Sending out our Christmas cards every year was one of my favorite traditions growing up. It was always a process though… get dressed up in coordinating outfits with my brother, find the perfect location, take photos, get cards ordered, write a personalized message on each card, address cards, seal ’em, and put a stamp on it before dropping them off at the Post Office. Did I mention, that my mom did all of this while working a full-time job and she got them out in early December??? Now as I sit down to order our Christmas cards, write a personalized message on each card, and go to the Post Office to buy stamps because who has them these days to then address them and bring them back to the Post Office to mail out — I have a lot more appreciation for what my mom did for decades to get these cards out on time!
A lot of hard work went on behind the scenes to get these cards delivered, but the looks on people’s faces when they got one, were worth every minute I stayed up past midnight to write on each card. Let this be a reminder to bring Christmas cards back because they are a part of the Christmas magic that makes the holiday season so special.
PS – Ordering cards from Minted was the easiest part of this process. Finding time to write on them and get them out was because I needed to plan better LOL
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Baking around Christmas is my favorite tradition! There’s just something magical about making batches of cookies and making the whole house smell like a gingerbread house. Over the years, I started to pack up cookies and give them to friends and family. What began as a few cookies in a plastic ziplock bag, has turned into a very large production that takes hours of baking and taking over the dining room to turn it into a cookie assembly and distribution center.
This year is busier than most and I was thinking of not baking this year or at least not going as big as I usually did. Until people started asking when the cookies were coming and making sure their Snickerdoodle cookies would be included this year. I realized that one long (very long) night on my end where I’m up until the early morning baking, is a small price to pay for the joy when someone receives a cookie package.
If you have a small budget or are looking to spread Christmas cheer to your friends or coworkers, maybe a cookie package is the right gift for you. Below is my list of cookies and sweets that make the list every year. This year I’m being kind to my body and breaking up the baking in two days so be sure to plan ahead! I like to get cute boxes and packaging at Homegoods or TJ Maxx to make the cookie packages a little more special. Or if you want to keep it simple, I have put cookies in a ziplock bag with a cute holiday cocktail napkin.
Here’s a list you will want to check twice to find the perfect gift for your girl friends. From coworkers, sisters, or best friends, here are some gifts she will be excited to unwrap this Christmas!
Paris Hilton Memoir // I love to gift my friends who love watching reality TV a book written by a TV personality. It’s usually something they would never get for themselves, so it’s always an appreciated gift!
Uggs // If you need a big gift, you can’t go wrong with a new pair of Uggs. I love these because of the cute bow details!
Makeup Bag // Grab a cute makeup bag and fill it with her favorite things! I love this pink one with the red bows!
Customized Tote Bag // This is on my wish list this year! They come in lots of sizes and color selections to fit her personality.
Slippers // The best way to get cozy is a new pair of slippers! I love these and the price is great to grab a few pairs to gift to all of your friends! Or splurge and get her some new Uggs!
Summer Fridays // For your cousin who is cooler than you and you don’t know what to get her, a lip balm from Sunday Fridays will make you the cool gift giver this year.
Perfume Set // I get so many compliments when I wear this perfume and it’s always on sale this time of year, making it a great affordable gift!
Tarte Eyeshadow Pallettes // I LOVE LOVE LOVE these eyeshadow palettes and they are a part of my everyday makeup favorites.
Hair Bow // For your bow-obsessed friend (like me!), these hair bows are a must!
Pajama Set // One year for Christmas, I gave my best friends cute pajama sets and they are still talking about them! These have a buttery feel and the perfect amount of stretch. I have them in almost every color and can’t wait to buy these red ones for myself this year!
It’s time!!!!! Here are some thoughtful gifts she actually wants this holiday season. Our moms deserve the best things in life and in their homes.
Hand Soap and Lotion Set // This is always my go-to gift for when I need to get someone a nice gift or a hosting gift. My mom loves having this set by her kitchen sink and still gets excited when I gift her another scent.
Hand Towels Set // When you have a small budget but want to get them something nice for the home they will actually use. If I need to buy for multiple people, I can buy the towel set and break the towels up or gift the towel set with the hand soap set in a basket.
Martha Stewart Cookbook // If you grew up with your mom reading Martha Stewart magazines or always had her head in a cookbook, you must get her Martha’s new book!
Tote Bag // My mom loves going to the farmer’s market on Saturday mornings and this tote bag is the perfect bag to hold all her purchases! Also living in a city with a plastic bag ban, I may be buying myself one to use at the grocery store because of the pockets and storage.
Candle // A new scented candle for the holiday season is a must have! I end up buying a bunch in early November to have them on hand for easy gift giving.
Pearl Earrings // As a way to apologize to your mom for always stealing her earrings, be sure to get her a nice pair of (faux) pearl earrings this year. I wear my pearl earrings almost daily and my mom is always saying how much she likes them so this year, she gets her own pair!
Perfume // Make it a yearly tradition to treat your mom with a new scent for the year. I linked my favorite scent that I go back to again and again.
Basket // All moms want is a clean house….. so how about a chic basket to put things in to make their house look clean?
Collagen Face Masks // I purchased a pack of these for my wedding and handed them out left and right on my wedding morning because all the ladies wanted a lifted neck and defined chin! Great for a stocking stuffer she will actually use!
Magnolia Table Cookbook // If your favorite memories of your mom involve her being in the kitchen cooking, you need to get her this cookbook! Easy recipes for you and mom to cook together and make new memories.
Craft Organizer Bag // If your mom is a crafter, this bag is a must for keeping all of her most used craft supplies organized.
Is that a cold chill in the air? Is Fall finally here? Summer is my favorite season but I’m looking forward to wearing layers and sweaters. I stopped by J Crew Factory this week to see what was new in stores because they always have the best fall collection. My closet is full of J Crew coats and I can’t resist this year’s classic Lady Day Coat in pink! J Crew Factory has great pieces no matter your budget. I have my eyes on the black lady jacket as a great layering piece with skinny jeans and a white tee. And a tweed headband is a no-brainer for hiding bad hair days but keeping it chic!
It was July 4th weekend and our original plan was to walk around Old City but the heat wave made that difficult. We still wanted to spend some time in Old City, walk past Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, and get in the holiday spirit. So what better way to celebrate the 4th than go to Royal Boucherie? It’s been on my list to try for a long time and I’m glad we could make it happen.
A dimly lit restaurant and bar is around the corner of Chestnut Street on 2nd Street. The floors and walls look like they have their original panel walls and hardwood floors. We sat at a table in the corner by the window to enjoy the pub aesthetic of the restaurant. How could we pick just one thing? The menu has a classic French menu but enough selections for patrons new to French food. We joked that Royal Boucherie is the delicious peasant food compared to the fancy and formal French restaurants we have visited before. Could it be that Royal Boucherie has better food than another well-known French restaurant in Philly?
We started with cocktails and chuckled at the creative drink names like Franklin’s Mistress and Wham Bam Thank You Cran. If you don’t have time to sit down for a meal, I highly suggest you order a drink at the bar to enjoy the custom-made bar and mingle with fellow patrons.
Since we are foodies, we wanted the full food experience and started with a Fromage Tasting Board and escargot a lail noir, black garlic braised escargot, ratatouille, panisse, crispy garlic escargot to share. The cheeses were perfectly selected to pair with a baguette and jams that we were making notes to make this board at home. I should note that the portions are more similar to what I’ve experienced in Europe, smaller portions with high-quality selections. At first glance, I thought there wouldn’t be enough of the Fromage board for both of us to share, but I was left satisfied without being too full for the main course.
For the main course, Jacob went with a boucherie burger, foie gras, brie, onion confiture, frites. He said it was probably the best burger he has ever had with the perfectly melted brie on the burger. I wanted to try something new than my usual order of modules and went with the crab cakes, blistered cherry tomatoes, roasted broccolini, saffron rouille. The crab cakes were not your traditional style like you expect in beach towns but instead had a French twist with unexpected flavors. Every bite was delicious!
We split a chocolate mousse tart as a special treat before heading back out into the heat. Restaurants like Royal Boucherie are hard to come by with their dark moody interior, friendly staff, and perfectly curated menu. The next time you are looking for a good meal out with an experience, I highly recommend stopping by here. We’ll be back again soon because it’s been a week and we are still talking about the fromage board!
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