Happy December! Can you believe it's here?! I know I can't! {cv} and I had an action-packed weekend in New England, which included great friends, pretty snow, tree trimming, and a surprise 80th birthday party with {cv}'s family. All in all, it was a success! We've made a big effort this year to not be scheduled every minute of the holiday season...and we are on our way. Find some more holiday goodness from our weekend below!
- I pinned some seriously yummy recipes for the holiday season. I clearly have a thing for peppermint...and chocolate. I know I'm not alone ;)
- We put up our tiny artificial tree on Sunday night. It has survived six seasons and will be retired once we get in our house next year. {I can't wait to have a real tree--at long last!} The whole thing was strangely bittersweet...
- After our annual white light vs. color light debate, we again settled on these white + red + green pearl lights from Target. They feel perfectly vintage-y, as this instagram affirms!
- {cv} and I watched my all-time favorite Christmas movie, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, while trimming the tree. {"Why is the carpet all wet, Todd?" "I don't know, Margot!"}
- I made an Amazon Wish List to help supplement the other one I have year-round. {cv} and I had a lightbulb moment when we visited friends this weekend who reminded us the first year of home ownership is also a crazy year of spending. I'm hoping we can front-run it by asking for coffee table books and other little goodies for our house...even if those prezzies will go into storage for now.
- We poured over all our photos from this year and finally settled on a few from our European adventure for our annual Christmas card. Paired with some shimmery envelopes from Paper Source, I'm already itching to address them.
As I try to keep my head on straight this December, I am doing my best to plan ahead and not over-schedule us in the coming days. What other tips do you have for keeping the joy of the season alive--without getting bogged down in the details?!
The white lights vs. color lights debate made me laugh! I thought I was the only one who had that argument! (I'm pro white lights only)
ReplyDeleteThis year I want to try to bake unique Christmas treats for my Fiance's family and friends since my Thanksgiving pumpkin pie was a major success!! (Pumpkin pie doesn't really exist in England!)
Ah girl, I wish I had the willpower not to jam pack the diary in December - but once again, to no avail!! it is just busy days and hectic nights!
ReplyDeleteOne thing are doing differently this year, is going away for the Christmas and New Year break - we are heading to the Drakensberg mountains and it feels strange not having Christmas in our own home. Saving that for next year when we move into our new home.
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I'm so excited for you! That house...It's going to be gorgeous! :-) For me, enjoying the Holiday season is crafting up a storm. So, I make a big attempt to do A LOT of that while I have the spare time!
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of peppermint and chocolate....peppermint schnapps + hot chocolate = a treat for the big kids.
ReplyDeleteohhhh... i love your lights! i wrapped last night and im officially in the holiday spirit!!! 22 days! xo.
ReplyDeleteNormally I'm very anti-colored lights, but I do love the white, red and green! And our holidays are looking about the same, except Hanukkah is happening very very soon! So we're looking to celebrate that with some friends :)
ReplyDeleteI love the look of your pearl Christmas lights! I'm also laughing at that line from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation... my husband and I say that to each other all the time, and I'm sure we'll be watching that movie soon. (:
ReplyDeleteI feel like we're the only family around who uses an artificial tree anymore (or at least in blog-land!). I love the idea of shopping for a real tree, but at the same time they can be such a mess - and a hassle. I think my parents have brainwashed me into being an artificial tree lover. we just haul the box out of the basement every year and voila - no mess, no fuss. I do really like your pearl lights! I'll to keep them in consideration for after-Christmas sales - we tend to buy a few new strings every year because lights can be such a pain.
ReplyDeleteFound you through turtles and pearls! So excited to be your newest follower!!
ReplyDeleteI, too, have pinned so many great seasonal recipes! I am going to have to go through and organize/ prioritize all of them!
Don't forget to stop by Cotton's Pickins and enter my giveaway!
We're keeping the Christmas Decor to the minimum.
ReplyDeleteUsually I go above & beyond, but we're so anxious to get things going on our new home- that decorating the old place, hardly seems important.
....But it's still very cheery in our cozy little apartment!
Love From,
Manda @ Eat Cake
Love those lights!! I'm not a huge holiday decorater but I try to go out of my way for Christmas so the house feels cozy
ReplyDeleteWe retired our fake tree last year and for our first year as a married couple, we have a real tree - it just makes the whole house smell good!
ReplyDelete:D KC
ahappyeverafter.com
Sounds like a wonderful Christmas so far!! We got out first tree this year and we're sending out our first Christmas card! Ah!! It's so much fun! I'm so excited about it!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds a lot like our weekend :) We did attempt to cut down our first Christmas tree together...it took two tries {and two different tree farms!}. It was quite ridiculous but now we have the perfect little tree in our apartment!
ReplyDeleteI'm def a white light kind of gal. We just finished decorating last night. I love this time of year!
ReplyDeletei love christmas vacation! we always watch that with h's dad when we get together for christmas :) enjoy your last christmas in that apartment!!! xo
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