Cozy By the Fire (& Weekend Links!)

It’s the Saturday before Christmas, and I’m officially pronouncing it the weekend to lounge. Whether curled up by a fireplace, vegging out in front of classic holiday movies, or making a cozy dinner at home, I expect to see some serious relaxation out of you guys today (and that’s an order!) It’s the weekend that separates the madness of holiday shopping and tying up loose ends at work before the break… and the busyness of the holiday itself, often consumed by travel and spending time with family and out-of-town friends. I’m certainly doing my part to embrace the lounge-y vibe, sipping hot cocoa in my favorite pair of fair isle sweater leggings as part of our latest post in our Gap Styld.by collaboration. Do you have a favorite pair of lounge pants? At this time of year, it’s an absolute necessity to find that perfect pair that you never want to take off, and paired with a soft v-neck and cozy moccasins, they can take you from breakfast in bed to sprawled on the couch with a stack of magazines in the afternoon. These are so comfortable, I’ve found myself looking for ways to wear them as frequently as I can get away with. (I drew the line at wearing them to the grocery store, but hey! Maybe with a long tunic and tall boots… ) My other winter afternoon necessity? The perfect cup of cocoa, and not surprisingly, Phoebe has developed as much of a passion for sipping one as her mama. It’s a little indulgence that is so worth giving into at this time of year, and using high-quality real chocolate (no powdered cocoa!) makes a huge difference. I like to make a bit pot of it in my tea kettle and keep it warm on the stove so that anyone who stops by can pour themselves a cup. I’ve included my favorite recipe at the bottom of the post, along with my favorite links from the week! And a few great links you’ve got to checkout on this final weekend before the holiday:

Last week I surprised the team with a day at Lake Austin Spa as our “company holiday party,” and it was essentially heaven on earth. The gorgeous hill country landscape, delicious healthy food, and blissful treatments made it a truly unforgettable day. If you still need to check a few “impossible to buy for” people off your list, a gift certificate to this magical spot would be the perfect treat.

A roundup of fun holiday crafts to make with your kids (or little nieces or nephews!) this week.

Gluten-free pizza doesn’t usually speak to me, but this brussels sprouts version looks way too good to pass up.

The 40 most groundbreaking albums of all time. (do you agree?)

Amazing holiday party appetizers to whip up this week.

15 best gift wrapping ideas — I want to try them all!

Hope you find some ways to treat yourself extra well this weekend, and for loads more outfit inspiration, be sure to checkout Gap’s Styld.by site for some amazing looks worn by creative people around the globe.