Growing up Catholic, Advent Calendars were a big part of the Christmas season for me. The importance of Advent was always stressed to us and I have so many memories of crossing days off calendars, moving felt pieces from one day to another or opening little cardboard doors and finding a chocolate behind it. 

Once I got older, the magic of Advent dwindled a bit until a few years ago when capitalism popped off and started producing adult advent calendars for every niche interest out there. Now, in 2024 you could count down to Christmas through a variety of ways, whether it's with beauty products, tea, socks, baking supplies or jewelry.

For years I would treat myself to the Sugarfina Advent Calendar and then I upgraded to the Olive & June one, which I still think is one of the best on the market. This year though, I'm looking to change things up a bit. I don't want a super expensive one that is just a bunch of stuff I don't need...I'm really trying to cut down on the unnecessary items in my life. Choosing which Advent Calendar to buy is going to be a real test for me. 

After hunting around the internet, I've rounded up the best Advent Calendars; ones that I think are super fun, a great value, or offer something really special & different.

 Hi Friday! Hi November! What a month October was! I had been 'dreading' it for months only because I knew how busy I was going to be but it turned out to be an incredible few weeks with exciting parties, get togethers, and of course the Eras Tour. 

I still have a busy few weekends in November with baby showers & engagement parties, and of course, my birthday on November 30th but I'm excited and looking forward to it all. What I'm really looking forward to is for next week to be over; I need election day to be dead and gone. I will say I'm a lot less anxious than I was in 2020, but my 2016 PTSD is getting in the way.

I'm just hoping for the victory for the first woman president... 

Ok, now...let's get into my roundup!

 I've read all of Alice Feeney's books (with the exception of I'd Lie) and they always are my favorite thrillers. She has a way of writing flawed characters that you're rooting for while also providing twists and turns that you never saw coming.

I had been putting off reading Feeney's latest book that was released a few months ago, Good Bad Girl. I've been trying to be better at not buying every book I want and taking them out from the library when I'm ready to read them. That's what I did with this one; I knew I wanted to read it but it wasn't an urgent need so I waited for availability at the library. 

I'm glad I didn't buy it, because as much as I enjoyed it, it wasn't my favorite Alice Feeney book. 

 October was gone in a flash and I don't know how I feel about it. I was so busy this month that I don't think I was fully able to relish in the best '-ber' month of all. I did some fall things, like watch Hocus Pocus every single day (including when on three plane rides),  I hosted my friends for our annual fall girls night, baked fall cookies and used all my fall themed items, like Pumpkin Spice hand sanitizer and my Hocus Pocus Stoney Clover pouch.

The weather in New York agreed with the calendar changing and we had some decent fall weather. I think only a few days over the last few weeks were hot, making it feel like August instead of October so I'll take it! Before the month is over, I plan to bake some pumpkin bread and indulge in a few more fall scented candles.

October was a fun, busy month as I've mentioned 100 times over the course of the last few blog posts. I started it off in California for a work trip, my sister got engaged, I had countless family parties from birthdays, baptisms, and weddings. I went to Florida, saw Taylor Swift in concert, and had fun with friends. It really was one of the most exciting months I've had in a while and truthfully, it all went swimmingly. 

I didn't have any anxiety freak outs related to travel or being busy; in fact, it was the opposite. I found myself feeling oddly calm with a packed calendar which makes me think that I need to be doing more things to feel calmer. What an odd feeling! 

My shopping was at a minimum in October which is always a positive but that doesn't mean I don't have some new favorites to add to my list.

Let's get into it! 

Retail's holiday season begins earlier and earlier every year it seems and this year it was no different with sets and collections being live since early September. 

I always love seeing what gift sets beauty brands put out for the holiday season; I love seeing the different themes, collaborations and assortments that are released but maybe that is just the beauty industry worker in me. 

This year it seems that a lot of brands are going with their hero products in limited edition shades, or best selling assortments in fun packaging. They're leaning into seasonal scents and flavors, with minimal 'holiday' packaging & using more of that winter vibe. 

With the Sephora sale coming up (more on that later this week), I wanted to highlight some of what I think are the best gift sets to give someone (or yourself) this holiday season. 

 This is the 2nd time in a month that I've missed my round up post, the easiest post for me to write and I simply just didn't have the mental capacity last week to do it. 

I was coming down from a busy work week, some home issues and preparing for my trip to Miami....to see THE ERAS TOUR! If you follow me on social media you saw my weekend and my goodness, was it perfection. The weather in Florida could've been better but I laid on the beach, went in the pool, had delicious food and saw my favorite person in the world...Taylor Swift.

Experiencing the Eras Tour was transcendent. I can't even truly put the feelings into words. I couldn't believe I was there. I couldn't believe I was experiencing what I've been watching on grainy TikTok streams for the past year and a half. I couldn't believe it was real.

It was a perfect night that left me shaking & in tears. It was life changing in so many ways.

And now, I'm back in New York, back at work and back to a jam packed calendar of weddings, baby showers, birthdays and all kinds of celebrations. It's all positive things...until November 5th and then maybe we'll talk. The election is driving me insane and I really just want it to be over. I don't think I'll be calm until November 10th... 

Anyways, I'm hoping to get back on track here but those are always my famous last words.

Let's get into the roundup!

The Villain Edit by Laurie Devore wasn't on my TBR list until I heard it mentioned on a podcast and from the elevator pitch alone, I was hooked. I put a hold on my Libby app and within a few weeks, she was mine. It has been taking me a little longer than usual to finish reading books but this one took me less than a week.

Does anything sound more enticing than following a reality dating show villain through the creation of her arc? I love a story that involves the behind the scenes of a television show, especially a reality one where you know there is a good chance some of this stuff is true.

The Villain Edit was thrilling, disturbing, frustrating and enthralling...it was all the -ing adjectives and I couldn't recommend enough.