Holiday party season is here! Instead of going onto Amazon and ordering the first thing you see, head out into our towns and check out the amazing curated items that so many of our stores have to offer! Also, be SURE to check out our 12 DAYS OF GIVEAWAYS still going on which features prizes from a few of these stores and more!
 | A fun party game. God, do I love games. If you ever go on vacation with me, you might notice that I pack 2 changes of clothes but bring an entire arsenal of games. Then I will force you to play them with me. Scooch A Mi in Chatham has one of the coolest games I've seen in a while that I would be super excited to play with my family but simultaneously terrified of the conversations it might unleash, as my family has a reputation for getting into very heated debates and we have a list of topics that we're not allowed to talk about at all at family gatherings. According to creators of Conversate, the game is meant to spark meaningful conversations, with questions like "What's something you'd like to remember about today?" and "Is gratitude an ingredient for happiness?" It's a game that's meant to help us get beyond the typical small talk and social media society and get to know each other better! (Side note: If you happen to hear 15 women screaming at each other over the holidays, just know that it's my family and it means I've brought the game to them. Don't be alarmed - we do this all the time and we still love each other.) |
Something handmade. I recently took a knitting class at Wool and Grace in Summit and I could not believe how easy it was for me to pick up the skill! In just 4 knitting sessions back at home (about an hour each), I'm almost done with my infinity scarf! I'm not able to do the fancy stuff all on my own yet (like cast on or off or fix any of my many mistakes) but the women at Wool and Grace are happily doing all of that for me so I can give my scarf as a Christmas gift. Try to knit someone a hat or a scarf - it might not be as hard as you think! |  |
  | Candles. Ah, candles... Ye olde classic hostess gift. But instead of getting the typical Yankee Candle, check out some of the fun ones I found this year, like these cheeky ones from Purple Aardvark ("Hey mom, you're a badass.") and these from Scooch A Mi crafted out of recycled wine bottles that support dog charities. A fun way to do the classic hostess gift! |
Personalized decoration. Believe it or not, you can get something personalized in not that much time! Art With Heart Designs in Chatham has some cool options for personalized items that she can have ready in just a matter of days. Get it personalized with their family's name, specific colors, images that they might love, and anything you can think of. It's a great way to make it look like you spent a lot of time on a gift even if you did just pick it up last-minute. |  |
 | Tea towel. We're total hippies and rarely use paper towels in our home. We probably go through one roll of paper towels every 3 months and even that's a stretch. This means I have racked up quite a collection of kitchen "rags" and I never mind getting special towels that are actually appropriate for holiday decoration. I love the ones I found at Purple Aardvark in Chatham with the NJ shape cutout because for some reason I'm MEGA Jersey Proud, and also the one that says "'Tis the season... Let the dysfunction begin" because my extended family is the most bizarrely happily dysfunctional family I've ever encountered. |
Wine. Duh. You really can't go wrong with wine. Some of my favorite places to shop locally for wine are The Wine List in Summit (don't go here unless you're ready to also buy cupcakes, Mexican food, and coffee), The Wine Library (they really know their stuff - big shoutout to my personal hero Gary Vee!), and Bottle King in Chatham (great prices and also very knowledgeable!). |
Do you have a go-to hostess gift?
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