A woman with long blonde hair, wearing a cream sweater and jeans, relaxes in a white armchair with a plush blanket. Behind her, wooden doors are decorated with greenery and blue ribbons, by McGee & Co.

Monthly Musings | December

11 December 2025 –

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My holiday decor and last-minute gifting.

The holidays are officially here, and I’m fully in it—the music, the baking, the lights everywhere. We just finished shooting our holiday webisode, and honestly… it was so much fun. The kind of day where you forget it’s “work” because you’re rearranging garlands and laughing with the team. If you haven’t watched it yet, you can check it out here.

Back at home, things are feeling very December—The Rat Pack on the record player, cookies in the oven, Susie Sparkles, our elf, is flying around the house—and I’m trying to enjoy the magic before the calendar takes over.

How I Decorated My Living Room

The tree is up and looking beautiful, but the mantel is the thing I can’t stop staring at. I’ve had this idea in my head forever, and I finally did it: a big, dramatic velvet bow that actually pools onto the floor. I’m not gonna lie—it took me hours to get just right—but it was worth every second. It feels a little grand, a little old-world, and totally fun.

On the coffee table, I brought in a blue-and-white ginger jar like this one filled with paperwhites. Such a simple moment, but it sets the whole tone. I swapped my usual cream candles for red—they look so good in these Tottenham Taper Holders—and then added a few vintage pillows I found on Etsy to the sofa for some extra warmth and pattern.

We’re using a 10-foot tree this year, and it just fills the space so beautifully. Tons of tiny twinkle lights, hydrangeas tucked in between branches, dried oranges, and clip-on candles for that old-school glow. I added more ribbon (I started shopping for ribbon in July!), warm neutral baubles, and all the ornaments we’ve collected over the years—the sentimental ones are always my favorite part.

The room feels festive without feeling fussy—cozy enough for real life, pretty enough for the season.

A collage featuring a decorated Christmas tree, three ornaments, two red candles in glass holders, a blue and white flower pot with white flowers, and a white stocking with a red pattern, by McGee & Co.

How I’m Gifting

Every year I tell myself this will be the year I’m ahead on gifts… and then December shows up and I’m right back where I always am, panic-scrolling and adding-to-cart. If you’re also in the last-minute club, I’ve got you.

I’ve realized gifting gets so much easier when I think about personality first. Once I do that, it’s suddenly obvious. Oh, you need the cozy thing. You want the hosting thing. You get the pretty, slightly impractical thing because it’ll make you smile.

For the gardeners in my life, I’m leaning into thoughtful-but-useful pieces—things that feel beautiful but still get real mileage, like this Rattan Gardening Tray. For the hosts, it’s all about elevated basics they’ll reach for again and again. This European Brass Pepper Mill is one of those everyday pieces that still feels special.

My style mavens get the elevated little luxuries—the pieces that are artful and useful. This Nico Oval Bone Box checks both boxes. And then there are my homebodies, who are honestly the easiest: give them something soft, cozy, or good-smelling, and it’s an instant win. This Maja Faux Fur Blanket is my go-to this year—it’s the softest thing in the world.

Gifting this way feels calmer. It’s less about hunting for the “perfect” thing and more about choosing something that makes their everyday a little nicer. Which… feels like the whole point anyway.

A collage of home decor items on a white background: a folded beige faux fur throw, a woven wicker basket, a pair of brass pepper and salt mills, and a round white mosaic box with a lid, by McGee & Co.

What I’m Wearing

It’s cozy season, so I’ve been living in cashmere. These Cloud Cashmere Crew Socks and this J.Crew turtleneck are my everyday luxuries. And I keep rotating between my two favorite merino wool pieces—the Sacha Cardigan and Samuel Jumper. Soft, warm, effortless.

Because winter has officially arrived in Utah, I’m reaching for practical-but-pretty layers: leather lug-sole boots, a water-repellant Barbour coat, and this drapey scarf coat that somehow makes even quick school drop-offs feel a bit more pulled together.

On Christmas morning, the girls will be matching in their Petite Plume tartan pajamas—one of my favorite little traditions. And for the holiday parties? A little sparkle. I love these Vaughn Earrings—simple, festive, and so easy to wear.