So apparently it’s January. It’s probably not the time for any Christmas related post, but that’s the thing about the holidays. You have all these intentions of lovely things you’re going to do and then you wake up one day and it’s 2013. I literally just got all my decorations up like four days before Christmas. According to the Internet, I was supposed to have had everything done December 1st and also have it photographed, Pinned, blogged and Instagrammed. Not only that, but I clearly failed in my attempt at daily posts of the cards of Christmas past. On the bright side, that leaves plenty for next year. Maybe if I start now you’ll actually see them by December.

So I have a slew of holiday merriment to catch up on. Let’s start with some sweet Christmas presents, shall we? As I’ve said before, I do actually love giving gifts to people and wrapping them as well. But it makes me a little crazy that people don’t like to admit how awesome it is to get presents too. Admit it- presents rock! And as long as you’re nice and pay it forward too then you’re totally okay.

Every year I make a very detailed list of things that I would be happy (but am in no way expecting) to find under my tree. I started when I was a teenager cutting pictures of the things I wanted out of magazine, because as we learned from The Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff, sometimes parents just don’t understand… what these things are that you want. Of course the Internet has made it way easier to put together a compilation list so it has continued.

In case you’re wondering what this year’s looked like, this is the list that I provided (but only when asked. I’m not a total brat).

I like to choose things that are a range of prices and some things that have to be ordered online vs. things that a technologically-inept person (sorry, Mom) could get in their car and drive to a store and buy.

And then of course, there’s my husband. Steve prides himself on not buying me ANYTHING off my list. His theory is that he’s so amazing (which is kinda true) and listens carefully to me all year when I say I want things that he buys me long after I’ve forgotten about them.  Then on Christmas morning I’m like, “oh my God I wanted this!” and he sits there all proud and is like, “I know.”

This year was no exception. Starting with stocking stuffers. I am the worst at stocking stuffers. I always forget about them until the last minute and then I buy stupid things in a panic that I won’t have anything. And just because something fits in a stocking doesn’t mean it’s cheap, so I often spend too much of my allotted budget on dumb things that just happen to be tiny. Like everything else, Steve is great at picking out small things that I actually need, so if gift giving is a game, he’s the clear winner on this one.

This next one wasn’t so much a surprise because I made Steve promise on our not yet conceived first born child that he would take me to see Les Mis or I would return all of his presents. But he’s always one for presentation. This isn’t even the first time he’s given me a decorated envelope.

I always ask for a mix of books and DVD’s because I rarely buy them for myself (you know, for fear of exoneration from Count Pennypincher). My struggle is always remembering what I had been wanting to see/read that year. I can’t wait to read all of my new books! You know, in my spare time.

Steve refuses to buy me nail polish because he thinks I have a “problem” and doesn’t want to feed my “addiction.” Luckily I have a sister and a sister-in-law who understand what I’m going through.

Steve always shows how much he truly cares by braving Forever 21 during the Christmas season. Whatta guy. He’s also the Jewelry Whisperer of the Kate Spade outlet.

Speaking of outlets, Steve also scored pretty big at my other favorite, J.Crew. Because now that we’re married, we like to brag to each other how little we pay for each other’s gifts. If you ask me, that’s what true love is really about. Without a bargain hunting husband, there is no way I would ever have acquired my Edie bag:

And not one, but two schoolboy blazers:

Wondering how I got these amazing photos of myself? I got a tripod!

Now I don’t have to beg Steve to take my outfit photos at 10:00 pm when he gets home after I’ve been alone with my clothes all day. And um for work and stuff too when I photograph things. Obviously I did not get Photoshop, as you can tell by all the hideous things that are happening on my face. Maybe next year.

Back to outlet shopping. If the Kate Spade outlet didn’t exist… well I just wouldn’t own anything from Kate Spade.