Every year, I write a Christmas list for my mom. It’s usually long so that she has options, and I still end up surprised on Christmas day (In other words: I don’t expect to receive everything on this list, just a handful of choice selections). I like to have a wide price range, with a few books, some useful things, and a few fun entertaining things just for me. This year, I’ve decided to post it here so you can all see what I’m dreaming of this year.

Maybe next year I’ll go back to illustrating all my choices like I did when I was a kid.

Cookbooks:

• Nigella’s Christmas Cookbook

  I love Nigella, and even more so her Christmas recipes.

• Cook’s Country Cookbook

  As I’ve said before, I love regional, American cooking, and the test kitchen/cooks illustrated/cooks country recipes can’t be beat.

• How To Cook Everything OR How To Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman

  I can’t decide. But my sister has the vegetarian one, so maybe I could get the non vegetarian one and
  we could swap.

Kitchen Gadgets/Pie making supplies:

• Emile Henry Butter Bell
  Hand thown Butter Crock

  A French Butter bell/crock/keeper keeps butter fresh and room temperature so you can use it any time for baking or to spread smoothly on toast. I like them in turquoise, red or chartreuse – Le Creuset also makes a nice one, but it doesn’t have to be a specific brand.

• Emille Henry Pie Dish
  Le Creuset Pie Dish

  2 Pie Pans (again, it doesn’t have to be fancy, I’ve seen nice ones at Canadian Tire, these are just examples – something red would be nice though).

• OXO Good Grips Dough Blender

  I hear the OXO one is great – but any will do.

• OXO Good Grips Pastry Scraper

  Again, this one’s OXO, but it can really be whatever.

Crafty Things (although it’s probably a little late for things from Etsy things to ship now)

• Wildhagen Hats

  These are gorgeous handmade hats made by a local designer, and whenever I see someone wander around wearing one of them my breath is pretty much taken away. They make everyone who wears them look epically stylish and adorable. Fellow Toronto blogger Thimble recently purchased one and raved about how wonderful it is, and reminded me that I might like one someday.

• Savor
  Bunnybuttapothecary

  Delicious food themed soaps, lotions and potions from Bunnybuttapothecary and Savor.

• Boy Girl Party Typewriter Necklace

  I’d like to wear my typewriter love around my neck.

• Vintage Bakelite jewelery
  I’m just saying, if you happen to run across the stuff – even new reproductions at H&M or Forever 21 – I really like it.

Gadgets and Entertainment

• Panasonic Retro Headphones

  I must have freakishly small ear canals, because normal ear buds hurt like the dickens – if I can actually manage to get them to stay in my ears. These are much better, and very stylish and make me fondly remember my dad’s puffy old 70′s hi-fi phones. I like the green with the beige band but the whites’ nice too. I’ve actually seen these at Walmart, so I think they’re available all over now.

• De Blob for the Nintendo Wii

  You run around as an anthropomorphic paint blob literally painting a town red. Sounds like fun.

• Batman the Complete Animated Series

  Liam’s never seen it. He obviously had a deprived childhood.

• Sleeping Beauty Two Disc Platinum Edition

  The most artistically stunning of the Disney Fairy Tales, now with tons of double features, to add to my animation library.