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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