Tiny Joys: December Edition
Budget buds, festive decorations, emotionally healing candles, tiny bowls, gardening clogs, great layering jackets, a lace tablecloth dickey, and some balls
Time moves so much faster than I do. I swear summer was just a moment ago, and somehow I blinked and… when did I graduate college? When did I turn 30 (and how am I turning 34 next month)? My sister, my childhood Barbie co-conspirator, had a baby five months ago, and I’m still processing that. He’s growing faster than I can comprehend. I often fear I’ll never fully catch up to the speed at which life moves.
This feeling hits especially hard at the end of the year. I’m almost positive I wrote this exact reflection last December (ed note: yep, I did). It’s the season for layering up and going on a proper Therapy Walk, meaning a walk in which you process life, whether alone in your thoughts, on the phone with a friend, or talking to your actual therapist, in hopes of making sense of the blur.
In the spirit of stopping to smell the frozen roses, I’m taking note of (and meditating on) a few of my current Tiny Joys.
Getting Flowers at the Floral District
The Floral District sits on West 28th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, and it remains one of my favorite small luxuries in NYC. You can build a beautiful bouquet, one that lasts a week or more, for a fraction of what you’d pay at most Manhattan florists (I think mine was $25 for a perfectly substantial arrangement of really good buds).
The flowers are seasonal, fresher, and not already on the brink of drooping from having traveled. And the vendors negotiate pricing, which is a joy in itself. Not every seller makes single bouquets for customers every day, but I really like International Garden, which seems to do it consistently.
A Christmas Decorations Therapy Walk Finished with a Christmas-Scented Candle
This is a two-for-one because the two parts really work best together. Wherever you live, there is somewhere with good holiday decorations. Maybe it’s a drive (a concept I barely remember after 15 years in the city), or maybe it’s just a nice little walk. Bundle up and go see what you can find. I’m considering subwaying to the Dyker Heights lights in Brooklyn, but honestly, there are festive pockets everywhere. Even the UWS feels magical with Christmas tree vendors posted up on every block. Christmas lights are so undeniably joyful that you can’t help but pause and feel a little lift.
When you get home and peel off the layers, light a Christmas candle. A nice one. My favorites: Boy Smells ($44), Flamingo Estate ($64, just got this and it smells amazing for those who don’t want the smell of straight-up evergreen), D.S. & Durga ($75, straight-up evergreen), Harlem Candle Co. ($52), Trader Joe’s ($3.99, and makes a crackling sound), and Homecourt ($65—I repurposed the empty jar from last year to hold my bathroom hair accessories).
If you have any favorites, I beg of you to share them with me.
Mise En Place Bowls
When I actually make the time to cook, it becomes a major Tiny Joy. It forces me to do nothing but that, maybe with a glass of wine, and it’s genuinely meditative. The greatest gift you can give yourself in the kitchen is a set of mise en place bowls. I have simple glass ones that get the job done, but you could also thrift a mismatched assortment, which feels fun and personal.
I also have my eye on the ones from Jono Pandolfi, handmade in Union City, New Jersey. Inside sources tell me they’re doing a pop-up in SoHo at 188 Lafayette from December 4–14!
This Jacket
My newest favorite purchase (ordered in October) is a secondhand RL Harrington Golf Jacket in a soft yellow. We may have overdosed on this color last spring and summer, but right now it feels like the perfect contrast to winterwear. In case you missed it, I referenced it here last week.
Mine is a men’s size medium, and I paid $68, which feels like a great price considering it’s a timeless piece and retails new for about $185–$286. It’s the perfect layer for a Jacket Sandwich (a concept I wrote about—at length—for Marie Claire). Also, oh my goodness, this YSL version is really good.
This Jacket, Too
My preppy is showing again here with this second jacket I’m loving: a quilted style from Tombolo. I adore it for the same reason I love the RL bomber. It’s the ideal layer that adds personality under your everyday overcoat. I got the size XS (their sizing is unisex). A lot of what they make is adorably kitschy (lobsters, spaghetti, some of my favorite motifs), but this quilted velvet jacket feels very timeless.
There are several similar options floating around the internet:
The Best Face Trio I’ve Ever Used
I’m always hesitant to recommend skincare since everyone reacts differently, but this anti-aging trio from Elemis (anti-aging is my friend!) has genuinely changed my morning routine and skin. The greasy balm cleanser was the biggest surprise. I didn’t expect to love it, but it melts everything off and removes makeup and buildup like a dream. Even though I use the trio in the morning, I sometimes reach for the balm at night to remove mascara.
I’ve become a face pad evangelist because they've convinced me I’ve truly gotten every last bit. And the Pro-Collagen cream isn’t sticky or heavy. It sinks in just enough after five minutes, making it perfect for makeup. I’m also fairly convinced I’m looking younger.
French Gardening Clogs
I’ve had the Italian Gardening Clog from Gardenheir for years (they were featured when I did a guest entry on Leandra Medine Cohen’s Substack, The Cereal Aisle, in 2022), but I recently got a French Gardening Clog, also made of water-resistant rubber, but shaped more like a sock shoe. The dark green, which is the color I have, is available in limited quantities from this one site (I did confirm it’s legitimate). They are the perfect slip-on-and-go shoe for freezing cold rain with a thick pair of socks. Size down!
Lace Table Cloth Dickey
The perfect addition to a tee, button-down, or naked chest! Think of this lace dickey like a scarf/necklace hybrid. It’s really, really weird but good. And if you're looking for fun, unique items, Adam Jones has some really good pieces.
Big Statement Beads
I saw Blanca Miró post a photo wearing giant beads a few months ago, and immediately searched for ones in my price range. This Etsy seller has every color you could want, and they are also super responsive if you want something longer (which I did, and they worked with my request).
If this Tiny Joys list inspires you to meditate on the things you love right now, that was the goal. Or, if you get yourself a little sumthin’ sumthin’ or a friend or loved one a gift, that’s great too! A few of these links are affiliates if the brand has an affiliate program; most are not. Be aware that that’s a thing when someone is recommending something (Emilia Petrarca talked about it last year in reference to gift guides here; it’s worth a read!).
xo,
Eliz
I remember your rec back then! Your introduced me to garden clogs and will be forever grateful 🥰