Holiday Gift Guide for the Dolly Parton Fan

{This year, I’ve decided to do something a little different. Rather than typical blogger gift guides — we all know that you can get Diptyque candles at Nordstrom if you care to spend that much for them — I’ve put together a set of gift guides that speak to the interests of HerKentucky fans. Some links will generate nominal affiliate income at no cost to the reader. All opinions are, as always, my own.}

Y’all know I love Miss Dolly Parton. Chances are, there’s someone on your holiday gifting list who does, too. Here are some great pieces that any Dolly fan would love to add to their collection.

From top left:

1. Draper James What Would Dolly Do? Sweatshirt. I have a few pieces in the DJ Dolly collection, and they always draw so many compliments! (Draper James)

2. Find Out Who You Are and Do It on Purpose Cross Stitch Pattern: I love this. In fact, I plan to stitch it for my nieces’ bedrooms.

3. Dolly’s 50th Opry Anniversary Hatch Show Print. I actually have this; a dear high school friend picked it up for me at the show. It is so beautiful and detailed in person!

4. Pocket Dolly Wisdom. Take Dolly’s best sayings wherever you go.

5. Dolly Vintage Tee. Pretty much everything in the official Dolly Parton Store on Amazon is amazing. This tee comes in pink; go ahead and order yourself one, too!

6. 1978 Dolly doll. I had one of these when I was a kid. Trying not to order myself another one to display in my office.

7. Dolly Ringer Tee. Pop Art shots of 80s Dolly.

8. It’s Hard to Be a Diamond in a Rhinestone World cross stitch pattern. Stitch this up for anyone who knows the value of integrity and hard work.

9. Hatch Show Print repro: A great reproduction of show art from an early Dolly show.

10. (no photo) A stay at the Dollywood resort. Obviously.

Happy holidays, y’all. Here’s to selecting fewer and more meaningful presents this season!

Maker's Mark Bourbon Balls

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In my family, it isn't Christmas until somebody makes a batch of bourbon balls. This recipe, passed down from my Great-Aunt Marie, is the only one that will do. Because the bourbon isn't cooked down, the candy retains the taste of the bourbon used. I think it's pretty important to use a rich wheated bourbon like Maker's Mark to retain the sweetness of the dough. Bourbon balls made with a rye blend bourbon (think Early Times or Old Forester) tend to add a bitter note.

This yields between six and seven dozen bourbon balls.

• 1 to 2 cups good bourbon whisky (I use Maker's Mark)

• 1 cup chopped pecans

• 1/2 to 1 cup whole pecan halves (optional)

• 1 two-pound bag of powdered sugar

• 1 stick butter, softened

• 2 bags Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate chips

• paraffin wax

1. Place 1/2 to 1 cup of chopped pecans in shallow bowl. Pour Maker's Mark over nuts, immersing completely. Cover and let soak 12 hours to overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pecan halves in shallow pan and toast lightly for about ten minutes.

3. Cream butter in stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Combine bourbon-pecan mixture with just enough powdered sugar to form a stiff ball. Refrigerate to let stiffen slightly.

4. Roll dough into small balls.

5. In double-boiler (or a sauce pan placed over a cooker full of boiling water), add a third to a half a bag of semisweet chocolate chips and a small shaving of paraffin wax (no more than 1/4 cup). Heat until just smooth. Dip dough balls into the chocolate mixture. The key is to coat them quickly and make small, frequent batches of melted chocolate.

6. Place bourbon balls on wax paper to cool. Top each with a toasted pecan half, if desired. Results are better if you leave them to cool at room temperature rather than in the refrigerator.

5 Christmas Sweaters That Aren't Ugly

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'Tis the Season for Ugly Christmas Sweater Parties. I'm sure that most of y'all have been invited to a party or two where the dress code called for hideous holiday knits. Here in Louisville, there are so many ways to show the world that you have terrible taste in Christmas attire. Garage Bar is hosting an Ugly Sweater Brunch this Sunday, Hilltop Tavern and Maker's Mark are throwing an Ugly Sweater Party (with prizes!) next Wednesday, and there's even an Ugly Sweater Run tonight, if that's your jam.

As for me, I like my holiday knitwear to run a little more toward pretty and non-ironic. I like to stick with vintage L.L. Bean Sweaters or pretty knits paired with neutrals. Here a few great Christmas sweaters that will take you through the next week of holiday parties in style.

Sweater via Talbots.

These Ralph Lauren corduroy leggings are seriously THE BEST for pairing with boots and oversized sweaters. They're so comfy and yet give you such a polished look. I LOVE mine!

This Lands' End Supima cotton cardigan adds holiday flair in an understated way. It would be just perfect paired with a pretty skirt and tights.

Image via Lands' End.

This Vineyard Vines Snowflake Fair Isle Turtleneck combines the season's snowflakes with some lovely neutrals.

Snowflake sweater via Vineyard Vines

This would be great with winter white leggings and neutral boots for a comfy yet sophisticated holiday look.

Talbots seriously knocked it out of the park with their holiday line this year. How cute is this sequin fawn tee?

Pair with black jeans and booties for a casual, festive look.

I've already told y'allhow much I love Fair Isle sweaters. This Brooks Brothers Red Fleece sweater is perfect for casual get-togethers with distressed jeans and duck boots.

Happy Holiday Styling, y'all, and just say no to the ugly sweater!

A Good Enough Christmas

The Greatest Christmas Card Photo of All Time.

This post first appeared on HerKentucky in 2012; today felt like a nice day to repost it.

I like perfection.

If things are in their place, we're all happier and more productive, right?  Why have a bookshelf when you can have a color-coded bookshelf? And, if every tree is perfect, every serving dish is perfectly chosen, every decoration is perfectly spaced, then we'll all have the happiest Christmas ever, right?

Well, at least that's how I've always seen it. In my head, the holidays take on a Martha Stewart meets Southern Living meets Pinterest air of forced perfection. I want things just so, damn it. I choose a color and a theme for each holiday season, and I like to stick to it. My Christmas cards match my tree which matches the presents. It just looks so nice that way.

This photo is about Love. With a Capital L

This weekend, I was putting up the tree when I realized I'd spent a full hour fluffing branches and positioning lights. To be fair, the tree looked amazing but, you know, there still weren't any ornaments. And then I undertook the Great Wrapping The Ribbon Around the Tree Incident of 2012. We shan't speak of it.

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Plenty.

My beau, God bless him, often tries to gently remind me that the holidays can never be as perfect as I envision them. Every day of December can't look like the L.L. Bean catalog, he reminds me, and every day (much to his delight and my chagrin) doesn't come with a Michael Bublé holiday soundtrack. And all I do is wear myself out trying to make it so.

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That's my grandpa on the far left with the sweet bowtie.

Recently, I was going through some photos of Christmases at my great-grandparents' house. They had six kids, including my paternal grandmother. By all accounts, Christmas was a big crazy party with lots of  family, food, and fun.  As I looked at these pictures, it didn't stand out to me that they didn't have a ton of money. It didn't matter what people wore or what dishes they ate from. They looked... happy. They were genuinely glad to be with each other on Christmas. It wasn't forced or overproduced. It was a holiday with family. And that was enough.

Now, I'm not exactly going to give away my beloved Spode Christmas china, nor am I taking down any of my many themed trees. But, this Christmas, I am going to try to slow down and enjoy the season. People and memories are more important than the perfectly decorated cookie. Maybe happiness is good enough.

Old Christmas

One of the holiday traditions that's stuck with me from growing up in Eastern Kentucky is the idea that January the 6th is Old Christmas. I'd always heard that it's the day you take your Christmas tree down, the day that the Magi arrived and, that, curiously, farm animals could talk on Old Christmas. It was always referred to as a custom that the old folks had followed; an old story among Appalachians of an era past.

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Image via Dave Berry Photography.

Of course, this celebration refers to Epiphany, or Twelfth Night, the day on which the Magi arrived. The celebration actually predates the observation of the Feast of the Nativity, and is known to have been observed as early as 380 A.D.. The observation of Old Christmas was brought to the Appalachian Mountains by Scotch-Irish settlers; traditions that sprung up around Old Christmas included the idea that animals could be heard to pray and the superstition that anything you lend to someone on this day will never be returned.

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Adoration of the Magi, Sandro Botticelli

So many old traditions and old linguistic patterns were still evident in the Appalachia of my youth. I try to keep a little bit of that by holding on to my Christmas decorations until Old Christmas. I haven't heard any cattle lowing just yet, but maybe someday...

HerKentucky's Holiday Wish List for your Favorite Kentuckian

For our final HerKentucky Holiday Gift Guide, here are a few of the best ways to show Kentucky pride.  These are great gifts for your favorite Kentuckian, or even to treat yourself!

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Hand-Embroidered Kentucky Pillow from Uncommon Goods. Such a gorgeous way to celebrate the Commonwealth

Bourbonware Rocks Glass. A seriously sophisticated way to drink your bourbon.

Andrew Jackson shirt, Kentucky for Kentucky This shirt makes me laugh. Bob and I each have one.

Shop Local Kentucky Buffalo Plaid Shirt. These are dropping just after Christmas. I'm trying to decide if I need the Blue or Red plaid. (Or both)

Maya Brenner Designs Necklace. This necklace is an amazing gift. I wear mine all the time, and get so many compliments. Sarah Holland has the version with a diamond over her hometown of Paducah, to nobody's surprise! :)

Kentucky Necklace from The Prickly Pear. This is so fun and unique. It reminds me of the iconic "Carrie" necklace from Sex and the City, and it's inexpensive enough that you can go ahead and pick one up for yourself.

Kentucky "Home" Shirt from The Home T. The Prickly Pear has sizes from baby onesies to adults. These are great for expatriates, locals, and basically anybody who loves the Bluegrass State.

Weep No More, My Lady Letterpress Print from The Old Try. What a charming way to add Kentucky Pride to your office or den!

Pottery Rowe Bluegrass Garden Kit from A Taste of Kentucky. Everything you need to grow a little Kentucky Bluegrass wherever you'd like. I think this would be amazing for your favorite homesick Kentuckian!

Our friends at Bourbon Ware have graciously offered a rocks glass to one lucky HerKentucky reader. Enter below using the Rafflecopter widget.

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

German Butter Cookies

One of my favorite holiday traditions is making Christmas cookies.  My favorite cookie?  A delicious butter cookie (although shortbread is a very close second).  When I was a child, my family would make butter cookies during the Christmas season.  My mom would make the dough; my dad would roll the dough out, and my brother and I would press the cookies.  Then mom would watch while they baked. 

This year, I wanted to share this recipe because this is the first time that I have made the dough myself.  I rolled the dough out, and I pressed cookie with cutters that I used as a child.  It brought back so many good memories, but I also made new ones.

When these cookies are still warm, you can put jelly on them and make a cookie sandwich.  My mom prefers them this way, but I prefer the single cookies.  Use any jelly you love!  We were going to use strawberry rhubarb, but I am a horrible daughter and forgot the jelly.

German Butter Cookies

Makes 36-48 cookies (depends on the shapes and sizes)

• 2 1/2 sticks butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

In another bowl, mix dry ingredients together and whisk until combined.

1. Once the butter and sugar are creamed, add eggs and vanilla, beating until light and fluffy.
2. Slowly add flour mixture and mix until just combined.
3. Allow dough to sit in the fridge overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 350.
5. Roll out dough until about 1/4 inch thick; cut cookies out of dough.
6. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges just begin to turn golden.
7. Cool for 1-2 minutes on a cookie sheet and then transfer to cooling racks.
8. These can be eaten plain, with jam sandwiched in between, and/or with powdered sugar.

Does your family make Christmas cookies?  Do you have a favorite?  If you're still looking for that perfect cookie, head over to this Christmas cookie recap for some ideas!

Jennifer is the chef behind the website, a girl eats world.  Head over for more Kentucky Proud recipes!