The best way to spread Christmas cheer

Is to decorate with as much gold metallic as possible!

And to blast the Classic Christmas radio station. You can keep the newer Christmas songs, but I'm more than happy to have Rosemary Clooney, Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, Burl Ives and the rest of the classic gang. Okay fine, I love me some Mariah Carey too, but in smaller doses.  Also, David Bowie and Bing Crosby's version of The Little Drummer Boy is my absolute favorite Christmas song. I stop whatever I'm doing when I hear it and I just sit down to soak it in. 

In my mind, I keep our Christmas decorations pretty minimal and mainly to our living room, but my husband disagrees with me. Our fireplace and mantle are in the man cave, which is outside the scope of my decorating territory rights. This year I did add a tiny bit of glitter to our dining room. I had purchased straight glitter wrapping paper and wrapped two large canvases with it. Honesty, after opening the roll it looked like a Ke$ha party came through my dining room. My intention was to hang candy canes and bring some glitter to the dining room. The hubs mentioned that if the candy canes fell down while we were at work that Jax would likely overdose on sugar. That's not a good thing, so the candy canes got nixed. I attached our Christmas cards to them instead, but I didn't get that done during daylight hours this weekend. 

The decorations also spilled over into our kitchen with the simplest addition in the world - my grandmother's antique ceramic Christmas tree. Now, I don't know if she would approve of it being stationed next to our bar area, but it looks perfect there and in front of the big window. Plus, it's the safest place in the house for such an antique item. 

The decorations and extra lights don't seem to bother Jax at all, as long as he can nap on the couch he's good to go. Jewels is even less impressed that I coordinated wrapping paper with the Christmas tree decorations. 

I can't wait to open presents tomorrow night. It's our little tradition that we open our gifts at home, play with the pups with wrapping paper, and then head out to NY. We're doing Christmas morning at my aunt and uncle's farm this year. So excited!

Office Holiday Party

I'm almost done with this year's round of holiday parties. Well if you don't consider "almost done" as still having the hub's office party tonight, a luncheon on Sunday, a dinner Monday night, and then you know the feast on actual Christmas day.  Oh I just got tired thinking about all of this again.

But last week we had my office's holiday party. So the hubs wore a navy blue suit with a pink tie and pink shirt. And I clashed by wearing black and white. Our cheeks were a little rosy by the end of the night and I wouldn't have had it any other way. The very best part - my best friend scored a coveted client invite.  It's always fun when people ask, "how often do you two work together?" And we really don't. We work with the same federal programs, but on different pieces of the proverbial pie. But it's fun to respond to people, "oh we've been friends since college."

Maybe we'll get a few better photos at the hubs party tonight, but I don't think that's the point of holiday parties :)

How many parties do you have left this holiday season?

'Twas the Week Before Christmas

Made in USA: Buffalo Check Shirt: Steven Alan (on super sale!)  // Jeans: Paige Denim // Shoes: Oka-B // Lip gloss: Mineral Fusion // Nails: Zoya 'Avery' 

'Twas the week before Christmas and my to-do list was still a nerve wracking mile long. It was daunting. Then, I got a cold and that knocked me out of commission for 36 hours. A whole day lost and there were still gifts to be purchased and even more gifts to be wrapped. Most importantly, I missed a beer festival! 

Thankfully, I was able to check one thing off the list this weekend: Jax's new sweater does fit him! Ohthankgoodness. At least someone in the family is ready for Christmas morning. Jewels has numerous outfits because she gets cold so easily - we'll just have to figure out which one she wears this year. 

I kept telling myself over the weekend that I'd get everything done this week. Yeah, everyone else in the family laughed aloud right there with me. 

What's still left on your Christmas to-do list? Anyone else panicking?

If you needed a last minute gift you should check out that Steven Alan shirt because it's pretty much been my casual Friday and weekend errands shirt for the past month.

Rye Apple Cider Cocktail

Want a super easy and seasonably appropriate adult beverage? Then keep on reading! 

Rye Apple Cider Cocktail:

- 2 parts Apple Cider (chilled is best)

- 2 parts Ginger Ale (chilled is best)

- 1 part Rye

Combine apple cider and rye in a shaker with ice and shake. Pour into an old fashioned glass over ice, add ginger ale, and enjoy! You can add a garnish if you like. I added cinnamon to the rim of my glass to give it even more of a festive taste. The ginger ale keeps it light and fresh, which is perfect for feasting with friends. 

Now, you can certainly substitute the rye for your favorite bourbon. I personally substitute a rye for bourbon when the recipe calls for combining with cold apple cider. I just find the slightly fruity flavor of rye pairs better with a cold apple cider. It's just crispier. Now, if the recipe is for a warm cider drink then by all means use a bourbon. That's just my personal preference. 

What's your favorite Rye recipe?

Midnight Madness in Annapolis

It goes without saying that the Christmas season is one of my favorite times of the years. There's nothing more beautiful than the pure joy in the air this time of the year.

One of my favorite things to do during the holiday season is to walk around and look at as many light displays as possible. I love Christmas lights! I think it's because when I was a kid there was a guy in town who was routinely listed as having one of the best Christmas light displays in the country. It was a yearly trip to see the Decker house. Those memories are why I have dragged my hubs up to 34th Street in Baltimore more than once to see the houses shining bright.

This past Thursday the hubs and I put on our coats and gloves (I packed hats for both of us) and we walked around Annapolis during Midnight Madness. It's a celebration on Thursdays where all the local shops stay open until midnight and it's basically one big party. Like it's totally cool to walk down the street with a to-go cup of wine in hand. Everything is light up like a Christmas tree, including the green and red lights on a few of the boats in the harbor.

The cutest things we saw this year: a pair of golden retrievers dressed as reindeer and happily posing for photos with cute kiddos, Alpacas out on main street, well behaved children, a steel drum band performance, Christmas carolers, and pretty much rosy cheeks on everyone because of the chilly weather. I wish I would have taken more photos, but alas I was too busy having too much fun just soaking everything in.

If you're in the Annapolis area don't miss out on this tradition. If you can't make it on a Thursday then make sure yous top in the Here A Pop Up Shop featuring hundreds of locally made gifts and supports local designers, including two of the areas clothing stores 3 Clothing and 2 Live 2 Love. I still don't know how I don't have a tutu skirt from 2 Live 2 Love yet because every time I see them I imagine twirling around in one.

What's your favorite holiday activity?

American Made Cyber Monday Deals

Anthropologie*: free shipping and 20% extra off sale items.
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*Not everything for sale is American made, but there is plenty of USA made goodness on these sites. Make sure to check the item description. Now is a great time to get a Clare V clutch or bag on sale at Piperlime.