Welcome to the first EFM gift guide of 2024! No better place to start, as there’s no one I know better how to shop for than myself :) And I actually do plan to shop for myself this Christmas, as funny as that might sound. There are a few reasons why… First, I am committed to a Christmas morning that is not simply my children opening gift after gift. I want them to see other people (a.k.a. me and John) opening and enjoying gifts, too, and understand that this morning is for them, but not all about them. This is tricky, though, because while John and I try to exercise restraint in our giving, the handful of gifts we select for them are just the start: our kids also get gifts from two sets of grandparents. And aunts and uncles. And great aunts. And their siblings. Which is so wonderful! But in contrast, John and I get gifts from… each other. Maybe one or two or three. And as both sides of our families have moved to swap systems or exchanged gifts for experiences, the balance of boxes under the tree has become more and more lopsided. So yes, I’d like to even things out a little, and if I need to buy myself gifts to do so, I’m okay with that: I like getting things that I believe will improve my days or bring me little glimmers of joy, but gifts are not my main love language. Second, I’m frugal. For years, in our early life together when we were living on less, I built my Christmas list with great care, earmarking things month in advance that I wanted but that simply didn’t fit in our budget. I’m grateful for all the gifts from parents and in-laws and siblings

Day Two of the Em for Marvelous Gift Guide is all about, for lack of a better word, “neutral” gifts. And when I say neutral I’m talking about the color, not the awesome-ness. I hope you’ll find a few goodies on here to give or get this month! 1. Magnolia and flower illustration no. 6688 ($25) | I love Kari Herer’s pieces. This one would be especially fitting for us since it’s emblematic of our adopted homeland, the South. 2. Set of 3 1-liter Weck juice jars ($11.65) | We have these and they’re perfect for toting liquids to picnics! 3. Zinc prize ribbon ($24) | Love that you can customize this with chalk. Would be sweet to hang it in your house and trade superlatives back and forth with roommates or family members! 4. Zinc letters and numbers ($7.25) | I’d buy a friend’s monogram, or maybe a special (short) word. 5. Leopard print lumbar pillow cover ($25) | Every home needs a touch of leopard. Truth. 6. Heart-shaped quiche dishes, set of 4 ($14.99) | Wouldn’t it be neat to serve breakfast or dessert in these on special days for your family? Birthdays, anniversaries, big tests… 7. The Clutch in natural ($48) | Not too fancy for everyday use, but easily dressed up. 8. Rugby stripe bin ($9.99) | Put a little prep in your step! I think these would look great lined up on a shelf storing not-so-aesthetically pleasing belongings. 9. Rhinestone dome studs ($4.80) | Please compare to versions from Kate Spade. 10. Insulated picnic basket ($49) | We received this as a wedding gift, and we LOVE it! I love the classic styling on the outside as much as I appreciate the functionality of keeping things cold. 11. “I think you are magic” letterpress card

Happy Monday, friends! Thank you so much for your sweet comments about last week’s post! I’m excited for us all to get out there and make some days! :) In the meantime, I thought y’all might still have some gifts to buy for loved ones (I know I do). For that reason, my gift guides are back for a third year! This year the gifts range from $4.80 – $59, with an average price of $28.50. It was very important to me to keep the prices reasonable! I’ve organized things by color just because that’s my jam, but I consider them all things I (and hopefully you) would love to give and get. Colorful choices are up today, and neutrals tomorrow! 1. Printed breakfast tray ($43) | Love the gorgeous, bright colors of these. I’d put one on our kitchen island or coffee table to corral trinkets. 2. Coral & turquoise studs ($32) | If you, like me, tend to wear a lot of neutrals day to day, these earrings are the perfect choice to add a little color. The size keeps them from feeling overwhelming! 3. Dylan bow ballet flat ($50) | It is a rare day that you will find me in heels. These flats are just as stylish; I love the pink color they come in, too. 4. iPhone 4 case in Flamingle ($26) | This is the exact case I have for my phone, and I LOVE it. It makes me happy every time I look at it. It’s surprisingly reasonably priced for being a Lilly Pulitzer goodie, and I love that it’s a soft touch case over a hard case – feels more protective and durable. 5. Salt Air Hair 11×14 print ($22) | I love everything Katie Daisy does, particularly the colors in this