From my neck of the blogosphere to yours, Merry Christmas!

Currently listening to: “At Christmas” by Hanson

Over and out,

Sleigh Ann

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‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Everyone was still stirring, especially cat with toy mouse;
The stockings were hidden from aforementioned kitten,
Because if not, all the stuffers get bitten;

The toys for niece and nephew were wrapped and stacked,
For early tomorrow morning, in our car, they’ll be packed;
And Kyle in flannel pjs, and I in worn out tee,
Had just plopped down to stream some tv,

When out on the porch, I heard snow covered feet,
”Damn, Amazon Prime shipping cannot be beat!”
Away to the door, I shuffled real slow,
Opening it to reveal a package in the snow.

Holiday lights sparkled festively about,
My heart so warm, I could almost shout,
When, what to my twinkling eyes should I see,
But a plump man in red, right in front of me,

He blinked, and I blinked, in a long, silent pause,
But then, I knew, this man is Santa Claus!
A reddish glow caught my eye in the sky,
”Oh my gosh, Rudolph, I know that guy!”

Santa winked, then gestured to his team,
”There’s eight others with him,” he said, with esteem.
”Guys, I’m ready!” he shouted to the reindeer,
And then, in a flash, I watched Santa disappear.

As surely as the autumn leaves fall,
I looked all around and saw no Santa at all,
Then a jingle sliced through the cold wintry night,
And in the sky, I saw Santa’s sleigh, in flight!

I stumbled to the road to face my roof,
And heard the landing thuds of each little hoof.
I dashed back inside, to share what felt like a dream,
And my husband just listened, eyes agleam.

“Santa was dressed in red, from head to toe,
And just like the stories, Rudolph’s nose was aglow!”
”I could barely speak, I was in such shock,
But he vanished quickly, no time to talk.”

”His eyes, they were blue, and his chins, they were double.
Gosh, I hope saying that doesn’t get me into trouble!”
”His hat was askew, tipped in a white puff,
Which perfectly matched his beard of fluff.”

”He’s seemed to ditch the pipe, I’m sure for his health,
Which he needs to stay on top of, to maintain his stealth.”
”He had Doc Marten boots, and a very broad middle,
And seeing him, I again felt childish, little.”

”Indeed, he was a very round guy,
But tall too, about six feet high!”
”He had dimples when he smiled, and a cunning wink,
Rendering me unable to think.”

”He spoke little to me, most to the reindeer,
And then, as I said, I saw him disappear!”
”Then, up on our housetop, I heard click, click, click,
And I saw him up there, confirmed, Saint Nick!”

My husband, he chuckled, said he’d caught me in a lie,
”You didn’t see Santa, it was the Amazon guy!”
I saw no need to argue, it was time for bed,
Where visions of Santa and nine tiny reindeer danced in my head!

Currently listening to: “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” by Frank Sinatra

xoxo Leigh Ann

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’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through my house

All creatures were frantic, even cat with toy mouse;

The stockings weren’t hung, nor did they have fill

While husband yells, “Please take a chill pill!”

We have not children, but cat’s in her bed,

She dreams not of sugarplums, but tuna instead.

And Kyle in his glasses, and I in fuzzy socks,

Had just settled down when on the door, *three knocks*

Then out on the porch there arose such a grumble

Rushed to the door so quick, I nearly took a tumble.

Up to the peephole, I stared like a creep,

Just in time to see UPS speed away with a beep beep.

The moon on the breast of still drizzling rain

Shown colorful and icy through my window pane

When, what to my wondering eyes should I see,

But several brown boxes with that arrow smiley,

That UPS driver, so lively and quick,

Is my grown up version of good ole St. Nick.

More rapid than FedEx, my gifts they came,

All neatly stacked and labeled by name;

Now camera, now book, now DVD, now blanket,

On flashlight that only works when you crank it!

From warehouse to porch, now under my tree

Merry Christmas with a gift to you, from me.

As dry leaves blow away and become the past,

As quickly did the delivery man speed off, fast.

To the next neighborhood the truck he drove,

To deliver someone else’s Christmas treasure trove.

And then, up above, I heard stamping and jingles,

And I thought that there must be a leak in our shingles!

Awake and weary, I again got out of bed,

And what I saw made me wonder if I was in my right head.

He was dressed in red from his head to his toe,

And right out the window rain gave way to snow.

A bundle of knickknacks lay open on the floor,

More beautiful than what you’d get at the store.

His eyes— how they twinkled! His dimples how deep!

To see all this wonder was better than sleep!

His cheeks were rosy, and so was his nose,

By the fireplace he warmed his booted toes.

His bearded mouth smiled, with teeth aglow,

And speaking of beard, his was white as snow!

He now knows that smoking is bad,

So he ate some Oreos and was equally glad.

He had a kind face and a large tummy,

And in my stupor, he must’ve thought me a dummy.

He was all I’d imagined, a jolly old elf,

Much more majestic than that one for your shelf!

He winked at me as he finished his snack,

Unloaded some presents then retied his sack.

A man of few words, but in fact he did say,

“Don’t give up, you could be a writer someday!”

He tapped on his Apple watch and faster than light,

He disappeared up the chimney and into the night.

Amazon’s got nothing on this Christmas magic,

To not believe would be truly tragic!

Thankful for family and friends and a tree full of light,

Merry almost Christmas to all, and to all a good night!!

Currently listening to: “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” by Michael Bublé

xoxo Leigh Ann

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1. Baked goods are great because they’re from the heart, they’re super customizable, and they don’t contribute to an ever growing junk pile that I’m sure exists in everyone’s home, right? Some ideas include my very own Oreo truffles (which can be made dairy free if needed), Scotcheroos (tried these at work last week and have not stopped thinking about them), or Chex Mix, which is a classic. If you want to jazz up your holiday treats a little, package them in a reusable festive container for your giftee.

   

2. I’m not from a gift card family, but over the years, I’ve definitely come to enjoy a gift card, and my husband loves them. Don’t want to contribute to the aforementioned junk pile? Grab a gift card to your giftee’s favorite restaurant, grocery store, or gas station. A practical gift is always a win!

3. Have a gamer on your hands? For the third year in a row, I cannot take credit for this great gift idea, but seeing as NYT Games keeps removing free games, the gift of a year’s subscription to NYT Games is truly one that keeps on giving!

4. Feeling crafty? There are infinite avenues to craft something special for your giftee! My entire TikTok algorithm is felt ornaments right now, so I’m really on the homemade ornament gift train! Not your vibe? What about air dry clay magnets? Toiletry bag with iron on initials? Or, package up a Blind Date with a Book, a super cute idea I just learned about from one of my work besties (just google it)!

   

5. Like all of these ideas? When in doubt, curate a mini stocking with a few of your giftee’s favorite things — a gift card to their favorite restaurant, a small Christmas decoration, and a handful of their favorite treats!

   

Keep calm and gift on! Or don’t, the holidays are magical either way!

Currently listening to: “Run Run Rudolph” by Hanson

xoxo Leigh Ann

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1. At the top spot is A Merry Little Ex-Mas, starring none other than the iconic Cher Horowitz Alicia Silverstone herself. Equal parts cheesy and delightfully touching, this one has a little bit of everything and was loved not just by me, but my husband as well. Think lovers to enemies to lovers.

   

   Bottom line: 5 out of 5 tearaway tuxedos

2. Up next is Jingle Bell Heist, which was a fresh take of a Christmas tale involving well intentioned crime and honestly, a whole lot of daddy issues. Actually though, a fun little romcom with a heartwarming conclusion.

   

   Bottom line: 4 out of 5 Mooshy Foxes

3. In the third spot is Champagne Problems, a really wine and cheesy Christmas romcom that probably would’ve lost me a little had our leading couple not been so attractive. Ain’t that the truth for all Hallmark esque holiday flicks, though? Seriously though, the cast was fun and this was an easy, lighthearted watch!

   

   Bottom line: 3 out of 5 runaway puppies (and slight bonus points for lactose intolerance representation, lol)

4. Holdin’ up the caboose is My Secret Santa because it was truly so, so, so ridiculous. If outlandishly silly Christmas romcoms are your vibe, you’ll love this. Think She’s the Man, but Christmas… and far less clever writing. Sorry, not sorry.

   

   Bottom line: 1 out of 5 Santa impersonators

I find myself with a little bit of free time this week, what am I missing on other streaming services? Romcom answers only, thank you!

Currently listening to: “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch” by Thurl Ravenscroft

xoxo LA

1. For the bajillionth time, I have to drink more water. I feel like I don’t even need to share this advice, because like, all adults drink water. I am, I think, the singular exception, and as a result, I’m pretty tight with my urologist 🫠

2. Wellness related, I need to get back on my personal exercise train, which was going really well in the fall! Because I approached it with a goal of feeling better instead of looking better, it was a really positive experience. I was feeling strong and just the teensiest bit confident, so I’ve got to get back into it!

3. I am going to see a creative endeavor through. I have a fun idea in the pipeline, and I’m really trying to hype myself up to just go for it! If it’s traditionally successful, great! If it’s not, it’s still successful because I’ll have stepped out of my comfort zone to do something I’ve wanted to do for like, ever.

4. Boundaries, boundaries, boundaries. I’m setting them and sticking to them. I’m surrounded by well adjusted people who have boundaries, and they are just fine. No one is mad at them. It’s time to follow suit, so I can stop being mad at me, lol.

5. Plan a fall weekend with long distance besties, because I had one this year, and my heart is still so full!

6. Complete a 5k running the whole time!! Guys, I was so close to achieving that this year, but my knee revolted at the halfway mark and then I had to do spurts to finish. Even so, I shaved off like minutes from last year. If you’re a runner, please ignore me. I am not a runner, and this was a big win for me!

7. I want to visit home more. I always want to visit home more. I think establishing the aforementioned boundaries will make that more possible! P.S. I’ve been home for all of 10 hours and have had multiple compliments on my outfit, been wished happy holidays by every person I’ve encountered, and caused a total stranger to belly laugh. WV is the best.

8. Do something akin to Kyle’s swimming, or A Story Told’s banding, or Crystal’s festivaling. A few days ago, I was hit with this gut feeling that I’m just kind of on autopilot and not actually even striving to accomplish anything.

9. Actually hit my reading goal, which I fumbled hugely this year, like not even close! Big oops. What can I say, though? Writer’s strike is over, and tv has been fantastic!

10. Get. My. Spark. Back. I think for everyone around my age, and probably women especially, it’s so easy to get caught up in all the emotions and fear that come with aging. As a result of all those emotions, I’ve kind of given up on myself a little bit. I have a thought process that’s kind of like, Who cares if your outfit is cute? You’re too old to bother with that. Who cares about your silly little blog? Blogs are over. Why work out? You’ve already broken the streak. Blah, blah, blah, irrational self sabotaging thoughts, etc. Aging is a wonderful thing, birthdays are wonderful things, a body that’s nourished and carrying you through your days is a blessing. Time to remind myself of all of that and infuse some joy back into myself!

Anyway, thanks for reading my diary, haha! What are some of your 2026 goals?

Currently listening to: “New Year’s Day” by Taylor Swift

xoxo Leigh Ann

Sheesh, each year is full of so many lessons, some silly, some important, many infuriating, but lessons all the same. Here are a few lessons I learned in 2025:

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1. Boundaries are important. Weak boundaries = big burnout. Now, let’s play a guessing game of which side of that equation I’m currently sitting on… 🫠 (spoiler alert, it’s both)

2. If your bathroom floor looks warped, you most definitely have a plumbing issue. Take care of it before you find yourself surprise remodeling your half bath during the holiday season!

3. Don’t overdo it on the Halloween candy. There’s a slew of consequences to follow. But also, def eat candy

4. Drink so much water. Just do it

5. Turns out, you have to train for the 5k, or you will absolutely hurt your knee. And no, lifting consistently doesn’t count. You have to move your body in a running fashion to successfully move your body in a running fashion

6. Back up your iPhone, you idiot 🙃

7. If you buy one pack of Pokémon cards on a whim, you will continue buying many packs of Pokémon cards on weekly whims

8. Coffee culture remains kinda weird, said with love

9. Buffalo chili recipes exist, and they are good. Like, good enough to win you third place in a chili cook off (if you bully people into voting for you)

10. Related… bullying people into voting for you works… take that as you will lol sos lol

11. San Antonio is cool

12. Bolognese is the superior iteration of pasta sauce

13. Turns out, you can get sunburnt, and when you do, you’ll have that weird crispy line on your right shoulder for 6 months and counting

14. You should have a dinner club with friends you made at work, it’s good for the soul

15. I read a devotional that dove into honoring God with your daily obligations, so I keep that in mind every time I’m about to lose my cool at work, and it gives me an immediate sense of perspective

16. When you can’t move past something silly you said or did, remember that you’re the only one still thinking about it

17. A fall weekend away with friends in a cool town should be a yearly tradition

18. Labubus are cuter, but Lafufus are more fun

19. You will always be learning— big things, little things, things that everyone else already knows. Stay curious!

20. The Life of a Showgirl was kind of a miss

21. I think feeling undervalued is really universal and really shouldn’t be

22. Celebrating your friends’ accomplishments is so fun

23. Related: everyone should strive to be a hype person. Hype up your people, they deserve it

24. There’s still a lot of kindness in the world, wish there was more tho

25. Cats remain the superior house pets!

Hope your 2025 was solid, and that your 2026 will be even better!

Currently listening to: “Man With The Bag” by Jessie J

xoxo LA

Well, Hello!

It’s Ann, one of Leigh Ann’s aforementioned long distance pals who helped with the unique gift, gift guide and gifted the Birkenstock ornament to her last year (if you saw the Birkenstock stash she has - it was a no brainer, I quite literally laughed out loud in the store.) While I’m a big fan of Christmas, I somehow do not have a dedicated playlist that gets switched on annually. Crystal and Josh are both far more musically inclined than me and every song they’ve identified in past years is a bop, but may I present some classics/niche songs that bring me joy?

Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home) - Darlene Love

Famously, this was David Letterman’s favorite Christmas song and there is a seriously wonderful compilation of Darlene Love singing it over the years. On a personal note, as this comes up each year, I get to reminisce on how I saw Darlene Love play Motormouth Maybelle in the Broadway production of Hairspray. Now go home and help your mom make a pie or go to have some type of romantic reunion, whatever floats your boat.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Bruce Springsteen

During one particularly stressful holiday season of my early adulthood, my brain was somehow so fried that I spent a solid amount of time (2 minutes, 10 minutes - whatever it was, it was too long) thinking that it was AMAZING that The Boss had such a prolific career AND wrote one of the most iconic Christmas songs of all time. I was only a little off, it’s just simply the most iconic rendition and I will be playing it on repeat all Christmas Eve because I will never be sick of hearing Bruce ask if Clarence has been practicing his saxophone.

Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses

This song is actually annoying and I recommend you stay away because you will NOT be able to get it out of your head. It’s on the list solely because my dad will sing this tune to be silly. If tensions in your home are high, just bust out a “Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, da da da da da da” in your own attempt of this one and suddenly all is calm, all is bright.

The Chanukah Song - Adam Sandler

What person growing up in the 90s in a predominantly Christian area WASN’T introduced to the Judaism through SNL and discussion of this iconic original song? If it’s been awhile since you’ve listened, give it a shot.

Thankful Heart - A Muppet Christmas Carol/Michael Caine

A delightful way to really hammer home that Scrooge has all the important stuff figured out. Marley and Marley is also a banger but it’s not really hitting the festive feel that I’m going for.

Forget December - Something Corporate

Josh did a great job including some of the best pop punk/emo holiday songs, but I had to add my own. A holiday bop by the best piano rock band around. It’s pretty emo but I have very specific memories of burning my own “alternative” Christmas CDs (!!!) for friends my senior year of high school, and I’m pretty sure this was the song I used to kick the whole thing off.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Step Into Christmas - Elton John

You need at least one knighted British musical artist on any holiday playlist and sorry to Sir Paul (my guy) but Wonderful Christmastime just isn’t quite as whimsical and delightful as this Elton John jam. But the honorable honorable mention is Wonderful Christmastime, I just can’t quit it.

Deck the Halls AND/OR Joy to the World – Julie Andrews

I couldn’t live with myself without including a Julie Andrews rendition. These just get me when she starts to hit those high notes, and here we are. I know that “Favorite Things” is commonly associated with the holidays but The Sound of Music is an all year round thing for me and I refuse to pigeon hole a song from it into one season.

And with that, I think we’ve done it. I’ll go take my own advice now and get these all into a playlist, though I have to be honest, I really will just be listening to Bruce on repeat.

Leigh Ann is currently listening to: “Christmas Wrapping” by The Waitresses

HELLO! It’s Crystal. I like to pretend I’m one of the “BFFs” Leigh Ann is often referring to on this very blog (Editor’s note: she IS). Today LA has trusted me to take on the next installment of holiday playlisting. I really don’t wanna let her down, so without further adieu here’s what I’ve been listening to all month, but will promptly shut off come Dec. 25, because like I said... Grinch.

“Happy Holidays” - N*Sync Starting on a high, because I’m sure the rest of my list will put you to sleep. This is a CLASSIC. I vividly remember making this my ringtone year-after-year in high school. OH Yeah!

“Baby It’s Cold Outside” Any version will do. What can I say, I love a duet. For me, this is the ultimate version of a holiday karaoke tune.

“Happy Xmas (War is Over)” - John Lennon This is a Lennon song, and it’s not exactly “cheerful” but I truly fell in love with it when I heard Lucius sing it. See here.

“Little Drummer Boy” - Pentantonix This list needed a Penatanoix jam, but if I’m honest, my love for this Christmas bop goes back to the time I DIY’d a drum in kindergarten and banged the shit out of it while singing this tune as loud as possible.

“Christmas” - Mariah Carey Yes, “All I Want For Christmas” is a bop... but I can’t even pretend to hit those notes.. This is a little more manageable and a whole lot more fun.

“White Christmas” - Michael Buble No December is complete without a little Buble. His full Christmas album is in my rotation, but this song deserves a special shout out because Shania Twain is my ultimate bae and they are a match made in heaven. (Runner up: George Ezra’s version)

“Country Ham” - The Felice Brothers This song makes me feel cozy and hungry and all of the holiday feels in the best way.

“Blue Christmas” - Elvis Hear me out, if Dirty Dancing (the best movie ever, don’t @ me) did a Christmas special, this would be the theme song... Enough said.

“Have yourself a merry little Christmas” - Frank Sinatra I’m a big fan of the classics. For me, this is one of the very best. And it makes me feel like I’m in NYC for the holidays, which is ideal.

“Rocking Around The Christmas Tree” - Brenda Lee If you watch my Vlogmas, you’ll notice I use this song a LOT. I just wish I could have the rights to use Brenda’s version. More than any song, this one reminds me of the innocent, magical Christmases of my childhood. Instantly I’m transported back to making cookies for santa and sprinkling reindeer food on the front lawn.

What are we missing? What should we be listing to? Sound off below.

xoxox, Merry Crystal-mas.

LA is currently listening to: “Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays” by *NSYNC

Hi everyone,

My name is Josh, aka baby grinch. Sometimes I play music (insert shameless promo). Sometimes I listen to music. Today, I’m writing about music! Leigh Ann has given me the responsibility of providing you with an installment of the ultimate holiday playlist. Here we go!

Hanson - “Merry Christmas Baby”

Let’s take it all the way back to 1997. Tamagotchis were under the tree waiting patiently to be unwrapped (and eventually starved to death by our not so responsible former selves). Also, Hanson’s Snowed In was released! Although every song on this album is a bop, “Merry Christmas Baby” is a good starting point for those who may not be familiar with this release.

Taylor Swift - “Christmas Must Be Something More”

Are you ready for it? T SWIFT HAS A CHRISTMAS ALBUM. As much as I love 1989and Reputation, I will always have a place in my heart for country Taylor. Combine that with some favorite holiday classics and you have the perfect soundtrack to the season.

The Maine - “Ho, Ho, Hopefully”

If you didn’t get enough of The Maine’s Christmas jams on Leigh Ann’s ultimate holiday playlist, it’s your lucky day! This is typically my go to song to kick off the holiday season.

Relient K - “Angels We Have Heard on High”

Let it snow baby…let it reindeer! Our favorite pop punk Christian band, Relient K, has blessed us with a plethora of holiday tunes on this release, taking the not so holly and jolly songs of the season (sorry, Jesus) and turning them into certified bangers.

Blink-182 - “I Won’t Be Home For Christmas”

The Mark, (sometimes) Tom, and Travis show Christmas style! Reminding us that it’s officially “be nice to the people you can’t stand all year” season.

Fall Out Boy - “Yule Shoot Your Eye Out”

Hopefully Santa dropped some black eyeliner, swoopy bangs, and a studded belt in that stocking because it’s about to get emo AF. But for real...sometimes the holidays are filled with spurts of not so cheery moments and that’s totally okay. Luckily, Fall Out Boy has provided us with a soundtrack for those times. Merry Christmas, I could care less!

Bing Crosby - “Mele Kalikimaka” (hi, Leigh Ann here, and I love this song too!)

I think we can all agree that Christmas Vacation is the BEST Christmas movie. And if you don’t agree, I’m just going to assume you’re a space alien (who uses gel deodorant). This track makes multiple cameos throughout the film and is a personal favorite holiday track of mine because of the hilarious scenes it accompanies.

Fountains of Wayne - “I Want An Alien For Christmas”

Speaking of space aliens! Next up is Fountains of Wayne’s “I Want An Alien For Christmas”. This upbeat and fun non-traditional Christmas tune makes you want to put a little green guy about three feet high at the top of your Christmas list. Right next to Stacy’s mom, of course.

Britney Spears - “My Only Wish (This Year)”

If putting a Britney Spears Christmas song on this playlist is wrong, I don’t want to be right…

Miranda Sings - “All I Want For Christmas Is You”

And the best for last! Miranda Sings providing us with a cover of Mariah Carey’s Christmas classic we never knew we needed.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

LA is currently listening to: “I Want An Alien For Christmas” by Fountains of Wayne

Starting with cleanser, and I’ve got three favorites! Newest first, Glow Recipe’s Avocado Ceramide Moisture Barrier Cleanser is so luxe. She’s got a subtle fresh scent and a crazy lather that doesn’t leave my skin feeling stripped at all. The BYOMA Creamy Jelly Cleanser is super gentle for sensitive skin, does a great job of removing makeup, and is a tried and true first cleanse. I always use the Proactiv Clean Mineral Acne Cleanser as a second cleanse for acne control!

My second step is toner, and I have fully jumped ship from Tower 28 to the Prequel Universal Skin Solution when it comes to hypochlorous acid. I prefer it because it’s more bang for your buck and has a finer mist. Also, I want to call out that Prequel was by far my most loved brand this year, with products that are insanely versatile for face and body. When I’m dealing with breakouts or uneven texture, I opt for medicube’s Zero Pore Pad or the Sofie Pavitt Face Mandelic Acid Exfoliating & Clearing Serum.

Next up, treatment. With respect, this is where I feel the skincare girlies have gone a little too overboard. Treat your top 1-3 problems with 1-3 solutions, and leave the rest on the shelves. As I mentioned, I have sensitive skin with acne and rosacea, so I prioritize an azelaic acid treatment - my favorite for 2025 was Naturium’s Azelaic Topical Acid 10% (been through three bottles!). When I have breakouts, I spot treat with the Neutrogena Rapid Clear Stubborn Acne Spot Treatment and it is fantastic! Best spot treatment I’ve ever used, and saves me from the irritation of an all over benzoyl peroxide application.

After we treat, we moisturize. I’m a serial moisturizer purchaser. I try many, and I love few. 2025’s top spot goes to the highly hyped Dieux Air Angel Peptide Plumping Gel Cream. She’s somehow light and rich at the same time, perfect for night or day, does not pill, and is generally an A++ moisturizer that I have and will continue to repurchase!! Honorable mention here is Experiment Molecular Mesh, but she’s too new to me to call her a 2025 favorite!

I’m actually nixing the under eye cream category this year, because I think they’re all BS, and my most recent few have been giving me milia under my right eye, so I’m over it! My hot take is just to gently apply your face moisturizer under your eyes if they’re dry/aging.

Finally, when it comes to lips, I’m still Balm Dotcom’s biggest fan, but sometimes I need a scrub, and e.l.f.’s Lip Exfoliator is the best I’ve ever tried. Amazing price point and easy application, can’t be beat!

What am I missing here? Open to trying your favorite winter serum or moisturizer!

Currently listening to: “Take Me Home For Christmas” by Dan + Shay

Starting with primer, move over POREfessional, there’s a new diva in town, and she’s doing double duty. I have been sleeping on Supergoop!’s Unseen Sunscreen, and now I’m wide awake! Same consistency and performance of Benefit’s POREfessional, with the added benefit of SPF, say less!

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After primer, we’ve got foundation, and here I’ve got a three year favorite and an honorable mention. This one never misses - Merit’s The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Foundation and Concealer Stick is my tried and true. I have combination skin that leans on the dryer side in the colder months, but paired with Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen, this is the perfect foundation year round. Looking for more coverage? My honorable mention is about face’s THE PERFORMER Skin-Focused Foundation. It comes in 45 shades and I love the doe foot applicator!

I’m a concealer after foundation girly, and I had the same three favorite concealers this year + an honorable mention! For the third year in a row, my fav blemish concealer is the Kulfi Main Match Crease-Proof Long-Wear Hydrating Concealer. Just as full coverage as Shape Tape, but wears much better on dryer skin. My budget blemish concealer is the NYX Can’t Stop Won’t Stop 24HR Full Coverage Matte Concealer. A little goes a long way with this one, and at under $10, it cannot be beat. Lastly, the Tarte Creaseless Creamy Concealer is truly *chef’s kiss* for under eye concealing! Honorable mention is Tower 28’s Swipe Serum Concealer - it would tie for first place if I could figure out my shade, haha!

Next up, blush! I love blush and I’m always trying new ones, so it’s a big deal when I can narrow down this category to one favorite. The blush I reached for time and time again this year was Tarte’s Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in the shade Risqué, which now appears to be discontinued despite purchasing in 2025 🫠. That said, it looks to have a dupe in shade Exposed! It’s the perfect everyday go-to for a fair complexion. Not necessarily a blush shade, not a bronzer shade, somewhere perfectly in the middle!

So, when it comes to bronzer, I have one long running favorite, and I don’t think I’ll ever switch it up. The Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer is unmatched. I love that this comes in light and has six different shades. She smells good, she is good! And she’s at the drugstore!

For brows, we have a back to back winner in the Rare Beauty Brow Harmony Flexible Lifting Gel. It keeps my brows in place all day, but somehow they still feel like brows?! What more can I say?

I never thought I’d move on from my beloved Glossier Lash Slick, but I have to say, I’ve moved on to purpler pastures. I stopped in Nordstrom for shapewear (haha) and found myself at the Clinique counter perusing mascaras. Did you know Clinique’s iconic Black Honey shade extends to mascara?! Now, you do! I’ve been loving Clinique’s mascara formulas since high school, so the High Impact Mascara in shade Black Honey was an easy favorite! Also!! She’s on sale ◡̈

And finally, lip products. You’re probably sick of hearing me say this, but Glossier’s Balm Dotcom is literally the bomb (dotcom). Forever!! Always!! Into clear? They have clear. Into tints? They’ve got those too. It’s such an incredibly versatile product that actually treats my lips better than Aquaphor. I love so many of them, but my top two are Birthday and Lavender.

And that’s a wrap on my favorites in makeup for 2025. What did you love?

Currently listening to: “Like It’s Christmas” by the Jonas Brothers

xoxo Leigh Ann

Some things about Hanukkah you may not know?

Jewish holidays occur on a lunar calendar. What does that mean? Well, Jewish holidays technically start and end on the same day each year based on a lunar calendar, but that’s give or take a few days on a ‘western’ calendar.

This year, Hanukkah begins today, Sunday, December 14th, and ends on the evening of Monday, December 22th.

My friend says this is the most hilarious and millennially accurate Hanukkah meme:

That being said, here’s the deal: Long, long ago, Israel was ruled by King Antiochus. The king did not want to rule different people, different religions, and different ways of life. He abolished Judaism. A brave group of people called the Maccabees (much smaller in number than the king’s army) refused to give up their religion and way of life, and fought to take back their Temple in the city of Jerusalem. The Maccabees were successful in taking back their Temple, and after a thorough cleansing, on the 25th day of the month of Kislev (the first day of Hanukkah now), they held a rededication ceremony for the Temple. On the rededication night, there was only enough oil to light the menorah for one day, but miraculously, it burned for eight days.

When it comes to Jewish holidays, Hanukkah might take a backseat to Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, and Passover. However, Carolyn says it’s still among her more favorite times of year because in combination with Christmas (which she personally doesn’t celebrate), the general social morale is much more friendly and warm. She celebrates Hanukkah with a yearly party that she throws with her roommate (seven years later, I believe she’ll be throwing this party with her husband, as she got married this year!!). It’s all about spending time with family and friends, eating traditional foods (her mom makes beautiful cookies!), singing traditional Hebrew songs, and the yearly gift from her family: a dreidel.

Some fun things to know about dreidels:

They are used in betting games. There’s usually a pot of chocolate coins, and based on what you spin, you could win half the pot, the whole pot, nothing, or even have to add one to the pot!

Dreidels have letters on them that translate to, “A Great Miracle Happened There,” however (and this is so interesting!!!), if you were to find a dreidel in Israel, it would have letters that translate to, “A Great Miracle Happened Here.“ How cool!!

Carolyn shared with myself and all of our coworkers how to make traditional potato latkes. These are kind of like flat hash brown pancakes, fried in oil (a nod to the Hanukkah story!), and the resounding feedback was: mmmmmmm. How can you make your own?

You’ll need (to serve about 20 people):

• Two 20oz. packages of refrigerated hash browns (found in the refrigerated section near the butter, eggs, etc.)

• 1/2 12 oz. package of frozen chopped onions

• 3 eggs

• 3/4 cup of flour

• 1.5 tsp baking powder

• Olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Apple sauce and/or sour cream to serve with

• Skillet

• Paper towels, serving dish, large spoon, tongs, and spatula!

Directions:

1. Mix hash browns, onions, eggs, flour, baking powder and 1 tsp of salt in a large bowl using a spatula or your hands. Mix until all flour is absorbed.

2. Cover the bottom of your skillet in 1/4 to 1/2 inch of olive oil and heat to about 400 degrees on an electric skillet, or until oil is hot on stovetop.

3. Once oil is hot, use a spoon to scoop small, flat portions of your mixture into the skillet. It should start to sizzle! Cook until golden and crispy on both sides, flipping occasionally with spatula or tongs.

4. Once golden, remove and place your patties propped up on a serving dish lined with layered paper towels, so the oil will drain out, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt/pepper.

5. Once the latkes have drained, remove paper towels/place on fresh serving dish, add apple sauce or sour cream and enjoy!

So thankful to Carolyn for sharing some of her Hanukkah traditions with me, and I hope you enjoyed this too! Do you have any fun holiday traditions you’re looking forward to? I would love to know!

Currently listening to: “Linus and Lucy” by Vince Guaraldi Trio

xoxo Leigh Ann

1. Top of the list is Stranger Things S5, V1. I’ll leave this spoiler free, but WOW. We embarked on a total rewatch recently, and I highly recommend doing that before diving into season 5. It’s incredible to see how far this cast has come and they’re all so charming, it’s wild! All the wacky fan theories will keep me on the edge of my seat until volume 2 comes out!

   

2. Experiment’s Molecular Mesh is that b for dry skinned girlies facing the harsh winter temps. I’ve seen this stuff all over my algorithm and needed to see if the hype was real… can confirm it is. This stuff has a crazy, melted-marshmallow-like texture, and my skin drinks it up!

   

3. Peanut Butter Chip IQBARs are SO good! A friend of mine posts a lot of wellness content and raves about these, so I was curious to try them out! These have 1 (singular, tiny) gram of sugar and 12 grams of plant based protein. They’re an awesome, tasty, guilt free way to sneak in some extra protein. Bonus points: I’ve been seeing a dietician for several months, and she loves these too!

   

4. Pokémon cards are having a renaissance with me personally, haha. While we were on our family beach trip in June, we found ourselves in a sports memorabilia shop and I bought a pack of Pokémon cards on a whim. You know, for the nostalgia. Unfortunately, I’m now a Pokémon collecting monster, and Kyle and I have been dubbed “Oddish gang” at our local card shop. And while I can admit that this is a weird hobby to pick up again at 29 years old (hehehe), at least it’s not hurting anyone! And it’s cheap! Leave me alone!

   

5. Birkenstock Bostons are icons. You know her. You love her. If you’re a millennial, you got your first pair at age 12 and simply never stopped. For real though, this is the easiest year round shoe. You can wear them with or without socks, dress them up or down (idk, that may be up for debate, but fashion is not my calling), and they just get more comfortable over time. Definitely an investment piece, but if you take care of Birks, they’ll last a literal decade! (Not me wanting a colorful pair now after perusing the site!)

   

What were you loving last month?

Currently listening to: “My Favorite Things” by the one and only Julie Andrews

xoxo Leigh Ann

Currently listening to: “Santa Stole My Lady” by Fritz and The Tantrums

xoxo Leigh Ann

Quirky, splurgy, meaningful? It’s all here in a smorgasbord of gifting ideas from all of my favorite people!

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In the category of quirky, we have a lot going on:

1. Holiday socks from Imogene and Willie - I’d not heard of this brand until this little gifting exercise, and now I’m in love! These Stay Lit socks are particularly something, and the brand also has a truly bizarre selection of graphic tees, where I’ve found myself partial to one with this very useful advice:

2. Be so for real, how obsessed are you with this bowtie pasta bracelet from Panache? For me, the limit does not exist. How weird and cute. I want to hug the person who came up with this!

   

3. This Dazy Sus’n from Handy Dandy Brandy is literally exactly my interior design aesthetic. Is beige and minimal beautiful? Absolutely, it’s just not me! The sillier my decor, the better, and I can think of half a dozen places I’d put this in my home. Too cute!

Looking to splurge for someone special? Okay, we got you!

1. To quote the friend who shared this idea, “Bougie bath products are 10/10,” and she recommends the L’Occitane Almond Shower Oil for a luxurious shower experience. I just know this smells divine.

2. The same friend also fell in love with this Heirloom Ring from Mejuri, and unfortunately, it’s now my problem too, because HOW PRETTY?! A major splurge, but very timeless!

3. Okay, this Sculpd Candle Making Kit is a semi-splurge that’s been on my radar for a while now. You’re like, “Wow, melting wax, how very exciting,” but seriously, this is the coolest kit ever. Not only do you to choose the fragrance for the candle you’ll make, you actually sculpt its vessel with special air-dry clay. What a truly special, one of a kind gift!

Meaningful gifts are my favorite, so here’s a few of those as well!

1. You’ve seen it before, and you’ll see it again, I finished my 5 Year One Question a Day Journal last holiday season, and it was such a special daily habit. I think this makes a great gift for anyone on your list!

2. Oxford Pennant has a warm and fuzzy array of tees, pins, patches, and obviously pennants (Oxford Pennant also has a major fanbase in my friend group). In my opinion, they’ve got something for everyone, but if you can’t find it, opt for custom. I would say pennants solidly fall into my design aesthetic as well. Personally, this pizza one is speaking to me ◡̈

   

3. If I had more time throughout the month of December, I’d offer my version of this up to anyone interested (hit me up in the deep winter), but a custom watercolor portrait is such a fun gift for friends and loved ones. My friend (and now me) loves the ones by Elizabeth Graeber, but because I’m not sure about sharing someone else’s art on my page, I’ll share some I’ve done over the years!

I hope you’ll take some inspiration from these recs. Thanks, loved ones!

Currently listening to: “Sleigh Ride” by fun.

xoxo Leigh Ann

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I thought I’d share with you the places I have shopped small, and why I’ll keep coming back!

First, and not a surprise if you’ve been here before, is Kinship Goods. I am a graphic tee aficionado, and most worn in my rotation are all of my Kinship tees. Local to Charleston, West Virginia, many of their tee designs are quirky love letters to my beautiful home state (like this one if you’re looking for a gift for yours truly), but there are tons of clever designs for any tee lover. Not into tees, they have a fun selection of other goods, my current favorite of which is this Strawberry Shortcake ornament (and the Pizza Hut one if it weren’t out of stock!). Excellent quality meets warm customer service - two reasons I’ll always shop Kinship!

Another West Virginia native business, Bear Wood Company. They too have an array of unique products, but are most famously known for rustic wooden states (not just WV, any state you choose!). They are beautiful, made from reclaimed wood, and even have customization options! They make great wedding, anniversary, and housewarming gifts. If that’s not your thing, maybe you’d be more interested in a custom flight. Again, customer service is top notch, and I love visiting the shop when I’m home!

I would be remiss not to mention the most comical of my shop small favorites, Celebs on Sandwiches. We have about a gazillion celeb prints hanging in our home, we gift them yearly, and with new drops all the time, the options are endless. I think they’re hilarious, beautiful conversation starters, and you need one (or ten) immediately! Celebs on Sandwiches has changed me for good.

Matt Smith Makes is my best buddy from college! He’s a full time artist, and his pieces are some of my favorite in our home! We’ve sprinkled a little bit of Matt’s talent everywhere we go, gifting prints to both friends and family!

Obviously, Etsy is the portal to literally millions of shop small opportunities. I’ve only ever had five star Etsy experiences, so I wanted to share some of my favorite shops!

I have several prints from Lauras Beating Art — if you love all the holidays, but maintain a general spookiness year round, you’ll love her artwork!

Blue Giraffe Apparel who outfitted two of my very favorite littles in their own baby Pogue gear, with Prime level shipping time!

Stephen Wheeler Studio is an amazing artist we’ve had the opportunity to meet a few times! We have several of his prints in our home and have gifted a few to friends and family. Stephen is incredibly talented!

Drop where you love to shop small in the comments!

Currently listening to: “Christmas Lights” by Yellowcard

xoxo LA

I hope this letter finds you prepped and ready for the big show. How are you? How’s the missus? And the elves, what are they up to? My year, you ask? It was a good one! Uh, minus waking up on my birthday with Covid 🫠 (Kyle’s fault). I got to watch Kyle crush Masters Swimming Nationals again, only this time in San Antonia, Texas, which was very cool! In June, we spent a week at the beach with family, which was a great kickoff to summer. And now, the house is cozy and ready for your yearly visit!

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Unfortunately for you, this letter is not going to break the mold as far as letters to Santa are concerned, because I have a few requests. For your sake though, maybe Christmas in July should be all about you — have the elves workshop that idea.

Anyway, enough chitchat!

1. Where did my motivation go? Do you have it? Could you package it up, tie it with a bow, and deliver it to a gym somewhere? Hold it hostage there until I show up at regular intervals to retrieve it? But really, I’ve lost my spark in so many ways and I desperately need it back!

2. Do you have admin rights to the cloud? Because the iPhone Notes App deleted three years worth of the book I’ve been writing for a decade, and I’m further away from last year’s resolution of finishing said book than ever before. And yeah, I’ve cried about it! Help a girl out! Related: I could use an iPhone for Dummies 101 class.

3. You have any pull at Netflix? Let’s get season 3 of both Wednesday and My Life with the Walter Boys out into the world ASAP! And while you’re at it, call your friends at Amazon Prime — no, call Jenny Han herself, and tell her all we want for Christmas is to see Belly and Conrad married!!!

4. Three words: Jeans. That. Fit. There are some pretty lofty requests on this list, but you and I both know this is the loftiest of them all! Men don’t even wear fitted pants, and still yet they have a bajillion sizes to choose from. Women? There’s like 8 freaking sizes and not a one of them was designed to fit humans. What is going on here?

5. A magical dash to the finish line on completing our very unplanned half bath remodel. Call Wayfair, tell them not to send me broken stuff? Send the elves over to paint? Some combination of holiday goodness that lands me with a usable toilet downstairs before December 25th? I know you can make it happen!

6. But seriously, and as always, my number one Christmas wish is that you’d keep this magic alive and well with me (and Kyle, you get the point) ♡

Currently listening to: “My Christmas List” by Simple Plan

Warmest Christmas Hugs,

Leigh Ann

The Mindy Project S2, E11, “Christmas Party Sex Trap” - Like all things The Mindy Project, this Christmas episode makes me laugh from start to finish and features one of my favorite lines from the whole series, “The Massachusetts public school system has really let you down.” The comedic timing is perfect. Mindy is trying to corner Cliff into dating her. Jeremy is on a diet that leads to the demise of Danny’s masterpiece gingerbread house. Peter is trying to stay sober and awkwardly tries to date Maria Menounos as Maria Menounos. So freaking funny. Available to stream on Hulu.

New Girl S2, E11, “Santa” - New Girl does Christmas so right. I love every holiday episode with the loft clowns, but this one takes the cake for a million reasons, not the least of which is that Winston can’t hear for half the episode because he has a cranberry stuck in his ear. True love prevails when Dr. Sam finally wins Jess back. We learn the meaning of the Irish Goodbye. And finally, we find out that Santa is real and granting Christmas miracles to all, young and old. It’s such a feel good episode of tv! Available to stream on Hulu.

Gilmore Girls S2, E10, “The Bracebridge Dinner” - While not explicitly a Christmas episode (because GG doesn’t have those, despite Stars Hollow being decked out in lights), this episode starts with a snowman contest, and when a blizzard keeps an elaborate convention from going off, Lorelai and Sookie invite all of our favorite townies for a cozy and festive dinner at the inn. And if that didn’t scream Christmas enough, the episode also features horse-drawn carriages and the start of a budding romance between Rory and Jess, for all the #teamjess girlies. Streaming on Netflix.

Friends S7, E10, “The One with the Holiday Armadillo” - I consider this the best Christmas episode of Friends because it makes me cry laugh and is sweet all the same. Ross is trying to teach Ben about Hanukkah and is having a difficult time because Ben is so excited about Santa Claus and presents. Ross takes to the costume store, but his master plan is foiled when he can only find one costume and shows up at Monica’s to teach Ben about Hanukkah as The Holiday Armadillo. Streaming on Max.

Community S1, E12, “Comparative Religion” - This Christmas episode of Community really sets the bar high for all Christmas episodes to follow. Shirley, a devout Christian, wants to throw a Christmas party for the study group but quickly realizes that, “Everyone’s religion is weird.” Jeff finds himself in a standoff with the school bullies, and despite their better judgment, the whole study group ends up in a mass brawl with said bullies. The final scene features our heroes bleeding, black and blue, singing holiday songs in the library. It’s seriously so good. Available to stream on Peacock.

Modern Family S2, E10, “Express Christmas” - It’s December 16th when our modern family realizes that they won’t be able to spend Christmas together due to scheduling conflicts. And so, Express Christmas is then birthed from the bright mind of Phil Dunphy. The family has four hours and a dozen hurdles to overcome in order to pull off a family Christmas complete with full turkey meal, gifts, and a tree. You will laugh for the taser, you will cry for the snow. Hilarious, heartwarming, and streaming on Hulu.

Scrubs S1, E11, “My Own Personal Jesus” - Scrubs has it all. It manages to be heavy and light simultaneously and this episode epitomizes how well the series handled those contrasts. Turk has a rough Christmas Eve at the hospital and it shakes his faith. However, he witnesses and plays a major role in a Christmas miracle when God beckons him to a Christmas tree in a park where a young, single mom has unexpectedly gone into labor. It will make you laugh and cry, and leave you feeling those Christmassy feelings. Available to stream on Hulu.

Honorable mentions: literally every Christmas episode of The Office, The Bear S2, E6, “Fishes” (which would actually take the top spot if it didn’t make me weep, lol), and The Summer I Turned Pretty S3, E2, “Last Christmas” because Bonrad 4 lyfe.

Currently listening to: “Deck the Halls” by Relient K

xoxo LA

If you’re into making and baking holiday treats, I imagine Sunday is the perfect day for that activity! I personally prefer eating them over making them, but I find myself in the position of needing to make a casual 200 Oreo Truffles today for a holiday pop-up shop at work this week.

These are a major fan favorite, so sharing a little YouTube video I made approximately 20 pounds and 50% more hair ago. These no bake delights are guaranteed to make even the Scroogiest Scrooge a little less bah humbug.

Currently listening to: “Coming Home This Christmas” by Jonas Brothers and Kenny G

xoxo Mrs. Claus