Christmas

Shinesty Stay Weird and Shine On + Dress Giveaway!

Written in collaboration with Shinesty. All opinions are my own. You’ve heard of Ugly Christmas Sweaters, but have you heard of Ugly Christmas Sweater Suits and Dresses? Okay, what about matching ones for the whole family? SHINESTY offers them in various Holiday patterns in ugly Christmas sweater suits, ugly Christmas blazers, ugly Christmas dresses, Hanukkah sweaters, overalls and more! I own three of the wrap dresses. I especially like the wrap dresses, because they are flattering for my body type. A word of caution – they are sexy so I wear a tank underneath to keep it family-friendly. They have new prints every year. At parties I definitely stand out … READ MORE >>

Making the Nice List with Santa’s Little Helper

Now that the kids are out of school and home for the next two weeks, I need them to stay out of trouble until Christmas, so Fox Home Ent Insiders sent us a Santa’s “Nice” List Kit to help us get through the next few days. It included Santa’s Little Helper shirts, Santa hats, check lists, and a certificate of completion. The ideal helpers will possess the 5 Sugarplum Virtues: A Cool Head Under Pressure, Humility, A Cooperative Nature, Inspirational Spirit, and A Kind Spirit. Certificate of Completion! After completing their good deeds and possessing Santa’s 5 Sugarplum Virtues, they were each awarded a Certificate of Completion from Santa Claus. … READ MORE >>

Make-and-Take Santa Barbara Wreath Class @ArmstrongGarden #ArmstrongGarden

Do you love how festive a Holiday Wreath is but not sure how to make one? If you’re looking for something fun to do with friends or by yourself, look into making a Christmas Wreath. Lately, Armstrong Garden have been sending me newsletters to try one of their classes and write about my experience so I registered for their Santa Barbara Wreath Make-and-Take Class, and now want to do it every year. They provided all the materials, and I took home my very own custom-made Holiday Wreath! Succulent Pumpkin class in October and loved it. A table was set up to seat six. It was designed to be socially interactive, … READ MORE >>

Easy Minute Rice Holiday Recipes

Are you looking for easy holiday recipes for your next event? Last week a group of bloggers and I got together for a festive Ugly Sweater Holiday Party and shared easy Minute® Rice recipes for the holidays. Our host, Cheryl, made three dishes which tasted great! She made a banana bread, honey nut dressing, and cheesy chicken rice bake using Minute® Rice. After tasting them all, my absolute favorite were the cheesy rice with chicken. I looked at the recipe, and it looks easy to make! After we filled ourselves with great food and conversation, we played fun games like decorating rice treats and a friendly game of wrapping gifts blindfolded! It was hilarious! As a parting gift, we each received some samples of Minute® Rice to try at home. Lucky for me I had a family Christmas party this past weekend, and it was the perfect opportunity for me to use it. Get the recipes below!

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