O Christmas Tree

Update 12/30/2013:  Giveaway has ended!  Winner is comment #1 left by Denise!  Congratulations!  Post with official results and instructions on how to claim your prize over here.

O Christmas Tree!

While Christmas sugar cookies are pretty much taking over my kitchen right now, I do still have a few other things on the schedule.  This week it was two Christmas tree cakes.

Rather than decorating them both exactly the same (they were for a holiday auction event), I opted to go two different routes.
There was this traditionally decorated tree:

And this take on the "beribboned" look:

I apologize for the color in this photo; it had gotten dark on me, I'd lost all the natural light - the reds and greens were much more vibrant in person.

So, which tree do you like best?

Oh, and since today's post is Christmas tree centered, how about a gift?  Or at least a chance at winning some goodies?  Because you should be able to find a present under the tree, right?

Well, in honor of the holidays AND that this December marks the third year that the blog has been in existence, I've got both a birthday gift and a Christmas gift for one lucky winner.

Here's what one lucky winner will get:

• 1 - "Flavours" glass chopping board from Joseph Joseph (photo above); each "paint chip" is colored and labeled to a corresponding food - i.e. lemon curd, Merlot, chocolate.  Super fun and it will go with any decor.  Plus, since it is a toughened glass, it is odor and stain resistant.  Aside from these cutting boards, Joseph Joseph has some other really fun, innovative kitchen items - I especially love their "Elevated" line of utensils - so check them out some time.
• 1 - $25.00 gift card to cooking.com.  This way you can get yourself a little something special or have some extra to put towards a big something special.  And, best part, the decision of what "something special" to get is all yours!

I'll let the lucky winner decide which is the Christmas gift and which is the birthday gift.  (Note:  you will receive these after Christmas, so don't plan to include them in your gift/re-gifting strategy).

So, how do you enter?

Leave a comment on this post (only comments on this post will count as entries) sharing your favorite holiday movie.  Is it How the Grinch Stole Christmas?  It's a Wonderful Life?  Home Alone?  Maybe something newer to the line-up?  Be sure to leave a moniker (i.e. nickname) of some kind with your entry, so that I can identify you as the lucky winner.

Entries will be open until Monday, December 30, 2013 @ 12:00 pm CST.  Winner will be selected using the Random.org true random number generator and will be announced Tuesday, December 31, 2013.  Be sure to check back to find out if your the lucky winner and for instructions on how to claim your goodies!

Oh, and can I just say a great big "Thanks!" to those of you who read the blog.  I really do appreciate you putting up with my ramblings.  

Good luck!

P.S.  What's my favorite?  I'm old school as you can tell by my suggestions, so the Grinch wins it for me.  Though it has to be the animated version with Boris Karloff as the Grinch...anything else just won't do.

**Disclaimer:  I am not in any way affiliated with Joseph Joseph or cooking.com, nor did either company provide the prizes or ask me to say nice things about them.  They don't even know who I am.  I just wanted to share some fun gifts with my readers in honor of the blog's birthday and Christmas.