Photo by Alena Zadorozhnaya
It’s time for another edition of Holly’s Favorites! I’ve noticed that there’s a common theme going this time around with my favorites and that’s comfort. I guess that’s appropriate if you read my last post because this is the time of year that I really focus on Hygge.
Roku Stick
We gave up cable television several years ago. Don’t think I’m totally crazy. I love my television so I didn’t give up my favorite shows, I just changed how I watch them. We stream nearly everything now, although I do have an old-school antenna in my living room and bedroom so I can catch live tv on occasion.
Between me and the boys, we pay for Netflix, Paramount Plus, Hulu, Apple+, and Disney Plus and Philo. Now, full disclosure, if I paid for all of these services then I would probably be paying more than I was when I had regular old cable. I pay for a couple of the subscriptions, and each of the boys pay for a couple so it’s fairly reasonable this way.
The great thing with streaming subscriptions is it’s basically ala carte television. You can look at each streaming service and decide which ones have the shows you want to watch. They also don’t lock you into year-long contracts so if you really wanted to play the frugal game, you could always choose to pay for one streaming service for a month or two and then switch to another one for a month or so.
So what do you need in order to stream? Smart tv’s are all the rage right now and great for streaming programs. If you still have a working “dumb” tv though, there’s no need to shell out a couple hundred dollars on a Smart tv. There are several devices you purchase fairly cheaply, such as a Roku, an Amazon fire stick, Google chromecast, or even some gaming consoles.
The Roku stick is my personal favorite device to use for my dumb tv. It plugs right into the HDMI port. The remote control is very user-friendly for any streaming service I’ve used. Another great benefit with the Roku stick is that it’s portable so if you’re traveling and are worried about missing your favorite shows, you can throw the stick into your suitcase and hook it up to a tv when you get to your destination.
New Favorite drink: Iced Chai Tea Latte with brown sugar
I know, I know, this probably terribly unhealthy but it sooo good if you like sweet drinks. My favorite barista at the Barnes and Noble cafe turned me on to this and now I’m hooked. Try it for yourself and see what you think!
Favorite hot tea: Constant Comment or Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Sunset (tie)
I couldn’t decide between these so I listed them both. The Constant Comment is a black tea with orange rind and sweet spice.
The Hot Cinnamon Sunset is pretty much just what it sounds like, a hot cinnamon black tea. I like to mix this with my Keurig chai tea lattes for a special treat.
Hallmark Christmas Movies
I can’t believe I haven’t included this on my favorites yet. I get a lot of flack about my love of Hallmark Christmas movies but I don’t care. They are completely predictable and cheesy and yes, for the most part you’re going to see the same 10 actors and actresses in most of them but I still love them. There is so much nastiness and negativity on tv and, let’s be honest, in the world right now so if I can get a chance to watch something lighthearted and kind then I’m going to.
I’ll be honest, I do think they overdo it with their Prince and Princess story lines though, lol.
There you go….just a few more of my favorite things. Feel free to share some of your favorite things with me. I actually started this theme because one of my favorite bloggers, Andrea Dekker, does something similar.
