A Christmas Tag

What's your favorite Christmas movie?
There's SO many good ones to choose from..  Here's a list of some of my favorites:

• Any Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer movie
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas
• Home Alone
• The Santa Clause 
• A Christmas Story
• A Charlie Brown Christmas
• Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

*Also, my mom has made me a bit addicted to the Hallmark channel this time of year, so pretty much any Christmas program featured is a good one too.

Do you open presents on Christmas morning or Christmas evening?
Christmas Morning

Do you have a favorite Christmas memory?
Not really a specific one, but I always enjoyed when we'd go to my grandparents house on Christmas Eve and have a family get together and open a couple presents with all of my cousins. Then on Christmas morning we'd get up really early open presents, eat breakfast, and watch Christmas movies.. nothing to spectacular. 

What's your favorite festive food?
I don't know if I have a favorite, but my dad always gets assorted nuts that you have to open with a nut cracker. Otherwise my mom does a lot of baking and her Christmas cookies are to die for. 

What's been your favorite Christmas gift?
I don't know if I have a favorite. I enjoy every gift I receive, no matter who it's from or what it is, it's the thought that counts and quite honestly, my favorite 'gift' would be spending Christmas together with my entire family. Family is so precious and we tend to get so caught up in our lives throughout the year, that we tend to lose sight of what's most important. I think Christmas is the perfect time to get together and cherish all of the memories we have had together while creating new ones. 
I'd like to add a second part to this question: What is one gift you'll never forget?
One gift that I will never forget would probably be a sweater I received from my dad when I was entering middle school. My parents had just got divorced a year or two previous to this particular Christmas and my dad moved out of the smallest apartment ever, into a house of his own. I don't think my dad did much Christmas shopping when my parents were together; he probably let my mom take care of that. Since money was still quite tight we only received one or two gifts and one of them was this yellow sweater that had buttons that reached from the bottom of my neck across to my armpit. I still remember it being the most itchy kind of fabric I have ever worn, but that sweater had a lot of meaning in it. Thinking about it now brings tears to my eyes, because he tried his hardest to pick out something that I might like, and for a divorced father to go clothes shopping for his only daughter ... oh man, the feels I just incorporated.. I think it's time to move onto the next question before I start sobbing over these emotions I've kicked up.

What's your favorite Christmas scent?
Probably the classic apple and cinnamon scent; otherwise the smell of Christmas trees.

Do you have a Christmas Eve Tradition?
Not really... like I said earlier we used to go to my grandparent's house on Christmas Eve and all of my cousins would be there and it was so lovely. Unfortunately, we haven't done that since my grandma passed away. However, I do go to an evening service at my church, since my dad plays trumpet and they dim down the lights and pass out candles. 

What tops your tree?

The tree in my apartment - nothing.

The tree at my dads house - an angel either myself or one of my brothers made when we were young.

The tree at my mom's house - Not too sure, it was a star for the longest time, now I don't know what it is.

As a child, what was the one (crazy, extravagant) gift you wanted but never got?
I really don't remember which is a bummer because I'm sure there was a lot. . . It's okay Santa (mom & dad), I forgive you. 

What do you think is the best part of Christmas?
Being with family and loved ones. The Christmas programs are always a plus as well! They are so fun to watch and always put me in a festive mood. It brings us together as families and for some of us, this may be the only time we get to see certain people. I cherish the time spent with those I love and I think that it is important and a good reminder of how we need to appreciate what we have and who we have in our lives. Christmas is a time where we set our differences aside and think about one another. I find it important to think about those who might not even have a family to go home to or buy gifts for. I ask that you all think about these people during the holidays and try to spread a bit of holiday cheer, whether that be donating money/volunteering your time, buying gifts for those who are less fortunate, or even saying a simple "Happy Holidays" accompanied by a warm smile will make a difference; It's the small things in life that can make someone's day. 

With that being said I hope all have a wonderful Holiday season, and remember to be selfless; "It isn't the size of the gift that matters, but the size of the heart that gives it" - Eileen Elias Freeman

Much Love! Xx

Hunting for a Christmas Tree

Every year, my dad, brother, and I go to a tree farm and cut down our own Christmas tree. This is probably my favorite tradition; hunting for the perfect tree is always so exciting; it has to be the perfect height, the bushiest, the greenest and you have to choose the type; short pokey needles, or long flimsy ones. Or in other words: do you want to stab your feet every time you walk past the tree or have a hard time hanging ornaments/keeping them on the tree? Picking out a winner and cutting it down is just the beginning; you then have to haul it to your car, tie it down, and transport it safely to your home without it falling off. But then it's the rewarding part: decorating!

Maybe it was because we went so late in the season, but I noticed that the lot was bare and the tree's weren't looking the best like they have in year's past. My guess is that the prime time for this lot is coming to an end and now the owners need to plant new trees and wait a few years for them to become Christmas tree candidates. Nevertheless however, we still managed to find a good one, and quite honestly I reckon that this was the fastest we have ever decided on a tree. Let me tell you how much of a big deal that is, because the Osterbrinks are extremely indecisive; I'm proud of us. 

 I highly suggest doing this if you don't already; it's a great family activity and gets you outside. Plus it's a lot more fun than going to a parking lot and picking one out that is pre-cut and tied in that netting.

Much Love! Xx

Winter Pinspiration

After doing an 'Autumn Pinspiration', I felt that it was only right to do one for winter. The weather so far hasn't been ideal; normally I enjoy the warmth and rain, but this is not like the Midwest at all. Over the weekend it got up to 60 degrees fahrenheit .. normally it's in the twenties this time of year, and this gloomy weather is bringing me down. I enjoy having snow throughout the month of December, so I'm hoping that Jack Frost will get it in gear and bring on the snow ASAP. Without further a do, here is what usually makes me happy this time of year, and hopefully this post will bring some Holiday cheer.

I have never gone ice skating, but I really want to; hopefully some of my friends will be up for it when I go back home. There's an ice skating rink that is located down town and is actually outside instead of in a hockey arena. They provide skates, for a fee of course, and I believe they sell hot chocolate; although I'm not 100% sure. It sounds like the best winter activity and I'm so excited to try it! I just hope the weather starts getting colder and snow starts falling from the sky ASAP! Wow - that is something you'll almost never hear from me! Other than ice skating, I enjoy being outside in the snow: making snowmen, building snow forts, having a snowball fight, tubing, driving around on the snowmobile trails etc.

All of the winter accessories that you get to pull out from your closet are always so exciting: scarves, mittens, that cute winter jacket, and of course knee high socks. I get cold quite fast during those brutal winter months that are drawing near, that some times I end up going out looking like Randy from "A Christmas Story", when his mother dressed him in his snow suit. . . not the prettiest sight, but at least I'm nice and toasty! (:

Sometimes I wish that I grew up in a small town that goes all out with their decorations. I think it just looks so lovely and festive. I've often heard stories from my mom that when she was younger the shops down town would decorate the square and Christmas lights would hang over the streets and walkways. In addition to the decorations, you'd be able to buy yourself a hot beverage, while you walk up and down the street popping into different shops or peering through shop windows to see Christmas toys and goodies [Much like in Christmas movies].

Growing up, my mom had the loveliest Christmas village that we would use to decorate above our kitchen cabinets, and let me tell you, at night when it was dark and that tiny village was light up in our kitchen, it was absolutely gorgeous and I wouldn't think of a better way to get you in the Christmas spirit. It was always a tradition to set it up together, but it took a lot of work and it was time consuming so I'd always imagine what it would be like to live in a place like that. There was an ice skating rink, a church, houses, and my favorite; a candy shop that made chocolate and/or fudge in the front window. Unfortunately, my mom now lives in an apartment and there is no place to put them, so they sit in a box in storage collecting dust. I hope someday in the near future I'll be able to bring them out and light them up at night like all those years ago. Just thinking about it brings warmth to my heart. 

So there you go, that is everything (for the most part) that represents what warms my soul throughout these chilly months. (:

What is your favorite Christmas tradition, or winter activity?

Much Love! Xx

Festive Room Decor

"It's the most wonderful time of the year"

Hello everybody! I've been in the festive mood lately, decorating my apartment and I wanted to share with you all of the bits and pieces. Not going to lie, this was super fun and made me even more excited for the holiday season! It's not much, but I'll be able to pick up more things throughout the years to come.

Christmas lights & new bed sheets/pillow cases.

My first very own Christmas tree! Went for a neutral cream color theme, with a couple matte black baubles and tiny red bells to add a bit of contrast/depth.

Little spread on the table: Advent calendar, candles, salt & pepper shakers, and a count down to Christmas chalk board!

"Merry Christmas" banner : an essential piece of decor.

Fairy garden filled with acorns, candles, and little fairy lights!

I am super pleased with how my Christmas tree turned out, however I'm super bummed that pictures just don't do it justice. Trust me and take my word when I say that it looks absolutely beautiful in real life. I wouldn't mind being a professional Christmas tree decorator!

Besides the tree, I'd have to say that my bedding is my second favorite bit; It was my first time buying bed sheets EVER, and they just had to be festive! I also adore the mix match pillow cases! And of course, I had to top off my bedding with my fuzzy gray throw. 

I also love my tiny display that I have on my table. Advent calendars are a must and the count down to Christmas is a nice addition and brings out the inner child inside of me. Don't even get me started with the salt & pepper shakers, because I am OBSESSED; They are so cute! Lastly, you can never have enough festive candles to burn throughout your home.. In fact, I went a bit overboard and bought a decent amount of candles and I even made a blog post to tell you about them, which if you'd like to check out here is the link to that post: Christmas Candle Overload.

Anyways, I hope this post brings you a bit of Christmas spirit and holiday cheer!

On a side note, I'd like to add that over on my youtube channel I'm thinking about doing Vlogmas, but it will only be the 12 days leading up to Christmas, with day #12 actually being Christmas Day. So if you'd like to watch what I do throughout the day's leading up until Christmas, subscribe to my youtube channel which you can do so by clicking here. 

Much Love! Xx

Christmas Candle Overload

Lately, I've been in this mood for loving candles and burning them every chance I get. I soon came to realize that my candle inventory is slimming down quite fast, and I found that I don't really own any festive holiday scented ones. It was absolute perfect timing to hear that Bath and Body Works had a sale exclusively in-stores and today only on candles (well now it was a couple days ago, but I hope you get the point). The 3-wick candles are usually $22.50, but today they were $8.50 ... a MASSIVE sale. That's like getting two candles for the price of one, plus an additional 20% off.  I was so excited to get these deals that, well, let's just say I went a bit overboard, and I wanted to share with you what I purchased; incase any of you are candle lovers like myself.

The first one I grabbed was "Mahogany Teakwood". I actually already have this one in a smaller size, but I have this fear of burning candles that smell out of this world; just in case they are limited edition and won't be coming back. I guess you could call me a candle hoarder? Does anybody else do this? Please tell me I'm not the only one.. Anyways, this scent is ah-maz-ing. Basically, take the most mouth watering, panty dropping men's cologne you know of and ta-da, that is this candle. However, they describe this scent as "The luxurious scents of fine woods - mahogany, cedarwood and oak - are enlightened by delicate lavender and geranium notes".  I think my description is much better to be honest.. 

The next one I went for was "JOY". This is a very lovely scent if I do say so myself. I wanted a candle that smelled of peppermint, but everything was very overpowering; until I found this one. This candle actually makes my mouth water; it of course smells like peppermint, but also a nice warm vanilla marshmallow and a hint of spices. It's almost as if you walked into a candy shop at the North Pole. I love how they described the scent of this candle: "Indulge in the fragrance of fluffy vanilla marshmallows, which are full of holiday sweetness and peppermint joy". Isn't that cute?! 

I then found a candle called "PEACE". This candle may be my favorite of them all. It's a very relaxing scent in my opinion. If any of you are familiar with the kiosk "The Almond Tree", this candle reminds me of that stand. If you're not familiar with it, it's basically a stand that sells various types of roasted nuts; from pecans to almonds, and cashews. They are always warm and just melts in your mouth. This candle has a subtitle that says "Iced Vanilla Woods", which also basically sums up this scent. It reminds me of snowshoeing through the woods, or walking through a field of pine trees. It has that nice Christmas tree smell that's not overpowering, and is toned down by a warm vanilla fragrance. On the bottom it says "Enjoy a peaceful holiday with this soothing blend of sweet vanilla, smoldering woods, and iced lavender".

Next, I picked out "Spiced Apple Toddy". It's basically a classic go-to fragrance. If you enjoy the standard apple and cinnamon scents, this is the candle for you. It's a lovely baking kind of smell that tickles your nose. They describe it as "A sweet mixture of winter fruits, apple brandy, and spiced plum will warm up all your winter celebrations". 

I picked out another baking themed type of candle called "Salted Caramel". The name says it all; a nice warm salted caramel scent. I feel like this candle needs no other description since it's pretty straight forward. At first I was kind of skeptical, but after smelling it a couple 3 or 4 times, I knew I had to grab it. I feel like if you are a coffee lover like myself, you'll enjoy this one a lot. On the bottom of the candle it says "Indulge on a chilly winter day with this blend of buttery soft caramel, flaky sea salt and a hint of roasted chestnuts".

"Snowflakes & Spruce" is the next candle that I grabbed. It's a nice tree scent but isn't overpowering. I feel like this and the "peace" candle are similar, but this one leans more to a strong tree fragrance instead of a subtle tree smell. It is calmed down a bit with vanilla, but the vanilla isn't as pungent as it is in the "peace" candle. I feel like this scent is kind of like the artificial tree sprays you can get to make your fake trees smell real, but this is better quality.  On the bottom, it says "kick off the holiday party season with an outdoorsy blend inspired by snowcapped spruce, and sweetened by a touch of creamy vanilla".

The Next candle is "Fresh Balsam". Very similar to the last candle, but is quite overpowering. This candle smells like you are at a Christmas tree farm cutting down your own tree. It's that freshly cut tree scent that strikes your nostrils. To compare this candle and "snowflakes & spruce", I'd say that this is freshly cut tree scent that will knock you over, while "snowflakes & spruce" is maybe a couple days old, sitting in your living room all decorated. If you like strong scents, I'd say this is the candle for you. [It's a straight-out-of-the-woods candle].. I only picked it up because I have a fake tree in my apartment and I am missing out on the real Christmas tree smell; therefore, I am hoping this candle will make it seem a bit more real and festive.

The last candle I picked out was "Winter Candy Apple". This candle is SO nice. It's basically a candied apple with a hint of citrus fragrance. Similar to "Spiced Apple Toddy", but without the spice. If you are looking for an apple based candle but aren't too keen on the cinnamon and spice mix, then this candle is amazing, and in all honesty, I think you could get away with burning it all year 'round. They describe it as "A sweet, yuletide blend of candied apples and spiced orange zest, with a touch of winter musk".   

And that is all of the candles I purchased; I'd say I am all set for the holiday season, and will probably still be burning these through July. Otherwise, I can always give them as gifts or I can save them for next year, but there was no way I was going to pass up such a great sale! 

I feel like Christmas candles fall in two categories, baking kind of scents (including food/drink smells), and then tree scents. It's kind of like a teeter-totter, where they meet in the middle and form candles that smell like the "peace" candle I purchased. With that being said, what is your favorite holiday scent? Is it a baking type, or a tree type?

Much Love! Xx