Kate Middleton is manifesting a white Christmas, if her outfit choice for her annual Christmas carol concert is anything to go off of.
In a new iTV clip promoting Middleton’s Together at Christmas concert, which tapes Friday at Westminster Abbey ahead of its Christmas Eve broadcast, the Princess of Wales wears a white bouclé blazer with a touch of shimmer woven throughout. The collared jacket, which has self-covered buttons of the same fabric, is designed by Self Portrait and features sequins and pearls as embellishments.
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Middleton achieves maximum angelic tree-topper vibes by standing in front of a glowing Christmas tree draped with garlands and lights. Her earrings, a cluster of pearls and crystals from J.Crew, are a rewear from her attendance at last week’s Royal Variety performance.
This is the princess’ third year hosting the caroling concert, which she founded in 2021 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, in addition to the usual high-profile celebrity guests expected in attendance, Middleton announced that she would also invite home health workers and midwives to the concert in honor of her Centre for Early Childhood campaign, Shaping Us. In the new promo clip, she says it’s a way of “saying a heartfelt thank you to those supporting the very youngest members of our society during those crucial early years.”
At the first Together at Christmas concert in 2021, Middleton stunned by giving her first public piano performance, accompanying singer Tom Walker as he gave an emotional performance of the song “For Those Who Can’t Be Here.” Middleton recently shared that her daughter, Princess Charlotte, has also taken up piano lessons. Perhaps someday we’ll be treated to a mother-daughter duet at a future iteration of the concert.
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Have you been looking for ways to get in the mood for this holiday season? One way to do this is by decorating your college dorm room or apartment with a bunch of cute holiday decorations!
If you have been looking for the perfect way to make your room feel more festive this year, check out this list of 20 adorable dorm room Christmas decor ideas that will transform your space this holiday season.
Dorm Room Christmas Decor Ideas
1. Hanging Snowflakes
One super cute way to decorate your dorm room for the holidays is by adding some hanging snowflakes like these around your room!
These snowflakes will work perfectly for hanging over the door or on your wall this holiday season. Also, it’s super easy to DIY paper snowflakes, so don’t feel like you have to spend money!
This will help to turn your room into a winter wonderland that will make you feel cozy and festive.
2. Christmas Garland
Garlands are also super popular decorations for the holidays, so if you want to make your dorm room feel more festive, I recommend adding a garland of some kind.
You can hang garlands on the walls of your dorm room, or you can wrap them around your furniture to make your room seem more festive.
In addition, this is a perfect way to add some low-commitment Christmas color to your room! This Christmas-themed pom pom garland is pretty and inexpensive, but you could also DIY it if you’re feeling crafty.
3. Christmas Wreath
You may also want to think about getting a Christmas wreath this year! Christmas wreaths are always a fun way to add something extra to your room to make it feel more festive when you come home.
In particular, this light-up Christmas wreath would be such a cute accent for your door. The lights make it feel extra festive and pretty!
4. Christmas Decals
Christmas decals are another fun way to add some more festive decor to your room! You may have used these growing up, and they are a fun way to add some nostalgic decor to your room while also making it feel more festive for the holidays! The best part is, people can see them from outside so it’s almost like decorating outdoors as well.
So, if you have been looking for some cute Christmas-themed decals to add to the window of your dorm room, this set of Santa and reindeer decals is an adorable option.
5. Pre-lit Christmas Tree
Of course, you will also want to think about adding a Christmas tree to your dorm room. For me, a Christmas tree is an absolute must for the holidays.
To make your life a lot easier, you might consider getting a fake tree because it is less of a mess in your dorm room. Also, you don’t want to get anything big since dorms are short on space. And I recommend getting one that already has lights on it, like this one, to make decorating your tree easier!
So, if you have been looking for the perfect Christmas tree that will fit your dorm room and make it feel more festive, check out this Christmas tree that comes pre-lit to make your life even easier while decorating for the holidays!
6. Stockings
Stockings are also another fun way to add something festive to your dorm room! You can hang one up for yourself and even get one for your roommate, if you have one, to make you both feel more festive this year.
For those of us who have been looking for a super cute stocking to add to your room, you should check out this adorable pink one that will give your dorm room a girly and festive vibe!
7. Christmas Tree Light
There are also a bunch of little knick-knacks that you can add to your room to make it more festive, such as this Christmas tree light.
This adorable light will give you something super cute to add to your dorm room to make it feel more festive! It’s perfect for those of us who may not have the space for a larger Christmas tree in our rooms.
8. Holiday Gift Rug
Another simple but fun way to add more decor to your dorm room is by adding a holiday-themed rug like this holiday gift rug!
You can add holiday-themed rugs like this one to the outside of your door, your bedroom, or even if you have a bathroom in your dorm room or suite.
So, make sure to check out some of the super cute holiday-themed rugs that will add more fun decor to your room!
9. Christmas Pillow
You may also be thinking about adding some decor to your furniture. For example, if you have a couch or chair in your room, you could totally add a holiday-themed pillow.
For example, this cute holiday-themed pillow may be just what you need to add to your seating area or even your bed to make your dorm room feel more festive this year!
This will also help you get the comfy and cozy vibes for your dorm room that you will love for the winter.
10. Christmas Tree Neon Light
If you like to have fun Christmas-themed lights to help you get in the festive mood for the holidays, you’ll love this Christmas decor item for your dorm room!
This is a Christmas tree neon light, which will give you something a little bit more unique for your holiday decor. It’s cute and aesthetic and super affordable as well.
11. Christmas Sign
Holiday-themed signs are also another way to add festive decor to your room, so if you are looking for some cute holiday signs, you might be interested in this one.
This “merry and bright” sign will give you something cute to add to the wall of your dorm room and will give your room more of the festive vibe that you are going for.
12. Holiday Records
You may not have thought of this holiday decor item for your dorm room, but you should definitely check it out!
It is holiday-themed records!
Many people nowadays use records to decorate the walls of their rooms. So, if you are one of those people who loves to use records as a way to decorate, you may want to check out some of the holiday-themed records.
For example, this Michael Buble record may be one that you are interested in, or you could also find some records with the classic Christmas songs to decorate your dorm room!
13. Scented Candles
One of my favorite ways to decorate for the holidays is with candles! Candles are not only a fun way to add some decor to your room, but also they can help you get in the festive mood for the holiday season, especially if you get scented candles.
One of my favorite things to do around the holidays is buying Christmas tree-scented candles and other holiday scents to really make me feel the comfy and cozy vibes while in my home!
So, if you love candles, you might be interested in adding some festive holiday candles like these to your dorm room this season. And since most dorms prohibit burning candles, get a candle warmer so you can enjoy the scent without breaking the rules.
14. Holiday Wall Stickers
Wall decals like this one are also an easy and fun way to add some holiday decor to the walls of your room.
With decals like this one, you can get creative with your holiday decor and purchase just about any holiday design to decorate your walls this season.
So, if you are interested in going for a winter wonderland vibe for your room for the holidays, definitely check out this adorable Let it Snow wall decal!
15. Holiday-Themed Towels
Another way to add some more holiday-themed items to your room to make it more festive is by purchasing some holiday-themed towels!
You might not have thought about this item when shopping for holiday decor, but you can find some super cute holiday-themed towels like these to add to the festive feel of your room this holiday season.
You can use these in your dorm bathroom or even in the kitchen if you live in a college apartment!
16. Reindeer Squishmallow
For those of us who love squishmallows, you may have seen that they have come out with some adorable holiday-themed squishmallows like this one!
If you are obsessed with squishmallows, this adorable reindeer will be just what you need to help you decorate your room for the holidays.
Not only will this squishmallow give you a super cute collectible item that you can hold onto, but it will also add to the comfy and cozy holiday vibes of your room this season. Just place this squishmallow on your bed or in your seating area to add to the festive look of your room!
17. LED String Lights
If you are trying to create a comfy and cozy vibe for your room for this holiday season, you might want to also add some LED string lights like these!
Lights are essential for decorating for the holiday season, but if you are looking for lights that will work for your dorm room to create a comfy vibe, these lights are definitely what you are looking for.
You can hang or place these lights just about anywhere in your room to get the comfy feel that you are going for this holiday season!
18. Winter Blanket
Another fun way to add decor to your bedding or seating area is with a holiday or winter-themed blanket like this snowflake one!
This snowflake blanket will work perfectly as an extra blanket for your bedding or even a blanket for your seating area to get comfy and cozy during the wintertime.
19. Christmas Ornaments
You will also, of course, need some ornaments to decorate your tree if you are going to have one in your dorm room this year! So, the easiest way to do this is by checking out some Christmas ornament sets like this one.
This set comes with some gorgeous ornaments in red and gold that will look beautiful on your tree.
I love buying ornament sets because it makes it so much easier to find ornaments that match with each other for your tree!
20. Christmas Prints
You can also add even more to your dorm room walls with some Christmas or holiday-themed prints like these!
Prints like these have been very popular recently as decor for dorm rooms! So, these prints will not only give you some super cute holiday decor to hang on your walls, but they will also give you more of a trendy holiday look for your room.
If this is the vibe you are going for this season, definitely purchase this holiday print set to hang in your dorm room!
How will you be decorating your dorm room for the holidays?
Which dorm room Christmas decor item from this list is your fave? How do you like to decorate for the holidays? Tell us in a comment below!
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
The last few months of the calendar are huge for any retailer. In the U.S., Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas sales reached almost $937 billion combined just last year alone.
It’s also typically the time when retailers see an increase in fraud, with an 82% higher rate of daily attempts in the long weekend between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday last year. However, experts say that retailers should brace themselves this holiday season in particular, as many factors have combined to make it an even more opportune time for fraudsters.
First, the combination of rising inflation and predictions of a recession in the next 12 months means that consumers with ever-tightening budgets are more likely to fall prey to false “deals.” Second, the latest technology such as generative AI enables fraud to be executed on a much larger scale than ever before.
Finally, crime does indeed seem to pay for fraudsters, as they are rarely held accountable for their crimes. New regulations in the U.S. are holding merchants and banks accountable for fraudulent transactions, while those behind them usually go unpunished. Generally, banks are more likely to be liable when the fraud involves an actual card, and merchants are more likely to be stuck with the cost for card-not-present transactions, when just the card’s details are needed, like online payments.
Here are four types of online fraud for which merchants should be on the lookout this holiday season.
AI is being used to turbo-charge fraud, with tools such as WormGPT and FraudGPT now available for free on the dark web, where they are used for malicious purposes. FraudGPT can create very believable phishing scams, in addition to launching viruses and malware from websites that look like trusted retail sites but are in fact false. WormGPT can use data from chats to mimic customer support agents / trusted retail brands and thus trick consumers into giving confidential information (e.g. their credit card details), as well as create fake products on online marketplaces, generate counterfeit coupons and promotions that seem legit, and create fake online reviews.
Email security company SlashNext conducted an experiment wherein they asked WormGPT to generate an email intended to urge an unsuspecting account manager into paying a fake invoice. According to researchers, WormGPT’s email was not only remarkably persuasive but strategic and cunning, demonstrating its potential for sophisticated phishing attacks.
What can merchants do?
To defend against this latest threat, merchants should ensure that all cybersecurity training for their company, such as awareness programs, is continually updated to include the latest warning signs of fraud. These include things like language that implies urgency.
2. Website spoofing
Another type of online fraud that merchants should be aware of is website spoofing, or brand impersonation with the intent of launching phishing attempts to execute online fraud. Cybercriminals replicate a business site with an identical frontend to the original and a barely-changed domain name so that users are likely not to realize the site is fake and so to trust it with their personal data. In 2022, more than 4.7 million phishing attacks took place.
As long as the impersonated site is up, it damages the brand financially and reputationally, leading to customer churn. Memcyco’s Ran Arad refers to this critical time as the ‘window of exposure’: the time between when a counterfeit website is detected by Threat Intelligence Solutions, and its eventual takedown. In Arad’s words, “During this critical period, unsuspecting customers can be easily lured to the fake site, leading to potential monetary losses, data breaches and the exposure of personal identities. Alarmingly, many companies currently lack the insight to determine how many of their customers have fallen prey to scams during this vulnerable window.”
With the help of technology, brands can take these spoof sites down. However, the process can take too long to prevent customers being conned out of their money by fraud.
What can merchants do?
Instead, merchants should implement website fraud detection solutions that are able to identify fraud attempts in real-time. These will minimize the scope of damage and exposure of customer details as much as possible.
Gift card fraud occurs when fraudsters steal a user’s credit card information and then buy a gift card with it. This kind of scam is effective because it leaves very little trail for the victims to follow: fraudsters can make purchases with stolen gift cards without needing any ID. For consumers, it’s virtually impossible to get this money back.
What can merchants do?
Merchants can attempt to prevent gift card fraud by placing limits on the ability to make large or repeated gift card purchases. In addition, having an internal system for tracking individual gift cards helps prevent fraudsters from taking advantage.
4. Bot attacks/account takeover
Account takeover is an old threat in retail, but with a rise in ecommerce fraud rings it has taken on a new twist. Malicious actors are employing bad bots to facilitate credential-stuffing and brute force attacks, as automation can cycle through potential credentials quickly until successful. These attacks have the potential to lock retail customers out of their accounts, provide fraudsters with sensitive information, contribute to business revenue loss, and increase the risk of non-compliance.
As bot attacks on ecommerce sites increased by 71% in 2022, merchants are caught in a double bind. On one hand, it has become increasingly challenging for merchants to keep user accounts safe. At the same time, failure to do so can harm their business through fraudulent transactions, payment fraud, user distrust, and a negative impact on their brand reputation.
The sophistication of these cybercriminals and criminal rings is fast-increasing, presenting a significant threat to retailers. Ping Li, Signifyd’s VP of Risk and Chargeback Operations, highlights that at one point in 2020, the automated attacks on their Commerce Network increased by 146%: “We’ve seen fraud rings unleash bots for everything from credential-stuffing to breaking into accounts, to rapid-fire fraud attacks, to quickly buying up the inventory of hot products for resale.”
What can merchants do?
Merchants should invest in technology that identifies the newest emerging fraud tactics. Many of these tools use machine learning and artificial intelligence to defend against bot attacks by malicious actors.
Step up the protection of your business this holiday season
As retailers brace for a surge in fraud during the holidays, many factors are rendering increased vigilance crucial. In these times of economic uncertainty, merchants must put additional protections in place, especially since they are now accountable for reimbursing the victims of successful fraud attempts.
Fraudsters are also exploiting new and emerging technologies. Internal policies, including cybersecurity training and awareness, can offer increased protection. However, it is fraud detection technology — which identifies fraud attempts in real-time across multiple attack vectors, including websites — that should be the first line of defense for brands today.
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Holiday party season is upon us… do you have any holiday makeup tips and tricks? Have you learned anything new (a hairstyle, a makeup thing) or bought a new product you’ll definitely be using for upcoming holiday parties?
Kat’s Holiday Makeup: A Dramatic Eye
I must say I have fun with a dramatic makeup look… and hands down, the top trick I’ve learned lately that I’ll definitely be using for holiday makeup is to line the inside of my upper eyelid’s waterline with black pencil to make your lashline look fuller. I’ve been using this NudeStix eye liner — this thing does NOT budge and is a matte, opaque black; I find the chunkier pencil an easy way to get my waterline because it needs less precision than all of my skinnier eyeliner pencils.
(This is actually great for a “no makeup” look also because you can skip regular liner — my eyes look noticeably bigger when I do it.)
I also got this “winged eyeliner stamp” during the Black Friday sales, but haven’t tried it yet… I am almost as bad at a winged eyeliner as I am at fake eyelashes, and that’s saying something.
Otherwise, I generally like to let the kids pick my overall eye makeup color — sometimes I do black, sometimes brown, sometimes navy — and then choose my lip from there. (I keep trying purple, which should be great with my brownish-greenish eyes, but I feel like it just makes me look like I’m ill. Onwards…)
Psst: if you’re hunting for stocking stuffers, this set of lip stains in teensy wine bottles is kind of great. The colors all look different on me than as shown on the product page, but they all look better; they’re very wearable. “Merlot” is a really nice bluish red; it doesn’t read as purple at all.
Ann’s Holiday Makeup: An Elevated “No Makeup” Look
For the holidays, I take my usual “natural look” / “no-makeup look” up a level by adding some extra glow.
First, I prime my skin so my makeup lasts from cocktail hour to holiday cookie platter. Instead of using my usual mattifying primer, I’ll use one like Glow Recipe’s Strawberry BHA Pore-Smooth Blur Drops that imparts a blurred, satin finish.
From beginning to end, it takes me about five minutes (because kids). If you have a little more time, add some blush (like this one from NARS) for a “I just took a brisk walk in the snow” look, and your favorite eyeliner for more definition. A gold or silver mani (here’s a sparkly option from ella+mila) is also a nice festive touch.
These classic thumbprint cookies are a wonderful treat during the holiday season, for afternoon coffee or tea, or when you want to make a great cookie.
If you love these cookies, definitely check out our Classic Sugar Cookies. They are a wonderful Christmas cookie and so fun to decorate during the holiday season.
❤️WHY WE LOVE THIS RECIPE
These thumbprint cookies are delicious sugar cookies, rolled in sugar (which you can leave off) and then your favorite jam in the center. They have a wonderful taste and I don’t think they are “overly” sweet. They have the perfect amount of sweetness and are great for Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day, etc.
We love to add these cookies with all of our other Christmas cookies into decorative tins to give to our neighbors for Christmas. These make a wonderful gift.
🍴KEY INGREDIENTS
Powdered sugar
Butter, softened
Egg
Vanilla extract
Almond extract
Salt
All-purpose flour
White granulated sugar
Jams, preserves or jellies.
SWAPS
You could switch out the extract in this recipe and use coconut, maple, etc. Use whatever you think will be a great flavor with the jam you choose.
🍽️HOW TO MAKE
The longest step in making these cookies is chilling the dough for 30 minutes. You want the fat to harden in the dough, so you can’t skip that step.
COOKING STEPS
Step 1 Mix powdered sugar, butter, egg, vanilla extract, almond extract and salt with mixer. Fold in flour with a spoon and make ingredients into a large ball. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 2 Pinch off pieces of dough roll into small balls with your hands. I pinch off about a tablespoon of dough for each cookie. Have the 1/3 cup of granulated sugar in a bowl. Roll the balls in the sugar and place on a baking sheet.
Step 3 I use the end of a wooden spoon to make a hole in the middle of the cookie balls. You can use your thumb or whatever works for you. Add your favorite jams, preserves or jellies to the center hole in each cookie. Bake in a 325-degree preheated oven for 15 minutes.
Note: I used blackberry jam and apricot preserves in this recipe. Makes about 2 dozen cookies depending on the size you make them. You can use one and one-half teaspoons of vanilla extract in the recipe if you don’t have the almond extract.
⭐TIP
If the dough gets warm and to hard to work with, just put it back into the refrigerator for a bit. If your dough is sticky, you need to add more flour to work with it.
SERVE THIS WITH
If you’re making these for a gathering, you may want to add these delicious Tea Cakes. They do great with these cookies, especially for a bridal shower. You can also add these delicious old-fashioned molasses cookies. They are always a hit!
❓FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why did my cookies spread?
Likely the fat content in the cookies (the butter) got to warm. The dough should be chilled and not allowed to get overly warm.
Can you make these using any type of jam?
Yes, we love using all kinds, and it’s also makes for a beautiful platter of cookies.
STORING
We store them in an airtight container and they keep very well.
These thumbprint cookies are a wonderful holiday cookie. Perfect for bridal showers, baby showers, Christmas, Easter, etc.
Course Cookies
Cuisine American
1/2cuppowdered sugar
1stick or 1/2 cup buttersoftened
1egg
1teaspoonvanilla extract
1/2teaspoonalmond extract
1/4teaspoonsalt
1 1/4cupsall-purpose flour
1/3cupwhite granulated sugar
Favorite jamspreserves or jellies
Mix powdered sugar, butter, egg, vanilla extract, almond extract and salt with mixer. Fold in flour with spoon and make ingredients into a large ball. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Pinch off pieces of dough, roll into small balls with your hands. I pinch off about a tablespoon of dough for each cookie. Have the 1/3 cup of granulated sugar in a bowl. Roll the balls in the sugar and place on a baking sheet.
I use the end of a wooden spoon to make a hole in the middle of the cookie balls. You can use your thumb or whatever works for you. Add your favorite jams, preserves or jellies to the center hole in each cookie. Bake in a 325 degree preheated oven for 15 minutes.
I used blackberry jam and apricot preserves in this recipe. Makes about 2 dozen cookies depending on the size you make them.
You can use one and one half teaspoons vanilla extract in the recipe if you don’t have the almond extract.
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The December holidays beckon, and it’s time to decorate. Follow along at home as Jung Lee, an event designer, takes you through the steps of turning a prefabricated wreath into a custom piece that shows off your personality.
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Full Access Individual Subscription
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All features that Members have access to
Annual subscribers pay just 50% off the monthly subscription price of $9.99
A surprise hit on the botanical walks I lead, where a picnic rewards the exercise, is the hot toddy that I pour in late fall and winter. When “toddy” is mentioned, eyebrows are raised—some in hope and anticipation, some in trepidation. Because it means alcohol, doesn’t it? It can, but not necessarily. Some eyebrows sink in disappointment when they learn that this is a virgin version. But the surprise, for the eyebrows’ owners, is that their first, steaming sip is a happy one, because this warming toddy tastes satisfyingly grown up. It is portable for picnics, scaleable for big holiday parties, and comforting sipped during a gift-opening pause on Christmas Day.
Above: A hot toddy (and soup) are portable winter picnic fare.
Above: Cold creek, hot toddy (in a heat-proof Picardie glass).
I call my forager’s version of a hot toddy a Forest Toddy. It is spiced with local, seasonal aromatics, featuring the edible herbs and spices of maritime forests and land-locked woodlands.
Above: A frigid New Year’s Day picnic, with hot Forest Toddies.
The flavors of a hot toddy that tastes of place can shift. They may include the gin-y bittersweetness of juniper (otherwise known as eastern red cedar, Juniperus virginiana), bayberry (Morella pensylvanica), citrus-like spicebush (Lindera benzoin), sumac species, and the perfumed resin of needled evergreens like fir, hemlock, pine, or spruce (Abies, Tsuga, Pinus and Picea, respectively). Variations I have made include pine cone jam, which you can make or buy; dried magnolia petals, for their gingery, cardamom-like bitterness; and fragrant sweetfern (Comptonia peregrina).
Caveat: Does it go without saying that you should never use yew (Taxus), also a needled evergreen? Not only is yew not aromatic, but it is decidedly toxic.
Above: Virgin Forest toddies with hardy orange and fir garnishes.
The fun of this hot toddy recipe is that it is endlessly various and open to creativity. You can glean ingredients from your pantry, garden, farmer’s market, or grocery store. Its success depends on balance: between sweet and tart, tannic and aromatic. Layers of botanical flavor give it a sense of toddy gravitas and the complexity that is often associated with booze. I’m not saying you can’t add a dash of your favorite spirit (bourbon and rye spring to mind), but I can assure you that no one will miss it.
Above: Blood orange and yuzu peel, crushed spicebush, fresh juniper, and bay leaf.
In winter, the juniper in my recipe is fresh, since its season is from late fall through spring; the spicebush is the dried fruit from late summer (or purchased online), or the tree’s aromatic winter twigs, scraped. The fir, well, that is trimmed from my (unsprayed) holiday tree. While fir is the most aromatic of the needled trees, hemlock and spruce have plenty to offer, as do pine needles.
For some, the holiday season is a bit more merry and bright with a little nip of their favorite whiskey. Monks help introduce the world to whiskey over 1000 year ago after. The boom of American-made whiskeys didn’t start until the 1960s, when the U.S. government officially labeled bourbon as the official distilled spirit of the United States. This led to booming sales and production as certain types of whiskey from the Americas became more popular throughout the following decades. While vodka, wine, beer and may be more embraced, whiskey brings a warmth to the soul. To celebrate the season, here are some easy holiday whiskey cocktails.
“My friend Reese sent me a DM yesterday,” Garner, 51, began her video posted to Instagram on Saturday, December 2, in a joint post with the Radio City Rockettes’ official account.
The Family Switch actress then shared a screenshot of an Instagram direct message between her and Witherspoon, 47. The Morning Show star sent Garner a post from the Rockettes’ account and wrote, “Please go dance with the Rockets [sic].” Garner replied: “What would I give.”
“Little did she know I happened to be in New York,” Garner said in the video. “And, for our whole friendship, I pretty much do anything she says.”
In the next clip, the 13 Going on 30 alum showed a screenshot of the pair’s text conversation, where she sent Witherspoon a picture of her feet on top of the Radio City Music Hall doormat. “For you,” Garner wrote.
“Wait!!! What??? Am I psychic???” Witherspoon replied in a series of text messages, to which Garner said, “Nope. You manifested it.”
Courtesy of Jennifer Garner/Instagram
The following clip showed the Rockettes assembled in a single line, with each dancer moving to the side to unveil Garner, who stood in the back and strutted alongside them. Garner was all smiles as she joined the Rockettes in their famous kickline. To close the video, the Rockettes shouted “Merry Christmas, Reese!” as they waved at the camera.
“Here’s to twenty years of ‘yes ma’am,’ with my buddy @reesewitherspoon. ♥️🎄♥️ Thank you, @therockettes for playing along—you are incredible! ⭐️⭐️⭐️” Garner captioned her post.
Witherspoon, for her part, gushed about her pal’s sweet gesture, taking to her Instagram Story to write that Garner made her “whole holiday season.”
“Ummm…. This might be the greatest gift I’ve ever received from this glorious, joy-seeking / dance-loving woman! Jen, you made my whole holiday season 🥰❤️💫🎁” Witherspoon captioned her own Instagram post on Saturday, alongside the video.
Courtesy of Reese Witherspoon/Instagram
The Rockettes also joined in on the fun, posting Garner’s video to their Instagram Story on Saturday and wrote, “We’d love to dance with you too @reesewitherspoon!”
While the pair recently collaborated on the AppleTV+ mystery series The Last Thing He Told Me, which starred Garner and was executive produced by Witherspoon, their friendship runs even deeper. In October, Garner recalled the support she received from her pal during a “very public, very hard moment.”
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“She was right there and the way I needed to get through it was dance cardio,” Garner shared during a panel discussion at Hello Sunshine’s inaugural Shine Away Event. “And I danced cardio’d so hard, we broke her foot, but she kept going!”
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Like many Latin families, my family has always celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve (or Nochebuena). Whether we’re going out to dinner, spending time with our family in Mexico, or my mom is cooking a traditional Mexican meal, this day has always been special and eventful for us.
This year, in true Nochebuena fashion, my mom will be making her incredible pozole for my husband, my sister, and me. Even though there will only be four of us at the table, my mom always makes sure to dress it to the nines. One piece in particular has always been my favorite, and gives the night an even more festive feel.
My mom typically sticks to hosting intimate dinners, but the accessories and decor she has for her table can just as well be for a big holiday party. From elegant wine markers and slate name plates to metal placemats, my mom has meticulously chosen her table setting decor to be sophisticated and timeless — especially when it comes to seasonal items.
She prefers keeping her table neutral with small pops of color, so it was no surprise when she whipped out these adorable stocking silverware holders a few Christmases ago. The bright, cable-stitched red knit and white cuff are a true ode to the coziness of a Christmas night, plus they also wonderfully fit a knife, fork, and spoon. That color red, in fact, perfectly matches my mom’s go-to holiday plant: the poinsettia, or Nochebuena (the same thing we call Christmas Eve). You can also snag a more inexpensive six-pack of similar mini stockings from Amazon here.
These Old Fashioned Tea Cakes are a classic from long ago. Some people may call them shortbread cookies, but either way they are delicious.
If you love old-fashioned recipes, you will also love Kentucky Bourbon Balls. I have seen many recipes for these, but this one is authentic to a real bourbon ball.
❤️WHY WE LOVE THIS RECIPE
If you have followed our website for any amount of time, then you know we love old-fashioned recipes, and we love sharing our Grandmother’s recipes. This was one of her favorites. She was from Mississippi, and she loved to entertain her friends. She was very much a Southern Lady and loved to make these for afternoon tea. She would always serve them on cute little plates.
🍴KEY INGREDIENTS
Pecans or walnuts
Butter,
Brown sugar
Vanilla
All-purpose flour
Salt
SWAPS
There really aren’t many swaps on this recipe unless you want to switch out the vanilla for almond, coconut, maple, etc. That is really about the only change that could be made, other than leaving the nuts out altogether.
🍽️HOW TO MAKE
The most time-consuming part of this recipe is letting the dough get cold. You don’t want the fat source, the butter to heat up while you are working with the dough, so it must be chilled.
COOKING STEPS
Step 1 Mix all ingredients with mixer until very crumbly. Take your hands and shape into a ball and put in refrigerator until solid enough to pinch off a piece and flatten on a hard surface.
Step 2 Cut out shapes with cookie cutters.
Step 3 Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees about 25 minutes. Just before removing from oven, turn on the broiler for about 45 seconds and let brown on top.
⭐TIP
If your dough get too soft while cutting out the cookies, just return to refrigerator for a while or between cooking.
SERVE THIS WITH
These delicious cookies are great for Christmas and go great with this Old Fashioned Snowball Cake. It’s a classic for a reason!
❓FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Are these cookies hard or soft?
They are not either.. honestly they have kind of a hard surface but they melt in your mouth. The butter keeps them soft.
These tea cakes have no eggs, is that correct?
Yes, this is a very old recipe and this is the way we have always made them.
STORING
These cookies will keep for several months in an air-tight container. We make them at the beginning of December and enjoy them through the holidays.
Tea Cakes melt in your mouth. I’ve never come across anyone who doesn’t like them. These buttery treats are sometimes called shortbread cookies, but eithe way they are delicious.
Cook Time 25 minutesmins
Course Cookies
Cuisine American
1/2cupfinely chopped pecans or walnuts
2sticks buttersoftened
2/3cupbrown sugar
1tsp.vanilla
2cupsall-purpose flour
1/4teaspoonsalt
Mix all ingredients with mixer until very crumbly. Take your hands and shape into a ball and put in refrigerator until solid enough to pinch off a piece and flatten on a hard surface. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters.
Bake on greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees about 25 minutes. Just before removing from oven turn on broiler for about 45 seconds and let brown on top.
If your dough get too soft while cutting out the cookies, just return to refrigerator for a while or between cookings.
The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and his spouse, both 28, attended a festive holiday party on Friday, December 1, where they coordinated their outfits. The duo twinned in brown velour onesies, each with decorative antlers and a red pom-pom affixed to the hood to represent the classic character of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Patrick and Brittany completed their ‘fits with bright white sneakers.
“We had a jolly time,” Brittany wrote via Instagram Story on Saturday, December 2, sharing a pic of the twosome cuddling in front of artificial Christmas trees.
Brittany also shared a glimpse at the event decor, sharing a poster of Santa Claus riding on a unicorn beneath text that read, Miracle on Main Street (the name of the Kansas City holiday pop-up bar) next to her spirited red beverage.
Grinches beware, the holiday season is upon Us — and celebrities including Stassi Schroeder and Caila Quinn have the Christmas decorations to prove it! Schroeder, 35, teamed up with daughter Hartford, 2, in early November to get their Christmas tree up and decorated ASAP. “You like the red?” Schroeder asked her daughter in an Instagram […]
Fellow Chiefs athlete Blake Bell and his wife, Lyndsey Bell, also attended the festivities, twinning in Christmas tree-inspired onesies. “Tis the Season! 🎄🎅🏻,” Lyndsey wrote via Instagram comment after Brittany posted the snaps.
Blake Bell, Lyndsay Bell, Brittany Mahomes and Patrick Mahomes.Courtesy of Brittany Mahomes/Instagram
This is the latest in a long line of holiday seasons spent together. Brittany started dating Patrick when they were in high school. They got engaged in 2020, weeks after he won his first Super Bowl victory with the Chiefs. Amid their engagement, the couple learned they were expecting baby No. 1. Daughter Sterling Skye was born in February 2021, one year before Brittany and Patrick tied the knot.
“I get to go home and spend Christmas Eve with my family. We flew, like, all the family up [to KC], so they’re going to be there at the house and get to enjoy Christmas with everybody and the country gave us Sunday off,” Patrick previously teased their festive plans during a December 2022 press conference. “It’s gonna be a great day with all the family and I’m trying to do, like, the gingerbread houses and I’m gonna be competitive I’m gonna try to win it.”
Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Matthews’ romance gives Us all the feels — starting with their high school sweetheart beginnings. The couple started out as two friends in Texas who went to school together. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback became close with Matthews in 2011 when he was just a freshman at Whitehouse High School. After […]
In addition to spending time with his brood, Patrick is known for commemorating the holiday season with his teammates.
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“I got the O-Line a gift that they got today,” he said during a December 2022 appearance on Audacy’s The Drive radio show. “I got them some golf clubs, some designer luggage to take on the road, and some other little things here and there that they could have.”
Patrick also got his fellow members of the Chiefs custom-fitted golf clubs. “I tried to get everyone a little something,” he added. “All the O-Line’s telling me they wanna golf, so I got them all custom fitted golf clubs, so hopefully they can pick up their game and they’ll be able to go out and play a few rounds with me.”
Christmas trees are a cherished symbol of the holiday season, and the displaying of the real deal instead of a plastic tree is on the rise in North America. According to Statistics Canada, in 2016 over 1,800 farms produced trees for the $77 million dollar market, exporting the evergreens across the world.
The American Christmas Tree Association reports that in 2018 over 95 million homes displayed a tree, with 17.9% of households displaying a real tree. The industry advocacy group has a few pointers on how to keep your Christmas tree fresh and thriving throughout the holiday season.
Water is crucial to keeping a tree green and fresh while displaying it in the home. The NCTA recommends fitting the tree in a traditional stand with a water reservoir that holds at least a quart of water for every inch in tree diameter.
Other tips include making a fresh, half inch cut perpendicular to the axis before setting it in the stand. A fancy V-cut is unnecessary, can make the tree unstable, and actually reduces the tree’s ability to absorb water. Keeping the outer layer of bark intact will also help the tree absorb and retain more water.
Keeping the tree away from heat sources such as fireplaces, heaters, HVAC vents, and direct sunlight is also a good idea, as is using low heat Christmas lights, and monitoring the water level in the stand, ensuring that the water does not go below the base of the tree.
Other safety tips include never leaving decorative lights turned on when away from home, always inspect light sets before using, do not overload electrical circuits, and promptly remove dry trees from the house.
Lastly, never dispose of a Christmas tree by burning it in a fireplace. The small, dry needles can ignite and burn uncontrollably fast, and send sparks all over the house, quickly setting everything in the domicile on fire. The high sap content can burn hot and long enough to set chimney deposits aflame, starting a flue blaze that can spread rapidly. It’s also unnecessary, as many communities have recycling programs available to households.
A perfectly soft molasses cookie recipe is essential for the holidays, but these white chocolate molasses cookies take things to a whole new level.
That’s right folks, these are not your typical holiday molasses cookie. I know that this is a pretty popular cookie, molasses or ginger snap, for this time of year, but that does not mean that it has to be completely traditional. These white chocolate chewy molasses cookies are actually an adapted recipe from my dad’s side of the family and is over 150 years old! I’ve been holding onto this recipe since I got it from my aunt last year just so that I could share it at the right time of year with all of you.
Family Holiday Traditions
My mom would spend hours in the kitchen baking the holiday recipes that had been passed down through the generations like this one just so we could deliver them to neighbors and families that my parents would find who were in need. Often the treats to those families included a little extra cash, gifts or toys for the kids.
In fact, sometimes my dad would even dress up as Santa so that the families wouldn’t know who he was when he dropped off the goodies. This white chocolate molasses cookies recipe is one we can use to pass on the same tradition which means that I feel like I should do as my mom did and teach my children. It’s hard sometimes. Some of the cookie dough got so squished and squashed that the white chocolate was sticking out everywhere and it looked like quite the mess but I’m so grateful for the memory of helping a 7 year old discover the magic of making cookies for the holidays to give to neighbors and friends and spread Christmas cheer.
Ingredients for White Chocolate Molasses Cookies
I am an avid cookie lover! I’ll choose a cookie over almost any other dessert (except pie, good golly I love pie!), but not all cookies are created equal. I love a thick and chewy cookie that is perfectly baked. I love them a little crispy around the edges and nice and chewy in the middle. These molasses cookies check all the important cookie boxes and the melty white chocolate in the middle is the best surprise. Here are the ingredients you will need:
Butter, Shortening, or Lard – we usually do half and half
Light Brown Sugar – adds sweetness and even more molasses flavor
Egg – adds structure to the cookies
Molasses – adds sweetness and perfect molasses flavor, Grandma’s brand is our favorite
Flour – just regular all purpose
Salt – enhances all the flavors and cuts through the sweetness
GroundCinnamon – adds warm holiday flavor
Ground Ginger – you have to have ginger in a molasses cookies
Allspice – adds a little extra pop of flavor and holiday cheer
Baking Soda – leavening agent for the cookie adding fluffiness and rise
White Chocolate Melts – If you cannot find the baking melts you can buy the white almond bark and chop into small chunks and use that. The white chocolate is used to stuff the inside of the cookies and to drizzle on top.
GranulatedSugar – used to coat the outside of the cookies adding a beautiful sparkle and slight crunch to the outside of the cookie
The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card down at the end of the post.
How to Make Molasses Cookies
Soft molasses cookies are just a few steps away! Here are the basic steps…
Mix the wet ingredients together. I like to cream the butter/shortening with the sugar first in a stand mixer until it’s light and fluffy and then add the sugar, eggs and molasses and mix together well.
Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt and spices.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
Cover and refrigerate. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
Prep: Preheat the oven and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Stuff the dough. After the dough chills, pull it out and form into stuff dough balls (see section below).
Roll in sugar. Roll the dough balls into sugar that it is coated on all sides.
Bake. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.
Drizzle with white chocolate. If you want to make them look a little fancier, drizzle with melted white chocolate.
All these instructions in full detail can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post. You can also print and/or save the recipe there.
How to Stuff Cookies
Stuffing cookies with more yummy stuff is super easy and a fun way to add twists on old classics. In fact, our Biscoff stuffed snickerdoodles are one of my favorite cookies of all time! Give those babies a try!
Using a cookie scoop, scoop out enough dough for one cookie. Flatten it in your hand into a disc shape. Place the white chocolate melts in the middle and then fold up the dough around the chocolate so it is completely sealed inside the dough. That’s it! It is ready for baking!
If you’re going to use something like Nutella to stuff a cookie, like our Nutella banana muffins, you will want to freeze the Nutella first so it’s easier to stuff into the middle.
What is Molasses?
Molasses is a byproduct of producing sugar. It is a dark, sweet syrup with a very obvious snap or bite to it. There is a range of molasses out there from mild molasses flavor to a super strong blackstrap molasses. You can use any variety you want, but blackstrap will probably be too strong. We prefer Grandma’s brand if you can find it and Brer Rabbit brand as a second choice.
What is the Difference Between Molasses Cookies and Gingersnaps?
The main difference is that molasses cookies are chewy, versus ginger cookies that are snappier and crisper in texture.
Watch How These Molasses Cookies are Made…
Storage Tips
Store leftover cookies at room temperature in an airtight container. They will keep for up to a week.
These cookies also freeze very well. Place them in a freezer safe container. They will keep for up to 3 months.
Christmas baking requires the warm comforting flavors of molasses cookies. We have taken my centuries old family recipe for molasses cookies and stuffed them with white chocolate. There isn’t another recipe out there like this one! We hope they find their way to your Christmas cookie plate this year!
More Holiday COOKIE RECIPES You’re Going to Love:
Servings: 32cookies
Prep Time: 2 hourshrs
Cook Time: 8 minutesmins
Total Time: 2 hourshrs8 minutesmins
Description
A perfectly soft molasses cookie recipe is essential for the holidays, but these white chocolate molasses cookies take things to a whole new level.
Prevent your screen from going dark
In a standing mixer add the shortening and sugar and beat until smooth.
3/4 Cup Butter, 1 Cup Light Brown Sugar
Add the egg and molasses and beat again until well incorporated.
1 Large Egg, 1/2 Cup Molasses
In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, seasonings, salt and baking soda.
This recipe was originally posted as part of a collaboration with the Ohio Poultry Association to bring you a fun “Take a Bite of My State Cookie EGGS-change” where we all are chatting about our state’s cookie.
This cookie recipe actually spent a little time in Utah and since Utah is huge, and I mean HUGE about the holidays, neighbor treats and goodies and spreading the Holiday cheer I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to tell you all about this bomb diggity cookie that I made even better. Our family has always and will always be about the holiday treats. And make sure you check out the cookies from the exchange, there’s Aimee from Shugary Sweets, Tanya from Lemons for Lulu who brought Buckeye Brownie Cookies, Megan from Country Cleaver, Laurie of Simply Scratch, and Julianne of Beyond Frosting with Maple Sugar Cookies.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you purchase through our links. Please read our full disclosure here.
Let’s get festive and have some fun with Christmas gift exchanges!
Have you attended a Christmas gift exchange before? If not, I highly recommend throwing one for your friends or family!
Here’s the deal: everyone brings a wrapped gift and takes turns selecting and opening presents. The best part? You never know what gift you’ll end up with! It’s all about the excitement and anticipation of the exchange.
So, if I’ve convinced you to have a gift exchange this year, let’s start the holiday party and make memories with these awesome gift exchange games!
1. The Classic Yankee Swap Gift Exchange
The classic Yankee Swap Gift Exchange (also known as White Elephant) is a fun and exciting game for Christmas parties. It’s a game where participants bring a wrapped gift and take turns choosing a gift from the pile or stealing a gift that someone else has already opened.
To play the game, participants draw numbers to determine the order in which they will choose a gift. The first person selects a gift from the pile and opens it. The second person can either choose a gift from the pile or steal the gift that the first person opened. If a gift is stolen, the person who had it stolen can either choose a new gift from the pile or steal someone else’s gift.
The game continues in this fashion until all the gifts have been opened. The last person to go can steal any previously opened gifts or keep the gift they opened.
The Yankee Swap Gift Exchange is a great game because it adds an element of surprise and excitement to the traditional gift exchange. It’s also a game that can be played with a large group of people, making it perfect for office parties or family gatherings.
2. December Dice Gift Game
Here’s how the December dice gift game works: everyone brings a wrapped gift of equal value. From practical goodies to quirky surprises, anything goes! Then, you get in a circle, grab a pair of dice, and let the games begin.
In the first round, everyone goes in a circle and chooses a gift. Then, you start rolling, and the game proceeds according to the list above. For example, if you roll a six, everyone has to pass their gift to the person on their right. If you roll a 12, you can freeze your gift and keep it for the rest of the game or switch with anyone you want.
This is such a fun take on the typical White Elephant exchange! It’s unpredictable and a little less savage than the usual White Elephant procedure, so it’s extra fun for everyone.
3. Scrooge Your Neighbor
The “Scrooge Your Neighbor” game requires a little prep, but it is the ultimate way to add friendly competition to your holiday festivities.
Here’s how it works: everyone brings a wrapped gift to the party – nothing fancy, just something anyone would enjoy. Then, the gifts are all placed in one central location. Each person gets a number to determine the order in which they’ll choose a gift.
The game is the same as other gift exchanges — everyone gets to pick a gift and unwrap it. But the difference is in the cards you’re dealt at the beginning. Depending on what you get, you can use these cards to make the game more strategic and get the gift you want. (Full instructions and printable cards are here!)
What makes “Scrooge Your Neighbor” so awesome is all the interaction and excitement it brings. You can get super sneaky and try outsmarting your neighbors with your stealing tactics. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to bond with your friends and create hilarious memories.
4. Christmas Never Have I Ever Gift Exchange
Get ready for the ultimate Christmas gift exchange game – the Christmas Never Have I Ever Gift Exchange!
All you have to do is bring a wrapped present of similar value to the party – it could be anything from a hilarious coffee mug to a gift card for a local restaurant.
Once everyone’s gathered, the game kicks off! The first person starts by saying, “Never have I ever…” followed by a statement. For example, “Never have I ever gone skydiving.” If anyone in the room has gone skydiving, they have to stand up and swap gifts with someone else on their feet. And the game just keeps going, with each person taking turns making statements.
This game is an absolute blast that gets everyone involved and laughing. It’s a chance to learn new things about your friends and family while scoring a cool new present to take home.
5. Santa’s Helper Gift Exchange
This game is all about adding some excitement to your gift exchange and helping others instead of picking for yourself!
Everyone brings a wrapped gift to the party and puts it in the center. Then, you all draw numbers to determine who chooses a gift first. You also each fill out a special card with your likes and dislikes (this site has printables for this), and everyone draws a person for whom they will pick.
The first player picks a gift and opens it. The next player can either steal that gift or choose a new one from the pile. If your gift gets stolen, you can steal someone else’s or pick a new one.
We keep going like this until everyone has chosen a gift. Finally, your gift goes to the person on your card. It makes the game so much more fun and cooperative to choose for someone else instead of stealing for yourself!
Feeling as lost on how to wrap those gifts? Check out these 13 Genius Gift Wrapping Ideas, and you’ll be on your way to winning the coveted award for Best Wrapped Presents!
6. Twelve Days Of Christmas Gift Exchange Game
Twelve Days Of Christmas Gift Exchange Game is a fun and exciting way to celebrate with your loved ones. It’s perfect for anyone who wants to add a little twist to their traditional gift exchange.
Everyone participating brings a wrapped gift that fits within a certain price range. Then you write down sets of numbers based on how many people you have (for instance, if you have ten people, you write down numbers 1-10 on pieces of paper). The first set of numbers go in a bowl for the group to choose from, and the second group of numbers goes in a bag. There’s also a bowl of action cards themed around the 12 days of Christmas. (Printables here!)
Like the classic Christmas carol, the game features cards themed around the song. Each person starts with a gift and a number. Then they choose a game card when their number comes up and everyone does the action listed on the card.
This game is a really fun way to get to know your friends and it’s random enough that it’s not brutal or cutthroat the way other games are. It’s just fun for everybody!
7. Lucky Last Line Gift Game
Let’s talk about theLucky Last Line Gift Game. It’s a simple and fun game that only requires one present and a poem.
A single present is wrapped in layers, with a stanza of a poem written between each layer. Play proceeds around the circle, every person unwrapping a layer until one person reaches the “last line” and gets the gift instead of a poem stanza.
This is great if you just want to set something up at the last minute and don’t want to have everyone bring a gift.
9. Rock Paper Scissors Gift Game
Alright, folks, here’s a game that puts a twist on the classic Rock Paper Scissors! Get ready for laughter and excitement at your gift exchange.
First things first, everyone coming to the party should bring a wrapped gift. Put all the gifts in a central spot for everyone to see.
The first player picks a gift from the pile and opens it. Then, the second player takes a turn and opens a gift too. If the second player likes the first player’s gift more, they can try to steal it by playing a game of rock, paper, scissors. If the second player wins, they get to trade gifts. If they lose, they have to keep their original gift and play proceeds to the next player until everyone has gone.
9. Switch Steal Unwrap Dice Game
So, this game is all about having a blast with your friends. It’s played with dice and a pile of wrapped gifts. Picture this: everyone’s sitting in a circle, each with a randomly chosen gift in front of them. The excitement begins when someone rolls the dice.
They’ve got three options depending on what they roll: switch everyone’s gifts to the left or right, steal another gift, or simply unwrap their own. Oh, and here’s the deal: a gift can only be stolen three times before it’s off-limits.
Now, the fun keeps going, with each person taking their turn, rolling the dice, and making their move.
This game is perfect for any holiday party. It’s super easy to play and suitable for people of all ages. Plus, with the dice element, you never know what will happen next – it’s unpredictable and fun!
The Switch Steal Unwrap Dice Game is a must-try if you’re planning a cool gift exchange party.
10. Left Right Story Gift Exchange Game
How about trying out an awesome game called the Left Right Story Gift Exchange Game? It will bring so much laughter and cheer to your holiday get-together.
Here’s how you play: everyone sits in a circle with their wrapped gift. Then, the host reads a Christmas-themed poem. Whenever the word “left” pops up, everyone passes their gift to the left.
And when the word “right” comes up, it’s time to pass the gift to the right. Simple right? Once the poem ends, everyone can open the gift they’re holding. This game is super cool for big groups and will ensure that everyone gets in on the gift exchange fun.
Plus, it’s an awesome way to add excitement to your Christmas party and bring out that holiday spirit! So, if you’re up for a fun and unique way to swap gifts this Christmas, give the Left Right Poem Gift Exchange Game a shot. Trust me, it’s going to be awesome!
11. Heads Or Tails Gift Exchange Game
This heads or tails game is incredibly simple and a blast for groups of any size and age! It’s guaranteed to bring loads of laughter and excitement to your holiday festivities.
To get started, each player brings a wrapped gift to the party. They should be of similar value and can range from toys and games to household items or gift cards. Once everyone’s here, the host grabs a coin and the game begins.
Play goes around the table, and as each player goes, they predict whether their coin will show heads or tails. Then, they flip. If the coin lands on the player’s chosen side, they get to pick a gift from the pile and unwrap it. If it doesn’t, play proceeds to the next player without a gift.
The fun goes on until all the gifts are snatched up. At this point, play changes. The next round, a correct guess will give you the option to keep your gift permanently or trade with someone else. An incorrect guess will move play to the next player. This continues until everyone has gone.
Let me tell you about this awesome game called Santa Toss Gift Exchange. It’s super easy to play – all you need is a Santa hat and a few wrapped gifts.
Here it goes: players toss the Santa hat onto a designated spot, like a chair or table. Depending on where the hat lands, you can choose a gift from the pile or steal one from someone else. How fun is that?
Here’s the exciting part: you can make it even more interesting by adding special rules to different landing spots. For instance, if the hat lands on the floor, everyone has to switch gifts with the person to their left. And if it lands on a specific person, they decide who goes next. It’s all about keeping the game fresh and exciting!
Getting this game started is super easy. Each person brings a wrapped mug filled with small gifts like candy, tea bags, or hot chocolate mix.
To kick things off, everyone picks a number from a hat. The person with number one gets to choose a wrapped mug and open it up.
Now, here’s where it turns into a typical White Elephant game. The second person can either steal the first person’s mug or grab a new one from the pile. It’s all about strategy and fun surprises! If someone’s mug gets stolen, they can pick a new one to replace it.
The game keeps going until everyone has their special mug. And guess what? The person with the last number can steal any mug they want! The game ends once everyone has their very own mug.
Let me tell you, mug gift exchange is a fantastic way to have a blast and exchange gifts during the holiday season. It’s also a perfect opportunity to get creative! To make it extra fun, you can personalize your mug with cool designs or messages.
14. Grinch Gift Exchange
So, here’s the deal. For the Grinch Gift Exchange game, once again, each person brings a wrapped gift to the party. Everyone randomly chooses a gift, and then the host reads out the story “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”
Whenever the host says “WHO,” everyone passes their gift to the right. At the end of the story, everyone opens their gift and sees what they got! It’s non-competitive and a great way for everyone to get a gift and hear a cute holiday story.
15. The Gift Grab Bag Gift Exchange Game
The Gift Grab Bag game is a fun and exciting game for Christmas parties that’s only time-consuming to set up for the host. It’s great for last-minute parties for that reason since you don’t have to coordinate everyone bringing something.
Here’s how the game works, according to LovetoKnow:
Wrap all the gifts before the party and place them in a large box or bag.
Hand each guest a playing card as they arrive at the party.
At exchange time, pull out a second deck of playing cards.
Pull a card out of the deck and hold it up. The person with the matching card pulls a gift from the bag, leaving it wrapped.
Continue pulling cards until everyone has a gift; if there are leftover gifts, reshuffle and continue. Some people may end up with two gifts.
After all the gifts are chosen, give guests five minutes to trade their still-wrapped gifts with other attendees.
After five minutes are up, everyone opens their presents.
Pictionary is a fun and interactive game perfect for any Christmas party. It is a game that people of all ages and skill levels can play. And you can always include a gift element!
So, here’s how you play: grab a whiteboard or a large piece of paper, some markers, and a pile of wrapped gifts off to the side. Each person takes turns doodling a word or phrase while the other people try to guess what’s being drawn.
For each round, the first person to guess correctly gets to either open a new gift (if they don’t have one), steal someone else’s gift, or save their gift from being stolen that round and nominate someone without a gift to pick a gift and open it. They will then draw next. Play proceeds until all the gifts have been selected.
Pictionary gets everyone involved in the party and sparks creativity and imagination. It’s the ultimate way to have a blast! So give Pictionary a shot, and prepare for fun and laughter at your Christmas party!
What are your favorite Christmas gift exchange games?
Gift exchange games are a great way to bring people together and create lasting memories. They add an element of fun and excitement to any holiday gathering and can be enjoyed by all ages.
Whether you’re a college student or just young at heart, these games are perfect for all ages. Prepare to swap gifts like never before and make this Christmas one to remember. Happy gifting!
Are you still searching for holiday gift ideas? Explore our related posts below for inspiration!
No one ever said being a teenager was easy. The often overstimulated world of teens involves a trendy song-and-dance balance of school, part-time jobs, sports, social media, and a healthy social life. Therefore, when holiday shopping for cool gifts for teens, anything you give should reflect their playful-youthful side while serving the opportunity to destress. But you’re going to have to hurry, if you want something they’ve saved from social media.
When shopping for cool gifts for teens, we like to find what’s currently trendy ahead of the game — so you can get them the thing they actually want before it sells out. These are some of the most popular gifts that still express their current passions and interests. Bonus points if these popular teen gifts spark their budding creativity or future career aspirations.
Here are the 20 cool gifts for teens that they will absolutely love.
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Comfort is king when it comes to what all the cool teens are wearing on their feet these days. The Rosscylo Cloud Slippers make for one of the best teen gifts during the holidays. These slippers feel like pillows under your toes, and they come in over 20 colors to please even the most discriminating teen.
Last year’s sold-out Ugg was the Ultra Mini, but if you have recently been in a Starbucks line, chances are you’ve spotted a teen wearing the uber-trendy Ugg Tasman Slipper, most likely in the Chestnut color. Naturally, these hip Ugg slipper-clogs make for a cool gift for a teen girl.
Aside from the slipper’s popularity, the versatility of the shoe being an indoor/outdoor shoe and the fact that it comes in an array of colors (classic black to neon green) earn extra gifting points. These are sure to be the coziest gift under this year’s tree.
The Bedshelfie is a practical (but cool) Christmas gift for any teen on your shopping list. Whether your teen lives in a dorm, shares a bedroom at home, or has too much stuff, this shelf that attaches to the bedside allows them to have all of their must-have essentials at their fingertips. It’s a win for any college student.
When shopping for a cool Christmas gift for the teenager on your list, look at what other teens around you are wearing. Chances are you’ve seen teens rocking the LuluLemon belt bags.
These popular belt bags are not only convenient, they are still as popular as ever and make for one cool gift for teens. The Lululemon Mini Belt Bag comes in four color/print options, perfect to fit the style of any youthful fashionista.
If it was cool 30 years ago, it is still cool today. Scrolling through social media, it is no secret that today’s teens have obsessions with vintage goods like records and record players. Thankfully, today’s record players are also Bluetooth compatible, so they can stream music from their smartphones. Or you can just gift them 1989 (Taylor’s Version) on vinyl to go with it.
Every teen has their musical taste. Some teens are downright obsessed with the coolest Indie bands, chart-topping pop stars, and old-school rockers. That means you can’t go wrong with on-ear Beats Solo headphones that will bring music to their ears (and peace to your own).
Not only do these on-ear headphones look sleek, they sound great, and there is no cord or tiny secondary ear pod to worry about misplacing. They’re great for tuning in for studying or listening to a podcast during a “hot girl walk”.
These days teens are reverting back to the 90s and taking photos on digital cameras rather than their smartphones to memorialize good times from sleepovers and parties. Earlier this year, cheap digital cameras sold out across the internet, but you can still snag this one from Ninolta for under $100. The camera has 44.0 megapixel , and they can still upload it to their phones so they can post to social media.
Stop your social scroll: the Fujifilm Mini 12 Instant Film Camera is a cool gift for teens who love to document daily life with friends and family. Why? They’ll get cute mini photos instantly that they can use to decorate their rooms or share with loved ones. Aside from the instant gratification that the Fujifilm offers, it comes in so many fun pastel colors, which may be the hardest decision you’ll make.
Teenage girls care about their hair; it’s an all-day, everyday obsession. While many of them might be asking for the very pricey Dyson Airwrap, the Shark Hair Blow Dryer gets the job done at a fraction of the price. Seen all over their TikTok pages, these hair dryer brushes will dry their hair quickly (so they won’t be late for school) and come with different attachments to style their hair.
Colorful smoothies, creamy coffee drinks, and quick protein blended drinks are popular with everyone these days. A powerful portable blender that can fit inside any teen’s backpack for a protein boost anywhere, anytime will guarantee they are living in their wellness era. The Ninja is powerful, durable, and compact, so it can stand up to hard use from busy teens.
No matter if your teen is a brave Gryffindor, radiant Ravenclaw, humble Hufflepuff, or savvy Slytherin, there is a cozy velvet robe for them waiting to be unwrapped. These plush velvet unisex Hogwarts House robes from PBteen will be pure magic when unwrapped on Christmas morning. They’ll likely spend the day watching all eight films while wearing it upon opening.
If the teen on your list is into the #cluttercore trend or just loves cute kitschy trinkets, this anime-ish toaster light is just the gift. Available in three colors—green, pink, and yellow—the light will be an unexpected (but welcomed) gift this season. And we think it’s super cute too!
The tumbler that broke the internet, the Stanley Quencher is still a popular option for any teen who needs an “emotional support water bottle”. Even if they already have one, there are so many colors to choose from that they’d likely appreciate a new pastel or bright-colored option to sip from.
The tumbler’s double-sealed vacuumed walls mean your beverage will stay cold (or hot) for hours on end, and the dishwasher-safe construction means it’s easy to keep clean.
The world of Lego makes for endless opportunities for the creative, curious, and design-obsessed teen on your list. If they loved building with these blocks as kids, this more mature Lego kit will provide a few hours of fun (and frustration) to your teen.As the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics near, the Paris Skyline Lego kit would make for a pretty cool gift.
What to get the teen on your list who is always dreaming, doodling, painting, and sketching? Their own acrylic painting set! This painting set includes a wooden easel, three canvases, brushes, and paints. It’s a one-stop-creative gift that any budding artist will appreciate as they try to become the next Bob Ross.
Thanks to Taylor Swift’, we are in the era of friendship bracelets. So what if the teen on your list already has beaded bracelets up to her elbows from the Eras concert they attended this year? This bead kit has everything she needs to make (many) friendship bracelets for themed parties. It’s the perfect gift if they were lucky enough to get tickets for her second leg of the Eras tour.
Everyone knows at least one video gamer in their life. If one happens to land on your shopping list, do they need a pro-worthy gaming chair? Specifically, do they need a gaming chair that is not only functional but fashionable? The answer is, yes they do. PBteen’s line of gaming chairs has styles to suit both girl and guy gamers. Style points aside, the built-in audio system (and Bluetooth) make this just as good of a gift for gaming as it is for jamming out in their room
Between school, after-school activities, and daily life, teens are stressed. Give them the gift of zen and relaxation at day’s end with a weighted blanket, which feels like a little hug when they’re lounging on the couch. It only weighs 15 pounds, so it won’t feel too heavy on their body, comes in various colors and prints, and is machine washable.
Stumped on what to get? This adorable Super Mario Super Star Light-Up Pillow comes straight out of Super Mario Bros. Wonder and would make for some good decor. The best part? It glows with a press of a button.
Yes, teens need their sleep. However, getting them to wake up is a struggle. Give the gift that is also a gift to yourself, the Hatch Restore alarm. The aesthetic alarm clock doubles as a sound machine with a gradual sunrise wake-up system that’s a little less harsh than an alarm. Teens can customize their clock’s features to fit their sleep and wake-up routine for a good night’s rest throughout the school year.
