Christmas Morning

I don't know about you, but I am a fiend for giving gifts. I've been buying presents since July; my closet is stacked with books and boxes I know my nearest and dearest will adore. Gift giving's always been something I excelled at, and after years of making my own lists and couseling friends on what their husband or baby sister would love, I'm finally sharing my present prowess with you! This isn't as much a gift guide as it is a guide to giving great gifts, and one I hope will serve you well this holiday season! In addition to squealing over the amazing design work Chelsea of Buckets & Bunches did on the guides (you'll have to wait until tomorrow for the first of five–for brothers), I indulged this weekend in everything you can't, won't, or don't do with your sweetheart. John and his pal Daniel packed up 3 pounds of trail mix and headed to Yosemite before dawn on Saturday morning, so there was trashy TV in bed, hours curled up in the sun finishing a book, practicing my high notes in the living room. There were tacos and a pitcher of margaritas with a girlfriend, because a weekend isn't a weekend without tacos. Unsurprisingly, there was Christmas shopping and planning and a great deal of The Nutcracker, and there may have even been some ballet in the bedroom. But when John came home yesterday afternoon, his clothes stinking of smoke and his cheeks ruddy from the cold, I couldn't have been happier. We spent the rest of the day curled up, recounting every dull moment we'd spent apart, then met my dear friend Adrian at SFO for a hand off of my favorite coconut gelato from Princeton's the Bent Spoon. It, and the homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies he included, made perfect ice cream sandwiches. Tell me, what were you up to this weekend? Any adventures to unexplored lands, or projects conquered? Holiday gift tags by Bespoke Letterpress.