Holiday Gifting // Package Creatively

Half the fun in giving a gift is imagining the look on the recipients face when you finally place it in their hands, is it not?  I have this in mind each time I wrap a gift, but at no time more than during the holidays. There is a spirit of child-like wonder in the air that makes giving and receiving so much fun. I like to parlay that spirit into themed or unexpected packaging that is often part of the gift itself. 

Today, I'm sharing some creative ways to package your holiday gifts that will no doubt make a big impression, even before the true gift is revealed.

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Haute Chocolate

I have a small confession. For the past couple of weeks now,  I've been sneaking off to the kitchen every afternoon to whip up a cup of hot chocolate. 

Perhaps it's the darker, colder afternoons sending me in search of a little extra pick me up. Truth be told I have always enjoyed sipping on something hot to get me through those last couple of hours in the work day. In the New Year, green tea with all it's antioxidants will fill my cup. As resolutions wane, that will eventually evolve back to my trusty ol' cup of joe. But in need of something sweet one particularly tough day, I happened upon an unopened box of Swiss Miss hiding in the cupboard and I have to say, my afternoon ritual suddenly turned into well... a delight.

Fast forward to Thanksgiving. I was steeping vanilla beans in some milk that would eventually become custard and I got to thinking about how I might up the ante on my daily treat. Lo and behold, there are dozens of ways to turn that cocoa into a haute cup of chocolate. Here are eight I can't wait to try!

 Rick Poon | a la mode

Paula Deen

Nigella Lawson

Katie Goodman | Good Life Eats

Alex Rushmer | Just Cook It

A Cozy Kitchen via Tasty Kitchen

Martha Stewart

Kristin Rosenau | Pastry Affair

Evergreen

It's the only time of year we hang a wreath on our front door. But much like a national holiday, when most of our neighborhood is donning the red, white and blue, the wreaths that have started to appear over our respective thresholds and mantles are at once a unifying gesture. It's like the neighborhood is collectively saying the holidays are here and I'm all in, and as far as I'm concerned, nothing says let's celebrate like an evergreen wreath.

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Around Here // Patio Banquette

Just off the kitchen dining area, sits a screened-in patio that we use often, especially when entertaining. When we bought Holtwood House, we actually considered a complete tear down of this area, convinced that it would provide too much shade to these poolside windows. It also was quite outdated, with slick yellow tile that we knew we could not live with, but was a low priority item on the long, long list of renovation tasks we were facing.

I always say that scheduling a party will motivate you to tackle all those things you've been putting off and in this case, it was true again with the patio. We knew we needed seating and we also wanted to be able to use this area as an extension of our house for long term entertaining. One weekend just before our housewarming, The Mister quickly constructed these banquette benches. We upholstered the top with 3" foam and went with an all-white pillow color scheme along the back- easily bleached when cleaning is needed.

It's a casual spot to hang out poolside, but dresses up nicely like it did on Thanksgiving with a little floral and my favorite Anthropologie placemat.