Better late than never, right? December’s Real Simple is almost always my favorite because it’s jammed packed with great gift, food and decorating ideas for the holidays. And since Christmas time is the one time of year that those 3 items are put into overdrive, I’ll get right to the goodies they had in store!
1. 50 Gifts under $50. Every year RS puts forth a stellar gift guide for all walks of life, and this year certainly doesn’t disappoint. They break things down into easy to navigate groups, such as gifts for everyone, the women in your life (mom, sister, aunt), men in your life and the kiddos. RS seems to do a great job of spotting a trend or finding something really interesting before you’ve even heard of it – how do they do that? I, for one, would love almost everything on this list, which includes ceramic nuts, framed alphabet prints, The Sartorialist book, bacon jam and Pantone luggage tags (among many others). If you’re in a rut and want something out of the ordinary to give to your gift list-ees, check this article out!
2. Recipes for a Good Time. I have to admit I’m a bit of a glutton and look forward to the food around the holidays more than anything else. I’m such a sucker for a good hors d’oeuvres, but my burgeoning belly does not thank me for this. Alas, Real Simple has come to my rescue. They’ve whipped up a menu of yummy bite-sized treats, perfect for parties, that are a bit more on the healthy side and look seriously delicious. Can you say caramelized apple and onion tarts? And no, they’re not all health conscious, but isn’t gorging yourself part of the holiday spirit?
3. Decorating with Brown. Why yes, I managed to find the one decorating article in this holiday issue, thankyouverymuch. Some people might not think of brown as a great color to fill your home with (ie. makes people think of poo, dirt, and other nasty things) but I love it. There are so many shades of brown, and it can either be a perfect neutral or a rich accent. I have a lot of brown accents in my home, but only one room that sports a bold, dark brown wall. This article almost made me reconsider my color choices…. almost. I can’t get away from my beloved green now, can I? This piece also shows some great combos with brown, such as brown + yellow (my personal fav), brown + blue, and brown + lavender (which I thought screamed my friend Jen when I flipped to the page – how weird am I for thinking a room screams of a person?). Forget the bad connotations you’ve had with brown and jump on the brown bandwagon!
Who can’t wait for a new year of Real Simples issues? Only me? Ok… well, here’s to 2010!
Not just you, me too!! I place my order for Real Simple a few months ago, but haven’t received my first one yet. Maybe my order doesn’t start up until the new year, but either way I’m very excited to be able to view these along with you during your monthly updates!!
I love brown, too!