Tag Archives: holidays

Feb13

Single On Valentine’s Day? Same.

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Single On Valentine’s Day? Same.

Hellooo everyone and happy almost Valentine’s Day! For some, Valentine’s Day is the best thing ever. A whole day to celebrate what a cute relationship you’re in with presents, dinner, and drinks? Woof. Sign me up! But for us Single Sarahs (and Sallys!), V-Day can kind of suck, am I right? A whole day dedicated to reminding you that you’re forever alone and the only touch you’ll be experiencing is your hand on a glass of wine? Woof. Can we just not and say we did?

But hey, instead of focusing on the fact that we’re single, sad, and suppressing emotions, let’s make Valentine’s Day tolerable, at the very least. V-Day is the day for us singletons to unite in our misery and encourage each other to drink heavily, finish that gallon of ice cream, and watch A Walk To Remember for the seventieth time. There ain’t no shame in our game, so let’s get to it:

First Things First: Get the vino. Head to your local gas station or grocery in your jammies and snag a bottle (or two!) of your favorite booze. You deserve it! After the wine is safely in your shopping basket, gather any other V-Day survival supplies that you might need. We’re talking ice cream, chocolates, and industrial size boxes of tissues – the works!

Next Off: Get yourself home and let the festivities begin. Crack a bottle and pop in your favorite chick flick. One of my personal favorites is Legally Blonde, but any girl power or romance movie will do! Bottoms up!

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After The Movie: Once your movie is over, you might be feeling even worse than before considering every classic chick flick ends with the girl wrapped around her handsome hunk of a man. That’s okay. Embrace your emotions of solitude, phone a friend, cry a little, hold your head in your hands and scream, and move on to the next activity.

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Cheer Up: Once you get all of the tears, snot, and screams out of your system, take a swig of wine or your favorite soft drink and repeat the process. Maybe this time you could even branch out of your movie comfort zone and watch an action packed adventure flick to get your mind off of cute movie couples that you aren’t a part of.

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Still Upset?

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Just Remember…

That you’re single every other day of the year, that your prince or princess charming is probably creeping on your social media pages as we speak, and that I still love you! ❤

And Also Remember…

That this post was made in good humor, always drink in moderation (!!!), and to stay off of Facebook for the day if seeing pictures of happy couples will upset you! 😉

If you’re Single On Valentine’s Day, it’s okay because I am too and will be available on social media, my comments section, and email for those who need a Lil Red pep talk! How do you feel about Valentine’s Day? Are you celebrating with your significant other or riding solo? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan18

Choosing Your Anti V-Day Movie? These Romance Ruiners Are Perfect

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Choosing Your Anti V-Day Movie? These Romance Ruiners Are Perfect

If you’re currently in a relationship or are married then you’ll probably see Valentine’s Day as a chance to spend precious time together. However, if you’ve recently gone through a bad break up, are currently single, or aren’t really into over-commercialized holidays then February 14th is probably a not so great pink, chocolate box, themed reminder that you’re basically alone in this cruel, cruel world. 🙂

Revolutionary Road: Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as married couple Frank and April Wheeler this 2008 Oscar nominated film shows, quite literally, that love is sometimes not enough. Frank, bored by the sheer monotony of his office sales job and April, a failed actress now performing in tiny local productions are seen by the neighbors as the perfect couple. In reality, however, their marriage is built mostly on lies, deceit, and a mutual apathy towards the other person. Both husband and wife are having affairs, a spur of the moment move to Paris is thwarted when April realizes, after two children, she’s pregnant yet again and is horrified. So while Frank is pleased about the impending arrival all his wife can think about is how dull, stale, and repetitive her life is.

500 Days Of Summer: Ever wanted to see what happens when you fall madly in love with someone and they don’t really love you back? The answer is a kooky, slightly off the wall, non-linear artistic production. So 500 Days Of Summer tells the story of Summer, Zooey Deschanel, and Tom, Joseph Gordon-Levitt who meet at work one day and begin a sort of relationship. We say sort of because it’s clear that Tom, a lovelorn slightly obsessed greetings card writer is a lot more invested than Summer is. Summer, the atypical cute pixie girl isn’t interested in commitment, labels, or even hanging out with just one person. The more Tom pressures her to make them ‘official’ the cooler her feelings towards him get until they eventually break up. Awesome!

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Flickr Image, courtesy of: sinemabed

The Break Up: Meet Gary Grobowski (Vince Vaughn) and Brooke Meyers (Jennifer Aniston), a tour guide and a curator of a somewhat odd art gallery. You can see that within ten minutes of the movie starring this relationship that is not going to last, unlike a typical Jennifer Aniston rom-com this one doesn’t exactly have a happy ending. Both Gary and Brooke are fundamentally quite selfish and neither really cares what the other person is feeling. When they both childishly refuse to move out of their sought after condo the two resort to mean tricks, playground taunts, and at one point, all out sabotage.

Assassin’s Creed: Based on the sword wielding, flashy graphics and wall scaling antics of the anti hero of Ubisoft’s best selling namesake, Assassin’s Creed is the perfect antidote to all that love stuff. This is, in fact, a brand new cinema release but Showbox viewers can stream it beforehand – just Download the APK from here and enjoy! Modern day Cal Lynch (Michael Fassbender), harnesses the power of futuristic technology that allows him to travel back to fifteenth century Spain. He then experiences the life of his ancestor, Aguilar de Nerha, a deadly Assassin belonging to a secret underground order created for just one purpose. Dun dun dunnnnnn.

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Flickr Image, courtesy of: Joshua Livingston

Featured Image By: Flickr Image, courtesy of: SPDP

Jan6

We’ve All Got Them! What To Do With Those Unwanted Christmas Gifts

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We’ve All Got Them! What To Do With Those Unwanted Christmas Gifts

We’ve all been there. At some point, we’re bound to open gifts that we don’t like or we’ve already got. If you’ve got a pile of unwanted presents, here are some handy suggestions.

Unwanted Clothing: If you’ve got items of clothing that don’t fit you or suit your style, don’t just throw them into the wardrobe and let them sit there with the tags still on for years to come. If you’ve got the receipt or the labels are still intact, take them back to the store and get a credit note or an exchange. You might as well get something that you’re going to wear. If you can’t return it, consider reselling it on an online auction site or hitting up a store like Plato’s Closet to see if you can sell it there.

Regifting: If you’ve got more than one of the same item or you’ve been given something that you won’t use, consider regifting it. There’s nothing wrong with passing on presents as long as they’re suitable for the recipient, and they’re in pristine condition. I’ll admit that I’ve been guilty of regifting before – but shhh, don’t tell. 😉

Donating To Charity: If you were spoiled by friends and family and you’ve got a few items lying around that you don’t want to keep, consider donating to charity. For many people, the holidays are a lonely time, and it’s nice to give to people less fortunate.

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Wikimedia Image

Host a Beat The January Blues Party: January can be a sobering month, especially after the frivolities of the festive season. It’s cold and dark outside, and everyone’s feeling a little low after the holidays. If you’re keen to cheer everybody up and shift some unwanted gifts, you could host a beat the January blues party. Get everyone together, put a playlist on, lay out some food and drinks, and organize an exchange of white elephant gifts. Your spare presents will find a home, and your friends will leave in good spirits.

Have a Clear Out: There’s no better time of year to have a clear out than January. We tend to accumulate a lot of stuff over the holidays and it’s a good idea to declutter and free up some space. Get rid of all the trash and then have a look through your cupboards, wardrobes, and shelving units to see if there is anything you want to throw out or sell. If you’ve got a lot of items in good condition, you may be able to make some money. Gather everything together, and organize a yard sale. Send out some fliers, put some signs in the driveway, and say bye bye to your unwanted holiday clutter.

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Flickr Image

Most of us get at least a couple of unwanted gifts each year. Perhaps you’ve got items that don’t fit or suit you or you’ve got the same presents you got last year. If you have got unopened presents lying around, don’t just throw them in a cupboard or put them in the bin. There are lots of things you can do to make use of your gifts. Donate them to charity or give them to a friend or family member who would appreciate them. Sell them online or have a clear out and host a yard sale when warmer weather permits. Happy weekend!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Jan3

Surrounded By Clutter? How To Carry Out A Post-Holiday Clean-Up Operation

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The holidays are done and gone, and before we know it, Christmas Day will be a distant memory, and we’ll be back to the grindstone. Although most of us love the festive period, it does have its downsides. With family and friends popping in, mounds of gifts and wrapping, and days running into one, it can be tough to keep on top of cleaning. It’s easy to get swamped and end up with piles of dishes on the counters, boxes and rolls of paper everywhere, and tons of laundry to get through. If you’re surrounded by clutter, and you have an endless list of jobs, here are some tips to help you conduct a post-holiday clean-up:

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De-Cluttering: Don’t even think about trying to vacuum the carpets or dust your furniture until you’ve got clear surfaces and floors. There’s no point in trying to clean around piles of laundry or navigate the hoover around new toys, games, or mounds of books and DVDs. Start your clean-up with a de-cluttering session. Before you start trying to find places for Christmas gifts, have a clear out, and throw away anything you don’t want to keep. Take new items out of their packaging, and create a pile for recycling. Make another mound for the trash. Get everyone to tidy their own rooms and you’ll get the job done in no time. Once you’ve got your piles sorted, load the car and take a trip to the nearest waste disposal site. If you’re throwing away items that are in good condition, you could host a yard sale or take a bag of stuff to a local thrift store.

Cleaning: Set aside an afternoon to get the house in order and you’ll feel much better afterwards. Allocate chores, such as doing the dishes, cleaning the bathroom, and vacuuming the entire house. If everybody pitches in, you’ll be finished before you know it. Once you’ve tackled the pots and pans and hoovered the carpets, wipe down the kitchen and bathroom surfaces with disinfectant spray. Then, you can move on to polishing wooden sideboards, tables, and chests. Mop the floors and light some scented candles. Open the windows or use a fan to circulate the air. If you don’t already have one, look out for bargains in the January sales. You’ll find a host of tower fan reviews online.

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Once you’ve got your home in tip top shape, the last thing you want is to let things slide and end up back at square one. Try and keep on top of tidying and cleaning. Don’t let dishes pile up or dust gather on the stairs. If you wash up every night and vacuum every couple of days, you’ll soon find that you spend a lot less time cleaning. Take the trash out and use diffusers and candles to give your home a fresh, clean smell. It may not seem like the most exciting way to spend the day, but you’ll feel much better after you’ve given your home a good spruce. There’s nothing worse than heading back to work on a miserable January morning knowing that you’ve got an endless list of chores to wade through on your return. -____-

Jan1

Happy New Year!

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Happy New Year!

Hello everyone and happy happy New Year!! I hope all of you are having a wonderful time ringing in 2017! I, for one, am so excited to push 2016 aside and begin a fresh new year both in my life and here on lifewithlilred. Despite the excitement and anticipation that comes with entering into a new year, I am pretty bad at celebrating it because I NEVER make New Year’s Resolutions!

Lol, I guess I figure that if I want to do something like exercise more or lose a couple of pounds, I will do it when I feel like it as opposed to feeling obligated to doing it for the new year. Instead, I just try to focus my energy on things like *trying* to be a nice, well rounded person while dedicating myself to things like my work, family, pets, volunteer work, and friends.

But, no matter which way you cut it, I think we all can agree that the new year is a perfect time to make improvements. Whether you’re about to hit the gym or stop binge drinking every Friday, Saturday, and Wednesday the new year is the time to bring about healthy changes and a new perspective in your life. For 2017, I encourage my beloved readers and blogging family to practice kindness to everyone that they encounter to do their share in making the world a somewhat more tolerable place! 🙂

Happy 2017, everyone! Enjoy the rest of the holiday season and your new year’s celebrations and also: BYE 2016, ya bish. What is your New Year’s Resolution for 2017? What was your favorite or least favorite part about 2016 (or both!)? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Now, enjoy some new year’s themed music by a few of my faves:

Dec27

Best Of My Holiday Haul

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Best Of My Holiday Haul

Hello everyone and happy Tuesday! I hope this holiday season brought you lots of fabulous goodies and some amazing quality time with your family and friends. This Christmas brought me a great big holiday haul thanks to celebrating with two families (mine and my boyfriend’s) and my best friend. I won’t bore you with featuring all of my prezzies but here are a few of my favorites from my holiday haul! Take a look:

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The Haul:

  • Arturo Chiang heels from my sister
  • Thug Kitchen cookbook from my sister’s boyfriend
  • Philosophy bubble bath, a stuffed bunny, and plaid gloves from my boyfriend

What I Like About You:

Arturo Chiang Heels: My sister spoiled me rotten with these shoes!! Kristen knows that I love all things footwear and I told her I needed one more pair for an empty space on my shoe wall. She took this need to heart and picked out a perfect pair for me in my favorite color – black! I was so excited about these because I was looking at a pair of perforated heels from TJMaxx and didn’t end up buying them but I like my gifted pair so much more! I am so happy to add my Arturo Chiang heels to my shoe wall arsenal and can’t wait to stomp it out in them once the weather warms up.

Thug Kitchen: Finally, someone sees me for the thug that I truly am! My sister’s boyfriend, Ramon, gave me this cookbook along with a Starbucks gift card and I thought that it was so thoughtful. Ramon is one of my best friends and I really appreciated that he picked out something that I actually really like – an all vegetarian cookbook doused in profanity! Thug Kitchen is filled with amazing vegetarian dishes and is freaking hysterical. Not that I would expect anything less from a cookbook that is subtitled “Eat Like You Give a Fuck”!!

Boyfriend Presents: As always, my Kyle spoils me during gift giving occasions and this Christmas was no exception. Among a huge haul of gifts from him, my bath wash, bunny, and gloves are some of my favorites. I love Philosophy products but I would never buy them for myself so I am so excited to use my Vanilla Birthday Cake scented body wash, especially because my favorite fragrance is anything vanilla!

There is actually a cute little story behind my blushing pink stuffed bunny. I have been begging Kyle to get me a real rabbit for Christmas since the beginning of the year but unfortunately, my mom is not on board with the idea. So for now, the stuffie will do but it definitely doesn’t beat the real thing! And finally, I adore my new gloves. The gift shop at Kyle’s restaurant has new variations of these gloves every year and I loved the black and maroon pairs that he got me last Christmas. But I think that this plaid pair is even better! I love the colors and the bow that goes across the wrist is too cute. 🙂

This is just a tiny peek at my holiday haul and I am so thankful for everything that I received this year as well as the time spent with my loved ones. So special shout out to them for making my Christmas one of the best yet!

So there you have it, the Best Of My Holiday Haul! What did you guys score this holiday season? Did you receive anything that you were madly in love with or ehh not so much? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec26

December Finishes

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December Finishes

Hello everyone and a very happy Monday to all! I hope that those who celebrated Christmas yesterday had a fantastic day and that everyone is enjoying the holiday season. This is my last post about my monthly empties for 2016 and it is kind of a blah one because all of the products are from The Body Shop! This month was about sticking with what I know and using up some of my favorite products from my go to bath and body and skin care shopping spot. So take a look and let’s discuss:

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Would I Use Again?

  • The Body Shop Strawberry Body Scrub: YES
  • The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisturizer: YES
  • The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Body Butter: YES
  • The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Boost: YES

Why/Why Not?

Strawberry Scrub: The scrubs from TBS are a must for me when I am shaving, as they exfoliate, moisturize, and lift the hair from their follicles which results in a smoother shave. I love both the strawberry and satsuma scrub and was lucky enough to find both at TJMaxx for five dollars apiece. Score! The best thing about this scrub is how well it lathers – a small quarter sized squeeze can easily cover your entire leg! A little goes such a long way with this product which is why I finally finished it after the better part of five months. I essentially paid a dollar a month to use my scrub and I can totally get down with that!

Moisturizer: I have wrote about my beloved Vitamin E Moisturizer many a times and my love for it grows with every use. This cream is perfectly in between a heavy and light consistency which leaves your skin feeling like peaches and cream every time. Your skin will look and feel so smooth, soft, and dreamy creamy. Thankfully, I got another jar for Christmas since I’m all out! It took me about a month and a half to finish this moisturizer.

Cocoa Butter: The cocoa butter is easily my favorite body butter that the store has to offer. It smells deliciously rich and chocolate-y in the most subtle way and you can feel it nourishing you as soon as it makes contact with your skin. This was the scent that I always recommended when I worked at The Body Shop because I feel like everyone who uses it loves it just the same. The nice thing about cocoa butter is that it is not as heavy as the Shea butter for those who like something lighter, like myself. Make sure you ask the employees at the store about which butters have a cocoa or Shea butter base next time you shop to get the consistency that you like! It took me about a month to finish this body butter which I scored for six bucks at TJs!

Vitamin C Boost: I am sure that all of you guys know by now about my undying love for the Vitamin C Skin Boost. I have been using this stuff since I was a teenager and I honestly don’t think that I will ever stop. I really feel like my skin looks brighter and more radiant thanks to consistent use of this product and I am so thankful for it! Nothing is better to me than luminescent skin so to achieve that with two pumps of the skin boost per day seems like a no brainer! It took me three months to finish this product.

It was such a treat to use up some of my favorite goodies from The Body Shop this month. It left me feeling perfectly pampered and incredibly happy that I was able to take care of my body with some of the products that I feel are the very best. Here’s to many more skin, beauty, and body care must haves in 2017!

So there you have it, my December Finishes! Please stay tuned this week for some of my favorite new items in my holiday haul! What was your favorite beauty product of 2016? Did anyone score any new makeup or beauty items for the holidays? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec25

Merry Christmas!!

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Merry Christmas!!

Hello everyone and a Merry Merry Christmas to all of you!! I hope that you guys have a wonderful day celebrating or doing whatever it is that you do today. No matter what holiday you celebrate, my wish is that you have a joyous holiday season with your friends and loved ones. I am SO excited to give all of my gifts to their recipients because I have literally been waiting ALL MONTH to do so! I am also really looking forward to ringing in the New Year with all of you here on lifewithlilred.

I am keeping this Christmas post short and sweet so that you can get back to going about your day so I will talk to all of you later. Remember that you are each so special to me and please accept a big, virtual holiday hug from me to you! What was in your holiday haul? How do you celebrate the holiday season? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Dec21

How To Enter Into The New Year With A Fresh Perspective

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How To Enter Into The New Year With A Fresh Perspective

Each time a brand new year comes around, we can often go into a panic about how the next twelve months are going to be. The idea of resolutions start to be thrown around and we instantly think about all of the crazy things we need to do to better ourselves. But, a lot of the time, they can be far too crazy, indeed. After the parties wind down, it is likely that you’ll think about the future. But, instead of thinking up tough resolutions that you just can’t stick to, why not realistically decide what you want to do with the rest of the year?

Decide What You Want: The first job on the list will be to decide what you want to get out of the next twelve months. This can be entirely personal to you but it has to be achievable. You don’t want to set yourself insane targets of looking like a Victoria’s Secret model and becoming the boss of your own fashion empire, all within a year. Instead, you need to prioritize what really matters to you.

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Focus On You: When you’ve figured it out, it’s time to turn your time and attention on to yourself. You might be used to focusing on others, but that’s all about to change. From now on, you’re going to work on you. Start by setting some personal goals and coming up with an action plan with steps on how to tick each goal off. It might sound complicated, but a concrete plan will help you to see it through.

Rest More: It might sound like you’re going to be working harder in the New Year with your personal goals and action plan, but that’s not the overall idea. Instead, you want to walk into the new year with an open mind and a better perspective on life. And that includes taking a time out. You need to be able to rest more, relax, and recover. Nobody can take on the world if they’re tired and overworked.

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Head In The Right Direction: Then, you’re going to want to make sure that you’re heading in the right direction. It will depend entirely on what goals you’ve set, but you should be able to measure how well you’re doing, no matter what they are. If it’s relationship related, maybe you need to socialize more or work on being a kinder person? If it’s career focuses, then maybe you need to get in touch with Recruitment Services and look into getting a new job? Whatever the action is, make sure you take it.

Enjoy More: And finally, what would gaining a fresher perspective on life be without a little fun? As well as driven and focused, you also need to be happy. Try and make sure that you leave enough time for fun in your life. Whatever your hobby may be, make sure that you stick to it. Make plans with friends, see family, and never feel bad for enjoying your life. You only get the one, so make it count.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Dec20

Christmas Countdown Questionnaire

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Christmas Countdown Questionnaire

Hi everyone and happy Tuesday! I hope that all of you are having a wonderful start to your week. With Christmas being just around the corner in a whopping five days, I thought that it would be fun if we all answered some holiday season related questions and see how everyone is faring during this super festive time of year. Feel free to reblog this post and find out how your readers would answer these questions! You are also more than welcome to add questions of your own or change any of mine – I promise I won’t be offended! 😉

Holiday Q & A:

  1. What is on your holiday wish list this year?
  2. What is your favorite seasonal food or drink?
  3. Are you an early or late holiday shopper?
  4. On a scale of 1 to 10, how good of a gift wrapper are you?
  5. Best present you’ve ever received?
  6. How about the worst?
  7. Do you prefer shopping in store or online?
  8. What holiday are you celebrating this season?
  9. Who is the hardest person on your list to shop for?
  10. What is a gift that you would like this year but will never in a million years receive?

My Answers:

  1. My holiday wish list is usually the same every year – moolah and makeup! I love when I can get a full restock of my favorite beauty essentials on Christmas. It may seem kind of boring, but my beauty must haves are things that I use daily and run out of quickly so having a few extra on back stock is a godsend!
  2. I LOVE Christmas dinner, which is typically the same as Thanksgiving dinner! So stuffing, mashed potatoes, yams and all of the vegetarian side dishes are my faves. I don’t really have a favorite holiday drink but I do enjoy treating myself to a Peppermint Mocha from Starbucks at least once during the winter.
  3. I am a very early holiday shopper! I was done buying and wrapping presents by early December and I am so happy for it. Shopping any later would give me anxiety!
  4. I would say that I am a 4 when it comes to holiday gift wrapping. I start out strong but then by gift number three, I think that a toddler could wrap better than I can.
  5. Hmm…last year my mom got me a gorgeous new coat from Target that I had my eyes on for forever and I freaking love that thing so much.
  6. I can’t really think of the worst present that I have ever received – that’s what gift receipts are for!
  7. Online holiday shopping is a must for me. I honestly can’t remember the last time that I did a majority of my Christmas shopping at the mall or wherever. Almost all of my shopping was done on Amazon and it made all of my Christmas purchases a breeze.
  8. My family celebrates Christmas but as a nonbeliever, I am only there for the food and the presents!
  9. MY SISTER IS SO HARD TO SHOP FOR. You would think that she would be one of the easiest but that has never been the case. My sister is very specific when it comes to things that she does and doesn’t like. That’s why I usually have to opt for gift cards or booze for her!
  10. An all expenses paid trip to Europe, duh. 🙂

How would you answer some of the questions on my Christmas Countdown Questionnaire? How does your family ring in the holiday season? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah