Photo + installation by Urs-P. Twellmann, via Visualize.

It is now officially the most wonderful time of the year! We’re big fans of Christmas over here. The team here at The Nouveau Romantics are all up for some adventures, whether we’re sticking close to home or heading far on some road trips. Here are some of our plans:

Image via HGTV of the Biltmore Estate at Christmas. Hooray!

Liz // We’re heading east, at least all the way to Brevard, North Carolina with my husband’s family for an impromptu road trip — although, let’s be honest: it’s really so that our two dogs and my sister-in-law’s beagle-lab Miller can all meet for the first time. We always have to travel to another place, and leave our respective canines at home, so this year we’re picking a beautiful middle ground, staying in this amazing cabin via Airbnb, enjoying the hot tub and view, and getting in some amazing hikes with the whole family. We’re a 45-minute drive to Asheville, which means that we definitely will be making a trip to see the Biltmore decked up in her Christmas finest! Not to mention eating our way through that town’s incredible food offerings [no surprise there!] and Bon Appetit’s Eat Like an Asheville Local guide looks pretty perfect. That being said, all the ladies in the Lewis clan are big fans of holiday decor, and while we’re traveling light, that doesn’t mean that we can’t bring some easy festive cheer indoors! I’m looking at this simple DIY Branch Stocking holder, as well as these simple glass bottles with holiday branches, or a Holiday Still Life with a pine branch from Martha Stewart, and even the perennial favorite of popcorn garlands while we’re watching holiday movies. A little goes a long way to make wherever you are feel a little more festive, and foraging or making these are most of the fun!

Hannah // I’m looking forward to spending a low-key, relaxing Christmas in Austin. Food is very important in my family, so while I still haven’t started Christmas shopping, I have started planning what I am going to cook. My husband’s family always has prime rib and yorkshire pudding for Christmas and it’s a tradition I’m happy to continue. This year I am going to try Gourmet’s classic recipe for Prime Rib Roast with Red-Wine Sauce. I have been wanting to make Jacques Torres’ famous chocolate chip cookies for many years. Packed in parchment paper and wrapped with red and white bakers twine, they would make adorable favors for guests to take home. What’s more perfect for Christmas Eve than milk and chocolate chip cookies? We probably won’t have a white Christmas in Austin, so I’m going to create some snowflakes of my own with these adorable salt dough snowflake ornaments from Katy Elliot’s blog.

Caitlin // I’ll be making the 16-hour drive from Austin to Peoria, Illinois, with my boyfriend Houston and our two pups. Midwest is best! I’m definitely looking forward to seeing friends and family that I haven’t seen since LAST Christmas, thrifting for cozy sweaters and other goodies, and eating my favorite Peoria foods (Rhodell Brewery beers! Falafel burgers! Kitchen Cooked Chips!). As far as celebrations go, every year for “Friends-mas” at my friend Steve’s house, I make some sort of centerpiece and decorate the mantle. This year I might go all out and attempt a DIY of these Winter Shadow Boxes from Terrain, as well as incorporate lots of festive decorations, like this gold leaf pine cone garland or these pine garlands from Country Living. I also really hope it snows so that I can get a good winter hike in, as well as watch my husky pup, Lemmy, experience it for the first time. I already can’t handle how cute that will be. It just wouldn’t feel like the holidays without a little snow!