❄ Holly Jolly Tag 2 ❄

1. Do you start your Christmas shopping on Black Friday or wait until the last minute?
It all depends on who I'm shopping for really. I don't ever like to wait until the last minute because I typically buy my presents online because I get all my best ideas as I'm shopping on my computer late at night. Buying gifts online gives me the motivation not to wait until the last minute because I want it to get here in enough time with no shipping delays. I would say my Christmas shopping normally starts around Thanksgiving.

2. If you could be in any Christmas movie what would it be?
My all time favorite Christmas movie is It's a Wonderful Life. As a tradition my family watches it every Christmas Eve together. So I guess I would be Mary in that movie because George Bailey is a babe.

3. Which do you like better: Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
I think Christmas Eve mainly just because there is so much anticipation and all of this build up towards Christmas and that's probably the best part.

4. When does your family put up your Christmas tree and who decorates it?
Since I'm away at college when I went back to my parents for Thanksgiving, my mom and I put up and decorated the tree on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

5. White lights or colored lights?
The lights I have are white just because I like how crisp and beautiful they look. I love going around and looking at everyone's light displays and I really like the colorful lights so I guess I just like both for different looks.

6. Are you guilty of peeking at your presents or do you like the surprise?
I don't peek at my gifts but I don't really like surprises.

7. Would you rather live in a gingerbread house or in Santa's Workshop?
Gingerbread house hands down. Just imagine how amazing it would smell in there. Granted you'd probably want to eat your house but you win some, you lose some.

8. Tell us your Christmas Eve traditions!
My family and I watch It's a Wonderful Life together before we go to midnight mass and then when we get home from mass, we open our gifts since it's after midnight and technically Christmas. We open our gifts when we get home so that we get to sleep in on Christmas day because we are just getting too darn old to wake up early for Santa.

9. If you could be under the mistletoe with anyone who would it be?
HA! uh...Ryan Gosling or JGL or whoever.

10. What tops your tree?
My mom's tree is a silver and blue angel that was my great-grandmother's. On my little tree here, I just have a blue star that was a dollar at target, until I can find one I really like.

11. Can you name the 12 days of Christmas?
No. I could say yes and look it up since I'm typing this out but there's no fun in that.

12. Have you ever gone Christmas caroling?
Probably, I don't remember but part of me thinks I did once or twice as a child.

13. Do you countdown to Christmas? If so, how many days are left?
Heck yes. Advent calendar and all! 12 til Christmas Eve and 13 til Christmas day!

14. What are some foods and treats you can count on having every holiday season?
When I was younger my neighbor would make us the best peanut butter fudge and we decided to try and recreate it this year which I'm really stoked about. We also like to make homemade sugar cookies and gingerbread men. Now I want some cookies....

15. How has Christmas kept its magic for you as you've grown older?
Um heck yeah. It's different in the sense that I sleep in on Christmas and wake up when I wake up as opposed to waking up at 5 to see what Santa brought me. I'm probably a little more stoked on Christmas now that I'm older because I get to decorate my apartment and buy a bunch of little knick knacky decorations.

OOTD Have a Holly Jolly Christmas

Today was my last day of classes for the semester and my last day of final exams. I hate this time of the year (school-wise), so I decided to cheer myself up and dress with Christmas spirit. 

I absolutely love the holidays--mainly just Halloween and Christmas--so I thought I would put my love on display for my classmates to see since I won't be seeing them anymore (hallelujah! just kidding...not really).

 First things first, these are the basics of what I'm wearing--no festiveness added. I think this is a cute outfit in itself and will definitely be rocking it with a red lip soon.

My top is from forever 21 and I got it mainly because I like the cut and fit of it, it's black (aka my whole wardrobe), and it kind of reminds me of Olivia Newton-John circa badass Sandy. Those are naturally all the requirements I look for when shopping for clothes (kind of kidding but whatever).

 Here is the festiveness guys, an amazing silver Santa vest. I hate to be that person and tell you that my vest was thrifted but it was thrifted. Honestly though, you can find these sweet little vests anywhere. I probably paid to much for this one at a thrift store but I couldn't say no, you know? Although, I haven't ever seen them at a goodwill near me, a lot of my friends have been able to find them there. I would check church thrift stores and garage sales. I found an awesome Halloween one at a garage sale for one dollar and it was a heavenly moment.

 Again, I'm going to be that person, but my shorts were thrifted. I'm almost positive that I got these for one dollar which is all I can dream for. They are Levi's and were jeans in a previous life but I destroyed them into the masterpiece they are today. Basically just chopped off the legs and took some sandpaper to them for a couple hours. I was originally going to make them high-waist never nudes but I really like the way that cuffed shorts look on me.

My amazing tights are from surprise surprise, forever 21. I love these little dittys to throw on under some shorts or skirts when I don't want to bare all of that skin. These were somewhere in the 3-5 dollar price range which isn't too bad, they won't last long but then again they were 3 dollars so who is the winner here. I love (again) that they are black and I'm really digging the lace details. 

My amazing Dorothy-esque shoes are from journey's but they are vans (as you can quite obviously tell). I don't have a whole lot to say about these other than the fact that I love them because they are so glittery and because my inner Dorothy comes out when I'm wearing them.  

I went with a more minimal eye look because I couldn't decide if I wanted to wear red lipstick, but I was running late and still couldn't decide so I just rushed myself out the door. I used the Maybelline Cozy Cashemre palette for my eye look (you can't really tell at all in this picture but just go with it) and I, of course, had to do winged eyeliner. 

I kept my hair natural because we've been having crappy Florida weather these past couple of days and it's been mildly hot, which it hasn't been too bad, but the humidity has been through the roof. Rain and humidity drain all hair motivation from my life. There's no point in styling my hair any differently in this type of weather because it will end up curly/wavy like this again. 

I wanted to throw in a picture of my newest project. I feel like I've finally gotten the hang of purling and I wanted to give myself some extra practice so I'm making a scarf. I'm not a professional or anything but I like doing this and I want to get better at it. I'm pretty proud of myself though because I'm mainly self taught and that's not an easy feat, granted I only know two stitches but baby steps people.

Besides the crappy weather, I'm starting to finally feel a little Christmas-y. Working on some knitting whilst I've got a Christmas vinyl playing in the background is a great time, very de-stressing and it takes your mind off of things for a while which is definitely nice and needed. Have a great holiday time!

Lauren ❤