Resolutions for a Happy New You!

The definition of a resolution is: the firm decision to do or not to do something. If you do nothing - you are guaranteed 1 thing - NOTHING will happen.  This concept is the inspiration for my next blog topic, 30 days of...Resolutions.  The resolutions I offer will NOT include the typical ones most people choose to repeat every year, such as: losing weight, reducing alcohol or nicotine consumption, or cutting back on spending. (read the actual success rates from these resolutions)

The ideas I offer will make a difference for yourself, your family, for others and ultimately - for the world!  But don't do nothing - DO SOMETHING in 2009! The new ideas will begin on January 1st.

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Gift #30 - Breaking Bread and Sharing Time

This is the last gift giving idea featured in my blog, 30 days of.....  For those last minute shoppers or holiday parties you are rushing off to, stop by Panera Bread and pick up a loaf of their holiday bread.  It is sweet and hearty, filled with apples and cinammon.   

Or you can stop by Trader Joes and pick up a box of the Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint JoJo's, and a container of peppermint hot chocolate from Williams Sonoma.  These decadent cookies only come around for the Christmas season and are so good and plenty that each cookie counts as 4 pts on the weight watchers diet.  

And if you enjoy baking and still do have time, packages of homemade cookies, breads, or haystacks are a welcome and affordable gift.  Check out the great ways to package them and buy the materials at Michaels Craft Stores.  

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Gift #29 - Blankets

Give Warmth

In this chilly weather a blanket is the perfect give to give.  At The Company Store there are plenty to choose from (and you can monogram them as well.)

For kids, teens, and adults, a personal blanket will stay with them through the years.

For the grandparents, have the grandkids picture made into a blanket.  Sears is one of the many places that can take a picture and turn into a beautiful piece of art to hang and enjoy or to wrap yourself up in.  

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Gift #28 - Reservations

Make a reservation at their favorite restaurant and give them the menu as the gift to unveil the surprise. There are two restaurants in Southern California worth an annual visit. The Beachcomber at Crystal Cove serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. The restaurant is set in remote Crystal Cove with quaint historic bungalows which are available on a first come, first serve basis.

In Fullerton, California,  The Summit House replicates an English Inn and consistently earns the reputation for friendly faces, cozy rooms and cheery firesides.  The Inn Keepers of the Summit House are inspired by this custom to create an hospitable place where friends can meet to eat, drink and delight in the views of North Orange County's countryside. Someone at your table must get the prime rib meal served with traditional Yorkshire pudding, cream corn, cream spinach, and topped with horseradish scooped by your server. 

Whatever restaurant you choose to give, download their menu from the restaurants website and give it along with a bottle of wine.  

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Gift #27 - Massage

So many of us work on the computer, stand up all day, or have mental stress that causes us to be tied up in knots.  Help your friends and family relieve those knots with the gift of massage.  As a designer, my neck and shoulders get all tied up, but the Homedics Neck Massager with heat relieves the pressure.  There are over 30 different types of massage tools to relieve specific areas such as foot spas, back massagers, and high end chairs to sit in.  (See all at Homedics)

Not sure if the person might have one of these machines? Then giving an hour massage with professional hands, slow music in a relaxing spa, will surely make them the happiest.  *At the spas they sell neck pillows ($17) that you put in the microwave to heat.  These are a great gift that travel well and are great at relieving some stress, naturally.

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Gift #26 - Tickets

Tickets!  Anyone got tickets?  A great gift to give to family or friends are tickets.  Tickets to a sports event, concert (see Elton John and Billy Joel perform their Face2Face Tour), or my favorite - plays.   

Local playhouses have season passes such as the Laguna Playhouse Theatre. You can choose a package of plays to attend throughout the year. Start a new tradition by seeing a play every year with someone special.

Ice shows and Circuses are great events for kids to see and experience. Check out the Live Dinosaur Experience. The show is available at many venues across the US and sells out fast.  

Tickets are a great gift, and although they can't use it right away and the price is sometimes steep, 

the experience is a memory to cherish. 

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Gift #25 - Games

Do you want to play a game?  There are so many to choose from nowadays due to the mediums in which we can play on.  My favorites are the games the entire family can play.  Starting with the traditionals, Password (also available on DVD), Yahtzee, Scrabble and Sorry. (These should be a staple in everyones home.)

For the trivia, sports or movie buffs in your family, SceneIt and Trivial Pursuit are great games that have special editions and updated versions sold every year.

For the new Wii players and entertainer wannabes, RockBand 2, will be released in January.  You can download songs to play that everyone in the family knows, versus being limited to what RockBand 1 offers.  Shaun White's Snowboarding is a great gift for teenagers, whereas Mario Kart is perfect for ages 6-60.  

What are your favorite games not listed here?  I am always looking for new ones.

As a hostess gift, pick up a set of TABLE TOPICS and help the conversation along at the next dinner party.

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Gift #24 - Nature and Nuture

We need food to survive so why not give the best there is.  

Harry and David has the most succulent pears, tasty treats, and decadent chocolates (Have you ever tried their Moose Munch?)

Purchase a fruit of the month club for your parents or grandparents - they come in 3, 6, 9 or 12 month packages.

Trees and plants need food and love to survive and are a perfect gift to give to a nature lover. Jackson and Perkins sells beautiful azaleas, wreaths, gardenias, and decorated trees.

If you want to order either of these for the holidays, December 17, is the last day to get them.  

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Gift #23 - Pajamas

PJ's, Pajamas, Nighty - whatever name you prefer, sleepers are always a great gift to give to someone of any age.   Sending a Pajamagram is the easiest way and the styles and fabrics are plentiful.  Right now the value couldn't be better with the specials they are offering for the holidays.  So give a pair of PJ's to a child, a friend, a father, a sister, or a niece -because everybody needs to sleep.  

Another idea:  How cute would this be for a holiday card photo?

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Gift #22 - Lessons

All of us are a work in progress and until we are no longer here, we can always learn more and do better.  So why not have fun and give a lesson to somebody.  Golf lessons are especially helpful for dads, husbands, and grandpas.   Music, instrument, or art lessons are great for kids who are figuring out "who they are going to be."  And if any of you husbands and wives want to rekindle your romance, dance lessons are a way to spend time together, closely. Check out your local city, college, and newspaper guides for the best way to learn a new skill.

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Gift #21 - Candles

Candles are a great gift to give and Illuminations is the place to shop. (Currently they are offering 50% off on most holiday items.) If you want to give a holiday candle, try the Christmas Tree Scent  or the Cinammon Scent. To be safe, the Vanilla Scent is always pleasant and goes with decor all year long. Check out the new scented candle called Cookie. It makes your home smell like you just finished baking and is completely "calorie free."  

A new candle as well as a new home business opportunity is Scentsy.  

They have no wick, no flame, no smoke and no soot. Some of their fragrances are Sangria, Mediterranean Spa, Herb Garden, Vanilla Walnut and Cinammon Cider.  Have a holiday party and try them out!

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Gift #20 - Beauty

Mac Cosmetics comes out with the best gift sets around the holidays. Many times they are sold out before Thanksgiving, especially the exclusives at Nordstrom, but the variety of sets they offer feauture the latest trends in colors or classics every women needs.
Visit Mac Cosmetics to view the newest collections of brushes, lipsticks, and eye shadows. Also, to find out exactly how to make your face look professionally "made-up", see these various styles and look radiant for your next holiday party.

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Gift #19 - Tools for Cooking

When you have the right tools, everything is easy!  This rule especially applies to cooking or baking.  

Put together a gift for the cook in your life of unique utensils or high end tools. Cutco makes knives that are built to last and the knives make cutting and chopping a breeze.  The entertainment pak shown has the BEST carrot/potatoe peeler on the planet!  It is worth every penny and comes with a lifetime guarantee.

For the baker, give a Silpat Mat along with a big Cookie Shovel. It is the best and easiest way to make cookies or roll dough. Try this Santa Sugar Cookie Recipe as seen on the Martha Stewart Show.

Another great gift is Ceramic Pie Dishes.  They transfer from

freezer to oven to table.  No more need to buy Marie Calendars Frozen Pot Pies, make this Chicken Pot Pie recipe ahead of time and keep it in your freezer. Then on a cold, frosty night, pull it out, bake it and enjoy this all-time favorite comfort food. To purchase or learn more about these items, visit the websites below.

Silpat Mat

Ceramic Pie Dishes by Emile Henry

Cookie Shovel

Cutco Entertainment Pak

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Gift #18 - Nativity Calendar

Give a Nativity Calendar to your nieces or nephews for the holidays. You can make one yourself or purchase one of many styles. My favorite ones to purchase are from Pottery Barn.

They have a personalized house as shown to the right, or a large felt tree that is a great decoration for a wall.

To make it really personal, make one yourself from felt and personalize all the ornaments for the family.

My mom made one for us (left) when our daughter was born and filled it with things she was interested in (horses, trains, etc.) As the kids get older, we sometimes wrap cash. This makes them want to open and decorate the tree first thing in the morning. (Tip - Velcro dots help to keep the ornaments in place.)

A menorah calendar is another idea you can make for families who celebrate Chanakah. Kids simply put a felt "light" on the tip of each candle on every one of the 8 days.

Either way, a nativity calendar (advent Calendar) is something a person will bring out every year and remember.

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Gift #17 - Piggies and Paws

Capture the size of little hands and feet (piggies and paws) and turn it into art you can hang in your home for the holidays, if not all year long.  This company, Piggies and Paws, will paint your childs feet or hands onto a canvas.  Then, you choose from over 100 designs ranging from animals to football helmets and the artist will embellish it to look like the image you chose.  You receive the artwork back with a complimentary mat, ready to frame and give.  This is a unique gift anyone will love.  If you have many children to imprint, Piggies and Paws has designs for that too.  We did a flower vase as a gift for grandma with 5 grandkids hands turned into flowers.  The company does not show many designs on the website, so in order to see all of the examples they offer, a rep must be called out to your home or you can host a party with your friends (recommended).   Other designs I have had created were a Santa Claus, an angel, a Jimmie Johnson Race car, a USC helmet, and a bunny rabbit for Easter.  All of them were given with love and many are up for display all year round.

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Gift #16 - Something to Hold

Give a custom designed purse to a woman in your life who loves rich, luscious-feeling fabrics, great designs and unique gifts.  A new business, B's Purses, allows you to design your own purse, diaper bag, daughters purse, tote bags, etc.,  online.  The best way to see and feel the fabrics is to host a party and invite your friends. But take it from a person who adores texture, great quality and design made easy, (me) the purses are worth every penny. Gift cards are available as well.

Pictured left is the design module the website uses to design your purse. B's purses make it so easy and functional, the only difficulty will be making up your mind.

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Gift #15 - Coffee

The experience of sharing coffee, hot tea, or a warm cup of cocoa with a friend or loved one on a cold day is one of the perks we Americans have.  Mostly becuase there is a Starbucks on every corner.  Starbucks sells the tumbler you can personalize with pictures or free art-available here.  Put a gift card in the center of a cup and serve with a bag of coffee beans and you have a great gift for someone who loves coffee.

But if you really want to splurge on the person and have them remember you every morning they sip from their cup, check out the new Krups/Nescafe (pictured left) coffee maker at Sur la Table.  You can make single servings with a different flavor for the whole family.  They are so delicious and easy to use, especially the hot cocoa for the kids.  

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Gift #14 - Exercise

Everybody needs this gift, but it is up to the person to use it.  If you have a person in your life who is an avid runner, tennis player or yoga doer, a cute new outfit is always welcome. Otherwise, you can give the latest trend in exercise for the year which is a foam roller, a Tracy Anderson workout video, or a jumprope.  

Foam rollers are a great way to stretch your leg muscles before a run or after a workout.  It is a pilates tool that is strenuous and "painful" to use at first, but over time, the foam roller will become a necessary part of your daily routine (even if you don't work out.) See the workout at YouTube.com - the IT band stretch is the best!

TracyAnderson is the trainer whom Gwenyth and Madonna hired to get their bodies in top shape.  Her method is both fun and intense. This is a great gift for the person who has the motivation to work out from home. She also has a post pregnancy video that is supposed to be phenomenal for getting abs rock hard.

Lastly, iTunes/Nike has some great workout imix's that are inspiring. Simply download it to your ipod or burn it on a CD. So far, my favorite is Serena Williams Spontaneous Speed. It is a 27 minute run that I have worked up to finish in 3 miles. 

(this is partly due to the foam roller as well.)

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Gift #13 - Personalized Stationary

The internet and email has changed the way we communicate, however most people still utilize the USPS and the old-fashioned hand written notecards to communicate.  For those in your life who don't "trust" bill pay, or who have the grace and time to write a personalized note, make them return address labels and a set of cute note cards.   Check out the many designs of note cards at Barnes N Noble by Crane & Co.  Monogramming the notecards makes this gift even more personal. 

Speaking of communicating, our kids now "NEED" their own cell phone and calling cards are a great gift to give to this latest group of gabbers.  You can design your own by buying AVERY label calling cards or utilize a stationary website.

The card to the left was designed at Designhergals.com for a 12 year old girl who just received her new cell phone and email address. Order now to take advantage of the sale (25% off everything) they are offering for the holidays.

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Gift #12 - A Mothers Bracelet

Every woman loves receiving jewelry and she especially loves her kids. What better gift to give than a personalized bracelet with her child's name or initials placed in the bracelet.  Local jewelry artists in your area can put together a design for you, or you can try making one yourself if you are crafty. 

However, at SavannahsTreasures.com, you can simply choose from the many designs and place your order. 

Pictured above is a grandmothers bracelet with the initials of 5 kids and their birthstones placed throughout.  This is a gift any mom will treasure.

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Thanksgiving Craft

I just adore this idea and wanted to share it with you. As your guests arrive, they write down what they are thankful for on a feather. This becomes a centerpiece for your table. Hopefully it is not to late to put together for your family to enjoy. Until then, you can find the directions for this at parents.com.

What you'll need

9 in and 4 in Polystyrene Ball

Dark Brown Yarn

Light Brown Yarn

Felt squares in colors - Orange and Red

Real Feathers

Google Eyes

Wood Skewers

Good Glue

Construction Paper

How to make it: Cut a 1-inch sliver off the bottom of a 9-inch polystyrene ball. Wrap sphere neatly in thick dark-brown yarn, covering surface completely; knot on side. Make a 4-inch ball from light-brown yarn and attach to body with a wooden craft stick. Create simple facial features using felt: white circles (approximately the size of a quarter, with 1/8-inch pom-poms for pupils) for eyes, yellow triangles for the beak, and long red felt teardrops as the wattle. Cut feather shapes from colored craft paper and bend in half lengthwise to create seam. Glue wooden craft stick to the bottom third of the feather and insert in a fan shape on turkey body.

Post pictures of your thankful turkey on our fan page.

Or Download this picture and tag your friends on each feather telling them what you are thankful for about them.

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Gift #11 - Cocktails Anyone?

A great gift to give for the holidays is the fail safe bottle of wine or bottle of booze.  However, why not make it personal with a custom designed Lolita glass and recipe card to go along with it.  These martini glasses come in a beautifully designed box and on the bottom of every glass is a recipe for a martini.  There are over a hundred designs to choose from for every occasion or personal interest.  Put a recipe card in the glass, get a bottle of their favorite gin, some great olives, make sure they are over 21, then shake, stir, pour, drink.   

Enjoy!

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Gift #10 - The Movies

Put together a movie basket complete with tickets, popcorn, candy and drinks.  Or purchase a Netflix account for a family member.  The cost is as little as $4.99 a month and the person just needs internet service.  I set up the account for my parents and put their favorite movies in their "queue."  Netflix has no late fees and you can't beat the convenience of the return and delivery. Netflix also introduced digital downloads straight to your television.  You do not pay per download, just your monthly fee. We have been members for over 3 years and there is no better way to catch up on the television series you hear about, or get the latest releases for you and your kids. This is a great gift for teenagers, grandparents, or an entire household who loves movies.

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Gift #9 - Hats

Buy a HAT for someone.  Hats are an item that people don't necessarily go out and buy until they need it.  But there are so many hats that accessorize outfits, shade us from the sun, or show off our favorite team, one can never have to many.  

For kids under 5, these reversible hats work great for days to the beach, the baseball game or the park.  The traditional baseball cap is always a great option, especially if you know the team the person roots for.  For the winter, kids need a snow hat to cover their ears.  All of these hats are available at hats.com.

For women, hats are getting fun and so cute.  I just got back from New York in which I bought a few very stylish ones from the street vendors.  Buy one for a friend.  It is an inexpensive personal gift she will be sure to love.  

Lastly, for the man who has too many hats to ever wear in one lifetime, a hat organizer or hat washer makes a great gift.  And every year there is a championship in some sport - its a perfect way to get something you know he will love showing off and talking about with the boys! (not the hat, the championship)

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Gift #8- The gift of Survival

What about giving a gift you hope the person NEVER actually has to use?  An emergency kit filled with supplies for that "major disaster" moment we all fear.  Many families have one, but many of these items become ineffective or spoiled with time.  In addition, every car should have an emergency kit and your home should have at least one kit per family "member." 

The Red Cross has many resources for you to review on the necessities that would benefit us in the case of major disaster.  Put together a basket filled with these items.  People who could use it:

a college kid moving out, a teenager getting a new car, a teacher, a grandparent, every family member, a new mom, a new dad, EVERYONE.  Bring one to a holiday party you are invited to as the elephant gift - it is way better than the poker chip set I happen to get stuck with every year. In the meantime, Be safe!

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Gift #7 - Recipes

It is time to take those recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation and share them with your loved ones. Order a recipe box as shown (right) available at cooking.com. Then label, stencil, or paint on "Cohn Family Recipes." (of course use your own last name)

Mother and Grandmother didn't write things down.  Now is the perfect time to spend time with them and write down the "egg roll" recipe they only measure by hand.  Cook with them and learn how to make it so your kids can enjoy the experience and memories as well.

Or, fill the box with your favorite desserts, or appetizer recipes.  Make it a holiday recipe box and put the entire meal in it so every year you have it with you.  Make one for your husbands favorite meals. In the morning, ask him to pull a card out and voila, no worries on what to cook.  You know he will love it.  

Happy Cooking!

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Gift #6 - Music

Music is something everyone enjoys. Now you customize your music with iTunes - (download free now) and begin making CD's for yourself with your favorite songs or transfer them to an iPod Shuffle and give it as a gift.  

Shuffles are between $49 and $69. Shuffles are engravable, available in many colors, and if you buy a red one, a portion of the money goes to help others.  Shuffles are the smallest music player Apple sells.  If you are buying for a spouse or a teenager, an iPOD is a great choice.  IPOD's play videos and connect to your home stereo, clock radio and/or car radio, eliminating the clutter of CD's.  

Feel like giving a personal song for someone who has everything? We gave a song to our 92 year old grandparents and 

it was made possible by composer, musician,  Ken Medema.

A custom song costs $150.  You complete a questionnaire, and within 3 weeks, a song will arrive at your doorstep.  We first saw Ken perform at our church.  The miracle of him is, he can compose and write songs just from hearing a story.  They are filled with soul and energy. Although he is blind, he does not lose sight of the meaning of life and his songs portray this.

Give a Custom CD of your favorite songs.  Every year for our daughters birthday party, we give the guests a CD of her favorite songs for the year.  It is a great way to record memories and share them with people.  Kids can color the CD cover, or simply print out labels from your computer with many of the existing softwares and templates available.

Sing out Loud!

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