Lillian Vernon Blog

A Treasury of Fine Gifts Since 1951

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family

Share the Luck ‘O the Irish and Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with Lillian Vernon

  When Irish eyes are smiling, St. Patrick’s Day is probably right around the corner.  What began as a religious holiday in Ireland, March 17th is now a world-wide celebration of culture, religion and folklore…mixed with a bit of buffoonery.  Though St. Patrick is known as the patron saint of Ireland, he was not born Irish.  Originally from England, he became an integral part of Irish heritage, mostly through his missionary ...

Nesting into the Near Year: Foolproof Tips for Starting the Perfect Fire

  Now that the holidays are over, it’s time to get in gear for the new year.  Whether you’re starting a new diet or turning over a new leaf, cozying up to a roaring fire will probably be on your January agenda.  Here are our top foolproof tips to fire things up in just minutes, along with some of our favorite items to keep you comfy all winter.   Four Easy Steps to Starting a Fire   Step 1.  Crumble newspaper sheets ...

Ring in 2017 with a Sweet and Chic Cakes & Cocktails Party!

  Lillian Vernon loves to come up with fun new ways to entertain at home that set the tone of a gathering. Our most recent concept is a “Cakes & Cocktails” theme for New Year’s Eve.  Forgo the confetti, noisemakers, and goofy party hats–plan a pretty, elegant, and sweet evening that all your adult friends will love. Internationally known event planner Sofia Crokos is famous for the magical weddings and events ...

Ladies Who Brunch: Our Exclusive Quick and Easy Quiche Recipe for the Holidays

  Thinking about throwing a quick brunch during the holidays?  Baking a delicious, savory Quiche Lorraine is always a good idea!  A perennial holiday favorite around the globe, especially on a cold, snowy day, quiche is not only delicious, it looks fancy and is super-easy to make.  From our kitchen to yours, here’s a traditional family recipe from Lillian Vernon. Ingredients: 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie 6 slices bacon ...

Christmas is Coming! New Ideas to Spruce Up Your Home for the Holidays

    Whether you’ve already decked your halls for Christmas, or just beginning, it’s always a good idea to combine the old with the new:  Family heirlooms and keepsakes, mixed with fresh ideas for the new season.  When the boxes come down from the attic, take a quick inventory of what you should keep and what needs updating.  Is your tree skirt looking so 10 years ago?  Do you need some festive pillows on your chairs or ...

Let the Games Begin! New and Classic Family Games for the Holidays

      Before Ipads, Play Stations and TV, families actually spoke to one another during the holidays:  they played games, told stories by the fire, and created memories.  This year, after the presents have been opened and dinner devoured, turn off the television and break out some fun family games to get everyone laughing….even the couch potato in your group.  Check out some of our traditional and new games that will ...

Keep it Simple! Entertaining Tips and Gifts to Breeze Through the Holidays

  Set Up a Festive Self-Service Bar at Home -It doesn’t have to be a fancy bar cart, but instead any side table you have handy.  If it has a shelf on the bottom, even better.  And if it’s not in great shape, no worries!  Cover it with a small tablecloth, runner or placemat.  Guests will like to make their drink exactly how they like it, freeing you up to chat and be the best host. -Be sure to include an assortment of sodas, ...

Good Things Come to Those Who Bake! Tips and Kitchen Essentials for Baking up a Storm during the Holidays

From left to right: Custom Glass Canisters, sm, med, lg, from $5.99-$9.99; Santa Holiday Recipe Cards and Flags, by Maureen Anders. Set of 48 cards, $5.99, Set of 64 self-stick red and blue Flags, $9.99; Marble and Wood Cutting Board Set by Mud Pie, $39.99; Domed Acacia Wood Server, $34.99; Mini Trifle Bowls, $21.99 for set of four; Personalized Cocktail Napkins, in a variety of designs, shown here with Snowflake Initial, $24.99 for set of ...

Design and Shine with Five of our NEW and Versatile Gifts for Your Home

  The best designers are experts at seeing things in a new or different way.  Whether it’s simply moving a comfy chair from a corner (where no one ever sits) to the middle of the room, or reupholstering a tired ottoman in a bold fabric, it’s about being creative and thinking of design without limitations.  Many of our exclusive products can be used in various ways, from season to season and in different rooms of the house.  ...

Making a List, Checking it Twice: Lillian Vernon’s New and Personalized Gifts for Children

        The magical season is upon us and it’s time to start thinking about meaningful and creative gifts for the children.  To make this holiday extra special, we have rounded up some of our top new and personalized children’s gifts, from luggage and beanbags, to toys, dolls and customized books.  Shop HERE for gift inspiration for any child on your list.       Whether they’re going to ...

Deck the Halls with Personalized Christmas Stockings! New, Classic, and Fun Designs for the Whole Family, Even Your Pet

      Along with trimming the tree, hanging stockings on the mantle is one of our favorite Christmastime customs.  Folklore tells us that the tradition goes way back to when Saint Nicolas learned about a poor man who couldn’t afford to pay a dowry for his three daughters.  Saint Nic decided to help the man, and took three bags of gold down the chimney of the family’s home. Once inside, he found the girls’ stockings ...

All is Merry and Bright: Introducing Our Personalized, Keepsake Ornaments for the Holidays

  Christmas is a sacred time to celebrate old and new traditions.  Germany is credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition in the 16th century when devout Christians brought trees into their homes decorated with candles.  Some of the first Christmas ornaments were shiny red apples, nuts and marzipan cookies.  It was commonly believed that apples were used as ornaments because of their relation to the winter solstice (the shortest day ...

Oh Man, Why Didn’t I Think of That? The Quintessential Gift Guide for All of the Men in Your Life

        Whether it’s your husband, brother, Dad, teacher or trainer, finding the perfect give for a man in your life is never an easy undertaking.  Well, we are here to help, with a wide array of custom gifts to choose from for the enthusiastic sports fan, an urban trendsetter, the grill master, or even the armchair quarterback.  Personalizing and monogramming lets them know you’ve put a lot of thought into ...

Set a Spooky Stage for Your Halloween Party with Lillian Vernon

      Lillian Vernon loves to celebrate Halloween.  It’s such a festive, family holiday and decorating the house for trick or treaters and costume parties is so much fun!  At Lillian Vernon Halloween Headquarters we’ve got a treasure trove of ghouls, witches, skeletons, and lots of spooky and stylish tabletop decor to choose from.  Check out our recent Halloween photo shoot, featuring some of our best-selling ...

Impress for Less: TWENTY Lillian Vernon Exclusive & Personalized Gifts Under $10!

Whether you’re entertaining at home, looking for that special gift, or getting a jump-start on the holidays, keeping expenses down is always a great idea − but that doesn’t mean you have to scrimp on style!  This season at Lillian Vernon we have put together a dream team of designers and artisans to create 20 personalized and exclusive items that will delight your friends and family…..AND they’re all under ten ...

Explore, Dream, Discover: Eleven Must-Have Gifts for Happy Kids

While we often differ on the ways we rear our children, from how to teach and inspire, to how we discipline and guide, we can all agree on one thing:  We want our kids to be happy!  From the first day, we have high hopes and big dreams for our little ones.  But how do we teach them to not only learn and prosper, but to be happy in the process? In The 7 Habits of Happy Kids, Sean Covey, best-selling author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective ...