Tag Archives: christmas gifts

Jan14

Little Christmas Haul

Posted on January 14, 2026 by lifewithlilred

Hi! We celebrated with Johnny’s family on Christmas Day and had the most wonderful time. Unfortunately, his aunt couldn’t attend and it just wasn’t the same without her. We were so happy that she was in town this past week and finally got to have our “Little Christmas” get together. It’s basically the same thing as Christmas but we ordered Chinese food lol. It was amazing to be all together again for our bonus celebration and it certainly felt Christmas-y despite it being January eighth! Check out my very last holiday haul:

Johnny and I were so generously gifted with lots of goodies and he received something really cool! My husband is a history buff and his aunt gave him her freshman year of high school American History text book. It was complete with her notes and highlighted sections and he has already enjoyed flipping through the pages of yesteryear. As a gift for both of us, we got the absolutely adorable Rudolph hot cocoa set. Seriously, how cute is that? We just love those mugs and although we are not big hot chocolate drinkers, our nieces can’t get enough of it. We are so excited to have them over for one of their favorite treats but in different mugs lol. I would be so sad if one of them broke because did I mention holy cuteness?! 😀

One gift we all had to laugh at was the Wicked slippers. I have never seen Wicked and I have zero desire to do so. When I opened the box, however, I genuinely thought the Ws were cacti and I could definitely get down with that! It wasn’t until further inspection that I realized what they were but I’m still going with cacti and they look comfy as can be. I am also delighted to have some more cozy pairs of boot socks because ankle socks during the winter is for the birds. I am SO sick of them sliding off so I have a double dose of treats for my feet. 🙂

Last but not least is the pretty as a picture picture frame, candle, and picture keeper. How sweet is that frame? I think it will be the perfect one to house a snapshot of me and my three nieces! ❤ I also adore being gifted with candles because I never buy them for myself. I have been loving burning the one my bestie got me for Christmas so this will be great to have on standby. And, finally, I have no idea what the picture keeper is or how to use it. BUT, if it gives us a space to free up the rapidly dwindling storage on our phones from OOTD shoots then we needed it like yesterday!!

We have been looking forward to Little Christmas since Christmas and now it’s officially a wrap on our holiday season. What a fantastic one it was!

Are you a Wicked fan? What is your favorite kind of cozy clothing? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan2

Family Holiday Haul

Posted on January 2, 2026 by lifewithlilred

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Hi hi! Whenever anyone asks me what I want for Christmas, I never know what to say. Literally all I do throughout the year is spoil and pamper myself so I already have everything I could possibly want lol. This year, however, my tune changed because there actually were a few things I would love to be gifted with. A new electric blanket because mine went kaput as well as baking pans which I have none of. I thought it would be fun for when my nieces come over as they enjoy being helpers when their mom is baking. I asked, I received, and I am so beyond happy with these gifts from my mom and dad:

My blogging bestie gifted me with an electric blanket for Christmas a few years ago. I basically lived in it and looked forward to returning home from work every day to snuggle up. Then, out of the blue, it just stopped working. There was no rhyme or reason for it and it was a sad day, indeed. Although I loved that damn heated blanket more than most people, I never bothered replacing it. It fell under my nice to have but not must have category and was the number one thing I asked for for Christmas. I was absolutely delighted when I opened it!

As for the baking pans, I never bothered getting them because Johnny and I really don’t have a sweet tooth. We might indulge in chocolate or ice cream from time to time but that is about it. I also have always preferred cooking to baking so cake pans and cupcake tins were unnecessary. My nieces just love to help with the ingredients, taste test, and decorate sweet treats, though, and I wanted to have the equipment so they could do the same at my place. Whenever we’re watching our nieces I like to have activities for the day planned and this is one of their favorites. Who knows, maybe I’ll even bake some of the recipes that I have saved and neglected on Facebook lol.

I knew exactly what I wanted this Christmas and was thrilled when my requests were waiting for me under the tree. I can’t wait to break them out!

What is your favorite thing to bake? Did you get everything you wanted this Christmas? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec30

In Laws Holiday Haul

Posted on December 30, 2025 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! Johnny and I celebrated on Christmas day with his parents and it was so lovely. So much so that we are going to have Little Christmas in January to continue the festivities when his aunt comes to visit. I can’t wait because Christmas just wasn’t the same without her! Our day was full of laughter, amazing food, fun games, and wonderful gifts. Johnny’s family is always so sweet to spoil us and I can’t wait to use all of my prezzies! Check it out:

Yowza! My gift bags and stocking was filled to the brim with the most thoughtful gifts. Johnny’s dad is the king of the practical gift and we had our minds blown by the portable sealing machine. My main squeeze and I are most fond of a salty snack and if our chip bags can be sealed after digging in then life will never be the same. I also deeply appreciated the tiny Lowe’s bucket which my father in law has quite the collection of. It’s so classic him and will have a shining spot to be proudly displayed on our knick knack shelves! ❤

Johnny’s mom, on the other hand, loves to find those unique little somethings that we normally wouldn’t buy for ourselves. I love the gorgeous sketchpad that I received complete with a set of colored pencils so I can craft amateur masterpieces. I have zero talent for art but, hey, it’s exciting to create and Johnny’s mom requested a Lil Red Original to hang up. I’m looking forward to giving it my best shot! Also included was a stunning pair of earrings as well as goodies in my favorite scent from Bath & Body Works – Champagne Toast. Or as Johnny would call it, “Champagne & Toast” lol.

The piece de resistance of our presents has got to be the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Monopoly board. Johnny’s family has watched this movie on every Christmas day since it came out in 1989 and it is our favorite tradition. It is never not funny and we basically recite the entire movie every time we watch it. This year, we will watch it together with his aunt on Little Christmas because we need her vocals for the “Hey, Santa Claus” song! In lieu of watching the flick, we played Monopoly instead and had a blast. Johnny ran away with it but I am confident we can band together and beat his butt next time!!! 😀

Christmas day with my second family was absolutely fabulous and I can’t wait to do it all again on Little Christmas!

How did you celebrate the holidays? What is your favorite gift that you got? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec28

Work Family Christmas Gift

Posted on December 28, 2025 by lifewithlilred

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Howdy! I love my job of working with people with special needs all of the time. Like literally every single second of my shifts. However, it just hits different around the holidays. Making plans, learning about their traditions, Christmas movies, and just having FUN. It feels so magical to share in the joy of the holiday season together and it means so much to me. One of the families I work with gave me a very unique gift that I wanted to share with all of you. It is something I have never even heard of and I think it is so way cool! Check it out:

When I opened my gift box and found my little Spirit Shaker I admittedly had no idea what it was but I sure liked how it looked. These Spirit Shakers are handmade and one of a kind. No two are alike and that is exactly what I like. Something that no one else has. Then, I read the description card and was even more enthralled. I am not a religious or spiritual person in the slightest but I need all of the help that I can get lol. Positive energy just by shaking this handcrafted masterpiece? I’ll take it! And you know what? I think it works because I think of my work family when I pick it up and smile. 🙂

This Spirit Shaker is so unlike anything I have ever received before and that’s what makes it so special. It touches me that my work fam saw this and it made them think of me. A token that says they want all of the best for me (And I to them!) and I can hold that good intention in the palm of my hand. This is your sign that if you see something that makes you think of a loved one immediately to go for it. It will make the perfect gift. I know I will cherish this one for forever and I can see what my work family was saying through it so clearly! ❤

A shake of my Spirit Shaker a day will keep the negative vibes away. I love having mine displayed on my knick knack shelf and will be using it regularly!

What is the most unique gift you have ever received? Who is your favorite person to shop for gifts for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec20

Bestie Christmas Haul

Posted on December 20, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! It has honestly been an exhausting month and I am so completely drained. Can holiday break get here now or?! Despite not feeling holly or jolly in the slightest, I am feeling the slightest bit better thanks to Santa Mail from my A1 best girl, Kate of Live In The Nautical. I was surprised with a heated blanket that is simply the best over the weekend and was greeted to another package when I got to chez mom and dad on Tuesday. Kate spoiled me totally rotten this year and I cannot wait to spoil myself with these goodies from Rusted Acre Soap Co.:

Kate got me hip to Rusted Acre Soap Co. last Christmas when she gifted me with these amazing horror themed bath bombs. I have to admit, I am a Lush bath bomb snob so I was curious to see how the set would compare with my tried and true favorite. I have used many bath bombs in my day that didn’t hold a candle to my beloved Lush so I was incredibly surprised that the ones by Rusted Acre were comparable, if not better. 1) There’s nothing better than being gifted with something that supports a small business. And 2) Has Lush ever made a Jason Voorhees bath bomb that actually looks like the mask in the water when it dissolves? I think not and I rest my case!

I am completely enamored with my Rusted Acre holiday gift set and I legit felt more relaxed just thinking about taking a bath with these goodies! The love potion is definitely my favorite one… Actually, maybe the skull haha but also how cute is that gingerbread man with a bite taken out of it?! This is just the treat I needed and I know for a fact Kate felt like I needed it too. Which is why she is the best friend/gift giver ever! My favorite thing about Lush bath bombs is how entertaining they are to watch dissolve. There is something about the ones from Rusted Acre that hit different, though, and I can’t wait to see how they perform. They also hit different because they’re from my ride or die. ❤

Being besties with Kate is seriously like Christmas every day because she is an absolute gift. Thank you to my doll for making my day merrier and brighter with this fabulous self care surprise! ❤

What is your favorite small business? Where do you like to holiday shop at? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec6

Last Minute Gift Ideas

Posted on December 6, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! I have to admit, I did not complete my holiday shopping as early as I usually do this year. However, I am pleased to report that I will officially be DONE once I pick up a gift card at my nail salon on Tuesday. It feels so good to have gifts for everyone in my big family out of the way and I have been working on wrapping a few gifts at a time whenever I feel like it lol. We are officially in the holiday home stretch and if you are just starting your shopping now, then: 1) You are giving ME anxiety! And 2) I am here to help with these last minute options. Let’s get to it:

Food & Drink:

You truly can never go wrong with a food and drink style gift and it is something I implement every year. For the families I work with, I always go with some type of gift basket like chocolate, popcorn, or cookie kits and they are very well received. In fact, this year, I scored a wonderful deal for customized chocolate tins from Ghirardelli that I am really excited about. Most stores offer a great array of gift baskets, wine or beer samplers, or cooking and baking kits so go for it!

Gift Cards:

SO many people say that gift cards are a thoughtless gift and I say FALSE. If you do feel that way, though, you can absolutely put some thought into gift cards! Treat your giftee to a gift card to a movie theater and a favorite restaurant. BOOM. Instant date night. Have a giftee that drives a lot (Like me!)? They will surely want some help filling their tank! Shopping for a shopaholic? Now they can go wild at their go to stores. Yes, it’s one of the most easy ways to complete your shopping. But, it will be a gift that’s truly appreciated and that’s alright in my book!

Pet Supplies:

As a bunny mom, I can honestly say that I am THRILLED whenever I get a Chewy gift card or supplies for my gremlins as a gift. If you have some proud pet parents on your list, this could be a fantastic way to go. As a bonus, it will give them some extra scratch to spend on post holiday sales! If you don’t know what kind of supplies are necessary for your giftee’s pet, just ask. It’s another added bonus because it eliminates a chore for them too.

Photo Albums:

If you’re looking for a more sentimental option, photo albums or framed pictures are perfect – especially if you are the designated picture taker in your family (Like me!). This is a gift that I give at least one of every year because it’s just so easy and it’s really thoughtful. You could do an album of your kiddos for the grandparents, framed pics of you and your bestie on a fun day out, or even canvas prints. Websites like Shutterfly are always running great promotions so this is a gift that could be completed right from your computer!

Stocking Stuffers:

There is literally no rule stating that a gift has to be big or expensive. All that matters is the thought!! Stocking stuffers are excellent if you are strapped for time, ideas, or cash. Think candles and lotion, shaving kits or hot sauce, socks, hats, bath bombs – I could go on for forever. A small item or two and a big smile on your face is really all you need and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. ❤

If you have finished your holiday shopping: Kudos! If not, I hope these ideas help!

Are you good at wrapping gifts? What are your holiday plans? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan2

Happy Haulidays: Second Family Edition

Posted on January 2, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! Prior to me getting sick on Christmas day, Johnny and I had a wonderful holiday celebration with his parents and aunt over the weekend. It is such a joy to be able to spend Christmas with both of our families and I love the traditions that Johnny and I participate in every year with his. We have a delicious meal, open presents (Including a stocking for each of us on the mantel, which I adore!), and have our annual viewing of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation – our favorite! I had never seen that movie until my first Christmas with Johnny’s family and now I think I can out-quote all of them lol. 😀 As always, Johnny’s family is way too generous with their thirty something year old kids and we are so enjoying everything that was waiting for us under the tree:

Every year, Johnny’s mom gifts me with amazing goodies from Hope Soap, which is a local business in Cuyahoga Falls. These products couldn’t have come a moment too soon because I was literally all out of lotion! In fact, I just started using the jar of Fruity Loops Body Nectar last night and it is divine. It smells exactly like Fruit Loops, as I’m sure you all guessed, and I am so there for it. I also received two bottles of the body cream from Hope Soap in Grapefruit & Bamboo and Honey & Almond. The grapefruit scent is zingy and refreshing and the honey one is SO lush and rich. I am very partial to a Honey & Almond fragrance and I can’t wait to use it!

As always, Johnny and I received lots of chocolate to satisfy our sweet tooths and we have been in heaven! Every night since, we have had a piece or two during our viewings of Criminal Minds and it is with sheer willpower and determination that we don’t have everything in one go haha. My favorite gift of all, though, has to be the sweet leopard print shawl that Johnny’s mom got for me. It is just SO damn cute and I am most eager to wear it with my French Rooster cami top. The shawl is soft and cozy, perfectly unique, and such a fun cold weather accessory. I don’t own anything like it whatsoever, making it the ideal gift for me. ❤

Two holiday celebrations make for twice the holiday joy for me and Johnny on Christmas and it is the best gift to be able to spend time with our amazing families!

How did you celebrate the holidays? What is your favorite gift you received? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug8

Willie Nelson Chia Pet Epic Fail

Posted on August 8, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! Johnny and I are huge Willie Nelson fans and this past Christmas, his mom and dad gifted us with our very own Willie Nelson Chia Pet. After watching the Red Headed Stranger (Which was freaking AWESOME!) this past Saturday, we decided to finally bring our Chia Pet to life. I don’t know why we waited so long to do it, but it just felt right after watching a Willie Nelson movie. I guess we should have waited longer, though, because it was a failure of epic proportions. Check it out:

^^^ Lol at the picture of Willie in the water because you can see Johnny’s reflection in it and it cracks me up!!

The directions for our Chia Pet were very straight forward: Soak the clay for a half hour, put the seeds on, water it, and done. We filled up my spaghetti pot with water and let Willie Nelson soak while we played Diablo IV and, of course, listened to Willie Nelson. Once the clay was prepped, all that was left to do was apply the seeds. But, this is when things went so horribly wrong. I guess we didn’t realize that you should “plant” the seeds using your hands and not just dumping it on top! *Face palm*

So, Chia seeds went everywhere after Johnny so helpfully poured them all out and we were left scrambling to put them back onto the clay. It was an absolute mess and Chia Pet definitely didn’t cover this uh-oh in their commercials! Once we did our due diligence of cleaning up the scattered seeds, we both decided that Chia Pets suck. But that’s okay! We scraped the seeds off of Willie Nelson and now we have a great piece for our knick knack shelf! In fact, we both like it better that way so who’s the real winner in this situation?

Our Chia Pet experience was a total bust, but now we have a bust of Willie Nelson! Maybe Johnny was onto something with his faux pas all along?! 😀

Have you ever grew a Chia Pet? Do you currently have the commercial stuck in your head? (I do!) I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan2

Bath Bomb Blitz: Lush’s Bat Art Edition

Posted on January 2, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! After a fantastic time celebrating Christmas last weekend, it was a struggle to return to work on Tuesday the 27th even if it was a short shift. Once I got home in the afternoon, all I wanted was a cup of tea and to sink into a nice, warm bath. So, I did! I used the Bat Art bath bomb that I received from my bestie for Christmas and it was an absolute delight. Way better than the Bigfoot bomb from Lush that I used last time! Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

^^^ Featuring my new fuzzy socks from my gift haul. So comfy!

My blogging bestie sent me a box filled with Halloween themed Lush products and I was really looking forward to the Bat Art one. I knew that it was going to look cool once it was in the water and the show it put on was even better than I imagined. As soon as this bomb went into the tub, it began zipping around the water leaving streaks of deep purple and magenta in its wake. While the bomb continued to fizz, the water went from crystal clear to a gorgeous dark purple in a matter of minutes. And, prior to Bat Art completely dissolving, it fizzed silver glitter making the water look like a night sky filled with stars. It was so pretty!

The Bat Art was a bigger bath bomb and took about six minutes to fizz out entirely. According to Lush’s website, the featured scents were rosemary and sage but I didn’t smell that at all, I thought it was rather citrusy. The scent dissipated pretty quickly but I don’t mind that since the bath water looked as freaking awesome as it did! This can be a deal breaker to some but you have been warned that the Bat Art bath bomb left stains on my tub so it will require some additional cleanup after using it. As always, the Lush bath bombs are the best and they leave my skin feeling so hydrated. This is great whenever, but my skin especially needed some extra TLC after the negative temperatures Ohio was experiencing all Christmas weekend.

Overall, I am going to rate the Bat Art bath bomb from Lush with an eight out of ten stars. This was a really fun one to use and it spoke to my spooky soul. I would definitely recommend it for yourself or as a gift. In fact, go ahead and buy one for you too!

How do you care for your skin in the winter? How do you warm up on a cold day? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec29

Happy Haulidays: Husband’s Family Edition

Posted on December 29, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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Happy Haulidays: Husband’s Family Edition

Hello! On Christmas Eve, Johnny and I celebrated with his wonderful parents and Aunt Elaine and it was a hoot! We had a delicious dinner, opened gifts, and continued on with the thirty year strong Miller family tradition of watching National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. We spent a fantastic day together and it felt so warm and fuzzy – both from the family love and the fact that it was way warmer at Chez Miller than it was in mine and Johnny’s apartment! As always, Johnny’s family spoiled us rotten and we are so appreciative for their way too generous gifts. Check it out:

This is my third Miller Christmas and just when I thought that my second family couldn’t outdo themselves any more in their holiday game, they proved me wrong. Johnny and I were blown away by our gifts under the tree and in our stockings and our gifters truly know us too well. Three or so days before we celebrated, Johnny was so close to buying the Willie Nelson Chia Pet at Walgreen’s! I was really surprised that Johnny didn’t make the purchase and part of me thought he was holding off to make it a post Christmas treat. That’s one future errand to cross off the list. 😀

My favorite gift from this haul has to be the hilarious mug my father-in-law gifted to me. I haven’t been tempted yet to send Johnny off to the circus but this mug has certainly given me some ideas to think about. 😉 Johnny’s dad also gifted us with the spray fire extinguishers. He is the king of funny and practical gifts! And, can we talk about how adorable the Son’s Survival Kit is that Johnny’s mom got him as a stocking stuffer? I thought that it was so sweet and had to include it in this post even though it’s not mine. ❤

Aunt Elaine gifts me and Johnny with our absolute favorite chocolates from Boston every year. They are simply the best and we have been making very quick work of our Christmas candy selection! Candy is synonymous with Christmas at the Miller home. My mother-in-law makes amazing homemade chocolates that are seriously to die for. I actually have one of her huge homemade candy trays at my parents’ house that I can’t wait to dig into later today!

I am lucky enough to celebrate every holiday with two families that I love so much and this Christmas was a GREAT SUCCESS. I’m already excited for next year’s celebration! 😀

What kinds of gifts did you give this holiday season? What is your favorite gift that you received? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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