I hope that all of you had a peaceful and happy Christmas! “The weary world rejoices” takes on new meaning this year, doesn’t it? Despite the fact that ALL of the packages I mailed back to the States have yet to arrive (three weeks and counting…), and all of our retail stores are shut down (in a pinch, chewing gum is an excellent gift idea!), we still had a wonderful time together as a family.
Grocery stores and bakeries are open, so I did manage to find this beautiful Bûche de Noël for us to enjoy with our neighbors for Christmas Day dessert. We voted as a family and went with the “vanilla with exotic fruits” flavor instead of the traditional chocolate orange. I served it with a bottle of sekt (Germany’s version of sparkling wine) and it was yummy.
We also enjoyed our traditional fondue dinner on Christmas Eve, which I always like to mention because it’s also a great idea for New Year’s Eve. I know Amy mentioned it in her Sunday newsletter yesterday, but you can read all about the recipes I use in this post.
It’s easy to find fondue pots for dirt cheap on Marketplace or in thrift shops; we have two just to make things a bit easier when I’m serving three courses but I can also see how it would also be helpful to have several if you’re hosting a large number of people.
I always love getting a new cookbook or two for Christmas; if you’re looking for a good one I recommend the new Barefoot Contessa or Joanna Gaines cookbooks. Now you know what I’ll be cooking in January!
Last but not least, if you have a gift card burning a hole in your pocket, here are the best sales right now:
Tory Burch — extra 25% off sale with code EXTRA
J Crew Factory — up to 50% off new arrivals and 75% off clearance (use NEW4YOU)
LOFT — 50-70% off sale styles (use WOW)
Nordstrom — half yearly sale through January 3rd
Williams-Sonoma — up to 75% off sale
Amy will be back on Wednesday with another post and then we’ll take a few days off for New Year’s. I usually take my decorations down around New Year’s, although I know many of you wait for Epiphany. Amy is much more organized with her decorations than I am, so be sure to take a look at this post if you want some great ideas!
Happy New Year, and thanks for stopping by!
Christy and Amy,
What a wonderful inspiration you both have been to me this year. I am always thrilled when I open my mail and see a post from 11 Magnolia Lane. Having just bought a new house I am looking forward to putting some of your ideas to good use.
May God truly bless you both and your families as we enter a new year. Thanks again for the many times your blog has brightened my day.
Kathy Strickland Evans
Kathy,
Thank you so much for that lovely and thoughtful comment–it really made my day! I apologize for the delayed response; you would think that with us being back in lockdown here I would have plenty of time on my computer, but I’ve been trying to soak up the time while our oldest is here from the States.
Have fun as you make your new house a home! I always love decorating a new place and making it comfortable for our family.Take care!