11 Holiday IKEA Hacks from the Winter 2016 Line

Host a Candy Cane Lane party with this sweet and colorful backdrop. (via Etsy)

Dried Orange Garland

String dried oranges with twine for garlands, attach them to gifts, or use them as natural ornaments on your tree.

Festive Charcuterie Board

Serve up the most festive charcuterie board with gingerbread, pomegranate, chocolate, rosemary, and candy canes!

Create a Christmas Tree Arch for your photo backdrop with real or artificial garland.

Buy or DIY these adorable cups for your holiday party. (via My Mind's Eye)

Dress up your tree for a very demure, very mindful holiday party. (via Etsy)

Bring a little dance floor vibe to your holiday door with this disco wreath. (via Brit + Co)

If you’re looking for a colorful, swoon-worthy backdrop for your dessert table, you can’t go wrong with a wall covered in honeycomb shapes. How pretty are those jewel tones with pops of gold? (via Sugar & Cloth)

Instead of Santa or reindeer, turn your tree into an homage to everything awesome about the ’90s, including Koosh balls (‘member those?). (via Aww Sam)

This tribute to our fave legal blonde is now our new favorite holiday decoration. Invite some friends over, and make one together! (via Brit + Co)

Foil-wrapped chocolates will make these pretty trees the main attraction. Line them up along the mantel or use them as an inexpensive table centerpiece at your holiday dinner. (via Brit + Co)

DIY queens will love the idea of putting their own spin on ornaments. Stock up on plain glass balls at the dollar store and let your friends have a blast coming up with holiday puns. They can then take their handiwork home at the end of the night as a fun party favor. (via Brit + Co)

Peace, love, and peppermint! These candy cane gift boxes are a breeze to put together. Fill ’em with chocolate truffles dunked in pink chocolate and sprinkled with crushed candy canes. (via Brit + Co)

A disco ball tree beats vacuuming up pine needles any day. It’s bold, it’s glam, and it’s actually pretty easy to put together. (via Studio DIY)

Glass Ball Terrariums

Fill these glass ball ornaments with pine stems, snow, gift bows, even sprinkles for your festive decor!

Marble backdrop with tiny packages full of goodies? Now you’re well on your way to counting down to Santa’s arrival in style. (via Brit + Co)

Don’t forget the hot chocolate! You need all the fixings, though: marshmallows, whipped cream, sprinkles, and even a little caramel drizzle. (via PMQ for two)

Let these beauties bounce across the floor, bunch them together for a photo shoot, or hang them on your porch. (via Studio DIY)

Decorate your tree with gold stars, red ribbon, and soft sage leaves for an extra pop of texture. Then follow this DIY to recreate the soft pastel ombre ornaments. So pretty. (via A Kailo Chic Life)

Channel warm holiday vibes with this crafty ornament. (via Club Crafted)

It doesn’t get much more festive than a bar cart full of presents and gold barware. Layered garlands and mini bottle brush trees create punchy decor accents for any holiday get-together.(via Sugar & Cloth)

Give that punch bowl set you found at the thrift store a new lease on life with metallic paints. (via Design Improvised)

Don’t pass up a chance to put a fresh spin on this party staple. Just add gumdrops, candy wheels, and sugar dust! (via Studio DIY)

No need for a tree when you have this festive cactus tree! (via Sugar & Cloth)

String these on the tree, hang them across the mantel, or use them as a photo booth prop. These light bulb garlands can do it all. The best part is that you can totally customize the colors! (via Studio DIY)

Round up a group of friends for a spur-of-the-moment holiday wrap party. Make sure to get plenty of tape at the store, then warm up your printer and go crazy with this tropical-themed gift wrap. (via Studio DIY)

Simple, colorful, and DIY — all of our favorite things! This easy balloon backdrop will transform any blank wall — and the tree! — into a breathtaking party scene. (via A Kailo Chic Life)

Deck out your bar cart for the holidays with some swag and swap out your wine glasses for something gilded to show off your signature Christmas cocktail. (via Brit + Co)

It’s not a party until the confetti shows up. Pop the bubbly, then pop these DIY confetti cannons to kick off your bash in style. (via Brit + Co)

THEME IDEAS

If you’re going with good old-fashioned snail mail this season, nothing beats a handwritten holiday card. Throw a party dedicated to hand-lettered addresses and actual stamp-licking. Check out the Brit + Co x Moonpig Holiday Collection too! (via Brit + Co)

Skip the grand festivities in favor of a cozy night in with the people you love. Order in pizza, break out the Trader Joe's wine, and get ready to share some hilariously weird and wacky gifts. (via Brit + Co)

Give everyone a reason to wear their cute holiday sweaters without needing to shop for something they'll never wear again. (via Brit + Co)

Gift Wrap Gathering

Grab your besties for a night of warm cocoa, gift wrapping, and holiday festivities at your house. Stock up on pretty wrapping paper and cool DIY gift toppers for a fun gift wrapping extravaganza.

Turn your tree lighting into the main event. Invite your pals over for coffee and cocktails, then get your decorating on by DIYing a few baubles. You can even ask everyone to bring one DIY ornament with a prize for the most creative! (via Brit + Co)

@k.ard Medicine Ball for only $1.69 each! #medicineball#fluseason#coldseason#starbucksdupe#budgettok#SephoraConcealers#DrPepperTuitionContest#halloween#fall2022♬ Halloween - KenZie DarkStar

TikTok always makes recipes look effortless. So, I took this trusty tutorial into our own hands to compare how good an at-home Medicine Ball could really be against the real one from Starbucks.

Ingredients for the Starbucks Medicine Ball Drink

• Teavana Peach Tranquility Tea Bags
• Teavana Jade Citrus Mint Tea Bags
• Honey
• Lemonade

How can I make a Medicine Ball at home?

1. Heat 1 cup of lemonade in the microwave for 45 seconds to a minute.
2. Add 1 cup of hot water and stir in 1 tablespoon honey.
3. Add one bag of Peach Tranquility and one bag of Jade Citrus Mint, then steep for a few minutes.
4. Enjoy your Medicine Ball!

How I Made The Starbucks Medicine Ball At Home

First, I embarked on an ever-iconic Target run to gather my copycat Starbucks Medicine Ball recipe ingredients. Since they were out of the exact Teavana teas I needed to replicate the TikTok recipe, I picked up two similar ones: first, the Good & Gather Organic Peach Honey Tea, and the Good & Gather Organic Mint Tea. I also picked up a jug of lemonade, and planned to use the honey I already had at home. All together, the three ingredients I needed ended up costing me about $9.50.

Step 1: Heat Lemonade

I measured a cup of lemonade, and just popped my Starbucks mug in the microwave for a minute.

Step 2: Add Water and Honey

While the lemonade was in the microwave, I set some water on in my electric kettle. Once both liquids were heated up, I measured a cup of water and combined it in the mug with a tablespoon of honey. Yum!

Step 3: Steep Tea Bags

Then, I put the two teabags in the mixture to steep. The tea wasn't overly hot either, and I steeped them for about 3 minutes before giving my homemade Medicine Ball recipe a lil' sip.

Is the homemade version of the Medicine Ball as good as the one from Starbucks?

To my surprise, my homemade Medicine Ball recipe was extremely delicious, and it mimicked the Starbucks one so closely. Before tasting, I gave my tea a sniff, and the smell was pretty much identical to the drink made in stores. The flavor hit the exact same mark.

Overall, I rate my homemade Starbucks Medicine Ball a 4.7/5.

The only detracting factors are the temperature of the drink – Starbucks steams their lemonade to make the drink super hot, and mine wasn't nearly as piping. Of course, this is just personal preference, and next time, I can heat the lemonade for a longer duration, or reheat the drink altogether. Another reason for the minimal point deduction is the drink wasn't as sweet as I expected it to be. Again, this is a personal preference, and you can add as little or as much sweetener you desire!

All of this goes to say, that a homemade Starbucks Medicine Ball is just as yummy as the one you can get at a Starbucks cafe. By following the steps above, you can make a copycat recipe that's going to satisfy your hankering for a citrusy, hot tea!

The Last One by Rachel Howzell Hall

Kai awakens in a desolate land of disease and beasts void of memories to explain who she is or how she arrived. In pursuit of the Sea of Devour before things worsen, she is offered help from an unbelievably skilled, but equally as annoying blacksmith. In the kingdom of Vinevridth, where there is more to people than what meets the eye, Kai’s questions multiply, particularly about the blacksmith whose secrets may be deadly.

The Serpent and The Wolf by Rebecca Robinson

Shaped by a lifetime of training, Vaasa Kozár is a force to be reckoned with. Following the death of her mother, Vaasa inherits the same dark magic that claimed her and now feels death’s shadow looming. Her ruthless brother, seeing Vaasa as a threat to his crown, schemes to ensure her death will be the catalyst to war by marrying her off to a cruel foreign leader. Determined to survive, Vaasa finds herself presented with a nearly irresistible deal: her freedom and control over her dark magic for helping her husband's quest for power. But with everything at stake, she’s trapped between trust and an arrangement that starts to feel unexpectedly real.

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

With nearly eighteen months of training at Basgiath War College behind her, Violet Sorrengail realizes that the time for preparation has ended. Battle has begun, trust is scarce, and enemies linger in every direction. Determined to protect her dragons, her home, and everyone she loves, Violet embarks on an arduous journey in search of allies to stand alongside Navarre, bearing a heavy secret. The kind of secret that threatens to ruin everything. The pressure mounts and a deadly storm takes shape, but only Violet can find the truth.

Warrior of Legend by Kendare Blake

The price of becoming an Aristene is high, and now Reed bears the title of a Glorious Death, guiding heroes who exchanged their lives for glory. She buries herself in these duties, harvesting heroes tirelessly to try and distance herself from the memories of the prince she left behind. Summoned to guide a princess to a glorious marriage, Lyonene offers Reed a chance to take the place of the hero who isn’t fated to die. The mission turns out to be anything but simple. Familiar faces reappear, an old enemy threatening the Aristine, and the prince she loves, Hestion, a suitor of the princess. Loyalty is broken, death strikes, and Reed wonders how much more she can sacrifice to save her sisters and herself.

The Last Dragon of East by Katrina Kwan

Leading a relatively quiet life, twenty-five-year-old Sai manages the family tea house while caring for his sick mother, though his side job is a bit less traditional. He is a matchmaker, a career foraged from his gift to see the red threads of fate that connect soulmates. He has only ever seen his thread as gray and frayed, but a pair of dragon scales claimed by the family doctor to be a miracle cure, change everything. Sai’s once average life of ignoring past-due notices, is replaced with magical and mortal adventures.

Gentlest of Wild Things by Sarah Underwood

Desire is more than just a feeling on the island of Zakynthos; it’s love itself, bottled and sold at the highest price by the power seeking Leandros, descendant of the god Eros. Eirene and her twin sister Phoebe have avoided its lure, until Leandros interest turns to Phoebe as his next bride. Eirene strikes a deal to keep her sister safe: complete four detailed tasks and Leandros bride will have to marry someone else. It’s apparent to Eirene that something larger is at play and it has to do with Desire and Lamia, Leandros’s locked away daughter. Lamia, longing for the taste of freedom, builds a bond with Eirene but the cost of freedom is bloody when something deadly stalks the night.

The Witch of Wol Sin Lake by Lena Jeong

With the Netherking sent into the Deep, Mirae’s queendom is saved, but not without consequence. Her older brother Minho is possessed and tormented by the Netherking in the Deep and in an effort to save him, Mirae will be faced with an impossible decision. Now the Netherking possesses the powerful pearl of Seolla and as Mirae races through time with her divine powers she uncovers truths that shake her trust in faith and the future. Mirae must decide how far she is willing to go because to defeat the Netherking will take a sacrifice she may be unwilling to bear.

Mistress of Lies by K. M. Enright

Shan LeClaire, born of a powerful, but disgraced Blood Worker, has revenge on her mind. Her first step for vengeance is paved to save her brother and ends in the assassination of her father, now replacing him as head of the family. Samuel Hutchinson, gifted but reluctant, falls deeply into the world of magic after discovering the victim of a magical serial killer. Tasked by the Eternal King to catch the killer, Samuel’s path begins to converge with Shan and Isaac, a mysterious Royal Blood Worker. Entangled in Shan’s dangerous web of desire and deception, he must decide if his nation’s safety is worth the cost of his soul.

A Tribute of Fireby Sariah Wilson

Every year, Ilion sacrifices two Locrian maidens to an earth goddess in a ritual that hasn't seen a survivor for a millennium. This year, Princess Lia is one of the hunted, along with her untrained sister Quynh. Navigating the labyrinthine streets, endless decisions, and dead ends Lia finds herself cautiously enamored with Jason, an Ilionian sailor. The pressure is on Lia to survive and break the curse, saving every young woman from having to walk the same path.

The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith

Ivy Benton lives in England where one bargain is given to every citizen by their immortal fae queen. Exchanging a memory or taste for beauty or talent to attract a suitor is the expectation for elite young women. Except this year's debut season features the ultimate prize, Prince Bram, the fae queen's son. Winning the competition for his heart could free her sister from a destructive bargain and save her family from ruin. But every fae deal has a sinister plot, and life as she knows it may never be the same.

The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne

Varg has earned his spot as an accepted member of the Bloodsworn, but his greatest challenge lies ahead: slaying a dragon. In Snakavik, Elvar battles for control and faces the impossible task of taming a wolf god. Biórr’s bloodthirsty warband moves north and Guðvarr works to achieve Lik-Rifa’s favor. All roads lead to Snakavik where the final battle will show the true fury of the gods.

A Language of Dragons by S.F. Williamson

Viv has a handful of plans. She is going to follow the rules, get a summer internship studying dragon languages and protect her sister from the dangers of Third Class. But midnight strikes and Viv’s effort to free one dragon has ignited a civil war. Whether her family returns home or they all die rests on Viv after she is brought to Bletchley Park as a codebreaker. Viv begins to see that the peace treaty binding human and dragon societies is corrupt and she may be the key to exposing it all.

S(Kin) by Ibi Zoboi

Every new moon, fifteen-year-old Marisol sheds her skin and transforms into a fireball witch, sustaining her own life by feeding on others. Brooklyn’s bright lights and bolted doors make this no easy task, and she longs to break free from this place, old traditions, and her mother. Meanwhile, seventeen-year-old Genevieve is facing her own struggles with a skin condition and the chaos of her newly born siblings. A new nanny reveals a family secret and a connection to Marisol, and Gen stumbles on answers to unasked questions. As the girls’ paths intertwine, they discover that the magic they share may have more consequences to the relationships around them than any ancient magic.