Twas the Monday after Christmas, and all through the shops, your holiday presents' prices have dropped....
Welcome back, everyone and say hello to tons of year-end sales! While it's always a sad discovery to learn that you spent twice as much as you needed to on gifts, the post-Christmas sales are also a great time to pick up all of the items that didn't get crossed off your wish list. In case you'd like to shop my stash, here is a roundup of what I gave and what I got this year.
What I gave:
(left to right) 1. Peace Mugs (Sundance Catalog) 2. Shearling Mocs with Metallic Bow (J.Crew) 3. Glimmer Gold Crystal Necklace (J.Crew) 4. Rex the Dog for my fave 4 year old. (Anthropologie) 5. Sprinkling of Stardust Jewelry Box (Anthropologie) 6. Celine Cotton Herringbone Throws (Sferra) 7. Upsy Daisy Mug (Anthropologie) 8. Sea Swells Jewelry Box (Anthropologie) 9. Nathalie Lete Ceramics (Anthropologie) 10. 2010 Calendar (Flora Douville) 11. Early-Mid Century German Mercury Glass Ornaments (Available in many antique shops and on Etsy and Ebay. Mine came from a shopping trip in Lambertville, NJ)
I am usually the world's least thrifty holiday shopper because I find it impossible to take my selfish hat off and often wind up with two of everything. To minimize the time I spent browsing and spending this year, I limited my selection to three retailers (Anthropologie, Sundance Catalog and J.Crew), in addition to a sweep through my Etsy favorites and recent blog style picks.
Needless to say, this wasn't the most effective strategy, but I behaved better than I have in the past. Because I'm also on a budget (Believe it or not, Samantha Jones lied when she made it seem like a career in PR is a surefire path to glamour, fortune and nice shoes), I kept all of my gifts under $100 for those I'm closest to, and under $30 for family friends.
In addition, whenever I buy a gift I always ask three questions: "Would I buy it for myself?," "Is it re-giftable if they hate it?," and finally, "Is it functional?"
What I got:
(left to right) 1. Pink Pig Linen Print (Spread the Love) 2. Crystal Supernova Bracelet (J.Crew) 3. Camp Socks made at Vermont's last-standing sock mill (J.Crew) 4. Suzani Rug (Anthropologie) 5. Fuji Instax Instant Camera (Urban Outfitters) 6. Pretty Poplin Chemise (J.Crew) 7. Hawks and Bunnies Calendar (The Wild Unknown) 8. Nathalie Lete Bouclier Plate (Anthropologie) 9. Vintage books including this adorable cookbook of royal recipes (Paris Hotel Boutique) 10. "A Year in the Country" Soaps (Beekman 1802) 11. Pearl & Crystal Avalanche Necklace (J.Crew) 12. Wisps of Mist by Michigan print artist Gwen Frostic (Anthropologie)
My advice on how to ensure you'll love everything under the tree is much shorter -- Make a wish list on Kaboodle.com -- While I would never, ever send a wish list to anyone other than my closest family and friends, my relatives love the ease of scanning my full wish list, picking an item in their price range and buying it with about three clicks. Thanks to my blog, my list and the amazing generosity of my family and friends I loved every single thing I got.
So tell me, what was the best thing you received this year, and what was the hardest to give away? While I won't spill what my favorite gift was, I have to admit a little piece of me died when I had to fork over those soft and luxe Sferra blankets!
Photo Credit: Chris Everard
