Holiday Goodness

Hurray, my Christmas shopping is complete! My suitcase is open on my bedroom floor full of presents, 1 bathing suit, my Macbook, phone charger, pj's, a couple of cotton dresses and flip flops. Once my Kid tosses in his bathing suit and some clean t-shirts we are ready for Florida. Mom, I know you are reading this...Friday afternoon=pool and chocolate martinis.

Tonight I am heading into the city with my friend Michael and partner Paul to enjoy a Christmas party at Fernando's tequila bar and then to a great little neighborhood bar Millie's for a peppermint shot or 2. No matter where you go in Chicago, a local dive bar, a Mexican restaurant, stores, hotels, museums, L stops, the German market...there are lights, wreaths, and holiday decorations. The City is just beautiful at this time of year and Chicagoans know to enjoy it before the sludge and gray of February arrives.

So readers, before I sign off for a few days of R&R here are a few of my favorite Christmas ideas for gifts or parties.

1. Books. Really....like this wouldn't have been on the top of my list? A few favorites of mine that surprisingly many people haven't read:

• The Stranger by Albert Camus. Haunting. What is the value of a life?
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. One of the most beautiful books ever written.
• The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde. Love his poetry. Loved that he was an Oxford man.

Other authors to gift: Jorge Luis Borges, John Keats, Jane Austen, Erma Bombeck.

2. Herb infused olive oil. When I clean out my garden in the fall I dry my herbs, buy or reuse beautiful glass bottles and give the gift of rosemary or Italian herb olive oil.

3. Moleskin. I have been using and gifting these wonderful little books for years. I have a stack of used ones in my desk, everything from the calendars to the reporter notebook to a wine journal. Perfect for travel, perfect for writers and artists, great for list makers or the calendar addict.

4. Time. I'm sure you've noticed. We have less of it than ever. Sometimes what someone needs the most is more time. Time to stop by your home for a hot meal that they are too busy or too tired to make. Time for a night out. Time for a night in doing nothing. Find time and give it away.

5. Handmade presents. This year I vowed to avoid big boxes store and gift presents made in the USA by small business owners. I was almost 100% successful. For specialty items I did buy a few items from stores like Williams-Sonoma because of the amazing items crafted in France. My favorite places to shop, Etsy and antique stores. Amazing one of a kind gifts.

What ever you are doing this year, I wish you a Harry Potter, "Happy Christmas!" Song is Carol of the Bells.

Monday List #21-Favorite Holiday Movies

We had 2 bitterly cold days in Chicago this weekend, not surprising for this icy City but another reminder of how nice it is during the winter to be with loved ones at home. My family, like so many others enjoys snuggling on the sofa, making a big bowl of popcorn and watching movies at this time of year. Next week my son and I will fly to Florida to spend Christmas at my parent's home with my sister, her husband and my 3 year old niece and 1 year old nephew, my aunt and uncle and the family dogs. My mom will have the pool heated for swimming, my dad will buy bait for fishing off the dock and there will be lots of Christmas cookies, seafood, chocolate martinis and movie watching.

So for today's Monday List, here are my favorite Holiday Movies. Happy Watching Readers!

P.S. Check out this list of Top British Christmas Movies from one of my favorite websites, Anglotopia. Not surprising that many of my favorite films are British.

1. While You Were Sleeping. Starring Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman. Not only one of my favorite Christmas movies, but a favorite film set in Chicago. Over drinks sometime, ask me about the night my friend Wynter and I met Sandra Bullock in a bar while she was filming this movie in Chicago. It's good story involving too much liquor and salsa dancing.
2. Bridget Jones's Diary. I love the book and love the movie even more. England at Christmas time and Hugh Grant. And neurotic lovable Bridget and her kooky friends. A fun film I watch over and over.
3. The Holiday. 3 reasons why I love this film. Kate Winslet. Jude Law. And Kate Winslet's PERFECT English country cottage which you can see here.
4. Love Actually. A charming Christmas movie. London, great characters, love.
5. Home Alone. Kevin gets left at home at Christmas and the adventures begin. Another wonderful Chicago movie.
6. Die Hard. A total guilty pleasure. Everyone needs a little Bruce Willis killing bad guys during a holiday party to keep it real.
7. The Nightmare Before Christmas. When my son was little, we watched this movie repeatedly. Tim Burton makes Christmas macabre. Love it.
8. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I laugh just thinking of watching this movie again. Everything about this movie is perfect, Clark Griswold, squirrel in the Christmas tree, Cousin Eddie...
9. A Christmas Story. My dad LOVES this movie. He even has the leg lamp. We have this playing on a loop like most of America all day on Christmas.
10. Meet Me in St. Louis. Judy Garland singing Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas gives me chills.

Monday 5 List #9

Since Christmas is a few days away I thought I would share my favorite Christmas memories.

1. Brunch. Christmas morning brunch is a big thing in my family. From age 8-18 I spent every Christmas at our vacation home in Florida. Christmas morning would consist of hanging out with family who were in to visit, eating lots of quiche made by my Mom, gorging on Jolly Biscuit Roll made by my Grandma and walks to the beach. Sometimes we even went to "The Pink Castle" to watch the sunset. Perfect.
2. My Kid's first Christmas-1993. He was 6 months old. He slept a lot. There is nothing like snuggling with an infant on Christmas morning. Warm, peaceful, happy and surrounded by family.
   
3. New Orleans. Christmas 1996. A boyfriend and I stayed at a hotel on Bourbon Street. We spent an evening singing Christmas carols in Jackson Square under the lights from The Saint Louis Cathedral while holding candles that dripped onto paper sleeves to catch the wax. We drank a lot and celebrated with friends. The next day we drove to Florida and stayed at a hotel on the beach, Christmas Eve in a hot tub. Good times.
   
4. Christmas 2002. With my family in Florida. My 90 year old Grandfather's last Christmas. Precious, precious memories.
5. Feast of the 7 Fishes. I first enjoyed this celebration with my 1st husband who's family was Sicilian. Massive amounts of seafood on Christmas Eve=my idea of heaven. Since my wonderful Uncle Vinny (an Italian from Brooklyn NY) married my Aunt Kim a few years ago we have enjoyed this tradition with my family. Uncle Vinny makes unbelievably delicious crab and lobster every Christmas Eve. I look forward to overeating seafood this Friday at my Mom's home in Florida, Uncle Vinny has his work cut out for him trying to feed my 6'6 son and hopefully recreating my soon to be ex-husband's famous garlic shrimp recipe.
   

Wherever you are, whatever you do this Christmas and Holiday season, be well readers.