How To Spice Up Your Gift Wrap

Thanksgiving was last week, which means if you live in the US, the Christmas season has officially begun. If I'm being honest, I used to hate Christmas and everything that came with it, but as I've gotten older and come to terms with my baggageᵗᵐ, I've learned that I actually enjoy all of the decorating and gift giving that comes with the holidays. Of course I love giving people gifts, but I also love, love, love wrapping gifts. It's a craft to me. I spend a lot of time looking for the perfect wrapping paper, bows, string, and my new favorite: tags. Writing directly on the paper is so overrated, after all.

Sometimes I get a little crazy, adding pine and cinnamon sticks to my wrapping so that I have to glue them on, but it still looks simple, which is often the look I go for. I suggest buying cheap tags and decorations whenever you can snag them and then if you can incorporate them into your wrapping, great! Otherwise, they were like two dollars, so who cares? But let's get to the part of the post where I shut up (mostly) and share some of my wrapped presents and/or accessories.

It's still early in the holiday season, so I don't have too much variety right now (I'm sorry), but I aim to try to mix up how my presents look. Bows are cute, but it's nice not to have them on every present--especially when you have a bow thief cat living in your house. Try cinnamon sticks or holly or just some curled ribbon. That extra detail will make the presentation of your gifts that much cuter.

Honestly, buy or use whatever is cute to you. Personalize it. Doodle on some plain brown wrapping paper; use the busiest wrapping paper you can find and add some simple touches. Have some fun with it!

Please if you wrap some cute gifts, send me some pictures via Instagram!

xxx

My Top 10 Favorite Festive Things to Watch in December

 
Thanksgiving is tomorrow, which means it's completely acceptable to watch Christmas themed TV shows, movies, and vlogs--or at least if you ask me it is. It goes without saying that there are classic Christmas movies on this list that I'm sure most everybody will know and hopefully love, but I've also included a few other favorite things to watch in December, as well, since the same old, same old can get little boring some years. Either way, I hope this list helps you get into the spirit this month! I know it's still slightly early, but hey, head starts are never a bad thing.

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone & Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One
2. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
3. Elf
4. Home Alone 1 & 2
5. The Santa Clause
6. The Original Christmas Classics
7. A Charlie Brown Christmas
8. That '70s Show, Season 1, Episode 12: "The Best Christmas Ever"
9. Honestly every Boy Meets World Christmas episode
10. Vlogmas (specifically Zoella's and Tanya Burr's)

*And an honorable mention goes to Jacksfilms' "Christmas Miracle" video because it's the first Christmas-themed video I watch every year and I absolutely love it just as much as I loved it the first time (but it's a parody, so I can't reaaally count it in my list, can I?)*

As I said, I know some of these are unorthodox when it comes to getting spirited, but just trust me: they'll get you feeling happy and--hopefully as a result--festive.

Let me know if there's a movie, episode, or vlog I should check out around the holidays!

xxx

Pretty Little Things

I think it's vastly important to take a step back and admire your surroundings at face value. Sometimes we're so busy trying to be on time or worrying about the results of something that we overlook a lot of what's around us. This post is simply just places or scenes that I found aesthetically pleasing--so much so that I decided to photograph them. You might like them or you might hate them, but I hope they urge you to try to make time for yourself so that you can do the same.

xxx

A (Hopefully) Relatable To Do List for the Colder Months

I love list. I don't think there's anything I don't make a list for. I plan out everything I can, and I do so by listing out my days, my stressors, whatever I can that helps me to feel like I've got a little bit of control. I also love lists for the sheer fact that they make me feel better, and when I'm happy, they make me even happier.

So around this time of year, I like to make lists of the activities I want to accomplish between now and the new year. They don't always happen, but hey, it's fun to plan! And if they happen, then it's even better!

• Go to a local orchard and eat apple cider donuts
• Watch Christmas movies with friends
• Throw a Christmas party
• Look at the super cute and festive holiday lights
• Wrap presents hella cute
• Deep clean my house
• Put together some cute and cozy outfits
• Drink the most delicious and done-up hot chocolate
• Eat so many mashed potatoes and Thanksgiving side dishes
• Go ice skating

What would be on your list this autumn/winter?

xxx

The Magic of Memory Boards

I am a sentimental mess. Plain and simple. I add meaning to everything, I save everything, I make everything matter. I have personal items stashed away in drawers, but the items with more overt meaning need to be on display, and so when I was about 18, I began a memory board, and it's the item in my room I am most proud of.

I add whatever I can to it, wherever there is space. I allow things to overlap; I take advantage of empty space and of parts of the memories that are not important to the story (i.e. I cover up flight numbers on tickets, or backgrounds in pictures). The entire idea of a memory board, in my mind, is to be as cluttered with happiness as it possibly can be. Life is chaotic. It has good moments and bad moments. Flood your memory with the good until it's close to bursting. Then, go buy a new cork board and repeat the process. That's exactly what I did today, actually. Now, I have two memory boards, and I'm so, so pleased to be at that point.

Memory boards are completely up for personal interpretation and creative license. There's no right or wrong to one. Design a memory board in any way that you'd like, on whatever you'd like. Add business cards, maps, tickets, ribbons--whatever will help you hold that memory. Or just add things you relate to or things that make you happy. You can hide it away if that's preferred, but I suggest keeping it out to look at on bad days and on good days. There's no bad time to remember something that brings you joy.

I hope if you don't already have a memory board, you go out and make one. They're fun and they're nostalgic and sometimes, they're just the therapy you might need.

xxx