That's A Wrap

We all know that wrapping doesn't make the present, but sometimes it definitely helps. 

Simple Brown Craft Paper:

For a simple and clean look, try plain brown craft paper. To dress it up, use glitter ribbon or make a pattern with white pen. Incorporating natural elements like a bit of pine or some holly leaves also looks really nice with the craft paper.

Custom Prints:

When you can't find a printed paper that suits your present, print your own! We used Spoonflower to print this vintage map paper and then tied it with natural string and rope for an extra nautical flair. 

Classic Christmas:

For a print that maintains a traditional Christmas look without being boring, try this Brooks Brothers signature tartan wrapping paper. We tied it with thick red ribbon and velvet ribbon to emphasize the classic look. 

Cinnamon Honey Butter Roasted Almonds

Bring in some Holiday Cheer with this perfect Christmas snack.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups almonds
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (2)
• 2 1/2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325º F
2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine honey, butter, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and bring to a boil. Cook and stir until the butter is melted. 
4. Pour the almonds into the mixture. Stir until the almonds are fully coated. 
5. Place in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes until the almonds have glazed and are slightly browned.
6. Let the almonds cool then place in a bowl. Mix 2 1/2 tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and mix with almonds until evenly spread. 
7. Serve to friends and family! 

Pssst! These would also be a great addition to a holiday salad.

Thanks to Allrecipies for the idea.

Tags with Swag

Gift tags are an easy way to spruce up your gift wrapping, and the possibilities are endless. Here are a few ideas we picked to try this year!

Keep it Simple: 

Black, white, and gold always make an elegant and sophisticated statement. 

Try a Fun Shape:

Draw out a simple shape you like and cut it out of cardstock. We chose sweaters, of course, and added some fun Christmasy fair isle prints to them. 

Another interesting shape to try is feathers. There are printable ones here, or you can make your own out of any printed scrapbook paper. Simply slip them under the ribbon for a unique look. 

Hang a Banner:

Choose a fun word and make a banner to hang across the whole present! It's something different than the usual ribbon, and doubles as a memento that can be kept and hung up.  

One last tip: just because you aren't confident in your crafting skills doesn't mean you can't have cool gift tags, too. We handmade these tags, but there are tons of printable tags available online, all it takes is a quick search on Pinterest!

Cinnamon Nutmeg Old Fashioned

The men of Kiel James Patrick have always had and will always have a favorite drink: The Old Fashioned.

Having been around since as early as 1829, the old fashioned is a timeless classic. And in the spirit of Christmas, we put a holiday spin on this drink with a garnish of cinnamon and nutmeg. It's Christmas in a glass.

What you need:

• 4 oz. bourbon (we like Woodford Reserve)
• Angostura bitters
• An orange
• Cherry
• Sugar cube
• Cinnamon sticks
• Nutmeg
• Big ice cubes

Procedure:

1. Combine sugar, orange slice, cherry, three dashes of bitters into a glass. Muddle the ingredients together. 
2. Add bourbon and pour contents into a shaker full of ice.
3. Shake vigorously.
4. Pour into glass over a large ice cube.
5. Garnish with orange peel, two cinnamon sticks, and nutmeg. 
6. Sit by the fire, smoke your pipe, and enjoy. 

To add an extra dose of Christmas spirit, we served our old fashioneds in Ralph Lauren glen plaid double old fashioned glasses.

Henry's Christmas Tree Farm

The holiday season is teeming with time-honored family traditions, and there is perhaps none more central to Christmas than a family trip to the local Christmas tree farm. Kiel's family has hunted for the perfect tree at Henry's Christmas Tree Farm, located in Hope, Rhode Island, every year for his entire life, a tradition that he continues now with Sarah. Spread across 131 acres of land that has been owned by five generations of the Henry family since 1851, the farm has had a variety of uses over the years, including logging and vegetable farming. At one time it was even the largest poultry farm in Rhode Island, but is now dedicated solely to growing high quality Christmas trees.

Picking a tree is just as much, if not more, about the experience than the tree itself,  and supporting a local, family owned business like Henry's Christmas Tree Farm is the best choice you can make. Henry's Christmas Tree Farm is currently in the able hands of jovial David, who grew up working on the poultry farm until he was 23, when his father fired him. He eventually returned to take over from his father in 1978 and has since meticulously maintained the farm. Christmas tree farming is a time-intensive, year-round business, but David says it's easy to find workers to help on the farm. It's not hard to imagine why- the farm and its workers have a magnetic sense of charm and holiday spirit that draw people in, warming even the coldest December day. If you're looking for that feeling of authentic Christmas magic, you'll find it amongst the acres of trees at Henry's.  

Essential Christmas Movies

One of the best parts of Christmas is cuddling up by the fire and putting on classic Christmas movies. Here is a list we compiled of our favorite Christmas movies. Be sure to include them in your holiday movie marathon.

Penguin Poppers

Baby penguin appetizers! We don't need to say anything else!

What You Need:

• Jumbo black olives 
• Small black olives
• Big carrots
• Cream cheese
• Red pepper (for scarves)
• Toothpicks

How To Make 'Em!

1. Cut the carrots into 1/4 inch round pieces. Then cut tiny triangles out to create feet. Set the triangles aside to use for the nose.
2. Carefully cut into a jumbo olive. Carefully spread open the olive and fill with cream cheese. 
3. Get a smaller olive and put carrot cutout into the olive.
4. Carefully cut a small sliver of red pepper to use as a scarf. 
5. Stack the pieces together to make the penguin and secure with a toothpick. 

Thats it!

Bear Isle

One of the best things about working at a fashion company is seeing what outfits our coworkers put together day to day at the factory. We decided to let everyone else in on the fun and feature some of our favorite styles here. First up is Nick Birtles! We love this quintessential New England winter look. You can't go wrong with a vintage LL Bean fair isle, and there's no better way to add some flair than to pair it with a plaid shirt and bear tie.

Christmas Wishlist

We've got our eye on lots of extraordinary gifts this year, and couldn't help but share them with you. Here's a list of what we're hoping to find under our trees Christmas morning:

1. The only travel duffel you'll ever need - Frank Clegg
2. Every man needs at least one repp stripe bow tie (preferably more) - Brooks Brothers
3. Bring the classic teddy bear sweater back - Ralph Lauren
4. Surely these adorable "measuring hedgies" make things taste better - Anthropologie
5. Add some Christmas cheer to your office desk with a mini christmas tree - Pottery Barn
6. Plan ahead and ask for something to dress up your New Year's Eve dress - Loren Hope
7. Keep your feet cozy and stylish in your boots with Chup socks - JCrew
8. The quintessential pair of boots for winter in New England - LLBean - Mens - Womens
9. A flask with a sense of humor - JCrew
10. Keep time with an American made watch face and watch strap - Shinola & KJP
11. For when instagram filters just won't do - Lomography
12. Sarah's personal favorite to stay extra warm by her desk - Duraflame

Christmas Playlist

Christmas time is here. Light up the tree, warm up the fire, and gather around in song. Here our some of our favorite Christmas tunes for you and yours to enjoy at dinner, parties, or in between a Home Alone movie marathon. 

Click here for the Spotify playlist.

Guinness Hot Chocolate

What is better than hot chocolate on a chilly day? Hot chocolate with Guinness.

This delicious cup of cocoa is made with real melted chocolate and a reduced bottle of Guinness to give it a subtle roasted stout flavor. Finish it off with a dash of nutmeg and you've got a drink that is enough to send Buddy the Elf into cocoa rehab.

Ingredients:

• 1 (12-ounce) bottle Guinness
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• A pinch of kosher salt
• 3 cups whole milk
• 4 ounces milk chocolate chips  (2.5 teaspoons of chips = 1 ounce of chocolate)
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
• A dash of nutmeg

Procedure:

1. 1. Pour the Guinness into a medium saucepan and cook it over a medium-high heat for 10 minutes. This will reduce the Guinness to 1/2 cup of concentrated syrup. 
2. In a medium saucepan, mix cocoa, sugar, salt, milk, bittersweet chocolate, and milk chocolate chips over medium heat. Stir constantly until chocolate is melted. Whisk mixture until fully mixed.
3. Add Guinness and whisk until frothy. 
4. Pour into cups. Top with marshmallows, tiny chocolate chips, a dash of nutmeg, and serve to guests!

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Holiday Gift Guide

Find the perfect gift with our holiday gift guides!

May the Arrow Be Ever In Your Favor

Friendship, like the flight of an arrow, should always launch you forward. Introducing the Archer Friendship Collection.

The Atlantis Collection

We're really excited about our new Atlantis Collection bracelets! Their gold charms, pearls, and Swarovski crystals are a glamorous addition to our hand braided leather that any girl will appreciate. Gray winter weather is approaching, and the Atlantis Collection is great for adding warmth and sparkle to both everyday outfits and special holiday dresses.

Christmas Crunch

The Christmas crunch is officially here. Sarah and I are working the night away with delicious Starbucks holiday treats. We have a few surprises for the upcoming season and are packing up the sleigh.

Cranberry Culprit

With the holiday season upon us, we felt it was necessary to serve something seasonal at our office cocktail party. We selected the Cranberry Culprit, a festive red cocktail featuring cranberry sauce, and it was a perfect choice. Neither too strong nor too sweet, the Cranberry Culprit turned out to be an excellent party drink that everyone could enjoy! For some additional sparkle and cheer, we garnished our glasses with gold sugar from Williams Sonoma. If we "accidentally" make too much cranberry sauce this Thanksgiving, we'll know what to do with it. 

Here’s the recipe from Chow.com so you can make it as well:

INGREDIENTS:

1 ounce cranberry sauce

1 ounce bourbon

1 ounce amaretto

2 ounces ginger ale

Lime wedge

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Combine cranberry sauce, bourbon, and amaretto in a cocktail shaker and muddle until most of the cranberries are broken up.

2. Fill the shaker with ice, cover, and shake vigorously. Pour the contents into a highball glass (do not strain), and top with ginger ale. Squeeze the lime wedge over top and serve. 

Black and Orange Ball

The KJP team wishes everyone a safe and happy Halloween! Last weekend, we donned our best costumes and danced the night away at the annual Squantum Association Halloween party. To see all the spooky fun, check out the post on Classy Girls Wear Pearls.

Head of the Charles

A couple of rugs, some Barrister bookcases, a few tables, and a truck full of nick knacks is all that it takes for us to have a functioning mobile factory. This past weekend, the Foxhawk Tribe packed up and traveled to the Head of the Charles Regatta in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Brooks Brothers is the official apparel sponsor of the races, and they asked us to create some special edition items for the event, so we unloaded our truck and set up shop.