Every year I look forward to hosting a night that brings together some of my favorite people and some of my favorite things. This time, eight of my girlfriends—from church, school, and the lifelong corners of my heart—gathered for an evening that turned out to be the perfect mix of cozy, meaningful, and just plain fun.
The Food
I kept the menu simple, cozy, and delicious—
-Hot cocoa marshmallow dip with fruit, cookies, and pretzels
-The viral Boursin + pistachio + pepper jelly dip that disappeared fast
-Shrimp cocktail and little smokies for a warm, nostalgic touch
-Charcuterie “bows”
It was the right balance of cozy winter treats and fun nibbles that made the night feel festive without being fussy.
The Heart of the Night
What I love most about this group is that we end up with equal parts deep conversation and hysterical laughter. The kind of catch-ups where you go from talking about real life, faith, and growing up… to giggling about something ridiculous two minutes later. That’s the magic of good friends—comfortable, steady, life-giving.
The Favorite Things Exchange
Our gift exchange was intentionally tame, but still full of surprises. Everyone brought two of their favorite things, unwrapped so we could all “shop the table.” The gifts were a perfect mix of cozy, practical, and delightfully random in the best way. Some of the favorites included:
Farm-fresh eggs, Sourdough starters and baking tools, bath soaks, tried-and-true facial products, Candle warmer lamps, portable chargers, Miracle-working stain removers
What I Loved Most
The gifts were fun, the food was good, and the laughter was loud—but the best part was simply being surrounded by a group of women who have shaped different seasons of my life. We left with new goodies, new inside jokes, and friendships that feel a little deeper than they did a few hours before.
Hosting my first favorite Things Party was a success and I’m already looking forward to the next one.
This is my norm 