I've felt like a hot mess for most of this year and I'm not really sure why. If anything, I was more established in my person, in my home, in my job, than ever before and I did a lot this year, so I'm not sure why the past 330 days have felt so chaotic.

It could be that because I was so settled, so sure of myself, and experiencing new things, it felt unsettling. Maybe I wasn't used to feeling so normal that it caused me to feel abnormal.

Within the past few weeks, I've felt more empowered, more focused, more centered and ready to put one foot in front of the other. I finally feel like I'm coming into my adulthood and getting my life together.

All of that being said, it got me thinking what do you get the girl who is turning over a new leaf, who is coming into her own and getting her shit together? I present to you now, that gift guide!

Retail's holiday season begins earlier and earlier every year it seems and this year it was no different with sets and collections being live since early September. 

I always love seeing what gift sets beauty brands put out for the holiday season; I love seeing the different themes, collaborations and assortments that are released but maybe that is just the beauty industry worker in me. 

This year it seems that a lot of brands are going with their hero products in limited edition shades, or best selling assortments in fun packaging. They're leaning into seasonal scents and flavors, with minimal 'holiday' packaging & using more of that winter vibe. 

With the Sephora sale coming up (more on that later this week), I wanted to highlight some of what I think are the best gift sets to give someone (or yourself) this holiday season. 

Christmas is less than a week away and New Year's Eve is right behind it. I'm usually home for the holidays so I don't dress up a lot but that will change for Christmas Eve this year since I'll be out to dinner with my family. New Year's Eve is a different story and I'll just be at a friend's house; it's not too fancy but not too casual. 

I still want to feel festive so I'm going to try to incorporate sparkles and sequins in some way. The same goes for Christmas...which brings me to today's post. I wanted to round up some of my favorite holiday looks, that can be for any time over the next two weeks!

One of my New Year's Resolutions is going to be to be more intentional with my wardrobe. I want to enhance my personal style, feel good in the clothes I wear, and look forward to getting dressed in the morning. This exercise is the first step I'm taking...

 We're less than a week away from Christmas and it's way too late to buy gifts online...expect if you're shilling out your soul to Jeff Bezos and getting Prime Delivery from Amazon.

Sometimes I sit and wonder how Amazon has everything you could possibly need at a moment's notice and it's frightening but it comes in handy for when you need last minute gifts. 

This never happens to me but I'm shopping until the last minute; there are still a few smaller gifts I want to pick up and Amazon is the only way I'm going. I blame it on the fact that time is moving so fast for me and honestly, Christmas has snuck up on me even though I've been in the spirit since before Thanksgiving.

That being said, I've rounded up some great gift ideas from Amazon, that would be perfect for anyone on your list. To make things even better, all of the gifts are under $100. Let's get shopping!

This year was the year of matching pajamas for me and I owe that to TikTok. All the 'That Girls' were wearing matching pajamas this year and because I am easily influenced, I followed suit. I used to wear matching pajamas once upon a time but somewhere along the way I started wearing sweatshirts and baggy pants. 

Now, I am a 'that girl' and feel so incredibly luxe and put together whenever I slip into a matching set of PJs. I have a few pairs, mostly from Nordstrom, because those are my favorite I've tried so far.

On Thanksgiving, my sister made the suggestion that we get matching Christmas pajamas to wear on Christmas Eve night; my family used to do that when we were little - all the kids got matching pajamas and it was always so much fun to match with my cousins. I was very into the idea of bringing it back as an adult so we bought these buffalo plaid flannel ones from Old Navy and they're so nice.

 It's that time of year! Gift guides are everywhere and you're about to get mine as well. However, I do pride myself on stepping outside the zone of traditional gift guides. I like to be fully transparent and do gift guides for the type of person I identify with or with who I need to get gifts for. For example, I don't do men's gift guides because I don't have any men in my life that I buy gifts. I want this to be real and easy. 

Some of these categories repeat themselves from past years, some are more straight on the nose, like your mom, and some are new. If you're curious about what I did last year, take a look at the 2020 gift guide. 

Now, let's dive deep into this year's gift guide and all the categories! 

For Your Mom

For The Beauty Queen

For The Book Lover

For The Person Who Needs a Wellness Routine

For The Mental Health Advocate

For The Bravo SuperFan

For the Cocktail Connoisseur

xoxo

This post is sponsored by Basic Invite but all thoughts and opinions are my own

We are in full swing of the holiday season and I could not be happier! My house is decorated, I have all my holiday snacks, and the only TV I have been watching is Christmas movies.

Christmas is the best time of the year for me -- it just brings me so much joy! Between the weather, the coziness of the season, and spending time with family & friends, there is just so many exciting things happening.

I also love Christmas traditions; from putting up the Nativity set my grandmother handmade before I was born,

When I was little, my least favorite thing to do was take Christmas pictures but one of my favorite things to do was OPEN Christmas cards from others! I looked forward to the mail every day in December to see whose Christmas card arrived next.

Back in the day, Christmas cards were a little more complicated to layout and send to your loved ones but now it's super easy...especially with Basic Invite.




Basic Invite is an online destination that allows customers to create their own holiday Christmas cards AND give you an instant online preview -- that way, you can see what you're ordering before it arrives. You can even order a printed sample before placing a full order, that way there are no surprises when you receive the entire final order.

How it works is you can select a design and can change the color of each element, that way your entire card is completely customized -- how cool is that?!

Basic Invite has 40 different colors of envelopes (which are peel and seal so no licking envelopes -- truly my least favorite part of stationery) so there is pretty much every color possible for your holiday cards -- whether you want a red, green, gold or another festive color, the possibilities are endless!

When you're getting ready to create your card, you can post a custom link on social media that leads your friends and family to a form where they can input their address, and then you'll have a list of addresses saved in your Basic Invite account! This is MAJOR, not only for the holiday season but you'll be able to use those addresses for other Basic Invite stationery, like wedding or baby shower invitations. It takes all the guesswork out of chasing down addresses!



Basic Invite has all the technology to make your holiday card mailing as easy as possible. Upload your photo, choose your colors, input your text and choose your quantity and viola! You are finished!

If you're interested in Basic Invite holiday cards, they are offering 15% off orders right now with code: 15FF51 

You could follow Basic Invite on social media here: Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter
xoxo
B

I've never read a Sophie Kinsella book before, and I haven't read any of the Shopaholic series. I do have memories of her books on my mom and aunt's nightstand when I was little and I love the Confessions of a Shopaholic movie -- Rebecca Bloomwood is my spirit animal.

However, when I got the chance to read "Christmas Shopaholic" thanks to Netgalley, I was super excited. I read that you didn't really have to read the entire series to understand this book so I was confident that I would understand everything... and plus, I want to read more Christmas centered books during the holiday season so this was perfect.

What I wasn't expecting was that the book was so different from the movie; Rebecca goes by Becky and the entire thing takes place in England, not New York. Since this wasn't the first novel in the series, I wasn't in tuned to every difference but those are definitely the key ones.

Like I said, I received this e-book before it was published in October, courtesy of Netgalley, and finished it just in time for the Christmas season!

Publisher's Summary

’Tis the season for change and Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) is embracing it, returning from the States to live in the charming village of Letherby and working with her best friend, Suze, in the gift shop of Suze’s stately home. Life is good, especially now that Becky takes time every day for mindfulness—even if that only means listening to a meditation tape while hunting down online bargains.

But Becky still adores the traditions of Christmas: Her parents hosting, carols playing on repeat, her mother pretending she made the Christmas pudding, and the neighbors coming ’round for sherry in their terrible holiday sweaters. Things are looking cheerier than ever, until Becky’s parents announce they’re moving to ultra-trendy Shoreditch—unable to resist the draw of craft beer and smashed avocados—and ask Becky if she’ll host this year. What could possibly go wrong?


Becky’s sister demands a vegan turkey, her husband insists that he just wants aftershave (again), and little Minnie needs a very specific picnic hamper: Surely Becky can manage all this, as well as the surprise appearance of an old boyfriend–turned–rock star and his pushy new girlfriend, whose motives are far from clear. But as the countdown to Christmas begins and her bighearted plans take an unexpected turn toward disaster, Becky wonders if chaos will ensue, or if she’ll manage to bring comfort and joy to Christmas after all.

My Thoughts

When I started this book I was pretty unsure if I was going to like it. It seemed to be a little all over the place, a little difficult to follow and hard to understand. I wasn't sure if that was because of the writing, the nature of Becky Brandon ne Bloomwood or because I hadn't read any of the other books before this one.

However, once the book got moving I was able to keep track of the people (I did have to Wikipedia a few character names and see how they really fit into the story) and the multiple plotlines. I also got into the groove of following Becky's stream of consciousness which seems very hard to write and keep track of, so that is pure talent from Kinsella.

Once I got over that bit of confusion I really loved this book. I thought it was hilarious! The cast of characters was super eclectic, from Jess, the vegan to Becky's ex-boyfriend/rockstar, Craig and his pushy, wacko girlfriend Nadine and Becky's parents trying to become hipsters. 

Then, you have Becky who is outrageously out there but at the core, has an amazing heart and soul which you see throughout this novel. She is a really good friend, a wonderful mother, and a wife and a person who so desperately wants to make everyone happy. She is unlike any other character I've ever read and it's no wonder that they had to make her into a movie character. Her personality and love jumped off the page and you become very invested in her journey to make the perfect Christmas.

I also think that Kinsella captured perfectly what it means to be stressed during the holiday season; it's wanting to make the perfect Christmas dinner, buying the perfect gifts, being conscious of your health and the waste you're putting into the environment, making everyone happy and then everyday life on top of that. However, she also made it a point to call out (numerous times) that Christmas isn't about the stuff, it's about the people and I loved that message woven throughout the text.

It was the perfect touch of realism in a world that doesn't really exist, with so many eccentric personalities in one place, I loved every moment of it. I loved it when Becky invented a new word, thought she was falling in love with her ex-boyfriend, tried everything to find a vegan turkey, and got locked in a pet store. It was so wild, so weird and so perfect. 

You definitely don't need to read the other books in the series to love "Christmas Shopaholic" and I would 100% read again next year around this time to make it a weird tradition. That is how much I loved this book. I'm also pretty sure I need to go back and read the series and will probably continue reading because of the way the book ended you know that there is going to be another one coming down the pipeline. 

If you need a good, romantic and funny book to get you through the Christmas season, or just want to read something funny and festive, you will LOVE "Christmas Shopaholic".

Have you ever read any of the 'Shopaholic' books? What did you think?

xoxo
B

I am the resident baker in my family and am in charge of desserts for pretty much every holiday. I love baking so much and I definitely get that from my aunt. When I was little and would have sleepovers at her house, we would always bake something. From brownies to cookies and cakes, to her special nut tarts, I always loved baking when I was there.

As I grew older and learned the powers of Pinterest, the world of baking only grew. Now, I try to make something different every holiday and try to make things as festive as possible. It's fun for me to do but also I like to try to make things nice for my family.

My mom yells at me every holiday to take it easy, not go so crazy and just try to make things a little easier on myself. I tend to stress myself out with baking; one Christmas, I baked so much I made myself sick (and threw up for days because of the sugar overload). Two Christmas' ago, I baked so much I passed out on my couch halfway through because it was so exhausting.

This year, I've made a vow to take it easy in that I'm not going to make any crazy concoctions. I'm keeping it simple.

I think it's important to note that I bake for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (Christmas Eve is the big holiday in Italian families) and my family are not huge dessert people. Everyone is usually so full from dinner, they take a few bites of one or two things and I'm leftover with tons of sweets. Those are two other reasons I'm keeping it simple this year.

Here's what I'm planning...

Gingerbread Cookies

Last year's gingerbread cookies

Gingerbread Cupcakes

Credit

Chocolate Covered Oreos

Last year's sugar cookies

What are you making for Christmas this year?
xoxo
B

I say it every year but I hate/despise New Year's Eve. I think it's overrated and an excuse to get drunk and I just can't be bothered with it.

This year I actually had plans with my friends but then woke up this morning with the worst cold ever so I'm staying local with a few friends.

Aside from the actual party theme of New Years, I enjoy the idea of a fresh start. Ever since I turned 25 last month I have been feeling like I'm on the verge of change... big change so I'm nervous and excited to see what the year holds.

I've already made a few big changes this year (i.e Weight Watchers) but I really hope 2018 brings more and better change.

That being said, I have been really into the idea of trying to make the year good before it even starts... I'm talking about New Year's Eve superstitions.

I've always been a sort of superstitious person; never putting your shoes on the table, salt over the shoulder... just the usual ones. There are a bunch of old wives tales about what you should and shouldn't do on New Year's Eve & Day and this year, I'm going to do them all.

I mean, what's the harm? I always have a shitty year without doing them so maybe if I actually do them, it'll somehow work? I've been very into astrology, moonscopes, and all things spiritual and healing for the second half of the year so this is right up my alley.

I did a little research and these are just a few simple superstitions to take today.



1. Change your sheets: I already did this and I try to do it every year but starting the year with clean sheets is supposed to bring good luck... it's also a little more sanitary! (LOL)

2. Open the doors and windows at midnight: This is supposed to let out all the evil spirits and helps you ring the in the new year with good vibes.

3. Make a lot of noise: Ever wonder why we set off fireworks, bang pots & pans, and have noisemakers? This is also to ward off evil spirits to ensure a good year!

4. Write your wishes down & burn them: This isn't something that is specific to New Years, it's always been an old wives tale to burn your deepest desires to let them out into the universe. It's just an extra bonus to do it on NYE.

5. Don't throw anything away: On New Year's Day, nothing should leave the house (that isn't going to come back in) and don't throw anything away. This means don't shake out a rug, don't donate clothes, don't even take the trash out. The year shouldn't start with subtracting from the home before you add to it.

Do you believe in superstitions? Will you be doing any of these good luck charms?

Happy 2018 everyone!
xoxo
B

It's no secret that I love the winter and I love winter clothes. I've been blissfully happy that it's been so cold and I can wear my heavy winter coats. As I write this, it's snowing outside and I can't wait to wear a hat and gloves tomorrow.

The thing I love most about winter clothes is all the fun, festive clothing that comes out during the holidays. I don't mean Santa costumes or hats, but I mean the fun sweaters, socks, and other clothing items that come out to show off your love for this holiday.

As I write this, I'm wearing a Noel sweatshirt that I got last year from ILY Couture and it's so comfortable and I just feel very festive wearing it.

The trend of graphic tees has trickled over into the holiday season so there is plenty to choose from.

Kate Spade Santa Tee Target Fa La La Latte Target Kiss Me at Midnight  Hot Sox Merry & Bright Sox Target Holiday Sweater Target Reindeer Socks

*Clearly Target has a great selection of holiday stuff

Stars Hollow Winter Sweatshirt ILY Couture Morning Person ILY Couture Noel Sweatshirt

Today starts some fun holiday content and I've been wanting to post this for so long! These are always some of my favorite posts from bloggers -- fun, festive, and entertaining.

Around the holidays, my friends & I  always get together for fun little parties, whether they're lowkey Friday nights or a more of a fun party-like atmosphere.

When I do have my friends over for these types of get-togethers, I like my house to be as festive as possible. There is just something so wonderful about the house being decorated for all the holidays (especially Christmas) and makes everything cozier and just better.

Basically, whenever we have these gatherings we create little stations to make entertaining a little easier; we usually have a drink station, a food station, and then a dessert station. That way, everyone can get a little bit of everything and everything is organized -- you know how much I love being organized!

For Christmas, I especially love the idea of a hot drink station, which is great if you're doing a more low-key night with some sweet things and not real food.

You can decorate a hot drink station in so many ways and really customize it to what your guests like and what kind of vibe you're going for. I love getting inspiration from so many places for interior design, including Pinterest & the awesome website Havenly , where you can hire an interior designer (if you're in the market for something bigger than a holiday part!)

For my hot drink station, I chose a lot of fun, festive hot chocolate flavors, and toppers -- add some coffee and tea and you've covered all the bases! You can even put out some Baileys for a little alcohol fun if you're into that!

I got almost everything at Target and I'll link it down below! I had so much fun with this little shoot -- it was really allowing me to flex my blogger muscle and do something I don't normally do!

Reindeer Games Sign (similar) White Christmas Tree (similar -- I have this tree & it's SO cute!) Snow Day Mug (similar) Evelyn Henson mug (no longer available but here are her others)

Cup of Cheer Salted Caramel Hot Cocoa Cups of Cheer Peppermint Hot Chocolate Kit Chocolate Peppermint Hot Cocoa Toper Peppermint Hot Cocoa Topper

Let me know in the comments if you liked this sort of post!

Thank you for reading!
xoxo
B
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I've been feeling super festive lately, and getting really into all the holidays. From clothing to decorating my room, and transitioning my makeup look into fall & holiday, I've been having a blast.

My favorite way to reflect the holiday season is through my nail polish. It's so fun, easy to do, and shows your love of whatever holiday is around the corner.

I have a lot of orange, brown, and nudes so when November started, I knew what I needed to do. I took my new favorite trend, the ombre nail look, and put a Thanksgiving spin on it.




I used my OPI colors in Inside the IsabelleTway & Meet Me at the Piazza; a gorgeous nude & a dull orange.

It screams Thanksgiving to me, and I'm slowly starting to enjoy OPI polishes more & more.



I'm actually obsessed with these two colors alone, but putting them together makes them look even better.

I'll be rocking this nail look all week long, to celebrate my favorite holiday!

Alex and Ani Bangle  C.Wonder Scented Candle ban.do Back Me Up iPhone Charger Throw Pillow Macaroons Glass Ornaments  Natural Life Initial Mug