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Merry and Bright
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items I love Christmas and the holiday season! The lights and warm wishes, the focus on giving and sharing, time spent with family as you celebrate. Joy to the world! (This list contains affiliate links to items that I love and enjoy. If you purchase somet...
Sections
4
Gifts to Put A Smile On Anyone's Face
The Hostess With The Mostest
Holiday Traditions
Fun Holiday Travel
Gifts to Put A Smile On Anyone's Face
'Tis better to give than to receive, and I couldn't agree more! (Though I also wouldn't mind receiving any of the gifts on this list myself)
These are a great gift for any group that you're shopping for! Personalized and thoughtful (and yummy!), everyone loves a steaming cup of hot cocoa.
BULK Christmas Hot Cocoa Jars - Holiday Favors BULK - Employee Holiday Favor - Affordable Holiday Favor - Hot Chocolate Jars - Hot Chocolate
So simple, dainty, and elegant, this minimalist initial letter necklace with a birthstone will put a smile on anyone's face. It's great for a best friend gift or for your mom, wife, girlfriend, or sister. (Honestly, I don't know who wouldn't love to ...
Sideways Initial Birthstone Necklace by Caitlyn Minimalist • Dainty Gemstone Letter Necklace, Personalized Birthday Gifts • NM84F77
Land's End has the best fuzzy slippers. They're durable enough that you can wear them to run outside, and they're so soft and cozy.
Women's Suede Leather Fuzzy Shearling Fur Scuff Slippers
Candles sometimes get a bad rap as a gift, and I personally think that's nonsense. I love candles, and they're such a warm, inviting gift to share.
Fall Beeswax Candles | 100% Pure Organic Beeswax and Pure Essential Oils | Non-Toxic, Sustainable & Clean Burning | Natural Wood Wick Candle
Such a thoughtful, classy, personalized gift for any writer in your life or anyone who enjoys being organized or making lists.
Personalized Portfolio with Notepad, Custom Padfolios, Personalized Portfolio for Men, Coworker Gift Custom Engraved, Business Gift
This is such a cute gift for avid readers!
Personalized Embroidered corner bookmark,Custom Name Bookmark,Gift for Book Lovers,Gift for woman,Bridesmaid Gift Idea,Thank You Gift
When I was little, I used to hate getting socks in my stocking, but as an adult, I honestly can't think of something I enjoy more than a really fabulous pair of soft, warm socks.
Miss June’s | 1 Pair Cashmere Wool blended socks | Size5–7 | winter| Warm | Soft | High quality | Gift idea | Thanksgiving | women’s socks | Cozy Gifts
The Hostess With The Mostest
I'm an unfussy host, but I do love to make people feel welcome in my home.
This custom charcuterie board is absolutely gorgeous and perfect for hosting any holiday party!
Personalized Charcuterie Board | Acacia wood Cheese board | Custom Charcuterie board set | Wedding Gift | Personalized Christmas Gift
Aprons are such a fun and cute way to protect your outfit from kitchen insanity while you're getting food and drinks ready up until the last minute. This adorable one can be customized with your choice of words.
Custom Aprons for Womens Aprons Ruffled with Pockets Hostess Gift Ideas Personalized Apron Pink Aprons Personalized (EB3353CT)
I love my milk frother, and it always delights my guests when I can add that special extra of frothed milk to their beverage.
Zulay Powerful Milk Frother Handheld Foam Maker for Lattes - Whisk Drink Mixer for Coffee, Mini Foamer for Cappuccino, Frappe, Matcha, Hot Chocolate by Milk Boss (Black)
A good stiff doormat is so welcoming, and it also helps save a little vaccuming on the other side of the party.
Modern Doormat Welcome Mat, Custom Door mat Housewarming Gift Wedding Gift Gift for couples Anniversary Gift Personalized Doormat
Murphy beds have come a long way, and if you want to have a spot for guests without dedicating an entire room to it full-time, this is a great option!
Ambrosia Queen Solid Wood Mobile Murphy Bed with Mattress
This is another great bedding alternative. I've found this foldout mattress to be especially helpful when kiddos spend the night. (affiliate)
Molblly Folding Mattress, 6 inch Memory Foam Tri Folding Mattress, Portable Trifold Mattress Topper with Breathable & Washable Cover, Foldable Mattress Guest Bed for Camping, Twin - 38"x 75"x 6"
I'm the coaster queen. It saves furniture, and I always appreciate when people have coasters strewn about their home at easy grabbing distance for drinks. These are nice and absorbent.
4 Inch Round Felt Coasters, 5mm Thick Merino Wool Felt Drink Coaster Set
Holiday Traditions
I love that every family has different holiday traditions. Here are some of my family's (and some that would be fun to incorporate.)
I love learning about how people around the world celebrate winter holidays. This is a fun article, and it has some great ideas that you could incorporate into your own family traditions.
11 Holiday Traditions from Around the World
While I'm amused by other parents' antics putting their “Elf on the Shelf” into wild situations and funny capers, I'm not going to lie. I am waaaaay too lazy for that. This is a great alternative. Pull him out, plop him down. (affiliate)
Santa's Lazy Gnome |The Lazy Alternative to The Elf on the Shelf | Book & Gnome (Argyle or Snowflake))
One of our family's traditions is to get a LEGO Advent calendar set each year and take turns putting together the mini sets. It's always fun to pull out past year's sets, and we've developed quite a large (and eclectic) little Christmas village at th...
LEGO Harry Potter 2023 Advent Calendar 76418 Christmas Countdown Playset with Daily Suprises, Discover New Experiences with this Holiday Gift Featuring 18 Hogsmeade Village Mini Builds & 6 Minifigures
This Advent calendar can be personalized, and you can put a treat in the little drawers as you count your way down to Christmas.
Personalized Advent Calendar - Custom Wooden Advent Calendar - Christmas Countdown - Custom Christmas Gift - Kids Advent - Country Christmas
If you have younger children or more than one child, this sweet rolling Advent calendar has hooks that you could hang multiple treat bags from.
Wooden Advent Calendar For Kids Adult Rustic Holiday Decor Christmas Decor Home Decoration 2023 Nativity Scene Set Advent Activity Gifts
We started the tradition of “reindeer dust” when our boys were very young, and they still love sprinkling it out on the lawn. And if the recipe just happens to have food that the birds love as well…that's a bonus. ;)
Santa's Magical Reindeer Food | Personalized Reindeer Food | Festive Christmas gift for Children | Reindeer Dust | Christmas Eve Gift
My family always does a puzzle over the holidays. This was last year's, a Jane Austen puzzle featuring all of her characters in their manor houses. Such a fun, intricate piece.
The World of Jane Austen 1000 Piece Puzzle: A Jigsaw Puzzle with 60 Characters and Great Houses to Find
For the few, brave people out there who attempt a gingerbread house from scratch, this site has great tips on the best way to construct one!
10 Tips for Making the Perfect Gingerbread House — The Palmier
Some years, when we're having an especially low-key holiday, we like to go watch a movie, either on Christmas evening or on Boxing Day. Alama Drafthouse is one of my favorite movie chains with their comfy seats and large menu!
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
Baking and decorating cookies is one of the only traditions that the grandkids/cousins can ALL agree on (and request each year).
Christmas Cookie Cutter Set of 4 with Milk, Cookie, Reindeer, Carrot
It's not bedtime on Christmas Eve until we've left out cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer!
Wooden Santa Milk and Cookie Tray, Personalized Santa Cookie Tray, Christmas Eve Treat Tray, Santa Treat Tray, Santa Cookies and Milk Tray
I love this beautiful Nativity set carved out of olive wood. If your family celebrates the Advent season, it's a sturdy set that kids can play with as they read through the Christmas story as you go through your Advent readings.
Nativity scene set carved inside an olive tree branch - Holy Land Nativity set - Wooden Manger Scene Nativity for Christmas decoration
This menorah is beautiful! One of my Jewish friends always hand-makes a new menorah with her son every year, and she's gotten so creative, adding holes and candles to everything from dinosaur toys to LEGO bricks.
Tree of Life Menorah - 9 Candle for Hanukkah - Item #824, Holiday or Decor
Fun Holiday Travel
One thing that we love to do as a family around the holidays is go on vacations! With my husband's family, we've done several beach and cruise trips. But the winter holidays are also a great time to visit the mountains or cozy up in a cabin getaway. ...
Going on a cruise with Royal Caribbean is always a blast, but it's extra fun during the holidays when the ship is decorated to the nines! Such a special way to celebrate with family.
Royal Caribbean Cruises
Disney is my other favorite cruise line. We did one Christmas cruise with my husband's family, and it doesn't get much better than Christmas cookies with Mickey and Minnie!
Disney Cruise Line
If you want to stay in the heart of the 30A beach stretch in Seaside, Florida, with a big group, this incredible property is perfect!! Right on the beach, beautifully appointed, sleeps 10…you can't go wrong.
Buckeye on the Beach | GULF FRONT | Seaside, FL | Right next to Town Center, Sleeps 10!Popular LocationPopular LocationPopular LocationAirport
If your family is into skiing, this home is amazing and the perfect place for everyone to rest their heads while hitting the slopes! It sleeps 10 comfortably, so great for an extended family holiday get-together.
Magnificent Custom Home Right by the Slopes-Every Amenity Imaginable to Enjoy in Breckenridge, Colorado
We had so much fun staying in this deluxe cabin in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, one year for New Year's with family. It had plenty of space for everyone to spread out and get comfy, was a close drive to Dollywood, downtown Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and e...
✦BIG MTN VIEWS ✦THEATER ✦Hot Tub~Arcade~Billiards ✦Hi-Speed WIFI ✦Near Everything in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee