Christmas table inspiration

Christmas is still six weeks away... but I'm already planning for Christmas dinner. I love setting the table in a (slightly) different style every year. My favourite plates for Christmas, are the blue ones by Iittala, from the Taika collection.

But I also love a traditional Christmas table setting, with classic red and green colors, white and red flowers, paired with pine twigs and holly leaves. How about you? How will you set your Christmas or Holiday table? 

Affordable Holiday Gifts

Here's my annual gift guide with affordable gifts for the Holiday Season (whether you're celebrating Saint Nicholas, Christmas, Hanukkah, or a simple birthday). It's easy to find a suitable gift, spending a lot of money, but finding the perfect, personal gift that's affordable... that's another story! So here are some gift ideas that might help you out.

All these gifts are under € 10 / $ 12 and some even under € 5 / $ 6.

Scented soaps by Ortigia Sicilia:
https://www.ortigiasicilia.com/
Set of 6 Christmas bells with tartan bows by Zara Home:
https://www.zarahome.com
Mini panettone cake by Tre Marie:
https://www.tremariericorrenze.it/it/english/
Mini chocolates by Tony's Chocolonely:
https://tonyschocolonely.com/int/en 
Italian seasoning by Xenos:
https://www.xenos.nl/
Contact Lens Case Cherry by Pylones:
https://www.pylones.com/en/
Kitchen timer in the form of a coffee maker (moka) by Flying Tiger:
https://shop.dk.flyingtiger.com/
Smiley bracelet by H.O.F. Fashion:
https://www.hoffashion.nl/
Wooden Christmas tree by Galleria Bavaria:
https://www.galeria-bavaria.com/en/
Christmas napkins by Zara Home:
https://www.zarahome.com

Feliz Dia de los Muertos

This year instead of going to the local Mexican restaurant, we celebrated Dia de los Muertos at home, combined with Halloween. Without the traditional Mexican music, pan de muertos and the waiters with their faces painted, it was not the same. But the margaritas and tacos tasted just as good! 

I didn't grow up with neither Halloween nor Dia de los Muertos, so in the beginning it felt strange to celebrate the dead and eat candy in the form of skulls and skeletons, but over the years I learned to appreciate and even love it.

At the end of the day, both Halloween and Dia de los Muertos, go back to an ancient, Celtic celebration, Samhain or (how it was later called) All Hallows Eve. Already thousands of years ago, people celebrated their dead. But most of all, I think it's a celebration of life. Honor the people who passed away and their lives. And celebrate, have fun, party... Carpe Diem!

Mexican food by KUA Mexican Kitchen restaurant: 
http://tarasdolcevita.blogspot.com/2014/09/kua-mexican-kitchen-hague-netherlands.html

Mr Skeleton cakes and macarons by De Bijenkorf:
https://www.debijenkorf.nl/

Chocolate pumpkins by Lanwehr GmbH, Confiserie:
https://www.lanwehr.eu/