Creating New Christmas Traditions

Any newlyweds out there? Austin and I have been married for over a year now, but for the purpose of this post, I'm going to consider us newlyweds. Last year was our first married Christmas (which you can read about here), and it was so special. We embraced double the family time, double the traditions, and double the cheese platters (no complaints here)!

But at the same time, I'd be lying if I didn't say it lacked something of our own. You grow up a child with glittering expectations of Christmas morning — cinnamon rolls, stockings, snuggly blankets, and the house pet following your every move, hoping to get a crumb of said cinnamon roll. And then an adult, you realize each Christmas was so special because your family gave you that gift. The gift of holiday magic! The gift of traditions.

I think traditions can be really special, whether or not they hold a ton of deep meaning. Of course, there are religious traditions surrounding Christmas that I cherish and that become even more special over time. But I truly love the silly "just for fun" traditions too, like ugly sweater contests or cookie decorating parties.

I wrote on Thanksgiving about how my family has a longstanding custom of going to our friends' house to celebrate the holiday; we do it every year, and they have since they were in their 20's. I want to create that type of ritual that Austin and I can look forward to now, while we're in our 20's. Something we can grow with, look forward to, change with us — or maybe it'll simply be there as an anchor for the seasons in which we change. I don't want to wait until we have kids to make Christmas memorable.

So this one's for you if you're a millennial trying to wrangle holiday expectations with a new season of life. I'm with you; I see you. Of course, Christmas never changed. We might have.

This year, I'm going to talk with Austin about what tradition, silly or serious, we'd like to create for our family. Just us! Traditions aren't the glue that holds this season together, but I think they're icing on the sugar cookie.

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Hosting a Stress-Free Cookie Decorating Party

Ever want to host a holiday party but then you remember: You'll have to clean the house, buy food, prepare the food, serve the food, hope your guests like the food, clean up any potential messes made and in doing so, pretend like you're not even a little sad your favorite *insert item here* got broken or stained? Don't get me wrong, I love to host people in my home and am happily prepared for all of the above scenarios. But sometimes stress-free is nice! Enter the cookie decorating party.

I really believe a lot of whether hosting is stressful or not is up to you and even who you choose to bring into your home. Recently, I had a cookie decorating party with a few of my friends, and it was so fun. The best part is, making a mess is half the point here! So prepare to snack on some sprinkles and sneak a little frosting; you're certainly invited.

Here are my stress-free cookie decorating party (phew, that's a mouthful!) suggestions:

Like I mentioned, embrace the mess! But I've got a few tips to avoid getting royal icing all over everything. You can put piping bags on a dish when they're not in-use, in case they leak out the top (they likely will). I also had some luck with putting a few colors of icing in plastic condiment bottles, which are surprisingly easy to work with. The only con to some of the plastic bottles is you won't be able to get as fine of detail work from it, depending on the size of the cap. Go simple with decor, and don't over think it! The cookies will add enough visual interest to your table.

Ask all of your guests to bring a certain amount of cookies (for this event with just a few friends, I asked them to bring 12). That way, you're not having to bake a billion cookies, and you'll get more variety in flavors, style and cute cookie cutters! A good way to determine how many cookies to have each pal to bring is to decide what number of decorated cookies you'd like everyone to leave with. Then, ask everyone to bring that number. You can trade around cookies so each person has enough of a fun variety to decorate! It's always a good idea to have another batch on-hand, but this will save you a lot of baking and kitchen time.

In my opinion, wax paper is the best for fielding potential icing explosions. It's easy to use, nonstick and when you're finished, you can just toss it for easy cleanup. I put some paper placemats under the wax paper for this event, but I also think it could be cute to layer wax paper on brown craft paper.

Have some salty snacks and beverages available to help cope with the sugar rush. Cheese is always a good idea, in my opinion. ☺️And... that's about it! 

I hadn't really decorated cookies since I was a kid, and it's SO much more fun when you're an adult with better fine motor skills, ha! It's also super inspiring if your friends are as artistic as mine.

Most of the cookies in these photos were decorated by Kelsey Baldwin, who you can read more about here. (She's amazing!)

P.S. I wouldn't say I'm an expert on royal icing cookies, but I used this recipe for my sugar cookies and this one for my icing. I had to add quite a bit of water to the icing recipe to get it to be the right texture. 

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7 Supplies for Last-Minute Hosting

It’s the most wonderful time of the year — that sacred week between Christmas and New Year’s — where old friends are in town and nobody remembers what day it is. Naturally, if you live in the town your friends are visiting, the likelihood is high that you’ll be opening your home to unexpected guests.

So, if you’re like me and prone to inviting people over last-minute, here are seven things to have on hand this weekend.

Sparkling water or a warm beverage
I like to keep items stocked that won’t go bad, so you can use them when company comes without having to make a special trip to the store. A can of LaCroix or a mug of hot tea is a welcoming gesture for any friend who walks through the door.

A good candle or diffuser
You know how the smell of an Anthropologie wipes away every care or concern you’ve ever had? That’s my goal with the candles I buy for my home. A nice, clean scent can really make all the difference in atmosphere! And if your plans are last-minute, that candle can make it seem like you just vacuumed five minutes ago even if you haven’t vacuumed for a week.

Timely reading materials
Whether it’s a current magazine or a unique coffee table book, it’s always fun to see what other people have in their homes. And bonus, if the conversation stalls, you’ll have something to fall back on.

Supplies for a quick, simple cheese board
OK, so I realize cheese isn’t exactly an easy pantry item, but if you don’t have cheese in the house between Christmas and New Year’s, might I ask: What type of person are you? Oh, a healthy one? Oh.. well, OK then.

A clean kitchen/living room
I’m not sure how this one is so far down the list… who wrote this blog post? But, really, clean common spaces are a necessity unless you’re hosting your family or closest pals. When you’re having guests over who you haven’t seen in ages, just throw all your junk in the bedroom or office and shut. the. door. Otherwise they’ll talk about how messy you are when they leave, oops!

Music to set the tone
A good playlist can instantly set the mood for any gathering. Want to have a nice, long conversation with old friends? Choose something with a lower tempo. Or, want to joke around and party like it’s 1999? Play the Spice Girls.

A coat rack
This feels like a bonus one because most friends I visit don’t have coat racks, or even a coat closet. But if you don’t want your friends to judge you for a messy bedroom, a coat rack is a necessity. Or I suppose it’s a possibility that you have a clean bedroom; in which case, you can put the coats in there. I’ll allow it.

These tips are particularly relevant throughout the holiday season, but I think they would work year-round, as well! Are you having friends over last-minute? Invite me!

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6 Things Every Girl Wants for Valentine's Day

If you've been with me for the last two years, you might remember "9 Things Every Girl Wants for Valentine's Day," and I must say, the results were great for me personally. I got a boyfriend AND carbs, so that's a win-win. If those nine ideas didn't work out as well for you, though, here are six more ideas:

1. Kisses

Some may say I'm jumping in on the deep end here, but every girl wants a kiss!*

*I would be REALLY sure the girl wants a kiss if you're planning to give a kiss on the lips. Chocolate kisses are typically more acceptable.

2. A Mix Tape

Go old-school and make your Valentine a romantic mix tape! Or go new-school and make the gal a sweet Spotify playlist. Sometimes the simplest gifts are the most thoughtful.

3. Jewelry

If she already has five gold necklaces, she probably wants a sixth. You know, for options.

4. Social Media Likes

A safe—but effective—strategy, especially if you're unsure where you stand with the lady you fancy. Give her some Instagram likes! And Facebook likes, or loves if you're feeling generous. Make sure to like all her recent tweets and pins on Pinterest. You could even tell her you like her IRL.

5. Bacon

Still unsure what to get your gal for V-Day? Well if brunch is her love language, then there's nothing more romantic than bacon. Think of the options: breakfast for dinner, a bacon cheeseburger, a BLT, or even something #whole30 (you'll probably have to look up that recipe yourself).

6. A Matchmaker

If all else fails, have a good friend jump in and play matchmaker. Trust me — you'll thank the guy later.

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9 Things Every Girl Wants For Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is in 3 days, people! You might be a girl who doesn't want to hint at what you want for the big holiday. You might be a clueless guy who has no idea what to buy. I've solved all of these problems by posting what all girls are thinking, publicly, on the internet. Here are 9 great gift options any girl would love to receive for V-Day:

1. Candy

All girls love Conversation Heart candies, and there are several perks to buying them. The first perk is if either guy or gal is a terrible conversationalist. Ta-daaaa! Instantly fixed. Say, for example, you choose a heart that says "Cutie Pie." It's a 2-for-1! You can either talk about A. How that girl/guy is a cutie, or B. Your mutual love for pie. 

Sidebar: Don't expect a girl to eat the candy hearts because everybody knows they taste like TUMS, but hopefully she'll at least take a photo of them to put on her Instagram feed.

2. Notes

Notes are undeniably thoughtful, and girls love to receive them. Bonus points if you write her a love song. Or a haiku. 

3. Chocolate

It is a universally-recognized concept that women love chocolate. Capitalize on it! And act quickly because the chocolate in Walmart's Valentine's aisle is going like the rapture. 

4. Flower

Buy the lady a flower! Or, y'know, a dozen flowers. She will undoubtedly Instagram these if you fail on the candy front.

5. Coffee

Since we're all agreed that coffee is the best thing ever invented, your girl will obviously love this gift. For the gift that keeps on giving, you might consider buying a coffee *gift* card (although perhaps you should combine this with an actual date, too.) You could take her on a coffee date for Valentine's Day, or if you're a real overachiever, you could buy her a whole coffee shop! (I recommend knowing a little about business ownership/the coffee industry before taking the plunge on that last option.)

6. Hamburgers 

If your girl doesn't have a huge sweet-tooth, you could get her burgers for Valentine's Day. I highly recommend this option for anybody trying to date me.

7. Office Supplies

The best gifts are thoughtful. Show her you support her career! Why do guys always ask girls out by buying them fancy martinis, anyway? Buy me something useful and lasting, like a stapler. I would appreciate that more, and I've been meaning to buy one.

8. Cat Food

All women like cats. (Right???) So, if you want your lady to know you care about her, care about the things SHE cares about. Like her cat. And buying him food. You could save her a whole $12.78! Plus, if she knows you can take care of her cat, it will give her more confidence that you can take care of her.  

9. A Boyfriend

Every girl wants a boyfriend for Valentine's Day. Give me a boyfriend, or give me carbs! 

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What Does Your Handwriting Say About You?

When I first heard that Friday was National Handwriting Day, I had several thoughts:

Thoughts like, Who comes up with these national "holidays"? Can I be that person? Does that same person also name the crayon colors at Crayola? What does your handwriting say about you? I don't dot my lowercase i's. Does this mean something weirdly terrible or fascinating about me?

I have some answers:

The Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association created National Handwriting Day back in 1977. They chose January 23 "in conjunction with John Hancock's birthday" because, y'know, his name is the HUGE one on the Declaration of Independence. 

I can imagine the scenario perfectly. John Hancock signing the Declaration of Independence was like the first person to sign the "happy birthday" card or the "get well soon" card at the office/church/whatever party, and he turns around to a long line of people scowling at him for taking up all the space and practically writing a paragraph about how much he loves America just based on the sheer size of his name when there are 55 other dudes left to sign it. Then, the whole U.S.A. recognized him forever based upon that one embarrassing moment, and now there is a random holiday (sort of) in his honor.

Graphology is the name for the analysis of handwriting to determine facts about an individual--usually the person's psychological state at the time of writing, or certain personality traits. It's considered by most to be a pseudoscience, but nonetheless, you can get certified with a "Diploma Course in Forensic Graphology" (ooh, very fancy) from The Cambridge School of Graphology.

^ See, you can learn plenty of things about people from their handwriting, like if they are poor planners and run out of space on the paper. 

According to research from the National Pen Company, "writing the capital letter "I" much larger than other capitals is usually written by someone who is arrogant and has a high opinion of themselves." They also noted that, "writing that changes dramatically over the course of a text is symbolic of lying." They say that a signature that is not legible means "you are very private, hard to read or understand" while a legible signature means "you are comfortable in your own skin; you don't need to pretend you're something you're not." So--Obviously many doctors are private, hard to read or understand. 

As far as dotting i's goes -- According to John Cowens, a dot centered above the stem says you're "over-precise," a dot to the right of the stem says you "tend to act quickly or hastily," and no dot says you're reckless and/or have a poor memory.

I was going to say something else to finish off this post, but I forgot what it was.

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Friendsgiving Toll House Pie

I have no idea where the name "Friendsgiving" came from, who came up with the idea, or why we haven't started calling the fourth Thursday in November "Familygiving." 

This whole "Friendsgiving" thing has gotten pretty trendy over the last couple years, and I personally think it's great. Thanksgiving may very well be my favorite holiday, so I'm not mad about having a little extra community over turkey and stuffing. My family has a looooong tradition (over 30 years) of going to a friend's house for Thanksgiving, so I guess you could say my parents were the original Friendsgiving hipsters.

I love our family Thanksgiving traditions. We tell the same stories each year, but they never get old. We usually see a movie (we had some great years when all of the Harry Potter movies came out in late November), and we always have pie. You knew I'd get around to talking about the pie eventually…

So, here it is. Toll House Pie. If you've never heard of it, it's like a chocolate chip cookie pie. If you've never tasted it, it's incredible. 

I'm not sure if this is the original recipe for toll house pie, but this is my mom's recipe, so it's the only one you'll need. 

Ingredients

- 2 eggs

- 1/2 cup flour

- 1/2 cup sugar

- 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

- 3/4 cup butter, melted & cooled

- 1 cup sumisweet chips

- 1 cup chopped walnuts

- unbaked pie crust

Recipe

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Don't do like I did and drop half the egg into the sink on accident, but if you do, use another egg.

The chocolate chips are the best part of this pie, but it's not time to add them yet. After beating the eggs, beat in the flour, sugar, and brown sugar until well blended. Beat in the melted butter. Finally (FINALLY!), stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts. If you don't like walnuts, I suppose you could remove them from the recipe, but I recommend you learn to like walnuts and leave 'em in.

Pour the mixture into pie shell, and set the oven timer for 55 minutes. It's a long time, I know, but it's worth the wait. 

Serve warm to friends or family, with whipped cream on top. 

I hope you all have the loveliest giving season of all!

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