TGIF, ladies!

How is everyone spending their weekend? I’m home in Arlington this weekend and could not be more excited. I’m planning on hitting up Orangetheory tomorrow after work, grabbing my favorite bottle of wine on the way home, and parking it on the couch of the night—I have a weird craving to watch First Daughter, that corny Katie Holmes movie where she falls in love with her Secret Service agent. I think I’ve had first daughters on my mind since finishing Sisters First earlier this week. Other than my hot date with my couch, I’m planning on strategizing my holiday content editorial calendar, hitting up what is sure to be a fun housewarming, and having a few of my oldest friends over for Sunday night dinner.

Next week is sure to be a little bit nuts, so I am especially thankful for the relaxing weekend. We have three days of in-office recruiting at work, which I organize and manage, and on Wednesday, I turn 27! (Tbh, I still 24 at heart—so I’m having a slight existential crisis about this one—27 seems solidly late 20s to me? Anyway, I digress—this is another post for another day.) Instead of doing a big brunch or happy hour like I have the past few years, I really wanted something more low key (and without a complicated check to split at the end!), so I’ve invited some of my closest friends over to my apartment for a joint birthday / housewarming wine night next Friday. Then, on Saturday, my family is going to RPM Italian, which is one of my favorite restaurants in DC—if you get the chance to go either here or in Chicago, I’d definitely recommend it.

Heading into the weekend, I wanted to share my picks for gifts under $50 in case you wanted to get a head start on your shopping. (If you missed it, I shared 12 gifts under $25 on Wednesday here.)

Gifts in this price point obviously require a larger investment, and thus would be perfect for a close friend or family member. No matter who you’re buying for, I love this state cheese plate—we recently gave my coworker the Virginia one, and it was so cute and sizable enough to put ample amounts of cheese on. As an add-on or standalone gift, I love these pineapple cheese knives. Pineapples are the universal symbol for welcome, so I think they are perfect for entertaining pieces.

For a friend who was recently married or is into monograms, I love this custom two initial ornament from Moon & Lola.

If you know your recipient loves jewelry, I am obsessed with these Bauble Bar piñata earrings (I own them in two colors!), this bar cuff that would be perfect for stacking, and this beautiful rose gold ring.

For those with a bad case wanderlust, this leather passport holder or Gray Malin Escapes coffee table book would make thoughtful gifts.

I hang a Rifle Paper Company calendar on my desk at work every year, and love this inspirational quotes calendar they have for 2018. I especially love April’s—I hope they make it a print!

Earlier this year, I was gifted a bkr water bottle and totally understand the hype now—the glass bottle is easy to wash and the silicone is a beautiful color and easy to get on and off.

Nothing makes me happier than burning a candle after a long day at work—and Feu de Bois is the perfect scent for winter.

To round things out, I absolutely love this box of thank you cards for anyone who is obsessed with stationery. The cards are beautiful, and it also is very convenient to have a stash of notecards on hand—a great way to practice gratitude.

If you have any gifts you’re loving this holiday season, let me know in the comments below—I’m in need of a few ideas myself. I hope you have a great weekend! x