25 things that I wish for each of you this holiday season

In the chaotic mix of the holiday season, I often find that there are moments of almost startling serenity. Perhaps it's a matter of being in the eye of the storm, or maybe, as the classic Christmas carol, Silent Night, reminds us, all really is calm and bright.

It was in the midst of one of these wee pockets of tranquility recently that I was almost overwhelmed with the desire to send out Christmas cards to each and every one of my readers - especially after the staggering outpouring of love and assistance that you guys have bestowed on us after the fire.

Naturally, for a myriad of reasons, such isn't possible - however, I can convey the same kinds of festive sentiments here on my blog, which I hope you'll agree with me is quite similar to classic greeting cards themselves.

In particular, my mind is overflowing with thoughts of what I truly hope that life, the universe and all other forces at play in this vast world of ours - the spirit of Santa Claus very much included - will bring your way during this profoundly meaningful time of the year.

Some of the following 25 festive wishes - one each for the first 25 days of December - are deep and serious, whereas others are more lighthearted and just for fun.

So, my immensely dear friends, please accept this today's post as my holiday season greeting to each and every of you.

It comes wrapped in love and, I hope, really will ring true through the beautiful days that fill the very last chapter of another exciting year.

1. Tons of festive cheer!

2. That fond nostalgia fills your heart, while...

3. You also create amazing new memories this year

4. Quite time to savour and reflect on what this season really means to you personally

5. Peace in your heart, your family, and all areas of your life

6. Lots of opportunities to rock your favourite vintage/repro/rockabilly/pinup/or any other type of holiday attire (adorable Christmas themed novelty brooches very much included)

7. Serene walks taken in the crisp early winter air that remind you of the powerful, though sometimes not instantly obvious, beauty that this time of the year houses

8. The joy that comes with giving a gift or otherwise doing something that truly brightens someone's holiday and leaves a lasting impression on them for years to come

9. A new vintage treasure or two amongst your gifts

10. The ability to still enjoy at least some of the elements of the season with the same sort of wide-eyed wonder you had as a child

11. If you live in a part of the world where such is possible, that you're greeted to a white Christmas on the 25th

12. Zero (or, if that's not realistic, as little as possible) family drama during the holidays

13. May you have at least one - and hopefully many - reason(s) to smile every day

14. Fantastic company (friends, family, SO - you name it!) around you often

15. A powerful sense of contentment in your heart and more blessings than you could ever count

16. That your favourite Christmas songs are the ones you hear most frequently

17. A festive season that is sweeter than all the candy canes, sugar cookies, and hot cocoa on earth

18. Gorgeous holiday light displays all throughout your neighbourhood

19. Reminders of the good old days and what Christmastime meant for the generations that came before us

20. The ability to celebrate the season with your pets and/or other favourite animals in your life

21. Fests that fill your belly and warm your soul alike (with lots of yummy leftovers to enjoy for days afterward)

22. The very best health possible

23. Time to watch at least one or two of your favourite holiday TV shows and/or movies

24. The happiest festive season one could ever ask for!

25. An incredible new year ahead that helps you to grow, develop, blossom (as a person), and follow your bliss all the more

{To learn more about a specific image that was used in today's post, please click on it to be taken to its respective source.}

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Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for the unending gift of your readership, your support, your friendship, your encouragement, your care, your inspiration, and unquestionably your incredible help, generosity and kindness throughout 2016.

I treasure, value and appreciate such more than I could ever put into words and am sincerely looking forward to soon launching into 2017 - a brand new year to put the substantial troubles of this one all the more behind us - with each of you.

First though, we have Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's to celebrate. This will be my last post of the year, but I'll be back in January with multiple new entries here throughout that month, as I begin to ease into blogging on a more regular basis once again (insomuch as the continued post-fire related demands and uncertainty - very much including our longer term housing needs - of our daily lives, as well as my health, will permit).

Wherever you are, however you celebrate this time of the year, and whatever you may be doing as we embrace the last leg of December, from both myself and Tony (as well as our darling Miss Annie), merriest wishes, dear friends!

May you your festivities sparkle and shine, and may all these of the things listed above - and countless more blessings - be yours this holiday season.

If Mrs Claus was alive in the 1950s, this is what she might have worn

Outfit details

C. 1940s/1950s white faux fur hat: A wonderful gift from my mom via Frugal Frocks
Jingle bell dangle earrings: Claire's 1950s style red wrap dress: c/o The House of Foxy
C. 1950s white faux fur stole: Yard sale find
Ginger The Christmas Cookie Gingerbread Man Brooch: Erstwilder
Quadruple buckle black stretch belt: Forever 21
1940s/1950s black faux suede gloves with black beading detail: Mag 22
Gold tone faux leather bow clutch: (I think) Bentley Leathers
Black seamed nude stockings: eBay
1940s style faux suede round toe pumps: Walmart
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red

Photography by Tony Cangiano

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Or so I like to think! :) I have an absolutely mad love for Mrs Claus, which took root when I was a small child and I first heard her referred to as my own name (Jessica) in the 1969 classic Frosty the Snowman.

Throughout the years, jolly old St. Nick's wife – who’s first mainstream first mention was in a 1849 short story called A Christmas Legend by James Rees - has gone by many names in various stories, movies, TV shows and the like (other include, but are not limited to, Gretchen, Martha, Mary, Juliana, Santarina, Annabel, and Layla). Yet to me she will always be Jessica and thus I cannot help but feel a special affinity with Mother Christmas, as she is sometimes also known as.

My ensemble here is what I'm wearing to celebrate Christmas this week and is a thorough nod to Mrs Claus. It is, as the title of today's post states, what I like to imagine Mrs. Claus wearing if she was alive during the 1940s or 1950s and something of a fashionista herself. I pulled from her classic attire, as well as that of her world famous husband (for example, my belt is a nod to his), when putting it together and must say, I was thrilled with how this festive ensemble came together.

The starring piece is a breathtaking crimson hued frock from The House of Foxy called the 1950s Wrap Circle Dress. This enchantingly beautiful garment was very kindly gifted to me by The House of Foxy (thank you so much!!!), whom I recently welcomed for the first time to my blog as a sponsor.

As I said to Tony the moment I put it on, this isn't just my new favourite solid red dress that I now have the pleasure of owning, it is seriously one of my top ten favourite dresses in my whole closet - which is, I promise you, saying a lot (as I own more dresses than any other type of garment). It fits like a glove, is superbly well made from a comfortable, slightly stretchy fabric, hugs your curves something fierce, and is absolutely evocative of similar frocks from the mid-twentieth century.

This party perfect dress also boasts 3/4 length sleeves, which I truly adore and am constantly looking for in my garments (as I almost never wear exposed short or bare sleeves in public or when entertaining, much preferring 3/4 or full length ones), plus its skirt is amply roomy enough to fit a crinoline under, if so desired.

Becoming and beguiling at the same time, this dress is a true dream and I suspect you'll see it again here as time goes on, as I know I'll be living in it all year long (the medium weight fabric and 3/4 length sleeves ensure that it could even be sported in the summer) - very much including in a few weeks time for Valentine's Day.

To further the Mrs Claus vibe, I opted for vintage white faux fur accessories, my endlessly beloved four buckle belt (that has appeared here numerous times over the years - ditto for my 1940s style round toe black faux suede pumps), a cuter than cute gingerbread man brooch that I recently picked up from Erstwilder, jingle bell earrings, sophisticatedly beaded black vintage gloves, and a sweet little gold hued faux leather clutch.

Naturally a look this December 25th approved called for a wintry background and Mother Nature was quick to provide one this week after a few days of new snow. These photos were taken just up the street from our house and do a marvelous job of showcasing the stunning natural setting that we're blessed to live with right across the way from our home.

It's hard to believe that Christmas Eve, Eve is here already! Like many people the world over, Tony and I will be spending most of our time over the next few days with family and friends. There will be presents to open, feasts to consume, and simple pleasures – such as taking these photos in the tranquil snow (which we did yesterday afternoon) - to enjoy.

And much like Mrs. Claus herself, I'll be busy continuing to bake cookies, wrap presents, and ensure everything flows smoothly at the North Pole (aka, our house in Penticton :)) right up until the big day itself.

Joyful Christmas week wishes, my sweet friends, I hope that you each have a magnificent one!!!

If you could wear a Christmas card, this festive outfit is what it might look like

Outfit details
Red felt beret: eBay
Gold tone heart earrings: Claire’s (purchased last month, so they could very well still be in stock)
Vintage style Winter Collection beaded brooch: Luxulite
Green thin knit shrug: Consignment store
1940s style Fleur wrap dress: Heyday
Red plastic bangle bracelet: Forever 21
Gold and dark green vintage bangles: Thrifted
Mid-century vintage red purse: I Love Vintage Stuff
Black seamed nude stockings: eBay
Red patent pumps: Payless
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red
Nail colour: Sally Hansen Golden-I


Photography by Tony Cangiano

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Despite - or perhaps, the argument could be made, in part even because of - the fact that this has been, and will continue to be, the busiest month of the year of me, I'm teeming with an abundance of holiday spirit this year.

Honestly, I think it would be very, very hard to organize and host the annual Vintage Secret Santa gift exchange here and not be flush with feeling of comfort and joy. Beyond that wonderfully fun element of this season though, there are the 12 Things That Make Me Disproportionately Happy About Christmas, as well as many other reasons that a lofty sized smile remains on my face throughout the month.

Unquestionably, one of those points has always been the chance to deck myself - much like those well known halls - out in holiday finery. From about mid-November (yes, really, that early) to the first week of January, a huge number of my outfits are focused squarely on Christmas and (later on) New Year's, and this is has long come to be one of my favourite elements of the season.

I love shopping for vintage, repro, and vintage appropriate festive winter garb and aim to add new pieces of such to my closet, as I find them, all through the year. Some of my most recent, as those who follow me on Instagram (see this photo) might know, are three super wintery themed brooches from the awesome UK vintage style jewelry brand Luxulite (I also picked up a perfectly summer appropriate brooch from them that will be ideal for the annual Peach Fest that our town holds each summer).

I already had four Luxulite pieces, each of which I adore, and knew that some of their holiday offerings would be an ideal fit for my cold weather wardrobe. I'm sporting one of them in the photos above today and am sure the others will appear here in good time, too (if not this year, than during future holiday seasons). I love the substantial-ness of this brooch, its merry holly leaf and berry theme, and how joyful a piece of jewelry it is.

Keeping the merriness going, I finally got a chance to share my awesome Heyday holiday themed Fleur dress with you guys! I bought it during their after Christmas sale in 2013 and wore it often last year, as well as a couple of times this year (before we had a day where the weather was nice enough to take photos in - the others had been super rainy), but it has eluded being captured on camera until now.

I love this dress. Like, really, really, really love it. I own another Fleur as well (it's a floral print, so it suits spring and summer best), and both are major favourites in my wardrobe.

Like all of Heyday's offerings that I've bought over the years, they're comfortable, well made, and imbued with an excellent sense of vintage style and charm. Honestly, I love this darling Christmas ornament print dress so much, I'm half tempted to wear it even when it isn't Christmas!

Looking at these snaps, the title of today's post sprung to mind, because I really do feel like this outfit is a wearable version of the kind of seasonal loveliness that Christmas greeting cards often abound with. This ensemble is completely fun, which, ideally, is how a good chunk of this time of the year should be for all of us.

Busy though I am, and even though we had a hit of sudden stress this past weekend when our sweet dog Annie ran into some gastrointestinal problems that needed medical vet care (she's doing a lot better now, I'm very happy to report), my Christmas spirits really are high this year and I am eagerly look forward to bringing you guys at least a couple more festive ensembles before the last of the holiday decor comes down in January. :)


*PS* Another thing that has really been fueling my happiness levels this week is the fact that this past Sunday, my Etsy shop - where everything is currently on sale for 30% off until January 4th - hit a major milestone: 1,000+ items sold. To say that I was ecstatic about that fact would be a major understatement!

Save 30% off on everything in my Etsy shop this holiday season!

We all love to save some money wherever we can when the holidays roll around, so in the spirit of the season, I'm having a storewide 30% off sale in my Etsy shop. All prices have already been marked down, so there's no need for coupon codes or the like.



{These lovely 1940s shoppers would have been a lot less chilled to the bone, had they been able to shop my Etsy store's fabulous holiday season sale instead of braving the elements to purchase their Christmas gifts! :) Vintage photo source.}


I don't plan to hold another storewide markdown sale until next spring, so now is definitely the time to pick up an item or two (or ten!) for yourself or someone you love.

If you're purchasing anything as a present, I'm delighted to offer complimentary holiday gift wrap. Just shoot me an Etsy private message or include a note with your purchase and I'll make sure to put an extra festive touch on your order.

This big 30% off storewide sale kicks off today (it's already underway) and will run until Monday January 4, 2016 (to encompass both the December holidays and New Year's).

Happy vintage shopping and the merriest of holiday seasons, everyone!

12 Things That Make Me Disproportionately Happy About Christmas

Must resist urge to recap 2015 now that we're into the last month of the year...must...not...do...so.

Okay, phew, the urge passed and I'm fine now. :D Silliness aside, the moment we hit the twelfth month of the year, I do usually want to sum it up and quickly move on to the next brand spanking new one. I'll do that as we get closer to the ball dropping on December 31st, but for now, let's just stay put and enjoy the remaining few weeks of 2015.

After all, who knows, something might still happen during that time that could put an entirely (or at least partially) different perspective on the year for me and I would be shortchanging both myself and all of you if I overviewed 2015 before it really was as good as finished.

Instead, following on a suggestion that my dear friend Sanne put forth last year in her comment on this Halloween post, I thought it would be oodles of festive fun fun to share twelve things - one each to represent the famous twelve days of Christmas - that make me disproportionately happy about the holiday season - and by extension, winter in general.

Singing Christmas Carols

I don't profess for one red second to have much in the way of a talented singing voice and as such, especially since I've very shy, am usually not one to bust into song in the prescience of others, but come December, all bets are off and I will gleefully belt out carols anywhere, anytime! :)

Baking a near ludicrous amount of seasonal cookies and other goodies

Cookies, mincemeat tarts, fudge, popcorn balls, plum pudding, fruitcakes, rocky road bars, spritz, trifle, gingerbread houses (and men), candies, peanut brittle - yes to all those and plenty more! Cooking and baking for the holiday season is an epic favourite of mine and I go into full on Santa's elves production mode with the slew of treats I whip up from the start of December to the earliest days of the New Year (you can find someone of my seasonal favourites on my vintage recipes page).

Playing in the snow

No matter how old I get, I still absolutely adore playing in the snow - be it helping to build a snowman or laying on my back in some fresh powder and creating snow angels - and look forward to doing so every year (ditto for catching snowflakes on my tongue).

The smell of freshly cut Christmas trees (and anything pine or spruce!)

Seriously, hands down, one of my favourite scents ever and one that I try to bring into my home not only with real pine trees, boughs and wreaths, but through pine scented candles, incense, and room fresheners. I find that pine has the perfect ability to sooth and energize at the same time, plus it is unquestionably one of the most evocative smells of the season.

Big (marshmallow topped!) mugs of steaming hot chocolate

If I make it myself from scratch using melted milk, dark, or white chocolate bars, I can usually safely (from a medical diet standpoint, I mean) enjoy the occasional mug of hot chocolate. Marshmallows, whipped cream, candy cans, cinnamon sticks, and or other fun toppings always in toe! I'm also a huge fan of (non-alcoholic) mulled apple cider and adore serving batches of it along with homemade baked goods at impromptu family holiday season get-togethers.

Rereading and/or rewatching Dickens’ beloved classic, A Christmas Carol

Not only is my favourite Christmas story ever, but it's one of my favourite works of fiction point blank and the holiday season simply wouldn't be the same to me without it. I really enjoy all the movie and TV versions that have been made over the years, too, very much including those featuring Disney and Muppets characters.

Wearing seasonal colours and festively themed attire

Kitschy novelty brooches? Check! Festive sweaters? Check! Copious amounts of red and green? Check and check!!! I adore dressing up for any holiday and Christmas is certainly no exception to that rule. From about November 25th, a full month before the big day onward, you'll find me decked out in styles that celebrate the season far more days than not.

Mailing out - and some years hand making my own - Christmas cards

I know, I know, it's the seasonal task that sneaks up on us perhaps more than any other and I've been guilty of mailing my cards were just a few days to go before the 25th a time or two myself, but I've always been wild about snail mail and love that this tradition allows me to send oodles of it out in one fell swoop.

Taking brisk walks in the cool evening air while the down is festooned in Christmas lights

The magic of Christmas comes out in full force when one does so and it is a highly beloved element of the season for me - as is driving around down to see everyone's beautiful holiday light displays.

Pouring over the Sears Wish Book catalogue

So deep is my lifelong love of this act that I made sure to pen a post devoted just to it way back in my blog's first year of life. Though the Sears Wish Book Christmas catalogue has changed a lot over the decades, it still provides many hours of fun and, as its name implies, possible Christmas wish list entries.

Anything that combines the Victorian or Edwardian era with Christmas

The seeds of this love were likely planted by my paternal grandma, who adores such things as well, but no matter where it got its start, I am very much amongst those who utterly and completely adore Victorian and Edwardian themed holiday decor, cards, art, original antiques, you name it!

Trimming the Christmas tree and decorating the whole house from top to bottom

...Or at least those spots where our very curious and playful pets won't have a hand, err, paw, in our seasonal decor choices! Be it trimming the tree, stringing the lights, or putting a wreath on the front door, few things catapult the start of the holidays for me than decorating for them.

{To learn more about an image used in this post, please click on it to be taken to its respective online source.}

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Though the cold does leave something to be desired at times - especially when you're out trying to a photo shoot it in and quite literally keep frostbite and/or hypothermia at bay (this is Canada after all), I have always adored winter and know that I forever will.

There is a deeply introspective quality to the stillness and darkness of this season. I find that my creativity fires on all cylinders during the icy months and that in general, my spirits are high, my heart is happy, and I tend to come up with some of my best and most original ideas during these long, cozy months.

Certainly Christmastime itself and the merriment of New Year's helps to put one in glad spirits all the more and just thinking about the twelve entries in today's post, some of which I've already started doing for the 2015 holiday season, makes me as giddy as Santa would be if an Chips Ahoy! factory opened at the North Pole!

It might be a touch too soon to recap this year yet, but I can certainly say that I hope it wraps on a positive note. Certainly imbuing my days with the handful of things discussed here, all of which really do make me over-the-winter-moon happy, will go a long way on that front and ideally help to kick 2016 off the right foot as well.

So, my dears, now that you know my list, tell me, what are some of the things that make you disproportionately happy about Christmas, any of the other awesome winter holidays, or simply the coldest season of the year in general?