The December Edit

What we wore, baked, listened to, and loved this month. Plus, a Big Salad-themed Connections puzzle, just for fun!

Joanna Goddard and Kaitlyn Teer

Dec 22, 2025

Hi! How’s your week going? Welcome to our final issue of 2025!

This month, we sent four Big Salad issues:

Freddie brought up marriage, and there’s one question I’m stuck on
My holiday wishlist, including brass candlesticks and delicious chocolates
A genius way to make parties easier
The best *everything* of 2025, 14 friends share their top discoveries

In January, we’ll be back with fun issues on making friends as an adult, home upgrades on a budget, and three more women who changed careers (as a much-requested follow-up to our first career change post). We can’t wait to discuss all things design, style, relationships, and life with you next year. xoxo

Beauty: “I got back into using an eyebrow pencil and remembered what a huge difference they make to your whole face — somehow you instantly look more polished and awake.” — Joanna Goddard, Big Salad founder
Holiday rituals: “I love joining friends for their religious traditions, and inviting them to ours. We recently hosted people for a tree trimming and cookie swap, and last night we went to our friends’ house to light the menorah and eat latkes and brisket. Such a warm and cozy time to come together, especially when it snows.” — Joanna

Playlist: “Last year, at our holiday party, I put on this playlist that my daughter Opal’s friend Maggie, made for me. She comes from a musical family and has excellent taste in music. It’s timeless.” — Odette Williams, cookbook author
Party trick: “Showing up with a bottle of Amaro Nonino and the ingredients to make Paper Plane cocktails. That’s how you start a night.” — Odette

Recipe: “I do sugar cookies at Christmas (I can’t deal with gingerbread), and for the last five years, this has been my go-to recipe. It has a teeny bit of almond extract as well as vanilla, which sends the flavor over the top. I usually don’t even add sprinkles because the cookies are so damn good on their own.” — Kelsey Miller, Cup of Jo editor
Winter essential: “This time of year, nothing beats the comfort of a hot water bottle. My kids steal mine on cold mornings, when they wake up and cuddle on the couch. Plus, water bottle covers come in fun styles like stripes, honeycomb, and plaid. If you’re up for it, you can even knit your own.” — Kaitlyn Teer, editor

Fun socks: “Our former colleague Caroline always wore sparkly socks at the time of year to work. They looked so cute peeking out under her jeans! I've been doing the same with these.” — Maureen Heffernan, partnerships director
Pic: “This isn't a rec, but my son, Connie, is every mom by the end of December.” — Maureen

Inspired by Freddie, who is sending me a custom Connections puzzle every day until Christmas, I made a Big Salad-themed Connections puzzles for us, just for fun!

Click here to play.

The novel that Kate Baer couldn’t put down
A terracotta pomegranate that emits scent for months
The prettiest stationery that a friend gave me as a thank you gift
The hair product that changed my hair (and now I love this one)
Blurring primer that my bff Gemma says “gives a flawless candlelit glow”
A splurgy wool jumper that Ali LaBelle says is worth it
The Turkish enamelware brand that chef Samin Nosrat collects
Comfy, cool pants that Catherine Newman wore on book tour

Here, Big Salad readers share their winter traditions…

January hike: “I’ve always gotten the New Year’s blues, so a few years ago, I started going on a hike on January 1st. Being outside clears my head and makes me look forward to the year ahead. Last year, several friends joined me for a picnic in the mountains near Seattle.” — Marisa (photo, above)

Going to the movies: I make it a point to go to the movies with friends. Most recently, I saw Hamnet with two of my closest girlfriends, one of whom lives two hours away and took the train into the city so we could see it all together (and clutch each other’s arms and weep all over each other). Nothing like a good sob with friends. — Kelsey Miller

Candlelight: “As soon as the early darkness creeps in, I decorate my house with luminaries. I’m a hobby ceramicist and made votive holders [above]. I fill them with electric tea lights on timers that pop on at 4 p.m. and off at 10 p.m., as a reminder to head to bed. I love their soft glow.” — Ellen

Snowshoeing: ”We have a tradition of snowshoeing on Christmas Eve morning with our Bernese mountain dogs and stopping along the way for hot chocolate!” — Mindy

Said Hunter Harris on Freddie Brought Up Marriage, But We're Stuck on One Part: “Never clicked a notification faster in my LIFE.” Adds Melanie, “We celebrate creativity everywhere except in how we design our households. It’s time to trust that deep love and nontraditional living can absolutely coexist.”

Says Rachel on The Best *Everything* of 2025: “Wearing Adidas firebird pants right this second and I am unabashedly proud of myself to be like Catherine Newman in some small way.”

Says Karen on Joanna’s Holiday Wishlist: “Years ago, I was on my own for the holidays. I figured I didn’t need a tree, since I didn’t have anyone to share it with. But three days before Christmas, I said to hell with it and got one from the grocery store — a teeny one to lug home on my own. I decorated it with lights, and it was the loveliest little tree and a good reminder that even if your holiday doesn’t look how you hoped, you deserve sparkly lights and a dreamy little noble fir, if that’s what your heart desires.”