Holiday Labels

Jordan of Oh Happy Day launched a new site that has exquisite labels for every occasion and I think they would add style to any holiday gift. I love them all and can't wait to see what she comes up with because she is sharing a new label everyday this week. I already have a major crush on Stuck Labels.

xoxo, C

The Science of Gingerbread

The Discovery Science Center of Santa Ana has a festive scientific exhibit for the holidays, The Science of Gingerbread. Families will be able to see the scientific background of how ingredients in Gingerbread work together to create a traditional holiday treat.

xoxo, C

Orange County Christmas Tree Lightings

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, of all the trees most lovely... it's that time of year. The lights & trees are going up, & in some cities, a little snow may even fall! To ensure you don't miss any chance of celebrating, we've put together a short list of local Christmas Tree lightings & other city-wide celebrations. Have fun looking at all the pretty lights!

December 2nd:
* Garden Grove Tree Lighting Celebration at the Village Green/ Clock Tower. For more information call (714)741-5200.
December 3rd:
* City of La Palma Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony, 5:30 pm at the Central Park Amphitheater.
December 4th:
* City of Brea Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony, Brea Civic & Cultural Center. Admission is FREE. For more information call (714)990-7771
* City of Cypress Holiday Sing, 6pm, on the Civic Center Green
December 5th:
* Placentia Winter Holiday Celebration, 6:30pm, Placentia Civic Center: holiday music, caroling, refreshments, Christmas tree lighting.
* City of Tustin Christmas Tree Lighting, City Hall, 6pm
December 6th:
* City of Laguna Hills breakfast with Santa, 9-10:30am at the Laguna Hills Community Center.
* City of Buena Park 38th Annual Candy Caneland & Craft Faire: 10am-4pm, Ehlers Community Center.
* Downtown Fullerton's Annual Winter Festival, noon-6pm: bounce houses, face painting, craft & food booths, caroling, tree light ceremony at 5 pm.
* Newport Beach's 20th Annual Winter Wonderland, 10:30am-1pm, Bonita Creek Park: sledding, snowman building, holiday crafts & more.
* Holly Jolly Hoopla!, 1-5:30pm, San Clemente Community Center: live penguins & reindeer, sled rides, decorating cookies, Santa visits & story telling. For more information call (949)361-8264.
* San Juan Capistrano Tree Lighting Ceremony, 4:30-9pm, Historic Town Center Park. For more information call (949)493-5911.
* Christmas at the Casa, 5:30-9pm: tree lighting ceremony, story telling with Santa, caroling. $5/ adult, children 12 and under $2. For more information call (949)498-2139.
* City of Fountain Valley's Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony
December 7th:
* Laguna Niguel Christmas Tree Lighting at Crown Vally Community Park.
* Huntington Beach Pier Lighting & Holiday Parade, 1pm-7pm
December 13th:
* Dana Point's Winter Festival at La Plaza Park. For more information call (949)248-3530.
* City of Costa Mesa's Snow Hill: sledding, face painting, cookie decorating... 9am-12pm, Balearic Community Center. For more information call (714)54-5300.
* Laguna Niguel Holiday Parade, Crown Valley Parkway 10 am.
* City of Laguna Hills Holiday Hay Ride
December 21st:
* Fashion Island Menorah Lighting Ceremony, 3pm. For more information call (949)721-9800

xoxo, K

Countdown to Christmas

The best countdown of all, has to be the Christmas Countdown. Last year I picked up THIS cute hat & mitten advent calendar... although there are several darling ones to choose from. THIS one is simple & basic, but will definitely get the job done. Pottery Barn Kids had a cute felt Christmas Tree calendar in the store, similar to THIS one, but THIS three dimensional house is cute too.

But you don't have to purchase your advent calendar. There are so many cute ideas out there, I'm honestly considering having two or three countdowns going on, I know... I sound crazy. But seriously, I love THIS cookie sheet advent calender, or HERE's another version. THIS advent in a box is a fun idea, & HERE's a DIY version of the mitten calendar. Or there's always THIS cute matchbox calender.

Looking for something a little different then your basic candy countdown? Try reading a different christmas book each night, or even watching 24 Christmas themed movies. Or, check out THIS idea for an "activity based" Christmas countdown. However you count down, it's sure to be fun.

xoxo, K
image via garnet hill

Cyber Monday

Today is the day to enjoy shopping from the comfort of your own home and finish your Christmas shopping with just a few clicks. Make sure if you have something specific in mind to use a shopping search engine like froogle or shopzilla to find the best deals and stay focused. Remember that on Cyber Monday its electronics before clothes because they tend to sell out the fastest. Once you get to the fashion section of your list you can check out sites like Lucky to find the the best boutiques for online fashion finds. Don't forget to check out these codes from Daily News to save a few pennies. Happy Cyber Monday!

xoxo, C