Category: Holiday

2016 New Years Resolutions

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Happy New Year!!

Call me corny, but I think the New Year is as good a time as any to set some new goals. Here goes:

  1. I’m always always trying to be a little more financially savvy. In 2015 I made some strides with organizing my bank accounts and credit cards to be more centralized and use deals like “cash back” and points to my advantage. In 2016 I’m planning to get more savvy about my retirement and investment situation so I know I’m making the most of it.
  2. Tying into the financial goals, I want to up my travel game in 2016. I took the standard trips in 2015 plus a couple fun long weekends in new places. I have a couple trips in the planning phase right now, and I’m hoping for some more opportunities to pop up this year. I know I’m going to have to be savvy with my budget and vacation days and I won’t be able to make every trip or destination wedding work, but I guess that’s just being an adult.
  3. Speaking of weddings, my best friend is getting married this year! I want to be the best Maid of Honor I can be. As we all know, wedding planning can be complicated and I’m going to do my best to be helpful and honest, but above all- supportive. I will not contribute to drama. I repeat. I will not contribute to drama.
  4. I have a bad habit of declining social invitations and skipping work related happy hours. To my credit, however, I did start attending more happy hours in the second half of 2015. My two general issues are: 1. I’m an introvert and socializing in certain settings can be very draining or stressful, and 2. I don’t like to drink very frequently (maybe five times a year total) which happens to be the opposite of DC culture in general. I would like to try to say yes to more invitations in 2016. No promises because this is one of the scarier ones for me, but I will try.
  5. Lastly, as usual, I want to do my best to be healthy. I’ve had some recent challenges that I’m anxious to resolve. Nothing serious, just some kinks that I have to work out with my doctor. So I need to keep communicating with my doctors, and do my best to hold up my end of the bargain with my own choices.

Sadie Dishes- Pinterest quote

What are your goals this year?

Gift Guide 2015: Part 6

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Here are some crunch time ideas for those procrastinators out there. I have memories of walking into a Gap only to find empty shelves where sweaters and scarves should be. If you find yourself in such a pickle, here are some other options.

Brick & Mortar Options

  • Bath & Body Works candles, soap, or gift basket (fancier looking candles at Anthro)
  • Board games or puzzles from Target or a pop-up game shop at the mall
  • Fancy phone case or accessories– chargers, cords, blue tooth speakers…
  • Magazine along with a year’s subscription (Barnes and Noble has a magazine for everyone on your list so you can give the actual magazine with the subscription)
  • Sephora Favorites gift box or brand specific gift box (Ulta has several as well)
  • DVDs or a movie theater gift card along with some fancy or microwave popcorn
  • Cookie dough ingredients assembled in a mason jar with the recipe attached
  • Gift card, store specific if you know where they like to shop or Target if you don’t know where they shop

E-Subscriptions

God Speed!

Gift Guide 2015: Part 4

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This one is for the men on your list!

Accessories

jcrew Astronaut

I realize I live in the preppiest part of the country, but statement dress socks seem to be very in with the men I work with. You can go two directions with this: holiday socks, or general statement socks. Both are good ideas, but I’m thinking go general so the recipient can wear them all year. The above astronaut socks are just one of many options from JCrew, and almost every men’s apparel store have comparable options. Other classic work wear accessories are cool cuff links, a power tie, or a funky tie bar.

Banana Scarf

A scarf might seem like a snooze, but in my experience, it’s something that a lot of men forget to buy for themselves. I love a good mid-weight plaid scarf that will look smart with a wool coat. The above is from Banana.

Home

MarkTravelBag

Time to upgrade the travel toiletries bag! I love these leather ones from Mark and Graham. Pottery Barn has something very comparable. If you want a sportier option, I would look to L.L.Bean.

DollarShave

I’ve heard a lot of raves about the Dollar Shave Club, and it’s a pretty universal gift for men because most of them shave, right? You can gift a membership, and the options are very affordable. We all know that razors are annoyingly pricey, so it’s a great break! It’s something a little out of the box, but makes the recipient’s life a whole lot easier.

Apparel

Banana Sweater

The guys I know seems to accumulate tee shirts and sweatshirts like it’s going out of style, and they have to buy clothes for work, so I usually go for a shirt or sweater that is somewhere in between. This sweater from Banana is work worthy for most people, but it’s also casual enough for weekend outings. I also love this subtle patterned crew neck sweater, and a machine wash JCrew Factory half zip is always a winner.

UA shorts

If you’re shopping for a guy that likes to hit the gym, shorts are a great option. Like I said above, tee-shirts appear out of no where, but shorts are another story. I think it’s a great idea to gift a good quality pair or shorts from Under Armour (like above), or Nike because they will last a long time.

Technology

USBCharger

There are all sorts of great techy accessories out there that can make life easier. One of my favorite places for these items is The Container Store (there’s one in walking distance from me), but you’ll also see a ton at places like Best Buy. Something like this four USB charging adapter will help maximize outlets and get everything charged on time. There’s another similar option for the cigarette lighter in the car. Other good tech accessories are containers for all the cords, or stands for smart phones.

BasisWatch

Since we now need everything available on our wrist, this smart watch version by Basis is somewhere between a Fitbit and an Apple watch both in functionality and price. It tracks all of your activity and sleep, and it communicates with your smart phone to give you text, email, and phone call notifications. I also think this looks a little cooler than most of the fitness trackers on the market. You can go with the leather band, or there are sportier band options as well.

What are you getting the guys on your list this year?