Hi everybody! How were all my lovers’ holiday weekends? I hope everyone enjoyed themselves as much as I did. Although I have a big deadline for the book today, which definitely meant some last minute scrambling to lay in my hotel room and write my guts out while my family strolled on the gorgeous Carmel beach (rough life), I still had an awesome weekend with the fam and am feeling refreshed and grateful as ever.

FTC Disclosure: While I was compensated by HauteLook to write this post, all opinions are my own (annddd they always are).

Is it just me, or are the four ish weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas actually the best weeks of the whole entire year? The air is buzzing with the charm of the holidays, and people allow themelves to relax a little more than they usually do. Even the busiest of busy humans flock to their hometowns to be with their families, and Christmas music blasts through every coffee shop and grocery store you set foot into.

Maybe it’s just me being a sucker for the holidays because I love everything about them, but this really is the beginning of the best month of all time. There is just one thing I don’t like about the holiday season… and it’s something I really, reealllly don’t enjoy.

(Anyone in my life will vouch for me on this one.)

I freaking hate the soul-crushingly busy, panic-attack inducing, maul-people-down-to-get-what-you-want stores around the holidays. And even worse, malls (kill me now), but I won’t even get into that.

While my whole family walked around downtown Carmel on Black Friday shopping and eyeing potential holiday purchases, I hung back. I stayed at the hotel, ran on the beach, worked on the book and read my laugh out loud funny Lena Dunham book. If you’re not from Nor Cal you probably have never been to Carmel, but just to paint you a little picture: It’s quaint as quaint can be. Tiny, neighborhoody, calm and majorly laid back. It is mainly old people and little kids.

And I still avoided the heck out of Black Friday shopping. That’s the kind of shopper I am.

So, needless to say, Cyber Monday is my JAM and I am going to be shopping up a storm today, via my handy MacBook, filling my cyber carts with gifts and goodies for my sweet friends and fab family.

Cyber Monday Deals // HauteLook + Nordstrom Rack

And because I love you all a whole lot, I’m teaming up with HauteLook to share a holiday gift giving guide with their awesome Cyber Monday FREE SHIPPING deal all day today! (Also, easy 90-day returns by mail or in Nordstrom Rack stores for those of us who like to order everything in sight and then do a few returny-turns when necessary.)

▶▷▸▹ Make sure to use this link when you purchase!

HauteLook & Nordstrom Rack make it super easy because you can toggle between the two websites and check out in a single transaction. You can use your HauteLook login for Nordstrom Rack as well.

I know I am going to be all over this today, and if you are anything like me you will be thrilled beyond thrilled when these gifts come to your door in a few days and you realize how many people’s gifts you’ve been able to check off your list! And, if you’re feeling generous… you might even throw a few surprises in there for yourself. Some items are up to 70% off… so I don’t see the harm in treating yourself a bit. 😉

Here are my picks from this killer sale:

For Your Girls (And Self…):

Beauty & Home:

For the dudes:

▶▷▸▹ Other obsessions this season (both for gifts + for self) that can be found via HauteLook:

▷Faux fur, especially in the form of vests and loose coats

▷Delicate silver jewelry

▷Graphic tees and graphic flowy sweaters

▷Mugs with cute sayings/designs (and when I say cute, I mean artistic and timeless… not cheesy)

▷Chunky knit scarves and beanies

What are your favs?! Do you feel the same way about the holiday-crazed stores as I do? Doesn’t Cyber Monday rock?!