OK…

Did you also buy a ton of crap this weekend?

No, me neither…

I’ll admit that most of my shopping was for me, but hey, it’s stuff that makes me happy…so…mental health? (Can I submit these receipts to my insurance?)

Here’s a few of my fun purchases. And to new readers…I am all about the Christmas season so this is essentially a Christmas blog until January. Consider yourselves warned. 

Old Navy (which is currently doing 50% off EVERYTHING)

Sparkly Workout Pants — why yes, I did wear these to OTF today and chicked the dude on the treadmill next to me, thank you for asking.

Llama jammies — definitely not wearing these right now… 

Llama socks — also not wearing these right now… 

Christmas Decorations

I decorated my tree yesterday!!! So pro tip for New Yorkers (with a little extra room in your budget, tbh, because this isn’t quite the most budget-friendly but was worth it for me): NYC Trees will deliver and set up your tree — and also include the skirt and stand. I had a crappy experience with tree delivery and putting it up myself last year, so this was worth it for me this year.

Last year, my college roomie Jen helped me shop/decorate my tree. (I am like a child shopping for Christmas ornaments, so I need a little adult supervision here to stick to a vision.) We decided on red + silver as a base with the sentimental ornaments mixed in. I like to think my tree is like me: kinda classy, kinda ecclectic.

I seem to have lost a bag of ornaments in the past year (I have no idea why, nothing happened this year), so I picked up some more to supplement.

Michaels was having some killer sales, so I got these awesome balls there. 

And then Meg suggested we go look at the new Pottery Barn around the corner from me… 

Hello sweet mouse!

And this gorgeous one that has its own lights.

UM THIS ONE WAS NOT THERE YESTERDAY. (Just took a break from writing this post to order.)

CYBER MONDAY DEALS

J. Crew: 40% off with code SHOPFAST

Nume: This is where I got the wand that makes my hair magically wavy/curly. (My best friend also thinks it looks like, well, not a curling iron…but anyway.) I have the 25mm barrel; I just ordered the 32mm. They’re doing 30% off with code CYBER30

Beautycounter: These cute little hair travel sets (I also just bought these…for me…my gift giving is going real well) are on sale and will probably run out! I’m also going to run my spend $100, get a free lip conditioner (if you fwd me your receipt at theodora@preppyrunner.com) through Christmas. 

Bloomingdale’s: 25% off a whole lot, including these Aqua cashmere sweaters.

Amazon Echo: marked down to $79 from 99. Question! I’m considering one of these hands-free speaker doodads — are they worth it? Do you use yours? Is there one you’d recommend over this one?

Kindle: For $50, you can’t go wrong, right?!

What are you eyeing? I’m also going to try to come back tomorrow to talk about Giving Tuesday and the charities I’m supporting.

Well, I made it through my first Thanksgiving without my mom — obviously not without a gazillion tears, but I made it.

What helped: a combination of old traditions + new. It would be foolish to pretend all is the same. I took care of my own soul, and I spent time with family.

I spent Wednesday night with friends seeing the Macy’s parade balloons being blown up, with a stop in Columbus Circle on my way there to see one of my fave Christmas spots in the city. I’ve always loved the view from the second floor of the Time Warner Center, but especially around Christmas. Last year, it took on a new meaning as I found myself drawn there, as I made my way, feeling lost, back downtown to my apartment after my mom had a major surgery at Columbia. This view, these stars, bring me a certain amount of peace for reasons I can’t explain.

Then, so long as I was in the city on Thanksgiving morning, I went to Orangetheory for an ass-kicking. I’d woken up sad and anxious, and to distract myself from that for an hour was priceless.

My BFF Meg wasn’t going home for Thanksgiving, so she came to NJ with me for Thanksgiving, and I couldn’t have scripted better how helpful it was to have a friend who feels like family with me on this first holiday. I certainly snuck away for a few cry breaks at dinner, and she knew exactly when to come find me and offer her shoulder to cry on. We did Thanksgiving at a different cousin than usual, and having Meg and being at a different place than usual made a tough day just slightly easier.

And also snuggles from my baby cousin, Lexi <3 (I was the “baby” until I was about 28 when she was born…and I now understand how “the baby” is a phrase that sticks around for a long time…)

Just when I’d pulled myself together…I heard the notes of a Christmas song came on, and it signaling the beginning of the Christmas season reduced me to sobbing again as the reality of facing my mom’s favorite season without her dawned on me.

I woke up this morning and came down to an empty family room, rather than her sitting there perusing Christmas catalogs and me snuggled up next to her with my coffee online shopping and writing this post. It was another heartbreaking moment during what will be an incredibly bittersweet holiday season.

But…this season will go on whether I’m sad or not, so I’m trying my best to embrace as much as I can and give myself grace where I can, as well.

There’s no way to transition gracefully from talking about grief to talking about Black Friday sales…so, um, here’s some sales I’ve seen? At the very end are some Beautycounter sales going on with the brand, and a special one I’m running myself.

Black Friday Sales

Nike: Take an extra 25% off sale styles with code EPIC25. Not on sale, but I’m sort of in love with these sparkly sweatpants.

New Balance: 20% off + free shipping

Epson: I’m excited to be working with Epson for the next few months — so more to come on them! But the ProSense 307 watch of theirs is 30% off. I’m really excited that it has a heart rate monitor AND is multi-sport, so I can wear it swimming.

Athleta: 20% off with code BLISS

lululemon: no sale for Black Friday, but lots of great deals in their We Made Too Much

Target: spend $50, get 20% off your next purchase; iPads for 20% off

Macy’s: 20% off with code HURRY

Nordstrom: an extra 20% off sale items

J. Crew: 40% off with code THANKU; (I asked for this coat for Christmas, for example — it’s now marked down from 298 to 178.)

Lilly Pulitzer: my mothership doesn’t do discounts on Black Friday, but they do some awesome gifts with purchase. Think I probs need this llama top.

Amazon: some pretty awesome deals like this Instant Pot for ~40% off. (Speaking of: do you think Instant Pots are worth it?)

Kate Spade: 30% off everything with code GIVEJOY

Saks: up to 60% off

Zappos: up to 30% off certain styles

Beautycounter: I love working with this brand so much, and really believe in the mission of cleaner skin care. Today they’re offering a spa set of facial mask, mist and oil — an $88 value — for free with a $250 purchase. This Lash Power Couple of mascara + eye makeup remover for $20 is an awesome deal too!

AND! If you spend more than $75 (and fwd me your receipt at theodora@preppyrunner.com), I’ll throw in one of these $24-value lip conditioners. Trust me, your lips need it this winter! (I just re-ordered more.)

So tell me — what do you have your eye on this Black Friday?