Disclaimer: I was approached by Wayfair to put this post together, however I am not being compensated or receiving commission on your clicks or purchases of any of the products mentioned.
This time of year there are endless holiday parties and gatherings; Thanksgiving, Christmas, work parties, cocktail parties, ugly sweater parties (which I despise so please don’t invite me lol), and of course New Year’s parties. Most of us end up spending a lot of time with family and friends we may not see regularly. The sparkle and shine of the holiday season is magical, but it doesn’t have to be reserved for late-November until January 1!
As a girl who loves to host events, I can tell you there are a million and one ways to continue that sparkle and shine throughout the year. For example, the hubs and I used to have a weekly game night with friends. We would keep it simple with dinner (and dessert of course) and a favorite card or board game. It took little effort to gather friends in one place and enjoy each others company and some laughs.
If a full meal isn’t your style or you are not comfortable whipping up a gourmet meal that’s ok. Putting together a charcuterie and cheese board, like the one pictured above, or a few appetizers (see my Pinterest appetizer board) is also a great way to “break bread” with those you care about.
The dinnerware, drink ware, and serving dishes and trays I like best are modern and usually white, wood, or glass. It’s just what I gravitate towards because it can be mixed and matched for every day and every holiday use. To make your year-round entertaining even easier I picked out a few items from Wayfair that may come in handy.
What are your favorite ways to add sparkle and shine year-round? Comment below! Until next post…xoxo Becca
 Hammersmith Fruit Bowl |
 Johanna 13in Three Bowl Entertaining Set |
 12 Piece Mini Dessert Set |
 Old Hollywood Round Marble Serving Tray |
 IEnjoyware 3 Piece Porcelain Serving Platters |
 Kona Wood Rectangular Platter |
 Hammered Silver Tray |
 Wayfair Basics Glass Beverage Dispenser |
 Acapulco 89.5oz Pitcher |
 Russo Short-Handled Cheese Board |
 Vanilla Fare Cake Stand |
 Madiun Dessert Pedestal |
 Arezzo Cake Stand |
 5.25in Square Rim Plate |
 Personalized Golden Cake Serving Set |
 Wayfair Basics 12 Piece Assorted Stem Glass Set |
Welcome back for another edition of Random Ramblings (read the last post here). I kind of like putting these posts together because it lets me talk about whatever and also gives you a glimpse into my everyday brainwaves lol
A new tradition the hubs and I started a few years ago was to adopt a child or children and supply them with the things they want from Santa. Each year we partner with our favorite travel friends so we have a bigger budget to give an even better Christmas for the child/children. This year we adopted 3 children and had a blast picking out toys, craft projects, and clothes for each of them. We made it an event; shopping followed by dinner with great friends.
It feels good to give. It doesn’t have to be reserved for the holiday season, there are many ways to give back throughout the year. I challenge everyone to give back, if not financially, through service or acts of kindness.
Also finance related, this year we were given a Christmas bonus. A first for me because that’s just not something my University does. It came as a total surprise and was well used. As of today I have paid off the first of my graduate student loans!!! Insert excited scream It feels so good to pay it off in 3 months when at the minimum payments it would have been another 10 years before being paid off. It’s truly silly to sit around paying the minimum on something when you could be focusing on becoming debt free.
The hubs and I are still making progress and it feels really good. I reflected on our journey since 2015 in the Instagram post below so go check it out (and follow me please).
The best thing I did for my blog this year was to join Style Collective. Style Collective is a platform for female influencers to connect, grow, and learn how to be successful bloggers and entrepreneurs.
Membership includes exclusive access to hundreds of sponsored opportunities, e-courses, resource library, worksheets, forums and groups, quarterly meetups, conferences, stock photos, media kit template, graphic design tutorials, tech tips, affiliate programs, and more!
I have “met” so many amazing women through Style Collective and can’t wait to see what 2018 has to offer for Lexi & Lady. Annie Spano, the founder, is a true entrepreneur and Girl Boss!
If you’re interested in learning more or joining a wonderful group of supportive and sweet ladies, visit Style Collective.
This time of year gets me thinking about what I did with the year and what I want to do in 2018. At the beginning of this year I set out to grow Lexi & Lady. While I did not achieve everything I thought I would, I learned a lot of things along the way. This year I know I want to continue to grow and impact readers positively. Please help Lexi & Lady grow by following me on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Bloglovin’), subscribing to my newsletter (enter your email address below, promise I don’t spam you!), and telling your friends and family about the blog.
The second thing I’m thinking about is doing something that scares me. Nothing amazing happens in your comfort zone! Now…I am not sure what I plan on doing in 2018. There are always things that scare me and I hold myself back from achieving and experiencing because of the fear of failure or embarrassment. This year I want to put those feelings behind and do things I normally would avoid.
What is your 2018 New Year Resolution(s)? Leave them in the comments below. I’d love to hear what your plans are! Thanks for visiting! Until next post…xoxo Becca
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. At no extra cost to you I earn a small commission if you click through or make a purchase.
Becca
born and raised Texan
Hi all and welcome to my cozy little place in the blogosphere. My name is Becca and I'm a born and raised Texan. After college I got married. Got a puppy. Got a house. And then I decided I wanted to share daily life, struggles, ambitions, and everything in between.
