18 Black + White Holiday Decorations That’ll Make You Forget About Red + Green

Dec 19, 2015

There’s no doubt that non-traditional holiday colors are hitting it big this year. And with much inspo from Scandinavian Christmas decor, black and white is a modern and fun twist from the usual red and green. It’s minimalist, whimsical and gives you plenty of easy DIY holiday ideas for achieving ultimate holiday cheer. This simple color palette is clean and fresh and perfect for minimalist decor this season, from graphic garlands to cheery metallic accents. Fair warning: Once you go to the “dark” side, you may never go back to red and green.

1. Wrapped in Black: Black and white boxes make a stylish gift pile, especially when topped with a tiny bit of greenery. (via Weekday Carnival)

2. Touch of Gold: Metallics are the perfect way to add some festivity to modern decor. Gold, silver and copper (on their own or all three) are totally BFFs with a black and white palette. (via Monica Wants It)

3. DIY Star Garland: Keep your gift wrapping minimal with black and white paper. For some sprucing, wrap black or white strands of stars around solid butcher paper. (via Homey Oh My!)

4. Alphabet Tree: Give the little ones an early love of typography with this small white tree covered in letters. Spell out their name for a fun (and educational!) touch. (via Little Inspiration)

5. DIY Kate Spade-Inspired Ornaments: Hang these DIY ornaments with a fat ribbon to add a chic element to the Christmas tree. You can also use them to top a gift or whip up a trio for an ornament exchange. (via Handmade Mood)

6. DIY Piñata Trees: Use layers of fringed tissue to give the effect of tree branches. You can, of course, go traditional with green, but you’ll love the look of the black + white. Now if only these were full of candy… (via Hello Natural)

7. Paper Tree Garland: Sometimes it’s the simplest decorations that make the biggest statement, like these bold, graphic tree garlands. (via Nalle’s House)

8. Monochromatic Winning: If your home decor is already fairly neutral, you’re totally going to rock a few black + white holiday accents to create a modern winter wonderland. (via Cuckoo 4 Design)

9. DIY Washi Tape Tree: Bring some holiday cheer into the tiniest spaces — like above your desk — by sticking a tree straight to the wall with washi tape. (via Nalle’s House)

10. Scandinavian Window Display: Take a tip from that envy-inducing Scandi decor and use candles in abundance. Style a variety of candles and lanterns to bring warmth and delicious scents into your home. (via Salad Days)

11. Simple Wrapping Paper: White paper packages tied up with string, these are a few of our favorite things. (via @chelseawarburton)

12. DIY Advent Calendar: Twenty-five little goodie bags just so happen to make the perfect tree shape for an advent calendar/wall tree. (via Homey Oh My!)

13. Geo Ornaments: This modern mini tree could totally be left up all year long. The all-white branches are cool, but they would be even cooler wrapped up in some string lights, don’t you agree? (via Bungalow 5)

14. Graphic Ornaments: Glitter always wins, especially if it’s unexpected, like the black glitter addition to these cool stripes and polka dots. (via &Suus)

15. DIY Ombre Tree: The ombre trend isn’t going anywhere, so take it to the trees! Grab a can of black spray paint and give that white faux tree a totally rad makeover. (via Little Inspiration)

16. DIY Gold Heart Ornaments: Personalize every ornament on your tree by decoupaging them in the same wrapping paper you’re using for your presents. Uniformity is totally in this year. (via Kara’s Party Ideas)

17. Printable Wrapping Paper: Get your monochromatic party started by printing off some of this fun black + white printed paper. (via The Pretty Blog)

18. Giant Paper Stars: Who needs a tree when you can put up giant paper stars, a stack of gifts and some string lights? Oh, and stuffed bunny fauxidermy. (via Bodie and Fou)

What is your favorite non-traditional holiday color palette? Tweet us @BritandCo and tell us what colors you’re loving this year!

7 “Impressive” Whole Foods Deals Will Save You Major Cash On Your Grocery Bill

I truly feel like I’ve been living under a rock when it comes to what’s good at Whole Foods. Turns out, they’ve been hiding some really impressive deals on groceries in the shadows, but I’m here to shed some light on ‘em. Whole Foods offers savings every week, and I’m fully convinced that my local Whole Foods will be seeing a whole lot more of me from now on.

Scroll on for details on Whole Foods’ top deals to shop starting today!

Kaboompics / PEXELS

1. BOGO 50% off packaged soups (Tuesdays)

Tuesdays and Fridays are the main days of the week that Whole Foods offers savings on their groceries. The first amazing deal for Tuesdays is BOGO 50% off packaged soups – perfect for this time of year!

They’ve got every kind of flavor from minestrone and chicken noodle to Italian wedding and broccoli cheddar. Their packaged soups average out at about $9 per 24-ounce tub, so saving 50% on one when you buy one is pretty good, especially for meal prep purposes.

Lukas / PEXELS

2. $2 off classic and organic rotisserie chickens (Tuesdays)

You can take $2 off two kinds of Whole Foods’ rotisserie chickens every Tuesday. Their classic rotisserie chicken goes for $9 while the organic version sells for $13. I love using rotisserie chicken for soups, sandwiches, wraps, and pastas, so getting a whole chicken to use for recipes all week long for just $7 is so nice!

Nadin Sh / PEXELS

3. $8 large cheese pizzas (Friday)

Sometimes you just do not feel like cooking on a Friday evening after work – that’s where this Whole Foods savings hack comes in! Every Friday, you can get a large cheese pizza for $8. While there’s nothing wrong with a plain cheese pizza (nostalgia galore!), I’d take advantage of this deal then bulk up my slices with various toppings like peppers, pepperoni, and olives.

Nadin Sh / PEXELS

4. 12 for $12 wild caught oysters (Friday)

Ooh, fancy! Every Friday, Whole Foods’ wild caught oysters go for $1 a pop. Buy a dozen for just $12, and you’re golden. This deal would be perfect for a bougie at-home date night.

Pixabay / PEXELS

5. BOGO 50% off packaged sushi rolls (Friday)

This is another great date night pick! Buy one packaged sushi roll, and get another 50% off on Fridays only. From rainbow rolls to California rolls, this Whole Foods savings hack has my cravings going crazy.

Minchephoto Photography / PEXELS

6. $10 family-sized tiramisu (Friday)

Got a hankering for a sweet treat? Don’t fret – you can shop a whole family-sized serving of tiramisu at Whole Foods for just $10 every Friday.

Kseniia Lopyreva / PEXELS

7. $12 bottles of prosecco (Friday)

The death of the work week and start of the weekend is obviously a cause for celebration, and Whole Foods has you covered with $12 bottles of Presto prosecco every Friday. Cheers!

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Elle Fanning "Uncontrollably Sobbed" During One Of Dakota's Movies As A Kid

As much as I love celebrity couples, I love celebrity sibling relationships even more. And Elle and Dakota Fanning are two sisters I've grown up watching since I first saw Dreamer in 2005. Considering Elle Fanning is only five months older than me, and I have a sister of my own, this is one relationship that feels particularly familiar. And while Elle has also watched Dakota Fanning act since we were kids, Dakota just revealed seeing Elle onscreen is just as special for her.

Here's why Dakota & Elle Fanning get emotional seeing each other onscreen.

Elle remembers "sobbing" during one particularly emotional Dakota Fanning movie.

“When Elle’s in anything, it makes me feel it deeper,” Dakota Fanning said at TheWrap’s Power Women Summit on December 3. “She never can fully disappear into a character totally for me as her sister. She obviously does an amazing job, but I’m always gonna see my little sister a little bit.”

And Elle is just as touched by Dakota's roles, and remembers "uncontrollably sobbing" after seeing Now Is Good, a movie where Dakota's character was dying of cancer. “Because it was my sister, I had a real traumatic reaction after that premiere and the screening,” Elle says. “Obviously the acting, but it was something felt on a deeper level.”

“I’m doing this job, I’m an actor because my sister started before me and I watched her,” Elle continues. “I wanted to do exactly what my big sister wanted to do.”

And their movies have also made an impact on everyone who watches them.

When Brit + Co caught up with Dakota Fanning at the world premiere of The Watchers, I had to ask about one of her most iconic movies: Uptown Girls. "I love it," she says of TikTok memes and edits giving the movie new life. "It's nostalgic for people who are kind of around my age, who grew up watching that movie, I think it's like a comfort movie for people. And so I love that people are still revisiting it and loving it. And maybe now that everyone's older [they're] understanding different things about it."

Dakota starred opposite Brittany Murphy, who also had roles in movies like Clueless, 8 Mile, and Girl, Interrupted. Brittany passed away in 2009 when Dakota was 15. "I loved Brittany so much and I still miss her," she says. "So anytime that she has, you know, a moment where people think about her is also nice."

You can see Elle Fanning in A Complete Unknown, in theaters December 25, and you can also stream Dakota Fanning's new show The Perfect Couple on Netflix now.

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13 Yummy Christmas Cookies From Around The World

Heaping plates of Christmas cookies are synonymous with the holidays. It seems that nearly every country around the globe has their own variation on the holiday classic. In fact, some of these regions have been making their version of Christmas cookies for literal hundreds of years.

If you’re looking for a way to reconnect with your heritage, or maybe just want a little baking inspiration, check out our picks for the yummiest Christmas cookies from around the world.

The Noshery

Mantecaditos con Guayaba

These may look like ordinary thumbprint cookies, but these almond shortbreads from Puerto Rico are filled with a special guava marmalade. (via The Noshery)

Broma Bakery

Meringues

French meringues are a classic crumbly egg white cookie with a chewy interior. These get an extra European twist with the addition of Nutella. (via Broma Bakery)

Pretty. Simple. Sweet.

Alfajores

Deeply flavored dulce de leche, a caramel made from whole milk commonly found in Spain and many Latin American countries, is the key ingredient in these super pretty sandwiched Christmas cookies. (via Pretty. Simple. Sweet.)

Fancy Peasant

Melomakarona

These Christmas cookies that hail from Greece get their sweetness from a generous soaking of fresh honey! (via Fancy Peasant)

Very Eatalian

Baci di Dama

The name of this Italian treat translates to “lady’s kisses” — how adorable is that? These bite-sized cuties are made with ground hazelnuts and filled with a dollop of dark chocolate. (via Very Eatalian)

Cooking Classy

Linzer Cookies

These Austrian Christmas cookies are typically made with raspberry jam, but feel free to get crazy with a filling of your choice. Plus, the gorgeous windowpane look will make them a prize takeaway at your next cookie exchange. (via Cooking Classy)

Olivia’s Cuisine

Basler Brunsli

If you’re hanging out in Switzerland around Christmas time, you’ll definitely see these chocolate treats around. They’re often described as Swiss brownies due to their deliciously chewy texture. Perfect with a cup of eggnog or coffee! (via Olivia’s Cuisine)

Cilantro Parsley

This post has been updated with additional reporting by Meredith Holser.

Lead image via Pretty. Simple. Sweet.

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