I’m hoping my father-in-law will fill his suitcase and pockets with holly when he comes to visit us next weekend from Virginia. I think our Santas would look a lot better with some sprigs of real holly tucked around them. That’s one of the things I miss most about living in Virginia: the gorgeous varieties of flowers, trees, and shrubs. Imagine being able to go out into your yard and get all the fresh holly you want. But I shouldn’t complain as I look out the window at the snow-covered hills and trees. We almost always have a White Christmas here in western Wisconsin.

• DIY stocking stuffers.
• Festive jars (especially great for those who don’t like to wrap gifts).
• And while you’re there, check out her fantastic-looking chocolate bark.
• These paper ice cream ornaments would be great at a birthday party, too.
• A glass ornament decorated 10 different ways here.
• Felted bell ornaments.
• These free “Dressy Cat” print-outs for the younger set are so cute, but I don’t really know how to describe them! You’ll have to check them out for yourself. (They’re definitely in the category of “something to keep the kiddos busy so you can get something done.”)
• Our Christmas tree is very traditional, but it’s fun to see how others “reimagine” the basic tree.

Do you have fun plans for the weekend? Our plans include my mom’s wonderful annual Christmas concert at her church and decorating our tree while Tim makes his Christmas biscotti. I’ll be making a red velvet cake with sugared cranberries for our friends’ Christmas party. I made the exact same cake for this party last year, but our lovely hostess didn’t get any. So this time I’m going to squirrel away a big piece for her.

I hope you have a cheery and festive weekend. Please come back next week—I’ll have photos of our kitchen looking reminiscent of the 1878 flour explosion in Minneapolis. But Tim’s biscotti are totally worth it.