recommendations – Signe Hansen

3 Christmas Eve outfit ideas

Christmas is next week and If you are anything like me then you have been doing anything but think about what you’ll be wearing on that special eve. There just hasn’t been time in-between all the Christmas shopping, gift giving and tree selecting! And Christmas is approaching fast.

Every year it’s the same. I just never know what to wear! So this year I figured that IF any of you guys are in the same situation as me, where you just don’t know what to wear on Christmas Eve, then I would at least try to prepare myself for the inevitable holiday clothes crisis.
So, fret not! I have put together 3 outfits that I think could be both cosy, warm and comfortable while also being stylish and, most importantly, festive enough for Christmas Eve!

Let’s get started!

This first outfit is the most likely contender for what I personally, will be wearing for Christmas. It’s simple. It includes pants (which I am most comfortable in) AND it’s super festive! A bold red lip is especially very festive this time of year! If you pair that with your favourite eyeshadow and some nice gold jewellery (or silver if you prefer) then you are good to go! The shine in the shoe also helps elevate the outfit and make it more of a party-wear than a day-to-day kind of look. Especially if you add a pair of glittery socks!
This outfit will definitely ensure that’ll you’ll be both comfortable but also chic on Christmas Eve.

This next one is less casual than the first. Though I have still tried to keep it very simple. This simplest way is often times the best way to go about things and I think, especially for Christmas, that it doesn’t have to be anything too fancy.
Here we have a simple black dress with a pair of tall leather boots. Mix it with some nice Christmassy nail polish and some jewellery or a beautiful watch and you’re set. If you live in an area where it’s cold, or you know you’ll be outside a lot, then a pair of stockings might be a good way to keep your legs from freezing off and would definitely be recommended! But if you are staying warm inside all evening then I think this outfit is a good way to feel both feminine but also comfortable on Christmas Eve.

The last outfit is something I WISH I could wear this Christmas (I sadly don’t own a long skirt though) because it’s so nice. It’s inspired by the “long skirt and sweater combo” trend that I’ve been seeing A LOT of this year. It’s a very feminine outfit but the chunky knit helps ensure that you stay warm and cosy. Pair it with a nice pair of dress shoes and some jewellery and you’re set! I picked these out in Christmassy colours and motives but you can always mix and match with what colours and patterns you prefer!

Even though I have these to guide me, I still think I will need to take another final sweep through the stores to see if I can’t find something to spruce up my own Christmas outfit with! I’m thinking some nice earrings or a pair of stylish boots will do the trick? We’ll see!

ALSO, this will be the last blog post before Christmas hits so I hope you are all ripe and ready for Christmas time!
Do you have all your presents in order? Have you had time to enjoy friends and family? And what are you are going to wear on Christmas Eve? Let me know in the comments! And if you don’t celebrate Christmas then have a lovely Monday/Tuesday and I hope you still get to treat yourselves before the New Year.

Merry Christmas!

xoxo

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My top 5 Christmas movies to cosy up with in December

Now that we’ve gotten further into December, it’s time to dig out (if you haven’t already) the old Christmas classics. I am, of course, talking about all those movies we grew up watching as children throughout the holidays. I remember spending hours in front of the TV, just watching re-runs of the same old Christmas movies, over and over again. And thinking back, there are a few that clearly springs to mind. Let it be known that the movies I’ve picked are personal favourites and they appear in no order whatsoever.
Anyway, without further ado, here are my top 5 Christmas movie picks to watch during the holiday:

Home Alone:

How do you make a Christmas movie list without Home Alone? I don’t think it’s possible! In my opinion, it is THE BEST Christmas movie of all time. I watch it every Christmas with my family. It has become a tradition by now and it’s still the first movie we play on Christmas day.
This holiday classic has everything you could ever want: A sassy little kid with a big heart, neglectful parents, funny bad guys and loads of slapstick action, humour and an ending that leaves you feeling wholesome and full of love. An excellent pick to help you kick your Christmas marathon off right, this year.

The Holiday:

The Holiday is one of my all-time Christmas favourites and it won’t feel like Christmas until I’ve watched it AT LEAST twice! (This year alone I’ve watched it three times already.) And let’s be honest, who doesn’t dream about Jude Law knocking on your door a couple of days before Christmas while it’s snowing and also living in a cosy cottage in Surrey, England? I know I do!
This movie is a classic Christmas rom-com with plenty of good humour and even better-looking actors and actresses to boot. The plot is fairly straightforward and the characters are lovable and easy to relate to. I recommend giving it a watch!

Miracle on 34th Street:

Another lovely Christmas tale. This time it directly involves Santa Clause though (or Kriss Kringle as he is called in this film) and his battle against both the American justice system but also humanity’s belief in Santa Clause. It takes place in snowy, wintery, Christmas decorated New York as well and I have to admit that it has always been a small dream of mine to get to see New York during Christmas time, just to see if it truly is as beautiful as in the movies.
Nonetheless, this film is a true family classic and I feel all warm and fuzzy inside whenever I watch it. That’s why it’s on the list!

Elf:

Now here is a film FULL of Christmas spirit! It’s the happy adventure of Buddy the elf who goes to New York to find his father. Of course, it doesn’t go to plan but It’s done in such a positive and upbeat way, with lots of dark humour that it’s a must-see for people who don’t find themselves in the Holiday spirit. It’s also just full of memorable quotes that are excellent to use during Christmas time. My favourite one is: “I am a cotton-headed ninny-muggins.“

Mickey’s Christmas Carol:

The Christmas Carol has been made so many times and in so many different ways. All of which are excellent and worth a watch. Heck, that could even be a marathon on its own! But the Disney version of this classic tale is somehow just a bit more special to me. I think it might be because we already love Disney film in my family and Mickey’s Christmas Carol is absolutely no exception. It’s a wholesome spin on a classic Christmas tale, with characters we already know and love. Absolutely perfect for the holidays!

These are, of course, only my own suggestions. I know a large amount of you guys think both The Grinch (the one with Jim Carrey), The Polar Express and Die Hard are top-notch contenders but personally, I watch these movies every Christmas and that’s why they are so dear to me.
If you have other suggestions please leave them in the comments so I can amass an even larger list for my current Christmas movie marathon!

Happy watching!

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Scandinavian Christmas Home Decor Tips & Inspo.

It’s FINALLY December! Is it just me or has November been way too long? In any case, we should celebrate December because we are now officially allowed to get excited for Christmas! No one can tell us that we are playing Christmas songs “too early” anymore. We are also free to decorate as much and as maniacally as we possibly want, which actually leads me to today’s blogging topic: Christmas Decorations.

Being from Denmark, I’ve grown up with a pretty standard Scandinavian Christmas: Homemade Christmas decorations, gløgg, æbleskiver, candles in every possible corner of the house and elves crawling up and down walls to get to their rice pudding. It seems simple and it is. That’s what’s so good about it and what Christmas boils down to in the end. Of course, there is a loose religious undertone (It IS J.C.’s birthday after all) but it’s lost its focus over the years. Now I feel like Christmas is much more simplistic in nature and more about enjoying the moments, the people and the food.

In Scandinavia, we like to keep our Christmas decorating simplistic as well. Simplistic but down to earth (and I say that quite literally*). That doesn’t mean that it’s ever boring though or any less cosy. In Denmark especially, we love bringing the concept of “hygge” in wherever and whenever we can.

“Hygge (pronounced hue-guh not hoo-gah) is a Danish word used when acknowledging a feeling or moment, whether alone or with friends, at home or out, ordinary or extraordinary as cosy, charming or special.” – Hyggehuset.com

Christmas is full of ‘hygge’ and your home should become a reflection of that, especially during the holidays. So here are my top tips on how to decorate “the Scandinavian way”:

Geometric shapes:
Geometric shapes in your Christmas decor will bring a much more modern look to your home. Use fx. beautifully folded paper ornaments or some simple metallic golden ones to bring a breath of fresh air to your tree this Christmas.

*Bring nature inside:
Scandinavians love bringing nature into our homes. So, of course, a tree in the living room is not enough! Use furs, knits, pine, pinecones, moss, wood, basically, anything you can think of that might do well in a bowl or a decoration. Bring branches inside and hang ornaments from them for another chic, eye-catching decoration.

Lighting is important:
Natural lighting is the best so decorate with lots of candles, scented candles (I recommend: cinnamon, pine and firewood), tea lights and try using ‘warm white’ coloured fairy lights for your tree to really bring out all the beautiful colours of the ornaments you have decorated with.

Use neutral colours:
Browns, greys, whites, blacks, gold, silver, bottle green, wine red are all staples of a Scandinavian Christmas! Try to incorporate them as best you can.

Simplicity is key:
You don’t want to over decorate! A couple of your favourite smelling candles in the windowsill, a branch with your favourite baubles and a cosy furry throw over the back of the sofa and you’re off to a solid start.

Homemade is the way to go:
You can also make your own ornaments and decorations yourself.
In my family, we have a tradition of meeting up at my granny’s house to make our own Christmas decorations. We do all this while singing along to our favourite Christmas songs, drinking mulled wine and eating traditional Danish Christmas foods. It’s incredibly budget friendly and is a lot of fun! If you are a crafty or artistic person, I definitely recommend it!

So there you have it! A little bit of Nordic inspiration for the Holiday season. Remember to put on your favourite Christmas tunes while decorating to really get into the Holiday spirit!

Happy decorating!

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