Christmas tradition is one I share with my brother. After opening presents under the tree, we used to suit up and go skiing until it was time to head to Grandma’s house. This year, I will not be skiing because I just had my ACL reconstructed, but I will happily settle for my favorite family recipe Christmas Eve enchiladas!

  • November 24, 2017
    Lina and Buddy

    The last 3 years, Buddy and I have created a tradition for ourselves of dressing in dragon onesies and watching Elf together.

  • November 24, 2017
    Marcia

    My favorite Christmas tradition has to be driving with my family through our local park to see the decorations while singing Christmas carols!

  • November 24, 2017

    We go to church Christmas Eve then open stockings at home and eat pizza. We’re fancy. 🙂 And on top of my list is a good vet for my cat who has been sick for months now and current vet can’t figure out what’s wrong.

  • November 24, 2017
    April

    We always go the weekend after Thanksgiving and pick out a REAL Christmas tree together as a family! Two years ago we drove to Franklin, NC and got a tree and a wreath from a beautiful tree farm in the mountains.

  • November 25, 2017
    Kris

    Favorite tradition- we celebrate on the 26th. This way no one needs to rush around to all different houses on the 25th. As well as the girls in our house get together to make hundreds of Christmas cookies each year to be gifted!

  • November 25, 2017
    Ellery

    Favorite holiday tradition is setting up the Christmas tree with my mom. I will come home to visit for a weekend, and then we stay up all night. The more wine that’s consumed, and the more corny music we play, the more creative our DIY ornaments and decoration ideas become.

  • November 25, 2017
    Teri

    This is a great list and I loved that you included things at different price points. Plus Target stuff is always a win with me!

    My favorite holiday tradition is watching National Lampoons Christmas Vacation while setting up the tree. Then lounging with hot cocoa with the kiddos while admiring our work.

  • November 25, 2017
    Kristin Davis

    After reading your blog post on LASIK, I’ve been telling everyone that I don’t want any gifts this year because I need to save up for PRK that I’m getting in December instead! This is #1 on my wishlist!

  • November 25, 2017

    We usually have a Harry Potter marathon and cook bouillabaisse 🙂 Ryan and I don’t buy gifts for each other so I love the idea of the Tinggly boxes! I’m gonna have to check those out!

  • November 25, 2017
    Sara Messenger

    Every Christmas Eve my family (parents, siblings, their spouses and kids) gets together with some neighborhood friends! We grew up together as kids and now we are all adults with our own kids. We always plan a Mexican-themed party with a crazy beer tasting! We bring our favorite Mexican dishes and the craziest, craft beers we can find! We’ve been doing this for about 10 years now and I look forward to it every year!

    • December 10, 2017

      Hey Sara! What a FUN tradition. I love your family! And also…SURPRISE, you won the gift box full of my favorite things! It was a totally random number generator, but I love that you just happened to have a kick-ass answer =)

      I’ll message you for your address!

  • November 25, 2017
    Mandy Ponder

    My favorite Christmas tradition is the drive home with a freshly cut Christmas tree tied to the top of our Jeep. It’s the perfect start to a season of joy and fun!

  • November 25, 2017
    Kinsey

    Our tradition is fruitcake! People make fun of it, but our family is from Texas originally and every year we mail order a Collin Street Bakery fruitcake. It makes a fabulous Christmas breakfast.

  • November 25, 2017
    Casey

    My family and I can’t open presents without our Santa hats on. It’s a tradition that has held true for years and makes for amazing (and funny) photos!

  • November 25, 2017
    Katie S.

    Watching “Elf” and “A Christmas Story” are essentials for the holiday season in my family!

  • November 25, 2017
    Teresa Cochran

    We light a candle every Sunday during Advent and sing Christmas carols. When Christmas day arrives the children know all the words to some wonderful Christmas carols and sing their hearts out at Christmas Mass.

  • November 25, 2017
    Christie G

    I love pulling out the Christmas decorations and decorating the house with holiday music, a fire in the fireplace, (and a good glass of wine!). I look forward to it every year

  • November 25, 2017

    My favorite tradition is hard to pin down, but one of them is definitely Christmas crackers! Have always had them before Christmas dinner since I was a little girl. Most Americans don’t know about them, and I find that very sad! Great giveaway, will share on my FB page!

  • November 25, 2017

    I take myself and my camera into NYC and I spend the day wondering through the markets, Bryant Park, Union Square, etc…check out the windows and end my day at Time Warner in Columbus Circle. 7 years solo strong and counting!

    Thank you for the ideas as well as hosting an awesome giveaway!

  • November 25, 2017
    Annamarie V

    Our family tradition is that we have my parents and any other family that can come over on Christmas eve, we make leg of lamb and I make my Great Grandmothers homemade cream puff recipe. This year I’m getting my Christmas present a bit early on December 9th a new puppy I can’t wait.

  • November 26, 2017
    Jeanna H

    A tradition that we continue even though my children are now in their twenties is decorating cutout sugar cookies. Flour and candy decorations still go everywhere and our house is full of laughter.

  • November 26, 2017

    Making homemade gifts + cookies with my family + husband.

  • November 26, 2017
    Kim

    We open one gift on Christmas Eve that’s always Christmas pjs so we can wake up in new pjs on Christmas morning

  • November 26, 2017
    Melissa

    Hosting my family on Christmas Eve! Lots of food, wine, and reminiscing.

  • November 26, 2017

    what a great collection! You’ve got some great ideas I’m going to look into for my mom who has everything!

  • November 26, 2017

    My favorite holiday tradition is that my husband and I go on a Christmas Eve Eve date every year! It’s a nice quiet time with just the two of us before the chaos of the holidays sets in. We go out to dinner somewhere we haven’t been before and then to see the National Christmas Tree at the White House. Afterward, we have a toast of spiked hot chocolate at the beautifully decorated Willard Hotel.

  • November 26, 2017
    Amie

    My favorite tradition is decorating the Christmas tree. We always buy a new ornament when we travel, and I love reminiscing about past adventures.

  • November 27, 2017

    Decorating the Christmas tree while drinking boozy eggnog and watching my favorite holiday movies: Home Alone, Elf, Scrooged, and anything from the Die Hard franchise.

    Also, thanks for the rad gift guide, yo! I already snagged that awesome Oregon Trail game, and we totally used those Loch Ness tea infusers as prizes for a local trail race this past April. Great minds.

  • November 27, 2017
    latanya

    we get matching pj’s each Christmas

  • November 27, 2017

    Another year, another great C&C gift guide! I love the pillows, I am on the lookout for some, so they caught my eye!

  • November 27, 2017
    Samantha

    Love this guide! My favorite holiday tradition is searching for the pickle on the tree every year- whoever finds it, gets good luck in the new year.

  • November 27, 2017
    Nicole

    Great list!

    My favorite activity is wrapping gifts while watching all my favorite Christmas movies and enjoying a doctored up hot chocolate.

  • November 27, 2017
    Jenna

    Ice cube tray beer racing with my brother in law (hilarious and delicious) and listening to old records while drinking coffee with my boyfriend 🙂

  • November 27, 2017
    Lauren

    Stringing up our “Christmas Card Tree” just after Thanksgiving as a landing spot for all the Christmas photo cards we receive through the month. First holiday decor to go up, last to come down!

  • November 27, 2017
    Ris

    Hands down my favorite tradition is watching Home Alone. It’s not Christmas until we’ve seen it at least a few times in my house.

  • November 27, 2017
    LETICIA REED

    Favorite Christmas tradition is going to the drive in to watch the old Christmas movies and eat homemade spritz cookies and drink hot cocoa!

  • November 27, 2017
    Monica Williams

    Trimming the tree with my parents and now my kids…so much fun to talk about the stories behind the ornaments!

  • November 28, 2017
    manda shank

    We do a lot of cooking together around the holidays.

  • November 28, 2017
    Susan H.

    Our holiday tradition is watching White Christmas immediately after Thanksgiving. Yes, I know all the songs and the dialogue. Yes, I still get teary-eyed at the end when they start singing “…because we love him, we love him…” to the General.

  • November 28, 2017
    Audrey

    I would like Santa to bring me a navdy this year.

  • November 28, 2017
    Sarah

    For the past few years my family has been skipping the traditional holiday foods and instead doing a crab and lobster Christmas eve feast which is quite scrumptious!

  • November 28, 2017
    Briel K.

    My favorite holiday tradition is when almost my whole family converges on one of our houses on the evening of Christmas to share dessert and play games (poker, spoons, or tripoley!)

  • November 29, 2017

    My favorite holiday tradition was always decorating the tree while my mom told me the story of buying/receiving each ornament.

    Also, thank you for highlighting my Etsy shop in your post! I feel honored to be featured on a blog I love SO much.

  • November 29, 2017
    Laura

    I love cutting our own tree in the woods!

  • November 30, 2017

    I SO wish I could do your workshop in Portugal. I love everything about it and Portugal is where I want to go next in Europe but I can’t make the dates work. 🙁 So sad!! I’m sure it will be amazing.

  • November 30, 2017

    One tradition we have tried to do is buy a ornament when we go on vacation! When we put it up the next year it brings back great memories!

  • November 30, 2017
    Darla Peduzzi

    Our favorite holiday tradition is spending Christmas Eve with all of the family and watching the kids get all excited before Santa comes in the morning.

  • December 1, 2017
    Megan Smyth

    Favorite holiday tradition is watching Christmas Vacation! “You serious, Clark?”

    Love this gift guide!!

  • December 6, 2017

    As a December Baby, Christmas and winter is my favourite time of the year. I know!

    My favourite Christmas tradition is singing Christmas Carols and playing board games. All of which I excel at obviously! When I was young, we had a family-ish choir ‘cos we were 3 boys and 1 girl (moi), and we used to organise our own home-made Xmas play too! We spent Dec 24th, 25th & 26th playing board games. And I won each and every year. Strategy you see, and I’m also quite good at bluffing!

    With a German husband and a (teenage) only child, our traditions are smaller and less competitive. We have both a German Xmas (Dec 24th) and a British Xmas (Dec 25th), so we always get double presents and a double celebration so to speak! And we still do the board-games, I’ve added the playing of the Ultimate Collection of James Bond sound tracks, and Carol singing is a must, but with champagne in hand this time. Haw! Haw!

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