There's a reason why Christmas time is considered to be the most wonderful time of the year. This time of the year focuses on the importance of family and is rich in tradition. Think of all the little things you do during this time of the year with your family. Every little thing you do each year is a tradition.

A tradition doesn't need to be some grand adventure. It can be something as little as decorating the house and tree together or building gingerbread houses. What makes something a tradition, is the amount of joy it brings to you and your family. Here are some of my favorite Christmas traditions.

Tracking Santa on NORAD. This is my favorite Christmas tradition by far. Ever since I was a kid, (and when the internet was invented) my mom and I would track Santa Claus on NORAD's website every Christmas Eve. NORAD is the North American Aerospace Defense Command, they're in charge of tracking what's flying up in the sky. So it makes total sense why they're the ones tracking Santa on his big Christmas Eve voyage. All throughout Christmas Eve, you can check Santa's current location. I loved tracking Santa as a kid, and it's something I love to do now as an adult. It's something fun and cute to do with kids, or adults who are children at heart. If you want to see Santa's current location click here.

Making Christmas Cookies. This is the one time of the year where my mom and I make our special homemade family recipe cookies. We call them Ta Das! The recipe was created by my great grandfather back when he lived in Bari, Italy. From the stories I've heard, he was a great cook and baker. The only problem was his recipes weren't very detailed. A pinch here, a spoonful there, and bake until they're done. Great Grandpa Ferro wasn't a wordsmith. But, my mom figured out the recipe for the most part. She figured out numbers and measurements and times, but it took her a while to perfect it. So when I learned how to make them, I got a decent recipe to go off of. These cookies are bomb and a Simpson Family delicacy. Ask anyone who's tried them!

Watching Christmas Movies/Specials. Throughout the month of December, especially on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, I like to take the time to watch some of my favorite holiday movies. Throughout the month, I watch Hallmark movies with my Dad. Every Christmas Eve, I tune into Freeform and watch Elf. This year, I plan on taking full advantage of Freeform's schedule and will be tuning into How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Santa Clause. Also during this time of the season, I like to watch some of my favorite Christmas themed episodes from my favorite TV shows like Bob's Burgers and The Office.

LASAGNA!!! Every Christmas Eve, my mom makes the best lasagna ever. She only makes it during this time of the year, so I make sure I indulge. My family doesn't do much for Christmas Eve, we keep it low key so we can get ready for the big day. But we do eat lots and lots of yummy lasagna and get into a huge food coma.

Stay Up All Night. This necessarily isn't a tradition I look forward to each year. In fact, I try to avoid it at all costs. But that never works in my favor. On Christmas Eve, I'm either up all night wrapping presents or up all night with excitement because CHRISTMAS IS TOMORROW. There is no in-between and no such thing as a good night's sleep on Christmas Eve.

Watch the Disney Christmas Parade. This is my most favorite holiday tradition. There's nothing like waking up and watching the parade on Christmas morning. Plus with the luxury living close to Disneyland, I actually get to see this parade live whenever I go to the parks during Christmas time. The Disney Christmas parade will always hold a special place in my heart, forever and ever.

Those are some of my holiday traditions, they may or may not be similar to your own. Everyone celebrates the holidays in different ways, as we should. No family is alike, so why should your traditions be the same?

This is the last Blogmas post I will be doing this year. I know I only got up to twenty, which is an improvement compared to last year. The holidays are meant to be spent with your family, which is what I plan on doing. Thank you everyone who read or even skimmed through my posts this Blogmas. I truly appreciate you all very much. I enjoyed writing these posts, so I hope you all enjoyed reading them! I plan on writing more throughout the New Year so stay tuned to what's coming in the future!

Until next time.

As we all know, Disneyland is the happiest place on Earth. But during the winter time it also becomes the merriest place on Earth! Disney has been known to add holiday elements throughout the original theme park, like all the Christmas decor, holiday themed rides, and winter treats. But not much transforms in the second theme park in Southern California, Disney's California Adventure. But this year, the holiday cheer has spread across Disney Way and into California Adventure. Not only is the park all decked out in holiday decor, like every year, there are some new additions this year. Some rides in Cars Land have a holiday makeover. Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters became Luigi's Joy to the Whirl, and Mater's Junkyard Jamboree became Mater's Jingle Jamboree. Basically those two rides now have a holiday soundtrack rather than their usual songs. Regardless it's still really cute and festive.

Other parts of the park have also been given some holiday cheer. Grizzly Peak has some festive outdoor decorations. In the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, you can actually meet Santa Claus himself up until Christmas Eve. Even A Bug's Land has a holiday revamp, this area is dedicated to Pixar's new movie Coco. If you haven't seen the movie yet, you can actually go to the Bug's Life Theater and watch a little sneak peak of the movie. Also for the spirit of Navidad, California Adventure has the ¡Viva Navidad! Street Party at the end of Paradise Pier. It features Donald Duck and the Three Caballeros plus some amazing live performers. In this area you can indulge in some holiday hispanic cuisine and even meet Disney's new Latina princess Elena of Avalor. Let's not forget that World of Color Season of Light has returned as well! But the big draw to California Adventure this year is the Festival of Holidays.

The Festival of Holidays is a huge celebration for not only Christmas but all holidays during this time of the year! Along the walkway from Pacific Wharf to Paradise Pier you'll find little pop up shops and boutiques that sell holiday items for each holiday, craft stations for each holiday like Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Diwali, and Navidad. Also during the day time, in the main viewing area for World of Color, you'll find live music, dance and holiday-inspired performances.

The main draw of the Festival of Holidays is the Festive Foods Marketplace. Alongside the boutiques and pop up shops, you'll find kiosks serving holiday food from all around the world. There's a total of twelve different kiosks with different festive foods and even some specialty drinks and cocktails. For more information about each stand, and to check out the menu, click here. My personal favorite stand was Making Spirits Bright, here you'll find wine and different flavored mimosas, you can actually get a sampler for a reasonable price! If you are a Disneyland Annual Passholder, you can purchase the Sip and Savor Pass at the AP Corner at Sonoma Terrace. For $45 you get a 2017 Festival of Holidays lanyard with eight coupons that are redeemable for non-alcoholic beverage and food items at the Festive Foods Marketplace kiosks! So if you want to try something at all the stands it's not a bad deal.

The Festival of Holidays along with the holiday decorations and attractions will be up and running until January 7. So there is still plenty of time to absorb the holiday magic even after the holidays. Also this year, Disney's California Adventure will celebrate Three Kings Day and El Día de los Reyes Magos, those celebrations will begin January 4.

If you plan on going to any of the Disney resorts during this holiday season, make sure all your social media posts include the hashtag #ShareYourEars. For every post using the hashtag, Disney will donate $5 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. If you're not planning on going to the park, you can still use the hashtag! Post some of your favorite photos with the hashtag, it's all for a good cause. You have up until Christmas Day to help Disney spread some holiday cheer!

That's all that's going on at the happiest place on Earth this holiday season. I can't wait until I'll be able to head back to enjoy some of that Disney Magic. Until then, I'll be at home prepping for the holidays. For all you who are going to be at the parks during the rest of the year, enjoy it!

Until tomorrow.

Christmas is rapidly approaching, and time is running out to get all your shopping done. This time of the year can be stressful whether that's due to financial reasons or a lack of time or not planning ahead. Needless to say once the big day comes, there's nothing we want to do more than relax.

Think of all the people who work hard all year long and never take a moment for themselves to relax. If this sounds like someone you know, and you still need to buy them something for Christmas, this gift guide was made for you! Cozy gifts are great for everyone! Who doesn't want or need to relax and unwind?

Pajamas That Give You The Warm Fuzzies! Pajamas are a perfect gift for relaxing in the holidays. Who doesn't want to be warm and fuzzy while sipping cocoa or eggnog by an open fire? Store like Old Navy and Target currently have some epic sales going on for their pajamas. Who wouldn't love some warm and fuzzy holiday themed pajamas for the end of the year?

Clouds For Your Feet. A nice pair of slippers as soft as a cloud is a perfect cozy gift. Zappos is paradise for shoe shopping. They have every possible shoe style and every well known brand out there. They have over a thousand different slippers! Odds are you're bound to find at least one pair, that your giftee will like! If slippers aren't what you're thinking of, then go with fuzzy socks instead!

Nap Kit. What's more cozy then having the perfect napping accessories? Getting a fuzzy blanket, eye mask and a soft pillow should do the trick. If you want to make it super personal, Joanns sells kits where you can build your own fleece blanket. It may take some time, but the work you put into it will be appreciated.

A Robe No-One Wants To Take Off. Nothing screams coziness like a fluffy robe. I'm not going to lie, I have a fluffy robe on my Christmas wishlist too. With the colder weather, we can't help but want to bundle up, even when we're not outside. Bed, Bath & Beyond has a great fluffy bath robe, but you can find nice robes anywhere like Target, Wal Mart, Kohls, Victoria's Secret, Nordstrom, Macys, and etc.

Relaxation Kit. When in doubt, make your own relaxation kit. You can get a box or basket and fill it up with little trinkets. Candles, bath bombs, face masks, bath products, essential oils, etc, etc, there is literally so much you can do. Plus you can find any of these items at basically any store in America. It's something easy and quick to put together.

A Good Book To Curl Up With. If someone's idea of relaxation is curling up with a good book, why not treat them to a new read? Barnes and Noble has some special offers going on at the moment, which includes 50% off select books. Picking out a book for someone else can be tricky, but if you know their general interests odds are you can find them a decent read! Let's keep our bookstores up and running!

The options are endless when it comes to picking out the perfect cozy gift. What's important to remember is to think about what would really make this person you're getting a gift for relax. Maybe they're the mani-pedi type, or maybe they're the Netflix and chill type. You know them best, so put yourself in their shoes. Good luck shopping!

Until tomorrow.

Finding the right look for a holiday party can be tricky, especially when there are holiday parties for multiple occasions. Work parties, family parties, friend parties, etc, you wouldn't wear the same exact outfit to all of these parties. Because each party has its own atmosphere and vibe.

If you're struggling to find something to wear the holiday party season, have no fear. Follow this guide to gain some outfit inspiration.

If you've been invited to a holiday Cocktail Party, this can always be the trickiest one to dress right for. Typically, cocktail parties are on the fancier side. So think of dresses or dress pants if that's your style. Whenever I think of a cocktail party, I think of those sparkly dresses that extra girls love to wear for New Years or their 21st birthday. But that's not what you should wear to a holiday cocktail party, unless it's red or green of course. But if you want something a little more simple, a little black dress (LBD) is always a timeless option. You can always dress it up and make it festive with jewelry and makeup. If dresses aren't your style, no worries. Take a nice pair of dress pants and pair it with a nice top and a blazer and you're good to go.

For the working gals out there odds are your job is going to have some sort of Office Soiree. Now if you don't work at some fancy office, don't sweat. Odds are your job will have some sort of company party or luncheon. For this, you're going to want to be festive yet professional at the same time. There's so many ways you could go. If you value comfort over trendiness, take a festive top or sweater and dress it up with some dress pants. If a sweater is your style, maybe add a collared shirt underneath to give it the preppy look. My favorite go to look is the cropped sweater and skater skirt with some tights, which I actually wore to my work's holiday party this year. If you want to be trendy and festive, look for red or green dresses. Remember to keep it simple and professional!

What does one wear to an Ugly Sweater Party? Hmmmm. Maybe an ugly sweater? Kind of obvious right? With the popularity of ugly sweaters, the options have become infinite. Not only do they make super festive sweaters that even light up, there's literally a sweater for every type of person. You can find Christmas sweaters with animals on them, funny pop culture references and even sweaters for your favorite movies and TV shows. The saying is true, you can really find anything on the internet.

If you're getting together with your group of friends for a Holiday Hang, this might be the easiest party to dress for. When you're with your friends, you're comfortable. There's really no need to overdress yourself. But you do want to make sure your look is Instagram ready. Did you really go to a holiday party if there's no post on Instagram? Smart casual is the best way to go for any sort of party with friends, unless a dress code is stated otherwise. Jeans, a cute sweater or flannel, and maybe a scarf would do the trick. If you want to be a little dressier, try a skirt with a sweater or even a nice sweater dress or casual dress. Since this is a more causal event, there's no need to go all out, unless you and your friends are that extra.

Last but certainly not least, we have the Family Party. 99% of us will most likely spend some time at some sort of family function this holiday season. Take into consideration how your family operates, are they super casual? Or is every family party like a fancy gala? Depending on the mood of your family that's how you should dress. If your family is a jean and sweater type, then stick to jeans and your favorite Christmas sweater? Or does everyone wear the best formal wear? Well good think you have that red holiday gown. No matter what remember to keep it classy and festive. Target currently has festive printed dresses which would be perfect for any family occasion.

No matter what you wear, you're going to have a great time. As long as you're with your friends, family and loved ones, it will be a great occasion. What is your go to fashion look for a holiday party? Let me know!

Until tomorrow.

During this time of the year, holiday movies are the most popular. Every channel and streaming service is taking complete advantage of how much people love holiday movies. You can find classic and even new movies and specials made specifically for the holidays. However there is one movie on Netflix that people can't stop talking about, A Christmas Prince.

To the 53 people who've watched A Christmas Prince every day for the past 18 days: Who hurt you?

— Netflix "Mariah Carey's Merriest Christmas" US (@netflix) December 11, 2017

Social media has been going on nonstop about A Christmas Prince for the past couple weeks, all thanks to a tweet Netflix put out roasting their own movie and the viewers who watched it. As you can see Netflix doesn’t really think so highly of the movie. In fact, most people don’t think so highly of it. I decided to watch the movie myself, and this is what I learned. Here is everything you need to know about A Christmas Prince.

Now, I won’t go into much detail about the full plot of the movie, in case you want to watch it. But here are some good facts to start with. A Christmas Prince starts off like any typical cheesy romantic Christmas movie. Our main character, Amber, played by the amazing Rose McIver, is a junior editor who is an aspiring journalist. She ends up getting her first big break, covering the Prince of Aldovia, an alleged playboy. This story falls into her lap because all the other reporters are out on other stories. Her goal is to find out what’s going to happen with the line of succession, since the king died almost a year ago and a replacement needs to be named, by you guessed it, Christmas.

When Amber arrives in Aldovia, which by the way is a ridiculous name. Does every fake obscure country that involves a prince or princess have to end in “ovia”? Is that some sort of requirement? I’m honestly really curious about that. But anyways the paparazzi are waiting for the Prince to arrive as well. On her way out she gets her cab taken by a scruffy man who she labels as a selfish jerk. Is it a coincidence the Prince was supposed to arrive around the time? Methinks not.

So Amber heads to the press conference, and believe it or not it starts with a royal official actually canceling the press conference. Why you ask? Well the Prince is MIA yet again! Amber is down on her luck, she doesn’t have any answers or a story. Being the clever girl she is, she decides to take a look around the castle. She ends up getting mistaken for the Princess' new American tutor who isn’t set to arrive for two weeks.

The staff somehow believes her, like really? They didn’t even bother to check her ID or ask for any paperwork at all. Aldovia must be a country of trusting people. Anyways, she goes to meet the Queen and the Prince, who as you could guess was the scruffy guy who stole her cab. We then meet the Princess who we learn is a troublemaker, and also handicapped. This all happens within the first 15 minutes of the movie, that's a lot to throw at a viewer Netflix.

Amber, now going by her new identity Martha, makes a great first impression on the Princess and within one day they are already becoming close. The Princess likes that Amber just treats her like a person, rather than a royal. So she ends up bringing Amber to a royal family cocktail party as her guest. At the party Amber meets a lot of pretentious members of the royal family.

While working on getting the inside scoop on the royal family, especially on the Prince, Amber is drawn closer to him. She gets to see that the Prince is nothing like the media makes him out to be, he cares for his family deeply and has some unique and sweet talents, like being able to play Christmas carols on the piano. Cliche much?

The Princess catches on and learns Amber isn’t her tutor, but a reporter. Which goes to show the kid is the smartest person in this movie. How does no one pick up on the fact that the tutor does not understand factorials or any kind of advanced algebra. She promises to keep Amber’s identity a secret as long as she writes the truth about her brother.

Now what’s a movie without any sort of conflict. Well let me introduce you to the villains of this movie: the cousin and the Prince’s ex-girlfriend. Those two are up to no good. Since the cousin is next in line for the throne, you know he’s got to be plotting some sort of coup. Besides the obvious villain conflict, you know there has to be some sort of struggle with Amber. Well it turns out while she’s snooping she finds some life changing information for the royal family. Now Amber has a hard choice to make, does she release what she knows and air the royal family’s dirty laundry? Or does she find a way to tell the Prince herself? Or does she just leave it all alone?

Now that's all I'm going to tell you spoiler-wise. If you want to know what else that happens, you're going to have to watch A Christmas Prince yourself. Just know all cliche holiday movies do end with a happy ending. And it's already been established A Christmas Prince takes the cake with all the cliches.

I have my own opinion on the movie but it’s up to you to form your own. If this sounds like the type of movie you want to watch this holiday season check it out. If not, you’re not missing much.

Until tomorrow.

Christmas is getting closer and closer, so if it hasn't been done yet, it is about time to get the Christmas Tree all decorated and ready to showcase. Not too long ago, my family and I picked out and got our tree delivered all in one day. In fact, it only took 45 minutes. I'm not even joking, I think that was a world record. On our way to our normal Christmas Tree lot, we discovered it was no longer there. Our original game plan changed so we were headed to another lot we knew of. But along the way to the other Christmas Tree lot, we discovered this new one and figured why not check it out.

Stumbling upon this Christmas Tree lot, was the best thing to happen to us. We hit the jackpot. Not only did they have standard green trees and offered flocking services, but they already had trees that were already flocked and came with a stand. At a decent price too, might I add. Within, ten minutes we had our tree picked out and paid for. They even offered to deliver the tree right now, the guy put the tree in his truck and followed us to our house. And just like that, our tree was now perfectly perched in its traditional spot.

The next day, my mom and I were hard at work decorating the tree. Normally each year, we have a specific theme for our tree. Most of the time, it's based on places we've traveled to or big life events or silly fads. My pitch was for a rose gold tree, which got denied, multiple times. But nevertheless, my mom decided on just a simple color scheme this year: pink, green, and purple. Lucky for us, over the years we've accumulated a lot of colorful ornaments, especially pink ones.

We put on the ornaments, the lights, and added lots of ribbon/bows, and voila our tree is now complete! Not too shabby, right? Personally the ribbons are my favorite, and not to mention some of the pink ornaments actually look rose gold. So in the end both my mom and I were winners.

Seeing a bunch of different Christmas Trees, always gives me inspiration for possible themes for the next couple of years. I already have a bunch of ideas! What are your go to decorating styles for your Christmas Trees? Let me know and comment below!!

Until tomorrow.

Testing out any new beauty product can be an annoying and expensive task. Especially if you're not familiar with a brand. One great thing about today's modern age, is that beauty experts and influencers do all the work for you now. They get the latest products, try them out, and then they let you know how each product worked for them. Sounds like a dream job right?

If you're just an average beauty user, like myself, don't be so hard on yourself. Companies don't want just the experts to review them, they need consumers like us to test out products and let our friends and family know what we think. This is all possible today with companies like Influenster.

If you have no idea what Influenster is, no worries I got you. Influenster is a website where you review products and can actually test out products for free based on your social media influence. Every once and a while members get to take surveys to see if they match up for a product campaign, which are also known as Voxboxes. With the product campaigns, you get to test out some products and you are assigned optional social media tasks, the only requirement is to fill out the survey after! The best part is that, this website is 100% free! How cool is that?!

I was lucky enough to be selected for the Covergirl Peacock Voxbox! Influenster sent me two full size Covergirl products to test out and review all for free. Inside this Voxbox were the Covergirl Peacock Flare Mascara and the Covergirl Melting Pout Liquid Lipstick in Shade Number 105.

Now just to make things clear and lay it all out in the open, I did receive these two products complimentary for testing purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Scouts honor. Now let's dig in!

The first product I actually tested out was the Peacock Flare Mascara. For me, I'm super picky when it comes to mascara. I have super short eyelashes, and I always look for a mascara that is going to give me longer lashes. While the Peacock Flare doesn't necessarily lengthen your lashes, it does give them some extra volume. The mascara has a vitamin and mineral enriched formula, which does feel nice and absorbs quickly onto your lashes. The applicator is also very great, it applies well and is able to reach all your little lashes while giving an even coverage. It's a pretty basic mascara, but it does get the job done and is a great option for a drug store mascara.

Next up is the Melting Pout Liquid Lipstick in Shade Number 105. When I saw Shade Number 105, I thought it was going to be a nude pink shade. But the color packaging does not match what the color looks like on your lips. On my lips, it was almost a shade lighter. The lipstick itself isn't very vibrant or bold. But to fix that all you need to do is either apply an extra amount of lipstick to your lips or buy the lipstick you want in one shade darker. But other than that the lipstick is not that bad. What I really like about it is the applicator, which is actually a really fluffy sponge that is soft on your lips.

Typically I'm not a huge Covergirl fan. For me specifically, I hate buying most of those drug store makeup brands simply because they're not cruelty free. Whenever I buy makeup, I buy from brands I trust, brands that promise to not test on animals. Covergirl is NOT a cruelty free brand, so I will not purchase anything from them until their policies change. But what I will do, is give them a fair and unbiased review. There products are not bad quality at all, I was pretty impressed with the two products I tested out. If Covergirl was a cruelty free company, would I go out and buy these products? Possibly. But until that happens, it's all just a what if scenario.

Until tomorrow.

Christmas time may be the most wonderful time of the year, but not for your wallet. This time of the year is when we spend the most money. Whether that's because things are just super expensive or because we feel so generous around this time of the year, it's easy to spend a lot of money without even realizing it. And when you're living paycheck to paycheck, feeling festive can be tricky.

But have no fear, this guide is here to help you get your money's worth this holiday season. Follow these tips and tricks to make sure you're staying within your budget but also going all out this Christmas at the same time.

Set Up A Budget! First things first, in order to know what your spending limit is you have to set it. Make a list for all possible categories: gifts, decorations, Christmas tree/supplies, food, wrapping materials, etc! Think of everything you might need and set a limit you think you can stick to.

Do Some Research! The next step that comes after planning your budget is obviously to do some research. In order to make an accurate budget, you're going to have to know how much things cost. Make a list of the things you'll need and price check them. You can look online, via apps, or in weekly ads to find the most accurate prices. When you're researching look and see when specific items you need might be on sale. When you're doing research, always make sure to price match. Using the Google Shopping search option is the best tool for price matching for a specific item. Search the item you want, and Google does the rest! It will tell you which stores or online retailers have the item you want for cheapest. Nifty right?

Shop The Sales! The best way to shop smart and get a bang for your buck is to shop when the items you want and need are on sale. Sadly, not everything is always going to be on sale. But, odds are that some of the things you'll need will be on sale eventually. Michaels always has amazing Christmas clearance and sales throughout December. Currently, all decor, ornaments and any other Christmas supplies is 70% off! Plus they're always having daily door busters. Big stores like Target, Wal Mart, Kohls, and all those other department stores also have a lot of sales during this time of the year. Pay attention to their weekly ads so you don't miss out! If shopping online is more your style, make sure you sign up for Ebates. Ebates is a website that offers cash rebates back based on what websites you shop at. If you sign up and click on the links to any of the retailers listed on their website you'll get a percentage back of what you spent. Cool right? If you want to join Ebates, use my referral link here.

Utilize Coupons & Apps! Let's face it, couponing is a hassle. Who wants to spend hours clipping coupons from the newspaper or weekly mailers. Sometimes the coupons aren't even that great and don't save you that much money. But, utilizing specific store's apps and mobile coupons can help save you some time and a little bit of cash. Target's app, has Cartwheel, which is basically their own online coupon database. While websites like RetailMeNot will often post online promo codes and in store coupons online. Let's face it any little bit helps.

Check Out Discount Retailers! Discount stores are heaven sent for holiday shopping especially when you have designer dreams but you're budget isn't on the same level, yet. Stores like Marshalls, Home Goods, TJ Maxx, Tuesday Morning and Ross are great stores for looking for expensive style items without breaking your bank account. Even stores like Dollar Tree, 5 Below, Daiso, and even the 99 Cent Store have great affordable options for holiday decor and stocking stuffers.

Pinterest Hack It! No matter what grand idea you want to execute this year, be positive, it can be done! When in doubt, there's a DIY Pinterest hack for it. Pinterest has an infinite amount of tutorials and guides for crafts and DIYs you can do. Whether you're looking for a new easy recipe, or looking for some decor inspiration, Pinterest has it all.

Reuse & Recycle! Instead of throwing out decor and wrapping paper from last year, a big way to save some money is to reuse those items. Keep your gift bags from last year, especially if they're in good condition! You can use them to wrap up presents this year. However, saving torn up wrapping paper may not be as effective. You're better off just tossing those pieces in the blue bin unless you can find a way to upcycle them. Upcycling is the process of transforming by-products, waste materials, useless, or unwanted products into new materials or products of better quality or for better environmental value. There are plenty of guides online (especially on Pinterest) on how to upcyle during the holidays.

Christmas doesn't always have to be an expensive time, especially if you plan accordingly. If you follow these tips, you definitely will be ballin' on your budget this year!

Until tomorrow.

Gather round boys and girls, and men and women you should join in as well. Today Kaitlin Mary has a story to tell. And with all the Christmas cheer in the air, the tone of this story is going to seem familiar. Yes, I’ll be attempting to talk in rhyme, like one of those classic stories in time. But who knows maybe it will trickle out once in a while, not everyone can be like Dr. Seuss. But either way, buckle up ladies and gentlemen, this story is about to begin.

Once upon a time, in a kingdom far away, the sun was starting to shine. Our young heroine, Kaitlin Mary was ready for an adventure. Her annual trip to Cabo San Lucas was all she could think about. She was ready to rest and relax. But little did she know her plans would go to the trash.

On a bright early morning, Kaitlin Mary was frantically packing. Of course she waited until the last minute, like the procrastinator she tends to be occasionally. She took a look at the list she made, checking off items one by one. Clothing, check. Toiletries, check. Makeup, check. Everything seemed to be in place, so she zipped up her suitcase. She ran down the stairs, to see how her family was doing. Mom and Dad were ready to go, but for her brother and his girlfriend that was not the case.

They all had 15 minutes or so before the shuttle would arrive, everyone was bringing down their suitcases and putting them in line. Soon enough the shuttle arrived, and off to LAX they went. Traffic was light, until a fire on the side of the road started to ignite. ’Twas nothing serious just a little brush fire, nothing quite so dire. But everyone on the freeway had to stop and stare then move along once they saw what was there.

Once the family arrived to the infamous LAX, the usual airport routine commenced. The gang and their bags were all checked in, and they went through security in a flash. Looking for their gate was a tedious task, it turned out they had to take a bus and cross the tarmac just to get there. But once they got to their gate, good news came like a chance of fate. Their flight only had sixteen passengers on board, the family scored. Each person had their own row to themselves, how lucky was that? Little did Kaitlin Mary know, this was the moment where her luck ran out.

Once they landed, everything was a breeze. No lines for immigration or customs, and their bags were all ready at the carousel waiting for them. This day was just too good to be true, our little optimist thought. So off to the hotel they went, the ride was bumpy in the night. But they all got to Fiesta Americana in one piece luckily. They were all checked in, and it was off to the room via golf cart. Here we encounter our first unfortunate event. Waiting for the elevator, took some time. Why? Turns out there was no power attached to those lines. Thanks to the hurricanes, it was the stairs for us all.

But something small like the elevators not working wouldn’t put a damper on this holiday. So a good night’s rest was what the family needed. Off to bed they went, some tried to find something on the TV. Low and behold, most of the English speaking channels were not functioning properly. Another side effect from the hurricane one could assume. Luckily, Kaitlin Mary had her Netflix. Even though she couldn’t watch her latest obsession, Riverdale, due to the fact the content wasn’t available in Mexico, she worked with what she was dealt and off to dreamland she went.

The next day, Kaitlin Mary woke up all feeling relaxed and refreshed. She ate a big breakfast and got ready for the day. Today her focus was on laying by the pool and working on her tan. But the theme of this story is that nothing goes according to plan.

Down to the pool she went with her spirits high and bright, she ordered a margarita to sip on in the sunlight. After one drink, Kaitlin Mary felt woozy and decided to switch to something lighter. A Tecate it is, because let’s face it, beer is just water in Mexico. Two drinks later, something was not quite right. I’ll spare you all the details, it wasn’t a pretty sight. Let’s just say, Kaitlin Mary’s day turned to night.

When she awoke from her impromptu nap, her head was pounding. She looked at her surroundings and chugged some water. In order to feel better, Kaitlin Mary thought a relaxing bubble bath would do the trick. After that she attempted to put herself together and went to see how the rest of her family was doing. They were in much better condition, and getting ready to order some dinner. And just like that, Kaitlin Mary’s stomach growled. Dinner was a great idea. She put her order in, and decided to go take a walk outside, some fresh air would do the trick. When she went to look for her shoes, she noticed they were missing.

She asked around to all of her family, no one had any idea where her shoes went. Her first thought was who let her leave the pool area without her shoes?! So now Kaitlin Mary’s leisurely stroll turned into a search for missing sandals. Down the stairs, barefoot, she went to the place where she last had them. Ah yes the scene of the crime: the pool.

To her surprise, there they were. Her sandals were sitting right where she left them. She put them on and proceeded with her leisurely stroll. The fresh air did her some good, but Kaitlin Mary still wasn’t feeling like her best self. So she stopped by the gift shop to pick up a Sprite for her achy stomach. She walked into the store, grabbed a Sprite and was on her way out. But then the cashier called out to her to say something along the lines of have a nice night or feel better, to be honest it’s all a fog.

Let’s move along to the next day, it was a new day for our young heroine. She sought to make it the best day since she missed out on the day before. Plus it was her last day of vacation. She started the day once again with breakfast, this time at the amazing buffet and spending some quality time with her dad. Once they returned to the room to get ready for the day’s adventure, Kaitlin Mary’s mother had a story to tell.

It turns out, while the maid was cleaning our rooms she was taking cash from our belongings. Her mom explained how she was missing over $200 from her wallet while the maid was taking an extra long time to clean. When she went to check her wallet while the maid was in the room, the maid mysteriously found $200 behind the TV. Sketchy, right? This paranoia spread to Kaitlin Mary, so she rushed and hurried to check her belongings. She hadn’t spent any cash in Mexico yet, so she knew she had $80 in her backpack. When she went to check her belongings she saw she only had $40 remaining.

“SON OF A BITCH!” Kaitlin Mary yelled. This could not be happening. Out of all the times she’s been to Cabo, nothing like this has ever occurred before. Each day only got worse and worse, good thing they were leaving tomorrow.

After the morning’s events, the family still went to town. Kaitlin Mary slipped her Tecate while wearing a frown. She looked off into the abyss and thought to herself, how on Earth did her trip end like this? But to get peace of mind, later that night she went down to the beach to unwind. She wrote in her journal of the events that unfolded and watched the wild little sea crabs come out of their holes. And in that moment, Kaitlin Mary found some bliss.

The next day, Kaitlin Mary was ecstatic to get out of this place, this trip to Cabo San Lucas was practically a waste. She was packed up and ready to leave, but one good thing came of this trip. Kaitlin Mary was leaving Mexico a little less naive.

What’s important to takeaway are those important life lessons. If you ever find yourself in Mexico, take things nice and slow. Otherwise your days will be a blur. Also be wary of your surroundings, even in the resorts. Lock up your belongings in safes or hide them away, otherwise things will go missing and you’ll have to file a report. Learn from Kaitlin Mary’s mistakes so when you leave Mexico you leave without a giant headache.

I hope you enjoyed this story based on true life events, but what would be nice is to hear your two cents. Comment below if you have encountered anything like this, or if you want to offer any tips.
Until tomorrow.

Depending on what kind of gift exchange your work does (if they even do one) or if you attend a holiday party with a gift exchange, there are typically two kinds of gift exchanges: Secret Santa or a White Elephant. We all know what Secret Santa is, the name basically explains itself. Everyone draws a name and that's the person you have to get a gift for. Now, you're probably thinking what the hell is a White Elephant?

White Elephant is a gift exchange that is meant to entertain rather than actually give out good presents. It is also known as Yankee Swap, which is a more common name due the hilarious Christmas party episode of the Office. But sometimes, it even goes by Dirty Santa but that's not as common.

Shoutout to Giphy for this epic GIF!

White Elephant is basically all one big joke. Everyone provides one generic gift, usually there's a limit set (typically around $25) but it's not a present you really should go out and buy. A true white elephant gift is defined as an extravagant but burdensome gift that cannot be easily disposed. Basically it's something you hated and could not find a way or to regift it.

When you get to the gift exchange here is how it works. All the gifts are wrapped up, all in disguise so you have no idea what gift is what. Everyone gets a number and that will be the order of the picking. The first person picks a gift, and then opens it up. Then when the second person goes, they can steal that gift or pick a new gift. If a gift gets stolen, then the person who originally had it gets to pick a new gift. A gift can only be stolen three times. This will go on and on until everyone has taken their turn. Then once the last person picks their gift, the first person can decide if they want to steal anything or keep what they have. Sounds fun right?

But most of the time, people don't always have a random joke gift in the back of their closet ready to go. So here are some ideas for some fun and even useful gift ideas for a White Elephant gift exchange:

Silly Tech Items. A White Elephant gift exchange is the perfect time to get those funny tech items that were once trending topics like selfie sticks, fidget spinners, silly cell phone cases, character USB drives and etc. These make perfect gag gifts and are bound to get a couple laughs. Maybe throw in something useful like a pop socket, portable charger or a speaker to be on the nicer side.

Fun Mugs. You can never go wrong with a mug that has a fun quote or something snarky on it. Some places have some funny shaped mugs like toilets or even the poop emoji. You can always pair it up with some nice coffee or hot chocolate and make it a real treat.

Cozy Items. Getting items that will help people relax is always a real treat. Getting some fuzzy socks with some bath bombs, face masks, candles, essential oils and any other type of soothing items will be a big hit. Who doesn't want to relax? If you want to add a joke element to it get a funny pillow like a Pillow Pet or a funny blanket like a Snuggie or mermaid blanket to get some laughs.

Adult Coloring Books. These used to be a big thing, maybe not so much any more but they still would make a great gift. Who doesn't like to color? They also make some fun coloring books filled with profanities and curse words. Pair it with come crayons, colored pencils or markers and you're good to go.

Table Top Games. This year it seems like table top games are a popular ticket item, which is fun and different! Getting a travel size beer pong or flip cup game set would be a hot item to steal. Also this year, nostalgia board games are very popular. 90s kids would be happy to hear that Oregon Trail, Legends of the Hidden Temple, Where in the World is Carmen San Diego, and other games from their childhood have board game versions and are actually priced decently.

Alcohol Related Items. Fun giant wine glasses, Moscow mule glasses, beer steins, shot glasses, and any kind of fun alcohol glasses always make great gifts that you know someone will want to steal. Or even something funny like a beer funnel or the Chambong, a classy version of a beer funnel will get some laughs. Even a little bartending set would make a great gift. When in doubt, you can even just get a bottle of booze and you'll be good.

Gift Cards or Lottery Tickets. When in doubt, gift cards or lottery tickets always work great. You can pair it up with any item you want to get rid of or some kind of gag gift. Or you can make up a a cool way to wrap it, like putting them in a picture frame or even a mason jar. You can even add some candy to it to make it a little more fun!

White Elephant and Yankee Swap gift exchanges are meant to be silly and fun, not a serious or stressful event. If you're going to participate in one of these kinds of gift exchanges this year, it honestly should be the easiest gift you buy or don't buy this year.

Until tomorrow!

One of the most chaotic places during the holidays that you don't really think of too much about is the post office. This time of the year is the post office's busiest time of the year. Think about it people send out Christmas cards, order packages from online retailers, and some even send out packages for loved ones who can't make it to the holiday celebration this year.

Since the post office is so busy around this time of the year, it's clear as day there will be some struggles. The post office isn't perfect, I know this for a fact. I have a great disdain for the United States Postal Service, due to their incompetence and struggles. Which can be even more stressful! But in order to avoid those struggles and mail things out with ease this holiday season, follow these tips!

Be Timely. Waiting until the last minute to order presents or ship things out can be the biggest downfall of the holiday season. If you're doing some online shopping this year to avoid the crowds make sure you order your packages in a reasonable amount of time. Waiting until the last minute to do your shopping, especially online shopping, is one of the worst things to do. You'll either have to pay a lot more for expedited shipping or your items won't show up on time at all. Some websites will post on their pages when the last day to order is to make sure you get your items on time. Best practice is to allow for two weeks for standard shipping. Also if you're going to mail packages and cards, estimating for two weeks works too. Either way if you plan for two weeks, odds are it's going to get where it needs to go sooner rather than later! If you can't make that deadline, take a look at USPS's Mail By Date deadlines. Christmas is two weeks away so if you haven't ordered your items yet get to it ASAP!

Shop Smart. If you know you're ordering something online that you're going to have to ship somewhere else, use the location of where it needs to go as the shipping address. That way it gets where it needs to go and it saves you some time and extra shipping costs. Some online retailers will even include gift messages. Specifically, Amazon offers gift wrapping and gift boxes at an extra cost, and it will be wrapped in the package. But if you need to send out a package for the holidays, try other delivery retailers like UPS or FedEx. They can be a little more expensive, but they have an overall better reputation than USPS. Also, if you are a Triple A member, UPS offers a ten percent discount on your order.

Plan Ahead. The post office is going to be busy no matter what, except when it is closed. Check your local post office to see when they open and close. The busiest times will be in the morning, during lunch breaks and in the evenings once everyone is off work. There will be very few amount of moments when it won't be crowded, especially when Christmas is getting closer. According to USPS, the busiest day at the post office is projected to be on December 19, while the busiest days for deliveries will be December 22. So to make sure you're not stuck at the post office all day, make sure your packages are all taped up, labeled and ready to go. To save a lot of time, you can order and print out a label at home, put in on your package and then just drop it off.

Patience Is Key. If you're going to wait in the long lines, relax and be patient. You're not the only one who will be annoyed and stressed. Just try to keep calm and carry on. Bring something to keep yourself occupied. Bring a book, a newspaper, or check your social media. Do something that makes you less stressed and it will help pass the time.

Be On The Lookout. Lately, lots packages have stolen from door steps. Which is a real jerk move, especially during this time of the year. Speaking from personal experience, I'm going to warn you now the United States Post Office won't do anything to help you at all if a package of yours is stolen. So we have to take matters into our own hands. It is all of our duties to make sure we keep an eye out for one another. If you know something is on the way to you, check your tracking information constantly and try to be home for the expected delivery day and time. If you're not going to be home, you can always have the post office hold your packages and you can pick them up at your convenience.

Sending and waiting for packages is one of the most annoying and unavoidable things that must be done during this time of the year. But as long as everyone keeps a positive mindset, it shouldn't be too much of a hassle this year. As long as you follow these simple tips, your post office struggles will be nonexistent.
Until tomorrow.

The best part of this time of the year is getting to indulge in all of the holiday movies out there. Whether that is watching the classics movies or specials or even watching original movies made specifically for this time of the year. One TV station is known for their holidays movies, the Hallmark channel.

A Hallmark Christmas Movie is not critically acclaimed in any way whatsoever. Instead, it's more of a feel good romantic comedy with a holiday theme. If you've never seen a Hallmark Christmas Movie, don't worry each movie is pretty much the same. They all follow the same generic plot line. I'm going to break down the plot of what (almost) every Hallmark movie follows. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the Hallmark Christmas Movie Formula.

Now the first thing you need to know about what makes a Hallmark Christmas Movie a Hallmark Christmas Movie is the casting. The casting is crucial! Now you won't find an A List actor to star in the film. Normally it's a D List star or someone you've never heard of before. Think of people you've either seen on Dancing With The Stars or who you expect to make an appearance in the near future. Hallmark always has a go to star for each movie, I refer to them as their ringers. Stars like Candace Cameron Bure, Lacey Chabert, Lori Laughlin and Danica McKellar are basically Hallmark royalty. There are other actors and actress but those four are the faces of Hallmark and have starred in a majority of the movies. Now for the rest of the cast, you have the love interest, the family members, friends, co-workers, and towns people. Now most of these are played by nobodies as well. But sometimes, the love interest may be notable but most of the time he's just a pretty face.

Now that we have the cast all picked out, let's get to the basics of the plot. The story always takes place during, you guessed it, Christmas time. Literally the week of or the week before. The main character is typically a big city girl with some sort of cut throat career, sometimes you'll have a writer, a business woman, a doctor or veterinarian, or some other cliche profession. But what the real takeaway from her profession is that she's typically in line for a big promotion. But first, she has to relocate to a small town to help the struggling town and prove she's worthy of the promotion.

Now while she's struggling to get adjusted to small town life she meets her love interest by some chance of fate. Whether that's by bumping into them accidentally or having some sort of argument, she has no idea this is who she's supposed to fall in love with. Things will typically start off rocky, since they're so different. Small town boy and big city girl never works right? WRONG! They end up spending more and more time together, because (you guessed it) he's the person she's supposed to help while she's in the small town.

Things start to look up after that chance encounter, he helps her get adjusted and she helps him with the business. While they're working together, they also start to form a friendship and do things together outside of work, You'll find them participating in cliche Christmas activities, like baking cookies, building a snowman, ice skating, decorating the Christmas tree, etc, etc, etc. You get the point right?

Their connection starts to grow and slowly but surely they're falling in love. The main character is finally used to small town life and slowly starts to forget about her old life. But wait! Her boss calls, and offers her the promotion, she's headed back to her old life. She tells her love interest and they're both sad realizing things would have never worked anyways. When she's finally back in the city and has everything she thought she wanted, she has an epiphany. She leaves her promotion to go back to the small town realizing all she ever needed was true love. So she makes it back to the small town just in time to celebrate Christmas and participate in some local tradition. She runs back to her love interest tells him everything she just realized, they kiss, then it starts snowing. BAM the movie is over and the credits roll.

There you have it, now you know the plot of every Hallmark Christmas Movie ever made and every movie to come. That's two hours of your life you just got back, and yes they are all two hours long including commercials. Now not to trash Hallmark, their movies are really enjoyable. Predicabale and cliched? Yes. But still enjoyable! Sometimes all you want to do is watch a cheesy holiday movie during this time of the year.

In fact, someone actually created a Hallmark Christmas Movie drinking game. The game itself follows the Hallmark Christmas Movie Formula, which goes to show just how predictable they are. I know I'll be participating in this game this year! Adding fun elements like the drinking game or trying to predict the plot based on the title really shows what a Hallmark Christmas Movie is supposed to be about, fun times and celebrating with your friends and family.

This year, I've already watched a fair share of Hallmark movies and I'm not ashamed at all. In fact, I can't wait to catch some of the new ones I've missed out on this year like The Christmas Train and Christmas in Evergreen. Also be on the lookout for some other new Hallmark Christmas movies that will premiere this month, there are still seven new ones left to air!

There are just about two weeks left until Christmas, so what are you waiting for? Let's get to watching!

Until tomorrow.

Asking your friends and family what they want for Christmas is always hassle. They'll either say anything or surprise me! I've been guilty of doing this as well, my go to line was always: "you know me, I'll like anything!" In hindsight, I'm realizing that was never very helpful.

So instead every year during Blogmas, I make a Christmas Wishlist that I post here on my blog so everyone can see. Making a wishlist can seem pretty selfish and vain, but that's not the intention of it at all. The whole idea of a wishlist is to act as a personal guide and there's nothing wrong with that. In fact I challenge everyone reading this to create some sort of wishlist, whether that's on Amazon or even in a Google Doc, if you share these it will make things easier for your friends and family this holiday season.

If you're stuck on what to get someone, take a look at these items I've been drooling over this year. Maybe it will give you some inspiration for the person you have to shop for.

Bullet Journal Supplies. For the New Year, I'm looking to start a bullet journal rather than sticking to my usual routine with a planner. These past couple of months I've been obsessed with the idea of created a bullet journal but I need some supplies in order to get started. Notebooks with dotted, squared, or blank pages work best. The most popular journal is the Leuchtturm1917 but Moleskin has some great options too. For bullet journaling the most important thing is the notebook but the accessories that go along with it help with the creative process. This year I actually asked my Family Secret Santa for the Brother P-Touch PT-D210 Label Maker solely for the purpose of bullet journaling and because I'm a legit nerd. Anyone else who want to start a bullet journal will also need the right set of pens and washi tape. Staedtler and Paper Mate make great marker/felt pens that don't bleed through paper. For finding the best washi tape, Michaels has an infinite amount of options.

Anything From Lush. When I say anything, I literally mean anything. All of their bath and beauty products are amazing, and they will make you feel cozy and relaxed. So bring on the bath bombs and bubble bars, this girl needs to relax before the new year begins!

TV Show Merchandise. Let's face it, I'm a huge fangirl. And I'm guilty of spending a lot of time watching TV. My obvious favorites are the shows from the Arrowverse (Flash, Arrow, Legends, & Supergirl) on the CW and Bob's Burgers of course. And with the popularity of Justice League and DC comics, it's easy to find any kind of superhero merchandise anywhere. But recently, I've been really loving Riverdale! Hot Topic has everything a Riverdale fan could want, like a Riverdale Vixens shirt, just saying.

Lanyard. Okay, yes I know it's been established I'm a nerd. And one thing I've noticed I really need/want is a cute lanyard for some of my little zipper ID cases. Whenever I'm out and about, I sometimes can't find those little cases in my purse and having a cute lanyard will make it easier to find. Plus sometimes I like to be a real nerd and just wear it around my neck or wrap it around my wrist when I'm on the go. Vera Bradley has some really cute and colorful ones! And I'm also a sucker for those cute Disney ones from Disneyland.

Fujifilm Instax Camera Case/Purse. I've had my Instax camera for a couple of years but sometimes I forget to take it with me since it's bulky. But if I had a case for it, then it would be easier to transport. Michaels has some really cute cases that are basically purses just for the camera.

Fun Fluffy Robe. Relaxation is a big theme for me this year and for the new year. So what's better for relaxing than a nice fluffy robe? Forever 21 has an adorable unicorn plush robe and Nordstrom has a really cute teddy bear robe. And if you want to talk about extreme coziness, Pink by Victoria Secret has a sherpa lined robe. Any of those would guarantee maximum comfort.

Waterproof iPhone 7 Case. Dropping my phone in the water has been a problem once or twice before in the past but it is still a constant fear. So a waterproof case might be a good idea. Recently I've seen a lot of people with the waterproof cases that are almost like a pouch with a lanyard, and I can't help but think about how awesome that is! Amazon has a bunch of options at an affordable price.

Traveling Accessories. I love traveling, and I already have a couple of trips planned already for the New Year. So getting some new travel accessories for Christmas would be amazing. Anything like packing cubes, toiletry bags, or cool gadgets, will do the trick. Any traveler will appreciate all travel related items!

Every year, it's hard to come up with things you may possibly want and that's okay. In fact that means you're a really good person. Sometimes with the world we live in, it can be hard to focus on our own wants and needs with all the bad things going on. But you can only hope for the best and surely things will get better next year.

Now you tell me, is there anything you're dying to get this Christmas? Let me know! And make sure you add it to your wishlist!

Until tomorrow.

Whenever you're shopping for new lip shades, it can be a fun experience or your worst nightmare. Taking swatches of all the different colors and trying to find the one that works best for you can be messy and tedious. Especially when you're trying to find the perfect lip shade for the holidays.

The first thing any beauty expert does when picking out a new lip shade is think about what type does she want. Is it a classic lipstick, a liquid lipstick, or even a tinted lip balm? What about matte or satin? With all these options it can be hard to decide what works best for you. For most people, finding a hydrating and long lasting lip product is like finding the holy grail. Here are some of the best products and shades for this holiday season.

Red is the most popular color during the holiday season, and it's easy to see why. Throughout this time of the year, all you see is red and green. So a red lip is the most practical and the traditional holiday shade. But picking the right shade of red for your skin tone can be difficult. But luckily, Rihanna being the amazing and genius woman she is created a red liquid lipstick for all skin tones. The Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint Longwear Fluid Lip Color is a long lasting (12 hours!!!) soft matte liquid lipstick. All Fenty Beauty products are all the rage at the moment and it's easy to see why! Pink may not the most popular color during the holidays, but it is a pretty popular shade year round. For some ladies, it is a signature shade so why not wear it during the holidays? The great thing about pink lip shades is that there are so many different shades of pink. From bubblegum to magenta, there is a shade of pink for everyone out there. One of the best lipsticks out there are the Wander Beauty Wanderout Lipsticks. These lipsticks have a creamy matte formula that leaves a bold and bright color on your lip that also lasts for a long period of time. When you purchase a Wanderout lipstick, they actually come in packs of two. One shade is bold while the second shade is neutral one that matches the bold one. Talk about a two for one special! Nude shades are always a year round color so it is no surprise that they are just as popular during the holiday season. Sometimes finding the right nude is a real hassle. To find the perfect nude shade, it's best to go a little bit darker than your natural lip shade. Also during the winter time, one of the biggest struggles is dealing with chapped lips. So a tinted lip balm is the best thing to use during this time of the year. It will provide a nice tint to your lips while keeping them hydrated and moisturized. For those with damaged lips during the winter time, this is the best compromise. When it comes to tinted balms, a nude shade is always the way to go. The best tinted balm out there is the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment. There are a variety of shades that range from clear to berry. But if you're looking for the best nude one, the honey shade is a must have. Berry colored lipsticks may not seem very festive, but that’s not the case. While they are the most popular during the spookiest time of the year, they still are popular during the merriest. Why you ask? Well what’s more festive than sugarplums and the sugarplum fairy? NOTHING! Berry shades are so great because there are so many different kinds to choose from. From violet or red or even pink undertones, there’s a berry shade for everyone out there. And with Urban Decay’s Vice Lipstick, all those options are there. When I say they have almost 100 different shades and styles I’m not even joking. You can get a matte, a satin, a shimmer or even a high shine lipstick in whichever shade your heart desires. Dark colors have recently become more and more popular every single year. Once autumn comes around, all of the dark browns, burgundies, wine and other deep shades become instantly popular. These colors stay around until the end of winter. All these dark lipsticks scream maturity and strength. Kat Von D’s Everlasting Liquid Lipstick is one of the best liquid lipstick brands out there. All her shades are very pigmented and bold no mater what shade. So can you imagine how great her dark lipsticks will look on your lips? Bold shades have become all the rage lately. From electric blues to space grays, these bold colors only have one thing to say. Whoever is rocking them is one bad bitch. Bold shades are hard to pull off and anyone who can rock them confidently is a badass in my book. While there are a lot of brands out there who make bold shades, the most intriguing ones out there are the Glitter Flip liquid lipsticks by Ciaté London. These liquid lipsticks have seven different shades, a couple are tame but the rest are bolder colors. However, those tame shades are not boring whatsoever. Each lipstick, no matter what shade, is infused with glitter which gives it a metallic tone. What’s bolder than that? Holiday Limited Edition lipsticks always come out every year, but none have been as popular as Too Faced’s Melted Matte Liquified Matte Long Wear Lipstick from the Holiday Kiss Collection. This lipstick is sold out in just about every single Sephora on the planet and online as well. Why you ask? Well besides the gorgeous red/brown color and long lasting formula, what really makes this lipstick special is that it legit smells and tastes like gingerbread. After trying this out, I really can’t think of another lipstick that is more perfect for the holiday season.

Finding the right lip shade no matter what time of the year or occasion is always difficult and tricky. Always remember to always put your style and aesthetic first. What may be the most popular trend at the moment may not always work, and it’s important to make sure you feel confident and comfortable in your own skin. No matter what you decide, you’re going to slay this season.

Right now, my go to lip shades for the holidays will either be a red or that Too Faced Gingerbread lipstick, if I can get my hands on it! What are your go to shades this year?

Until tomorrow.

During this time of the year a lot of people tend to indulge, whether that is with food, sweets, or alcoholic beverages. Since this time of this year is a time for celebration, it's not uncommon to get a little crazy and over indulge. The holiday season is all about having a good time and celebrating with your friends and family so it's not uncommon to overindulge in some adult beverages. And when that happens it leads to the ever classic hangover.

For those of you who have never experienced a hangover, first of all you're so lucky. Second of all, keep doing what you're doing. A hangover is literally the worst thing in the world, and the most common consequence of drinking too much alcohol in one period of time. Now what classifies as a hangover? Well it can be as little as feeling tired and sluggish next day or even as big as feeling nauseous and even vomiting. Every person has a different tolerance level and is bound to have different reactions. But nevertheless here are some tips and remedies for surviving your hangover.

Stay Hydrated. After a night of binge drinking, your body is definitely dehydrated. Treat a hangover like a cold, drink lots of fluids and keep your body hydrated. While you rehydrate, it will flush out any impurities that are left in your body. My go to drink is either a water, a Sprite or a ginger ale. Sometimes it may not be the healthiest option, but it's just a great pick me up and treat for the soul.

Eat Something Light. When you're dealing with a hangover sometimes the last thing you want to do is eat anything, especially if you're feeling nauseated. But in order to feel better, you're going to have to eat something eventually. Having something light like bread, crackers, or even soup. You want anything that will be easy on your stomach.

SLEEP! The best thing to do for a hangover is just to sleep it off. Rest will literally be your best friend. Taking multiple naps and even just resting throughout the day will give your body time to recharge, which is really what it needs to do.

Get Some Fresh Air. Whenever I experience a hangover, the last thing I want to do is any form of exercise let alone moving around. BUT, if you get your blood flowing and heart pumping you will start to feel a little better. Taking a walk outside in the fresh air or even just sitting outside for a little bit will do wonders.

Take A Shower or Bath. Sometimes your body just needs a little bit of TLC. Take a nice warm shower or bath so you can relax your muscles. Take the time to truly pamper yourself, use a bath bomb or face mask so you can truly relax. It may seem like freshening up really won't really make a huge difference but little things like that will really help ease the hangover pain.

Avoid Taking Pills. If you have a major headache that feels like a jackhammer is pounding in your skull, it may be tempting to take a pain reliever. However, some pain medicines are dangerous to mix after consuming alcohol since it can heighten some risky side effects. Instead, take a warm wash cloth to your head and rest with your eyes closed. If the pain is truly terrible, avoid taking a tylenol and take some kind of ibuprofen instead.

Unfortunately there is no magical pill you can take to cure or prevent a hangover. However, someone should really start working on that. Whatever your hangover ailment may be, there will always be a way to treat it to make it less sufferable for you. As long as you follow these tips, your hangover pains will not be so painful.

Enjoy this holiday season, take all the time you want and need to celebrate with your loved ones. End this year with a bang, and don't be afraid to indulge a little.

Until tomorrow.