Here Comes Gina enjoyed an especially wonderful Christmas this year. Joe and I hosted every member of our immediate families (a first) for the fourth Christmas Eve in a row. We worked like elves on speed in the weeks leading up to Christmas to prepare our house, the gifts and the menu, and our diligence paid off. Our “feast of seven pastas” was a success, and Aunt Gina and Uncle Joe even started a a new tradition of giving our little nieces and nephews special matching Christmas pajamas. After attending longer-than-expected midnight mass and doing some final clean up, we eventually passed out at 4:30 a.m. just in time for Santa to wiggle down our chimney and leave some gifts. Side note: how awesome would it be if that actually happened?
Pictured here are a few snippets of my Christmas experience. I hope everyone had equally fantastic Christmases!
Above, from left to right:
- My mom (my McMahon family pollyanna) gave me a Dyson! Joe gave it a whirl the other day, and it’s life changing. Muchas gracias Mom.
- How can this gingerbread man ornament not make you smile?
- One of my favorite Christmas gifts: The Book of Awesome from CF.
- Festive napkin rings from Crate and Barrel added holiday sparkle to our Christmas Eve feast.
- It’s all about the flowers: red and white roses with fresh cranberries topped our Christmas Eve dinner table.
- One of my gifts to Joe: Wall and Piece – a book comprising the works of the notorious graffiti artist Banksy.
- Another one of my favorite ornaments on our tree: a chocolate chip cookie.
- Joe gave me the Ibiza brush!
- My mother-in-law Carol (my Colantonio family pollyanna) gave me the Clarisonic Mia! I haven’t used it yet but am very excited to look at least 10 years younger.
- My mom’s much loved butter cookies which are a highly anticipated annual treat in the McMahon family. Despite a scary malfunction with my mom’s cookie press, she was able to churn out enough for me to scarf down an entire (albeit relatively small) tin the day after Christmas. Also pictured: my beloved holiday Hershey’s kisses.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I am showing my cousin, Maureen, your blog and she LOVES, LOVES, LOVES the Clarisonic Mia (and your blog) …… She uses it everyday and let me tell you….”she looks 15 years younger since the last time I saw her in August”…… (she told me to say that! )…
I hope you love it as much as she does and maybe CVS will sell it one day and I will purchase it with extrabucks :)
CDW: Please tell Maureen I am happy to hear it’s working for her! I haven’t actually used mine yet (I am the worst, I know), but I have it all charged up and am going to start this weekend. I am sure when you see me next I too “will look 15 years younger” since the last time you saw me ;) And if anyone can get a free Clarisonic from CVS, it is CDW.