We can hardly believe it’s nearly 2009. It feels like summer just ended, but the holidays have already come and gone. Here’s a look at what we received this year.
My parents generously gave us a full 10-piece set of Cuisinart Greenware, an eco-friendly nonstick cookware collection. Sherry had already surprised me with an oversized skillet for my birthday in November, and we loved the recycled stainless-steel handles and the Ceramica nonstick finish—which is free of petroleum, PTFE and PFOA. It gives you the ease of nonstick cooking without the harmful fumes. We were thrilled to now own the entire set for sautéing, simmering and steaming.
Many of our gifts followed a cooking theme. Our family chooses a playful slogan each year to inspire gift giving, and this year’s line—“Hey Good Lookin’ Watcha Got Cookin’?”—had everyone gravitating toward food-related presents. Sherry picked up a tiered spice rack for me. Lately I’ve been doing more cooking, so my spice collection has expanded—coriander, thyme, rosemary and more. The new rack gives me plenty of space and lets me see everything at a glance, which is perfect when you want to grab a jar quickly.
Sherry also surprised me with a round capiz frame from Anthropologie and slipped in a photo from our cupcake-feeding first wedding anniversary. It fits perfectly with the other capiz frames in our bedroom and the sentimental touch was much appreciated.
I returned the favor with a clean white cylinder vase from West Elm and a makeshift garland of twelve paper flowers—one to represent a promise of fresh flowers each month for the year. We love bringing the outdoors in, and Sherry adores fresh blooms, so this was a meaningful, low-cost way to add color throughout the year. With options like Trader Joe’s and Sam’s Club, a bouquet only costs a few dollars when needed.
It was funny that Sherry bought me a white capiz frame while I added a small ceramic squirrel to her all-white menagerie—she already has a ceramic dog, a porcelain pony, and a metal bull. The little squirrel was inexpensive at West Elm, and adding another no-fuss animal to her collection was a hit. Between the vase, the flowers and the squirrel, she was all smiles.
We also received some playful kitchen-themed items from a cousin who stuck to the family slogan. There were novelty party cups with animal snouts and beaks and a “Frozen Smiles” ice tray for chilling drinks with a silly twist.
Another amusing find was a quirky glass measuring cup that not only marks cups and ounces but also lists odd little facts—like the estimated volume of cells lost in a day or the amount of honey a bee produces. It’s a fun mix of practical and trivial that makes cooking a bit more entertaining.
My brother-in-law gifted us some Burger-themed items: a customized mug, a deck of playing cards, and a white snowflake ornament. He’s a cat person but clearly appreciates our animal obsessions too.
We also received a festive lime-green reindeer pillow and matching throw from my godmother. The colors work surprisingly well with the lime-green headboard in our guest bedroom, so they fit right in.
In short, Santa was very good to us this year. How about you—did you get any favorite gifts? Share what you loved.
Pssst—The top link to the skillet that we own and love was an affiliate link.