Christmas Morning

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

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.

35 comments:

  1. Aww! Both those days sounds perfect--one girly day, one cuddly day :) I am so excited to read your gift guides!! I love buying gifts and think I'm pretty good at it, but there are definitely a few people I get stuck on ever year! Like my dad...I hope you have dads in your guide, because mine is impossible :P
    I spent a long weekend in Cincinnati with my John and it was amazing. We explored downtown with peppermint mochas in hand, made french onion soup while listening to Michael Buble, and just spent time being generally giddy to be together haha :) And the best part is, he'll be here for Thanksgiving, so the goodbye wasn't as hard as usual, and I am much happier this Monday than most post-weekend-with-John Mondays!
    Hope you have a wonderful day, Lena! xoxox

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  2. P.S. Totally did not intend for that to be the longest blog comment ever :P

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  3. sounds like the perfect weekend! we celebrated thanksgiving early yesterday with friends, it was fantastic and it's making me SO excited about the upcoming holidays! xoxo jillian:: Cornflake Dreams

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  4. Soo soo excited for your gift picks!!!Happy Monday!

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  5. I also am a huge present giving lover! There is something so sweet about handing off a lovely gift for someone else to enjoy!

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  6. Um....those ice cream sandwiches sounds amazing Lena. Oh and can you do my Christmas shopping as well? ;)

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  7. Holiday weekend perfection. We are counting the days until Thanksgiving and Christmas. I am a huge lover of wrapping up gifts to the nines and decking them out with sweet and ornate details.

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  8. What a perfect weekend! I'm dying to see your gift guides - I am also a great lover of presents and in my absolute element at Christmas, if only the budget were unlimited! You have exquisite taste, so I can't wait to pore over what you've come up with.
    xox

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  9. You are so smart to start shopping in July! I always vow to avoid the last-minute scramble, but it never seems to pan out :-)

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  10. I can't wait to hear all your gift giving ideas, that is an area where i could use some pointers! Your weekend sounded so lovely and relaxing {sigh}, we have no sun to curl up in way up here in WA.

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  11. sounds like a fun weekend- and those ice cream sandwiches sound amazing!

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  12. Oh, I started my Christmas shopping last year. I love giving gifts and always have a closet full of gifts that I have found for friends and family.

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  13. Uhm yes! A gift guide from you? I can hardly wait for the amazing gifts you have put together for us all. I haven't yet purchased one Christmas gift but your post has inspired me to pull my socks up a little bit and get going on things. I must say I love gift giving as much as you do though, my gorgeous :) xoxo

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  14. I havent even begun to think about Christmas shopping. I wish I was more like you and picked up goodies for my friends throughout the year but I always tend to wait until the end of November to start checking things off my list. Good times.

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  15. I started my Christmas shopping {I think it's my first year that I started so early}. I can't wait to wrap them up.

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  16. I am excited to see the guides go up...and a little nervous. What a great weekend. Indulgence in everything good with and without your sweetie! xo

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  17. I wish I could get my shopping done so early! I aim to get the bulk done the weekend after thanksgiving (ONLINE - refuse to set foot in stores during the black friday madness), but it'd be nice to finish earlier!

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  18. I admire people like you who shop early for the holidays. Really, truly! I can't get anything done without fire & pressure under my butt. Maybe your gift guides will help me conquer my gift-buying procrastination!!

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  19. cannot wait to see the ideas you have up your sleeve! your weekend sounds absolutely perfect :)

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  20. Oooh I am excited to see your gift guides...I bet they will be pretty spectacular!

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  21. can't wait to see it! coming from you it will be creative and classy, no doubt.

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  22. i am soo excited for christmas! i LOVE gift giving as well!!

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  23. Oh, I love those gift tags...perfect for Christmas presents that need to be wrapped :) This Saturday was my birthday, so we had family brunch in the morning and at night my hubby took me for dinner and drinks - while my sister watch our baby boy. Sunday we continued to the celebrations with friends of ours
    and all in all had a grand weekend :)

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  24. Brrr..camping at this time of year? We had wine, wine, and more wine and a very special birthday dinner for my Husband.

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  25. Oh yum you have me craving an ice cream sandwich!! And I'm so excited for your gift guides!

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  26. I admire your dedication to the Christmas cause! What an effort! xo style, she wrote

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  27. Strangely, I'm not at all surprised you're an expert gift giver. It just seems fitting for you. Haha.

    I worked in Princeton for two years and never tried this place. How did I not hear about this? I'm a fiend for gelato!

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  28. Sounds like the perfect weekend to me!

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  29. That weekend sounds glorious! And I am excited for your gift guides as I too LOVE to give gifts. There is something so fabulous about finding that perfect gift for just the right person!

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  30. what a nice weekend! i love that wrapping paper btw

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  31. You're like me - you started early :) Gift giving is the best!!!

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  32. Lena, your weekend updates are my favorite. Just thought you should know. :) Oh, and so, so excited for your gift guides!!

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  33. What a fun weekend! We went to a couple of wedding celebrations, and I started making my Christmas gifts! I'm doing all homemade this year. (This is big. I am not a crafter!)

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  34. Sounds like a wonderful weekend! I also love this wrapping, so pretty! :)

    Aya ♥ Strawberry Koi

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  35. Aw, what a wonderful weekend! Being reunited is the best part about being apart : ) I can't believe you've been buying gifts since July! That is so sweet.: )

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