holiday gift guide: miss rilla

so miss rilla might be lil hoot's number one cheerleader.  i totes appreciate her encouragement, as well as her unique and modern flair - which you can get a sense of in her fab gift guide. . .





Hubs: My husband has officially retired his time with our fancy schmancy camera since he got his iPhone and I think these are a supercool addition. Especially because they will get lots of use when our baby girl arrives in Feb....

My hubs goes along with my Christmas lunacy...ahem, love...every year, and truthfully I do believe he is kind of getting into it too. But that doesnt mean he wouldnt love this ornament tailor made for him...

Stocking stuffer: I have baby girls on the brain and cant stop squealing over all things girlie, after 4 and half years of Monster Trucks, super heroes, and Bakugans. If my girl were here I would be putting this in her stocking...I might have to get it anyway. I also love that its a Danish design.


J will be finding this in his stocking this year. Cant leave him out and focus on only the girly! What kid doesnt love balloon animals?! And they can keep it and play with it forever? SOLD. 

Friend: Now I am anti gift card USUALLY. Even if someone claims to not want anything (wish I had that problem ;) ) I like to come up with something! But a gift card to BaubleBar.com would be the most fun gift to give my bestie. The choices and styles are endless and what girl wouldnt like to buy a little bling during that post Holiday depression. I would buy this... or this 

Dad: My dad is impossible. He NEVER wants anything...one of those guys. But he is my Daddy and I always want to do SOMETHING special and he loves to be cozy by the fire with a blanket and a book. And this is the most delicious blanket EVER.

Hostess: I believe that a hostess gift should have some luxury to it, not be something the busy hostess has to "deal" with when she is greeting guests, and have something edible for her to enjoy LATER, not have to share with guests. I usually make a baked good like this biscotti or a beautiful breakfast bread, and place it on a tray like this then I want to add a beautiful tin of tea like this one, and drape or wrap it with a fab dishtowel like this ( I love antlers!). That way its a self indulgent treat for the next day, and she gets some pieces to add to her collection of beauties.


Teacher: Teacher gifts are the hardest. Because you truly love this person who you entrust your child to and want them to see how important they are to your child. But you dont really know them...the baked good always works...a tin of Christmas cookies, maybe.  some paper for her desk that is just a bit cooler than a yellow post-it , a delicious candle to calm her down after a day with children hopped up on extra sugarplums and hearing sleighbells , or this incredible pot with a rosemary tree potted in it. Just something to make him or her feel special.

Brother: For my cool brother, who is a total hipster before hipster became every kid who shops in Urban Outfitters. He also rarely wants anything but appreciates design and function. This very cool alarm clock and iPhone charger combo. I love pretty much everything that works with an Apple product. Why is that? 

Or a print by the ever awesome Sharon Montrose who is a commercial animal photographer who photographs real live animals, raised (and most rescued) by loving, experienced, and dedicated animal keepers and handlers who care for them as their own and ensured their welfare while being photographed (in studio or outside at the facilities where they live, then photoshopped into the backdrop). SO.cool. My bro would dig this one.




Best gift I ever got...My dad made me a doll house one Christmas. He bought the frame but installed everything else...yellow clapboard siding, red, window frames, beautiful pine boards on the floor, cedar shingles, even a little wreath above the front door. To walk downstairs and see this BIG box and realize I was the one getting it...best moment ever. I played with it for years and even decorated it for Christmas every year.

Best gift I ever gave...When I was pregnant with my son in 2006 I was at about 8 mos at Christmas so I decided to give my husband a gift for him and the babe. Jeff was so excited to have a son and to share all his loves with him...number one was the Yankees...but a close second was his love of Pearl Jam. So I went on lalaling.com and personalized a baby shirt. The front featured the album cover of his favorite Pearl Jam album and the back said "My Daddy and I love Pearl Jam". see photo attachment He loved it VERY much and you can tell it meant a lot to him. The company did a great job...its an American Apparel tee and the print job held up really well. I have already been told our little girl will be wearing it too.


Most excited to give...I am most excited for everything my son is getting. He is 4.5 and had a very short very clear list...happily he is getting everything on it...he will be in heaven like only a 4 year old on Christmas can be.

No. 1 on my list...I have been swooning over these (I have a antler obsession) ....antlers, gold and chevron! My dream come true. I also REALLY want the new kindle fire. 

Favorite tradition...All of them! I <3 Christmas BIG time. My mother is Danish and my bro and I are first generation. The Scandinavians really get into Christmas. It is a BIG deal. My mother has made Christmas very special and important my whole life. So now that I am always the hostess to my family for the week of Christmas, I have tried to duplicate the feelings of my childhood Christmases. I especially love when my little family goes to get our fresh tree (always fresh!) and spend an evening listening to Phil Spectors Christmas albums while decorating together. We dont do a theme tree, just ornaments that my husband and I started collecting when we met 11 years ago. My son is starting to remember the ornaments so it is fun to hear his squeals when they come out of the tissue wrappings. He especially loves the white dove of peace tree topper...my parents have had one for years and it was a special moment for me when I found one a few years ago. We always have a "treat" while decorating...usually aebleskiver, basically cardamom scented pancake balls that are a typical Danish Christmas dessert. described and photographed here with powdered sugar and red currant jam for dipping. Then we sit in the room lit only by the trees white twinkle lights and read Christmas books. Bliss. 

thank you, miss rilla - what a lucky fam you have and baby girl might be the awesomest fetus on the planet.  she'll have a tough time not inheriting the good karma you're putting out there.
oh, and can you please move closer so i can grab one of your amazebalz hostess gifts?  {i'm not cut out for teaching}

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