1) Balsam fir candles
If I can’t have a real tree in my home, at least it can smell like I do! I love hoarding balsam fir candles, even though I only want to burn them in December. It’s my go-to December scent, and it makes my apartment smell so cozy and Christmassy! I have tried many different brands for these candles, but Bath & Body Works consistently has the strongest scent.
2) Pepperidge Farm Mini Gingerman Cookies
Until a few years ago, I didn’t think I liked gingerbread anything. And then I tried a gingerbread cookie and my mind was blown. Gingerbread is so tasty! I’m on a mission to eat gingerbread everything, so when I saw a package of these cookies on an endcap at my local Publix, I snapped it up and now I am fully obsessed. Right now, Publix is selling four packages of these cookies for $5, and I have bought way too many of them in the past few weeks. I am officially banned from buying any more!
3) Automatic lights
This one goes to Elisabeth, who introduced me to the concept of smart plugs, which has truly changed my life. I always thought I couldn’t have a “smart” house since I’m in an apartment, but yes, yes I can! With these smart plugs, I can turn my lights on and off with my voice or using an app. And even better, I can set my Christmas lights to turn on and off automatically. Do you know how many times I’ve left my Christmas lights off because I’m too lazy to plug them in every single night? Too many. Now, the lights turn on at 5 p.m. every night and it feels so magical. When they turn on, I announce to the cats, “Merry Christmas!” every evening, and I am sure they love that as much as I do.
4) Wrapping presents
I love wrapping presents. I like to think I’m good at it and I like the challenge of wrapping gifts that are more uniquely shaped. I don’t know if I’m good enough to wrap presents at one of those Christmas wrapping kiosks, but I can’t lie and say I haven’t thought about how much I would enjoy doing that for a few hours on a weekend. I always wish I had more presents to wrap every Christmas season, so yes, I will come to your house and wrap all your presents!
5) All things peppermint
I mean, what is more Christmas than peppermint? Peppermint mochas, peppermint hot chocolate, peppermint creamer, peppermint cookies, peppermint frosting, peppermint treats… give me all of the peppermint! Chocolate and peppermint is my all-time favorite combination, and I love that I have so many options during the holiday season!
What’s one of your holiday favorites this year?
Yessss! Lights!!!! So magical! My favorite part is exchanging holiday cards. Okay, actually, it’s GETTING holiday cards. I also love wrapping paper. Not wrapping gifts, but the actual paper itself – it’s so pretty and festive and there are so many varieties!
Yesss to festive wrapping paper! I think that’s another reason I wish I had more gifts to wrap. I want to buy more pretty wrapping paper!
In early December, I got my mail and it was ONLY HOLIDAY CARDS. No junk, no bills. Just holiday delight. The best!!
I think I need some smart plugs in my life. Everything coming on automatically when I come downstairs in the morning sounds delightful. I also love wrapping presents. My mom got me a wrapping paper kit she made for my birthday one year when I was a kid and I loved it.
My favorite part of Christmas is the lights and decorations for the tree.
I highly recommend the smart plugs! It is so nice when they click on every evening, or when I arrive home and my Christmas tree is all lit up. It’s so festive and cozy!
I have so many Christmas favourites, but right now I am drinking a peppermint mocha coffee while looking at my tree all twinkly with lights and I am HERE FOR IT!
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the automatic timers. So handy, right???
I will definitely send my wrapping your way. I love looking at wrapped packages, but it is a lot of work! After I’ve wrapped a handful, I’m pretty much “over” it. But it’s part of Christmas magic so I mostly do it with a happy heart.
Ha – I told a friend today that next Christmas she should just ship all her kids’ presents to me and I can wrap them for her. PLEASE LET ME WRAP ALL THE PRESENTS!!!
My current holiday favorite is lights–I love our twinkly lights in the living room and walking around our neighborhood to look at lights–some people really go all out, and it is so fun!
I love passing houses that are fully decked out for the holiday. It just fills me with whimsy!
Oh, maybe I should get a smart plug for my Christmas tree! I just added ‘balsim fir candle’ to my list of things to do/get today. I’m picking up some bread from the bakery in our local mall, and there is a BBW there, so thank you for that recommendation!
I kind of like gift wrapping, but the amount of gifts I have to wrap is PLENTY for me. Which reminds me, I might do some of that today…
Yes, get the smart plug! It was my best purchase this year BY FAR. It has made everything so much more convenient!
Yes to smart plugs! Our tree turns on at 5 am and stays on until 10pm. I had to switch to from 6 to 5 so it is always on when I come downstairs. A few times I have been up at 4 something and will turn it on via the ap. I refuse to adjust the timer any earlier because I don’t want to accept that waking before 5 is happening. Our outdoor lights go on at 4pm and turn off at 7am. Smart plugs for the win!
I also love others’ lights and outdoor decor. We are going to look at lights after dinner tonight and I can’t wait!!
Going to look at lights is one of my favorite holiday traditions! I am just so amazed at people who go ALL OUT.
I should have my Christmas lights come on in the early morning, but I’ve been sleeping until 7am these days and the sun is already up. (Hey, if I can’t go to the gym right now, at least I get to sleep in?!)
PEPPERMINT YESSSSS GIRL!!!! Love it all. This is our season, us peppermint girlies!!!
Humph, I clearly needed to fly you in to wrap all my gifts! I do not like wrapping, I’m not good at it, and I just find it to be an exercise in frustration. WHY can’t I cut the paper properly? Why is it always so wrinkly? Why does my hair fall out from the stress and get stuck in the Scotch tape?
I told a friend who has three young children that next year she can just ship all of her presents to my apartment, and I’ll wrap them for her! So she doesn’t have to wrap anything OR worry the kids will see their presents beforehand. A win/win!
I love the deluge of mail in December. I sincerely love it. I love hanging holiday cards up, I love the tree in the living room, I love Zelda hiding from the dog under the tree, I love that I can bake cookies whenever I want and no one questions it. I just love it all.
(Okay, that’s a lie. I don’t like wrapping, stressing about getting to the post office, or the emphasis on religion – lol, I’m such a heathen – but there are candy canes and dogs wearing red kerchiefs, so I think it’s great on balance.)
I do NOT love the post office stress, either, so I feel you on that! The mail is so much more fun to get in December!
I am very much hating gift wrapping. You would think with my creative tendency I’d be good at it but nope. I need a shit load of tape to hold it together. I tried the Japanese wrapping technique this year.. well there is room for improvement. But at least I tried.
Gingerbread is amazing. I haven’t made some in a few years. Maybe that could be a goal for next year.
I don’t know why I love gift wrapping so much! Maybe there’s just somehting about figuring out how to perfectly wrap a gift with just the right amount of wrapping paper that soothes something in me, ha.
Okay, seriously. Get in your car and start driving right now- I have LOTS of presents for you to wrap!!! The thing is, I like wrapping too. I just wish I didn’t feel so rushed and frantic about it. I have to get everything wrapped tonight because tomorrow is going to be nonstop action.
Peppermint… gingerbread… yes and yes. I don’t think there’s anything I DON’T like about Christmas.
I wish we lived closer, Jenny! I would love to come over and help with the wrapping. 🙂 I told a friend with three young kids that, next year, she can just ship all the presents to my apartment and I’ll do the wrapping for her. ha!
Peppermint chocolate is one of my favorite combinations too, especially around the holidays! And I am thrilled to read that you discovered gingerbread. It is indeed quite tasty.
I also have a couple of smart plugs at home (though not voice- or app-controlled!) and they’re so convenient!