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IKEA's sneaky good holiday gift wrap, festive candles, an uplifting song, and trying not to overthink purchase decisions.
A grab bag of things I’ve liked, saved, and shared lately.
On November 1st I was scanning XM stations in the car and a Christmas channel appeared — it felt too soon. But just 12 days later (though it feels much longer) I’m ready to fully embrace the holiday season. The early sunsets, the post-election atmosphere… I think we could all use an infusion of joy and festivity! I’m ready to drown my house in candles, queue up the cozy films, and play holiday music on repeat.
A friend shared this a cappella version of Janet Jackson’s iconic hit "Together Again” last Monday. It’s beautiful and it makes me happy — that’s all.
Growing up, my family had adorable stockings knit by my great aunt. Lacking capable knitters in this generation, I’ve been on the hunt for our own family stockings since my son was born (he just turned 5…oops). It usually looks like this: in mid-November I remember I want to buy stockings, end up on 20 different websites and narrow options down to ~15 before realizing it’s too late to personalize the ones I think I want, then I decide to give up until next year and resort to using our mismatched backups one more time.
Choice overload, also known as the paradox of choice, is a name for this concept of being overwhelmed when presented with many options:
There is a widespread assumption that more choice equals more freedom, which many regard as a positive. But the empirical evidence on choice overload contradicts this idea. In many cases, more variety makes our lives harder and less pleasant.
People are grouped into two categories: maximizers and satisficers:
Maximizers must compare all their choices and evaluate alternatives on a whole host of attributes before they feel ready to decide. Satisficers are content with good and don’t feel the need to seek out the best.
I’m a textbook maximizer and I usually know I’m making myself miserable by researching every purchase decision to death, but I can’t help myself. The good news is, I’m aware of my affliction and working on it: Step 1 — buy some stockings and move on with my life.
On the topic of not overthinking purchase decisions, here are some holiday favorites I turn to year after year:
IKEA Gift Wrap A couple of years ago, I stumbled upon IKEA's holiday gift wrap section in October. Now, I make it a point to go every year and stock up before it sells out. You can get a three-pack of 10-foot rolls for half the price of a single roll from pricier brands. And let's be honest, gift wrap usually ends up in the recycling bin anyway (hopefully!), so why overspend? The prints are different every year, with a fun mix of Nordic designs that you can mix and match. They also have all the coordinating extras like washi tape, ribbon, gift tags, boxes, bags, and more.
Velvet Ribbon Velvet ribbon makes any gift feel fancier and more festive, plus, you can save and reuse it year after year. I add to my collection each year, mostly from a local craft store that sells it by the yard, but Etsy is another great source.
Candles The minute November hits, I'm all about the cozy candlelight. Every evening, we light a mix of simple candles around the house, but for a more festive touch, I love twisted taper candles like these, these and these.
A couple of years ago, I saw an advent candle burning at a friend's house for the first time. I've always loved advent calendars and the countdown to Christmas since I was a kid, and these beautiful candles are such a fun, festive way to mark the season
Paper Decorations I love paper holiday decorations. These garlands are a favorite of mine—they remind me of snowflakes and I hang them over our windows. We've had them for a few years now and they are a deal at $20. (I wish this product photo had a colored background so you could see them better).
Holiday Recipes We have a Friendsgiving dinner this weekend and I’m bringing this pumpkin cheesecake that my mom discovered and is now a family favorite. It’s very light so it makes a great Thanksgiving dessert because you can still manage a few bites even after stuffing yourself at dinner. Plus, there’s nothing better than a thick, buttery, graham cracker crust (sometimes we sub ginger snaps if we’re feeling crazy). If you need a hostess gift, these Sugar and Spiced Candy Nuts from Smitten Kitchen are always a hit.
Holiday Cards Lastly, a PSA (mostly to myself) to order your holiday cards before Thanksgiving so they don’t turn into Happy New Year’s cards like mine tend to do 🙃 My go-to is Artifact Uprising — I think they have the best designs.
Take care, everyone ❣️
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