We're all about a girls night/day/weekend, especially around the holidays when we get to be creative by hosting at home. We teamed up with Pottery Barn to help you create a super cozy holiday party and gift exchange in your living room with festive trimmings, serving 'scapes around your coffee table and self-care gift ideas for the BFFs in your life. Check it out!
Create a Coffee Tablescape. Gatherings at home always seem to center around the coziest area of your home — the sofa. So why not bring the party there? We created a festive coffee tablescape using Pottery Barn's stunning (and sustainably sourced) White Marble Lazy Susan as the centerpiece. We topped ours with a mix of cheeses and crackers, cranberries, star anise, rosemary, dried apricots and persimmons and honey. So yummy, yet almost too pretty to eat!
Holiday baubles and Vintage Gold Votive Candles complete the look for a fun holiday vibe. We used Pottery Barn's Luna Cheese Knives for a sparkly hint of gold too. Ever wonder why you need more than one cheese knife? We were curious too, so we looked it up:
Create a Signature Cocktail. Toast another year of great friendship with a boozy holiday drink like a Merry Cranberry Sangria or Mistletoe Martini (add a sprig of rosemary). Pottery Barn's antique-gold yet refreshingly modern Bleeker Barware Collection gives your bar cart (or bar shelf) a serious upgrade with art deco-inspired elegance.
How cute is this Gilded Tree Glassware? They're made from blown soda lime glass and adorned with gold leaf trees — so stylish for your winter table.
Here's a recipe for a holiday twist on sangria:
- Grab two bottles of your favorite white wine
- Stir in 1/4 cup sugar to dissolve
- Add 3/4 cup sparkling apple cider (great to have on hand for nondrinkers too!)
- Chop 1 Granny Smith apple into small cubes and toss in with 1/4 cup cranberries
- Chill and garnish with rosemary sprigs to serve!
Create a Lounge-y Space. Blankets, throws, poufs, cozy pillows keep your guests comfortable and warm through the evening. Pottery Barn's Faux Fur Ruched Pillow Cover and throws are probably the silkiest things we've ever felt in our lives (for real) and they are all Oeko-Tex certified, which means they're made without harmful toxins and irritants (and production doesn't create water, air or noise pollution). Hint: most of it is on sale for a limited time, so get it girl!
Gift Thoughtfully. Our girlfriends give the BEST gifts because they know exactly what we need when we need it. Spa days and self-care gifts top our list for things to give and get. If you're on a budget, Pottery Barn has some great gifts under $30, like the amazingly soft Teddy Bear Faux Fur Slippers and deliciously scented Lemon Sage diffuser.
The Alphabet Mug (just $8) is a great way to personalize a gift for the hot chocolate or coffee lover in your group. Add some fixings in the giftbox, like fancy cocoa, a candy cane and some cinnamon sticks.
And who doesn't need a cozy, crazy-soft robe in their life come winter? The luxe Gray Ombre Faux Fur Robe goes all out on the faux fur trim for the spa lover in your group, or the Ivory Alpaca Faux Fur Robe for really anyone on your list (we got you, mom!). Pottery Barn robes are all Oeko-Tex certified and mindfully made too.
For the hostess in your life, the Alphabet Marble Wine Stopper and Knit Faux Fur Wine Bag (both under $20) are both gift and keepsake. The bag is a totally acceptable re-gift with a new bottle of bubbles, naturally.
Create a holiday playlist. Make the season and your party merry and bright with a mix of classic and new holiday tunes. And when the cheese plate's all devoured, present an amazing dessert spread of holiday cookies, cakes and chocolates on your new Pottery Barn lazy susan. Cheers!
Author and Creative Direction: Theresa Gonzalez
Photographer: Brittany Griffin
Stylist: Kayla Haykin
Graphic Designer: Marisa Kumtong
Models: Elisa Reed, Katie Ogden and Cherry Yu-Sze
