Gifts for Boys (A Few of Our Favorite Things)

I'm not putting any fancy gift guides together this year (you can check out my minimalist gift guide for kids and my gift guide archive if you want some more specific ideas from years past), but I did want to put up a quick post with a few of the boys' tried-and-true favorite things. As you may know, we have a house full of boys. And these are the things that are loved and played with day after day. So, if you're shopping for boys, this might be a good place to start.

$3 Christmas Wreath Hack

Want to add a little Christmas cheer to every corner of your home without breaking the bank? Me too! And this is one of my favorite hacks to get the job done. Wreaths are so versatile because they don't need any floor space, you can hang them just about anywhere, and they are super easy to put up. These little guys have an extra bonus - they're only $3 each at Hobby Lobby!

My Favorite Realistic Christmas Tree (and why it matters)

Last Christmas I talked about simplifying Christmas decor while maximizing its impact (and making your life easier - you can read all about it here). If you remember, I mentioned why it's important to choose quality over quantity (cliche, maybe, but can actually save you money!), and why you need to evaluate what's actually missing before you overcompensate in all the wrong ways.

Really, you should check out that original post because it goes into way more detail than I will here, but today I just wanted to share one Christmas splurge that made all the difference in my own Christmas decor:

A realistic Christmas tree!

Dark Chocolate Syrup (for coffee or chocolate milk!)

If you love a mocha coffee but don't love the price tag at a coffee shop....

If you love the idea of coffee but are more of a chocolate milk girl....

If you are just tired of junk ingredients and want an easy homemade chocolate syrup....

This one is for you!

I've tried quite a few chocolate syrup recipes and came up with this one that is by far my favorite. I think the dark chocolate cocoa powder is what really makes it, so it's worth grabbing a box if you've never tried it (although you can definitely make this syrup with regular cocoa powder). You only need five simple ingredients and a few minutes to make the syrup. You'll never go back to store-bought!