The Gift of Merry Making: Giving & Gathering Thoughtfully

Note: This blog post was sponsored by Pottery Barn. As always, the words (with the exception of exact product descriptions), opinions and imagery are my own. I want to thank the team at Pottery Barn for not only partnering with my small business for this post, but also for donating boxes of warm, non-toxic, Fair Trade Certified comforters to in-need, transition-age foster youth at The RightWay Foundation. 

During the winter holidays, I’m usually one to bundle up zero waste presents such as food/beverage and passes for future adventures as gifts. However, months of physical distancing and cancelled travel plans have entirely reshaped our seasonal rituals this year, as they have for millions of other families. 

This season calls for delicate navigation of the often-changing path of gathering and giving safely and wisely upon the persistent backdrop of the pandemic— especially here in a major city. Rather than meeting with family and friends, whether near or far, we’ve made the tough but necessary call to remain sheltered at home for the 9th+ month in order to better protect my “High Risk” pregnancy, and hopefully keep our at-risk loved ones and community members safer.

From time to time, we see our “pod,” which consists of our next door neighbors. When we do so, we meet out in our walkway garden with our masks on (including our 4 year old). 

As such, I’ve recently found myself exploring unique items that help us create a special sense of occasion at home during this time— items that will also be perfect to gift for ongoing use once we’re all finally, gloriously reunited.

While I want to craft magical little environments that make everyone feel comfortable and festive, I’m also acknowledging and accepting the reality that I simply don’t have much energy to go all out as I have in years passed. A flexible and compact set-up that allows everyone to serve themselves and spread out has been best for everyone’s sense of ease (and for West’s delighted and highly energetic reaction to greeting rare guests). 

For the art of tiny but mighty Merry Making, I’ve been using a drinkware + barware set that’s composed of handmade, recycled glassware, and stainless steel and aluminum accessories from Pottery Barn, and concocting a seasonal pear mocktail (and providing an optional carafe of an adult beverage for anyone who wants a dash of spirit to their drink).

Ingredients:

• 2 oz organic pear juice

• rosemary-infused simple syrup

• 1 oz fresh lemon juice

• 1 slice of pear per glass

• 1 sprig of rosemary per glass

• ice cubes

Instructions:
Combine juices and syrup in a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake. Strain into rocks glass. Add a dash of sparkling/soda water, and garnish with pear and/or rosemary to taste and aesthetic. 

The hammered texture of the glasses and their handblown craftsmanship make the recycled vessels (available as tumblers and stemless wine glasses) reflect the twinkle lights and candles outside our home, and look particularly festive.

The sustainably-sourced, Fair Trade Certified “Bleeker” bar set has multiple pieces from which to pick-and-chose, and the tools have their own slim stand for keeping each piece organized, making it a practical gift set:

When setting up a serve-yourself bar on our miniature stoop, I drop everything into a space-maximizing, hanging format with the help of a simple s-hook and petit basket:

Cheers to safely cherishing our moments together— even if we’re coming by those moments in a different way, for the time being. I’ll always raise my mocktail to celebrating love, and to wish for (and work towards) good health for all. 

A note of thanks: Pottery Barn kindly gifted us several boxes of warm, non-toxic, Fair Trade Certified comforters to donate to The RightWay Foundation. This generous contribution gets us closer to achieving our goal of creating a safe, warm home for youth in need this holiday season and through the new year.