Winter weddings and cocktail parties call for a new surge of dress finding this month. Here is Jessica’s request: I’m trying to find a dress for the wedding of my husband’s friend on December 16, 2007. I just got the invitation in the mail today, and I’m feeling perplexed about what to wear. It’s a…

I love the holidays, but there is one Christmas song that instantly puts me in a bit of a funk. Every version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” – no matter how fast or how perky – is to me very depressing. I just can’t stop picturing Judy Garland and Tootie being so sad…

Rob and I made pomanders last night with clovers and tiny Clementine oranges. They may be small, but their festive scent is mighty. Did you know that cloves are really the dried flower buds of a tree that grows in Indonesia? And that the name derives from the French word for “nails?”

By popular demand, here are a few things that I’ve got on my wish list for the holiday season. I’ll try to keep the ideas coming 🙂 Scissors – Fair trade, handmade scissors are a thing of beauty (thanks Jordan! You’re singlehandedly creating international demand for these). I’m of the opinion that one can’t have…

My vintage entertaining books are chock-full with fun holiday ideas. A particular favorite comes from Brunches and Coffees (1960). You may remember this book of chicken wire carnation arrangement prestige. Here’s an excerpt: Bring your Christmas Cards to BrunchSet the date for this brunch at the end of November or no later than the first…

Yum. Those candy cane oreos really did the trick. I came home last night motivated to wrap all my Christmas goodies from France. All I had was tissue paper left over from last year and fun snowflake and reindeer felt ribbon I bought in Paris. I think the final results have a festive, old fashioned…

A quick trip to Trader Joe’s has done a quick jump-start for my holiday cheer. Not only do they have the best smelling wreaths for $11 each, each aisle is stocked with incredible goodies. Candy cane creme filled oreos? Yep, eating them right now. Favor-ready boxes of festive marshmallow snowmen? They’ve got ’em. Gingerbread men,…

It was a cold and work-filled weekend, not much to report. On Saturday, Rob and I took our Christmas card photo and had dinner with Matt and Amber. I am just now starting to feel the holiday spirit after Thanksgiving in Paris. On Sunday, I drank chai tea, sprayed my favorite pine scent around the…

What a week. I can’t believe I only returned from vacation mid-day on Tuesday. Here’s what I learned this week: Paris! Paris! Paris! What can I even say? I hate traveling by plane. Not the flying itself, just all the other indignities. Good idea to limit access to reading materials on a 14 hour flight…

This will be the final post in my week of Francophilia. And it works nicely as a transition into the barrage of holiday posts that will inevitably begin on Monday. Located in the Latin Quarter, the Cluny Museum houses a select collection of Renaissance art and artifacts. It would be easy to be overwhelmed by…