How the gifts could have looked if you’d planned ahead.

Oh, let's be honest. If we were all really done with our Christmas-gift wrapping, we really would have skipped the cheap rolls in the almost-empty bin at CVS and snagged really chic wrapping paper ahead of time to make the space under the tree really merry and really bright. Realllllly.

Jacqueline Gift Wrap Sheet by ErinRuth at etsy

baubles wrap by pikkuwares at etsy

Tissot Gift Wrap by smockpaper at etsy

LoopWrap - Drawing Series by Loop

Felicity Gift Wrap Sheet by ErinRuth at etsy

Paper from Erin Furey (spotted at the Martha Stewart staffers' craft show. She doesn't seem to be selling it online, but I'm keeping an eye out for her for next year.) (Really.)

All images / websites / content © their respective owners.

Four ornaments you’ll have to explain to your grandparents

(However, you can avoid the confusion all together if you simply place them on the back of the tree before Maw-Maw and Pop-Pop stop by.) (Just sayin'.)

Mini Yoga Mat and Bag by ChrisCreatures at etsy.com

Nintendo wii Christmas ornament by bearduck at etsy

Boxed sushi set by treaclezoo at etsy

Tiny Crocheted Skull Ornaments by DeweyDecimalCrafts at etsy

All images / websites / content © their respective owners.

This is why I have a growing collection of books by M. Sasek

The This is series by Miroslav Sasek may have been written to teach kids about travel, but they've got all the things this grown-up likes: sweet, smart copy combined with bold, colorful, streamlined illustrations of places I've lived, places I've been, and places I plan to go.

And, really, who needs tripadvisor.com when I've got all the basics covered in books that also look chic on my bookshelf?

PLACES I'VE LIVED

This is New York

This is Texas

This is London

This is Britain

PLACES I'VE LOVED

This is Paris

This is Rome

This is Greece

This is Venice

This is Ireland

This is San Francisco

This is Edinburgh

PLACES I'D LIKE TO LOVE AND/OR LIVE

This is Hong Kong

This is Australia

This is Munich (not yet republished)

This is Israel

This is the Way to the Moon

Obligatory snowy-day photos

Get 'em while they're hot. Or cold. Or whatever. Just get 'em.

See a few more snowy pics on my Flickr page.