#MY FAVORITE THINGS IDEAS FREE#

There is an excitement about giving gifts that we carefully select for the loved ones on our list. Yes, gift giving is a longstanding and enjoyable Christmas tradition. And we certainly can’t think of Christmas without the legend of Saint Nicholas, whose generosity inspired the idea of our modern-day Santa Claus. But even on that first Christmas, wise men from the east brought the Newborn King gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (see Matthew 2). It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when the tradition of exchanging Christmas gifts began. The 3 names we picked were the 3 people we got presents from.Gift giving is an important part of the Christmas season. Here’s how it works… each guest brings 3 gifts wrapped (this year we did a contest for who had the most creative wrapping!) We each put our name in a bowl 3 times, and picked 3 new names (not our own).

#MY FAVORITE THINGS IDEAS FREE#

This year she hosted a trifle bar.with gluten free cakes (healthier versions, which is what her cookbook and blog are known for), lighter versions of fillings, and toppings (some naughty, some nice–your choice!) The instructions–get a glass, layer it up with your “Favorites”, and enjoy!īecause there were 24 girls this year, we had to break up into two separate dining areas…Īfter dinner and dessert, we headed to our lower level for our annual “favorite things” gift exchange! A “favorite” of all of my guests in parties past is a dessert bar by my sister (and celebrity blogger/ chef “Dashing Dish”!) The favors this year…one of my “favorite things”–initial mugs topped with mini-gingerbread houses, to use with the coffee bar we served after dinner!Īfter dinner the guests brought their mugs (one of my “Favorite things” as their favors) over to a coffee bar to find coffee of different flavors, seasonal creams, sweeteners, and of course…whipped cream!Īcross the counter in my butler’s pantry was a dessert bar set up. There are so many beautiful sources I’ve found online to make disposable place settings look beautiful! The theme: “Brown paper” dishes, utensils “tied up with strings”…and as they sat down, they were gifted one of my “favorite things” as a favor… There were 24 girls, and I’m 9 months preggo, so I decided to keep things easy on myself, and do disposable place settings.

We washed it down with some of our “favorite drinks”… champs & sparkling cider!

Here are the details of the day…come on in…Īs guests entered, the fireplaces were roaring, Christmas tunes were blasting, trees were lit…and I greeted them with a big hug (baby bump and all!) I thought it was a nice touch to try to have as many of their pictures displayed as I could, since the night was to celebrate my “favorite” friends!ĭinner was simple this year–Mediterranean food catered in (my friends are healthy eaters!) But in parties past (where I wasn’t preggo) one of my favorites was a salad bar where they could choose their “favorite” toppings…

The holidays bring about my two favorite things: Friends & Family and Entertaining!Įach year I host a “Favorite Things” party for my “favorite peeps!” And although I’m 37 weeks pregnant, I couldn’t go without hosting my “favorite” event!

My favorite things ideas