The Most Wonderful Time of The Year

We’re in the final countdown until Christmas! I love this time of year. Whether its drinking hot chocolate or egg nogg, eating holiday candies and snacks, or going to see The Nutcracker (which we plan to do this season), I love that there is so many fun traditions and things to do to get you into the holiday spirit.

Christmas for us this year will be spent at the beach. Two years ago my now fiancé’s mom had a great idea of going on a trip in lieu of gifts. Each couple is in charge of the meals for a day and that serves as our gift to one another. I absolutely love that we do this! To me, experiences are always greater than gifts. My fiancé and I usually put our money towards a trip or something fun to do together, rather than getting each other “things.” We’re continuing the tradition of a family trip every-other-year and this year we are headed to Jamaica! I can’t WAIT. We leave in just under two weeks and I’m counting down. Just as it starts to get cold here I’ll get a little escape to the beach! (PS if any of you have recommendations for Jamaica please send them my way!)

A family Christmas trip is quickly becoming one of my favorite traditions, but a few others include: making my family egg nog recipe (stay tuned, as I plan to share it with you all), watching It’s a Wonderful Life on Christmas Eve, a candlelight church service, eating our family favorite Christmas morning breakfast (Green chili cheese scrambled eggs, little smoky sausages, chipped beef on toast, and my grandmother’s delicious glazed apricot roll), watching Elf and Home Alone on repeat, going to see The Nutcracker ballet, opening one gift the night before Christmas from our grandmother (always a new pair of pajamas), and so many more!

Using a family trip as a gift crosses a ton of shopping off of my list. That leaves just a few gifts I need to get and it really helps in making the holidays less stressful. If you haven’t checked out all my gift guides yet, be sure to do that ASAP as there really is something for everyone in all different price ranges. I’ve been updating them– so the best way to get the most up-to-date lists are via my Shop page.

About my outfit: I bought this red lace top for an Arkansas football game at a local boutique in Dallas called Lion and Witch. I’ve searched and searched online for it and can’t find the exact one any more, but linked a few similar ones below. One 3/4 length version is almost identical! I paired this top with my newest black skinny jeans with a raw hem (obsessed with this trend) and black pumps. I added a red lip because to me, there is nothing more festive. This look would be perfect for a more casual holiday party or for a night out. I can throw a cami under this top and wear it to work, too.

What are some of your favorite traditions or things to do that you look forward to during the holidays? I love hearing about others’ traditions!

Photos by: @theretropenguin