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Cheers!

Happy holidays from the Lemonly team!

If you’re reading this page, then you helped make our year —
with visuals sweet and messages clear.
So the Lemonheads offer you our Yuletide cheer,
in the various forms you can scroll to see here. 

Whether you’re cozied up in a quaint Swiss chalet, 
Or hosting a big group with shared DNA,
We wish you the hap-hap-happiest holiday 
Since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny effing Kaye.

A little something from us to you 🎁

Happy end-of-year to all! It’s been one to remember here at Lemonly, and we’re truly glad you were part of it.

To show our appreciation, we leaned into our core value of Collaboration and curated a delightful collection of contributions directly from the Lemonheads. You'll find recipes, travel recommendations, playlists, a rant about one specific holiday song, and a variety of tips — from iPhone photo editing to crafting and gifting. And, because we’re us, we even included some neat data visualization about Christmas movies.

Explore at your leisure, and (as always) don’t hesitate to reach out if you want to talk about content goals for 2026, share photos of your completed craft project with Tessa, get more music recommendations from Dafne, or just catch up.

We appreciate you!

Browse your favorite categories:

Holidays | Food & drink | Travel tips | Music & more

Holidays

From Chris: The top 100 Christmas movies, ranked

Christmas is a time for family, for celebration, and for movies. With so many holiday classics, how can you possibly pick what to watch? You could fire up the latest thing on Netflix, you could use Lemonly’s holiday movie flowchart, or you could dive into the data for yourself.

Taking the list of the 100 best Christmas movies from Rotten Tomatoes, I put together this interactive visualization to find your new Christmas favorite. Do you want a pre-1960s musical like Meet Me In St. Louis? A highly-rated R-rated action thriller like Die Hard? Or maybe you’re like my 4-year-old daughter, who cares less about critic ratings and more about “Is Eddie Murphy in this movie?”, in which case Candy Cane Lane is perfect for you.

Please take a look, and happy viewing!

Chris Prendergast, Partner & Chief Operations Officer

From Ella: Gift guide for book lovers

Ah, books. They’ve been around for at least a hundred years (at least!), and with the advent of BookTok and the recent boom in genre fiction, it feels like they’re more popular than ever.

There’s a good chance that someone you know has caught the reading bug lately, and you might be wondering what to get them for the holidays. I hope this list sparks a few ideas — these are all gifts that this book lover would be thrilled to find under her tree this year.

And if you’re the one currently tearing through your umpteenth book of the year, I hope this inspires you to treat yourself. You read so many books, and everyone is very impressed.

So without further ado, here’s Ella’s Gift Guide for Book Lovers! Happy holidays and happy reading.

Ella Olsen, Content Writer

  1. Bookshelf tchotchkes. Books are beautiful on their own, but bookshelves can always use some dressing up. This little guy has been on my shelf for years now. He’s been reading the same book the whole time, but I’m trying to be patient with him. 
  2. Fuzzy blanket. Is there anything more satisfying than curling up with a warm blanket and a good book? Who knows — the science is thus far inconclusive. 
  3. Reading light. Book lovers often have the most time to read in the evening, but get this: It’s dark then! Get them a reading light so they can indulge late into the night.
  4. Special edition of their favorite classic. If you can find a leather-bound or gold-leaf edition of their favorite classic, you’ve struck, well, gold. Just don’t expect the recipient of this gift to let you touch it without washing your grubby little hands first. 
  5. Stationery. If they’re deep in the literary life, they probably enjoy making notes or highlighting favorite passages. Pick up some nice pens, pencils, highlighters, and Post-its so they can scribble in the margins to their heart’s content. 
  6. Your favorite book. This one would really make me smile. Give them a copy of your favorite book and write a little note about why you love it and why you think they will, too. They’ll melt!

From Emily: The perfect gift idea for neighbors

Each Christmas, we love giving a little something to our wonderful neighbors as a way to say how grateful we are to share this corner of the world with them.

This year’s gifts (a cozy simmer-pot kit lovingly made by our friend’s daughter and my husband’s homemade smoked Chex Mix) are simple, homemade tokens of the warmth, kindness, and community they bring to our lives all year long.

From Emily: The perfect gift idea for neighbors

From Tessa: Homemade snowflake ornament craft

Follow these simple steps to create your own handmade felt ornament. You can use this process for any shape or design — my example uses a snowflake.

It's an easy, charming way to add a personal, handmade touch to your holiday decor or gift.

Tessa Sánchez, Business Development Coordinator

Get some felt in whatever color you want, plus some beads, ribbon or string, scissors, and needle and thread.

Draw out your shape on one piece of felt. Cut out the shape on both pieces (keep the scraps).

Sew beads onto the clean piece however you like. Then sew the two pieces of felt together along the edge, leaving a small opening to add in the stuffing.

Cut up the felt scraps from earlier or use regular stuffing. Fill the inside of the shape through the opening, then finish sewing the edges together.

Add the ribbon to the back. Hang your ornament on the tree and admire your craftiness!

From Natalie: Gift-wrapping tip

I love to wrap presents and add special details to them. One of my favorite things to use is baker's twine. It comes in lots of variations and you can pick it up at craft stores or TJ Maxx during the holidays. Happy wrapping!

Natalie Eisenberg, Partner & Chief Executive Officer

From Kaley: Thrifting tips for holiday shopping

Can't decide what to get your family and friends this holiday season? Swing by your local thrift store and keep in mind these handy tips as you hunt for the best gift:

  • Categorize. Diving into a thrift store can feel like wading through a treasure trove, so it's smart to have a game plan. Zero in on categories like furniture, dishware, decor, or quirky trinkets to turn your shopping spree into a delightful adventure!
  • Check under, behind, and inside. The ultimate thrift treasures love playing hide and seek! Peek under mysterious objects, snoop behind quirky trinkets and furniture, and rummage through baskets and drawers. Who knows what surprises are waiting to be discovered?
  • Take your time. Fill the basket. Enjoy the ride! Savor every moment, invite a buddy, and soak up the joy. Load up your cart with all the possible "yes" treasures, then before hitting the checkout, sift through and only snag what sparks pure delight.
Kaley Schweitzer, Associate Account Executive

From Carissa: Tips for holiday hosting with kids on the autism spectrum

If you're hosting kids on the autism spectrum this holiday season, here are a few tips to help the gathering go smoothly. I highly suggest talking to parents to see what accommodations they might suggest as well. 

These tips could also apply when hosting kids of all abilities, not just those with special needs.

Carissa Schoffelman, VP of Administration

1. Create space to wind down. Consider creating a wind down area in a designated quiet room, corner, or closet with low lighting and sensory friendly activities for kids to retreat to when they are overwhelmed. For smaller kids, items to include might be:

  • A soft spot to sit or kids tent they could crawl into (depending on age)
  • One or two calming fidget toys
  • A galaxy projector
  • A weighted blanket (see the gift section below for links)
  • In fact, most parents of kids on the spectrum might have several of these items at home already and be willing to bring them to your home. Letting parents and kids know this is available to them if they get overwhelmed can instantly calm anxiety and fears.

2. Don’t take it personally. Kids on the spectrum often feel overwhelmed with the expectations of the holidays — noisy environments and crowds can be triggers for kids with special needs. If a child melts down, remember it’s not personal. They are not trying to ruin the event and they are not giving you a hard time. They are simply having a hard time.

3. Adjust expectations for success. Ask yourself: Do they have to eat the same foods, sit at the same table, or do things at the same time as others for the holiday gathering to be successful? Adjusting expectations ahead of time and giving space for things to look a little different to accommodate a special need might actually make the gathering more successful! 

If you don’t know what would help, ask parents - your interest in a successful time together will help them feel valued and seen.


  1. Kids on the spectrum often benefit from pressure in the form of tight or heavy materials that simulate a hug to calm the nervous system. Here are a few of my favorites.
    1. Sleep pod
    2. Weighted stuffed animal
    3. Lycra sheet
    4. Weighted blanket
  2. Visual sensory items can be a way to calm the brain and provide a specific item of focus to a mind that’s racing. 
    1. Calming tubes
    2. Galaxy projector
    3. Jellyfish lamp
  3. Kids on the autism spectrum often have very unique and special interests. Ask about them and cater gift-giving to their interests (trains, Legos, origami, drawing, etc.). Be sure to get clarity on items they may already have within sets or collections.
    1. Shashibo cube
    2. Light-up transparent car (great for sensory seekers, might be overwhelming for sensory avoiders)
    3. Maze puzzle
    4. Gears play set
    5. Crunchy slime set

From Carly: Plan your holiday outfit moodboard

The holiday season can be tough to plan, but your outfits don't have to be! Here are some tips for putting together Christmas and NYE looks you'll be confident in:

  • Pick a vibe to match the occasion/venue. Example: For NYE dinner and drinks, consider a fun skirt or dress with tights and knee-high boots. Lean into sequins if you're feeling wild!
  • Stick to a small color palette. It's ideal to keep your look to three colors. Just like our designers do with your projects, use color proportions for a balanced look: 60% dominant color, 30% secondary color, 10% accent color.
  • Choose one item to style around. If the mound of discarded clothes is growing from outfits not working, try picking one piece you're super stoked about wearing. From there, use the 60-30-10 rule to build the rest of your outfit.
  • When in doubt, go monochromatic. 9 times out of 10, this method works. Add fun accessories to make it look intentional, not lazy. You'll look polished and ultra chic!

Always remember: Look good, feel good!

Carly Vavra, Account Coordinator

Food & Drink

From Ashton: Pfeffernusse cookies (peppernuts)

Peppernuts, also known as pfeffernusse, are Christmas in cookie form for me. Every year, my grandma kicked off the holiday season by baking what had to be a million of these tiny, spice-packed cookies. Now that she’s no longer with us, I’ve happily taken up the mantle to keep her beloved holiday ritual rolling (one teeny cookie at a time).

These little guys are a traditional German treat, especially popular in communities with strong German Mennonite roots. They’re small-but-mighty: nut-sized, full of cozy holiday flavor, and shockingly easy to eat by the handful. While I think my family’s version is the best, there are countless variations out there that are close, but feature different spice combinations. And yes — they’re a bit of a labor of love. The dough gets rolled into skinny ropes and sliced into tiny pieces; it’s undeniably tedious, but like all the best traditions, absolutely worth it.

From Rachel: Buche de Noel cake (Yule log)

I love making a dessert to share for time with my family during the holidays. Years ago, I was inspired by some of my favorite bakers on The Great British Bake-off to make a homemade Yule log. It seemed daunting at first, but following the recipe from Sally's Baking made it pretty straightforward. 

It was a showstopper and a fun holiday centerpiece on the buffet table. It may or may not have taken several days for my family to finish it off. Cheers to the holidays and to sharing the sweet things in life!

From Nick: Mom's homemade Tom & Jerry batter

At our house, Tom & Jerrys are a holiday staple. We host extended family for Tom & Jerrys and hors d'oeuvres every Christmas Day. Never had one? Think of a it as eggnog's spiced, boozy older cousin — warm, comforting, and perfect for cold winter nights. Make them with brandy or rum depending on what you like.

Get some water boiling in a kettle. Put a couple spoonfuls of batter in a mug. Add a shot of brandy or dark rum, then fill with hot water and stir. Top with a dash of ground nutmeg.

Tom & Jerry batter (makes 1 gallon)

  • Separate 1 dozen eggs into two bowls. Whip the egg whites until stiff and set aside.
  • In a separate bowl, whip 1 lb butter. (For a lighter version, use half a pound.)
    • Add the egg yolks (1 dozen) and whip together.
    • Add 1 32-oz bag of powdered sugar (7.5 cups) and mix.
    • Mix in 1 teaspoon each: ground allspice, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, vanilla extract.
  • Fold in egg whites.
  • Divide into small containers and keep refrigerated.

To serve: Add 2 heaping tbsp batter to a mug. Add 1.5 oz of brandy or dark rum (or equal parts of both). Fill with hot water and stir. Top with ground nutmeg.

From Emily: Marinated olives with whipped goat cheese

This marinated olive recipe makes a great appetizer, especially when served with on top of some whipped goat cheese on crusty bread. Check out the recipe and enjoy!

Ingredients:

  • Kalamata and castelvatrano olives
  • 2 cups olive oil
  • 3–5 cloves garlic
  • 2 lemons
  • Rosemary and thyme
  • Goat and marscapone cheese
  • Honey
Emily Larson, Account Executive

Preparation:

  1. Place a colander in your sink and eyeball the right amount of olives for your jar. I use a 50/50 mix of kalamata and castelvatrano olives — do what your heart tells you.
  2. Peel the garlic cloves and and give them a good smash to release their oils.
  3. Peel thin slices of lemon zest.
  4. Roughly chop herbs and mix everything together in the colander until evenly distributed.
  5. Pack the jar and top with olive oil, ensuring everything is covered. Let sit at room temperature for 24 hours or more for optimal flavor.
  6. Serve atop whipped goat cheese (blend goat cheese, marscapone, lemon juice, a little garlic, and some honey) and eat with crusty bread. Enjoy!

From Jade: Allergy-friendly "Crazy Cake"

As a proud food allergy mama, my #1 holiday hack is the legendary "Crazy Cake" recipe, ensuring everyone can safely celebrate! 

This ingenious chocolate marvel, invented during the Great Depression when ingredients like eggs and milk were scarce, is a fun conversation starter with a heartwarming history. It uses no dairy or eggs, and is naturally free of peanuts, tree nuts, and sesame, making it the ultimate inclusive dessert for your holiday table.

From Carly: Irish coffee

The holidays are all about festive hot drinks! While most people reach for cocoa, mulled wine, or a hot toddy, my family loves to warm up with a cup of Irish coffee. A distant cousin from Ireland taught us how to make it a few years ago, and it’s become a family tradition ever since.

Sláinte to you and yours this holiday season!

Carly Schultz, Senior Visual Designer

Ingredients:

  • Freshly brewed coffee (we like a dark roast)
  • Jameson Irish Whiskey
  • Heavy whipping cream
  • Sugar

Tools:

  • Glass mug (any mug will do, but it looks pretty in glass)
  • Metal spoon or bar spoon
  • Shot glass or jigger

Preparation:

  1. Fill your mug ¾ way with coffee
  2. Stir in 1–2 teaspoons of sugar, to taste
  3. Stir in one shot (1.5 oz) of Jameson
  4. Now the fun part! Float 1–2 tablespoons of heavy cream on top of the coffee mixture. To do this, turn a metal spoon upside down at a 45 degree angle above the surface of the drink. Slowly pour the heavy cream over the back of the spoon. This leaves a nice layer of cream on top that mixes perfectly with the coffee when you take a sip!

From Deirdre: Latkes (potato pancakes)

No Hannukah celebration can be complete without latkes (aka potato pancakes). As a gift from me to you, here is our family latke recipe, perfect for Hannukah, or really any time of year because they're just so irresistible!

Ingredients:

  • 6 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • Vegetable oil
Deirdre Nuebel, Associate Visual Designer

Preparation:

  1. Peel and grate potatoes and onion. Let stand for 10 minutes. Wring out excess liquid using a clean dish towel (you may need to do this in a few batches).
  2. Stir in eggs and add other ingredients
  3. Heat pan to medium. Drop approximately 1/8 cup of the potato mixture (depending on how large you want your latkes) into a well-oiled frying pan. Fry on both sides for a few minutes until golden-brown.
  4. Remove from heat and rest on paper towels to drain off oil.
  5. Serve with apple sauce or sour cream.

Tips: Use a food processor to grate the potatoes and onion. Use two frying pans to streamline the process and minimize the oil burning.

Reheat in the oven at 325° for 10–15 minutes until heated through.

From Alex: The ultimate Taco Bell order

Tired of cooking all holiday season? Need a quick bite in between holiday shopping? Try my Taco Bell tips. 

You'll find plenty of good recipes on this page, so I thought I'd do something a little different. Here are 5 steps for the perfect Taco Bell order:

  1. Order a Beefy 5-Layer Burrito as your base.
  2. Remove the beans (not my thing).
  3. Add rice and chipotle sauce. Feel free to toss in any other preferred mix-ins like onions, pico, or (my wife's favorite) extra cheese!
  4. Substitute ground beef for chicken or steak.
  5. Get it grilled! Heat everything up and get those flavors melting together.

And there it is: your new go-to Taco Bell order. You can thank me later. Feliz Navidad!

Alex Munce, Associate Motion Designer

Travel Tips

From Ty: Where to spend a South Dakota Christmas

I get to do something a little unique when I go home for the holidays. My parents run a game ranch and guest lodge called Prairie Sky in Veblen, SD. I recommend it for holiday getaways.

It’s nice and secluded with plenty of room to run, a bison herd, and amazing pheasant hunting. The star-gazing at night without light pollution is also second to none.

Ty MacConnell, Senior Motion Designer

From Brett: Fall adventures in Arizona

If you’re looking for a getaway during the fall season, Arizona is a hidden gem. 

This past October, my family and I spent a week hopping from the deserts of Phoenix to Sedona’s red rocks, then on to Flagstaff’s charming streets, and even caught the aspen trees at their peak at the Arizona Snowbowl—which was absolutely stunning! The Grand Canyon was a highlight: we walked ten miles along the South Rim in perfect weather with epic views, and without the usual crowds. Arizona in the fall is pure magic!

Brett Hanes, Art Director

Check out a few highlights from our family's fall trip to Arizona. Put AZ on your list for a great fall destination!

Music & more

From Dafne: Slow-light playlist

I gathered a selection of songs that feel right for these slow-light months, all made by friends and friends-of-friends, and always in rotation at my house. I hope they bring you a little warmth in this colder stretch.

Dafne Sagastume, Senior Visual Designer

From Michael: iPhone portrait editing pro tips

Hey friends! For the holidays, I wanted to share tips for creating better photos from your iPhone. Here's a demo of me editing a portrait with just the native Photos app. I think anyone with a phone has what they need to take a great portrait!

The best tip I have for photographing portraits outdoors is to put people in the shade of a tree and have them face the light (rather than the tree itself). Being in the shade gives a consistent light across the subject, and you are able to brighten up your subject/model in the edit! Check out the video tutorial below.

Michael Mazourek, Associate Director of Motion

Here's how I edit a portrait on iPhone to look professional without feeling over-edited:

  1. Shoot in the shade and use Portrait mode for a natural background blur. You can also adjust the f-stop (depth effect) after the fact.
  2. Apply the Studio Lighting preset and adjust the intensity for a more well-lit subject.
  3. Tweak exposure, brilliance, highlights, shadows, and contrast to balance the background with the subject.
  4. Increase vibrance and decrease saturation to balance the colors. This makes colors pop without making skin tones look artificial.
  5. Increase the warmth and slightly adjust the tint for a golden glow and natural-looking skin.
  6. Apply a Vivid Warm filter at a low intensity and add a very subtle vignette.

From Cortney: Your holiday soundtrack

If you’re anything like me, the holiday season deserves the perfect soundtrack — equal parts nostalgic charm and fresh cozy vibes. To keep my favorite classics feeling special, I like to sprinkle in a few “palette cleansers” along the way: songs that aren’t explicitly holiday-themed but still match the mood and magic of the season.

So here’s a curated playlist from my home to yours — a little merry, a little bright…with a twist. Just shuffle, press play, and enjoy. Cheers and happy listening!

Cortney Carmody, Director of Account Service

From Maddie: A rant about "Last Christmas"

Last, but certainly not least... Unfortunately, this isn’t the fun holiday tip or useful resource my colleagues have chosen to share with you all, but this is important to me.

I need you to understand that “Last Christmas” is the most overrated Christmas song of all time. 

Listen, I love the holidays. I love holiday music. And I’m not generally particular about it! “Santa Baby”? Sure! “I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas”? A classic! I’ve even been known to bust out the occasional Elizabethan Yuletide madrigal number. (I went through a phase in college.)

The only holiday song I will skip every time is “Last Christmas,” and here's why...

Maddie Mack, Associate Director of Content

Things it’s not about

  1. It’s not about Wham! They’re fine artists, and their original version of the song ('80s synth and all) is better than any of the many, many, many covers.
  2. It’s not that it’s melancholy. Lots of my favorite holiday songs are a little sad or wistful. “Blue Christmas,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth” — all bummers, to varying degrees. So that’s not it. 
  3. It’s not that it’s a popular song. This season is for nostalgia and familiarity. I feel no need to get all hipster and underground with my holiday playlists.

I think my problem lies almost entirely in the lyrics of the chorus. Maybe even the first half of the chorus. 

It’s about the words.

First of all, the first actual words you hear of the song ARE the chorus. There’s no intro, no verse — just some light vocalizations and then right into the chorus. A fascinating songwriting choice, but we’re talking about the lyrics here. 

Last Christmas, 
I gave you my heart. 

This is fairly straightforward from a metaphorical standpoint. Our point-of-view character is communicating that they “gave their heart” to another individual the previous Christmas. We can safely assume this was in the form of a declaration of love or some other act of romantic vulnerability rather than the literal gift of a vital organ. Moving on —

But the very next day, 
You gave it away. 

Here’s where the song starts to lose me. From a narrative standpoint, romantic betrayal on Boxing Day is certainly possible (and unfortunate), but if we’re to understand that the aforementioned gift of a heart was actually a declaration of love or faithfulness, how can that be “given away?” Was that love transferred to a different person? How can you “regift” affection? 

I can imagine it means the original recipient made a choice that showed they did not value the giver’s vulnerability and attention.

A single word change could make that clearer: “But the very next day, you threw it away.” Does it roll off the tongue as easily? Maybe not, but it’s a more understandable continuation of the metaphor. The love was discarded. There you go. 

Here’s where I get even pickier: The lyrics feel lazy. (George Michael, I’m so sorry.)

Like many writers, I’m familiar with good ol’ Rhymezone.com. If you look there for a rhyme for the word “day,” the fourth recommendation is “away.” (The second is “way,” which is almost the same thing.) The simplest of rhyme options. Compared to the lyrics in the rest of the song, the chorus feels like someone just said “eh, that works.” 

I don’t like it. And I’m cranky now because I made myself listen to the whole song twice while writing this, just to make sure I wasn’t overreacting. I’m not. It’s not an enjoyable experience. 

Let’s end on a lighter note.

I could go on. I could talk about how many times the chorus shows up in the song (so many). How some of the other lyrics are also a little convoluted or questionable. How the song itself is at least thirty seconds longer than it needs to be. 

Instead, I will wrap up my contribution to this landing page by saying that while I may not enjoy “Last Christmas,” I truly love “This Christmas.”

My gift to you (along with my warmest wishes for the holiday season) is this video of Patti LaBelle performing “This Christmas” at the 1996 National Tree Lighting. (The cue cards with the lyrics are wrong. Her background singers are missing for most of it. She’s adlibbing and riffing like the powerhouse professional she is. It’s amazing.)

Happy holidays!


Thanks for being part of our year!

You made our year a little brighter, and we're sure glad to be your pals. Here's wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season and a great new year.

Cheers,
– The Lemonheads