Here are a few of my favorite things this holiday season!
1. Coffee Mugs
I found these re-usable travel coffee mugs at Wal-Mart for $5. Now, I'm sure some of you are thinking "Big Deal....it's a coffee mug". But, seriously folks, I LOVE THESE! The seal in them is such that you don't end up spilling. The seal is just awesome. That's really all I can say. LOVE LOVE LOVE these! I went back, bought a bunch more for gifts and a few more for me!
2. Christmas light card holder
A wonderful friend made this for me after I commented on loving it after seeing it on her daughter-in-law's blog. (did you follow that...) The felt Christmas light bulbs have a clothes pin on the back. You hang your Christmas cards by attaching the clothes pin to the jute twine that you have strung from point to point. Sadly, I am stalking the mailman daily so that I can get more cards to hang on my card holder! I absolutely LOVE it! Such a creative thing, and Susan didn't scrimp when she made this baby. Each bulb is sewn to a green back, and it's sewn in the color thread that corresponds to the Christmas bulb. She added her own touch of silver glitter paint as an accent, which just makes my eyes twinkle! Did I mention that I LOVE this card holder? Thank you Susan....I am smitten!
3. Cookie Exchanges. I have a cookie exchange planned for Tuesday, so I have no photo to represent this favorite thing, but I can tell you all about it. If you host a cookie exchange you pick the amount of cookies and then coordinate to make sure all guests are bringing a different cookie. So, each guest brings say 3 or 4 dozen of the SAME type of cookie. Everyone mixes and mingles and you take all of the cookies brought and divide them up into plates. Each guest then is able to take home a plate with the 3 (or 4) dozen cookies, but they cookies are assorted. Everyone goes home with a beautiful plate of Christmas cookie goodness! I have added a couple of twists to mine this year. First of all, I have asked all guests to e-mail me the recipe for their cookie. I will put those recipes into Word and then print off a mini cookie book with all recipes for everyone that attends. Then, since the exchange is the week of Christmas and all the kids are home from school, I made this a "Mom's Cookie Exchange" and hired my very favorite babysitter in the entire world to come and supervise all of the kids in the basement while the Moms are upstairs! I have printed off coloring and activity pages from the Internet and bought a few inexpensive craft kits for the kids to do. The toy room is ready for lots of fun! The kids will have their own "party" downstairs while us Moms party upstairs! I am hoping this is a huge success and that it will become a "revised" tradition for our friends and family.
I was going to close this post, but just remembered that I have some new website newsletters that I want to share with you.
First of all, Parent's Magazine has their "100 Days of Holidays". I think I got my first one in 2010 around September 24th. I never have time to look through them immediately, so I created a "Holiday Ideas" folder in my e-mail in-box and drop them all in there. Then, when I need a craft, recipe, or decorating idea, I go to that folder and ALWAYS find something awesome! To sign up, go to www.parents.com and find the "100 Days of Holidays" box and click "Sign Up".
My next web newsletter is a new discovery. A Pre-K Mom told me about it and I've gotten some GREAT deals. The newsletter itself is called The Screaming Penny. You can sign up at www.pinchingyourpennies.com . Some days the deals they have are better than others, but I have bought 2 Christmas gifts on there that I would've never found had I not gotten the newsletter. Today, for example, I was able to pick up the ENTIRE Seinfeld series on DVD for
under $90, shipped. Jeff and I love watching those Seinfeld episodes, so I thought that might really be something fun to get him as a surprise. (but if he actually reads this blog, which I totally doubt, then the jig is up Momma!) This wasn't on my gift giving list, but at that price, I know it's something he'll like so I got it. The list price is $250.95. I paid $84.99 which was listed as 66% off.
That's not ALL of my favorite things, but for now it's enough. I hope you enjoy time with your families and friends this holiday season. Don't stress out...enjoy the time with people you love!
Lori
PS...I don't have blog sponsors or anything, so please don't think that I'm mentioning these products or services in exchange for sponsorship!
1 comment:
I just realized that I forgot to change the music! Ugh...can't believe I did that! Well, the music (at least the first 3 songs) match the post. Merry Christmas to you and yours!
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