It’s Christmastime in Hawaii. Things feel a little bit different this time of year – about 50° different to be exact! Spending this holiday season apart from family and lacking a winter wonderland, I am pulling out all the stops to get in the holiday spirit! You can find Clay and me listening to Christmas music non-stop, baking sweet treats, watching all the cheesy Christmas movies, and occasionally wearing Santa hats and picnicking beneath the full moon. Check out these playlists, recipes, and photo ideas to make the most of the holidays!

Christmas Playlists

The other week I was listening to Pandora, thumbs-downing an occasional mediocre tune, when I stumbled upon my childhood friend Paige’s blog: Paiges and Pages of Nonesense. With Christmas being her favorite time of the year, I was thrilled to find that she had not one, but six Christmas playlists!! Her Spotify account has it going on – complete with Christmas Party Tunes, Christmas Classics, Modern Christmas Tunes, and more – don’t miss out. My favorite of her Christmas creations are included below!

Christmas Party Tunes

 

Jazzy Christmas Tunes of Yesteryear

 

Sweet Treats

Earlier this month I asked my mom to send any tasty cookie recipes my way – ones that do not require a mixer! (We do not yet own a mixer in Hawaii. I know Target is a half mile down the street but I like to work with what I’ve got!) These bars were SO good- I brought them to work to share with friends and they were gone in minutes. With just a couple of ingredients, these Hello Dollys are hassle-free and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. When I went grocery shopping, I couldn’t find butterscotch morsels, so I opted for peanut butter morsels instead. Can you say YUM?!

 

For another holiday treat, something a little different from Christmas cookies, roast your favorite nut with holiday spices and coconut oil goodness. Following Thanksgiving, we had some leftover pecans from Clay’s heavenly Chocolate Chip Pecan Pies (pecan pies with a twist)! I looked up a quick recipe to roast these nuts and fell in love. Roasting pecans makes your home smell like heaven, and I like these as a healthier alternative to cookies and heavy sweets. If you do want slightly sweeter pecans, just add a little brown sugar!

Christmas Photo Creations

It is no surprise that I love photography and capturing moments. And so, I wanted to capture our first Christmas in Hawaii, and I had a vision of the perfect holiday photo. Before I could execute my idea, I needed an essential item: battery-powered lights. Thanks to Amazon, I quickly found exactly what I was looking for – see what I ordered here. After finding my essential prop, I needed just a few more things: a couple of Santa hats and a willing boyfriend. (Clay is the best, eh?!) If you have read my blog or know me, you know I love moonrises – and Santa hats, Christmas lights, and hors d’oeuvres made it an even more memorable one. These photos might just make wonderful future Christmas Cards!

Contact me if you are interested in a holiday couple session of your own – just in time for Christmas. Have a wonderful week and enjoy the Christmas music, baked treats, and the Christmas spirit!!