20 Gifts for the Person You’re Kinda, Sorta Dating

So… you’ve been dating someone for a few weeks, and you’re totally into him/her but you guys haven’t had that whole DTR — “define the relationship,” FYI — talk yet. Do you get ’em a holiday gift? If so, what? You don’t want to spend too much and make him/her feel pressured ($40 and under is a good rule of thumb), but at the same time, you don’t want something so generic and cheap that they don’t feel special. It really is a fine line you gotta tread in these early stages of dating. We’re here to help you out with some thoughtful and personal enough — but not too personal — holiday gifts that will make that fine fella/lady (maybe) yours for keeps… somewhere down the line.

1. Ban.do But First, Coffee Thermal Mug ($14): She’s told you she’s not a morning person and coffee is the love of her life. While you may never usurp the place of coffee, this sweet mug is a good way to let her know you still dig her.

2. Meow Stemless Wine Glass Set ($16): Wine + kittens — what could possibly be better? It’s a set, so prepare to be invited over for a wine date.

3. Ban.do Nice Brunch Tee ($30): In the few short weeks you’ve known her, have most of her weekend plans consisted of brunch with her gfs? Yeah, she’ll probably love this shirt.

4. Marbled Jewelry Tray Kit ($25): Encouraging her creativity def makes you boyfriend/girlfriend material. Don’t worry, it’s just a jewelry holder and not any jewelry… yet. Maybe by her birthday, there will be a follow-up gift that will go perfectly with this — feel me?

5. Marc Tetro Schnauzer Key Chain ($14): First of all, if you get something with her dog on it, she’s going to love it. Artist Marc Tetro is known for his dog art + accessories, so find her fave breed. And who knows, maybe someday this key ring will have YOUR keys on it too.

6. Ms. Betty’s Originals Badass Bitch Candle ($18): Give props where props are DUE to the (newish) badass b in your life. This gift is great as a hostess present when rolling up to her holiday party.

7. STAK Ceramics Bloom Phone Vase, Orchid ($32): If she loves her smartphone as much as she loves flowers, this phone vase is perfect. Bonus: It’s a gorgeous decorative piece and she’s going to seriously appreciate your good eye for aesthetics.

8. Finch and Cotter Custom Mixtape Pillow ($35): So people don’t really make mixtapes anymore, but back in the day, it was the ULTIMATE way to let your crush know you were into them. This custom pillow sends the same message, plus you can personalize it with her fave colors and initials.

9. Ban.do Getaway Passport Holder ($24): The two of you probably connected for you love or travel. This chic passport holder is a subtle way to let her know you hope the two of you will be booking some trips together someday.

10. Rifle Paper Tea + Coffee Calendar 2016 ($18): This stylish calendar is going to look so good on her wall. Plus, you’re telling her that you’re thinking about the future with this gift ;) Mark the cal with your next date to give this sweet gift some extra-special meaning.

Gift Ideas for Your (Kind of) Guy

1. Custom Wrapped Flask ($32): Sure, it’s personalized, but chill — it’s not your initials monogrammed together or anything. It’s thoughtful enough to be like, “Hey, you’re kinda special.” Here’s how to ensure when he’s sneaking a drink at his family reunion, he’ll be thinking about you ;)

2. Harry’s x Movember Shave Set ($20): Beauty and grooming products are always a good gift idea for the almost-boo — it’s personal but not too intimate. You also want him to look his best for your company’s holiday party when he meets your friends and co-workers for the first time. Plus, this kit goes toward a good cause.

3. Grow and Make DIY Hot Sauce Kit ($34): You’ve got a few dates under your belt by now, so you know if your dude likes his food spicy. This DIY hot sauce kit is the perfect way to let him know you’ve paid attention to his eating habits. Plus, add a cute little note to let him know you think he’s muy caliente.

4. Baseball Trophy Wine Bottle Stopper ($24): Perhaps on one of your first dates, he regaled you with tales of his days in Little League over a bottle of Pinot or maybe you know he’s a huge Oakland A’s fan. Whatever the case, he’ll love this unique wine bottle stopper from Etsy — creative and sweet.

5. Warrior Double IPA Beer Making Kit ($40): A month in or so, you should know if beer is his drink of choice. If your guy is the home-brewing type, this kit by the Brooklyn BrewShop will allow him make his own!

6. Multi-Tool Animal Gadget ($18): This is possibly the most adorable pocket knife set ever. Different configurations are different animals — and if you dude is an animal lover (um, trait to look for on the dating checklist?), he’ll definitely appreciate this.

7. Watch + Tie Travel Tube ($30): This watch and tie travel tube will come in handy when he heads home to visit his fam. Plus, it’s super chic and will help keep him organized — hopefully both traits he’ll appreciate you for. Maybe you’ll score an invite next year.

8. NFL Freaker Socks ($20): Show him you know his fave team or player with these NFL socks. We promise he’ll love that you’ve been paying attention. Bonus points: Include an invite to watch the game together.

9. Bixby Keychain Mustache Comb ($16): Did you fall in love with his enviable mustache at first sight? Let him know with this hilarious Bixby Keychain Mustache Comb that is sure to keep his facial hair on point.

10. Guitar Pick Punch ($25): Your eyes met across the room. He was onstage strumming on his guitar and you were in the audience, and when he started singing, he was singing for you. *Sigh* Okay, even if that’s not how it happened, your guitar-playing sorta boo will definitely love this DIY guitar pick punch.

Did you get your kind of S.O. anything for the holidays? If so, what? Tell us in the comments below!

Nothing says the holidays like gingerbread house decorations. But, sometimes we'd rather skip the making-the-house part. Lucky for us, the folks at Dylan's Candy Bar have a pre-assembled gingerbread house just waiting to be decorated like the dickens. Each gingerbread house comes with a bunch of festive candies, but we hit up Dylan's Candy Bar in person to stock up on even more gummy candies, candy canes and a whole collection of colorful candy accoutrements.

Armed with more candy than you've even seen in person before, we created five gorgeous gingerbread houses: Candy Cane, Emerald City, Stripes + Lights, Color Blocked Craziness and Gold Rush.

How to make the best gingerbread house ever...

First thing’s first: get yourself a gingerbread house and mix up a batch of royal icing.

Then, it’s time for CANDY. Seriously.

Talk about a sugar rush.

Now, let’s start tricking out these houses!

Check out these creative gingerbread house ideas!

CANDY CANE Gingerbread House

Grab a Dylan’s Candy Bar Signature Holiday Paint Can ($30; Alt: Down Under Delight Paint Can, $17), as well as gumdrops, peppermints and candy canes.

You’re going to need a LOT of royal icing to stick on all the little candies! Make sure you’ve got two piping bags per house, just in case. We created a scalloped roof complete with red polka dots. Candy canes flank the door, welcoming you in, and we’re particularly in love with the sour gummy hedges in the front.

Add your finishing touches.

Voila!

So obsessed with this roof.

EMERALD CITY GingerBread House

For this house, you'll need a Mini Bin Filled with Mini Gumballs ($16; Alt: Sour Gumballs Bulk Bag, $6) and then you can pull out all of the green goodies.

The roof of your gingerbread house is definitely the best canvas for creativity. We created polka dot and squiggly stripes on this green roof. And sour gummy shutters? Yes please.

How fun are those fish at the top of the door? Sort of remind us of Eureeka’s castle.

STRIPES + LIGHTS GingerBread House

Dylan’s Candy Bar Wizard of Oz “Over the Rainbow” Paint Can ($16; Alt: Dylan's Candy Bar Rainbow Sour Belts Paint Can, $17) to create our striped roof.

Cut up gummy stripes to be the same length as your roof. Use royal icing to attach. Create icing windows and adorn with rainbow shutters.

Then use royal icing to create a string for your “lights” to hang on.

We couldn’t resist creating a few Christmasy hedges in the front of the house, complete with bright pink lights on top.

It almost looks too good to eat.

These gingerbread house designs are creative and so simple!

COLOR BLOCKED Gingerbread House

Just pick out some Dylan’s Candy Bar Tackle Box ($24; Alt: Dylan's Candy Bar Classic Christmas Tackle Box, $28), Dylan’s Candy Bar Everything Under the Sun Paint Can($17) and Dylan’s Candy Bar Whirly Pops ($3.75 each) to make this house.

We started with a criss-cross roof and embellished with floral candies.

Then, it’s time to add color everywhere you possibly can.

One fish, two fish, blue fish, blue fish!

GOLD RUSH Gingerbread House

Finally, we’re bringing the gold rush back with this minimalist design. The gingerbread dudes from Dylan’s Signature Holiday Paint Can ($17; Alt: Dylan's Candy Bar Candy Land Mix Bulk Bag, $9) are what really take this sleek look to the next level.

First cover the roof with icing, then add in gold stars. Use white chocolate-covered pretzels on the front of the house, and make sure to make dripping icicles out of your icing.

To finish it off, add snow piles around the house to give it a truly wintery vibe.

Done and done. And complete with a gummy gingerbread dude welcoming you in. Go ahead and pop a kiss off the top — we won’t tell.

And there you have it. Five ways to decorate the best gingerbread house ever.

We hope you have found some new gingerbread house decorations to get creative and inspired by this holiday. Tag us on Instagram when you complete, join our newsletter for more holiday inspiration, or take the Gingerbread House making class on B+C Classes!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

This post has been updated.

If there's one thing I love to see, it's celebrities going makeup-free. And I'll celebrate it every single time! In addition to Drew Barrymore taking her makeup off on live TV (and throwing her extensions on the ground) and Millie Bobby Brown showing off her acne in selfies, Lady Gaga loves to go makeup-free. Remember when she performed at the Oscars with no makeup and ripped jeans?! Well the actress and singer just posted another adorable selfie without a stitch of makeup.

Here's what Lady Gaga had to say about "Die With A Smile" alongside her no-makeup selfie.

Lady Gaga is "so grateful" the song is #1.

To celebrate "Die With A Smile" (her song with Bruno Mars) hitting number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, Lady Gaga posted a photo of her laying in the grass with a huge grin on her face — and without any makeup.

"Thank you to all of the monsters and hooligans for helping make 'Die With A Smile' #1 on the Billboard Hot 100! We love you and are so grateful," she says in the post. "Having multiple songs of mine hit #1 across three decades feels surreal, and I am overwhelmed by the love and support you have shown me from the beginning. I have so much more in store for you and can’t wait to share it."

Friends and fans flooded the comments with everyone from Noah Cyrus saying, "you’re so gorgeous," to a fan account adding, "Thank you for your art! So proud of you and Bruno. You deserve this!"

And she loved recording it with Bruno Mars!

The song was released on August 16, and in a statement to Page Six, Lady Gaga praised Bruno Mars as a collaborator. “Bruno and I have a lot of mutual respect for each other and were talking about collaborating,” she says. “I was finishing up my own album in Malibu, and one night after a long day he asked me to come to his studio to hear something he was working on...It was around midnight when I got there, and I was blown away when I heard what he had started making.”

After revealing they "stayed up all night” to finish both writing and recording it, Lady Gaga continues, “Bruno’s talent is beyond explanation. His musicianship and vision is next level. There’s no one like him." There's no one like you either Gaga!

Has "Die With A Smile" been on repeat for you? Let us know your favorite Lady Gaga song on Instagram!

This post originally appeared in our #31DaysofDIY series, and we just can't get enough of this cozy scarf! We hope you love it as much as we do.

Truth time: I love crafting, but when it comes to knitting I ALWAYS get frustrated. I was lucky to grow up with a great teacher, my grandma, but year after year we would need to start from the beginning because of angry battles in which the yarn won. My main trouble when learning how to knit a scarf was figuring out how to hold the yarn in my fingers to give it the proper tension, looking at the stitches on my needle and realizing which piece needs to go over and which goes under, and then before I knew it I would end up frustrated with a pile of knots.

Arm knitting is a great beginning step to learning how to knit. Since you are working with your arms, which are now also known as extremely large needles, it’s easy to see the stitches and understand what to do with them. It also goes a lot faster than regular knitting — this circle scarf took us 30 minutes start to finish. Don’t get me wrong, it did take time to learn arm knitting too. My arms got tied up in knots and I had to cut myself out, but with practice I got it! For this DIY scarf project, we broke the steps down to be very basic and to help you understand which way the strands need to move. Scroll back through when you’re making your scarf to really get the hang of creating stitches. Soon you’ll be an arm knitting pro and then soon after that you’ll be a knitting pro. We promise. (Not sure if you believe us yet? Try out ourIntro to Knitting course!)

What You'll Need

  • 2 skeins of super chunky yarn
  • Scissors
Arm Knitting Pro Tip: The yarn that is attached to the skein is called the working yarn, and the piece that you pulled out is called the tail.

Instructions

1. Hold both ends of the yarn in your hand and measure out seven “elbow” lengths of yarn. At the seventh “elbow” mark, make a slip knot and place it around your right arm just below your elbow.

2. Create a loop with the tail and hold the top of the loop with your right hand.

3. Put your left arm through the loop and grab the working yarn.

4. Put the new loop on your right arm. Tighten by pulling the working yarn. Cast on 24 stitches.

5. To start the next row of stitches, you will hold the working yarn in your right hand, pull off your last stitch, and insert your left hand through the new loop.

6. Keep repeating for all 22 stitches until your knitting is on your left arm.

7. To create the next row you will hold the working yarn with your left hand, pull the last loop off of your arm, and insert your right arm through the new loop. You will want to create 8 rows. The knitting should end on your left arm.

8. To bind off your scarf you will need to knit two stitches on your right arm. Then pull the first stitch over the second stitch. Knit one more stitch from the left, and then pull the first stitch on the right over the second stitch on the left. For the last stitch, pull the loop off your arm, snip the end, and pull through so you end up with a second tail.

9. Time to stitch the scarf together into a circle. Meet the two ends together and, using your two tails, weave the sides together as if you were lacing a shoe. Secure by tying a knot where the ends meet.

Arm Knitting isn’t the easiest thing. Believe me, you can get really tangled up in the strings, especially when you’re working with multiple skeins. We suggest sticking to two skeins when you’re starting your arm knitting adventures. Once again, I suggest you scroll back up and go through the images multiple times. The stitches will seem awkward at first, but with practice it will “click” and you’ll be creating rows of stitches in no time at all!

To begin your knitting adventure you are going to want to hold both ends of the skeins in one hand and measure out seven “elbow” lengths of yarn.

At the seventh “elbow” length mark you will want to create a basic slip knot. To do this you create a loop by crossing the two strands over one another. Grab and pull the back strand through the loop. This will give you a loop with a knot! Slide it onto your right arm.

Time to complete your first stitch! The first row of stitches are referred to as “Casting on.” To cast these stitches onto your arm you’re going to make a loop with the tail end of your yarn and hold it in your right hand.

Weave your left hand through the loop and grab the working yarn.

Pull the working yarn through the loop.

Slide the new loop onto your right arm.

To tighten your stitches, pull the tail and working ends of the yarn. You want the stitches to be tight on your arm, but not so tight they can’t move.

You will need to cast on between 22-24 stitches. I’m not going to lie, I watched many tutorials over and over before I was comfortable creating stitches. I scrolled back through the tutorial every time I was casting on a new stitch. When you’re ready, move onto the left arm!

We will now only be using the working yarn (yarn attached to the skeins). We’ll work with the tail again later.

Hold the working yarn with your right hand and slip the last stitch over your hand while pulling the working yarn through. This will create a loop.

The first stitch of the second row! Slip it onto your left arm.

You will want to pull the end of the working yarn to tighten these stitches.

Second row of stitches done! They should all be on your left arm and your right arm should be free.

Now move back to your right arm. Hold the working yarn with your left hand and slip the last stitch over your hand and slip the knew loop onto your right arm. Scroll back through the tutorial to master the stitches of arm knitting!

You will want to create eight rows of stitches. They will end up on your left arm.

Time to “cast off.” It was nice having a warm cozy piece becoming one with my arm but I wasn’t ready for the commitment forever. To start casting off, you will need to create two stitches onto your right arm.

Grab the first stitch on your right arm and pull it over the second stitch and off of your hand.

You will now just have one stitch remaining on your right hand. Next you will need to create a new stitch on your right hand (by pulling the working yarn through the stitch on your left hand). Repeat the process above. Slip the first stitch on your right arm over the second stitch, leaving one stitch behind. You will follow this pattern until you have reached the end of your 24 stitches.

Can you believe it? You’re all done! For your last stitch you’re going to snip the working yarn and pull it all the way through to create a knot. When snipping the yarn, leave a two-foot-long tail.

Can you believe you made that with just your arm?! We can’t! Now I know we’ve said we're hooked on crafts, but arm knitting is in a whole other ballpark. We are OBSESSED!

Using the long tail you cut from the working yarn, you will tie the two ends of the scarf together to make a cowl scarf! Weave them through the rows of stitches as if you are lacing a shoe lace. There is no science to this, just weave them together. Tie the end in a knot with the tail end of the yarn from the beginning steps. Luckily this yarn is very fluffy and forgiving. It is impossible to see mistakes.

So fuzzy and warm. This is definitely a winter staple.

Try making more scarves with different types of yarn. We still used two skeins but this yarn was less fuzzy and created a less dense scarf.

Like we said, this is a winter MUST!

Have you ever tried arm knitting, or are you still trying to figure out how to knit a scarf? Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for more DIYs!

This post has been updated.

Many people look for the new year to bring new opportunities and, in some cases, a fresh start altogether. But for me? As a longtime entertainment reporter, there is one thing I can’t help but get excited about when another year rolls around: the upcoming movie releases and, of course, the most anticipated television shows. While I'm looking forward to see what happens to Eleven and the rest of the Hawkins crew in Stranger Things 5 on Netflix, there are a bunch of new TV shows that have been at the top of my watch list from the moment they were first announced, including Suits: LA and It: Welcome to Derry.

Here are the 2025 television shows that should be on your radar (if they aren’t already!).

Severance Season 2 — On Apple TV+ January, 17 2025

Apple TV+

After Mark Scout, Helly, and Irving learn the truth about the “severance” experiment and manage to break free from its clutches in the Severance season 1 finale, the three coworkers (along with the rest of the Lumon Industries employees) are forced to return to work in the second installment of the series. Now that Mark and some of his peers know what the company was really doing to the Lumon staff, one could only wonder: What are Lumon Industries's hidden objectives? (And what’s with all the GOATS?!)

Severance season 2 premieres on Apple TV+ on January 17, 2024 and stars Adam Scott, Britt Lower, John Turturro, Dichen Lachman, Dichen Lachman and Patricia Arquette.

The White Lotus Season 3 — On HBO and Max February 16, 2025

Mario Perez/HBO

Pack your bags, White Lotus fans, because our favorite hotel residents are catching a first-class flight to…Thailand! While there are a bunch of new guests checking into a luxury hotel, there’s one returning guest who needs no introduction. Natasha Rothwell, who made her debut at Belinda Lindsey in The White Lotus season 1, is the only returning cast making a brief cameo in season 3. Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, here we come!

The White Lotus season 3 is coming in February and will star Leslie Bibb, Jason Isaacs, Michelle Monaghan, Carrie Coon, Parker Posey, Patrick Schwarzenegger and Blackpink’s Lisa Manobal.

The Last of Us Season 2 — On HBO and Max in April 2025

Liane Hentscher/HBO

I can’t be the only one still thinking about that bombshell season one finale of HBO’s The Last of Us! And apparently, I’m not the only one who’s eager to see the continuation of Joel and Ellie’s story in season 2. Fans of the video game adaptation have been keeping their eyes peeled for a new update about season 2. And one teaser later, we might have just gotten the news we’ve been looking for. Following the 2024 Emmy Awards, Chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content Casey Bloys toldDeadline that The Last of Us season 2 will premiere around “generally first half of the year [2025], I expect them to be in the Emmy window.”

The Last of Us season 2 will star Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Gabriel Luna, Rutina Wesley, Kaitlyn Dever, Isabela Merced, Young Mazino, Spencer Lord, Danny Ramirez, Catherine O'Hara, Jeffrey Wright, Tati Gabrielle and Ariela Barer.

The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 — On Prime Video in 2025

Erika Doss/Prime Video

It's almost time to return to Cousins Beach, and I have missed all the hydrangeas, fair rides, and ocean sunrises. We haven't heard for sure whether season 3 will be the end of the road for this series, but if it follows even a few chapters in the third book in The Summer I Turned Pretty series, We'll Always Have Summer, then we will absolutely be getting some drama.

The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 premieres in 2025 and stars Lola Tung, Christopher Briney, Gavin Casalegno, Sean Kaufman, Rain Spencer, Jackie Chung, and Rachel Blanchard.

It: Welcome to Derry — On Max in 2025

Warner Bros. Entertainment

Bill, Richie, Beverly and the rest of the Losers Club members might have been able to defeat Pennywise in It: Chapter Two, but that doesn’t mean we've seen the last of Derry, Maine. Serving as a prequel series to the It movie franchise directed by Andres Muschietti, Welcome to Derry will delve into Pennywise’s origin story and how the child-preying clown arrived in Derry. But that’s not even the best part: Bill Skarsgård, who starred in It and It: Chapter Two, will reprise his role as the killer clown in the upcoming HBO series, which will be released in 2025. So until then, no accepting red balloons from creepy clowns, okay?

It: Welcome to Derry will star Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, Taylour Paige, James Remar, Stephen Rider, Madeleine Stowe, Alixandra Fuchs, Kimberly Guerrero, Joshua Odjick and Morningstar Angeline.

Stranger Things Season 5 — On Netflix in 2025

Netflix

I’ve been a fan of Stranger Things since it premiered on Netflix back in 2016, and come next year, longtime fans like myself will finally get to see how the story ends. Last time we saw Eleven, Mike, Will and the rest of the Hellfire Club crew, they were facing an impending apocalypse after Vecna’s devious plan came to full fruition. So, will the group of friends defeat Vecna and save their home? Guess we’ll just have to wait and see because Stranger Things 5 likely won’t premiere until late 2025. Now, all we need is that release date, Netflix…

Stranger Things 5 is coming to Netflix soon and stars Millie Bobby Brown, Noah Schnapp, Finn Wolfhard, Caleb McLaughlin, Gaten Matarazzo, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Sadie Sink, Maya Hawke, Joe Keery, David Harbour, Winona Ryder, Amybeth McNulty, and Priah Ferguson.

Suits: L.A. — On NBC in 2025

David Astorga/NBC

Court is back in session! Only this time, our favorite lawyers from the OG Pearson Hardman firm are not on the case. Thanks to Netflix, the original Suits (which starred the Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle) experienced a renaissance of sorts upon its arrival to the streaming service in June 2023. And as a result, NBCUniversal ordered a spinoff series earlier this year. But instead of the bustling streets of New York City, a new group of lawyers are setting up shop in the Golden State in Suits L.A.

The new spinoff will center around an entertainment and criminal lawler named Ted Black, who launches his own law firm in California after moving from the East Coast. Originally, Suits L.A was slated to be a part of NBCUniversal’s 2024-2025 lineup. However, according to Deadline, there was a slight change in the production location, making a Fall 2025 release more likely. So, who’s up for a Suits marathon?

Suits L.A. is speculated to premiere sometime in 2025 and is set to star Ted Black, Josh McDermitt, Rachelle Goulding, Victoria Justice, Troy Wingush, Bryan Greenberg, Lex Scott Davis, John Amos, Kevin Weistman and Alice Lee.

Wednesday Season 2 — On Netflix in 2025

Netflix

Looks like Jenna Ortega won’t be giving us another macabre number anytime soon because Wednesday season 2 won’t arrive on Netflix until 2025. In a new interview with Vanity Fair, Ortega teases the upcoming installment will be much “darker” this time around. “I think the feel that we’re going for is a little bit more horror-inspired,” the Beetlejuice Beetlejuicestar adds. “Not to say that suddenly we’re the goriest show of all time. I mean, there’s six-year-olds watching.”

“This season is going to be bigger and more twisted than you can ever imagine," Catherine Zeta-Jones says in the new Wednesday season 2 first look.

“If we showed you any more, your eyes would bleed,” Ortega says. “And I'm not that generous.”

What TV show are you most excited to see in 2025? Personally, I can’t wait for Sweet Magnolias season 4 to drop! (Margarita, anyone?) Make sure to follow us on TikTok and Facebook for more TV exclusives and latest news updates!

This post has been updated.

Kate Middleton has been top of mind for a lot of people over the last year after the princess announced in March 2024 she was battling cancer. "The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family. Life as you know it can change in an instant and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown," she shared in a video update. "This time has above all reminded William and me to reflect and be grateful for the simple yet important things in life, which so many of us often take for granted. Of simply loving and being loved." And in honor of Kate's 43rd birthday, Prince William posted the sweetest tribute honoring her strength and perseverance.

Here's what Prince William had to say in Kate Middleton's birthday tribute.

Prince William celebrates "incredible" Kate Middleton's "strength."

Kate Middleton turned 43 on January 9, 2025. In honor of the big day, Prince William took to Instagram to celebrate, praising his "incredible" wife.

"To the most incredible wife and mother. The strength you’ve shown over the last year has been remarkable," he says in the post. "George, Charlotte, Louis and I are so proud of you. Happy Birthday, Catherine. We love you. W."

And well wishers flooded the comments. "Happy Birthday Catherine, wishing you a wonderful year ahead surrounded by family and loved ones," one user says, while another adds, "Happy Birthday Princess of Wales! What a gorgeous photo. Wishing you a wonderful year 😍 xx"

And the tribute comes after revealing Kate was doing "amazing" following her cancer battle.

The birthday celebration comes after the prince shared an update on Kate in early November that had us all breathing a sigh of relief. “She's doing really well thanks. And hopefully, she is watching tonight. So cheering me on," he said before the Earthshot Prize awards (via People). “She's been amazing this whole this whole year. I know she will be really keen to see tonight be a success."

"From what I understand, Catherine is doing very well," royal author Robert Jobson added in an interview withHello!that same week. "She is back training at the gym and doing all the things she wanted to do."

We're sending Kate Middleton so much birthday love! For more about your favorite members of the Royal Family, check out Meghan Markle’s New Netflix Cooking Show Will Feature Some Of Your Fave Celebs.