Christmas Gift Recap
I (surprisingly) really enjoyed this Christmas season. Despite the fact that things were very much NOT normal. It was so nice to have some uninterrupted + consistent down time to play games, rest my soul, & fill up my cup with my family members! One reason why this Christmas season was extra fun for me is because this is the first year that I have a salary. Usually, my siblings & I will put all of our names into a bowl & draw -- there are four of us so it always works out really well. We also pool our money together & buy a gift for each of our parents. Since I have more money this year, I decided to get each sibling a gift & each parent a gift all on my own. It was so special to be able to get something for each person! & my siblings were a fan of the new set up as well lol they called me "salary Alli" for about a week! With all of that being said, I thought I ought to do a recap of some of my favorite gifts that I received & gave. Keep scrolling to see more!
My sister, Bethany, asked for an iced coffee maker for Christmas & here is her review: I drink coffee a lot & spend a lot on it like normal teenagers do. This is probably my favorite Christmas present out of all of the ones I got & it is seriously amazing!! The coffee maker is fairly small & is really easy to store. It's incredibly easy to use as there are only a few steps. It has a reusable coffee filter which is very nice because you only have to rinse it off in between uses. The whole process takes about five minutes & that includes getting the ice in your cup!
When I accepted my first job as a school counselor, I remember telling my Mom that I really wanted some note cards that said "from the desk of..." or had "Miss Rice" on them somewhere. I had honestly forgotten about this little wish until I opened up these cards on Christmas morning! These are absolutely darling & match my style + office aesthetic so well. Oh the little things that bring me joy & how special my Mama made me feel that she remembered!
I got a kindle paperwhite & I would be lying if I said I wasn’t totally & completely obsessed with this new gadget! The last couple of years I’ve started to rediscover my love of reading, especially fiction. But let me tell ya, reading isn’t a cheap hobby! I loved the idea of holding a physical book in my hand so I was kind of nervous that I wasn’t going to like reading from a kindle, but I actually really do! One of the main things I noticed is that I easily got lost in it — in the stories & the characters. Also, I have baby hands & the kindle is way more comfortable & easy to hold than a physical book. Of course I had to get a cute case / cover because duh. & this one is SO STINKING CUTE!!! The kindle automatically “wakes up” when you open the front flap which is just kinda cool.
My Mom & I found this Etsy shop that makes personalized book stacks & we fell in love. I was so thankful that she got me on for Christmas that I can display in my new house (that I'm renting)! It's very much my style & really goes with the vibe / aesthetic I'm going for in my home. Also, a funny thing about this small woven basket is that it’s actually designed to go in a bathroom & hold extra toilet paper, but I thought it was so cute so I got it to set out! How funny is that lol!?
above picture details linked here:book stack / woven basket
I bought this makeup organizer & makeup mirror almost six months ago & have been obsessed with them since! If I'm being completely honest, I didn't totally understand the point of the organizer. I just threw everything into a bag & called it good. But since I got a new little desk / vanity for getting ready, I thought it would look really cute & I have the room so why not. & to my surprise, I actually really love it! It’s incredibly helpful for getting ready quickly — everything is right there in the open so you can grab certain things. I don’t have to worry about makeup breaking or one of my foundations leaking over everything. It manages the space very efficiently so my bottom drawer is actually completely empty, even though my makeup bag was full. A much better way to care for your makeup & it’s cute, too! Avery saw how much I loved each thing so she asked for both of them for Christmas & is just as pleased as I am!
Back in October when I got my hair colored, the stylist used a new tool I hadn't ever seen before to curl my hair. I typically used a straightener & it works great for getting really loose + effortless waves / curls, but when I try to do tighter curls, it doesn't hold very well. The new tool that my hair dresser used literally held my curls for two days! I was so impressed that I asked her what the tool was & immediately put it on my Christmas list! It is fairly easy to use & creates such beautiful curls that stay as long as I want them to!
My other sister, Avery, asked for this hair tool for Christmas & here is her review: I really like the way it curls my hair. In the past, I've always used a wand, but I didn't love the curls it gave me. I feel like the curls I get from this tool are super pretty & more curly than wavy. I'll be honest, it was pretty hard to use the first time, but it's gotten so much easier the more I've used it. I'm really bad at curling my hair with a straightener, but I love the way the curls look & they look the same to me, but this tool is much easier for me! It says it can curl or straighten, however, if I'm being honest, I wouldn't recommend using it as a straightener. It definitely can straighten your hair, but just the way the end of it is curved, I feel like it always leaves kinks in my hair that are really hard to get rid of unless you fix it with a normal straightener. But to me, that just defeats the purpose of using it in the first place. It's definitely worth it to just get it as a curler! I also think the tool itself is really pretty & heats up super fast. It turns off automatically after 30 minutes of nonuse which is super nice for forgetful people like me, because I'm always scared that I forgot to turn off my tools so it's very nice that I don't have to worry about that!
Going along with the hair trend, I had heard truly amazing things about this hair serum so when I saw that they were having a huge sale, I told my Mom lol. My personal opinion is that it is 100% worth the hype + price! It smells absolutely amazing & my hair has never looked softer or more sleek in my entire life. Because of how much I love it, I've started looking into other products from the same brand & want to try them out!
A few weekends ago, my sister Avery came & spent the night with me & she brought her facial steamer that she got for Christmas. First I washed my face off & then got all set up. At first, I was kind of freaking out & felt like I couldn’t breathe because all of the humid hair is pumping right at your face & into your nose! Avery told me to just relax & breathe & to look through social media on your phone. I got on Instagram & started looking through stories & all of a sudden it ran out — I had let it run for the 15-20 minutes which is the longest time option! I was so relaxed & had completely forgotten about it! When I was done, I felt like my face was covered in sweat, but it was just the residue from the humid steam. I rinsed my face off with warm water & then applied my serums & moisturizer. My face has never felt so soft!! The point of a steamer is to open up your pores & it also helps to release the sebum that is trapped that can cause breakouts. Now I think I need to get one of these facial steamers for myself!!
These personalized beaded bracelets are one of my favorite Christmas gifts! You can put anything on them that you want, but I thought these words were such good reminders + look super cute (& are trendy with my middle schoolers lol). I got them for both of my sisters & my Mom got them for me!
Some of you had asked for more information on our Christmas pjs so here’s a better view! The girls all got the comfiest red & white striped joggers from Abercrombie & Fitch with a super soft (almost sherpa) dark grey crewneck. The boys got some grey joggers that match the girls’ tops with a plain white long sleeve t-shirt. I’m wearing a small in the leggings & an xxs in the crewneck. Both are perfect sizes for me!
above picture details linked here:dark grey crewneck / red & white striped joggers / personalized beaded bracelets / white apple watch band / cream slippers / lip color (shade is called “girl power”) / dainty gold mini coin necklace / favorite comfy padded bra / wooden jewelry wall hanging / makeup mirror / makeup organizer / white marble loopy phone case (get 10% off using code smalltown10!)
My Mom got me this mustard Walmart crewneck for Christmas because she knew how much I was wanting it! SO comfy & great quality! It’s pretty thin but that makes it perfect for layering. This one is a small. I got a medium in the orange one that I got first because I wanted it to for sure be legging-friendly & cover my bottom. I tried on my mom’s small & realized that it still covers my booty & has some extra room in the torso so that’s the size I’m going with from now on. Such a great staple piece for only $12! Comes in tons of other colors + patterns as well.
above picture details linked here:black + white striped layering tank / cream slippers / seamless black leggings / mustard crewneck / lip color (shade is called “girl power”) / purple nail polish (shade is “#3106”) / personalized beaded bracelets / dainty gold mini coin necklace / favorite comfy padded bra / wooden jewelry wall hanging / makeup mirror / makeup organizer / white marble loopy phone case (get 10% off using code smalltown10!)
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