Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays…

It's officially Christmas morning! And just like every year, I want to take a minute to thank you for hanging out in my little corner of the Internet and wish you a Merry Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

And since it's Christmas, here are some major holiday throwbacks:  

See you in 2017!

Peace, Love, and Lobster

Laura

Merry Ex–Mas

There are times when you just finished a great book and just can't figure out what to read next, so you go with the first thing Amazon recommends. In some cases you'll end up with something that makes you question the sanity of those Amazon elves, but in others you want to run to the kitchen, bake a fresh batch of cinnamon buns, and personally deliver them to those elves to thank them.

Kate Brian's Ex-Mas was such a cinnamon bun situation.  If you've been reading this blog for a while you know that romance isn't exactly my thing unless there's a mystery element to it — yet, I finished this book in two nights.  

Ex-Mas 

For 17-year-old Lila Beckwith popularity is everything, but when her plans to throw the biggest party of the season are ruined by her kid brother, Cooper, her revenge backfires in a way that puts more than just her social life into perspective. After Lila shows Cooper an article about global warming, the Christmas-obsessed kid and his best friend Tyler head up North to save Santa and the North Pole – which means they jump on a train to Seattle. And of course, Tyler just happens to be the younger brother of Lila's antisocial ex Beau. And so, the two exes are forced to embark on road trip to bring their brothers home before Lila's parents get back on Christmas Eve. Bah Humbug.  

There are a couple of reasons why I enjoyed this book as much as I did. For once I do love road trip stories, especially holiday road trip stories. And Brian captured that feeling so well that I almost felt like I was in the car with Lila and Beau. Then there was the Santa element with the runaway boys, that gave it that DCOM feel, I adore. And finally, something that would usually be considered a bad thing: the story's predictability.  I knew how this was going to play out after reading the summary, but it still kept my interest. Which also works well with the road trip theme, because sometimes it really is about the journey and not just the destination.  

So no matter if you're looking for something to read in front of the fireplace, or if you need something to get you through a long car or plane ride, Ex-Mas won't disappoint. 

Peace, Love, and Lobsters

Laura 

Christmas Program

Since our little romcom discussion was so much fun, I asked Samantha to talk Christmas movies with me. 'Tis the season and all…

LAURA: All time favorite Christmas movie? Don’t think about it.

SAM: Ah, right off the bat, huh? I think 12 Dates of Christmas. Back in the olden days before Freeform when ABC Family still made originals.

LAURA: Oh, that's a good one, Mark-Paul Gosselaar! As much as I love all the silly Christmas movies we get from Hallmark these days, the ABC Family ones were better. One of my all time favorites is actually an old ABC Family one, too: Christmas Every Day, the 1996 version with Erik von Detten – I could watch that one every day.

SAM: For sure! And agree, as epic as Hallmark ones are, they tend to be a bit repetitive. Christmas in Boston with Patrick J. Adams is another great one. Pen pals for years destined to meet under the moon...just the right amount of cheesy.

LAURA: You're making me miss ABC Family. Hallmark movies come with one plot, polar opposites are supposed to work together, and whoever is the bigger Grinch finds their Christmas spirit by the time the credits roll. Still they’re the perfect background entertainment for baking cookies, or wrapping presents.

SAM: Or for unwinding after your hard day of shopping. And as a bonus, you can always count on the trademark actors or actresses that make the rounds. It's a safe bet that Lori Loughlin, Melissa Joan Hart or Marla Sokoloff will be standing under some mistletoe at least once every year.

LAURA: Is there one you'd consider part of your Christmas routine?

SAM: I think Desperately Seeking Santa makes the cut. I mean - shirtless hot guys in Santa hats? That one's a must.

LAURA: That’s a very good reason. I’m all about the classics in that department. I actually can’t remember a Christmas when my family didn’t watch Christmas Vacation.

SAM: Yet, I don't think I ever seen it. Does Serendipity count? 'Cause that one as we've discussed is amazing.

LAURA: I'm shocked! I’ve already caught it twice on TV this year alone. I half watch it at least three or four times each year, and then there’s always one time I actually sit down to watch it with friends and family, even though everyone knows every line backwards by now. And sure we can let it count. Even though only about 20 minutes actually take place around Christmas. But It’sa Wonderful Life is the most played Christmas movie each year (not A Christmas Story, as most people are surprised to find out), and the Christmas percentage of that one is pretty low, too.

SAM: We mentioned the similarity between a lot of them. Do you have a favorite trope?

LAURA: When it comes to Christmas movies, I definitely prefer family over romance. But the ones that I do love, Christmas Every Day, Christmas Vacation, and yes I’m also pretty big on a Christmas Story (even that ridiculous sequel) all have that theme of expectations, and Christmas blowing up in your face – but in the end it’s exactly that chaos that brings everyone together under the burning Christmas tree. And as over the top as all these comedies are, they're very real and relatable in that aspect.

SAM: Oh for sure – I think one that strikes me as a really awesome blend is The Holiday. The romance definitely drives is, but there's a sweet family component in there too. But you know I'm all about the romcoms. The more bickering the better.

LAURA: That is a very sweet one! It’s also very cozy, gives you that fireplace feeling even if you don’t have one.

SAM: Yes! And a must for 99 percent of them –cute kids.

LAURA: That and the right weather. I’m definitely more inclined to love them if there is snow. I have a soft spot for the Black Christmas remake, because it’s basically set in a snow-globe. A snow-globe with a serial killer in it, but still a snow-globe.

SAM: A white Christmas makes everything better – in real life too.

LAURA: Is there one you can’t stand at all? Or do the Christmas trappings make everything watchable?

SAM: Good question. Not any in particular I can think of. But in that vain the influx of hallmark ones haven't given me that fuzzy feeling this year. I guess there's s reason the classics are classics.

LAURA: Or, maybe they’re just saving the good ones for last this year. Gotta put something under the tree. 

Peace, Love, and Lobsters

Laura (and Sam)

Holiday Spirit

It's that time of year again, the time when we don't change the channel whenever the commercials come on, because these Christmas ads are just too good:

Sainsbury's:

This captures the christmas spirit in the most hilarious way possible. And it should be a full length movie.  

M&S:

Because we all knew that Mrs. Claus is the real hero of the North pole.

Aldi:

I always had a strict no reindeer meat rule, but I guess we'll have to add carrots to the list of foods that shouldn't be consumed on Christmas.

Heathrow Airport:

Airports are probably the last thing I think of when it comes to heartwarming Christmas ads. But this one wins. Everything.  

Mercedes Benz:

It's so cheesy, and I'm a Volvo person... but what can I say? It's Christmas.

What is your favorite Christmas ad of 2016?

Peace, Love, and Lobsters
Laura

Ugly Never was This Cute

We are approaching December, and with that Christmas parties, and what do we need for Christmas parties?  Christmas sweaters. Duh.  

And this year Forever 21 is really knocking it out of the park:

    

The snowman one is so cute, and the chimney one is hilarious.

    

The fair isle sweater is almost too pretty to be consiered ugly, and plaid + sequins? come to me!  

    

One for the cool kids, and an ugly Christmas sweatshirt!

Click here for more

And the best? They are all under 30. 

Peace, Love, and Lobsters
Laura

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays!

We made it to Christmas Eve! The presents are wrapped,  cookies are baked, dinner is cooked (well appetizers at my house), the Hanson Christmas album is playing…

and there's really nothing left to do, but to thank you for hanging out in my little corner of the Internet and wishing you a merry Christmas and happy holidays!

(And yes, that is my actual Christmas tree.)

Peace, Love, and lots of Lobster
Laura

The Easiest Decoration Ever

What do you do if the tree is trimmed, the stockings are hung, the reindeer pillow's on the couch, your guests are coming over in an hour …but the house still doesn't feel festive enough?

Easy: Turn your picture frames into decorations!

It's cheap, quick, and looks adorable!

All you need is tape, string or bows, and some leftover wrapping paper. Simply take a piece of wrapping paper that covers the front and goes a little over the sides of the frame you want to wrap, secure it with tape (or thumb tacks if you're using a wooden frame, and don't mind damaging the back, make sure you don't cover the hanger with paper, add a little bow, and put it back on the wall! 

The options with this are endless, you can go for a classic look in silver and gold, use a fun print for a kid's room, or ad some straw bows and stars to match your shabby chic decor. But whatever you decide on is guaranteed to make even the most sparsely decorated room feel festive.

Peace, Love, and Lobster

Laura

Holiday Reads

Looking for something other than Dickens' Christmas Carol to put on your holiday reading list? 

I've got you covered:   

     

Let It Snow by John Green, Lauren Myracle & Maureen Johnson:  I'm not gonna lie, especially the first story in this collection of young adult holiday romances that are all connected through a blizzard, reads like something I've seen on Hallmark at least 20 times... but in a good way! I mean, there's a reason the stuck in a snowstorm trope is so popular, and mixed with the authors' quirky characters it's the perfect book to snuggle up with on Christmas Eve.

The Silent Night Trilogy by R.L. Stine: I already  wrote a post about the series last year, but I just had to include it. The books about mean girl Reva Dalby, and her not so pleasant Christmas surprises (psycho stalkers, kidnappers, you name it) are hands down my favorite holiday escape. If you are a fan of Scream Queens, Pretty Little Liars, or "bubble-gum horror" in general, you won't be able to put these books down.

The Fat Man: A Tale of North Pole Noir by  Ken Harmon: There's usually no place for Christmas Cheer in a Noir universe... unless an elf gets framed for murder.  Harmon's hilarious satire is filled with brilliant pop-culture references (the murder weapon is a Red Rider BB gun!), and shows  how gritty the North Pole really is once the Christmas lights go out.

Do you have a go-to holiday read?

Peace, Love, and Lobsters

Laura

Christmas Commercials

Easily my favorite post of the year, it's once again time for my annual Christmas Commercial roundup:  

Macy's:

I love this one so much, I wish it would be a full length movie. You hear that Hallmark?  

Sainsbury's:

This hilarious short film would even make the Grinch smile.

Mulberry:

They did it again, this one had me in stitches just like last year's.

Rewe:

Christmas dinner with a snowman? This ad for a grocery store has to be the sweetest thing ever! 

Toys'R'Us:

Just in case the last one didn't make you cry.  

What's your favorite Christmas commercial this year?

Let me know in the comments or tweet me a link!

Peace, Love, and Lobster 

Laura  

25 years of Home Alone

Can you believe it's been 25 five years since Home Alone came out?  The movie will always hold a special place in my heart, not only is it the perfect Christmas movie but it was also my first  introduction to John Hughes  (he wrote and produced it),  which was the beginning of a lifelong obsession. And something this special has to be celebrated!

Home alone 25th Anniversary Edition

If your old VHS tape is slowly dying, it might be time to upgrade to the anniversary box. It includes all the movies on Blue-ray (yes, also the not so great sequels, but we'll look past that) plus some cute gimmicks (that battle plan poster!), and comes in the coolest paint can packaging.  

Punk Goes Christmas Deluxe

The "Punk Goes" Christmas Album is already home to many of my favorite holiday tunes, but the new Deluxe Edition features a rocking cover of the Home Alone Theme, and I've been playing it on repeat all week.

Boohoo Clothing

And nothing says I'm a fan, like owning a sweater with your favorite quote …I know what I'll be wearing on Christmas Day.

And then there's this hilarious article from TIME that explains what the movie would look like if it was made today  …#HomeAlone

Or this in-depth piece by James Hughes (John Hughes' son), in which some of the key cast and crew members reunite to share their memories and some behind the scenes secrets about the movie (a must read for every fan!)

Happy anniversary, ya filthy animals!

Peace, Love, and Lobsters

Laura  

Sweater Time

Is it just me, or is it getting harder and harder to find  "Ugly Christmas Sweaters" that are actually "ugly"? Because these definitely don't fit that particular requirement:

Plaid  / XMAS / Reindeer
Mistletoe / Snow / Minimalist
Ski / Wrapping Paper / Elf

Which one is your favorite?

Peace, Love, and Lobsters

Laura

Christmas Post

I know, I know…  it's a tiny bit too early to get all excited about Christmas, but some things require a certain amount of planning. And ordering Christmas cards is one of them, especially if you are looking on Etsy.   If you order them too late, you'll get them too late, and you won't be able to send them out in time if your family and/or friends live farther away.

So, I put together a little selection in case you're looking for something special this year:

Antlers Christmas Card / Sweater Holiday Card / Santa's List  Christmas Card / Naughty Or Nice Card / Merry Christmas Card / Ghost Christmas Card / Moo Trees & Candy Cane Cards

How cute are the little Christmas trees from Moo (they are made out of fonts!).

Peace, Love, and Lobsters
Laura

Winter Wonderland

I'm always looking forward to Essie's winter collection.  Last year the brand surprised me by releasing a set of colors that seemed more fitting for a garden party than a holiday dinner – but I ended up loving it. And this year's "Winter Wonderland" collection is the perfect mix of last year's soft hues and some holiday classics:

via: Essie official Tumblr

I love the pastels (you can never go wrong with a  powder pink) as much as the classic reds, and the platinum "apres-chic" is perfect for any holiday party, but my favorite has to be "haute tub", a rich black with a hint of amethyst sparkle:    

I'm usually not big on sparkly or glittery nail polish, but for some reason I'm really drawn to this one.  Maybe it's because the sparkle is so subtle, or maybe because it goes amazing with a sweater  I just bought… But whatever it is, "haute tub" is definitely going to be my go-to color this season.

Are you a fan of this year's collection? 

Peace, Love, and Lobsters

Laura 

Christmas Break

Are you ready for the holidays? December went by so fast this year, I feel like I just opened the first door on my advent calendar, and now there's only one left. But this makes me even more excited for Christmas, because at my house Christmas feels like a pause button for life. Which means watching Christmas movies, wearing PJs all day, and eating nothing but appetizers - cause who wants to spend hours in the kitchen when you can have smoked salmon and crackers? Not this girl.  

And Christmas wouldn't be complete without my favorite snack: Candy cane pretzels.

Spread some pretzels on a baking sheet, place a piece of chocolate on each one. Put them into the oven until the chocolate starts to melt, and sprinkle crushed candy canes on them. So easy, and so good.

And after reading this amazing post about Holiday Traditions (yay for fellow appetizer lovers!) on Cupcakes and Cashmere, I'd love to hear about yours! 

With that, I wish you happy holidays, and hope that you also have a few days to relax!

See you in 2015!

Peace, Love, and Lobsters
Laura

Another one...

A few days ago I blogged about my favorite Holiday ads,  unfortunately apple's "The Song" ad wasn't out yet, or it would have been number 1.  I love how it isn't as over the top as many other holiday ads.  It's just nice, and really shows how the simplest things are often the greatest presents. 

…and parts of it were filmed at Third Man Records, aka Disney World for music nerds, aka me.

There's even a behind the scenes, which includes a closer look at the Record Booth.  

…visiting Third Man Records is so high up on my bucket list.

(You, hear that Santa?)

Peace, Love, and Lobsters

Laura

Snow Purse

We interrupt the regular program to bring you the cutest  Christmas purse ever! (Ok, this is also the only Christmas purse I have seen, but it is pretty darn cute) 

New Look Bag

This little snowman also makes a really cute giftbag for smaller presents, like this little mince pie lipbalm:

Mince Pie Lipbalm

So Christmassy.

Peace, Love, and Lobsters

Laura

Don't change the channel...

Christmas is the only time of the year, when I'm actually excited about commercial breaks. 

Here are some of my favorites:

Kate Spade:

I adore this, It's festive, hilarious, has a cute pup, and there's a cameo by Iris Apfel... It doesn't get much better than that.

Mulberry:

I know that a lot of people are criticizing this commercial for it's message, but come on,  it's just some good old tongue-in-cheek humor and definitely not meant to be taken seriously. (Although I'd prefer a Mulberry bag over a unicorn any day…)

John Lewis:

I usually don't go for the overly sentimental ones (or the obvious choices)... But penguin!

Enough said. 

What are your favorite Christmas commercials of 2014?

Peace, Love, and Lobsters

Laura

Falalalala…

The best thing about December? Christmas Songs! Duh!

Last night I tried to put together a Christmas playlist, but I quickly gave up. I just couldn't narrow it down to the usual 10 or 12 songs. And since I don't have the time to post a new playlist every week, I decided to try something new and call it a "project" – which is just a nice way of saying  it's a mess.  

…but I kind of like it this way, and I will add to this mess all the way up to Christmas (I'm always on the hunt for new festive songs).  So check in once or twice a week, or simply press the follow button.

See you on Spotify!

Peace, Love, and Lobsters

Laura

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays

Can you believe it's already Christmas Eve? I hope that you're all having  amazing holidays, and that you find something special under your tree. But since we still have a few hours to kill until Santa arrives, why not spend it with sharing our favorite things about Christmas? Here's the Christmas tag:

What's your favorite holiday movie?

I have to cheat and pick two. Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life will always have a special place in my heart, but it´s simply not Christmas without joining the Griswold's for their Christmas Vacation.

PJs or Dressing up?

PJs, this year I'm loving these Cath Kidston bottoms:

If you could only buy one present this year, who would get it?

My mom (cheesy but true)

Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Morning?

Christmas Eve.

Did you ever build a ginger bread house?

I grew up in a household full of architects, and consider myself the Frank Lloyd Wright of ginger bread houses. 

Any Christmas wishes?

Another cheesy answer, but all I really want is health and happiness for my loved ones.

Favorite Christmas smell? 

The Scent of fresh snow (and let's add a white Christmas to the previous question).

Favorite Christmas treat or meal?

Candy Cane tea, (I'm obsessed) and smoked salmon, which is a Christmas staple at my house.

It's your turn!

And  don't forget to check Norad's Santa Tracker!

Peace, Love, and Twinkly Lights

Laura

Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree

I love Christmas songs, and with less than 36 hours until Christmas Eve it is officially time to play nothing but Christmas songs.  And this year this means Punk Goes Christmas:

Listen To Me

 I used to be a huge fan of the "Punk Goes" series, but I  wasn't that into their last few compilations (and their lack of punk) and my expectations for the Christmas album were rather low. 

But then I listened to the preview, and the first song by New Found Glory turned out to be amazing, as did the second by All Time Low, and …you see where this is going. So definitely check out Punk Goes Christmas if you're looking for something to rock out to this season,

Peace, Love, and Twinkly Lights

Laura