I can hardly believe that it’s already Christmas week! My weekend was holiday packed; first, the boy and I exchanged gifts (I scored some awesome goodies from Sur la Table and Anthropologie), then I spent the rest of Saturday baking peanut blossoms, reindeer cookies and peanut butter Snickers bar bites.

Just about every kitchen surface was covered in cookies!

I boxed some up for Rachel and her roommates, for the boy’s out of town job, and for my own office. The rest came to the annual holiday singalong party in Laguna Beach on Sunday.

Kate and Becky’s family home there is totally decked out for the holidays. Their mom leads all 50 guests in song after song. Friends play the piano and the guitar, and we each get music sheets with all the words. It’s such a lovely tradition — caroling without the cold — and this party always feels like a very official holiday kickoff to me.

I even wore a totally ridiculous snowman Santa hat, complete with little dangling snowmen faces. It’s hard to see in this picture, but Winston is wearing reindeer ears on her head. Our over-the-top look might not normally fly, but is absolutely encouraged on this night. I think everyone was secretly a bit jealous of the headgear.

Almost time to head home…squeal! I can’t wait.