As we inch closer to Christmas Eve every day quickly becomes full of holiday parties, family gatherings and work celebrations. As fun as spending time out on the town can be after several full days I need to take a break and relax at home. Sitting down to enjoy a movie as a couple is a great way to reconnect no matter how busy the rest of the week has been.
My favorite date nights ideas include treats from Hickory Farms and this stay-in celebration is the perfect occasion for enjoying some of their seasonal favorites. I’ve put together a few tips on how couples can enjoy a low key night at home during the holiday season.
Set aside some time to talk about what your favorite holiday movies are, you might be surprised how different your answers are. I was shocked to learn that Die Hard is considered a Christmas movie (and I still kinda disagree).
It’s hard to not fill your evenings up, especially when there are household chores or a growing holiday to do list running in the back of your mind. Put away your phones, turn up the lights on the Christmas Tree and focus on being together enjoying each other’s company.
I recommend selecting a treat based on the movie you plan to watch and Hickory Farms has an assortment of options ready to create the perfect ambiance for your evening.
Rudolph:
Hot Cocoa and White & Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark
This combination is the perfect way to remember how much fun Christmas was as a kid and recreate those warm fuzzy memories as an adult.
The Grinch:
Peanut Brittle Popcorn and Fat Tire Beer
This sweet and savory combination is guaranteed to make your heart grow three sizes in one night.
Die Hard:
Beef Summer Sausage and Jalapeno & Cheddar Cheese
The ultimate guy’s holiday movie requires an ultimate guy’s snack.
What other tips do you have for enjoying a low-key night at home during the holiday season? Are there any other pairings you would add to this list?
Disclaimer: This post was brought to you by Hickory Farms. All opinions, ideas and writing are my own. I was compensated and received a product sample as inspiration for this post.
Brown paper packages tied up with strings, these are a few of my favorite things.
Just like the song says, kraft paper wrapped packages are one of my favorite things. The simplicity and beauty of brown wrapping paper leaves room for a lot of creative ways to decorate your holiday gifts. You can pick up a roll of kraft paper in the office supply section of Target (near the packing tape and envelopes). It is a bit more expensive then a roll of wrapping paper but I can promise you that there is ALOT more on the roll.
I picked up some bells at the Joanne Fabrics and added them to a lot of the packages. The sound made it fun to hand out the gifts and were the perfect addition to to the fabric ribbon that tied them all up.
Earlier this month I received the opportunity to test out Darby Smart’s new gift wrap kit and when I heard it was going to include kraft paper I knew I needed to give it a go. The package arrived in just a few days and I wrapped up a small gift to give it ago.
My favorite part of this kit is the designer created tags. Each one has a different look and style making it the perfect tool for personalizing each package to match its recipient. It also included a roll of twine, washi tape, a silver pen, and a few wooden tags. It was a fun kit to receive, but honestly you can buy all the same items a lot less at the store.
If you want to check it out – these Darby Smart Sets are available at Gap now through the holidays.
Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post. I received a product to test and all opinions are my own.
This is our first holiday season in our new home and second as a married couple. Every family has traditions and as we’ve worked to merge the things that make us who we are individually, finding traditions for our young family unit is just as important.
When I think of the holidays there are a few things that immediately come to mind:
With those key items as guidance we’ll be starting some new holiday traditions this Christmas that ties them all together. The Hickory Farms Holiday Treasure Chest has everything we need for enjoying starting the holidays together as a couple.
I’ve worked too many years in retail to truly enjoy holiday music on the radio but I LOVE live music. So far this year we’ve attended two live performances, one of Transiberian Orchestra and another of a local show choir that my cousin performs in.
A lot of communities offer live performances that correlate with their holiday tree lighting. Bundle up and pack along some Peppermint Snow Mints that you can share while enjoying the performance.
Bundling up with someone you love is the best way to enjoy the holiday season and a movie night is the perfect excuse. Peanut Brittle Popcorn is the perfect treat to enjoy as you flip through the channels looking for the perfect movie to make your holiday tradition.
As the year comes to a close it’s nice to sit down as a family and look back on all the things you have to be thankful for and the memories you created.
Drew & I spent a night together deciding what we wanted to include in our Christmas card, looking through all the fun memories we created on Instagram and Twitter.
We started out on the quest to pick out the perfect tree this weekend, but the tree lot happily educated us that for a live tree it’s best to buy about 2 weeks before Christmas. This will help ensure that the tree is fresh through New Year’s Day.
Instead we (by we I mean Drew) decided to take advantage of the somewhat warm weather and decorate the outside of the house. While he braved the roof I sliced up some summer sausage and smoked gouda for him to enjoy when he came back in the house. Together we lit the lights, and upon discovering that not all the bulbs were working after fully installed, headed back inside to enjoy the rest of the sausage.
Holiday Light Decorating Tip – Leave the lights plugged in as you decorate just in case a strand/bulb goes bad as you’re are installing.
The holidays are a time for gratefulness and giving. Making a tradition of giving with our time to a community organization and giving to our family with love is something that I feel is very important.
We have been very blessed to have a wonderful family and friends who support and love us as we build a foundation for our marriage. Giving to those we love is one of the small things we can do to show our gratitude and the gift of a Hickory Farms gift set like this is a fun package everyone can enjoy.
We’ll keep creating traditions throughout the holiday season and many over the years to come. What holiday traditions are important to your family, and how did you get them started?
Disclaimer: This post was brought to you by Hickory Farms. All opinions, ideas and writing are my own. I was compensated and received a product sample as inspiration for this post.
