Our Annual Favorite Things Party

My 2025 Favorite Things Party was everything I hoped it would be and easily one of the highlights of the holiday season. This was our 6th annual Community Group party, and it has become such a special tradition that I love hosting more and more each year.

Our theme this year was “Birds of a Feather” and it ended up being such a good one because it felt so fitting for our group. Everyone arrived in feathers, the whole house was covered in them by the end of the night, and it gave the evening the perfect mix of festive and glam.

Favorite Things Party Welcome Cocktail

For this year’s welcome cocktail, I mixed up a Holiday Ranch Water, and it was such a hit. It’s light, refreshing, and the perfect balance of festive without being overly sweet. I used 2 ounces of good tequila, 1 ounce of fresh lime juice, 1 ounce of pomegranate juice, and topped each glass with Topo Chico just before the girls arrived. If you like a sweeter cocktail, you can add a small splash of agave, but I love it just as it is.

One of my favorite things about this drink is how easy it is to batch. I had a big pitcher mixed and chilling in the fridge, and all I had to do once the girls arrived was add my festive ice cubes and top each glass with Topo Chico. Easiest hosting win ever.

For the holiday ice cubes, I used a donut pan filled with cranberries, rosemary sprigs, and topped with water. They froze into little wreaths and looked adorable in the glasses. And of course, I tied a small ribbon on each glass because it wouldn’t be a holiday party without a bow.

See my Favorite Things Party Reel HERE!

Favorite Things Gift Exchange GIFTS

Now for everyone’s favorite part of the night: the gifts. Once we caught up around the dinner table, we jumped right into sharing our favorite things, and it was just as fun and chaotic as always. I swear, watching each person present their gift is half the magic. It never gets old.

And to be honest, the Black Friday victories always steal the show. There’s something about getting a “this-was-on-major-sale” confession that sends the whole room into a frenzy. It’s the best loophole of this entire tradition because it lets everyone go a little bigger without breaking the price-point rules.

As always, each girl brought 5 copies of her favorite $30 gift, and everyone went home with 5 brand new favorites. It’s truly the most fun way to discover new products, get inspired, and leave the night with a bag of goodies.

If you want the full breakdown of how we run our exchange each year, the different ways to structure it, and more hosting tips, check out my post: 7 Tips for Hosting a Girls Christmas Gift Exchange! And if you want to see the best gifts brought over the years, check out my post: Favorite Things Party Gifts!

Alright, let’s get down to the gifts!

Laura Park Melamine Serving Bowl

April absolutely nailed it with a stunning large melamine serving bowl from a local shop, Laura Park. When she announced she’d scored it on major sale and still hit our price point, every jaw around the table dropped. It’s lightweight, shatterproof, beautifully scalloped, and honestly one of the prettiest serving pieces I’ve ever seen. We were all immediately dreaming up big summer salads in it. I already know this is going to live on my porch all season long.

Fuzzy Orthotic Slippers + Gold Diamond Layering Necklace

For my gift this year, I brought my ride-or-die orthopedic slippers, which have been a top favorite of mine for years. I’ve officially gifted them to almost every woman in my life because they are that good. They have amazing arch support, a thick memory foam cushion, and the softest fuzzy band. I live in mine when I’m at home and now half my friends do too.

I also added a dainty gold diamond layering necklace that looks so luxe in person. It’s one of those pieces people compliment and then cannot believe when I tell them it’s from Amazon. Perfect for layering or wearing on its own, and such a pretty little sparkle for everyday.

Bamboo Travel Board

When we saw Mary Shadler’s gift on the table, the entire group let out a collective sigh of relief. Every single month she brings dessert on this exact bamboo travel tray, and every single month we talk about how incredible it is. It is 10 times prettier than any travel container any of us own, and when you remove the lid it transforms into the most gorgeous bamboo serving board. Truly the definition of practical meets beautiful, and now we all finally have one of our own.

Laura Geller Makeup Palette

Michelle brought the Laura Geller “Best of the Best” Baked Palette, and it was such a win. It’s a gorgeous full face makeup palette for “mature skin” with a bronzer, blush, two highlighters, and three eyeshadows, all full size and travel-friendly. And she snagged it for half off on Black Friday. Nothing gets this group more excited than a really good deal on a really good beauty product.

Bubble Candle Dish

Stephanie brought the Alice Lane Bubble Candle Dish, which just so happened to be on my own Christmas list. It is such a stunning styling piece and can be used for so many things. You can display a candle on it, use it as a jewelry catch all, or style it on a stack of books. It’s one of those pieces that instantly makes any spot in your home feel a little more elevated.

A Gorgeous House Plant

Saved the best for last with a true hall of fame gift. Laura gifted each of us a gorgeous split leaf monstera that she has been propagating for months from her giant plant at home that we all obsess over. And she paired each one with the prettiest vessel, making the whole gift feel so special and intentional. We absolutely lost our minds over this one. It was thoughtful, personal, and unanimously voted the favorite gift of the night.