December 4, 2016

Morning from our cozy home here in South London. It's been a weekend of writing, cooking, and decking the halls in the most minimal way. Since we'll be in Seattle and Montana over Christmas and New Year I'm trying not to go overboard with the lights and ornaments and instead keep it simple, draw inspiration from nature, and focus on the experience of celebrating the holidays in London rather than all the things that go along with the season.

Instead of a traditional tree I hung a homemade wreath made of greenery gathered from a park a few blocks away. The artwork came from the same park where I picked up these gorgeous leaves, pressed them for a few days, and framed them in Ikea frames. I haven't bought a vase since the move but love reusing glass bottles our food comes in. Decking out our place for the holidays cost all of $10 and it's just as spirited with more space for Christmas partying.

This lazy Sunday I'm doing my shopping from the couch and at the top of my list is finding the right book for each woman in my life. Since my focus is cutting down on things this Christmas I plan to give gifts centered around experiences, moments, and items that lead to these things. For me books are a way to experience new worlds. So why not gift a cookbook where friends can experience new flavors? Or a novel where they can escape into a new world? Or even a subscription to a literary journal to infuse more inspiration into their daily life?

Without further ado, here's a roundup of the 10 books I plan on gifting to the lovely women in my life this holiday season.

My Reading Nook

BEST HOLIDAY BOOKS FOR THE FEMALES IN YOUR LIFE