My train left at 11:13 p.m., so after checking out of my hotel at midday, I went and found a place to store my luggage in the city.

I also had hours to kill before boarding, so I visited the Senate Square Christmas Market, Temppeliaukio Church, and the Allas Sea Pool — working up a sweat in saunas then jumping in freezing water.

However, I later learned that many of Helsinki's hotels offer a late-night checkout package for these late-night trains. I don't regret my afternoon in the city, but others might prefer a quick power nap before the overnight journey.

My seat was about 47 euros, but the ability to book neighboring seats at a reduced rate was a game changer.

I added the 21-euro upgrade on a whim, but it really improved my experience. At 5-foot-3, I comfortably curled across two carpeted seats and managed to get some shut-eye.

Because I was traveling during peak season, all the carriages were booked. If I hadn't reserved the seat next to me, I would've been sleeping upright like a sardine with a neighbor.

I felt pretty smug being horizontal.

The biggest kicker was the conductor's insistence on keeping the carriage lights on overnight, apparently to prevent pickpocketing.

I get the gist of the strategy, but I'm actually not sure how effective it was for that purpose — everyone just covered their faces with their coats instead.

I'd undertaken a similar rail journey in Sweden last year and slept like a baby in the darkened passenger cabin. The low lighting even allowed me to spot the northern lights from the window. On the Santa Express? No such luck.

Sleeping with the lights on was much harder. In hindsight, I should've brought an eye mask or invested in a private cabin (40 to 160 euros) where I could control the light switch.

I'd been worried about food quality on the train, so I hurriedly ate before boarding.

In hindsight, I didn't need to scarf down an 11 p.m. dinner. The train's restaurant car had an impressively varied menu.

Food service stayed open for dinner until 2 a.m. and reopened for breakfast at 4 a.m. There was a mixture of refrigerated sandwiches, pizzas, pastries, and alcoholic, hot, or soft drinks.

Around an hour into the journey, both my mobile data and the train's complimentary WiFi stopped working.

I'd read other travelers' online reviews, and many people said that this would happen, but I hadn't expected it so early on in the trip, especially since we were still riding past fairly built-up suburbs.

Fortunately, I'd prepared for a digital detox and was carrying a pen and paper to jot down story ideas. Old school? Yes, but I have to admit it really amplified the feeling of adventure.

I'm happy that I snapped a picture of the toilets while boarding, as they looked pretty messy within two hours. It was a shame, as the decor and skylights were quite pretty.

On reflection, the situation wasn't helped by the small sinks — water splattered everywhere with each use of the tap.

Throughout the trip, they were usable but unappealing enough to make you think twice about drinking a coffee too fast.

My ride on the Santa Express was sadly Santa-free aside from the large illustrations adorning the carriage exteriors.

There was no festive dress-up or meet-and-greet on board, but the platform was magical nonetheless.

Carol singers erupted with Christmas songs, and barrier staff exchanged secret grins before allowing floods of giddy families onto the platform in festive Rovaniemi.

The excitement was infectious as I headed toward Santa Claus Village and the remainder of my trip in Lapland.

Whether you're not a baker or just short on time, Trader Joe's multipurpose gingerbread mix is great for making cookies, cakes, bars, and more.

The mix itself is naturally plant-based, and to keep it that way, I use a flax egg and plant-based butter when I prepare it.

In the winter, I rely on Trader Joe's flavorful holiday vegetable hash.

Since the peeling and chopping are already done, I just sauté or roast the mixture of diced butternut squash, sweet potatoes, red onions, celery, parsley, sage, and rosemary before adding it to dishes.

It gives me a headstart on dinner when I'm making stuffing, soup, or side dishes with quinoa and wild rice. The mix also tastes great in breakfast scrambles and burritos.

Sweet meets savory in Trader Joe's seasonal peppermint-crunch popcorn, which mixes dark- and white-chocolate-coated kernels tossed in crushed candy canes.

It's great for a holiday dessert table or a cozy movie marathon, but it also makes a nice host gift.

Sometimes, I'll even add it to a larger holiday snack mix or rice-crispy treats for extra festive cheer.

It's easy to keep my candy dishes full with Trader Joe's gummy Scandinavian Tidings, which come in all sorts of festive shapes.

I also saw a Festive Chaos candy mix this year. It contains bovine gelatin, so it's not vegan, but the rest of my family can enjoy it.

Aside from snacking, these festive bags make excellent stocking stuffers. You can also use them to decorate gingerbread houses and top holiday cupcakes and cookies.

Perhaps the most anticipated product of the season at Trader Joe's is its candy-cane Joe-Joe's.

The peppermint sandwich cookies are great on a holiday dessert board, chopped and stirred into a bowl of ice cream, crumbled on top of eggnog, and dunked into mugs of hot cocoa.

You could even crush them into bits to make an easy pie crust.

The regular candy-cane Joe-Joe's are "accidentally" vegan — meaning they just happen to be fully plant-based. However, the gluten-free version of the cookies may contain milk and eggs, per the ingredient list.

Zesty lemon-stuffed olives are my top pick for adding flair to cocktails, mezze platters, and charcuterie boards.

The citrusy olives are good as a right-out-of-the-jar snack, but I also skewer them on toothpicks alongside vegan cheese and cocktail tomatoes or chop and swirl them into dips.

If lemon isn't your thing, other stuffed-olive options are available, including garlic and jalapeño.

The vegan peppermint mini marshmallows are something I look forward to all year.

Toast and sandwich them between graham crackers and chocolate for festive s'mores, or melt them with vegan butter for a holiday take on the quintessential rice-crispy treat.

For the ultimate seasonal beverage, I like to include them on my hot-cocoa bars alongside plant-based whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

I check appetizers off my to-do list with Trader Joe's frozen crispy vegetable pouches.

The pockets of pastry dough are filled with jicama, taro, cabbage, carrots, onions, and shiitake mushrooms for an elegant plant-based hors d'oeuvre.

They're seasoned with garlic, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, and red chili, adding global flavors to your holiday menu. Plus, they're ready to eat in under 15 minutes.

Click to keep reading Trader Joe's diaries like this one.

The Aldi Finds section of the store has a variety of specialty items year-round, and it didn't disappoint this holiday season.

The section was filled with everything from desserts and snacks to holiday-themed party favors.

One standout was the gingerbread kit, a classic activity during the holidays. Priced at $8.50, it included prebaked gingerbread, icing, and assorted candies for decorating.

Unlike Aldi, Trader Joe's didn't confine its seasonal items to one section. Festive snacks and treats were scattered throughout the store, adding little pops of cheer as I walked the aisles.

However, each item was clearly marked as a holiday special, so they were still easy to find.

I saw that Trader Joe's had its own take on a gingerbread-house kit. It was similarly priced at $9.

If you're looking for a classic Italian treat this holiday season, Aldi has a 26.5-ounce panettone for $6.

The store had a chocolate-chip panettone as well as a more traditional version of the cake with dried fruit.

Trader Joe's had a traditional panettone for sale through its Trader Giotto's line.

The 26.5-ounce cake was a dollar more here at $7, and I only saw one flavor option.

Both stores offered unique seasonal snacks, but Aldi's peppermint kettle corn caught my eye.

I'd never seen this flavor before, so I was definitely interested in trying it out, especially since the big bag was only $4.

Trader Joe's seasonal snacks were fairly similar in price to Aldi's.

I liked the festive twist of the $4 spiced cranberry granola. It was refreshing to see a less common holiday flavor profile.

When it came to beverages, Aldi impressed me with its range of holiday-themed coffee creamers.

I saw peppermint-bark creamer for $2.70, and the almond-milk-based peppermint-mocha creamer was the same price.

Over at Trader Joe's, the standout festive drink was its hot-cocoa polar bear.

The $2.50 chocolate bear melts into warm milk to make a tasty mug of cocoa. I think these kinds of items make great stocking stuffers or smaller gifts, especially for families with kids.

If you're looking to save money on holiday treats, Aldi might be a safer bet. It had a nice variety, and its prices were pretty great — I expected as much from the budget grocer.

However, if you want an overall festive shopping experience, I suggest heading to Trader Joe's. The store really impressed me with its range of unique seasonal offerings.

I'll likely be back to both stores as the season unfolds, but for now, Trader Joe's put me in the Christmas spirit just a bit more.

Assyrtiko, sometimes spelled Asyrtiko, is a white-wine grape that originated on the Greek island of Santorini. However, it has since spread to South Africa, California, and even North Carolina.

I love Assyrtiko because it's high in acid, incredibly fresh, and food-friendly. It can be pretty citrusy on the palate, with notes of guava and minerals.

With its high acidity, it's a great wine to pair with a cheese plate or charcuterie board at a holiday party.

I recently visited Armenia for a wine-tourism conference and fell in love with its white wines. The Asian country, like Georgia, is one of the oldest wine regions in the world, with thousands of years of winemaking history under its belt.

I was impressed by the variety and high quality of wines I tried there.

Armenia is better known for its brandy, but if you find any white wine, grab it.

These wines pair perfectly with the highly aromatic cuisines of Armenia and Iran, and they'll also go well with Thai and Vietnamese food.

Most white wines are made by fermenting the juice, resulting in the pale hue we all recognize. Amber wines, also known as orange wines, are different because they achieve color through skin contact or maceration, like red wines.

Although they're made with white grapes, the result is various hues of amber with unique textures, tannins, and flavors.

This style of wine originated in Georgia, but it is now produced in winemaking regions around the world.

Amber wines are delicious, fun, and sometimes ethereal, so I always look for them on a wine menu at a restaurant or bar. It makes me think the curator there knows what's up.

I always call Chenin Blanc the greatest wine grape on earth — it never fails me. It grows worldwide, but its home is the Loire Valley in France, and there's a high concentration of vineyards in South Africa.

The grape is actually used to make various wines, from refreshing sparkling bottles to dry, sweet, and golden-hued varieties. I love them all, especially a dry, tart Vouvray.

Expect flavors of apples and pear, honey, light tea, and persimmon. These wines are perfect with goat cheese, fattier fish like sardines and tuna, and pasta.

If Chenin Blanc is the world's greatest wine grape, garganega is Italy's best white grape.

The Italian white wine is wonderful and young. As it ages, it evolves from stone fruit, melon, and citrus aromas to more citrus peel and nutty aromas.

The fresh wine has a medium body and is a great alternative to pinot grigio. Try garganega with shellfish and richer dishes seasoned with fresh herbs or butter.

I live near Rome and like to drink locally, so I often reach for wines from my Lazio region of Italy.

Roman cuisine is heavy, so I want a wine that can stand up to the sharp and salty flavors of pecorino Romano cheese. The most popular blends are made from malvasia and trebbiano grapes.

These wines are aromatic, with notes of citrus, tropical fruit, and white flowers, but they're also very acidic and thirst-quenching. I like to pair them with a plate of carbonara.

On my wine tours, I meet many different people with varying tastes — including those who are what we call "ABC" (anything but chardonnay) drinkers.

Many people don't like it, but I think it's a real shame. I love chardonnay so much that I named my dog after it.

The grapes grow worldwide, but their reputation can't seem to shake the overly oaked, buttery California chardonnays of the '80s and '90s.

Those styles still exist, but that's not all there is to the wine. When made well, it can be complex, with notes of lemon, apples, tropical fruits, stone fruits, cherry blossom, orange zest, flint, jasmine, and nuts. There's something for everyone.

Because chardonnay isn't particularly acidic, it can be enjoyed on its own without the need to be tamed by food. However, it also pairs well with soft cheeses, vegetarian cuisine, mushrooms, and fresh herbs.

Disney World is known for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, a ticketed event at Magic Kingdom, but this is the second year for Jollywood Nights at Hollywood Studios.

The after-hours event runs for five hours on select nights and includes perks like short ride times, party-exclusive food, and the opportunity to meet rare Disney characters.

It also requires a separate ticket, but it can be slightly more affordable — Magic Kingdom's event costs between $180 and $220 for adults, and Jollywood Nights goes for $160 to $180.

This is all separate from daytime park admission. One-day, single-park tickets for this month start at about $150.

Universal's holiday tour is a must-do for me every season.

My $100 ticket included five hours with a tour guide, special meet-and-greets, dinner, dessert, and more. It's the only way to meet Santa at Universal Orlando, although he does appear nightly in a holiday parade.

The tour is less expensive than the Disney events, but unlike those, it requires a park ticket — a one-day, single-park ticket costs about $120 right now. Luckily, I have an annual pass, so I was able to use that and skip this added cost.

I also spent time at Universal before check-in to explore some of the holiday offerings on my own.

Getting photos with characters is one of my favorite parts of visiting theme parks, so I was sure to line up for some of the party-exclusive meet-and-greets at Jollywood Nights, like Disney's Duffy Bear dressed as Santa.

However, you don't have to have an event ticket to meet holiday-themed characters. Some characters, like Chip and Dale and Woody, are out in their holiday best all day at Hollywood Studios.

Universal goes full Grinch during the holiday season, with offerings like a Grinch meet-and-greet, a character breakfast with the mean one himself, and the "Grinchmas Who-Liday Spectacular" show.

From sweet treats to merchandise, you'll see the green guy all over the park.

Earl the Squirrel, a Universal character inspired by a real-life squirrel who used to live in the park's Christmas tree, is also a main figure of the season.

There were Jollywood Nights-specific entertainment offerings at my event — like a "Nightmare Before Christmas" sing-along — there are also holiday happenings for daytime park guests.

The popular "Frozen Sing-a-long Celebration" show gets a special holiday revamp, and Santa also greets guests at It's A Wonderful Shop.

There's no greater holiday joy for me than watching the "Grinchmas Who-Liday Spectacular" show, starring the Grinch, every Who down in Whoville, and a real-life version of Max (the dog).

Anyone with a regular park admission can see the Broadway-quality performance, which features songs by Mannheim Steamroller. It runs several times every day throughout the holiday season.

The park also has a special holiday parade that features Dreamworks characters, floats, entertainers, and Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons.

The holiday food at Disney truly can't be rivaled.

I noshed on lots of things you can only get during Jollywood Nights, like kimchi-pimento-cheese dip and tot poutine, but festive foods are available at the park during the day as well.

From a red-velvet holiday shake to a winter-spiced whoopie pie, Disney has plenty of only-seen-at-Christmas foods to try.

Universal has some holiday-themed treats, like Max-shaped cookies and a roasted-turkey-dinner crepe, but I didn't think there were too many options.

If you're looking to really experience delicious festival food at Universal, you'll want to visit during Mardi Gras or Halloween Horror Nights, when the park is filled with stands selling tasty themed bites.

Choosing a theme-park souvenir is tough on any vacation, but it's even harder for me during the holidays.

Almost every Hollywood Studios' giftshop was taken over by Mickey ornaments and cozy holiday sweatshirts. There were also special pop-up areas selling even more festive items.

Like Disney World, Universal goes all out with holiday-themed merch.

This is especially true for the themed lands, like Seuss Landing and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Both "Grinchmas" and "Holidays at Hogsmeade" release fun limited-time offerings this time of year.

Disney goes all out, adorning Hollywood Studios with vintage Hollywood-glam decorations like star-lit lamp posts and sparkly ornaments and lights.

You'll even find fake snow made of soap, dubbed "snoap." It's really beautiful to watch it fall over the decorated theme park without having to feel freezing cold — a win-win.

From the 80-foot tree in the New York area to its Holiday Tribute Store filled with limited-time merchandise, Universal's Christmas decor is truly something to behold.

It also produces plenty of snoap, so you don't have to worry about missing out on that magic.

Disney and Universal hold special places in my heart after years of building family memories in both.

Still, I think Universal is a better value during the holidays since a regular park ticket gets guests way more seasonal activities for their money.

Although I added on the VIP tour and recommend it, it's not actually necessary. Everyone can meet characters like the Grinch and Earl the Squirrel, watch the "Grinchmas Who-Liday Spectacular," and catch the parade.

Disney keeps many of its best holiday activities in its separate, ticketed events, which can be costly, especially if you're also planning on spending the day at the parks.

Trader Joe's eggplant parmigiana sfogliatelle was the first time I saw sfogliatelle, an Italian pastry, used in a savory dish.

I thought the delicate layered pastry would make for a phenomenal texture.

When I baked the appetizer, the exterior became crispy and flaky, and the interior was moist and chewy.

The eggplant pieces pulled apart easily, though the cheesy, saucy filling was a little messy.

They were simple to make in the air fryer, and I thought they looked more elegant than anything you'd expect to come from the freezer aisle.

I wasn't sure if I'd like Trader Joe's figgy cheddar because I usually prefer unadulterated cheeses. However, I decided to give it a try.

The fig flavor gave the cheese a subtle hint of sweetness, and the rum (in which the figs were marinated) contributed a light, pleasant spiced note.

The cheese paired well with the chili cracker from Trader Joe's scalloped cracker trio, as the sweetness of the fig complemented the spice.

This pack of Trader Joe's mini quiches comes with two flavors: uncured bacon with sweet onion and Swiss cheese with mushroom.

Out of the package, I thought they looked promising and perfectly portioned.

The mini quiches were surprisingly moist.

I especially liked the version with uncured bacon and sweet onion, because they had a nice smoky flavor.

My wife preferred the mushroom-and-Swiss option, but that one was a touch too mushroom-heavy for my taste.

Lasagna is a holiday staple for the Italian-American half of my family, so I had high expectations for Trader Joe's family-style meat lasagna.

At first glance, the components of the baked lasagna were oddly distributed — all the meat sauce was on top of the noodles and the bottom layers were solely pasta and ricotta.

Luckily, there was plenty of sauce to spread around.

I wouldn't be able to pass it off as homemade, but it was good enough to buy for my family of four again.

However, if the Italian side of my family finds out I'm praising a store-bought lasagna, I might not be welcome at the next party.

If there's one thing I could tell from Trader Joe's shrimp pouches of many colors, it's that food in various hues is always better than boring old monochromatic options.

My 3-year-old daughter squealed with delight and insisted on trying each color when she saw these festive dumplings.

I pan-fried my shrimp dumplings so they'd be crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.

The dumplings weren't anything super special, but they were still pretty good and fun to look at.

I'll likely serve these as an appetizer this holiday season.

The label for Trader Joe's Brie en croûte listed all sorts of ways to gussy the thing up — like dolloping raspberry preserves or red peppers and pine nuts on top.

I went for the most basic preparation.

On its own, the pastry-wrapped Brie didn't look like something I'd want to put out for guests.

But when I sliced into it, all the molten Brie came cascading out, and I was reminded that cheese is delicious.

I thought the Brie paired perfectly with the flaky bits of pastry.

Many people eat crackers straight from a box, but I usually prefer them crumbled into soup or used as a vessel for a spread.

Though these crackers come in rosemary, red-chili, and garlic flavors, my family wasn't exactly thrilled to try Trader Joe's scalloped cracker trio.

The crackers were a bit thicker and less crunchy than the kinds we usually like.

That being said, they were heartier, and I could see them holding up on a charcuterie tray, especially if dipped into an antipasto spread.

Trader Joe's fried olive bites looked like a simple variation of jalapeño poppers.

When I air-fried them, a lot of the cheese filling oozed out onto the appliance's tray.

I expected a full olive stuffed with cheese, but these were more like breaded and fried cheese-filled balls of olive tapenade.

If you truly love the flavor of olives, this is the appetizer for you.

The label on Trader Joe's holiday hash suggests using the mix of diced butternut squash, sweet potato, red onion, and celery in soups and stuffings.

I sautéed the hash to use as a side dish.

The holiday hash was tasty, thanks to the sage's assertive flavor and the squash's sweetness.

However, the slightly mushy hash didn't look the most appetizing, and it even turned off my squash-loving son.

Still, I could imagine it being a time-saver if I was making a wintertime stew.

As a porchetta lover, I had high hopes for Trader Joe's uncured bacon-wrapped porchetta pork roast.

Per the instructions, I roasted the pork at 500 degrees Fahrenheit until the bacon was browned and crispy.

This was supposed to take 25 minutes, but the bacon didn't seem that crispy even after 30 minutes in the oven.

I still followed the instructions and lowered the temperature to 325 degrees, as I feared I'd scorch the thing.

I enjoy rosemary, but, in my opinion, too much of the herb was stuffed into the pork.

The meat tasted best in a sandwich alongside the holiday vegetable hash, as the vegetables and bread helped cut the rosemary flavor.

I assumed Trader Joe's cranberry chevre would just be goat cheese rolled in sweetened, dried cranberries. However, it looked like the fruit was also whipped into the cheese.

I didn't find the chevre to have enough of a tangy edge.

It was OK on one of the rosemary crackers from the scalloped cracker trio, but I could also picture it on a sandwich with the porchetta and holiday hash.

I didn't know what to expect from Trader Joe's artichoke bread pudding.

Judging from the label, it seemed like a reconfiguration of stuffed artichokes.

The bread pudding also came in an oven-safe casserole dish.

The oven didn't fix the bread pudding's off-putting appearance, in my opinion.

Taste-wise, it was too heavy and had a strong black-pepper flavor.

It was the type of thing that tasted good on the first bite but was unpleasant by the third.

I wasn't certain if I'd like Trader Joe's Portuguese tarts, which had a filling of bechamel, egg yolks, diced potato, and salted cod.

I tried not to let the "cod custard tarts" label deter me.

We try pretty hard not to waste much food in my household but we didn't even come close to finishing the tarts.

These were a bit like a cream-based seafood chowder embedded in pastry, but they mostly tasted like goopy cod.

Kelsey Hodgson, a perfume salesperson who's been working in the industry for nearly nine years, told BI that gourmand scents — anything that smells like food or drinks — have been trending all year and will continue into the winter.

"There's a very dry vanilla scent that's very popular," they said. "It's very easy, wearable, and very close to the skin."

Hodgson also mentioned that many brands are pushing the envelope with edible scents by introducing bread, milk, and creamy notes instead of just sweet ones.

They recommend Fleur Éclair by Régime des Fleurs for a vanilla scent with cardamom and cocoa notes or Etat Libre d'Orange's Story of Your Life for a fragrance with brioche notes.

Hodgson said frankincense becomes very popular in the winter. For some, it's reminiscent of the nostalgic scent of church incense used around the holidays.

The perfumer told BI that it's a more elevated take on a cozy scent, and it's much richer than a simple vanilla.

Because of this, frankincense-based perfumes are heavier and project more easily through layers of sweaters and coats.

Wood aromas can come across as generic, but Hodgson said they always seem to be on-trend.

Hinoki is having a moment, offering a pine element with clean and fresh notes. Although it's not a heavy wood, its fragrance is almost like an elevated Christmas tree, perfect for the holiday season.

Hodgson likes Jo Malone's Hinoki & Cedarwood Cologne Intense, which combines frankincense and hinoki, and Hinoki Fantôme from Boy Smells.

Agustine Zegers, an olfactory artist who founded Agar Olfactory, enjoys darker botanical scents, such as poisonous herbs and frozen peatland, that almost have a witchy quality.

The perfumer recommends Hemlock by Quartana Parfums, which mixes notes of pink pepper, vanilla, crushed leaves, cinnamon bark, and more to achieve a subtle yet unique olfactory experience.

Hodgson told BI that tonka is a trending scent that lies somewhere between the gourmand and wood families.

The bean offers notes of cinnamon, warm cedar wood, and dark vanilla, creating a well-rounded unisex fragrance.

Le Labo's Tonka 25 almost smells like a cashmere sweater to Hodgson.

"It has a really cozy, indulging quality to it," they said.

Although many associate the colder months with the aroma of Christmas cookies and toasty campfires, Zegers recommends looking for scents that harness the "raw experience of winter" with cold, industrial notes.

"Go that kind of unexpected angle and get a little bit of that frigidity," they said.

The perfumer likes Inexcusable Evil by Toskovat, which combines warmer woods with notes of cold rain on concrete.

My first thought upon opening the frosting-filled gingerbread sandwich cookies was, "Wow, that's a lot of cookies!"

Each box held 18 sandwich cookies, which were on the softer side.

I was a little concerned about how the cookies would be texture-wise because the box I picked up had large oil spots seeping through the packaging.

The gingerbread sandwich cookies were a hit in my house.

The cookies were soft, the filling was creamy, and the top had a slight crunch from a sugary coating.

I also thought the cookies had a good balance of spice and sweetness.

I love chocolate-covered pretzels and combinations of sweet and savory flavors.

But I wasn't sure how the pieces of peppermint candy would taste with the salty pretzel slims.

I first noticed a strong peppermint flavor when I took a bite.

Then I got the flavor of the pretzel and a hint of the candy coating, which tasted like white chocolate.

I liked the combination of a thin pretzel and a thick candy coating, as it made for a crispy yet chewy texture that's good for snacking.

The pretzel bites were better than I thought they'd be, but I don't know if I'd grab them again.

As a vegetarian, there are a lot of gummy candies out there that I don't eat because they contain gelatin, so I loved that the Scandinavian Tidings gummies were an option I could enjoy.

In the package, the tree, star, and ornament-shaped candies looked cute.

However, I didn't love the smell of this candy because the scent reminded me of cherry-flavored medicine.

I tried Trader Joe's Scandinavian Swimmers earlier this year, and I think I'd prefer them over the holiday gummies.

I didn't notice a flavor difference between the various shapes or colors of the gummies. They were all chewy with a mildly sweet flavor.

Though they weren't my favorite, my partner really liked them. For that reason alone, I'll buy them again for stocking stuffers.

The shelves at my local Trader Joe's were packed with sweet holiday snacks and desserts, so it was nice to see a savory snack option, the Nuts About Rosemary mix.

I liked that the mix had a good variety, with almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, and cashews.

Rosemary can be a strong flavor, but I thought the nuts had a pretty mild taste.

They were good and not too salty, but I wished they had more garlic or black pepper.

Still, I'd buy the mix again to eat as-is or use as a salad topping.

Earlier this year, I tried Trader Joe's snacky clusters, which has chocolate-covered potato chips, corn chips, and mini pretzel nuggets.

I loved those, so I hoped this snack mix would be similar.

I was excited to try the half-dipped, chocolate-covered potato chips in the holiday sweet and salty snack mix.

When I opened the bag, it seemed like the mix mainly had pretzel and popcorn pieces, which was a bit disappointing.

I thought the pretzels were fine. They seemed like a smaller version of Trader Joe's peanut butter-filled pretzels, but this version didn't have quite enough filling.

The peanuts tasted pretty standard, but I liked the dark-chocolate-drizzled popcorn.

Out of all of the components, the chip pieces were the best. They had a sweet yet slightly bitter taste from the dark chocolate and saltiness that blended well together.

Trader Joe's Danish butter cookies' packaging was too cute to pass up.

I didn't expect much in terms of the flavor, but I liked that the reusable tin housed a variety of cookie shapes.

The cookies were light and crisp, and they melted in my mouth when I took a bite.

They had a subtle sweetness that reminded me of cookies I'd had as a kid.

I don't know that I'd buy these again for myself, but they could be useful in a gift box.

I don't usually eat a lot of popcorn, but I was intrigued by the cinnamon-bun-inspired kettle corn.

I expected it to be pretty sticky and chewy from the flavor coating.

When I opened the bag, I was a bit confused by the smell. The popcorn didn't smell like kettle corn or a cinnamon bun to me.

The kettle corn was light and airy without any of the stickiness, density, or chewiness I predicted it would have.

The cinnamon glaze was strong but not overly sweet, which was nice.

Because this kettle corn wasn't super sweet, I think it'd be good for holiday popcorn balls.

When I walked into Trader Joe's, the big, brightly colored box of Astounding multi-flavor mini pretzels was front and center by the entrance.

The flavors sounded fun and festive: dark-chocolate peppermint, milk chocolate with rainbow pearl sprinkles, peanut butter and candy-coated pretzels with cookie pieces and chocolate gems, and coffee and dark chocolate.

The box contained four smaller bags of each flavor of pretzel. I liked that the flavors were separated, but I wish the bags were resealable.

I had the same issues with the peppermint and dark chocolate pretzels as I did with Trader Joe's peppermint pretzel slims. To me, the peppermint and salty pretzel were a weird food combination.

I thought the milk-chocolate pretzels with pearls tasted OK, but I didn't like the texture of the sprinkles.

The pretzels with the coffee-flavored coating and dark-chocolate drizzle and the ones coated in peanut butter were my favorites.

However, I wish the cookie and candy pieces stuck to the peanut-butter-coated pretzels better. Most of the cookie and candy pieces were loose in the bag.

The Baton Lover's Quartet came in a canister that looked ready to be gifted and included four flavors: chocolate orange, cookies and cream, cocoa, and hazelnut.

When I opened the tin, I saw that each flavor was individually packaged.

I tried the cookies-and-cream baton first and thought it was very chocolaty and tasty. It didn't really taste like cookies and cream to me, though.

I thought the chocolate-orange baton's wafer overwhelmingly tasted like artificial orange, though the chocolate center mellowed it.

The cocoa baton's wafer exterior didn't really have any strong flavor but the filling was rich and chocolaty.

The hazelnut baton tasted more chocolaty to me than anything else.

The texture of all the wafer batons was nice, as the exteriors were light and crisp and the fillings were rich and creamy.

But overall, I didn't love any of the flavors enough to warrant buying the multipack again.

Each year, I eagerly head to Trader Joe's in search of the brand's Jingle Jangle mix.

The container includes a range of milk- and dark-chocolate-covered treats, like pieces of Joe-Joe's cookies and mini pretzels.

I always love to get this mix, eat all the dark-chocolate-covered pieces, and offer my partner the milk-chocolate ones.

The mix was just as delicious as I remembered it.

The Jingle Jangle is pretty rich because each piece has a thick chocolate coating. Due to its intensity, I typically enjoy only a few bites at a time.

One tin tends to last me all season long. I already have my tin for this year, but I already know I'll buy this again next winter.

I was looking everywhere for the Pillsbury holiday sugar-cookie dough, so I was happy to see this item stocked at my Costco.

Each 60-count box comes with precut, ready-to-bake cookies with Christmas-tree, reindeer, and snowman designs.

At my store, the Pillsbury holiday cookies can be found in the refrigerated section for $8.

This month, my Costco has a new premade item: the beef-and-pork meatball sandwich with marinara.

The sandwich, made with artisanal bread, provolone and Parmesan cheese, and ground beef and pork, is large enough to serve a few people. I recommend heating it in the oven or an air fryer to get a nice, cheesy melt.

This meatball sandwich costs $6 per pound, which comes out to about $13 to $15 total. 

The Bayside Furnishings heater could be a great winter addition to your home.

The device has a metal frame, an infrared-heating element, a sleep timer, and three flame colors. At 24 inches wide and just over 23 inches tall, it's also compact enough to fit into small spaces.

This electric heater is $125 at my Costco.

The Shark FlexStyle air-styling and drying system, which allows users to curl, straighten, smooth, or add volume to their hair with less heat damage, could make the perfect gift.

This set includes two multi-style curlers, a diffuser, a concentrator, paddle and oval brushes, a FrizzFighter finishing tool, and a storage bag to keep everything secure.

The Shark FlexStyle system is regularly $300, but at my location, the set is on sale for $230 until December 24.

This month, you can take home your own statue of the Grinch and his dog, Max, designed by artist Jim Shore.

The hand-painted Grinch collectible stands about 20 inches tall and weighs just over 8 pounds. At my Costco, it costs $50.

Costco's holiday-cookie tray is the perfect dish to bring to parties. Each tray contains 60 cookies in chocolate-chunk, brown-butter-sugar, double-chocolate-chip, double-nut, and candy-gem-chip flavors.

Customers can find the holiday cookies in the bakery section for $25.

This month, you can get ready and illuminate your bathroom or bedroom with the Conair LED double-sided vanity mirror — an item that seems to be selling fairly quickly at my Costco.

The model includes a square mirror, an accessory tray, and three touch-control light settings.

At my store, the Conair vanity mirror — regularly $30 — is on sale for $24 until December 24.

If you ask me, the Phantom A10, an electric scooter with a 400-watt motor, is one coolest things at Costco right now.

It has puncture-proof tires, cruise control, a top speed of 15.5 miles per hour, and a Gogo Connect companion app. The scooter is also foldable, so it's easy to store.

The Phantom A10 smart electric scooter is $400 at my location.

This month, my Costco is carrying a variety pack of the Dr. Squatch all-natural bar soap. Each pack contains six bars of soap with two of each scent: wood-barrel bourbon, fresh falls, and pine tar.

I was excited to see this soap at Costco because it's a great deal compared to the prices I've seen at other retailers. At my store, a pack of Dr. Squatch natural bar soap costs about $20.

Costco gets lots of name-brand clothing throughout the year, and this month, my location is carrying the Adidas men's hoodie.

The Adidas hoodies come in blue, gray, and green colors and range from small to 2XL sizes. My Costco even carries matching joggers to complete the outfit.

At my location, each Adidas fleece hoodie is $16.

The broth looked a bit thicker than I usually expect from a minestrone — it really was "hearty." There were also a lot of flecks of what appeared to be seasoning and some big hunks of stewed tomato.

I could tell right out of the package there was less orzo and more carrots than I'd like.

There was a strong, sweet flavor of tomato, but not much to balance it out. It could've used something tangy or spicy, fragrant seasonings, or some more flavorful vegetables.

As I suspected, it also could've used more orzo.

I've noticed several Trader Joe's soups go heavy on the carrots, but this is the only place where the carrots are the best part of the soup.

I could list some things that this soup looks like, but I don't want to gross anybody out. I'll just say it looked very unappetizing gurgling out of the container.

The label said it's high in fiber — and it looked it.

However, it smelled lightly of nutmeg and cloves, which was a pleasant autumnal aroma. 

Like the minestrone, it had an assertive, tomato-y sweetness. Luckily, it was a bit more palatable here with the warm spices.

Unfortunately, lentils tend to be mealy, and the lumpy-grainy texture wasn't very appealing to me. It paired pretty well with the crusty bread — mostly because the bread masked the texture a bit.

I'm not eager to eat the soup again.

I'm not a fan of mushrooms, so off the bat, I didn't expect to like the organic creamy mushroom soup with carrots and kale. 

The soup was also a greyish-brownish color that wasn't necessarily appetizing.

Trader Joe's mushroom soup was a pleasant surprise, in that I didn't mind it all. It didn't taste much like mushrooms, and it had a nice, thick consistency.

It tasted like the most generic, basic version of soup imaginable — sort of vaguely salty and vegetal. If any flavor stood out, it was probably the hunks of carrot.

I wouldn't buy it again, but I wouldn't push it away if it were served to me.

It looked like chicken soup.

Until I filled up a bowl, I actually didn't realize it wasn't chicken-noodle soup, which seems like a far preferable and more filling meal option. There were also a lot of carrots again.

Before I even tried this, I could tell I'd like it better with noodles. 

It was very mild, even by the standards of chicken soup.

There was a good portion of chicken, which I appreciated, and the meat itself was tender. However, in my opinion, the broth was bland and the vegetables were mushy. With bread, I thought it tasted almost indistinguishable from warm, salty water.

It's good enough that it'd certainly do the trick when you're under the weather, but I can't imagine choosing it for a meal when I'm healthy.

Just from transferring the pumpkin-butternut squash bisque to a bowl, I could tell it was thinner and less creamy looking than similar bisques I've enjoyed. 

Nevertheless, the orangish-brown color was appetizing and appropriate for the fall, and the soup smelled autumnal, like nutmeg.

As I expected, the soup wasn't as thick as I hoped.

It was rich with flavor — sweet, with a mild kick of black pepper and some vinegary tang — but I would've liked something a bit more substantive. It almost overwhelmed my taste buds without doing much to fill my stomach.

Luckily, the bisque was better with a spoonful of sour cream stirred in, but I couldn't imagine buying it again.

It was a bit thinner than I want a broccoli-cheddar soup to be — I'm ideally looking for some cheesy goopiness.

However, I appreciated the reasonably large florets of broccoli. Sometimes, elsewhere, the soup feels like it's just made of broccoli scraps. 

The soup was cheesy, but not overpoweringly so. It was smooth and not too rich, which can be an issue for this style of soup. There was also a good texture to the vegetables, especially the broccoli.

However, I felt like it needed an extra kick of some sort, especially when I tried it with bread. A little bit of black pepper served it well.

Out of the container, the chowder was easily the thickest of the soups I tried. Luckily, it thinned out a bit once I heated it up.

There was a subtle seafood scent to it, but it also looked and smelled a bit like white gravy — something you might serve over biscuits for breakfast. 

The chowder wasn't extremely spicy, just surprisingly so from the cracks of black pepper.

There was some ambient clammy flavor in the soup, and the clams themselves were pleasantly tender and tasty, but I wanted more of them. The cubes of potato provided much of the bulk of the soup. 

I liked the look of the lobster bisque.

I could tell it was thicker than most of the Trader Joe's soups I tried, and the bright pinkish-orange color seemed right for the flavor. The visible bits of thyme and black pepper also boded well.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the $5 price tag, there's not much lobster in the lobster bisque — it's mostly there in tiny little shreds that add some texture to the soup.

Regardless, the bisque is very tasty. It's rich and buttery, with the sweet, delicate acidity of sherry wine and savory hints of thyme.

Sometimes, I find lobster bisques a little too heavy, but this one was hearty without feeling overindulgent. 

It was a little toward the pinkish side of the tomato-soup color spectrum, but not nearly as pink as most cream-heavy versions.

The soup was sort of lumpy in consistency, not blender-smooth, and there were small, dark-green bits of basil floating around. 

The tomato flavor was bright and tangy, and there was just enough cream to smooth out the acidity.

The taste of the feta was subtle, but the cheese came across in moist bursts of crumbly texture mixed in with bits of finely diced onion.

The herbs, though visible, weren't especially pungent, but there was a freshness to the flavor that made it the best of the bunch. Plus, it married perfectly with the toasty, crusty bread.

None of the Trader Joe's soups felt especially indulgent or adventurous, and that's OK. People looking for extravagant lunches probably aren't buying soup at Trader Joe's.

Although the taste of the minestrone and the texture of the lentils turned me off, the other seven ranged from fine to very good. 

The New England clam chowder, lobster bisque, and tomato feta will all probably find a place in my lunch rotation.

This story was originally published in October 2023 and most recently updated on December 5, 2024. 

With beautiful beaches and plenty of theme parks, the Gold Coast in Australia's Queensland is filled with things to do.

The Gold Coast has a sub-tropical climate with about 300 days of sunshine a year, so you're likely to encounter optimal weather for outdoor activities.

My favorite activity here was walking the trail from Tallebudgera Creek to Burleigh Heads, which goes through Burleigh Head National Park. I witnessed plenty of scenic ocean views along the way and often stopped to watch the surfers catch a wave.

If chill island vibes, monkey spottings, and melodious insect cacophonies appeal to you, Ubud is the place to go.

One of the top attractions is the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, home to more than 1,200 monkeys. You can explore ancient temples and meet the local long-tailed macaques in their natural habitat.

Just make sure you follow the rules and don't take any food or water bottles with you. I learned that lesson the hard way when one enormous monkey leaped on my backpack, giving me the fright of my life.

Another highlight for me was sitting on our veranda at the Green Field Hotel while overlooking the rice fields at sunrise and listening to the cricket orchestra.

My 8-year-old son and I sat out there one morning for about two hours while everyone else was asleep, chatting and enjoying the sounds of nature around us.

For a nice, easy nature hike, check out Campuhan Ridge Walk. I loved the scenery and took my 4-year-old with me. At one point, we stopped for a rest on the trail, and I looked up to find the biggest spider I'd ever seen lurking right above us — so keep your eyes peeled.

Bonito, which means "beautiful" in Portuguese, lives up to its name. The town is in the southern region of the Brazilian Pantanal, the world's largest tropical wetland. We stopped here on our way from Rio de Janeiro to Bolivia and fell in love with this hidden paradise.

Surrounded by lush forests, Bonito has amazing crystal-clear rivers where you can spot an abundance of fish while snorkeling.

During our trip, a massive thunderstorm rolled in above us when we were snorkeling. Watching the fish dart around underwater as raindrops landed on my back was such an awe-inspiring experience.

When it comes to epic coastal scenery, warm people, delicious food, and historical sites, Cape Town delivers.

One of our favorite spots was Groot Constantia, the oldest wine estate in South Africa. We had a mouth-watering lunch and did a wine tasting before learning about the history of Cape farmers at the Manor House Museum and walking through the grounds.

Cape Town's sun-soaked beaches were also postcard-perfect. The water can be pretty chilly, however, even in the summer. I only dipped a toe in, but if you enjoy a little cold-water therapy, feel free to dive right in.

The Swissgear weekender tote would be the perfect gift for someone who loves traveling or going to the gym.

The versatile tote features sturdy handles, a removable shoulder strap, and a padded bottom compartment for extra storage. The bags come in black, cream, and pink colors. 

Hello Kitty has been pretty popular this year, so I didn't want to miss my chance to get this pillow-and-blanket set as a Christmas gift for my daughter.

Each bundle comes with a Hello Kitty plush cloud pillow and a reversible, 60-by-70-inch polyester throw. This set would make the perfect addition to a kid's or collector's room.

Costco gets great seasonal homeware items, and this year, I'd recommend picking up the Bellevue luxury candle set.

Each pack has four 12-ounce candles with removable labels and metal lids. The candles, which are formulated with essential oils, come in mistletoe-frost, sapphire-cashmere, heirloom-apple-grove, and cinnamon-pumpkin-chai scents.

I like to split these candles up and give them by themselves or with a gift card in a clear bag with a bow.

Buying Christmas presents can be difficult, especially if you come from a big family like mine. Luckily, these Ghirardelli baskets make gift-giving easy.

The gift baskets contain a selection of the brand's popular items, like chocolate-covered pretzels and signature candies. Each set also comes with a resealable tin that can be used for storage.

This year, my location is carrying two basket sets with different combinations of caramel- and chocolate-flavored treats.

This Skullcandy Kilo speaker-and-case bundle can be split into two gifts for the price of one.

The Bluetooth speakers have aluminum carabiners, a durable design, and a 24-hour battery life.

This electric-tool set could be a great gift for a white-elephant exchange or for someone who loves wine.

The five-piece set has two USB-C charging cables, two bottle stoppers, a foil cutter, an electric corkscrew, and a wine dispenser.

I like this set because the tools make it easy to open a bottle of wine and keep it tasting fresh.

This Stanley workbench tool set would likely make any kid happy. The cute set comes with a workbench, different tools, and wooden-birdhouse and forklift kits.

I like this set, meant for ages 8 and older, because it's a great way to make kids feel included when they want to help with adult-level projects.

Slippers are one of my favorite gifts to give, and lately, my Costco has been carrying lots of men's and women's Dearfoams.

The machine-washable slippers can be worn both inside and out, and come in a few different sizes and colors.

This year, I'm getting a KitchenAid stand mixer as a gift to myself.

The bundle includes five attachments: a flat beater, a dough hook, a six-wire whip, a pouring shield, and a flex-edge beater. The stand mixers themselves are available in red and silver hues.

As soon as I saw this charging pad, I knew I had to get it for my husband. It will help him keep everything in one place while charging his must-have electronics.

This charging pad, compatible with only Apple products, can charge an iPhone, AirPods, and an Apple Watch. Its foldable design makes it compact so you can take it almost anywhere. 

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