Five on Friday - Carolina Charm

Happy Friday, friends!

It’s been a busy but wonderful week, and I’m so ready for the weekend. We’ve got a full agenda ahead—Thanksgiving hosting prep, decorating the outside of the house for Christmas (not sure I’m quite ready to put the tree up yet though), watching football, and dress rehearsals for Caroline’s upcoming Nutcracker performance. Here’s to a festive and productive weekend ahead!

My 2024 Holiday Gift Guides

All of my gift guides are OUT! You can find them on my Gift Guide Page! I’ll share stocking stuffer ideas after Thanksgiving!

Gift Ideas for Coworkers (Teammates, Staff, Boss & More): And if you’re gearing up for the annual White Elephant or Dirty Santa gift exchange, I’ve got some fun gift ideas that are sure to be a hit (and likely stolen many times) like this Freak In The Sheets Excel Coffee Mug!
Gift Ideas for Men: Includes a wide variety of 50+ gifts — food and bev, golf, sports & fitness, wearable gifts, and more!
Gift Ideas for Tween Boys: There are more than 32 ideas on this list! Our longest time favorite item would be the Laser Tag Set, a personal favorite item of Thomas’s is the I Survived Series Box Set, and his most wished for item is the Football Passer Machine!
Gift Ideas for Tween Girls: My favorite guide every year! The longest time favorite item is ALWAYS the Confetti Slime Kit which Caroline gets every year, her personal favorite item on the list this year is the Hover Board, and her most wished for item is a tie between the Tazz Platform Uggs and Vanity Desk with Mirror.
Favorite Things Party Gift Ideas: A gift list I update annually with NEW faves from our fave things party! The Hall of Fame winner is still the Kosterina Extra Virgin Olive Oil with a close second being the Maldon Sea Salt Flakes + Marble Salt Cellar. And my personal favorite from the list this year is What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking!
Gift Ideas for Your Mom or Mother In Law: Finding gift ideas for your mother-in-law can be tricky, but I’ve rounded up a bunch of options that’ll make her feel special—and that your own mom would love, too.

Other Things I Shared This Week

Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal: A great breakfast to feed a crowd if you’re hosting guests overnight for Thanksgiving!
Winter White Cosmo: A delicious and festive cocktail that will add a little extra sparkle and a whole lot of fun to your Thanksgiving gathering! I’ve got you covered with both a pitcher recipe and a single cocktail version, so whether you’re making one for yourself or serving a crowd, you’ll be all set.
My 3 Favorite Thanksgiving Hosting Tips: Plus a full list of Thanksgiving tradition ideas, time-saving cooking hacks (including a free printable Thanksgiving Cooking Timeline), hosting tips, family games, and more for making this holiday a little extra special.

Black Friday & November Promo Codes

Minted: Use code CAROLINAHOLIDAY2024 for 20% off + free shipping! We’ve been using Minted for our holiday cards for over a decade. The free recipient addressing is always such a timesaver!
Avaline: Use code NOVEMBER15 for 15% off sitewide! This is the wine I’ll be serving at Thanksgiving.
Nuuly: Get $30 off your first month’s subscription. Great for renting holiday outfits!
ShopMy: The affiliate platform I love for linking products. If you’re a creator looking for an affiliate platform, I have a referral link that can help get you in the program!
Cozy Earth: Use code CE-CAROLINACHARM at checkout for 40% off! The pajamas, sheets, and joggers are some of my favorite luxury gift recommendations!

Top 5 Reader Favorite Items This Week

Five items you all have been loving this week! You can find my Top 5 Amazon items HERE which includes the item’s I’m using for this year’s Thanksgiving tablescape!

Target Bow Heels: You all have loved these heels as much as me!! Aren’t they SO good?! Cute and comfortable for holiday parties, the bow detail adds a festive touch, and the memory foam insole means you can wear them comfortably all evening. They’re easy to style with dresses or even jeans for a more casual look!
Freak In The Sheets Excel Coffee Mug: The favorite gift from my Coworkers Gift Guide, this mug makes for a great White Elephant or Dirty Santa gift for the office Christmas party. It’s especially hilarious for the coworker who’s always in spreadsheet mode—or even the boss with a good sense of humor.
Laser Tag Set: A Tween Boys Gift Guide best-seller the last few years and is still one of the MOST USED toys for Thomas. He hosts friends for laser tag almost every weekend and always packs this set for sleepovers. This rechargeable set includes 4 guns and vest sensors. Features two weapon modes and 150-reach. NOTE: We’ve purchased several cheaper sets and they have all broken quickly. This set is worth splurging on and has held up well.
Slushy Maker Squeeze Cup: A best-seller from the Tween Girls Gift Guide! I do not understand how this magic works, but it WORKS. You can turn any liquid into a slushy with this cup! Caroline has made all sorts of slushies — with yoohoos, sodas, juices, etc.!
Grounded for Life: The ultimate family game for laughs —imagine Cards Against Humanity but safe enough that you don’t have to dodge awkward conversations with your kids. Each round, one person reads a prompt card, and everyone else picks a response from their hand that’ll either be hilariously spot-on or a total curveball. It’s seriously so fun to play and I think I’ll pull it out to play over Thanksgiving with all our family!

1. Tankless Water Heater

This week, we finally replaced our old 2007 direct vent water heater with a new tankless water heater, and while this might not sound exciting to anyone else, it’s been a total game changer for us! For months, we’d been running out of hot water in less than 10 minutes—no one could shower or run laundry at the same time without a battle over hot water. With 11 people showering next week, I knew we couldn’t risk it any longer. Now, we have instant hot water when we turn on the faucet (no more waiting five minutes for it to warm up!) and, best of all, it never runs out. It’s been such a huge upgrade!

2. The Holiday Traditions & Reminders Note

I also wanted to re-share my “Holiday Traditions & Reminders” note in my phone I created a few years ago to remind myself of all the things we like to do or tackle for every holiday, along with notes on how far in advance to plan them.

This note has since saved me from shopping for reindeer carrots on Christmas Eve, booking Nutcracker tickets before they sell out, ordering Christmas garland before store shelves move to Valentine’s Day, etc. And I’m sharing it in case it’s something you think would be helpful to you too! As you buy and plan this holiday season, write down notes for these things in your phone!

Last year a few days before Christmas, Matt casually mentioned he wanted reindeer antlers for driving around looking at Christmas lights. And I really wanted to get the kids those big cheesy lightbulb necklaces to wear too.

Y’all, I kid you not — I searched everywhere online and drove around town to way too many places looking for these silly things a few days before Christmas. I did end up finding the necklaces at a random Walgreens store, but no luck on the reindeer car kit. Was it the end of the world? No. BUT, could I have just bought these things weeks earlier from Amazon and had them delivered to my doorstep? Yes.

Anyway, order your magic reindeer food now if your kids love that tradition. We’ve used this same Etsy shop for years and you can save 10% on your purchase with code CHRISTINA10.

3. Fig Jam Bees Knees Cocktail

Earlier this week, I made Fig Jam Bee’s Knees for Matt and me, and they were so good—a perfect cozy winter cocktail. The classic recipe uses gin, but I swapped it out with vodka for Matt and mezcal for mine. Both versions were delicious! The fig jam and honey syrup add just the right touch of sweetness, while the lemon keeps it bright and refreshing. It’s officially my go-to winter cocktail! Here’s the recipe:

2 oz gin (or your spirit of choice — vodka, bourbon, mezcal)
1 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp fig jam
1/2 oz honey syrup

To make the honey syrup: simmer equal parts honey and water until honey is dissolved, then let cool.

4. Snif Holiday Candle

For my fellow candle lovers, I’ve got another holiday one for ya!! The Old Saint Wick candle by Snif is like Christmas in a jar! The scent is this perfect mix of creamy vanilla, cozy cinnamon, and just a hint of cedarwood, so it’s warm and festive without being over the top. Plus, the jar is super sleek and cute, so it looks great with holiday decor. I’ve only lit it once so far (I’m planning to burn it all Thanksgiving week), and it makes the whole house feel so cozy and festive. Trust me, you’ll love it! And it’s on Black Friday sale 20% off!

5. Bow Pajamas

I am loving my new satin bow pajamas! They are as comfy as they are cute! I grabbed the full set—Long Sleeve Top , Pajama Shorts, and Wide Leg Pajama Pants—and love how festive they feel with the green background and pink bow print. The top features functional buttons and adjustable cuffs, while the shorts and pants offer a comfy fit with elastic drawstring waists. Perfect for lounging, gifting, or a festive pajama party!