holidays

On today’s to-do list: ·         Decorate the outside of the house; ·         Start and finish Christmas cards; ·        ...

While I’m a huge advocate of online shopping, mostly because I have agoraphobic tendencies, there are times when going to the brick and mortar store is inevitable. Here are a few things I do to lessen my stress: 1) Go … Continue reading →

Lately, I’ve been plagued by thoughts of meal time. Well, maybe it’s more correct to say that at meal times I’m plagued by thoughts of what to have. After work, I’m usually too tired to bother to make anything. Thanksgiving … Continue reading →

For the first time in history retail sales on Black Friday topped $1 billion as millions of Americans began their holiday gift shopping early – and in earnest. But the momentum didn’t stop there as Cyber Monday saw a 30% increase in sales over last...

Guest post by Maria Kniestedt Chacon If you’re looking for an old-fashioned holiday tradition that has a little something for both big and little kids alike, head to Historic Sutter Street in Folsom tomorrow, December 7 from 6-9 p.m. for the annual Christmas tree lighting. This year’s event will include free train rides and...

For the person who has everything, or for the shopper who doesn’t want to purchase another meaningless gift, the World Vision Gift Catalog offers an alternative (or addition to) traditional holiday gift giving.The catalog has more than 250 items ranging in price from $16 to $39,000 that help children and families in need here in U.S....

{princess vera wang tutu sweater dress, seven coated denim skinny jeans, and love culture studded flats} Thanksgiving is a big deal in my family. It was an even bigger deal this year because all of my family flew in and we got to spend it together for the first time in too long. I...

It’s that time of year again folks.  When the levels of frustration run high what with all the shopping and the family gatherings.  Luckily, Corinne of ExploreSacto has once again put together the Festivus Tweetup. If you aren’t familiar with … Continue reading →

Last week I was sent two boxes of wine samples from TastingRoom.com, a unique online retailer that enables consumers to discover and consume wine in several formats. The company is currently promoting a new series of celebrity chef wine samplers, curated by Chef Emeril Lagasse. The two collections, Emeril’s Holiday Party Sampler and Emeril’s Everyday Sampler, include Emeril’s favorite wines from...

Every year in December, we make gingerbread houses. (It’s a tradition I love and I was happy that my kids didn’t think they were too old for it this year, at 11 and 13 years old.) We don’t make the traditional gingerbread houses out of gingerbread. Instead, we have a quick and easy version...