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Christmas

We love Christmas. Not for the gifts, but for the giving and all of the time we get to spend with our family. Whether you’re looking for projects or recipes for your Christmas dinner, brunch, or cookies for Santa, you’ll be able to find something right here. This category features all of our Christmas ideas, rolled up into one, easy location. Our ideas are budget, family, and living-on-your-own friendly, and easy to follow. We’ve made every craft project and recipe featured here and our posts will let you know how much we liked it. Let’s be honest, we’ve loved pretty much everything. Leave a comment if you have one. If you’re looking for something more specific use our search bar or check out one of our niche categories. Thanks for stopping by, hope to have you back soon!

Celebrations/ Christmas/ Family Fun/ Side Dishes

Christmas Lights and Ice Cream

December 22, 2020
Christmas Lights and Ice Cream

One of my favorite family traditions growing up was going to see the Christmas lights at parks in Connecticut. My dad would organize the whole family to drive across the state to various light shows. We’d go from Hartford to New Haven sometimes covering three different shows in one night. At the end of the night, we’d stop at Friendly’s for an ice cream sundae. It was a perfectly delicious…

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All Recipes/ Christmas/ Comfort Food/ Dad Bakes Cookies/ Dessert

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

December 21, 2020
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

This year has been trying. However, there have been moments of levity. Growing up, we used to have family over for a whole day of baking a few weekends before Christmas. My Nana would bring over a pile of index cards with handwritten recipes and we would sift through them to find our favorite desserts. This year, I had a Zoom baking day with family and we all made some…

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All Recipes/ Celebrations/ Christmas/ Dad Bakes Cookies/ Snacks

Holiday Chex Mix with Truffle Seasoned Salt

December 25, 2019

I always looked forward to Christmas day with my extended family because it meant a box of homemade Chex mix from my aunt Linda was waiting for us. We celebrate Christmas with my mom’s side of the family on Christmas Eve and my dad’s side on Christmas Day. My aunt Jean usually hosts Christmas Day, so all of the non-locals ship their packages to her house. My aunt Linda, who…

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All Recipes/ Celebrations/ Christmas/ Dad Bakes Cookies

Gingerbread Cake

December 21, 2019
Gingerbread Cake

When I saw Starbucks was not bringing back their gingerbread latte this year, I died. Well, that clearly didn’t happen. I died a little inside. When November 1st shows up, you can’t find a pumpkin latte anywhere. Suddenly, it’s out of stock and redacted with tape on the holiday menu boards. How am I supposed to enjoy the holiday season without a holiday latte? This decision by Starbucks left me thirsty for…

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Celebrations/ Christmas/ DIY

Winter Wreath DIY

December 18, 2019

Nothing says the holidays like a house decked out in decorations and Christmas music on full blast. But then the holidays are over and it all abruptly goes back into hiding—unless you’re my family and it’s Valentine’s Day before the last Christmas decoration is put away. However, this DIY Winter Wreath is here for you until the first day of spring—or until Memorial Day. When I get inspired to do…

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All Recipes/ Celebrations/ Christmas/ Margaritas

Cinnamon-Spiced Pomegranate Margaritas

December 11, 2019
Cinnamon-Spiced Pomegranate Margaritas

Not sure if I’m sick of food from Thanksgiving, but I’ve had no interest in 1. cooking and 2. eating. The ‘no-eating’ part pairs nicely with margaritas—sarcasm! The only pomegranate margaritas we have are frozen, and I have no desire to wake up my son with the blender. It felt like I needed to throw together a holiday cocktail that wasn’t frozen. That’s how these cinnamon-spiced pomegranate margaritas were born.…

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Celebrations/ Christmas/ DIY/ Family Fun/ Millennial and Parents/ Parenting/ Side Dishes

Christmas Card 2018

December 19, 2018
Christmas Card 2018 Lilies and Loafers

Merry Christmas from our family to yours! 2018 has been a whirlwind and we can’t believe we get to celebrate our first Christmas with our son. As our family changes, so will our traditions. Luckily he doesn’t really know what’s going on yet, so we have at least another year to figure out our family’s traditions for the holidays. Like doing an annual family Christmas card. What we do know…

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Celebrations/ Christmas/ DIY/ Garden Thyme/ Side Dishes

Holiday Flower Centerpiece

December 5, 2018
Holiday Flower Centerpiece.

If you want to put a smile on my face there are two guaranteed ways: feed me or give me flowers. There is nothing like having a fresh arrangement to brighten any room. When I was a little girl, I remember there were these Robinson crabapple or magnolia trees, which would bloom pink flowers every summer. Those trees lined the block and I would pick flowers to give to my…

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All Recipes/ Celebrations/ Christmas/ Dad Bakes Cookies/ Dessert

Gingerbread Cookies

December 4, 2018
Gingerbread Cookies

Not sure what led to this cookie decorating itch, but I can’t seem to let it go. It started around Halloween when I attempted to decorate pumpkins and ghosts with royal icing. They came out great, but not fantastic. And then I dropped almost all of them before they dried! I needed to redeem myself for Christmas. And what cookie screams Christmas more than gingerbread cookies? After watching many YouTube…

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All Recipes/ Autumn/ Celebrations/ Christmas/ Cooking Through Cravings/ Dad Bakes Cookies/ Dessert/ Side Dishes/ Thanksgiving

Chocolate Coconut Banana Bread: Cooking Through Cravings

November 15, 2018
Chocolate Coconut Banana Bread

It’s the banana bread that broke the internet. The banana bread that sent people into a frenzy when Chrissy Teigen crowd sourced very ripe bananas. The banana bread of all banana breads. But, what makes this chocolate coconut banana bread so amazing? The chocolate? The coconut? Yes and yes. Chocolate Coconut Banana Bread Lilies and Loafers has affiliate relationships, so we may get a small share of revenue from your…

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All Recipes/ Celebrations/ Christmas/ Dad Bakes Cookies/ Dessert

Ginger Spiced Icebox Cake

December 20, 2017
Ginger Spiced Icebox Cake

Holy cannoli. When Fatima was explaining that she wanted to make an icebox cake, the look on my face was utter confusion. An icebox cake, what is that? Cookies and cool whip. Did I ever mention I don’t like cool whip? She said she wanted to make a ginger spiced icebox cake for the holidays. I said I didn’t like cool whip, right? There’s this amazing Gingerbread Cookie recipe we…

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All Recipes/ Breakfast and Brunch/ Celebrations/ Christmas/ Cocktails

Pineapple Mimosa

December 19, 2017
Pineapple Mimosa

One of the easiest brunch cocktails to serve your guests is a mimosa. It’s classic, everyone loves them, and there are limitless possibilities to mix in other juices. And it only needs juice and champagne. When we were in Hawaii, I had a pineapple mimosa at the best breakfast spot in Lahaina. It was a dash of fresh pineapple juice and a lot of champagne. That’s where we went wrong…

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Christmas/ Gift Guides/ Side Dishes

Our Holiday Gift Guide For Everyone in Your Life

December 15, 2017
Christmas Gift Wrapping

It snowed last weekend so we didn’t leave the apartment. We did, however, blast Christmas music on repeat. Fatima was about to kill me. We did go outside for a few hours to run errands, go to the gym, and pickup a package at the post office. Never again, do I want to go back to the post office. With the holiday season in full swing, we put together this…

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All Recipes/ Breakfast and Brunch/ Christmas/ Comfort Food

French Toast Casserole with Salted Frosted Flakes: Cooking Through Cravings

December 13, 2017
French Toast Casserole

We’re ending our scheduled trip through Cravings with this French Toast Casserole with Salted Frosted Flakes. Lilies and Loafers has affiliate relationships, so we may get a small share of revenue from your purchases. Items are sold by the retailer, not by Lilies and Loafers. If you’re interested in making this dish or any of our others, you need to buy Chrissy Teigen’s cookbook! When Fatima and I visit my parents, we…

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Celebrations/ Christmas/ DIY/ Garden Thyme/ Side Dishes

DIY Holiday Flower Arrangements

December 6, 2017
Flower Arrangements

Our friend, Tammy, flew in for a quick visit over the weekend. We had her over for boozy brunch and later that night went out for pizza at Pizza Beach and margaritas at Sweet and Vicious. Before she got to our apartment, she asked us if we wanted to do a post on flower arrangements for the holidays. Obviously, we couldn’t say no. One of Tammy’s many master talents is…

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