Merry Christmas!
I hope that your Christmas was filled with family time, festive lattes, warm candle scents, billions of carbs, and Hallmark movie endings.
This Christmas was so lovely for Dawson and me. Despite the pandemic, we were able to visit so many people safely. It was a long week, but it was absolutely perfect!
On top of it all, I got to enjoy no homework. What a treat!! I tried to rest up and spent a significant period bingeing Little Fires Everywhere on Hulu. Many events in that show do not match my values or perspectives, but it was still a captivating show!
Now that I am back, rested, caffeinated, and maybe a little tipsy, I am here to spill everything I got for Christmas.
My favorite part is picking out gifts, crafting Excel sheets, wrapping, rewrapping from Jolly Juice attempts, crying at Hallmark endings, and obsessing over my dogs when they are close to Christmas décor. However, I always forget just how excited I get over gifts, so I thought maybe you’d be interested, too.
First and foremost, I now declare myself
Chloe Queen of Gift Cards
Between Dawson and I, we got $500 in gift cards to various stores and more in cash. It was totally crazy, but we are super thankful. We were able to increase our savings, and we will probably reach our February financial goal by the first week in January. Score! Then, the gift cards are fantastic – more clothes from Manna DeKor for me, more clothes for Dawson from H&M, all the Amazon packages, décor, etc., etc., etc.!
All the gift cards were very exciting and will keep my addictions healthy and thriving.
I got a bunch of stuff from my lists for our future house, as we hope to buy in 2021. While I won’t be living there until after the wedding, I am still pumped to decorate and possibly renovate. Carlas 2.0, here I come!
Getting items for our home has been something I started doing three or four years ago, and that’s when Dawson and I started a small account for a future down payment. I am so excited and want to be financially stable when we make this transition, which has inspired me to ask for house necessities and décor. I have OCD and sometimes struggle with excess clutter or things that don’t match, so I try to minimize the list of items I’ll need to buy for our home immediately. I created two registries on Walmart and Wayfair, and so many have gifted me items from there, which I store at my grandma’s.
Jon and Jonelle, Dawson’s parents, got me my dream vacuum, the Shark Navigator Life-Away Upright Vacuum. My passion is screaming Jesse McCartneys’ lyrics in “Better with You” while vacuuming, so now I can fulfill my deepest desires in our future home.
They also got me 8 Unique Slate Drink Coasters, which I have been fangirling over since I first saw them. Goodbye sweating coffee cups!
My parents got us Oversized Washed Waffle Pillows from Target that I have been eyeing for three years. The first time I saw them, I was in awe. They are gigantic, and I am obsessed!
To match the jaw-dropping pillows, my parents got us this Yellow Diamond Cotton Throw Blanket. Now, I need a gray sectional to style and never leave. Also, possibly, maybe, I’ll splurge and get an Urban Outfitters accent pillow!
When Dawson makes legitimate requests for the house, I try to listen. He was extremely adamant about having a doormat that reads “Go Away,” so I got it. I would never tell anyone to go away, and I don’t want girl scouts with cookies to assume we are mean old men! Therefore, I decided I want to decorate our front door area. My parents helped me start this by getting us this Outdoor Buffalo Plaid Doormat for under Dawson’s pick.
My parents got us the KitchenAid Tool and Gadget Set, which has several kitchen items we would need. They are black, which is perfect as we are hoping to keep all our kitchen items gray or black.
My grandma got Dawson and me some black starter knives before we get a full set. I am obsessed with how chic they look. While I don’t have the link to these, I do know they are from Kohls.
Additionally, she got us silverware that has officially stolen my heart. This 40-Piece Stainless Steel Silverware makes me want to cook – is this a miracle??? Probably not because I still won’t, but at least now it’s a thought!
Lastly, I got a Wayfair gift card and ordered a third set of our dishes as they are being discontinued. They are so expensive and so beautiful; I just had to do it.
All the house gifts are fantastic, and I feel so blessed! Some other spectacular items that I got were:
Christmas Themed: Jon and Jonelle got me a Grinch Lennox Christmas ornament – the first time I saw it online, I shed a few tears. My parents got me a Santa Toymaker Hallmark Keepsake ornament, which heavily reminds me of how I viewed Santa growing up. My Grandma Cande shocked me with the Hallmark Channel Countdown to Christmas Cookbook, including recipes, crafts, table settings, etc. Dawson’s Grandma Lynn gave me a pair of Hallmark socks that make me feel beyond extra! Then, Dawson’s Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Kenny gave me the cutest ornament organizer!
Clothes: Naturally, I got a bunch of Manna DeKor and More! Dawson and Chance got me clothes, which I’m sure my mom helped pick. Then, my parents gave me a hefty gift card to support my obsession! I once mentioned wanting cute sweat suits, so my mom took that and ran – now, I have several adorable AE sets! Dawson’s parents and sister got me some cute items from Francesca’s, which was my first boutique experience a few years ago. Chance’s girlfriend, Caiah, gave me a fluffy, baby pink pullover that makes me feel like Elle Woods – whatta keeper.
Other: Of course, I got wine! Dawson’s Aunt Bobbie picked out two bottles for me, which is how you know it’s fantastic. My cousin, Brooke, gave me the cutest, custom Starbucks cup…I am now growing a collection of these cups. Dawson gave me pepper spray that also dyes the attackers’ skin, and Jon and Jonelle gave me a taser (being a crime junkie has me paranoid.) I could go on and on forever about all the neat, cute things that I got, but I’m already at 1100 words!
I hope you were happy with everything you ate, received, gave, and did last week. Here’s your friendly reminder to enjoy this next week, don’t worry about going over calories as it’s normal, and to drink responsibly.
Cheers to getting the f*** away from 2020; it’s been worse than Joe Goldberg.
There have actually been really memorable highs, but overall, the year can peace out.
So, Like, Now What? 