Weekending | The one before Christmas


Happy Monday friends!! We are one week out from Christmas and all the gifts have been wrapped, the plans have been confirmed and we’re getting pretty excited!! I missed the holiday link up with Andrea a couple of weeks ago, but I still wanted to get in on the fun!



Real or Fake Tree ||


We’ve had a our fake tree for the last 8 years and it’s held up really nicely. As much as I would love to have a real tree, which one day we will, for now and living in the city our fake tree is perfect! 


Favorite Christmas Cookie ||


We actually had a cookie decorating party with our neighbors this weekend and we made my favorite, sugar cookies! I totally failed at taking a picture of the finished products because they were so delicious! 


Home on Christmas Morning or Travel ||


Nothing better than being home on Christmas morning! 


White or colored lights ||


Definitely white lights on our tree!


Do you send Christmas cards ||


Absolutely! I forgot to share our cards this year, so here’s a little snap!


Favorite Christmas present received ||


This is a toughie, but for our first married Christmas, Gary actually surprised me with a second wedding band. 


Favorite Christmas present given ||


I’d say the year I surprised Gary with a Nespresso machine. 


Favorite Christmas movie ||


I watch The Holiday every year right after Thanksgiving, but if we’re going with a cheesy Christmas movie, then 12 Dates of Christmas is my favorite. You can find it on Netflix!


Early shopper or last minute ||


Definitely an early shopper, but inevitably there is something I’m buying a few days before that I’ve forgotten, usually to drop into Gary’s stocking! 


Favorite Tradition ||


One of my favorite things is that we collect ornaments from our travels to each new place. When we decorate the tree it’s so fun to pull them out and talk about the trip and memories we have from it!



Are you getting excited for the upcoming family time? Are all your presents wrapped and ready to go? Hope this week is easy for us all!



‘);

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59 Comments

  1. Amy Cotton
    December 18, 2017 / 10:37 am

    I’m so impressed that you’re finished Christmas shopping and wrapping your gifts!! I always say I’m going to finish early, but it never actually happens! Haha!! We also colllect ornaments from different places we travel! It’s one of my favorite traditions!!

  2. Andrea Nine
    December 18, 2017 / 10:58 am

    Ahhhh so ready to sit back enjoy the season! I love your card, was that in Iceland? The ornament tradition is so special as I know how you guys love to travel. I'll bet the cookie decorating party was so fun! Now I want to watch the Holiday! So glad you joined in the fun beautiful!!!! LOVED reading your answers!

  3. Rachel McCarthy
    December 18, 2017 / 10:58 am

    I'm with you on the fake tree. I am allergic to real trees so it really isn't an option, but our pre-lit tree has been going strong for 7 years (fingers crossed it makes it through another Christmas!). So crazy Christmas is a week away! Happy Monday, BIana!

    xo, Rachel
    A Blonde's Moment

  4. Amanda @ Cupcake N Dreams
    December 18, 2017 / 11:12 am

    Awww I love your Christmas card! Perfect Iceland shot for it! Your cookies look delicious too, I always like when they are in a festive shape this time of year lol. Happy Monday!
    Xo
    Amanda @ Cupcake N Dreams

  5. Girl Meets Bow
    December 18, 2017 / 11:36 am

    This was such a fun post- I love learning about other people’s traditions! Your Christmas cards turned out so good! Yay for making all the Christmas cookies! Have a happy week!

  6. Katherine
    December 18, 2017 / 11:49 am

    So cute! I love all your questions & answers! Those cookies look delicious!

    Katherine | oneswainkycouple.com

  7. a little bit of emily
    December 18, 2017 / 11:50 am

    Your Christmas card is so cute! And I agree – I usually am always picking up something last minute for presents, even if it's just one or two things!

  8. Owen Davis @ Davis Duo
    December 18, 2017 / 12:07 pm

    We collect ornaments when we travel too, such a fun tradition and I love looking through them all every year when we decorate the tree! What an awesome gift of a second wedding band!

  9. Brooke
    December 18, 2017 / 12:07 pm

    I love your holiday card!! I also need to watch that movie, I've been on a spree of Hallmark movies lately haha! That one sounds right up my alley!

    Brooke
    pumps and push-ups

  10. Emily @ Martinis | Bikinis
    December 18, 2017 / 12:08 pm

    I started collecting ornaments from our travels as well and love seeing all the different reminders of our adventures from Mexico to Savannah, GA! Sugar cookies are my fave as well! I can't believe Christmas is just one week away but I'm so excited! Emily @ Martinis & Bikinis

  11. Tess Felber_Sequins are the New Black
    December 18, 2017 / 12:22 pm

    I love your second wedding band Christmas present! I can't believe Christmas is one week away- ahhhh! I still have so many Christmas movies to watch
    xx Tess | Sequins are the New Black

  12. Sarita @ it's my girls' world
    December 18, 2017 / 12:23 pm

    I’ve never seen 12 dates of Christmas. Must remedy!

  13. Brianne
    December 18, 2017 / 12:32 pm

    Your Christmas cards turned out awesome! They look great.

  14. Life as the Mrs.
    December 18, 2017 / 12:36 pm

    We collect Christmas ornaments from our travels, too, and just love looking at them and talking about our trips. (Especially those pre-baby ones, ha!) Happy Christmas week!

  15. Lizzie @ This Happy Life
    December 18, 2017 / 12:47 pm

    Love your card! I also love the Holiday and 12 Dates of Christmas, give me pretty much any cheesy Hallmark movie and I'll like it!

  16. Rosy Outlook - Fashion & Lifestyle by Kelly Rose
    December 18, 2017 / 12:54 pm

    I can't believe we're already only a week away from Christmas! The Holiday is definitely one of my favorite Christmas movies! And I LOVE your holiday cards!!

    Rosy Outlook

  17. kerri @ cheshire kat
    December 18, 2017 / 1:38 pm

    i love that ornament tradition! so fun. and gotta love the fake tree with apartment living. it's just the easier way to go 🙂 and your card looks super cute!

    xoxo cheshire kat

  18. Unknown
    December 18, 2017 / 1:48 pm

    I love the holiday vibes. These pictures are so cute.
    sugarcoatedbears.blogspot.com/

  19. Caroline The Petite Fashionista
    December 18, 2017 / 2:11 pm

    Love your holiday card! We should exchange cards since I feel like I know you haha. 🙂 This is a cute/fun link up and I hope that you have a great day!!!

  20. Carly
    December 18, 2017 / 2:21 pm

    12 Dates of Christmas is so cute, I actually watched it over the summer, but I should rewatch it now that we're actually around Christmas. Love your holiday card and hope we can make Christmas cookies sometime next week.

  21. Rachel F
    December 18, 2017 / 2:22 pm

    I love your ornament tradition!! It's the one thing I envy most about not celebrating Christmas!! Tree and card hanger look gorg!!

  22. Marie
    December 18, 2017 / 2:38 pm

    Oh your Holiday card is fab!! I love your ornament tradition. I'm so excited for the holidays. Although, I'm so behind, I'm not even finished with my shopping yet. Ugh, I need to get my act together.

  23. Kate at Green Fashionista
    December 18, 2017 / 2:38 pm

    This comment has been removed by the author.

  24. Kate at Green Fashionista
    December 18, 2017 / 2:39 pm

    We've been collecting ornaments as we travel too, and I think we picked up a similar one to yours in San Francisco this year. And yummm to all the sugar cookies <3

    Green Fashionista

  25. Lindsay's Sweet World
    December 18, 2017 / 2:44 pm

    Everything looks beautiful, Biana! As much as I love our real tree, I'm afraid I might be allergic to our real tree this year so we may have to change to a fake one next year. I'm glad to hear yours has held up so well! I hope we can be as lucky!

  26. Lily (Beauty With Lily)
    December 18, 2017 / 2:58 pm

    Y'alls Christmas cards are too cute!!
    I'm an early shopper too, but this year I just couldn't get it together. LOL!

  27. caschelldorf
    December 18, 2017 / 3:00 pm

    I love 12 Dates of Christmas too! I also love Christmas in the Smokies (also on Netflix). My ornaments are all places I've been and the ones I had as a child. It's always so fun to pull them out 🙂

  28. A Dash of Pretty
    December 18, 2017 / 3:01 pm

    12 Dates of Christmas is the best! The perfect holiday card, too! You two are so cute!

  29. Straight A Style
    December 18, 2017 / 3:05 pm

    I love this! Your favorite gifts given and recieved are so fun. A wedding band and Nespresso are pretty hard to top!

    Amy Ann
    Straight A Style

  30. P!nky
    December 18, 2017 / 3:05 pm

    What a gorgeous card, lady!!!

  31. Bri Runde
    December 18, 2017 / 3:16 pm

    I love your Christmas card!!

  32. Gold Coast Girl
    December 18, 2017 / 3:29 pm

    Looks like a fun and festive weekend!
    ~Samantha
    goldcoastgirlblog.com

  33. Missy
    December 18, 2017 / 3:51 pm

    Your card is so cute! I collect ornaments when I travel too, it is so fun and such a great reminder every year of the fun travels I have done!

  34. Jalisa
    December 18, 2017 / 4:18 pm

    We tried a fake tree one year and loved the smell, but it was such a pain to clean! I was sweeping up pine needles all the way through July, no lie! They were popping up everywhere. I do think it's nice to give it a try at least once though because the fragrance is so good and really enhances the holiday spirit. Those sugar cookies look delicious and I'm sure they looked even more so when decorated. We're going to bake some Christmas Eve, which I'm really excited about. Thanks for sharing, gorgeous, and I hope you're having a great start to your week so far!

    XO,

    Jalisa
    THE STYLE CONTOUR

  35. Amanda Elizabeth - Meet @ the Barre
    December 18, 2017 / 4:28 pm

    I love getting your Holiday card every year! You are so on top of them. I need to watch that 12 dates of Christmas, I'm all about the holiday movies right now 🙂

  36. Rebecca Jo
    December 18, 2017 / 5:22 pm

    I love your tree.
    I'm so bad about shopping this year. Still haven't really started. Yikes. I may be in trouble.

  37. Emily
    December 18, 2017 / 5:24 pm

    Your Christmas card is beautiful! I still need to watch The Holiday this year. I can't believe it's only one week until Christmas!

  38. Cat Chat With Caren and Cody (Caren Gittleman)
    December 18, 2017 / 5:28 pm

    This was such a fun and festive post! My favorite Christmas cookies are the sugar cookies too! I love them! Love how you topped your tree with the Santa Hat, too cute and clever! Love how you hung your cards too and I love your holiday card that you mail out! Hoping you and Gary have an incredible holiday! I am sure you will! xoxo catchatwithcarenandcody

  39. Tanya Dufour
    December 18, 2017 / 5:32 pm

    I loved reading this! I only have a couple more gifts to wrap then I'm done!

  40. Ashley @ The Wandering Weekenders
    December 18, 2017 / 5:33 pm

    We love collecting ornaments from our trips too and reminiscing about our trips while we decorate! And your Christmas card is so pretty this year! Way to go on having all the gifts wrapped this year! We haven’t wrapped any yet…

  41. Unknown
    December 18, 2017 / 6:22 pm

    I am awful at making Christmas cookies! Yours look so good! I need more practice!

    Xoxo,
    Whitney & Blaire
    Peaches In A Pod

  42. Lisa
    December 18, 2017 / 6:43 pm

    We also collect ornaments and have 3 of the cable cars. I'll give one to each of our kids when they start decorating their own trees. AND…same for the Christmas cookies…why o why can't I remember to take some good pics. Happy Monday!

  43. Sarah Shaneyfelt
    December 18, 2017 / 6:50 pm

    I'm hoping Dustin will surprise me with a 2nd wedding band sometime haha!!! And I love that you surprised him with a Nespresso! I would love that, too! Merry Christmas!
    Sarah at MeetTheShaneyfelts

  44. Nadine
    December 18, 2017 / 7:36 pm

    I watched the 12 Dates of Christmas this weekend. I forgot I had seen it before and when it started I was like oh yeah! I love this movie! Love the holiday too!!! I am with you on fake trees, white lights and sugar cookies 🙂 Hope you have a wonderful week! Love the way your card turned out!

  45. Meg Taylor
    December 18, 2017 / 8:39 pm

    We do the same thing collecting ornaments – I just love seeing them each year. I love the gifts you've given each other, too.

    Meg, Borrowed Heaven

  46. Shannon
    December 19, 2017 / 4:39 am

    Love your Christmas card! You two are too cute! We try to get an ornament everywhere we travel too! I may have to come over to steal some of those cookies, they look yummy!

    <3 Shannon

  47. Kristin
    December 19, 2017 / 12:43 pm

    I'm finding it really difficult to give up the fake tree we've also had for 8 years, just for nostalgia reasons.

    Love the card!

  48. Christina Lea Loves
    December 19, 2017 / 1:01 pm

    As much as I love travel there really is nothing like being home on Christmas – love that your tree is still going strong!

  49. Hena Tayeb
    December 19, 2017 / 2:07 pm

    Everything looks beautiful.
    Enjoy your holiday getaway

    henatayeb.blogspot.com

  50. sara [at] journey of doing
    December 19, 2017 / 3:12 pm

    I was seriously impressed with all your holiday baking!! I love, love, love your card! It's perfect!! 🙂 I desperately want to do the ornament thing. I've been failing at it so far… but I'm determined, lol.

  51. Beautifully Candid
    December 19, 2017 / 4:36 pm

    I haven't even attempted wrapping yet, but it will get done this week lol. Your card came out so cute and I love that you used an Iceland pic!! Sierra~Beautifully Candid

  52. awhite
    December 19, 2017 / 5:03 pm

    Your tree is so pretty- I'm with you, a fake tree just makes more sense for me right now, too!

    -Ashley
    Le Stylo Rouge

  53. Sparkles and Lattes
    December 19, 2017 / 7:48 pm

    I love that you put up ornaments from your travels. I try to buy ornaments in all the big places (mostly foreign) that I travel too.

  54. The Girl who Loved to Write
    December 19, 2017 / 8:16 pm

    Home on Christmas morning for SURE!

  55. Laura Darling
    December 20, 2017 / 2:54 am

    Love that you collect ornaments from your travels! We have a fake tree too. We did a real tree last year and while I did love it, I like that a fake tree is easier to clean up!!

  56. Emily Steiner
    December 20, 2017 / 2:24 pm

    Love this post! We have a fake tree too…even though we love the real ones, the fake one is just easier with dogs and kids lol Love your Xmas card this year!! xx

  57. NotJessFashion
    December 22, 2017 / 4:00 am

    I love your Christmas cards dear! It's super cute! And yes, who would want to miss those Christmas cookies?

    Jessica | notjessfashion.com

  58. Jenna at Boston Chic Party
    December 22, 2017 / 10:58 am

    We like to buy ornaments when we travel too! Makes it so much fun to decorate the tree each year!
    xoxo, Jenna
    Bostonchicparty.com

  59. Jen Mc
    December 22, 2017 / 5:31 pm

    Merry Christmas! I love your tree.