christmas

The Best Neutral Christmas Decor for 2021

November 12, 2021 by jessica Leave a Comment

We have snow flurries in the forecast today, which is getting me in the early holiday spirit. (Well, that and the two Christmas movies I’ve watched this week as I recover from eye muscle surgery.) I’m typically a fan of colorful holiday decor (including colored string lights; there are no white lights on our tree or house!), but this year’s neutral decor has caught my attention. In fact, I’ve already purchased three of these items: the wood trees in two sizes (No. 1), the welcome mat (No. 7), and the reindeer cocktail picks (No. 8). The cocktail picks don’t have reviews so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but they arrived on Wednesday and they’re beautiful!

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15 Festive Finds for Early Christmas Decorating

November 17, 2020 by jessica Leave a Comment

With how difficult this year has been, I think we all deserve carte blanche to start decorating for the holidays on the early side! I typically wait until after Thanksgiving to deck the halls and I’ll probably follow suit this year, but that doesn’t mean I can’t add a few things to my cart this year in anticipation of the merriest season of all. Here are fifteen festive finds I love:

This tiny faux pine is the sweetest addition to a bar cart.
A sweet enamel ornament.
Glass trees for a modern mantle.
I’m a sucker for German smoker decorations.
While not specifically Christmas decor, a buffalo plaid throw is a must.
I have and love this mini tree.
Such a charming doormat!
Add a faux pine spray to your favorite vase. This one with pinecones is great, too.
A set of dessert plates adorned with little trees.
No room for a tree? Fill this bowl with your favorite vintage ornaments.
If we didn’t already have stockings we like, I’d be opting for these.
This colorful candy dish reminds me of old-fashioned ribbon candy.
I have a similar set of glass icicle ornaments. They’re perfect for filling in space on the tree.
It’ll take some patience, but a vintage brass reindeer or stag is well worth sifting through listings.
I already purchased this little bunch of faux mistletoe.

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Photo Diary: Christmas in Belgium

December 23, 2019 by jessica Leave a Comment

As someone who loves Christmas, it’s no surprise that kicking off the holiday season in Europe has been something I dreamed of for years. While Germany would have been the obvious choice, a relatively inexpensive flight and hotel package out of Madison made Belgium an attractive option for our getaway. Plus, it gave us a chance to restock our dwindling supply of Cantillon. Priorities.

This was our third trip to Brussels, which made the nine-day trip as low-stress as possible during the busiest time of year because we didn’t need to spend the first couple of days orienting ourselves in the country. We knew how to use public transportation, we knew where to go without getting lost, we knew what favorites we wanted to revisit, and which day trips to go on (Amsterdam, Bruges, and Antwerp). We stopped at our favorite bars and restaurants, ate our weight in frites, drank world-class beer, and reveled in the holiday spirit by way of twinkling lights and Christmas markets. Not surprisingly, a day in Bruges was the most magical. Bruges is one of Europe’s most well-preserved medieval cities, escaping destruction during World War I and II. We’ve been to the city twice before and each time I’m struck by how fairy tale-like it is. Adding in strings of lights and a Christmas market in the city center took it to another level.

Here are a few photos of the most Christmassy moments of our trip. I’m working on a full Brussels travel guide to post in the new year, along with a Google map for your own trip planning. I’m also going to post day trip recommendations for Amsterdam and Bruges now that we’ve been a few times. I hope your holiday week is the merriest!

Christmas in Antwerp — Christmas market in Antwerp

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6 Christmas Albums You Need (Preferably On Vinyl)

November 14, 2018 by jessica Leave a Comment

When we bought our record player last year, I had no way of knowing that it would become one of my favorite things about the holidays. There’s just something about listening to an actual record instead of an Apple Music playlist that makes the experience richer. It’s certainly more tactile and our stereo system is by far better than a WiFi speaker, but I think it’s the romanticism of putting on a record while mixing cocktails, hosting friends, or decorating the tree that really gets me. That and nostalgia. When I was growing up, my parents always played the Bing Crosby Christmas album when we exchanged gifts.

We’ve amassed a sizable collection of holiday records in the last year and a half, including an embarrassing purchase of Trick Daddy’s holiday album I picked up at the used record store last weekend. (I mean, how could I leave that gem behind?!) Below you’ll find my six favorites (in no particular order) that you should add to your collection this holiday season — Trick Daddy excluded. Let me know if I’m missing any great ones!