The Latest: 2018

Get ready to dig deep into the “Fixer Upper” archives for this home. A piece of HGTV history is officially yours for renting, thanks to VRBO. You may recall the Gorman story from all the way back to Chip and Joanna’s very first season. Back then, the family’s 2,600-square-foot house was a dilapidated and filthy den for hoarders, according to Joanna Gaines. Built in 1930, the structure had been declared unsafe for habitation by the city of Waco.

Traveling by plane can be tough, but flying over the holidays can be downright exhausting. Between delayed flights, long lines, and strict security checks, it helps to know what to expect before you get to the airport. So for those of you who haven’t had to endure the chaos of airline travel yet this year, we called on Eric Hrubant, president of CIRE Travel, to help us break down a few new rules that TSA added in 2018.

Despite the abundant amount of guides out there, sometimes I still find myself stumped as to what to get that very special person in my life. So instead of falling further into a deep dark hole of generic lists, why not take advice from those who can purchase just about anything in this world—and somehow end up choosing one meaningful item.

Few gifts are more sentimental than ones with a history, and that’s why it’s smart to sometimes shop secondhand for presents. Whether this means scouring your neighborhood flea market for cool vintage furnishings or hitting up an online antique dealer for an old piece of jewelry, shopping secondhand allows you to find truly one-of-a-kind items that make especially awesome gifts.

Nowadays, nobody wants to let packages sit on their front steps while they’re away at work. Package are stolen at a sky-high rate, particularly during the holidays. So we couldn’t help but admire one man who found the perfect way to deal with sticky-fingered thieves. Mark Rober, an engineer/inventor/YouTube star, finally got fed up with having his packages snagged off his front porch. “About seven months ago, I noticed a package reported as delivered, but it never arrived.

If your kids are on the nice list this year, we imagine that they have compiled a thorough list for Santa with all the coolest toys and latest doodads. From year to year, the lineup of popular playthings changes consistently, and it’s hard to keep up. So what’s trending this holiday season? One of the most sought-after toys has been the kid-sized Dyson vacuum that actually works ($30), which we reported on in November.

Traveling in the winter is so much fun. No other time of year gives that same “going to grandma’s house” feeling (even if that’s not where you’re going). Winter travel means either escaping the cold, being together with family, or enjoying the time off together before the start of a new year. You know what’s not fun, though? Keeping track of all the coats, gloves, scarves, and hats if you’re headed to a cold and snowy clime.

If you’re looking to get more into the holiday spirit, apparently all you have to do is tilt your head up to the stars. The green glowing comet named 46P/Wirtanen—also deemed as the “Christmas Comet” because of the timing—made its closest approach to Earth in centuries, and you can catch a glimpse over the next few days. The comet made its 2018 debut this past Sunday at 7.

For all of Monday, December 17, Urban Outfitters is offering 50% off sale, including home, online only. You can see all home sale items here, but if you need a little inspo we have a suggestion: use it as an excuse to revamp your throw pillows. A fair number are marked down starting at just $15 with the additional discount.

With the giving season well underway, Airbnb and Hamburg, Germany’s Miniatur Wunderland teamed up to create the world’s tiniest Airbnb, available to renters at the small (no pun intended) rate of $10 per night. As the first ever Airbnb listing in the fictitious German town of Knuffingen, the red brick country house arrived with all of the trimmings just in time for the holidays.

Let’s just say your family doesn’t exactly resemble a perfect Hallmark gathering of super connected cousins or in-sync siblings. And, if you feel like these relationships are bordering on toxic or if there’s abuse, addiction, and estrangement to contend with, too, it’s more than likely that you’re regarding the holidays with no small feeling of dread. Despite all of this, you can have an intact holiday.

The Royal Family: They’re just like us! No, not really. But while last year’s royal holiday card embraced a pretty formal style, this year they decided to go rather casual. Taken at the family’s home, Amner Hall, by photographer Matthew Porteous, the shots were released Friday morning and show a less rigid side of the family.

If you’ve been looking for a way to show everyone just how obsessed with your BFF you are, look no further. You can now print socks with your face on them, meaning you and your bestie can sport socks with each other’s faces. Just in time for Christmas! Apparel company DivvyUp sells customizable prints that will knock your socks off. You can choose from an assortment of sock patterns, from dog socks, face socks, cat socks, birthday socks, wedding socks, Santa hat socks, and more.

Going to the movies can be a lot of fun, but do you ever feel like something is missing? Besides $30 from your wallet, that is. You can go to the movies with your best friend or your significant other, but there is one movie buddy who isn’t allowed at the theater. Your dog. Anyone who has spent their weekend binge-watching TV shows and movies on their couch with their dog knows that your pet is often the best movie buddy. They don’t talk during the previews.

Have you ever looked at your dog and wondered what they would look like with pants on? Would they look ridiculous or would they look so cute, you’d have to take 500 pictures of them? It is 2018, you don’t have to wonder anymore, because there is a company that sells leggings for dogs. Walkee Paws are “patent-pending stretchy doggy leggings. They are designed to protect your dog’s paws from dirt and germs for everyday walks.

Attention all muggles, witches, and wizards! You can finally have an elf in your house. It isn’t going to be one of the house elves we all know and love. This is a little elf with a job that Hermione Granger would actually approve of. We’re talking about Elf on the Shelf, of course. Most parents (and even non-parents) are pretty familiar with Elf on the Shelf at this point. Each house has an elf that reports back to Santa on how the children are behaving at Christmas time.