Our Favorite Affordable White Wine from Costco — Hands Down

Easy Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed mushrooms are such a reliable crowd-pleaser when it comes to Thanksgiving appetizer, or starters for any occasion, really! These 'shrooms in particular take inspiration from Greek cuisine and include tomatoes, olives, pepperoncini, feta cheese, and salami. (via Sarah Anderson for Brit + Co)

Italian Savory Hand Pies

These hand pies are 100% vegan, so you can confidently serve them to a party of all diets. They're meaty, cheesy, herby, and definitely filling if you need to prep a decent snack ahead of your fancy Thanksgiving feast. (via Plant Provisions for Brit + Co)

Chocolate-Covered Cheese Bites

Chocolate and cheese work surprisingly well together, and these creative dipped bites will certainly have all the foodies at the function buzzing. (via Parmigiano Reggiano for Brit + Co)

Butternut Squash and Bacon Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are such a classic snack, but they can easily become yummy Thanksgiving appetizers when you add butternut squash and bacon to the centers! (via Snixy Kitchen)

Perfect Fall Cheese Board

Transform your famous charcuterie board with fall accents to make a Thanksgivingappetizer that'll hit all the right taste buds. (via The Pioneer Woman)

Sausage, Spinach and Mushroom Phyllo Cups

Don't you just love a bite-sized snack that's super quick to make? (via Nutmeg Nanny)

Mushroom Goat Cheese Bruschetta

Should your guests craves something that's creamy and crunchy, serve them these bready Thanksgiving appetizers. (via The Home Cook's Kitchen)

Baked French Onion Meatballs

What do you get when you combine the savory flavors of French onion soup and meatballs? We'll give you a hint — it has something to do with being irresistible. (via Half Baked Harvest)

Cheesy Bacon Holiday Crack

Warning: biting into these sweet, spicy, crispy, and cheesy chips is the point of no return, but it's so worth it. (via Half Baked Harvest)

Bacon-Wrapped Brussels Sprouts

Two-ingredient appetizers are always a winner in our book, and this one is extra hearty. (via Savory Tooth)

Candied Walnut Bruschetta

Candied walnuts are excellent on their own, so imagine how they taste with pears and goat cheese on toast. (via Pizzazzerie)

Crock-Pot Honey Garlic Little Smokies

Soy sauce and brown sugar coat these mini hot dogs, and a touch of Sriracha makes them even more spice-tastic. (via The Blond Cook)

Roasted Carrot Hummus

Carrots and cinnamon are blended with classic hummus ingredients for a healthy dip to pair with pita chips. The pomegranate and pumpkin seed garnish really ups the presentation of this Thanksgiving appetizer. (via Sunkissed Kitchen)

Caesar Salad Wonton Cups

Keep a package of wonton wrappers in the fridge, and you’ll never have to worry about what snacks to prep next for your party guests! This recipe stuffs the wraps with Caesar salad fixings, but the options are endless. (via Recipe Tin Eats)

Chili and Rosemary Roasted Nuts

Even if you don’t have a ton of time, you can easily roast up a batch of these smoky mixed nuts before your guests arrive. (via The Real Food Dietitians)

French Onion Soup Toasts

Turn French onion soup into a convenient appetizer with crusty bread, sautéed onions, and smoky cheese! Yummm. (via Tara's Multicultural Table)

Raspberry Baked Brie

Smooth goat cheese and tart raspberry preserves are a match made in snack heaven. The crispy puff pastry layer makes it all worth it. (via The Recipe Critic)

Smoked Cheese and Onion Straws

If you have cheese lingering in your deli drawer, it’s the beginning of a tasty appetizer. Sprinkle it into some puff pastry for a twisty "straw" you'll reach for again and again. (via Lavender and Lovage)

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Bites

The combo of chicken, bacon, and barbecue sauce results in a Thanksgiving appetizer that's almost impossible to stop eating. (via The Seasoned Mom)

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Bacon and Cheddar

Smokey bacon and salty, nutty cheddar top some earthy mushrooms for a new version of this classic stuffed app. (via Savory Tooth)

Garlic-Stuffed Olives-in-a-Blanket

If you have vegetarian guests coming to your party, you’ll want to have a tasty option for them. These olives in a "blanket" do the trick nicely! As a bonus, most store-bought crescent roll dough is vegan. (via The Baking Fairy)

Best Cheese Ball

There's a reason why sharp cheddar cheese balls are a classic Thanksgiving appetizer. Serve them with buttery Ritz crackers to reach total snack nirvana. (via The Cookie Rookie)

Whipped Goat Cheese with Warm Candied Bacon and Dates

Sweet and savory, this goat cheese dip is perfect for dipping crostini and vegetables in. (via Half Baked Harvest)

Savory Roasted Cranberry Salsa

Top a cracker with sour cream (or brie or goat cheese) and spread on this cranberry salsa for a light, yet spicy-sweet bite. (via Live Eat Learn)

Pear and Gouda Puff Pastry

Pear really finds its life's purpose when it's tucked into a square of puff pastry and topped with salty gouda cheese. (via Amanda Wilens)

We can't wait to combine a few of our favorite things with this drink. Slushies, booze, and watermelon – all in one sip! Freeze sliced watermelon and fresh raspberries ahead of time to make sure that the finished drink has that perfect frozen consistency. (via Half Baked Harvest)

Prep a big pitcher of this rosé-infused sangria to share with all the besties. (via Barley & Sage)

This rosé cocktail is a great choice for every flirty and fun cocktail drinker. And with elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, and vodka or gin, it's a quick and easy fix! Pink cocktails for the win. (via The Beauty Blotter)

This sweet, tart drink makes for a relaxing summer evening. Pomegranate juice, fresh lime, and raspberries give the glass a fruity kick, and the gin and rosé give it the right amount of edge. (via Foolproof Living)

Ingredients (serves 1):

• 1 ounce cognac
• 3/4 ounce lemon juice
• 3/4 ounce strawberry purée
• 1 dash rose water
• Ice
• 1 1/2 ounces Ruffino Sparkling Rosé
• Fresh strawberries, to garnish

Instructions:

1. Shake all ingredients together except for the rosé.
2. Strain into a lowball glass with ice and top off with sparkling rosé.
3. Garnish with a strawberry.

Lemon and lavender is a match made in heaven, and we can't wait to try this cocktail! A pinch of sea salt rounds out the flavor for a full-bodied drink. (via Plays Well With Butter)

This fizzy, sweet sip partners up with a salty, spicy rim that'll keep you coming back for more. (via Half Baked Harvest)

For anyone who's a *little bit* impatient when it comes to devouring delicious recipes (we totally understand), then this is for you. This drink — which features rosé, frozen strawberries, and vodka — only takes 5 minutes to make, which makes us love it even more than we already did. (via A Spicy Perspective)

The hottest of summer days deserve a sweet icy treat like this rosé slushy. It's like a snow cone, but better! (via Feast + West)

Ingredients (serves 4):

For the syrup:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water

For the cocktail:

• 1 bottle Kim Crawford Rosé
• 1/2 bottle prosecco
• 8 rosemary sprigs, to garnish

Instructions:

1. In a small saucepan bring the sugar and water to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes until dissolved.
2. Cool and mix in the rosé, then freeze in a loaf pan, breaking up occasionally until frozen solid.
3. Process in batches in a food processor until smooth, then freeze again until firm.
4. Scoop into coupe glasses and top off with Prosecco.
5. Garnish with rosemary and serve.

These mimosas are a unique and colorful addition to brunch or weekends with your gal pals. The drink might have sorbet in it, but we'll still pair it with dessert. (via Fox and Briar)

As far as we're concerned, peaches are the *ultimate* summer fruit. They're juicy, sweet, and taste amazing in a variety of summer dishes. Add it to your rosé recipe to give your drink even more of a summer feel. (via Culinary Hill)

With strawberries, mint, and lemon, this rosé cocktail is like summer in a glass. (via The Sweetest Occasion)

Decadent peaches get frozen then blended with your best rosé wine for a drink that keeps things extra cool. (via Half Baked Harvest)

Because this cocktail has fruit in it, that means it's a healthy option, right?! Either way, this frosé recipe is delicious and super fitting for summertime – day or night. (via Barley & Sage)

When's the best time to do holiday shopping?

The best time to do holiday shopping really all depends on your personal shopping goals. Do you want to get a jump on items you know will sell out soon? Do you want to save the most money possible? Do you want to focus on handmade, personalized gifts? These factors will undoubtedly influence your holiday shopping schedule.

Shopping early can be advantageous for all of the aforementioned goals. A lot of retailers start promoting their holiday products early on, giving you ample time to snatch up that limited-time lip kit or fancy water bottle you’ve been eyeing way before the holidays.

Plus, some of the best deals for holiday shopping happen ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday – in 2023, Experian observed a surge in early spending in October, thanks to early discounts, a trend likely to continue in 2024.

Finally, shopping early can be especially helpful if your plan is to focus on handmade or personalized gifts, giving the artisan you buy from (or yourself, if you’re DIY-ing your gifts) plenty of time to craft the item with love and care.

Gallup reported in 2023 that one in four shoppers start shopping as early as September, a trend likely to continue in 2024 – so you might already be embarking on your shopping spree!

If right now is just still too darn early for you to start holiday shopping, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are some of the best times to shop since so many retailers offer their largest discounts of the entire year. Plus, the late November-early December timeline can feel a bit more appropriate for the gifting season opposed to late October-early November, when everyone’s still recovering from Halloween.

The only thing to consider during this time is the shipping timelines for the items you purchase – but most retailers will typically advise their specific shipping schedules, so you don’t risk your goodies arriving late.

Where should I shop for gifts?

You have three main options when it comes to where to shop for holiday gifts: online, in-store, and via our amazing gift guides. Of course, each method has its advantages and disadvantages.

Shopping in-store offers a tangible experience: the opportunity to hold specific items in your hands and gauge exactly what they’ll be like when you give them as a gift. The pitfall with shopping in-person is that it typically requires a commute and journeys through potentially very busy malls and shopping strips, which can add to the already-stressful holiday experience.

In-store shopping can be more physically exhausting, but it’s all about preference! Sometimes strolling through the stores that get all dolled up for Christmas is the best part of the season.

Per Google, 65% of those planning to shop for the holidays say they will shop online more. Shopping for gifts online can be super helpful since you can centralize your findings in your browser’s bookmark tab or via virtual cart(s). Plus, shopping online can pose more opportunities for saving some money: lots of retailers typically offer discount codes for online users, especially if you sign up for their digital marketing channels (like email and text) and make a purchase.

Shopping online isn’t just shopping, either. The internet can be a stellar research tool to help you vet whether certain products are worth it, where they can be bought, and when they’ll be available. In fact, Google reported that more than half of U.S. holiday shoppers who went into a store last year say they looked up product reviews online and/or located an item in-store by checking it online.

Last but not least, scrolling gift guides has to be our favorite place to shop for gifts – and not just because we write and publish them.

At their very core, gift guides help streamline the holiday shopping process, alleviating the stress that bubbles up when you’re wondering what the heck to shop for in the first place. Our gift guides are backed by real people, real experiences, and real opinions from our editorial team. We only promote products that we really love and believe in, oftentimes ones we’ve tested and reviewed ourselves.

We have gift guides for just about everyone on your list, with more on the way! Check ‘em out:

• Gifts for Him
• Gifts for Her
• Gifts for Foodies
• DIY + Handmade Gifts
• White Elephant Gifts
• Gift Sets

What are the best kinds of gifts to give?

The best kinds of gifts to give are thoughtful gifts that consider the giftee’s interests, wants, and needs. These gifts can be sentimental, practical, or both simultaneously. What matters most in a gift is that it’ll be meaningful to them past just the holiday season, whether it’s helping them get through daily tasks, reminding them of a memorable trip or event, or giving them small doses of joy.

“Shoppers are increasingly looking for personalized and unique gifts that reflect the recipient's personality and interests,” says Mia Anderson, Owner of ChicSew. “With the rise of online shopping, many consumers are opting for curated gift boxes or experiences that add a special touch.”

Gift boxes, personalized items, books of interest, self-care goodies, and even gift cards can all be thoughtful gifts depending on the recipient. If you have no clue what your giftee is into, it’s not a bad idea to ask them what they want the most!

“My idea of a great gift is something that is in tandem with the recipient's interest and offers something new to the person, be it learning a new skill, enjoying a calming activity, or simply spending quality time with the family,” says Alfred Christ, Sales Manager & Marketer at Robotime. “This season, we encourage shoppers to shift their focus on quality and the memories their gifts will create and not just merely material aspects.”

When is Black Friday?

Black Friday is always the Friday after Thanksgiving. This year, Black Friday lands on November 29.

When is Cyber Monday?

Cyber Monday is typcally the Monday after Thanksgiving. This year, Cyber Monday will land on December 2. Oftentimes, retailers and brands extend their online offers through the week (coined Cyber Week) after the event. Salesforce reported that 67% of shoppers in 2024 plan on shopping during Cyber Week!