Happy Winter Solstice, everyone! How are we all doing, on the darkest day of the year? I will celebrate by walking in the dark this morning as Rex has a grooming appointment at 8. A clean and fluffy Rex will be a highlight of this dark day; will I be able to keep him that way until Christmas? Who can say. Likely not. But anyway, today seemed like the perfect day to talk about Favourite Things, so without further ado:
Nicole’s Favourite Things: The Winter Solstice Edition
New Home For The Holidays
After twenty-three years in a pretty small house, in which we had to rearrange the furniture in order to fit our Christmas tree, it is pretty exciting to have a spacious new home as the backdrop for All Things Christmas. It has been so fun finding little spots for all my decor; my holiday decorating aesthetic can best be described as Everything Everywhere All At Once. I have little things in every corner and windowsill, and it all feels so Merry and Bright, without feeling Claustrophobic and Cluttered, which, if we are being honest, is how things started to feel in our old house by the time Santa magically slipped down the metaphorical chimney.
We do not have a fireplace in this house and the lack of a mantel was the cause of some anticipatory consternation on my part last year, but I think using pretty ribbon to tie the stockings to the staircase hand rails is even better.
Part of my aesthetic can also be described as Sentimental Mom, and so I proudly display this cute candle set that my older son took a bite out of when he was eight months old and teething.
The Charlie Brown Christmas tree is nestled among the old farm equipment we have on display and, more festively, the little stuffies that used to hang on the knobs of the boys’ dressers; for some reason, the boys don’t want this as part of their room decor anymore.
Where’s Salvadore?
Many of you will remember when Salvadore first came into my life, the guys would move him into different parts of the house while I slept, just like my very own springtime gnome version of Elf on a Shelf. A few weeks ago I brought the outdoor gnomes indoors for the winter, and Salvadore has been springing up in the strangest locations. I’ll wake up to him covered in a pile of bananas, or in the vitamin cupboard, or masquerading as a Christmas gnome.
He’s literally Gnome on a Shelf!
He thinks he’s a present. Aw, he is. He’s a gift to all of us.
Speaking of gifts, look what Michelle made for me (HI MICHELLE!)
You must – MUST – check out her gnome Christmas party. Just prepare yourself. You may just spin off the planet with excitement, if you are a person who is Gnome Obsessed. Even if you’re not, it’s the cutest little thing you’ve ever seen. Is Michelle’s dollhouse just an evergreen Favourite Thing? MAYBE.
The Moving Pictures
I don’t watch movies generally; I usually fall asleep during them because I have become my own dad. Christmas is an exception! We all have Christmas movies that we must – MUST – watch every year, and mine are Elf and Christmas Vacation. But I also love what I think of as holiday-adjacent movies; I always watch my all-time Favourite Movie When Harry Met Sally around New Year’s, and I like to watch Little Women around Christmas.
Which one, you might ask, the one from the 90s or from 2019, and which is the favourite? You may also remember that I tend to loathe film adaptations of beloved books and I don’t know if I had a more beloved book as a child than Little Women. These movies are the exceptions! I love both of them and, like my children, I love them equally but differently, and just as I do not have a favourite child I also do not have a favourite Little Women. The one from the 90s is a pure nostalgic joy. If I need pure happiness, that’s the one. If I need to cry, I need only to watch the scene where Mr. March gives Beth a piano.
But the 2019 version is a love letter for the hardcore book fans. I think you need to be a real fan of the book to love this movie the way I do. Visually it is so perfect. So perfect! The sisters behave like sisters, the Hummels actually look like impoverished immigrants at the end of the Civil War, and the scene where Meg is at the ball, cutting to the scene where she has a grim financial discussion with her husband is pretty much cinematic perfection. We all know that Louisa Alcott was pressured to “marry off” Jo, which was how the sequel to Little Women – originally entitled Good Wives, although now it is just considered the second part of the book – was written. I love how the ending reflects Alcott’s true experience, and that it shows that Jo’s writing was her real love. The book itself is subversive and so strongly feminist, and the movie even more so. This is becoming a deep dive into the movie, which I didn’t want it to be, because who has the time, but I just watched it again and I love it so much. I felt like standing on a vulva-shaped soapbox with my ink-stained fist raised after watching it. The only thing that is a tiny bit jarring is the appearance of Bob Odenkirk as Father, which, what a casting decision that was. It takes me out of the movie EVERY TIME. Why is Saul Goodman here?
Let’s not get started on how Alcott’s actual father was a useless piece of shit who was FRIENDS WITH THOREAU. A less-successful Thoreau, if you will. We all know how I feel about Thoreau – do not quote that man to me, do not do it – so you can probably deduce my feelings about Bronson Alcott. Well. Is this Favourite Things or is it an Early Festivus Post? Let’s move on!
Oh, Miraculous Food
If you have watched a specific one of my favourite holiday-adjacent movies, you will immediately recognize that line, and it is one I think of almost every dinnertime. Miraculous food! I will say – and this is not a Favourite Thing, so bear with me, here I am in Early Festivus Mode again – I had a not-small degree of angst about a month ago when I realized that for the first Christmas in my forty-eight years on this planet, if there is a special holiday foodstuff I want, I need to procure it for myself. I know. I KNOW. Forty-eight is pretty old to discover Regular Adult Phenomena, and to shrug off the Spoiled Daughter Shawl, but there it is.
Here’s the thing: I prepare wholesome, delicious dinners every single night. FROM SCRATCH. I bake all manner of lovely muffins, loaves, and cookies year-round, and then I start leveling up every holiday season. I enjoy doing and eating all of those things. But I just kind of wanted some favourites without having to make some myself.
Well, boo hoo, you might be saying, and you would be right. There have been some Linus’ blankets wrapped around my sagging tree, which I deeply appreciate, but for the most part I have made peace with this and have womaned up to reality. Christmas dinner is going to be a joint affair between me and my mother-in-law; it will be at our house, and my mother-in-law is going to provide turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and gravy, and since none of those are things I eat, I am going to provide side dishes such as Suzanne’s fall salad (HI SUZANNE) – with the addition of roasted chickpeas and dried blueberries, omitting the pomegranate – roasted broccoli, peas, and, naturally, kalettes. Hashtag kalette influencer. A widowed neighbour lady who has no family is coming for dinner and is bringing her signature German stollen, which I don’t believe I have ever had, and of course I have many sweets for us all to nosh on. There will also, needless to say, be wine.
Speaking of sweets to nosh on! I have mentioned my mint squares, and my gingersnaps and gingerbread. I made truffles, but I used mint chocolate chips for them and then dipped them in a mixture of melted chocolate and refined coconut oil. They turned out really well.
If you need a last minute, easy, fancy-looking treat, may I suggest bark? You don’t even need a recipe for this, although I will include some for Lisa (HI LISA). Here’s the deal: melt some chocolate. Stir in some crumbled up bits of things – Pretzels! Candy canes! Nuts! – and then spread the mixture onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Put it in the freezer for 15 minutes or so, and then break the pieces apart, put in a cute tin, and voila. Festivity.
Holiday Re-Reading
I have a giant pile of library books waiting for me, but I put them aside for a couple of days for these three holiday re-reads. The Holiday Breakdown is a delightful little book about a writer who drives cross-country to escape LA and her writer’s block, to help her parents with their ailing ski resort. On the way her car breaks down in what appears to be a town from a Hallmark Christmas movie. It’s a fun, sweet read.
I read Holidays on Ice every year BUT you may remember that I dislike Sedaris’ fiction stories, so I only read the essays, with the exception of The Cow and the Turkey, which is hilarious. I skip from Santaland Diaries all the way to Dinah, The Christmas Whore.
My good friend Steph (HI STEPH) mentioned that she reads A Christmas Carol every year, and I thought I should do that! It had been YEARS. I searched out my copy that is so old my name is written in bubble letters in the front. I forgot how incredibly witty and descriptive the writing is; obviously, it’s a classic for a reason. My husband and older son also read it this week; it was the first time for both of them. “Scrooge is a total incel!” my son commented, and once you see that, you can’t unsee it. Anyway, we celebrated this literary milestone by all four of us watching the Muppets Christmas Carol which none of the guys had ever seen. I KNOW.
Outfit of the Month
There is never a bad time for a little black dress; it’s appropriate for almost every going-out occasion, festive or otherwise. The truth is I probably have a dozen or so in different weights, lengths, and styles, but I really love this turtleneck sweater dress. Paired with boots that I believe I bought in 2010, it made a perfect outfit for my night out with the girls to a candlelight concert (HI SAMMI HI JOY).
I wanted to give a little reminder that I have an Ask Me Anything form, so if there’s anything you want to ask, now is your chance! It will be fun way to start the New Year. The New Year that is only eleven days away, my goodness!
On that note, Happy Holidays, my friends. I am taking a little blog break to focus on the festivities; I’ll see you on the other side. Take good care. I wish you all joy, rest, love, peace, and the most delicious of the delicious treats there are. xo
Love all the nostalgic decorations (the bitten candle is my favorite!) and the new places Salvadore finds himself in! We don’t have a mantel either, and our stockings go on the back of our chairs at the dining table. Funny the way each family innovates :). Rex looks so baby-ish cuddled up in that picture–he usually looks so larger than LIFE!!!
I think StephLove’s idea of rereading “A Christmas Carol” every year is gold–I may have to pick that up. Sometimes Dickens irritates me though, so we shall see.
Thank you for the bark idea–it’s exactly my kind of recipe (improvise away!) and I like the idea of the house smelling chocolatey and pepperminty going into the weekend.
Have a wonderful and grand festive season, Nicole!
(And also, I was thinking that perhaps you could let your friend know that today is the day with the longest night. Do you think they’d go for that :)?)
Little Women is one of my favourite books (and movies). I am introducing them to my kids this month. So looking forward to it!
I made so many new treats this month for Christmas! We had fun tasting them before I froze the rest. They will show up in our table at Christmas and New Years’s. We are organizing two parties at our house and I am so excited about the menu. Food is one of my love languages. 🙂
I hope you’ll have a beautiful and relaxing Christmas and that 2024 will bring you lovely surprises and health. I am grateful to be able to read your blog Nicole. ❤️
That is such a great idea, Alina, to make and freeze! Food is also one of my love languages (although, sometimes I want someone else to have a food love language to make me something? Is that wrong?)
Merry Christmas to you, my friend! xoxo
Ha ha I totally know what you mean! I am lucky that my mom is bringing us delicious food once in a while. Although this is not her love language, she makes it because she knows that it makes us happy.
When I’ll pass by Kelowna, I’ll make sure to bring you some of my favourite food. Unless you come back to visit Calgary before I make my way to BC. 🙂
XOXO right back at you!
It’s a deal! xoxoxo
I hate to disappoint BOTH Nicole and Maya, but I don’t read A Christmas Carol every year. Someone else must have told you that. I have read it several times, including this year for book club, when we read it with several other Christmas stories by Dickens, and I concur it’s famous for a reason. (The others were fine, but just not as good.) It’s just such a satisfying story.
Your treats look very yummy. North’s done some holiday baking but I haven’t done any yet. Planning on making the gingerbread dough tonight, though.
I’m so sorry for the misrepresentation! I don’t know how I got that idea. Did I dream it? Did I somehow extrapolate your book club? Who can say. TIS THE SEASON.
Oooh, I bet North has made the most marvellous treats!
“Part of my aesthetic can be described as Sentimental Mom” – YES!! Holidays and birthdays make me so sentimental for years passed, yet I also feel like I was really grateful and aware of them while they were happening. Merry Christmas to you and your family in your beautiful home this year!
Merry Christmas to you too Colleen! I have a similar sentimental gratitude!
It’s so funny you mentioned Stollen! We decided last night that I should have a baking distraction on Christmas Day and it came down to a Stollen vs. a Tunis cake (we based our choices on the Great British Bake Off Christmas Master Class episodes, haha) – but, Tunis cake won because my daughter loves lemon… PS: I love your aesthetic and that new gnome is ADORABLE!!
I have never had either of those items! I like lemon a lot so maybe I’d enjoy Tunis!
Merry Christmas Nicole! And also Happy Winter Solstice!!!
We spent an abnormally long time on A Christmas Carol in high school English and I got severe burnout on it. But a year or two ago we saw A Muppet Christmas Carol which melted my heart and I think I’m finally due for a reread.
Would you believe that I have never seen Elf? The Hubs and I are considering it. Now that you mention it, it’s been a while since we’ve seen Christmas Vacation.
Never seen Elf! Well, I hope you do see it and I hope you love it. It’s just pure joy for me.
I can see why you’d never revisit A Christmas Carol. But it’s a nice short book!
I’m so happy the little gnome finally arrived! It took SO LONG! He must have been on a very exciting journey through the postal system! I was watching the tracking, and he had a very extended stay in Los Angeles. Of course, you know I adore Salvadore and the gnome games your family plays! I can’t think of anything better than finding him in various locations! I love that you keep the candle with bite marks – so precious! Your holiday treats look so yummy. And you look stunning in your little black dress! I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
An extended stay in Los Angeles! Oh my goodness, what an adventure he was on. I wonder if he was seeing all the West Coast sights, maybe popping over to Hollywood and trying out his footprints at Mann’s Theatre? Who can say! Thank you so much, I love him!
I love that you are enjoying finding just the right spots for all of your Christmas decorations. The house looks lovely. Salvatore popping up all over is hilarious. Rae cannot resist moving a few of the people on my Chrismtas houses display. A nun from the church might end up on the top of the art museum. One never knows. Displaying a candle with baby teeth marks and celebrating as a sentimental mom – I’m with you. There are so many sweet memories in the ornaments and the little homemade hand prints, etc. I love your stockings. Our new ones arrived and I’m underwhelmed by them, but they look cute and everyone has a stocking now so there’s that. Have a wonderful Christmas.
Aw, I love that Rae is moving around your Christmas house display. That’s so sweet!
Well wasn’t this just a giant cup of peppermint mocha reading for my day.
First, you look gorgeous. Like, so, so gorgeous in that picture. I so appreciate how confidently you pull off your style and your body and you are just a credit to women everywhere and such an inspiration to me. You look like you just walked out of a magazine and I love how you glow with positivity!!!
That gnome from Michelle should break the internet. Too cute.
And I need some of those peppermint truffles. Gah. They look amazing (as does the bark). Really, I just want to pop by your house and sample everything.
I’m mostly doing the Christmas prep this year. I don’t mind, I just find it hard to juggle the cooking and baking AND entertaining. I miss when I had nothing to do on Christmas Day except show up, but I’ve taken steps to make it less intensive (spreading out holiday meals over longer really helps – we don’t have Christmas Dinner until Boxing Day so I can mostly relax on Christmas. And this year I have outsourced lunch – open-faced sandwiches, crackers, cheese, olives, veggies etc – to my husband. And supper is already in the freezer waiting…so Christmas should be relatively relaxing food wise?
Have a fantastic Christmas. I will miss your posts so much, and can’t wait to hear all about your holiday!
Oh, you are TOO sweet, thank you so much for that lovely comment! I wish you WERE here, you could not only sample everything, but I would also make peanut butter chocolate treats. I haven’t done that yet, but we have houseguests coming for New Year’s and pb&c is their favourite, so I will wait until then.
You’re so smart to get all the food done in advance! I’m going to try to do as much as possible prior to the 25th as well.
Oh my GOSH– I also have Serious Issues with pretty much ALL of the transcendentalists. I love this Thoreau hatred you have. I also adore Little Women in all forms, but especially that version. Love the candle, love the decorations– Merry Christmas!!
Sarah, I know. I KNOW. Just the mention of Thoreau and the transcendentalists MAKES ME FURIOUS. Like, zero to sixty furious. There was a really popular book not long ago – maybe it was the Midnight Library, I don’t know, I’ve blocked – and it raved about Thoreau, tons of references and quotes, and it ruined the whole book for me. I just ranted the whole time, reading it, so that now my husband is like “oh, I think that’s that writer you hate” whenever he hears a Thoreau reference. Living in the woods to live deliberately, go fuck yourself.
I do not know how or why my dog gets so stinky. I bathed her on Sunday and by Tuesday night, she smelled like gross. She LOOKS fine, but you can smell her coming. I shall bath her again this weekend (maybe Saturday?), but she will be a little whiffy by Christmas, I guarantee it. She doesn’t roll around or go muddy places. Why is she so stinky? So, I am sympathetic to your grooming plight.
We do not have stockings, which makes me sad. We just don’t have a good location to hang them – no mantel, no awesome stair rails. So I do without and the bonus is that I don’t have to figure out stocking stuffers.
I’ve never read A Christmas Carol, either, so I just downloaded it (FOR FREE) onto my Kindle and it will be my next Kindle book! You have influenced me!
Some dogs are just more aromatic than others! I think Barkley’s doggy aroma got stronger with age. I don’t think he smelled really until he was over ten. But Rex is…well, I guess he’s a farm dog now. He gets very muddy generally, and he loves rolling around – although he doesn’t roll in gross things like his predecessor!
I was really expecting you to stan either the Katharine Hepburn or June Allyson Little Women! I grew up with the June Allyson so that’s the OG for me, even though I think it is widely regarded as the lesser of the four — but Elizabeth Taylor’s Amy is very funny. And the Beth is very very sweet in that one. Until 2019 that was my fave, but Greta Gerwig’s kind of blew my mind — and Florence Pugh! What a revelation! I never loved Amy before.
I… am both dying to know and don’t want to know why you don’t eat turkey, gravy, potatoes, or stuffing. 🫠
I know, I love Amy so much in the 2019!! “Do not tell me marriage isn’t an economic proposition for women, because it is.” GIRL.
I don’t eat turkey or gravy because I don’t eat meat, and I don’t like mashed potatoes at all (too mushy and bland for my liking) and stuffing almost always has some kind of meat product/ onion/ celery in it (and celery is my least-favourite vegetable, I have a huge aversion). Plus I don’t like how it looks! So, you know, turkey dinners of my youth were always a bit of a hungry affair for me.
Oh I love your house, and your black dress, and your gnomes, it’s all so perfect for perfect you. I have a beautiful edition of A Christmas Carol that I always take out for Christmas and sometimes forget to read, thanks for the reminder.
I feel the same way about the Little Women movies – when I realized what Greta Gerwig was doing at the end of the second one I was absolutely in awe.
It is IN NO WAY spoiled of you to want someone else to make you some food for once goddammit. But at least there are kalettes.
Thank you for validating my (slightly whiny) grievance! xoxoxo
OMG that movie is genius. GENIUS!
Thank you for the shout out! You know I need a recipe for everything. Maybe I will find some motivation and make some bark! My mom did mail us a big package of goodies, all of which were gluten free. She LOVES baking and she got such joy out of the picture of my boys enjoying cookies last night with dinner. But holiday baking can be so much work!
I feel the need to add that I was merrily working this morning, enjoying a Starbucks latte and preparing for my annual review with my new hire when daycare called to tell me Taco had thrown up and was not his usual self. Can you even freaking believe that? He had had a rough morning but it’s hard to tell if he’s not feeling well or just mad at the world because it’s morning (he LOATHES mornings). So now besides worrying about someone else getting covid I”m also fearing that a stomach bug is lurking in our house just waiting to pop up and ruin our Christmas.
Anyways, with that diatribe aside, I can get back to the subjects of this post. That black dress is fabulous!! One can not have too many black dresses, especially black dresses WITH SLEEVES because the world is a freezing cold place all months of the year. Even in the summer I would like a dress with sleeves because office buildings are heated for a 200 lb man in a suit.
I read one holiday book in November which was really cute – Faking Christmas is what it was called I think? I have another one on my hold list but it probably won’t be available until January. Last year I read a few holiday books in Jan/Feb and it was actually kind of nice since it was still wintery out.
The gnome on the shelf is just too cute for words.
NO NO NO NOOOOO VOMIT. Gosh I hope it was a one-off/ he gets better immediately. You just cannot catch a break!
The bark is gluten free! So it would be a perfect easy treat. I agree, holiday baking is a lot of work!
SLEEVES. I love a good sleeve!
Oh, the Muppets Christmas Carol! I haven’t seen that it too long, now I want to watch it. I just requested it from the library. Thank you. Happy holidays to you, and I look forward to what you write about them after.
It’s a fun watch! Enjoy, my friend!
I love every word of this, even the pre-Festivus grievancing. I am also a little grumpy that you have to make all that food so that you have something to eat. Like, I get maybe that the Main Cook might not make all one’s favorites, but to make NOTHING that you eat is irksome, Nicole. IRKSOME. But the fall salad is fabulous, so I’m delighted it’s going to grace the Christmas table. And kalettes!!! Which I still have yet to see in the wild (ie the grocery store or Costco) but look for all the time.
THANK YOU. I am mostly over it but sometimes, not? You know. And I do love that fall salad and most of it can be prepped in advance, so I won’t have to spend Christmas day doing a bunch of cooking. Mostly.
My favorite line of this post is this one: I don’t watch movies generally; I usually fall asleep during them because I have become my own dad. I have also become my own Dad, nodding out over a book (I was just resting my eyes!!) and falling asleep the moment my head hits the pillow (I used to be amazed when we would go camping together and I would lie there while he and my brother snored away).
Also…Muppets Christmas Carol is one of my favorite Christmas movies and I can’t believe that your boys (all three of them!) have never seen it. I am so glad that you have enlightened them, because…wherever you find love it feels like Christttttmaaaaas!
Your little black dress is very cute and you have made it warmer while still being classy! I am team black all the way and even for work generally have various black things which always match each other. However, my black dresses are more skimpy so a winter version would be a good add for me. Have a great Christmas with your family, Nicole!
Thanks so much, Kyria! And yes, it’s amazing how fast I can fall asleep when a movie is on!
My brother was an extra in that new Little Women movie! He is in the wedding scene, but he flashes by so quickly that I have seen the movie twice and have not found him either time. I had to pause it and go through it frame by frame. But it is still very pleasing, because I entirely agree with your assessment of that movie as a love letter.
Swistle, I remember you saying that and every time I watch the movie I look to the musicians in the wedding scene, and I always think “Someone in there is Swistle’s brother.” I feel like it’s six degrees of famous separation!
I adored (and still do) the Little Women book – but, I have never seen any of the movies. I need to rectify this immediately.
I hope you and the boys have a very merry Christmas!! xo
Yes you do!
Merry Christmas to you and your beautiful, newly expanded family!
The view of and from your family room is just gorgeous, inside and out. Good idea for your stockings. We do have a fireplace in our current home, but no mantel. We have special stocking holders that I didn’t want to not use, so the stockings hang from a bookcase now. I didn’t get a chance to read Holidays on Ice this year. I could really use some Dinah right now! Have a wonderful next couple of weeks and I’ll see in you ‘24! XO
Oh, the bookcase with stocking holders – that’s so smart! Have a happy holiday!
Enjoy your blog break!!!
Our house sounds like your old one- we have to reaarange furniture to put the Christmas tree up, and everything does start to feel cramped and cluttered. I can imagine how much you’re enjoying having SPACE this year.
All your treats look sooooo delicious. And, give clean and fluffy Rex a big Christmas hug from me!
Thanks so much, Jenny! Will do!
Merry Christmas Nicole! I love the little teeth marks too and I think ‘Sentimental Mom’ is a definite asthetic. 🎄🤶🎄
It’s a great esthetic! Merry Christmas to you!
I am not a fan of Little Woman the book but I LOVE the 2019 adaptation. It’s so good! It made me really happy when I watched it.
Elf and Christmas Vacation are two must-watches for me every holiday season!
I’ve never made any sort of bark, and I should change that! Thank you for the very simple recipe for people like Lisa and me who need it, haha.
Merry Christmas, friend! You are such a joy.
Thanks so much, Stephany! Merry Christmas to you! That bark is so easy and pretty much anything goes when you make it.
Merry Christmas Nicole! It must have been so much fun decorating your new house. It looks so lovely. I hear you on the Christmas tree space. We have a fairly large house but the layout doesn’t allow for much space for a tree. I bought a new slimmer version a couple years ago but it always seems crowded. I look forward to all your updates in the new year.
Merry Christmas Pat! Yes, it felt like jenga in the old house, just trying to make everything fit! It’s nice to have the space.
This was such a delightful read, Nicole! First Christmas in the new home! Salvadore! The little Charlie Brown tree! Your outfit! Treats (specially the bark — I should try to make some)! Hope you and your family are enjoying Christmas and family/visitors. Thank you for providing consistent, fun reads throughout the year; I’ve really enjoyed reading your blog!
Thanks so much, M! I’m so happy you’re reading 🙂 And I hope you make that bark – it couldn’t be easier!
Gnomes are the absolute best. Thank you for bringing joy to all of our lives this year, Nicole. Cannot wait to hear how all of the festive celebrations – food-centered and otherwise (wait, is there an “otherwise” category??) – went in the new home. I hope you started making some fantastic memories. <3
Thanks so much Anne! xoxoxo
I love how you’ve decorated your home and the fact that you’re so excited to have more space to do it in. *Everything Everywhere All At Once*
I think the stockings on the railing is such a cute idea; probably better than the fireplace because NOTHING WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO BURN.
You still have the candle your son took a bite out of at 8mo? You are my people.
Hashtag Kalette Influencer….you had me rolling!
Someone gave me a Christmas Gnome and I could ONLY think of you!! XO
Suz, we had a gas fireplace at our old house and I had the pilot light extinguished when my oldest was a baby because I was so worried he’d flip the switch and burn himself/ blow the house up. I never had it turned back on until we sold it!
I watched fewer Christmas movies than usual, but I did see National Lampoon’s Christmas and Elf! 🙂
I love your new home, that you have a place for the tree and all the sentimental decorations. And I was wondering about Salvadore!
The sweets look amazing. I really wanna make my own bark next year.
The bark is so easy to make and so versatile!