End of year and “best of” posts make me feel gloomy. I do not like when things end and new beginnings make me anxious. Anyone else?
I do not want to clean the house, take down the tree, clean my room, fill out college financial aid forms, glance at my credit card bill, or stop eating cookies.
So let’s not do that today.
Here are some things that happened at my house in December:
To begin, this outfit was my entire December personality.
In late December my husband Steve unwittingly poked the proverbial bear and said something snarky to the wrong person at my holiday work party (!!!!). My lovely colleague provided quick cover but I still want to hide under the covers in embarrassment every time I think about it. On the plus side, I finally got to wear my Damaris Bailey two piece red silk number to the aforementioned party. I bought it to wear last year but for reasons involving a remarkable lapse in judgement that resulted in an ill timed cosmetic treatment, I did not attend any holiday parties in 2023.
Daughter 2’s teacher asked her if I baked the delicious (and beautiful!) cookies that I gifted to all of her teachers in the cutest tins with gift tags. “God, no” daughter 2 said. Have I taught her nothing?
Speaking of baking, when we did actually cook things in the oven, Daughter 3 forgot to put the sugar in the peanut butter blossom cookies and I was unkind about it.
Still speaking of baking, Steve whipped up a Buche de Noel (the french name for this cake is so much more glamorous than Yule Log) on Christmas Eve morning to take over to the party we were attending that evening. He had never made one before, hates baking, and just sort of whipped it up?
I have yet to send out my holiday cards. At this point I might as well save them for next year but (!) they are one third addressed so I will limp along to the finish. Since this is my last year of kids at home, this might be it for the family card anyway. I can’t help but feel that it will be life giving to be freed from the tyranny of this tradition.
I can’t stop talking about these bunnies that I dressed up, which were a very happy surprise to my nearly adult children on Christmas morning. I’m thinking of starting a side hustle as a Jellycat Bashful Bunny stylist. It will be called Hare and Wardrobe or Wild Hare.
Post - Scripts/Never Not Shopping
I braved the mall with my daughters on the day after Christmas for returns, exchanges, and hemming (reminder that Lululemon and Reformation do free hemming which is so handy!) and I tried on some things from the Aritzia sale. I still love this vest (It’s meant to be slim fit so I would size up two sizes for a more relaxed situation or true size if you like a tailored fit.) This oversized button down is Very Good as well.
Give me all the Jamie Haller please. This is how I want to dress from January until it gets warm:
image via Speaking of warm, this under $93 Hunter Bell sale dress gives us something to look forward to wearing this spring/summer. I love how they show it with three styling options. I wish more brands would do this.
TRR is better than usual right now - my latest favorites include this Saint Laurent skirt, these iconic Vivienne Westwood boots, Jamie Haller ballerinas, and this DeMellier bag. If we are stuck in the winter clothes we are bored of for the next - let’s face it 90 days - we might as well have some new bags or shoes to make things interesting.
My best friend Amy, who has influenced me for thirty years, spritzed me with her splurgy Dries Raving Rose perfume and I can’t get it out of my head. Dreamy. Adding to my 2025 Christmas list.
And finally, what is everyone eating for dinner besides cheese and cookies during these last few days off? It astounds me that I never ever tire of eating Christmas sweets. Even the stale ones.
Thanks for reading!
XOXO,
Tara
Please reveal your source for the Jellycat dress up! Or did you make them?? HNY!
Happy new year, Tara! I enjoyed your article, and I don’t wanna do any of those things on the first days of the new year either.💕