Holiday Gift Idea | Apple Cider Syrup

Happy December!  I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Ours was filled with so much food & wine, family, ankle-deep snow, and coziness by the fire.

There is a shorter time between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, so it's time to get in the full swing of the holidays!  And to get in the spirit, I have some homemade gift ideas that are great on a budget.  First up - apple cider syrup! 

I brought a half gallon of minimally processed cider to a boil on the stove then let it simmer down for about 3-4 hours until it got nice and thick.  The half gallon yielded exactly this one small jar.  To make it extra special, I added a drink recipe that uses the syrup as an ingredient.  This makes for the perfect holiday host gift.  Enjoy!

Merry Christmas

Wishing you the most perfect holiday season, the brightest Christmas, and the happiest New Year!

Home Again

SLR is coming home!

S arrived last night in time for dinner and wine, and L will be on her way tonight.  We can't wait to celebrate the holidays together! There is a ton on the schedule- afternoon teas and dinner parties, gift swaps and cookie making, and definitely plenty of Christmas tunes and gift wrapping (L is the most amazing gift wrapper).

Can't wait to have you home L!

Christmas Playlist 2012

Are you counting down the days to Christmas?  I can't believe it's less than a week away!  Here's our Christmas Playlist on Grooveshark to help you celebrate my favorite holiday! 

SLR's Merry Christmas Playlist 2012

Gift Guide: Your sort-of-girlfriend

Tom Ford lipstick

Theater tickets

Personalized Tote

Wine tasting kit

Magazine Subscription

Gold bangles

Gift Guide: The One with the Legs

Polka dot

Liquid Metal

Two-toned

Back Seam 

Ombre

Gift Guide: Your 11-Year-Old Twin Brothers

A head lamp: For all their adventures

A personalized jersey to his favorite team: He'll probably never take it off. 

A twin pack of sleds: To have fun together (these ones are 20% off right now) - or, get a sweet sled just for him.  

Best Friends hats: Brownie points if he gives one back to you.

A popcorn maker: Midnight snack provider, and to enhance the experience of... 

A Christmas Story: Because it's about time.  You can also get him matching ornaments, dominos, and of course a leg lamp for a full education.

Gift Guide: Your Friend who Commutes from a Small Apartment

Tory Burch for Neiman Marcus + Target lunch box and thermos, so she can be the most stylish person in the lunch room. 

An Audio Books subscription, to provide entertainment during rush hour and enable her to keep up on the lastest novels - without cluttering her apartment with hard copies.

Baggu: When she stops for groceries on her way home, she'll be thrilled that she always keeps this tiny-to-fold-up bag tucked into her purse or pocket. 

A faux fur pass-through scarf: Looks like luxury and is the ultimate outfit trick for a working girl running late on a cold morning (Keeps you warm on the commute but makes any outfit more polished? One less thing to worry about rushing into that morning meeting!). This red one from Forever 21 is an added pop of color, too (and this black one is on sale). 

5 Ingredient Fix: A great cookbook for a small apartment dweller; each recipe calls for no more than 5 ingredients, so there's less to keep on hand in her small kitchen.

DVF earbuds: A well-priced gift to make the commute and long work days a little more glamorous.  

SLR's Gift Guide Week

Have you started (/finished) your holiday shopping?  This week we will be sharing our SLR 2012 Gift Guides for those on your list, inspired by our lists.  Share your ideas with us on great gifts and how to keep gifting fun - we'd love to hear them!