Blogmas: Christmas Village

I'm pretty sure every one of us has wanted to go to the North pole at least once in our lives. Maybe to be an elf, see the reindeer, or just to visit Santa's shop. As far fetched at the idea is, downtown Minneapolis has tried bringing that dream to life. Last year we said goodbye to our traditional Holidazzle parade, and replaced it with the Holidazzle village.

I have not been yet, but the village seems like a lot of fun. You pay one small fee of $3-6 and get access throughout the season. The Holiday Market has a variety of unique gifts featured each night. There are bands and choirs to sing along to each half hour (probably the only place you can sing as loudly as you want without the judgement). And the featured Holidazzle light bulbs are back from the parade, wandering around the streets.

Each weekend has a new activity. You can take part in dog sledding, ice skating, fireworks, or watch a glass blowing demonstration. The best part hasn't even been said yet. There are real, live reindeer to visit. How cute would that be for a family picture?! Honestly, you don't have to go far to find the festivities in Minnesota. And I'm fortunate enough to have it in such a close distance. For some holiday fun for your family and friends, find some cool winter activities near you!

Dress for the Weather!

New weather brings the need for new clothes. And living in Minnesota turns the whole "Winter Wonderland" idea to 4 months full of blizzards. As I've grown older, I started caring more about my appearance; trading in my snow-pants and puffy coat for a fleece jacket and leggings. Something I wish I would have learned a long time ago is that you can stay stylish but also stay warm. Below are some of my winter essentials that I hope you will adore!



Winter boots: Finding a pair of quality boots isn't as hard as it may seem. In fact, most of the boots I've looked at this season are cheap, stylish, and will most definitely keep your feet warm. If you live in a place that gets a lot of ice, take a little more time to find a pair with track resistance (you'll see the difference when you don't fall five times a day!).




Coat: This is kind of an obvious necessity for the winter. But not all coats can live up to the expectations of protecting you during the harsh weather. Something I would suggest is the Columbia coat that reflects your body heat back to warm you up. I have not tried this yet, but am hoping to have the opportunity in the near future!





Head: There are so many different styles of hats, it's a miracle to even be able to pick one! However, I'm the kind of person who hates wearing hates in fear that it will completely ruin my hair (when I spend 20+ minutes on my hair, I expect it to last a LONG time). My go to just so happens to be the next best thing: earmuffs. I love going for walks in the winter, but I've struggled with ear issues since I was little, making it hard for me to go out without damaging my hearing even more. This is why I recommend earmuffs or those thick headbands. They make my life 100% easier in the wintertime, but also look like a really cute accessory.



Hands: Last but certainly not least, I would like to talk about the different options for keeping your hands warm. During a recent freezing football game, a friend of mine brought along some hand-warmers for the cheerleaders, and they literally saved my hands (and feet) from freezing off. These are great for if you're outside for a couple hours at a time to stick in your gloves/ mittens, or even inside your socks. As much as I appreciate gloves, there has always been something I have wanted to try even more, a muffler. Hand mufflers have been out of style for far too long, and I want to bring them back. Not only do they look so cute, but they are extremely soft and will be like a pillow around your hands.

I love winter, and am always looking for ways to make it a better experience each year. If you have any suggestions for posts you would like to see, just comment them!