My sister gave me the idea of wrapping up books as an advent countdown. We put away our Christmas books during the year so they are like new to my little ones when we unpack them each year. So I wrapped up the current stack, added a few new ones, numbered them, and put them above their advent service list. Since we already read books each night, this is a fun twist to December. Some of them are advent books and some are just children’t Christmas books. (Found the wrapping paper from Waiting on Martha)
Here are 10 other advent calendar ideas I thought were really clever: VIEW FULL POST
Good morning! I am working on some new content for the new year, and will be launching a few new features specifically for email! A bi-weekly reader Q & A, surprise content, and occasional spotlight on favorite finds and shops. I would love to get acquainted more! That being said….
Email me any questions you have! (hello (at) inhonorofdesign.com) Little or big questions, doesn’t matter. Style, home, motherhood, fave place to get a burger in Atlanta…you know that kind of thing;) I’ll do my best to answer some through the email Q&A feature and some personally.
Sign up for your content preferences through this link or below! You all have been so encouraging this year, and it always pushes me forward. My family and I are grateful for you!
And I promise you won’t be receiving more emails than you choose to sign up for. This is just some bonus content that hopefully will entertain you once in a while, and allow me to give back to you in some fun content related ways. Cheers!
*If you are already subscribed, you will continue to receive new post updates, but you will have to sign up for the other options if you would like to be included in those!
Does anyone remember the sporty tennis shoes where you could change out the color slots on the sides? I was ready to pull out all the stops to get those shoes and reasoned with my mom that I totally needed them. I was convinced it would save her money in the long run with how versatile they were. Well, I’m still the girl with an eye for smart design and a love for color! I think this is why I fell hard for the new Lo & Sons Seville tote…
This is a convertible travel tote re-imagined to accommodate all of the features your dream tote would have. Or at least mine! Several padded pockets to secure belongings for travel and on the go purposes, organized, spacious, lightweight, high quality saffiano leather that is water and scratch resistant, and the coolest part? An interchangeable shell! You know when you find a dreamy bag and you just cannot decide on what color you will use the most? Well The Seville has an outer shell that you can snap off and swap with another color. You can imagine how this made my fashion and function loving heart beat wildly. I have used Lo & Sons travel bags for several years now, so I have seen how the quality outlasts the rest.
I fit more than I thought was possible inside this tote. Laptop, books, notebook, wallet, phone, etc. with room to spare. It also comes with a complimentary lightweight shell called the Soft Touch Shell, that attaches and slides over a roller suitcase handles for easy carry on traveling. I am looking forward to trying this feature out on my next trip. It is a very easy way to change your tote to your look without the hassle of transporting all of your things into another bag. These are just a few ways I styled the tote with both black and navy shell covers, but pretty sure this classic design would pair with multiple styles. What would be your number one feature in a tote?
x, Anna
Every year as my children grow, Gabe and I are trying really hard to be more intentional about the traditions we start with them. There were so many for me growing up that I really loved and carried with me, and now I get to pass those along to my little ones as well as start a few new ones.
Since today is the first day of Advent (which means ” coming”…cool right?), we decided to start a new tradition of giving the kids an advent box the night before. Since Advent gives us four whole weeks to prepare for Christmas, I wrote down a bunch of ideas to encourage them to have giving hearts this season and focus on the significance of the Christmas Story. It’s also an awesome opportunity to teach them about patience….waiting for something great. And while my four year old can barely wait a whole 60 seconds for me to give her snack when she requests it, a whole 4 weeks is not in her realm of understanding. I keep having to remind her that no, Christmas is not tomorrow morning. I totally get her in that regard. I don’t want to really wait either and I’d rather party and celebrate now and all four weeks rather than wait for the 12 days of Christmas, but I know I need this time. I really need this time to learn from the journey part. The part of the story where there is a lot of waiting and hoping and praying for the newborn king.
Here is what we put in the advent box:
Ornaments to decorate their little tree Lights to string across the mantle
Garland The Giving Manger Unwrapping the Greatest Gift (One of the best ways to unfold the story of Christmas. We read this and light an advent candle each night. And here is the book I am reading.)
The Giving Manger comes with the wooden creche, baby Jesus, hay pieces, and a book. For every giving good deed that they do during advent, they get to put a piece of hay in the manger to keep baby Jesus warm. This is a tradition my own mother started when I was young so it holds a lot of nostalgia for me and I was so happy to find the set.
I wasn’t sure how they would respond since there was no sweets or toys involved, but to my surprise they were a few notches above amused and just one or two notches below ecstatic. I’d call it a win.
Here are the items I wrote down for them to choose to do each day:
Write someone a Christmas card and put it in the mail.
Make your brother or sister’s bed for them in the morning.
Donate some coats to the homeless coat drive.
Make baked goods to bring to our neighbors.
Say Merry Christmas to someone you don’t know.
Make some friends at the local nursing home.
Hold the door open for a stranger when we are out and about.
Bring somebody special a Christmas tree.
Make something for the mailman to say thank you.
Buy and wrap some toys to donate or give some of their own.
Gather supplies for a Christmas meal to give to the food bank.
Make a thoughtful gift for their teachers.
Let someone go in line before them.
Any ideas to add to the list? We are all ears. Also, if you are of a different faith, what are your holiday traditions? I really enjoy hearing about them.
Happy Advent to those who celebrate and cheers the start of the most wonderful time of the year!
I have a phobia of long lines, malls, and pressured decisions so black friday and I don’t mix well. So if you are like me, avoiding the hype at all costs, and shopping from the comfort of a certain cozy couch this year, here are some helpful hints. I am a big advocate of shopping small, so there are a lot of shops below I love to support as well as a few just to good to be true sales.
As an alternative to a gift guide this year I am sharing favorite gift ideas throughout the month on instagram. (You can check out#IHODFaveThings) I am hoping if I get all my shopping done now, I can maintain a peace filled advent season come December.
Hope this helps!
Anna
P.S. I curated a gift basket of local artists for Anthropologie at Lenox Mall. If you stop by today you could possibly when the whole kit and caboodle.
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies.
For the beauty of each hour,
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower,
Sun and moon, and stars of light.
For the joy of ear and eye,
For the heart and mind’s delight,
For the mystic harmony
Linking sense to sound and sight.
For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild.
Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
This our hymn of grateful praise.
-F.S. Pierpoint
I have been parked in my kitchen for the past two days, but there is something grand about cooking a meal that you know is in community with your country. I will never feel deserving of each of this family that filled my very full table. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, with love from ours!
When the evenings start to get dark early and the temps start to drop, you start to feel all the best holidays coming up. For me, I immediately want to make the house feel cozy, warm, and welcoming. There are actually simple ways to do this without a complete overhaul. Here are a few easy ways to update a room for the holidays to welcome guests.
Move your furniture around! You can push your furniture against the wall and direct it around the mantle or Christmas tree. You could parallel your chairs against the wall or pull them back to open up the room. This makes for a more conversational environment and feels less crammed when you have guests over.
Change out your pillows — The most inexpensive way to change the look and feel of your furniture pieces is by switching out the pillows. I just have a few pillows I like to trade in and out of our family room that make a big visual difference … and I have a soft spot for cableknit!
Work in a sheepskin throw — These are generally inexpensive options to add some cozy pieces to a room that are neutral in color and can make you feel like you want to kick off your boots and stay in for the night.
Add some seasonal aroma — Light ’em up! Oh what a good candle can do, right? Completely lifts the mood of a room and oftentimes cues up some nostalgic memories of the best time of year. A few fire logs don’t hurt either. In our house, the fireplace becomes what we focus the furniture around in the winter!
Change up your bar cart — I love to add some hot drink options like coffee or cocoa to have on hand to serve your guests. A good pour-over coffee option is easy on the eyes too. 😉
Have some good coffee table reading material — A good stack of magazines or books is a great way to update your space as well as leave some options for your guests as the day winds down.
What are some ways you like to update your space for the holidays? I am really looking forward to the coming weeks and the chance to spend more time with loved ones we don’t get to see often. But for now, you can find me in the corner cozy chair with a good mag, pillow, and a fire going.
