If all goes according to plan, I'll be spending the end of December visiting faraway loved ones, so decorating my own apartment is one of the projects I had to cross off my holiday to-do list. Luckily, a few of my across-the-street neighbors have big, beautiful Christmas trees covered in sparkly white lights, and they generously leave their curtains open for all — or at least me — to enjoy! More

Over Thanksgiving I sat down with my mom and actually completed a Pinterest-inspired project. Together we disassembled and reassembled, hot glued, and painted dollar store clothespins into seven-inch snowflakes. This spurt of craftiness has provided me with door, gift, and tree decorations. More

Do you know your firs from your spruces from your pines? What's the ideal height-to-width ratio for a Christmas tree? Len Penzo at the Business Insider will tell you. Don't wait until you're at the lot to think about what you want in a tree. If your eyes are often bigger than your living room, then you know that a little planning (and a lot of measuring) will go far in finding the best tree for your space. More

It takes a special toy to stand the test of time. As technology and new toys have risen and fallen in popularity year after year, there are a few classics that have persisted for decades. They are simple, well-designed, and require that bit of magic that draws in children (and adults) from any generation: imagination. Here are some classic favorites that will make perfect gifts for creative kids or even for their nostalgic parents:
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Where are you with outdoor decorations? Quite frankly, I'm a bit timid when it comes to stringing lights from a rooftop, but have been wanting to do something. This easy, DIY star would have a lot of impact, and for under five dollars, who can refuse?

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If my Instagram feed from last weekend is anything to go by, I'm guessing a lot of you have your Christmas trees up by now. Early December seems to be the time when most people get their holiday on, tree and all. And I'm wondering about that tree: does it look the same as last year's, or entirely different? More

For those of us living without a fireplace or mantel, every December raises again the question of how to display Christmas stockings. Too many stocking holders work well only when the stockings themselves are empty — great for decorating but not as functional once Santa visits. More

To pull together our gift guides this year we're asking the experts: YOU! You know best what gifts your children have enjoyed at different stages of their lives. Share your wisdom with fellow parents, aunties, uncles, and grandparents. Dollhouses, scooters, play kitchens, cars? More

Last week I was thinking how many cute polka dotted things I had seen lately, but Lindsay beat me to the punch with a roundup. Since I like their linear counterpoint maybe even a little more, I've gathered 10 striped items that would make great gifts. More

To pull together our gift guides this year we're asking the experts: YOU! You know best what gifts your children have enjoyed at different stages of their lives. Share your wisdom with fellow parents, aunties, uncles, and grandparents. Push toys, ride-ons, blocks, dolls? More