December Ramblings

Last minute gifts, my favorite things this month, and a mini November photo diary!

Dec 16, 2025

It’s been a mad dash to the end of the year, but I’m starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The last 15 days have been a holiday party doozy and I’m taking this week to recalibrate, so you’re getting a Monday midnight ramble with all the links I found myself posting over and over again on IG.

I couldn’t tell you the number of martinis, glasses of wine, cookies consumed, or hugs given — but who’s counting? Cozy dinners at Pace, art at Francis Gallery, cigarettes and Olivia Dean in the car, dancing until 3am, making garland with my girls, Frank Sinatra impersonators, blow outs with RŌZ, and lots of hot yoga to sweat it all out in between.

Dinner at Jar and Will Calver's Opening at Francis Gallery

I have such mixed emotions around the holidays. I started off strong by prepping for the holidays, then I took Thanksgiving pretty hard missing my mom, then had a tender moment with my heart around a unique kind of love. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit this mad dash of holiday parties numbed me out a bit… so I’m throwing in the towel for all social activities for the next few days.

I’ll keep it short-ish and sweet tonight. I have another piece I’m working on (the magic of female friendships!!) to end the year and I can’t wait to share it soon.

Godspeed to all the Santas making dreams come true this season. I’m actually (surprisingly) unprepared with gifts, so this Last Minute section is pretty much for myself.

As always, if you’re enjoying my Substack, it would mean the world if you heart this article or share it with a friend who you think might enjoy. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here :) xoxo CAT

Last Minute Gifts

Cookbooks! Martha Stewarts’s Entertaining, The Cookie That Changed My Life by Nancy Silverton, The King Cookbook. All of my favorite cookbooks are here :)
A classic Moleskin notebook (I prefer the soft cover, no lines) and Le Pens
If someone you love, loves coffee, you need to get them a Moccamaster. It makes a perfect pot of drip coffee in six minutes. Nobody has time to hand manage a Chemex these days
PSA Sezane is offering free express shipping!! For the espresso lovers, pair it with these adorable espresso cups or this mug to pair with your Moccamaster. I LOVE an initial mug, I can’t help it…
I bought Entertaining by Martha Stewart for a white elephant exchange…. and then I stole it back for myself because I am a savage 😆
Nail polish by Londontown (code: cat20) or Manicurist for stocking stuffers!
Uniqlo Heat Tech is the tried and true best of the best for layering. I’ve been wearing these for 15 years now. The long sleeve to layer under sweaters, leggings under pants / ski, any and all of their socks!!
Cosrx sheet masks and Summer Fridays JetLag eye patches
Another Korean skincare wonder: the Dr. Melaxin Peel Shot $20 exfoliating peel that I use 2-3x a week. Throw it in the stocking!
Corpus or Aesop hand soap for the hostess.
There are all sorts of gifts and entertaining must haves in my Holiday Prep Guide
Bose Headphones are a guaranteed great gift and they last for years. I have both the Quiet Comfort and Ultra Open Earbuds
For your sibling whose phone is always dead
Bose Quiet Comfort Headphones and Summer Fridays Jet Lag Eye Patches on the plane, always!!
Oura Rings are here to stay. I got one for Christmas a couple years ago and it’s such a great gift.
Same with a Kindle. I’ve had mine for years and have never looked back
If you have a teenager, get them anything from Summer Fridays but especially their best-selling Lip Butter Balm. Trust me, you will win Christmas!
Here’s my Master List: Beauty and Wellness for inspiration!
Here’s my Amazon Storefront with the for real last minute gifts

Last Christmas when I gifted a teenage Summer Fridays… I swear it works

Things I Love This Month

Jamie Haller Trousers are incredibly chic, as is everything she makes
This lace bodysuit. The black was sold out, so I went with white which I actually love even more. These are the nipple covers I swear by.
I’ve found myself wearing these sweaters nearly everyday: Guest in Residence cable knit, Jenni Kayne sweater and this turtleneck.
The Jamie Haller Trousers I can’t stop wearing
This cape in plaid is so holiday / winter coded
It is soooo insanely dry in LA right now and my skin needs all the help it can get. I swear by: Biodance Sheet Masks, Osea everything: the oil, the butter, the lotion, the night cream. Code: catchen10
The Margaux Agnes Boot is the perfect black bootie that I wear from day to night
The Jenni Kayne Cedar candle is the bestttt holiday scent
Doen Lace body suit + pashmina scarf, Chan Luu Ultra wide leg pants... and Margaux Black Boots
This pashmina that can be styled a bunch of different ways
The perfect non-wire bra by Negative, of course
The Chan Luu Pinch Waist Cardigan in allll the colors and the Ultra Wide Leg Pants that I’ve been wearing religiously — they are so chic.
I’ve been living in my Ultra Mini Uggs hehe
The plaid cape, J.Crew boots, reusable to-go cup from the Moma design store
I think this will make any list I ever make for the rest of eternity… the wet vac I share on my IG every week. It’s the best purchase I made all year and use it multiple times a week!
RŌZ Milk Serum and Root Lift Spray. I ran out of the Root Lift Spray this week and it was awful. Code: Cat15 :)
My holiday storage makes me feel so grown up. It’s so satisfying to walk into my garage and grab all my ornaments, wrapping, wreaths, garland and tree in a perfectly organized manner
Ozma heavyweight shirt (code: cat15), Margaux boots, the Great jeans
I’ve been living in Ozma lately, especially this heavyweight shirt, this cozy cardigan, their silk tees. Code: CAT15
This Amanu chocolate suede bag
Stems cashmere socks are sooo comfortable. But also Uniqlo socks for boot season!