It really isn’t Christmas if this specific cookie isn’t on the table. For as long as I can remember my mom and I have made Swedish Snowball Cookies (aka: Russian Tea Cakes) (aka: Mexican Wedding Cakes) together. Yes, this cookie has that many names and to be honest, there are probably more! I called my mom to get her Betty Crocker version of this recipe because (in typical mom fashion) she has altered the recipe, well… let’s be real here, she has altered almost every recipe you can think of. I NEEDED her version of this classic cookie! So here you go! Enjoy the sweet powdered sugar, melt-in-your-mouth, first to get devoured, delicious cookie of my childhood.
**Bonus, I typed the directions nearly word-for-word straight from the pro herself, my mom.
Ingredients
1 cup room temp butter (or put in microwave until not fully melted)
⅔ cup powdered sugar (rather than 1/2 cup that the Betty Crocker cookbook calls for)
1 tablespoon vanilla (or do half vanilla & half almond extract to make it more Scandinavian – optional)
2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
¾ cups chopped walnuts (or pecans)
Instructions
Mix above ingredients well (we use a kitchen aid or handheld mixer)
Roll into 1 inch balls
Bake 10-12 mins at 375 degrees (this helps it cook all the way through) check after 8 mins because you only want the cookies lightly browned. Oven temps vary!
Let cool on a cookie rack for 5 mins, then roll in powdered sugar. You want the cookies to still be slightly warm so the powdered sugar sticks better on the first roll.
Once cooled more, roll in powdered sugar for a second time. These cookies actually taste better a few days later (which is impressive) and they freeze really well!
Enjoy! And pro-tip, whatever you do – don’t inhale the powdered sugar.
‘Tis the season to be jolly and eat lots of carbs and sugar too! But really… but really what? You know it’s true! Sugar cookies and winter holidays go together like peanut butter and jelly. I am not a great baker… I am passable. I am great at following directions to prepare and bake cookies but lack the imagination to frost them in a pretty way. As long as there is a cookie and some frosting, you bet I’ll eat it! I could care less about what it looks like. My palette isn’t that discerning when cookies are involved. Did you know that “cookie” was my first word? That should have been a sign of some sort.
Anyways, my neighbor, we’ll call her Josephine March (not her real name because you know… privacy and crazy cookie stalkers may read this) makes THE BEST cookies I have ever had. AND they are pretty. It’s enough to make me super jealous but not enough to stop me from eating any treats that she may share with me. I recently asked her for one of her yummy recipes and not only was I pleasantly surprised by the source of her recipe but by the easy instructions and prep- even an amateur baker like me couldn’t mess this up too much! Her super soft sugar cookie recipe is from none other than the critically acclaimed novel, “Clifford Wants A Cookie.”
Without further ado, here is the recipe…
Clifford’s Sugar Cookies:
Ingredients
1 cup of butter, softened
⅔ cup of sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 ½ cups flour
½ tsp salt
Instructions
Cream your butter and sugar mixture until fluffy and, well, creamy. Add your egg and vanilla and mix until well integrated (about another 2 minutes). Add the flour and salt until well blended. Form the dough into a big ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours… yes, 3 hours. Don’t take any shortcuts. After the 3 hours, roll out the dough on a nicely floured surface and shape with your favorite cookie cutters. Or, if you are like me, don’t roll and shape them on a nicely floured surface but instead, take the dough from the fridge and pull apart to make littler balls about an inch (or a little more) in width and bake them as drop cookies. Bake at 350 F for 9-11 minutes. The bottoms should be just turning brown. When you take them out, they may seem a little fluffy and this is ok! They will settle as they cool. Let them rest for 4-5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Let them cool before frosting… Finally, frost to your heart’s desire. I make my frosting (that’s about as fancy as I get) or buy your favorite brand from your local grocery store’s baking aisle.
Make a plate for yourselves, settle in with a good movie, a snuggly blanket, and enjoy yourself. Be safe this week. Make good decisions and to those of you that celebrate Christmas, Merry Christmas to you and yours.
What establishes a tradition? Well, Google states that it is a custom or recurring activity passed through generations. I would argue that in our minds we all have traditions that are simply considered yearly activities or events that we enjoy doing with our families. This year it may not be so easy to keep some event-based traditions alive but there is always time to create new traditions… At least that is my philosophy!
Let’s take it back to my childhood… I have so many great memories of Christmas. Mostly the excitement to be with family, opening gifts, and decorating the Christmas tree (which was always taken down from the garage rafters and was quite the production to set up). The ornaments that pre-dated my arrival to the family were always some of my favorites and each year we would add another personal ornament to the tree. Those personalized ornaments were my favorite to hang each year after that. Although our house rarely had Christmas lights on the outside, my mom always made sure it looked like a holiday explosion inside! My mom’s love for Christmas could be an entire blog post all on its own. Our family usually made an effort to go drive through the “Christmas Lights on James Street” every year. It was a local mobile home neighborhood that would get all lit up to THE extreme; from the lawns to the rooftops, the driveways and often even the cars, the James Street houses did not disappoint. We would ohh and ahh over the bright magical displays and talk about any other neighborhoods that might also be decorated nearby, I think we just liked driving around as a family.
One Christmas tradition that stands out above the rest is decorating sugar cookies with my mom. Since my mom is an amazing cook, she would make an effort to bake and decorate sugar cookies with me. We’d pull out cookie cutters, food coloring for frosting and ALL the sprinkles in the baking cabinet. Bless my mom’s heart because it was always such a mess and I rarely helped clean it up. I remember having the best time and getting extremely excited when my dad picked out his favorite frosted cookie that happened to be one I decorated. As an adult, I like to buy the premade Gingerbread house kits for the kids and now my mom typically will still do sugar cookie decorating with the grandkids. So sweet…literally!
Are you ready for my favorite Christmas tradition OF ALL TIME? The Christmas Eve Service at my Grandparents Church, trust me it was quite the production. I still remember the smell of the church, the color of the carpet, the pews that were handmade by my Great Uncle Ed, and the slightly terrible childrens performances that made you both laugh and cringe at the same time. The youngest kids would sing “Happy Bells” which is the cutest little song when coming from a 3 year old who is simultaneously shaking the bells in their hand as fast and hard as possible. As a group (congregation) we would take out the hymnals from the back of the pew in front of us and open to whatever page we were instructed to sing “O’ Holy Night” and numerous other Christmas songs. What made this so special was the unique sound of the organ piano. They save the best for last and as you left the ushers would give you a bag full of hard candies, peanuts (with the salty shell), and an orange. I loved this Christmas tradition and even typing about it makes me ache deep down inside, I miss it so much! The church built a new building and it just doesn’t have the same feel (or smell).
Although those are some of my more treasured traditions from childhood, the beauty of growing up is incorporating new traditions and evolving your knowledge and understanding of a holiday. Over the past few years I have poured myself into my Scandinavian heritage only to learn about the Norwegian Nisse, the Rommegrot porridge that the Nisse eats, Krumkake baking, candles and the (quite popular) concept of Hygge. It’s been so much fun to incorporate what I am learning back into my family traditions, hoping that something I am doing was what my great grandmother’s family did back in Norway.
Traditions can be beautiful and special when passed down from generation to generation. They can be a memory that you hold dear, or they can be something you just started doing this year. I would love to know (in the comments below) what holiday traditions are your favorite? What are some traditions that you are hoping to create?
Tradition. Traditions. They are important to our lives- especially around the holidays. Whether it’s a big meal with family or an ugly sweater party with your closest friends, this year is a game changer for everyone. The holidays bring out a beautiful and sentimental side to people. The month of December is like a blanket of hope and generosity of spirit.
My mom and grandma did traditions well. Decorating the trees, making Mexican Christmas cookies, shopping for gifts, hot cocoa… I miss those days. I miss the smell of it. As I got older, things changed and not all in bad ways. Life can’t stay the same! Neither can traditions. After my mom passed, we felt a little lost in terms of traditions… we never really got it “right.” There was a certain amount of pressure and shame (for me) that I couldn’t do it all the same way. Sure, we tried and we got some things right. Over time, we were okay with letting certain things go and modifying others. It was liberating to discover that we didn’t have to decorate the Christmas tree the exact same way! We got to play with the holiday season and try to figure out how to make it fun again… make it happy again.
I feel like the Christmas of 2017 was the one that I finally started to see what I wanted the holiday to be. My husband and I were in Spain and my father-in-law was in town for Christmas. It was… simple. We watched our favorite movies, made different kinds of delectable sweets, socialized with friends, and made a Christmas Eve feast that was ON POINT. We kept the pressure low. That has very much been the key to us being happy during the season. We mostly just want to be happy- so we do the things that make us happy. We have been open to change- something that I think has made us fairly comfortable during this… crazy… year.
This year, we have my dad with us. He’s been here in Vermont since September. We’ve decorated our home, are slowly purchasing gifts and last minute stocking stuffers, and are about to begin an intense week of baking cookies. This is also our second year of doing a Christmas puzzle. Settling down with a glass of wine or a cup of tea and focusing on a puzzle has proven to be a soothing pastime for me. It’s not just Issy and I anymore. Rosemary has started to discover the magic of the season. She is learning about the holidays through books and her favorite, so far, is “Charlie Brown’s Christmas.” She is SO my grandmother’s great granddaughter. Rosemary is also discovering the joys of snow, the perils of things freezing over, and the delights of cake pops shaped like snowmen from Starbucks. I very much want her to feel the same excitement and joy that I did as a kid. I want her to enjoy giving more than she does receiving. I want her to understand that this is the time of year where we open our wallets for not just gifts but for different causes… and sure!- this doesn’t have to be experienced only during the holidays, but it sure is a good time to show her the pleasure in giving to others.
On Friday I have grand plans of going out and finishing ALL shopping, getting a Christmas eye brow wax, and meandering over to the wine shop to get the wine for our Christmas day meal. That’s this year’s traditions. Maybe next year, things will be different? Traditions don’t really matter… What matters is being with the people who make traditions worth doing.
Earlier this week marked six years since my mom has passed away. She passed away from complications of the flu. It was very sudden, very confusing, and very, very sad. It all started when she needed to be hospitalized because she was having problems breathing. The medical team determined that in order to stabilize her breathing she needed to be put in a medically induced coma so that they could take over and control her breathing functions. Before they put her under, I was able to tell her that I loved her and that I would talk to her soon. Cruelly, only one of those things was true; I never got to talk to her again.
The week that she was hospitalized was chaotic. She was up, she was down, up again, and then down. I tried to continue on as normal as possible because I knew that if I didn’t there would be problems when she woke up; she would most likely have yelled at me for being dramatic, for everyone making a fuss, etc. When the doctor told us that her kidneys were shutting down, I began to understand that this wasn’t going to get better. In addition to that, her oxygen levels had never returned to normal. She still wasn’t able to breathe on her own. There was no miracle drug to give her. There was no miracle prayer to pray. We decided to let her go. She was read her last rites and the machines were turned off. While in her coma her body was rotated (I don’t remember why but I know there was a reason for it) and when the machines were turned off the nurses turned her so that she was face up towards us. They say she was gone before they even finished turning her. That, was that- I say that with the most sad and bitter of tones.
The days following her passing were a blur of getting things done. We managed to plan her funeral for 5 days later. During this time, I held it mostly together in front of everyone. I didn’t really have time to grieve. Over the next several months I managed to grieve in my own way… which I won’t discuss here because that’s a whole other can of tomatoes. It wasn’t until I met my husband about 10 months later that I managed to emotionally stabilize. He helped me find my anchor and let go of/process a lot of the heavy emotions I was harboring.
My mom’s death made me wake up and pay better attention to my health. As you can imagine, living in the time of a pandemic has heightened these feelings. I am a firm believer of being vaccinated, wearing a mask to protect others just as much myself, and taking precautions set in place by my state seriously. For more in depth thoughts on the Coronavirus, please refer to my Dear Karens of Covid-19 post. Anyways, because of what happened to my mom, I am super vigilant when it comes to my health, my husband’s health, and my daughter’s health. I will do whatever is necessary to protect us. I will gladly down some gross tasting immune booster stuff if it means it may help. I will wear my mask in Costco even if I start to get claustrophobic. It was a super sobering event that has carried with me and will always be with me. I think of her every day. And I really, really miss her. I wasn’t ready to lose her, but it seems the universe had some other plan that I really don’t understand or like.
Something else I often reflect on this time of year is the idea of grief. When my mom died I learned that everyone grieves super differently- and this is ok. I may not understand someone’s process but I know it’s normal to have different feelings about death. One of the most important takeaways I have from my mom passing is the notion of taking care of myself not just physically but emotionally as well. Putting me first wasn’t something I really did before that. I put the collective of work, family, friends, etc. before myself. That change was one of the most important of my life. We only get one life- we need to take care of it. There’s always an excuse of being busy or tired that can get in the way of being happy. I see people hiding behind these things instead of taking genuine care of themselves and it’s something I 100% relate to doing. My mom was a huge believer in living life on your own terms, living with the consequences both good and bad of those terms, and not shying away from moments that may challenge your current assumptions about something. And every day, I try to do that not just for her- but for myself and my family. Stay safe out there-
Typically these “outdoorsy” blog posts are prompted out of necessity. Lately, I have had several friends reach out to me to ask about snowshoeing. What to wear, where to go, where to rent or buy snowshoes… simply put, where to even start? I figured I would make it easy and put together a Q&A post all about SNOWSHOEING!
Before we “spill the tea” on the topic of snowshoeing, let me start by introducing you to Kate. Kate isn’t your average guest blogger; she is an extremely special friend of the blog. Better yet, she is one of Kendall’s best friends, godmother to Kendall’s little girl, Rosemary, and one of my (Shari’s) favorite friends to bump into in town. Kate’s quick wit, varied interests, and adventurous spirit make her one of the most magnetic individuals that you will ever meet. When I thought about writing a blog on snowshoeing, I knew I wanted Kate to weigh in on the topic. She grew up in the outdoors with a family that loves to adventure.
*Special shout out and thank you to Kate for sharing your snowshoeing expertise!*
Guest-blogger, Kate, in the beautiful snowy Pacific Northwest Mountains!
Without further ado, here is our Q&A:
What is so great about snowshoeing?
Shari: One of the many ways I combat the winter blues is by getting outside and enjoying some fresh air. Especially on sunny (yet cold) days up at the nearby mountain. Unlike most people my age I am not a skier or snowboarder. I’ve tried (ok, not that hard) to ski but it is expensive and a huge time commitment so I decided to look into snowshoeing instead. I purchased my first pair of snowshoes at an REI garage sale (it was a MSR men’s pair). I had no idea what I was doing but I dressed in layers and we walked along a snowy road up near the top of the mountain. I wasn’t overly impressed with this “walk” in the snow but the more I went, the more I explored other trails, adventured through the trees, laughed when we tripped, and marveled over the winter wonderland and breathtaking views…I was forever hooked! Snowshoeing is truly amazing.
Kate: Snow is magic- so mountains covered in snow are enchanting and awe inspiring, which is needed in these unique times and short, cold days. I wish I would have known how fun and attainable snowshoeing is. It’s hiking/walking on snow. It’s not like skiing or snowboarding. Had I known this, I would have started sooner.
What do you wish you had known about snowshoeing before you went for the first time?
Kate: The knowledge that I mainly lacked upon my first big snow shoe is that you are hiking… uphill… but with snowshoes on. I grew up skiing and had hiked in cold weather with the use of micro spikes but when I initially went snowshoeing it was with a large group and the terrain was fairly flat. I suppose I somehow tricked my brain into thinking that most trails would be more of a snowy walk, but I was ruefully mistaken. In saying this, treat snowshoeing like a hike, read the trail reports, check for avalanche warnings, and try to have an idea of what the weather will be like through the day. There’s a trail out there for all levels, so find a trail and get out there.
What items do you always make sure to bring?
Kate: Layers. I always bring extra layers. I wear many layers, I carry extra layers in my knapsack, but also (pro-tip), I bring dry warm clothing and socks that I leave in the car for something to change into for the ride home. For more of what I recommend to bring see below in “what’s in my backpack.”
Shari: Trekking Poles and eye protection (sunglasses or goggles) are my most recommended gear. I always make sure to bring my Thermarest Z-pad seat and lots of snacks/food (typically – veggies, sandwich, hot soup in a hydroflask, and a spiked hot drink in a thermos).
What advice would you give someone thinking about going for the first time?
Kate: Layer up. When it is cold outside you want to be warm, too warm. I am naturally warm, but have learned it’s better to be too warm in the cold than cold in cold. You have to consider there just might be a wind chill or that it will be snowing and snow melts on our bodies. Bring sunglasses or goggles, it can be hard to look at all the white snow, beautiful but blinding. For me waterproof shoes are a must. Whether you’re wearing snow shoes or hiking boots, be sure they are lined and waterproof.
What boots, snowshoes, or other gear do you recommend?
Boots:
Kate: I have been participating in mountain sports since early childhood and have an inherited love for Sorel boots. They are waterproof, warm, and comfortable to hike in. My feet will be steaming when I take those boots off.
Shari: Anything waterproof and comfortable. I wear Salomon GTX, DO NOT wear rubber boots – your toes will get too cold- even with thick socks. Along with my comfortable Gor-Tex boots and I always wear Outdoor Research Gaiters (you can thank me later). Please note that I also wore my gaiters backwards the first two times I wore them, so don’t feel bad if gear is confusing sometimes- haha.
“Put your snowshoe in, put your snowshoe out, put your snowshoe in, and shake it all about…”
Snowshoes:
Shari: Honestly, if you only plan on going a few times you can find a local place to rent snowshoes (a quick google search will help you locate the closest rental place). If you want to invest in a really good pair – I recommend MSR Lightning Explore purely because I like the ratchet system with these snowshoes. I also have friends that bought less expensive snowshoes on Amazon or at Costco and they work great!
Clothing:
Kate: I have also had a recent love affair with various base layers. There are varieties of weights (mid weight, light, etc.) and they are wonderful. I have worn my Smartwool midweight long sleeve top more than any other outdoor item I own. I don’t usually wear snow pants or waterproof pants when I snowshoe, I wear base layers under leggings and I stay warm. Socks are also so important, wool socks\ski socks are life giving for keeping your feet warm. I have a Bearz outdoor waterproof picnic blanket, it’s pocket size and works well thrown down on the snow so I can sit and rest while I snack and not get wet, therefore remaining warmer.
Shari: I, like Kate, don’t typically wear waterproof pants unless it is snowing out. Yoga pants and gaiters over warm wool socks and my boots keep my legs and feet warm. Optional, wear a puffy down skirt to keep your butt warm, my friend Kristina wrote an awesome blog about down skirts here. I typically wear a long sleeve base layer (Lululemon Long-sleeve), a mid layer zip up (Arc’teryx Atom LT), and a shell (Arc’teryx Shell). My top layer, the shell, comes off pretty quickly after I get going and my core temp heats up. I always wear gloves that are waterproof and warm and wear a hat or earmuffs to keep my head and ears warm. It is better to bring more than you need.
What’s in my backpack:
Kate: I have an affinity for preparedness, therefore I always have water, snacks, a first aid kit, and sunglasses or goggles. I definitely bring sunscreen because getting burned in winter somehow hurts even more than in summer. The sun reflects off all the beautiful white snow and onto our very un-sunkissed faces. On longer hikes I might bring a pocket stove to heat up some apple cider with bourbon (or anything warm) or bring it in a thermos. I also like to have hand warmers in my knapsack in case my hands or feet get really cold. I also bring my camera because I love to take pictures of the beautiful views.
Shari: I always have a hydration pack, that is if it’s not too cold or the straw can freeze on you – in that case I just bring a bottle of water. Like I said above, I love to bring snacks, food, and a thermos with something warm and delicious. Definitely the 10 Essentials which includes Sunscreen, chapstick, and sunglasses because the snow is bright and reflective on a blue-bird winter day. Sometimes I will bring a few extra layers to be safe and toilet paper & a plastic bag in case you need to go potty during your walk/hike in the snow. Lastly I always bring an extra pair of socks, hat/beanie, hand warmers, and for good measure…candy.
This photo was taken on a SheJumps Snowshoeing Event that Shari lead in February 2018
*This post is not affiliated with any of the above brands or companies. We purely recommend the items that we have personally field tested. Shari is an Ambassador for SheJumps, a non-profit organization that focuses on empowering women and girls to get outdoors.
I have never had the knack that many do for gift giving. I work really hard to pick gifts and I am rarely confident in giving them. Is it too commercial? Hippie? Young? Old? Irrelevant? The list goes on. We are a family on a budget and I am fairly strict about sticking to it… I definitely could be stricter but that’s a whole other can of worms. Anyways, as a family on a budget, that means we need to be thoughtful about who we are gifting to and what we are gifting. Issy and I both have fairly large families and tons of friends and that can often come with budgeting problems when holiday shopping. So, here are some of my guidelines for gift giving and a look at what could possibly be in my family’s stockings this year.
The past two years have been very expensive ones for us and so we try to be thoughtful about all gift buying. A lot of our friends and families don’t need gifts for the sake of getting gifts and we don’t like to give people things just for the sake of checking off a list. That’s not what the season is about and honestly, wasting money just to say you bought someone something is not what we are about… ever. Because of this, I am probably seen as a very inconsistent gifter. Some years, I see something and am moved to purchase it for someone… and then that person or family might not get something from us for another couple of years… and to me, that’s ok. At some point, you have to be realistic about gifts and getting gifts. I don’t want to receive something if it’s not truly from the heart… you can begin to tell when you are just a name to be checked off a list. So…
Guidelines:
Keep it real. Meaning- be realistic. Set your budget. Write down everyone you would want to give a gift to and then write out your ideas. Do some research. Price it out. Then, decide what’s realistic and reevaluate. Do this until you feel good about that list. If you don’t feel good about it in terms of authenticity, price, etc., then just don’t. Figure out something else.
If you are trying to buy gifts for a family, maybe try looking at gifts for the whole family to enjoy. OR look for a gift that the adults can share and then a gift for any potential kiddos to enjoy together. This can help keep your budget on track and keep the stress levels down of buying for too many people. I love consolidating gifts this way.
Know your audience. For example, we don’t like a ton of stuff. And the stuff we do like, we are very picky about. So buying housewares and clothing is always risky for us. But wine? Heck, yeah. We will gladly take a bottle of wine. Dish towels? YES, PLEASE. My dad loves cool art things, so I am always trying to pick something he can hang up on his wall or utilize in his home office. My husband is someone who buys what he wants for himself as he sees it. Waiting for Christmas just isn’t his thing, so as a result, I don’t get him big Christmas gifts but I do fill up on stocking stuffers for him- gum, candy, shaving things, etc. That’s joyful for him to open.
Simplicity is key. We don’t want to buy everyone multiple things… my mom is probably rolling over in her grave right now! She loved to give people a few things to open. She loved that… she loved picking gifts for people. Sorry mama, but I don’t. I like to focus on one thing (maybe two). This can be per person or per family depending on the list. It’s a bit harder when you aren’t doing smaller things but that’s also the intentionality behind the way we gift- simplicity.
And look, trying to buy for everyone can get exhausting. This is where the art of the holiday card comes in. I love cards; all cards! Photo or regular ole’ cards- I love receiving them. In recent years, sending out holiday cards has become the main way that we manage to stay in touch with our friends and family all over the world. Early last week I sent our holiday cards off to Spain. They arrived today- well at least one family got theirs already. Sometimes something in the mail and a quick update be it letter, a short scribble, or a photo is enough.
Gift Essentials/Ideas:
“Essentials” differ from person to person. So the following is relevant to the people in my life.
As I stated above, stocking stuffers are most important to my husband. This year, his stocking will have some grooming items and snacks for work- even though he is WFH, he still needs his own snacks because I don’t like him taking mine!
Extended family members will be getting either gift cards, local gift baskets from Vermont companies (gotta support the local businesses), or a 2 or 3 month subscription box off of Cratejoy.com. Cratejoy is amazing. They have everything from tea subscription boxes to book boxes to food boxes… the list goes on… like really, they have date nights in a box, CBD boxes, and boxes of items for the bedroom (cough cough you know what I mean cough cough). My favorite thing about Cratejoy is that they also have boxes to fit most any budget. ** I am not paid to say any of that- I just really like them!
In the past, I have done handmade gifts for friends and neighbors. This year, it just seemed too difficult (thanks, Covid-19) to make that happen while trying to keep people as safe as possible. So, that’s where a bottle of something at someone’s doorstep or simply just scheduling a Zoom call for cocktails, coffee, or tea is going to come in to play. One of my favorite parts of the holiday are the holiday parties! And since that’s out of the question, what I really want is just a moment to connect with the people I care about. 2020 has been… a trip… or should I say lack of a trip? It’s been different. It’s been stressful. Let’s make sure that we try and connect in a safe manner with the people we love. The gifts are just stuff. Stuff that we don’t need to beat ourselves up about. But taking the time to say “Hey” or “I love you?” That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.
As a child my favorite thing to do was to dig into my stocking first thing on Christmas morning! The joy that came from that overflowing stocking was almost to par with whatever large gift I got that year. As an adult I realize that the stocking is almost always an afterthought and most people don’t tell you what they want in their stocking, let alone what they even want for Christmas. Let’s bring some joy back to the stocking gifts and the magic of packing little items in a cute sock!
Below is a quick list of some of my go-to items when shopping for stocking stuffers. Start by listing out the names of the people you need to purchase stocking stuffers for. Are there any small items that you know they will like? For example, my dad collects pins from trips and unique places. I always try to save a pin ahead of time to put in his stocking or order a clever one off of etsy. Another example is my husband; we always have to buy him travel size items before we go on vacation, so a stocking stuffer idea for him is travel sized items he’d actually use on a trip.
Also the predictable items like candy, gift cards, and mini toys are always a good idea. But I love it when people think outside of the box and add in something unexpected yet useful like battery operated twinkle lights, small framed photos, a meaningful ornament, or a useful tool. The goal is to put items in the stocking that people will actually use and enjoy but that aren’t super expensive. Without further ado, here are my recommendations from predictable to meaningful items – I hope you find it helpful!
Stocking Stuffer ideas:
+ Gum (the kids love Big League Chew)
+ Gift cards (Coffee cards are a huge hit for adults)
+ Hair stuff (I’m currently a fan of these scalp massagers)
+ Bath bombs/Soap
+ Chapstick
+ Candy (almost everyone in our family has a favorite)
The Salty Exchange 