Thanksgiving is next week...how is that even possible?! Which means Black Friday is COMING!

Black Friday has been one of my cherished traditions over the years. Each year my mom and I would wake at the crack of dawn and head to the Mall (never the big box stores). Even as life has shifted and so much of our shopping happens online, we would still go out. There's something about the energy and cheer in the air. Even if I don't have much left on my list, I plan to go this year because it's one of my favorite times with my mom!

PS: This is a total holiday hack because the mall is NEVER busy in the early hours of the morning. All the sales, festive cheer and NO lines or crowds. It's magical!

Holiday Traditions:

Black Friday has been one of my cherished traditions over the years. Each year my mom and I would wake at the crack of dawn and head to the Mall (never the big box stores). Even as life has shifted and so much of our shopping happens online, we would still go out. There's something about the energy and cheer in the air. Even if I don't have much left on my list, I plan to go this year because it's one of my favorite times with my mom!

PS: This is a total holiday hack because the mall is NEVER busy in the early hours of the morning. All the sales, festive cheer and NO lines or crowds. It's magical!

Do you have a favorite tradition this time of year?

This brings me to topic of gifting.....

The HOLIDAYS are coming! And I feel like they are coming FAST!

Here is one thing that I do every year that I thought might be an idea worth sharing. I batch my gifts. I find things I love throughout the year for both men and women and then that's what everyone gets! As in, almost all the women on my list get the same gift and so do the guys. Boom! This simplifies the season so much and because it's something I know and love, I know it's not going to get stuffed in a closet to be forgotten about.

If you can't do that this year, stick this idea in your back pocket. It makes life a heck of a lot easier during the holiday season.

PS...if you don't have my holiday gift guide, it's a compilation of my "batched" gifts for the last 5 years! Grab a copy here if you don't already have it. My guess is you'll find many of the items on SALE next week. ;)