Holiday Traditions in Chunky Knits

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…. and I could not be happier!!!

In fact, here in London, due to no Thanksgiving it has been looking a lot like Christmas since the beginning of November. All the shop windows are decked out in Xmas themes- this year Liberty took on the Nutcracker and their window displays are amazing. We have started decorating at home but with Brendan and I jetting off to Marrakesh this past weekend we still have a bit of work left to do on the decorating front. But with my mom in London for the next two weeks and Declan old enough to start to understand Christmas I am so excited to begin indulging in all my favorite holiday traditions.

Photos: Victoria Metaxas

Shop the look: Denim // sweater // flats <similar> // ring // clutch

This cute little cupcake shop has the most amazingly sweet holiday decorations and I loved shooting here. Just after our shoot Victoria, my photographer, and I indulged ourselves in these amazing cakes and coffee. While it was freezing outside I was perfectly warm in this over-sized chunky cable knit sweater. I can not get enough of this sweater. It is big enough to layer underneath and the neutral color is perfectly paired with any trousers or denim. These jeans are my new favorite and should look familiar from this post here. Perfect fit, perfect distressing and perfect color. Adding a fun red shoe just made the whole look pop and scream H O L I D A Y. While these flats are a few seasons old I have linked similar pairs <here> and <here>. My clutch actually comes as part of the Neverfull that I am obsessed with but I have linked a few other clutches <here> and <here>.

For as long as I can remember I have gone with my mother to see the Nutcracker- each and every Christmas. In fact, this is the first year in as far back as I can recall that we will not be going together (living in a foreign country will do that). The thrill of getting dressed up, enjoying a nice dinner and then watching Clara be swept away by her Prince never gets old for me. For generations my family has been having the same Christmas Eve dinner and the same Christmas morning breakfast- I remember my grandmother cooking both when I was a child. Now-a-days my dad makes the noodles and coffee cakes and recently my brother has begun to take on the job. With my in-laws we always have Eggs Benedict for breakfast on Christmas morning. This year in London I will have both my dad’s homemade coffee cake and Eggs Benedict- I simply can not wait.

There are endless memories of years past where I find myself with my dad finishing shopping and wrapping presents on Christmas Eve Some of my most favorite memories of Christmas are from learning to wrap presents… a little unknown fact about me: I can tie a perfect bow and I learned this from watching and practicing with my mother for hours. The joy of wrapping up gifts is one of my most favorite things about the holidays. I love picking out the wrapping paper, deciding which bows and ribbons to use and then finally addressing them Gift giving is something I enjoy so much and I love to see beautifully wrapped presents.

For the first time Brendan and I will be spending the holidays away from both of our families (however my sister-in-law will be joining) and it will be a small affair. We will have a tree, Declan will get to begin to learn about the magic of believing and we will spend the day being forever grateful of what we have. This year we start new traditions for our family, we will carry on those from generations and we will celebrate the meaning of Christmas- together in our small London flat.

Cheers Everyone-