Style Lush

My Favorite Christmas Gifts: Faux-Fur Scarf & Cashmere Slippers

By Rebecca

In my husband's family, we draw names for Christmas gifts. My sister-in-law drew my name this year, which is always fun because she manages to find things that I never knew I wanted, but end up among my favorite presents. This year was no different.

I opened up my gift from her and found two awesome things. First, this Luxe Faux Fur Scarf from Restoration Hardware. I had never laid eyes on it before, but immediately fell in love with it. It's super soft and keeps your neck REALLY warm! I tested it out on a trip to Colorado over New Year's, and it was cold weather approved. It looks equally nice with a black dress as it does with jeans and a sweater.

The second winning gift (also from Restoration Hardware, WHO KNEW?) was this pair of cashmere ballet slippers. She got me the red ones and they are light, warm, and a welcome change for someone who customarily clomps around the house with Ugg boots on during the winter.

Now, tell me: what was YOUR favorite gift this year?

(Photo credits: restorationhardware.com)

 

Glittered Holiday Nails

By Janet

December brings some of my very favorite things--pepperminty treats, eggnog, and super sparkly nail polish. My nails are already painted a subtle sparkling silver, but the closer we get to New Year's Eve, the sparklier I go. Here are some of my favorite sparkling polishes (ask Santa to put some sparkles in your stocking!): 

It's Real 18k Gold Top Coat

Sparkplug - Glitter Crushed Diamonds 

Good Tidings We Bling

 

Shifty - Illusionary Opalescent Micro Glitter

And, finally, for a seriously rocking New Year's Eve shindig, this:

Sequined Manicure Kit!

Have a sparkling holiday, friends!

Buying Experience Gifts for the Holidays

By Rebecca

I have a few people in my life that are really difficult to buy for. (**cough cough MY HUSBAND**). Do you have people like this on your gift list? People that either have everything they need already, or who are prone to returning absolutely everything, EVEN if it's something they have specifically mentioned they might like? (No, I'm not bitter. OK yes I am.)

Anyway, my fix for this is simple: don't buy them anything. I don't mean buy them nothing, I just mean don't buy them any STUFF. You see, this person likely already has enough stuff. But even stuff-laden people love getting thoughtful gifts, so do some research into things that they might like to do. A museum membership? Tickets to a comedy show or a concert that's coming to town? Even a gift card to a restaurant along with movie tickets is a good idea.

This year, my husband (who never reads this) is getting two tickets to go see the Harlem Globetrotters with our son. It will be a fun night out for them, something that they'll remember for a really long time, and also something that can't clutter up our house or be returned. Hey, I never said I don't have ulterior motives.

We have embraced this gift methodology for family gifts as well, and usually do experience gifts among the couples in our family. We were given a limousine for a wine-tasting tour, which was a huge winner. Last year, we gave my sister-in-law and her husband a kayak tour of La Jolla.

If you're having a hard time coming up with an experience idea of your own, there are some websites that will help. In particular, I've found that Cloud 9 Living has some really good ideas at various price points.

Are you focusing on "experience" gifts this year?

(Photo from: Harlem Globetrotters.com)

My Favorite Children's Christmas Book

by Lawyerish

Last December, when I was looking for Advent gifts for my daughter, I came upon this book:

The Christmas Magic, by Lauren Thompson

It is absolute perfection. Think of the Santa Claus that you have always imagined in your heart of hearts -- the one that, even now, as a fully grown person, you want to believe exists -- and this book captures him perfectly. It's simple and quiet and intimate, depicting Santa Claus in his little house in the North Pole, getting ready for his night journey on Christmas Eve. It portrays the love that Santa has for every child in the world, and the humanity that he represents (he trims his whiskers, mends his socks, and pads around his cozy home in bunny slippers). It's not silly and it doesn't talk down to the reader -- it's not the cartoonish Santa Claus that gets trotted out in so much of popular culture. Instead, it perfectly conjures the magic that I used to feel as Christmas approached, and that I will always try to create for my own child. 

The illustrations, by Jon Muth (a truly gifted artist), are done in watercolor, and they are nothing short of breathtaking. Again, they're understated and natural, just like the writing. 

Last year, I bought this for my daughter, my niece and nephew, and my mom. I bought it for my mom because she always made Christmas magical when I was growing up, and I knew this would speak to her, too. It's an ideal gift for anyone in your life who has given you unconditional love, and who has created wonder out of simplicity, which is so much of what childhood is about. 

Sometimes when I'm reading it to my daughter, I can't get through it without crying a little. But that's ok. The magic just gets to you sometimes.

{photo credit: bn.com}

My holiday project: Positivity

By Manda

It's the time of year when I get overwhelmed. I love Christmastime, I really do! But right about now - mid-December, basically - things feel like an uphill climb. There are presents to buy and wrap, cookies to make, turkeys to cook, parties to attend, so many little details to remember. It's very easy for me to lose sight of what a blessed person I am, which just seems silly. I have an amazing husband who is crazy about me and two beautiful, healthy children. I have such a wonderful extended family and group of friends. We have SO MUCH. The fact that I get STRESSED about how to spend my money at Christmastime is just laughable.

And so I'm making it my project over the next few weeks to be more positive, more loving toward others, more thoughtful, and more thankful. I was inspired by this video from SoulPancake.com and I think you will be too.

So tell me, are the holidays stressing you out? What steps are you taking to de-stress and count your blessings?

(The first person I plan to pay a compliment is my long-suffering and hardworking husband. He works his tail off to provide for our family and never, ever gives up on me. He loves others, even when they don't deserve it, and he always tries to find a positive angle on every situation, no matter how dire. I love him so much, and he is my very best friend. I am so glad he is my partner and the father of our children.)

Happy Holidays to you all, dear friends. May they be merry and bright and full of friends and family.

A Great Photography Gift for the Parents/Grandparents

By Sara

This past summer my siblings and I decided to get together to have some professional photos taken to gift to our parents for their anniversary. My sister, being the clever Pinterest-obsessed girl that she is, came across a great idea: each person holds up a letter to spell out a word. We chose the word 'family' and the result was really pretty great,.

We had the second version blown up and printed on a canvas (at Costco of all places! Great prices and super fast shipping.) My mother, the stoic woman that she is, had a little tear in her eye when she opened it. The bonus is that we can gift this same print to our grandparents for Christmas as well. 

Or you could try it this way too (all in a row, of course):

The first way worked better for us but the second could be really cute in a frame with multiple openings. I think family photos are always the perfect gift and a sure winner with the grandparents.

(My apologies to my husband and siblings for posting their (pretty and handsome) faces all over the internet! All images are mine.)

What I'm Buying for the Baby in the Family

By Rebecca

My own kids are 7 and 4, and while I love finding the perfect Lego set and My Little Pony toys for them, I have to admit that I reeeeeeeally miss buying baby stuff. And since my sister went ahead and did me the supreme favor of having a baby five months ago, I got the chance to do just that. Itch: scratched! So, here's what I'm getting for the baby in our family this year.

1) The cutest Robeez shoes ever. Do babies need shoes? Of course they don't! But you are made of stone if you can resist these. Lookit the tiny shoes! Here is where I tell you that when my kids were little, they had... way too many of these. And I miss them desperately. R.I.P., adorable fire truck shoes.

2) Stacking toys. Okay, so a five-month old baby won't be able to stack these just yet. But they're also good for chewing on and banging together, which he CAN do. And he'll grow into the stacking eventually, unless these roll under the sofa never to be seen again. Not that that happened to me, or anything. (It totally did.) 

3) Books. Reading to my kids is one of my all-time favorite things to do, so I've been stockpiling some of their early favorites to give to their baby cousin. Here are a few I've set aside:

• The Going to Bed Book (or anything by Sandra Boynton, really) 
• That's Not My Robot 
• Ten Little Ladybugs
• Curious George and the Puppies
• My First Truck Board Book 

If you were buying for a baby (yours or someone else's), what would you add?

(Photo credits: amazon.com)

 

Holiday Party Traditions

by Megan

We've had a holiday party every year since we got married, except for the years where my kids were tiny infants, and this year is no different. However, this year things we're hosting our party off site so we can view a boat parade. I'm excited about the change and our access to this waterfront house this year.

At our party we do a gift exchange, which is nothing new, but is usually a fun part of the party. It's a nice way for us to get everyone in the same space, even people who don't know each other, for a little friendly competition.

This year, the boat parade won't pass in front of the house for hours after the party starts, so I'm looking for new activities to keep everyone busy. I'm thinking we'll play LCR, as I every time I play this the decibel level in the room goes through the roof.

There's nothing like the chance to win a little cash to get everyone talking.

What are your holiday party traditions? Do you do a gift or ornament exchange or do you prefer to just drink yourself silly?

{Photo credit: amazon.com}

My Christmas Wishlist

By Rebecca

Does this ever happen to you: you start your holiday shopping, and in the process, you uncover far too many gifts that you suddenly start craving for yourself? I know, I know, the holidays aren't all about presents blah di blah, but just sayin', if any of these happened to magically fall into my stocking I wouldn't cry. OK? (Dear family, please be reading this.)

My love of lip products is well documented on this site. As Chandler Bing would say, could this Sephora Give Me Some Lip sampler pack BE any more perfect for me?

You guys, I think all the glitter and bling at The Blathering has gone to my head. Because I have become enamored of this iPhone case. I mean, just LOOK at it! So shiny and sparkly. Just gazing upon it puts me in a good mood.

An orange scarf. I mean, come on. I obviously need this. Fringy!

No Christmas wishlist of mine would be complete without at least ONE jewelry item, and these little babies fit the bill just fine. (sadly, currently out of stock online) Simple, yet with a funky edge. So cute!

Now that I've got that out of my system, back to our regularly scheduled programming of shopping for others!

{Photo credits: sephora.com; nordstrom.com}

 

 

Two Great Magazines for Preschoolers

by Lawyerish

My 2.5-year old has always been hugely into reading. Even between the nearby branch library and our neighborhood Barnes & Noble, we have trouble bringing in enough new, high quality reading material to keep her content. Enter two great magazine subscriptions geared toward preschoolers:

Ladybug is the younger version of the perennial kids' publication, Cricket. It features age-appropriate stories, games, artwork, and songs, and covers a wide range of topics. Some of the features are recurring, such as a comic strip about a family and their always-troublesome dog; while others are fresh each month. The magazine frequently includes stories about different countries or cultures -- for example, this month's issue had a lovely short, illustrated story about a Norwegian nisse, or elf, while last month had a story about a Native American basket weaver. I have found it to be very engaging; my daughter wants each issue read to her over and over again, even months later.

Only a couple of times have I found clinkers in an issue: once, they had a story about a girl who didn't want to go to school, and I ended up tearing it out so that we could keep the magazine but not have to read that (I didn't want my daughter to pick up on negative feelings about school, since she was just starting it herself). Other than that, I've been very impressed with the quality of the writing and art, and the diversity of the subjects.

For other ages of children, this same publisher puts out the following, according to its website: "BABYBUG®, for children ages 6 months to 3 years; LADYBUG®, for ages 3 to 6; SPIDER®, for ages 6 to 9, and CRICKET®, for ages 9-14. The company also publishes a line of nonfiction magazines devoted to the sciences, arts, and humanities: CLICK®, for ages 3 to 7, ASK®, for ages 7 to 10, and MUSE®, for ages 10 and up. CICADA®, a challenging and entertaining literary magazine for teens and young adults ages 14 and up was added in 1998."

The other magazine we've enjoyed a lot is High Five, which is the version of Highlights for the preschool set. High Five is a little less...literary, if I can use such a word for a children's publication, than Ladybug; but it's still very well done, and again my daughter is thrilled to receive it every month. It has more recurring characters, so there are familiar subjects in each issue, and it has activites such as craft suggestions, hidden pictures, and counting exercises to keep the kids learning. Sometimes the artwork is by familiar children's book illustrators, which is always fun to see as well. 

Either of these, or their sibling magazines, would make terrific gifts -- I recommend ordering them now, but also buying a current issue to put in a stocking or under a tree, since they tend to take about six weeks to send the first issue in the mail.

{Photo credits: highlights.com, ladybugmagkids.com}