The Best Christmas Gifts...

...are those that are practical and/or thoughtful (in my opinion).

I received some great Christmas gifts this year and wanted to share my two favorites.

Water Pitcher

I had been wanting one of these for a while, because you can make fruit water, the natural way! We have already tried lemon water, and now I have orange slices in there. It's yummy and very healthy for you, not to mention easy to fill a glass anytime you want something to drink. I saw a combination online for raspberries and limes that I would like to try next. My mom had a hard time finding one that was big enough, but also had enough room underneath the spout for you to fit a glass. Many of them are designed to hang off the edge of a counter, but who wants that on the edge of their counter? If you are interested in purchasing one, this one is from Bed Bath and Beyond.

Click here for flavored water recipes and click here for the benefits of drinking lemon water.


Blanket
My husband, Mark, made this blanket for me as one of my gifts. No, he didn't make the actual "Love" part or the fabric, but rather took two pieces of fabric, cut strips all along the outer edge and tied every strip to make one of those no-sew blankets. Not only is it very practical (since I always want a blanket when I lay on the couch), but it was so thoughtful! I have to admit, I cried when I saw it (hence the reason I look weird in the photo - it was post cry!). He picked out the Love pattern and just the fact that he spent the time doing something like that really meant a lot to me.  He was very proud of himself and said "I didn't even have to ask your mom for help."

What was your favorite Christmas gift this year?

--T