I have been so busy with school and finals for the last few weeks. I cannot wait for Christmas break it is long overdue, and so is another blog post. I have been posting 12 days of Christmas on my Instagram and I thought why not share it with my blog! There is no rhyme or reason for these posts, just festive things that make me happy. Click on the days an it will take you to an amazon link!
Day 1
The race to set up Christmas decorations starts soon after Thanksgiving. The holiday never seems complete without decorations galore. This year my family decorated a little sporadically throughout a number of weeks. My Mom and I are always switching up décor, but it can get pricy. Here is my suggestion for an affordable but festive outdoor decoration. I went tree shopping with my family and we found the prettiest tree! It needed some fine tuning, like trimming, but with the excess branches I thought of this idea. I found the tree trimmings for free at a Christmas tree farm, and I spray painted sticks from my woods. The ornaments have been acquired throughout the years but I will link ones like them from Amazon.
Day 2
Ho Ho Ho it’s Santa Paws. You may know I love animals. I now have three dogs Findlay, Stanley, and Watson. Pets in my home are never left out of Christmas. Stanley and Watson are new additions to our family so it’s their first Christmas. On the other hand my twelve year old dog is a pro at opening presents. I have been thinking about what to get them for Christmas. They are all obsessed with food and the puppies love toys. They are constant chewers so their toys never last more than a few days. The first gift I recommend is chew toys. We are always on the hunt for durable toys so we like the brands Kong and nylabones. A great gift is homemade dog treats. Click day 2 for the link to the perfect toy!
Day 3
The holidays are filled with many acts of kindness. It may be a neighbor shoveling snow from your driveway or a shared Christmas cookie. My favorite is giving gifts to others. This act of kindness demands to be wrapped. I love wrapping presents with my Mom while we watch Christmas movies. I started wrapping early this year and I wanted to do something extra special. I found craft paper at Dollar Tree and added paint, twine, or tree clippings to the gifts. I’ll link craft paper from Amazon so you can try it out too.
Day 4
Candles can make a house more inviting and homey, especially around the holidays. The scents fill the air inspiring cheer. I have so many memories late at night admiring my Christmas tree with a cup of hot chocolate in hand, while a candle burns in the background. Candles make great gifts for others and yourself! I buy Bath and Body Works candles most of all but I’ve found many other options. I will link the WoodWick candle!
Here are a few brands
Homesick
– This brand sells candles that smell like your home state. It’s a perfect gift for a homesick loved one. My home state Indiana smells like (popped kettle corn, hay, selvedge denim, with hints of vanilla, coconut, and white musk)
WoodWick
– This brand is convenient for anyone who doesn’t have a fireplace. It has wooden wicks that mimic the sound of a fire.
Eco Candle Co.
– This brand is awesome! It is environmentally friendly and organic. I suggest getting the pine scent if you don’t have a real Christmas tree.
Day 5
Opening my stocking is something I always look forward to on Christmas. My sister and I get Lifesaver gummies and Debrand chocolate every year followed by other goodies. I found a few items I think would make great stocking stuffers. Look for the bamboo toothbrushes under my shop it tab.
Bamboo Toothbrushes
– A lot of people get toothbrushes in their stockings every Christmas. This is a way better option compared to plastic toothbrushes because they are biodegradable. I have already put these on my Christmas list!
Conscious Step socks
– Socks are a necessity I’m always out of. This brand is devoted to donating to charity every sock bought! I would love to get these in my stocking!
Beauty items
– I would love to get chapstick, makeup, lotion, body wash, etc. I would look for items that are cruelty free! I know Burt’s Bees, Bath and Body Works, Too Faced, Urban Decay, Lush, and many more companies are.
Day 6
Christmas is a time of love and joy. For me it is easy to get caught up in the holiday and forget how blessed I truly am. I’m blessed my family can afford presents under the tree, or to have a Christmas feast. I luckily have family to share Christmas with while some are alone for the holidays. Christmas is also a time of giving. I have recently given back so people can hopefully have a merry Christmas. My club at school adopted a Christmas family. We just bought the family many gifts to open the morning of. I was also apart of a food drive. We collected hundreds of cans for our local food bank. My last deed involves my church youth group. We send boxes out called Samaritan’s Purse to countries in need. It feels great to help where you can. I suggest giving a little extra this holiday. Visit a nursing home or donate to the Salvation Army buckets. No matter how big or small anything makes a difference. No link for day 6 just love.
Day 7
Pickles not only are delicious, but a Christmas tradition for many around our country. My grandma started this tradition with our family and I can’t remember a Christmas without it. The tradition is a pickle ornament is hidden on a Christmas tree. The first person to find it wins an extra gift or is said to have good fortune in the coming year. I’ve always enjoyed hunting for the pickle with my cousins and I’m thankful my grandma keeps traditions alive. I’ll link the ornament if you’d like to carry on this tradition.
Day 8
Clothing for a cause!
We buy numerous items of clothing for others and ourselves around the holidays. I know I ask for clothes as a gift, I think everyone does. Why not put your money to good use and buy clothing from companies that give back. There are so many companies out there to choose from. A few I’ve found are Parks Project, Ten Tree, Ivory Ella, Toms, and Pura Vida Bracelets. All these companies give back to charities or causes like national parks, planting trees, endangered animals, and by providing essentials to countries in need. Every purchase can make a difference. I encourage you to look up these brands and I’ll link Toms.
Day 9
Gingerbread cookies are so delicious and one of my favorite kinds during Christmas! For gingerbread cookies I just buy the pre made dough, and cut the gingerbread men out. I found the cutest mini cookie cutter on amazon and I’m obsessed with it. I’ll make sure to link it!
Day 10
It can be hard for me to get into the Christmas spirit without snow, but seasonal movies definitely help. Some watch the hallmark channel nonstop but I like to stick to my favorites. There is some newly made movies to classics on the list. Here are 7 of my favorites but I’m totally missing some great ones I’ve never watched. Check out the shop it tab to purchase these movies on DVD.
The Santa Clause 3 – There is two before this movie but the third is my favorite. I would watch this on repeat during Christmas as a kid.
The Year Without Santa Claus
– This movie pulls on my heart strings but is a classic. I like to watch with my Mom.
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer And The Island Of The Misfit Toys
– My sister and I would watch this during road trips to family on Christmas Eve. It’s a different story than every other movie and that’s why I like it.
How The Grinch Stole Christmas – Both the new and cartoon versions are great!
Elf – Elf is just a lighthearted Christmas movie that always puts a smile on my face.
The Mistle-tones – This movie isn’t that popular but might be my all time favorite!
The Holiday Calendar – This is a Netflix Christmas movie and I added it because all Christmas movies on Netflix are worth a watch, even if they are cheesy.
Day 11
As temperatures drop outside my room becomes freezing! I’m always in need of a cozy blanket to warm me up. These are great for just that and a perfect gift for anyone! I’ll link the fuzziest one I can find.
Day 12
I’m ending my 12 days of Christmas with a treat. I have secret Santa in one of my classes and thought I’d make something homemade. I found this recipe on Pinterest and it is delicious! All you need is puppy chow, Christmas M&Ms, mini Reese cups, and pretzels. Mix it all together and you have reindeer food! I packaged mine in mason jars with scrapbook paper and twine. Mason jars will be linked.
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