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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #21

Hey everyone! Happy Friday! It’s the LAST Friday of 2022 and what a year it has been. This past week has been fast and slow in the best ways. I got quality time with family, time lounging and relaxing and getting reset for the new year. Ready or not, 2023 is coming. Here’s five things I’m loving this week as I link up with  Erika and Andrea for another edition of Friday Favorites:

Christmas Treats-This week has been full of so many Christmas treats! From cookies, to popcorn, trail mix and more. I’ve been trying to maintain balance, but it’s easier said than done. I’m looking forward to restarting and getting back to healthier habits next year.

A look at some of my favorite treats.

Sauce Holder– I love sauces and condiments with my meals, especially when it comes to fast foods, like fries or nuggets. I got this super handy gadget for Christmas and can’t wait to use it in the car. A sauce holder for the road, such a fun, creative and useful concept. Love it! I’ll report back after I use it.

Such a fun and practical gift.

Exploding Kittens– My siblings and I got this as a gift for Christmas and had so much fun playing this card game. Up to five people can play and it’s a fun game that doesn’t take too long to get through, plus it’s easy to learn so all ages can participate. I’m looking forward to more board games nights in the winter months. 

Something From Tiffany’s– I have been wanting to watch this movie for a few weeks and finally watched it this past week. It’s a cute rom-com that follows two couples when their packages from Tiffany’s get switched and they end up meeting with hopes to exchange gifts, until they start to fall for each other. There’s a happy ending that will have you grinning from ear to ear.

Such a fun rom-com.

Christmas Decor– I know some people like to take their Christmas decorations the day after Christmas, while others keep it up until after New Year’s, I am the latter. I love to keep up all the decorations for as long as possible. After all the hustle and bustle over the past six weeks, it’s so nice to be able to enjoy the decorations and sit by the tree all lit up, simply beautiful and magical.

Beautiful night by the tree.

That’s a look into life this past week. I hope you have a safe and relaxing New Year’s weekend. 

See you in 2023 for a look at my New Year’s Resolutions. Happy New Year!

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Fabulous living

Christmas Gift Ideas

Hello Hello! 

Happy Wednesday! I hope you are finding time to rest in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. I know I have been putting EVERYTHING on my calendar to make sure I don’t leave anything out between family, friends, dates or holiday fun! It can be such a busy time so I’m doing my best to soak it all up and be present as much as I can. 

I love checking out gift guides on other blogs. I am not an expert in gift guides, but I love getting ideas and suggestions from other blogs. Today, I’m sharing a few gift ideas. This is by no means a comprehensive guide, rather just some ideas if you need inspiration or are stuck on what to get someone.

Here’s some ideas that work for family members, friends, co-workers or significant others.

Gift card to a subscription service

This is such a practical and fun gift. There’s so many subscriptions services nowadays. From streaming services (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime), to physical subscription like Hello Fresh or Fab Fit Fun, or music services like Spotify and Sirus XM, it can be overwhelming to have them all and pay for them all.

If you get someone a gift card to any of these subscriptions, it gives them a taste of the service and see if they want to invest in it long term. I got a Hulu gift card and if let me try out the streaming service without a full time commitment.  This is also practical since all these services add up.

Give the gift of Netflix this holiday season.

Tickets to an Experience or Event 

If you know the person really well, consider getting them tickets to a local event or activity. It doesn’t have to be a major concert or a sporting event but, maybe it’s tickets to a museum they have been wanting to go to or a gift certificate to  a local theater and a gift card or a local restaurant. You are giving them an experience that they may not spend on themselves. It can also be a practical experience like a coupon to a free car wash or detailing (this is super helpful in winter months).

It can also be a gift for the whole family, like a family membership to the zoo, or a local theme park. This is a great gift the whole family can enjoy after the holidays have passed.

A Zoo membership would make a great gift for the whole family.

Local Items and Foods

If you want to give someone a taste of home who’s moved away, a gift of local items is the perfect idea. Get a basket together of some one your favorite things from home. It can be a favorite food from a local bakery, a bottle of wine or a six pack from a local brewery, a gift card to a favorite restaurant, pack it all up and give it to a loved one who may have moved away. This will remind them of home and you!

Sending some hometown favorite foods are almost just as good as being able to share in person.

Personalize it!

I love all things personalized and this gift really shows you put in the extra effort. For girls or guys, you can use MarleyLilly for clothing, purses, or household items and get them monogrammed. It’s a subtle way to get something fun with that personal touch. If you want to incorporate photos into a gift, Shutterfly or Snapfish are great places to get prints, calendars,  canvas, mugs, stationary and more gifts. Besides Christmas cards.  I have made calendar, collages, books, and mugs for loved ones. This is another gift that has that personal touch. 

These are just a few ideas for gifts this holiday season. Some are experiences and others are items. These are all things that I have been given and have found to be really useful and practical. Tell me, as we gear up for the holidays, do you prefer practical gifts or experiences?