Christmas & Winter Starter Pack | December 2024

Well, well, well, it's time for me to share the seasonal post of all seasonal posts! The Christmas & Winter Starter Pack- I feature the films, books, coffees / teas, playlists & bath/body products for those that want to romanticize the season just a bit more than they like to admit! Anyways, these are all my personal recommendations and I hope you enjoy this post!

Some of my favorite Christmas films featured here.

 Christmas films/specials I enjoy:

• Home Alone 1 + 2

• Dr Seuss's How The Grinch Stole Christmas (specifically the Jim Carrey version)

• The Polar Express

• Miracle on 34^th Street (specifically the 90s version not the original one)

• Frosty the Snowman + Frosty Returns

• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

• Noelle (Disney+ movie)

• Write Before Christmas (Hallmark Movie)

Christmas-Inspired Books (some of these I've read, not read, would like to read, etc):

• In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren

• Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey

• The Twelve Saints of Christmas by Karen Baugh Menuhin

• The Plight Before Christmas by Kate Stewart

• The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore

• One Day in December by Josie Silver

• The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox
  

• How my Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn

• The Christmas Fix by Lucy Score

• The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan

• Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan

• Christmas at the Cupcake Cafe by Jenny Colgan

• Christmas at the Island Hotel by Jenny Colgan

• The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley

• Comfort & Joy by Kristin Hannah

• The Christmas Jigsaw Murders by Alexandra Benedict

• The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict

Christmas Playlist(s) I enjoy listening to during the season:

• This is my own Christmas playlist (doesn't feature Santa Baby as that isn't one of my personal favorite tunes): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4YkyMYseM8Ks5lQ93h0Gwf?si=941e43ad4d724c1c

• Christmas Coffeehouse playlist- https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DXb7KOnsvmh8V?si=5ddc42f15b85463b

• Acoustic Christmas playlist- https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX2uk5oHRWimT?si=f5d8c541bab34b5f

• Rock Christmas playlist- https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DXaf9K2UnDhgp?si=807971ec07db4669

• Punk Christmas playlist- https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX3N4mXY2MuSz?si=ce99775a096146c7

Christmas-Inspired Coffees & Teas:

• Peet's Dark Roast Ground Holiday Blend- Black Currant, Brown Sugar & Spiced Notes

• Stumptown Coffee Roasters Evergreen Blend- Candied Citrus & Chocolate notes

• Twinings Christmas Black Tea Blend

• Twinings Peppermint Cheer Herbal Tea Blend

• Trader Joe's Brand Candy Cane Decaf Green Tea

Christmas Seasonal Bath & Body Care Products:

• Vanilla Bean Noel from Bath & Body Works- notes: fresh vanilla bean, warm caramel, & sugar cookies.
• Twisted Peppermint from Bath & Body Works- notes: cool peppermint, sugared snow, fresh balsam, & Vanilla Buttercream.

Winter-Inspired Films:

• Misery

• The Shining (yes that classic thriller movie- set in Winter for a good chunk of the film as Jack Torrance is The Overlook's winter caretaker)

• Murder on the Orient Express (2017 version)

• The Pale Blue Eye (Netflix film)

Winter-Inspired Books (most of these I've not read, some of them I've read, some of them I'd like to read, etc)- ones with an * I've read before:

• The Winter Mystery by Faith Martin

• A Winter in New York by Josie Silver

• Murder on The Orient Express by Agatha Christie *

• Midwinter Murders by Agatha Christie

• These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant *

• The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz *

• Misery (based off the iconic movie of the same name) by Stephen King

• Winter's Garden by Kristin Hannah

• The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn

• The Wood at Midwinter by Susanna Clarke

• Don't Let in the Cold by Keely Parrack

Winter Inspired Playlist(s):

• It's Snow Cozy- one of my wintry, cozied up kinda playlists: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6fxET9naq5SBHHlPlldzhX?si=e33774f0700e4ddc

• Spotify has a good Winter Acoustic playlist I like (I'll add the link to this when it becomes available).

Winter-Inspired Coffee(s) & Tea(s):

• Yogi Tea Vanilla Peppermint Herbal Tea Blend

• Twinings Winter Spice Herbal Tea Blend

• Rise Up Coffee (local coffee shop in Maryland)- seasonal medium roast blend: “Winter Warmer”- notes of: sweet brown sugar & earthy Sumatra tones.

• Trader Joe's “Wintry Blend” coffee- medium-dark roast coffee with notes of: green & red peppercorns, fresh cloves & sweet cinnamon

Winter-Inspired Bath & Body Care Products:

• Winter Candy Apple from Bath & Body Works: notes- red apples, winter rose petals, candied oranges, maple leaf, and fresh cinnamon.
• Snowflakes & Cashmere from Bath & Body Works: notes- vanilla cashmere cream, caramel woods & frosted clementine.

That is all for this super fun Christmas & Winter starter pack- I hope it gives you some inspiration for the upcoming season ahead!  We all could use slower days of where life can feel chaotic- so if you need that day take it as so!

Sending lots of love + colorful Christmas lights your way,

Lauren