Holiday Gift Guide: Sentimental Gifts

My all-time favorite gift to give are gifts that have memories behind them. The best gift I have ever received was from A for my last birthday, and it was a scrapbook of all of our memories and a mix tape (so many songs, it was broken up into 6+ CDs. One playlist was just songs that were inside jokes between us.

I think sentimental gifts are the best gifts. While material items are great, sentimental items are much more memorable. I think the best gifts should be memorable, sentimental, and let the receiver know that you put a lot of thought into the gift, because you care a lot about them.

Here are some of my favorite sentimental gifts to give:

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Picture frames are one of my favorite gifts to give. I love the frames with a lot of slots, but if you don't have lots of photos with the person, I love the option of a really pretty frame. 

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While a little bit more pricey, I love this gift of a photo in a snowglobe. You can even personalize a message to be written on the snowglobe and it plays a song! 

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Here's a much more affordable (only $12) option! (No song or message, but hey it's a photo in a snowglobe!)

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I love the idea of giving a book for the holidays. Books are a really personal gift. Make it a gift you think they'd enjoy! It'd be perfect for a future book talk.

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Key tip: if you want to make the gift really personal, pull a Jess from Gilmore Girls move, and annotate someone's favorite book. Not exactly English-class annotate, but highlighting your favorite quotes and writing in the margins makes a gift so much more personal. H showed me this author on Instagram and I'm a huge fan of his quotes! 

I have never actually done this for a gift, but I think that the books that would work the best would include the recipient's favorite book, poetry, or something with an inside joke or personal connection.

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Mix tapes are a never-fail gift. What better way to show you care than making a mix tape for someone?!

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A cute version of friendship Mad Libs, a great way to relive all the memories and even get the chance to include some photos of the memories you discussed in the book!

My favorite DIY ideas include...

• A scrapbook with letters, photos and everything in between
• A journal full of letters, pictures and things just for them
• For the news junkie, a collection of articles that you think they'd find interesting cut and pasted into a journal
• A book full of quotes, photos and other things that remind you of them (Use Tumblr and Pinterest for inspiration!)

What are your favorite sentimental gifts? Please share your ideas! I'm always looking for more. Let me know if you do any of these ideas and how it ends up!

Seasons Greetings

Happy December!

While I'm not crazy about cold weather or the end-of-the-semester stress, it all evens out, because it's the most wonderful time of the year... the holiday season!

Christmas is one of my favorite holidays. I love being with friends, family, wrapping up the year, high spirits, great mood, and all of the festivities.

It doesn't really feel like December yet. With all the stress that comes with the semester coming to an end soon and the fact that it's 50 degrees outside... but listening to some Mariah Carey "All I Want For Christmas Is You" helps. I need to break out the cocoa and start baking cookies.

Many more holiday-related posts to come soon! :)

The Epitome of Brunch

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I am a huge fan of brunch. However, not just any old brunch. It has to be a perfect brunch.

Some of my favorite elements of brunch include...

Croissants (toasted to crispy perfection, with a side of the jam of your choosing. My preference is strawberry)

Omelettes (my personal favorite way to eat eggs. With some onions, tomatoes, garlic powder, and a dash of chipotle cheese melted on top. Extra point if there's freshly sliced avocado on the side.)

Pancakes (chocolate chip, please!)

Fresh fruit (whether it be strawberries or pineapple... I'm up for it!)

Bacon (because what's brunch without bacon)

Coffee (lots of it)

Lemonade (fresh-squeezed, of course!)

San Pellegrino (my favorite drink, with fresh squeezed lemon)

What are your favorite elements of brunch? Oh, how I love sleeping in and waking up to find a delicious brunch. Just some of the joys of Sundays.

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all! As I'm stuffed on mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and the most delicious cornbread ever... I'm thinking all about everything I'm thankful for, which is a lot of things... I have to share how thankful I am! Here's a message...

To my friends...

To my lunch crew: Thanks for always being supportive of me and understanding when I'm gone to every club meeting possible! I don't know what I would do without you calming down all my crazy and I'm sorry when I interrupt every story.

To my APES class: Thanks for always listening to all my problems whether it be boys or APES tests... y'all are the most supportive and I love you all so much for it!

To my calc group R^ 2 & P^2: I love telling y'all anything. I'm glad you're #TeamSC and are willing to back me up in any fight, and even throw in a punch or two. ;)

To J: Thanks for always being there for me and being my everything. You're my best friend and we are the #DreamTeam. I wouldn't be half the person I am today without you. You've made me accomplish goals I never even knew I had.

To A: You a tru homie. You swaggie yo. Thx for always being there. U cool, u cool.

To HM: Thanks for always listening to me and my millions of rants. I love all of our conversations, and I love telling you everything.

To MS: There's nothing I love more than our talks. From politics to life, you are so inspiring and I'll always be a loser with you.

To SW: AYE. I'm sorry I couldn't be with you this Thanksgiving, but I'm always thankful for our rants about school and I love telling you everything. You get my cheesy lame jokes and you rock.

To the swim crew (ALD and JSC): I never have loved a car ride so much until we went on them. I love talking with y'all about everything and learning all the high school details.

To my family...

Thanks for putting up with my crazy, from mood swings to singing every lyric.

To all my readers...

Thanks for reading. Preppy in NC would be nothing without y'all and it's truly my escape into the blogger world, having my own space in the Internet is so cool!

Happy Turkey Day, y'all! Hope you have an amazing day.

17 Reasons

Happy Sunday! Today is a very special day. It's J's birthday.

So here's a very special post just dedicated to him...

Acting silly at the football game.
We can't really do serious.

After editing each other's NHS essays and applications,
We made it! Here's us at inductions.

17 Reasons Why I Love J:

1. He's my #1 supporter. Whenever I'm worried about something, I can always go to him for encouragement. He's the best at pep talks.
2. He's the voice of reason in my life. I'm known to be pretty stubborn. However, he helps me slow down and evaluate the pros and cons of my decisions. If I'm ever at a crossroads, I can just tell him the situation, and he'll talk about both sides, before offering me a final verdict on his take.
3. He's always there for me. While this is similar to the last two, it just means through the good, the bad and the nonsense, he's there for me with open ears, a smile and kind words.
4. He laughs at my lame jokes. I love making calc jokes and APES jokes. But hey, he actually thinks they're pretty funny.
5. We think alike. We have the same worries, and while I might be a little bit more worrisome than him, he always gets where I'm coming from. We have a similar style of thinking and humor.
6. He's kind. I don't know anyone who has something against J. Everyone knows J as a fantastic guy. He's likable, courteous and fun to be around.
7. We could talk forever and not get bored. This was proven during our almost-nightly phone calls when they'd turn into 90-minute phone calls because we'd get off topic quickly.
8. He always has something to say about every topic. I love learning every detail about him, especially when we talk about... well, anything. I love hearing about where he's from, Melbourne, Australia.
9. He loves to listen to me talk about my passions. What other boy will start the conversation about shopping and J.Crew? He loves talking about how much I love Washington D.C.
10. He shares the same interests as me. Well he is Student Council President... so we have that in common. ;) We have similar taste in TV shows (Sherlock, Arrow, White Collar, Psych and much more), places (he loves DC and traveling!) and even restaurants (Chipotle, Noodles & Co!).
11. He remembers the little details. Whether it's a tiny detail I mentioned several months ago, he'll bring it up when we're talking about the same thing months later. Nothing makes me happier than to know that he's paying attention when I'm rambling.
12. I look up to him. Whether it's his incredible work ethic to his awesome leadership skills, I'm always learning from him.
13. My mom adores him.  This is lame, but my mom doesn't usually say much about my friends. However, when she met J, she fell in love with him. He's courteous, mature, responsible and just a great guy.
14. He makes me laugh. Whether it's a casual joke thrown in there or a hilarious text where I'm actually laughing out loud, he knows exactly what to say.
15. He's smart. Not just his 4.0 GPA, but he knows what to say and how to act. Not something I can say for all high school boys these days.
16. He knows everything about me, and accepts me. I'm definitely the same weird self I always am when I'm with him. I don't mind saying everything on my mind, and you'll always catch me whispering to him.
17. He's my best friend. Every time something happens, he's the one I tell it to. As little as that moment was, he loves hearing about it.

Even volunteering with him is fun

Country Day!
He was wearing a cowboy hat on top and I went country club.

Happy birthday J! I'm so thankful that you're my best friend. I love you!

Current Cravings: Holiday Edition

As I sit blasting Michael Buble, I get in the all-time best mood. He has the voice of an angel! I'm getting in the holiday spirit, and I'm getting really excited to see my family again soon. Christmas is truly my favorite time of the year. I get to be with my family and celebrate traditions we've had since I was born! Here are some of my favorite things that I might need this season...

Limited Edition Jess Holiday Dress

This dress is absolutely gorgeous and I'd love to pull it off at Christmas dinner. Not sure if I'm willing to pull off that $400 price tag though. I'm realllllly picky when it comes to dresses (I have made a mistake here and there, but overall, I have to find the perfect dress.) So when I find a dress I like, I love it. 

Fox Trot Tights

How cute are these tights?! I pinned these last year, and I'm so excited to see that Anthro is selling them again. I think it's a sign that I might have to buy them. But seriously how cute would they look with a full solid-colored skirt? I feel like they can be elegant, quirky or a little of both! I just have to find a skirt or dress to wear these with. ;)

Sheer Dot Tights

I am such a fan of black tights, I think they make every outfit look more winter-y, and gives me a perfect excuse to wear more dresses and skirts in the winter. These tights are the icing on the cake, with their sheer dots, they add a little touch to all these outfits.

Sophie Elephant Parade Loafers

And what is a holiday outfit without a festive pair of shoes? I am such a huge fan of loafers, but was never sure until recently. With a cute pair of pants and a buttondown, I'd love to rock these all winter. I personally think that they would be super cute with a dress or a skirt too! (With a pair of tights!) I could see myself rocking these at holiday parties and dressing them down for school as well.

Mayada Satin Smoking Slipper

Another pair of loafers I absolutely adore. I love the color emerald green and I love wearing it. These would be perfect for all holiday parties. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how many outfits I could match a pair of green shoes with... They come in black and nude as well, but I am just in love with the green.

ASOS Christmas Jumper

Is it really Christmas without a tacky Christmas sweater? I've always wanted to go to a Tacky Christmas Sweater party. Any takers to throw an awesome Tacky Christmas Sweater party with cocoa, cookies and candy canes galore? I need my first tacky Christmas sweater, party or no party, because I want to wear it on the last day of school before break! Target has also some cute ones!

Stay tuned for more Holiday-themed posts! Have a great rest of the weekend. Yay for tomorrow being Friday!

Christmas Spirit

Let me clarify, I'm not that person who is usually one for celebrating Christmas before December. But with the goal to get the perfect tacky Christmas sweater, desserts to bake for friends and family, and my love for Christmas music... this year might be different.

A friend shared this video on Facebook today, and I couldn't resist some Michael Buble and Idina Christmas music. This is actually the cutest music video. Who wants to remake this video with me?! Those kids are more fashionable than me, I love it. Something about Christmas trees, hotels decorated for Christmas, and kids in holiday outfits... I can't resist.

I had to share this video! Please watch it. It's the cutest thing ever, I just saw it a couple minutes ago and it's my third (and not last) time watching it...in a row! Every little detail was planned perfectly.

Help! Great Birthday Gifts?!

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I usually pride myself on giving sentimental, amazing birthday gifts. However, I didn't get an old friend's text invite to her party this week. She DMed me on Twitter letting me know since I didn't reply! I never saw the text. I haven't seen her in a while and was excited for the chance to see her again, so I happily obliged.

But that doesn't leave me much time to get a great gift!? I haven't seen her in a while and she's not like in love with any brand in particular (Sorry, I'm a brand name girl and I figure everyone else is too. They're not.).

I was thinking of getting her a picture frame (my favorite gift to give friends!), but I can't find all my photos with her since they're from a while ago when I used my old laptop (aka gone and I deleted all my old photos off Facebook because... well, because embarrassing.)

I hate getting people gift cards and when asking her stepbrother what to get her, he said a Starbucks gift card since she goes there every day after swim practice. I don't like getting gift cards- but I could buy a Starbucks tumbler with a Starbucks gift card inside and other goodies... Hmm.

Please provide me with some gift ideas before Monday comes!

Here are some ideas I thought of! Let me know what you think is a great gift! Maybe it's something you'd like to receive. Even better, if you have any better other ideas, let me know!

1.) Tie-Dye Kit & Shirt: It's a fun DIY craft for a rainy afternoon! It's not your typical birthday gift and awesome for those Pinterest lovers. Just add water!

Tulip One-Step Tie-Dye Kit

Women's Perfect Fit Crew Tee

2.) Ugly Selfie Book: For all those screenshotted Snapchats and embarrassing middle school photos. Make it as funny as memory lane can possibly be. I haven't made one yet, but it might be in the works for a friend in the future. Watch out guys! ;)

Inspiration from Sarah Belle's 21st Birthday Haul video

3.) Mix Tape: My friend AS made me a mix tape for my birthday and it's one of the best (possibly the best) gift I've ever gotten. She also made me a scrapbook (tie between the mix tape for the best gift ever). With songs from our middle school days and the lyrics we wrote on all our binders (in middle school, of course). It's also perfect for friends who drive so you can blast it while driving!

4.) Customized Shoes: Who doesn't love shoes? Especially shoes customized for your friend! My friend AV sells the coolest canvas shoes. You can get Toms, Mossimo Supply canvas shoes or Vans. You can contact VuVu Designs directly to create a custom order of shoes for your friend, or send in your own shoes to get them designed! Make sure to plan in advance because it takes 3 weeks processing and 3-6 days to ship to the US. If you need them sooner, rush order is also available! (Rush order is 7 business days processing and 3-6 days to ship to the US. More information here.)

Dream Catcher Vans
(These Vans are on sale for one week!
$129 original price, $94 this week only.)

5.) Movie Kit: What's better than a movie night at home? A new movie complete with all of the essentials: a great movie, popcorn, candy and a soda. Bundle it up in a bucket with a giant ribbon and you've got the ultimate stay-in night. You'll receive texts afterwards thanking you for a relaxing evening- whether with a date, the family, alone, or friends... Maybe you'll be the lucky friend asking to pass the popcorn that night! What better way to personalize this gift with a movie the two of you saw and loved in the theater or their favorite movie you know they don't own. Add a Share a Coke with their name to make the gift all the more personalized!

Grease

Orville Redenbacher's Butter Microwave Popcorn

Ghirardelli Chocolate Squares Premium Assortment

Share A Coke - Customize and Personalize Coke Bottles With Names

6.) Sephora Fragrance Gift Sets: This is one of the coolest gifts ever. When I was online shopping at Sephora a few years ago, I ran into this gift and I thought it was the coolest gift in the world! How it works is you buy the fragrance sampler set which is filled with several samples of Sephora's most popular perfumes. The lucky recipient gets to try out all the samples of the sampler set. Then, she chooses her favorite scent of the set, and with an included scent certificate goes to redeem at any US Sephora store for the full size version of said perfume. So you get to try out different scents, pick your favorite and get the full size version of your favorite scent! It's perfect! It's a fun gift that I think is great! There are different versions of the gift set, so go here to check them all out!

Fragrance Rollerball Sampler For Her

Fragrance Sampler for Her

7.) R&R Kit: Similar to a movie kit (so much inspiration from #5), a R&R kit is perfect for your friend who needs some relaxation and loves a rainy day spent curled up with a book, a cup of tea (or coffee, if they prefer) and some relaxing tunes! (Tip: Add a sticky note of relaxing song recommendations onto the gift card for them to buy! I'm a huge fan of John Mayer, Jack Johnson, Ed Sheeran and acoustic versions of their favorite songs.)

Looking for Alaska

Tazo Calm Chamomile Herbal Tea

'crème de la crème' porcelain mug

iTunes Gift Card

More gift set inspiration to come! If you have any ideas what I can get my friend (I only have one day left!), please help! Send me some gift inspiration. Thank you!