Tag Archives: Christmas gifts

The Benefits of Green Gifting

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Have you heard of green gifting? If you’re crafty and budget conscious, chances are you have been green gifting without the intention of doing so! Green gifting is the practice of using recycled or reused goods to wrap gifts. Gift wrap, and accessories added to your packages, are typically thrown out once the gift is opened, putting a tremendous amount of material into landfills. In fact, around the holidays, gift wraps and baubles account for an almost 25 percent rise in trash volume.

Here are some fabulous ways to green up your gift packages any time of year:

Potato Sacks: remember those burlap bags we used to use for sack races when we were kids? They make great wraps for large gifts. Sweaters, blankets and even quilts can be folded nicely and tucked into a vintage potato sack. Tie with a bit of raffia or twine and you’ve got a wonderfully unique package.

Reusable bags: canvas shopping totes are perfect for holding gifts and can be useful as well! Leave them plain or decorate them with fabric paint, patches or other embellishments to give them a personal touch.

Containers: if the gift you’re giving lends itself to a certain theme, consider a container rather than gift wrap. For instance, if you are giving gardening supplies to your favorite aunt, bundle them into a watering can. Attending a baby shower? Wrap your gifts in a baby blanket! Making the “wrap” a part of the gift is one of the easiest ways to go green.

Recycled paper: if you can’t break away from the traditional look of a beautifully wrapped package, use recycled paper. And don’t forget the tape! Petroleum based tape can’t be recycled so fore go it in lieu of twine or yarn; either can be reused by your recipient.

Reuse paper you have: if you look around the house, chances are you have a ton of papers you can use in place of gift wrap. Old maps, comics, newspaper, brown bags or even brown mailing paper; these all work very well! Dress up your package with twigs, berries, shells or beautiful leaves found in your backyard or on a neighborhood walk.

Tree-less paper: there are several options in tree-less papers available at your local big box store. Look for papers made with banana fiber or recycled papers printed with soy inks.

Green gifting is simply better for the environment. The trend also lends itself to great creativity on your part! Whether you choose to make your wrap a part of the gift or use papers that can be recycled rather than thrown away, you’ll be reducing your carbon footprint one gift at a time.

Being Creative with Ribbons

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Gift giving is a pleasurable experience for everyone. There are few greater delights than watching a beloved friend or family member open a package that has been picked out for them with care. On birthdays, holidays, and other special occasions, the gifts are almost always the main event, but the packaging for the gift can also take center stage with the right amount of creativity – and perfecting the art of using ribbons in your gift wrapping is great way to show off your creative flair.

Ribbons are inexpensive yet charming and come in an almost overwhelming variety of colors and styles. Decorating packages with ribbons is only as limiting as your imagination allows. A traditional way to use ribbons with gift wrapping is to tie the packages neatly, then affix either a pre-made bow or a selection of curls. These are lovely choices, but there are many more unique options that can make your package stand out and can give the recipient the added gift of knowing that you took the time and effort to give them something extra special.

LaRibbons Solid Color Satin Ribbon Asst. #2-10 Colors 3/8" X 5 Yard Each Total 50 Yds Per Package

LaRibbons Solid Color Satin Ribbon Asst. #2-10 Colors 3/8″ X 5 Yard Each Total 50 Yds Per Package

Making your own gift bows with ribbon is easy and allows you to use any color or pattern of ribbon that you can find. There are any number of tutorials available online for different types of bows you can make, or you can purchase a bow making device. These can be found at craft stores and are fairly inexpensive, yet very useful. Bows can be as large or small as you like and can be made with one type of ribbon or several. Bows can serve another purpose as well; with only the addition of hot glue and a hair clip, the package decoration can double as a gift unto itself.

Personalizing ribbon is easier than most people think. With just an inkjet printer, some transfer sheets, and a hot iron, any grosgrain ribbon can turn into a mini-photo album. First choose the ribbon. Solid color ribbon that is at least 1.5 inches wide works best. Select a number of images and, with a photo editing software program, size them so that they will fit on the ribbon of your choice. Follow the instructions on your transfer paper and before you know it, you can have a package decoration to rival any filmstrip. This works for well for any occasion, but can be particularly meaningful with going away gifts or, using ultrasound images, for new babies. If images are not available or don’t match the theme, words, names, or meaningful quotations can also be transferred onto the ribbon.

Joiedomi 18Pcs Christmas Ribbons

Tucking special items within the ribbon on packaging is another way to decorate giftwrap. A floral spray is lovely for an anniversary gift, while a selection of kitchen utensils may be perfect for housewarming. The options for decorating with ribbon are endless.

CHRISTMAS – 4 Ways To Give Back This Christmas

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Christmas is a wonderful time to share with your closest family and friends however it is also the perfect season to give back to the community. Here are 4 ways in which you can provide for others so that they can also enjoy the holiday season.

Buy An Extra Gift

The one activity that the majority of people will do is to go out and buy a whole host of Christmas presents. The sad thing is that there will be lots of people who will not receive a gift this year. This is particularly hard if you are a child. One simple thing that you can do is to add an extra gift to your shopping list and donate it to the local children’s home or hospital in your area. You could even find out if there is a specific organisation in your town that will collect extra toys and presents to give to those less fortunate. It doesn’t have to cost you too much money and it could make a world of difference to a young child.

Help in a Soup Kitchen

There are lots of churches and charitable organisations that open their doors on Christmas day in order to ensure that people from a disadvantaged background can also get a hot meal. These places are always looking for an extra pair of hands so you could volunteer your services to help out in the kitchen to cook or to help serve. If you belong to your local church your minister or priest will definitely welcome your assistance during the holiday season.

Invite An Extra Guest To Christmas Dinner

If you live in a small community where everyone knows each other you may already be aware of an individual who will be alone this Christmas. A wonderful gesture would be to open your home and your hospitality to them. This would be a great way to give back and it would be a good opportunity to find out more about the people in your area.

Give To Charity

A simple and straightforward way to give back this Christmas is to make a monetary donation to a charity of your choice. The money could make all the difference to the organisation. You could choose to donate funds to a children’s charity, an animal shelter or a research facility like Cancer Research. It doesn’t matter if your donation is a large or small amount of money as these organisations are very happy to receive whatever people can give.

This Christmas, why not make it an occasion where you can not only enjoy the holiday season with family and friends, but also help to give others a great Christmas too.

Top 5 Christmas Gifts for Sewing, Knitting and Quilting 2021

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Sewing, knitting and quilting are all growing in their popularity among younger individuals who are picking these crafts up as a favorite hobby!

There are some wonderful staples you can always buy someone who takes part in this kind of activity:

Brother Sewing and Quilting Machine, CS6000i

Gift #1: Sewing machines or needles that can knit and quilt with are wonderful gifts. You can get inexpensive items or top of the line ones, depending on who is on your gift list.

Luxbon Sewing Threads Kits 39 Colors Rainbow Polyester Sewing Thread Box Kit Set

Gift #2: You can never have too much fabric and thread if you’re into knitting, sewing and quilting. Make sure you give an ample amount of this to your favorite craft enthusiast.

Honey-Can-Do CRT-01683 12 Drawer Chrome Studio Organizer Cart

Gift #3: Organization and storage gifts are great ideas, too. It can get pretty messy if you have lots of threads, needles, and materials lying around all over the room.

Large Sewing Kit, 206 Pcs Premium Sewing Supplies

Gift #4: You can get little kits for the beginner crafty people in your life. Or, if you know someone already has a lot of stuff for their craft, get them a kit of extras, like extra crochet hooks or hand needles.

One-Yard Wonders: 101 Sewing Projects

Gift #5: Subscriptions to magazines about their craft are a good gift idea! This way they’ll always have a bevy of great ideas, month after month!

The 2021 Christmas Gift Guide is a neat read that helps you pinpoint the right kinds of gifts for all of your friends and family this holiday season – be sure to pick it up!

Top 5 Christmas Gifts for Runners 2021

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Runners are a special group of athletes. They push themselves to achieve new goals and get their body to the next level of fitness.

There are tons of runner’s gifts you can buy online that are perfect for the runner in your life.

Running shoes

Gift #1: Running shoes are a common sense gift for runners. They don’t go through shoes like the rest of us – their shoes take a real beating, so they have to have a big budget for their footwear.

MP3 players and iPod

Gift #2:  MP3 players and iPod are popular with runners. They like to put in some tunes using a nice pair of ear buds that work well with running and hit the pavement.

Running Clothing

Gift #3: Clothing is a nice gift for a runner. Whether it’s hot or cold weather apparel, your runner will like extra socks, leggings, and t-shirts that wick sweat away from their body.

Sports Watches and Heart Monitors

Gift #4: Sports watches and heart monitors are great gadgets for your favorite runner to have on hand when they go on a run.

Pedometers and Activity Trackers

Gift #5: Pedometers and Activity Trackers give them an accurate count of how far they’ve gone – and it allows them to keep track of the goals they’re keeping for themselves.

You might want to grab the 2021 Christmas Gift Guide to help you navigate your shopping season this year! It has ideas in it for everyone on your gift list.

Top 5 Christmas Gifts for Wine Lovers 2021

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Do you have a wine connoisseur in your life? Someone like this is often called an oenophilist  and you can get them gifts that other casual wine drinkers may not treasure.

JoyJolt Spirits Stemless Wine Glasses for Red or White Wine

Gift #1: Personalized wine glasses are a very nice gift. You can get them engraved with initials or Something more.

Danby DWC036A1BSSDB-6 3.6 Cu.Ft Cooler

Gift #2: If someone you know and love well is into wine, consider a larger gift – like a wine refrigerator.  That way, they can store all of their bottles and have them chilled and ready to go!

Wine openers

Gift #3: Wine openers vary in size and expense. Some wine drinkers just have a hand held gadget, but you can get really fancy with something that’s more automated.

Decanter and aerator gift

Gift #4: Decanter and aerator gift sets are always a welcomed addition to a win lover’s bar. You can get a simple, plain set or something very chic and elegant.

Picnic Time Verona Insulated Wine Basket

Gift #5: Wine and cheese gift baskets are great – and you can even order the wine of the month deliveries or around the world wine picks for your special gift recipient.

Use a 2021 Christmas Gift Guide to assist you in choosing the right presents for your loved ones, friends, and co-workers. That way, you can’t go wrong!

CHRISTMAS – Christmas Shopping Made Easy

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When the time comes to start getting Christmas presents for friends and family, it can be a little overwhelming. If you are looking for a stress free alternative that will still result in the giving of gifts, here are 4 different solutions that you could consider.

Do Your Christmas Shopping Online

If you absolutely hate the idea of facing crowds of people then you will want to avoid the high street and the shopping malls at all costs. Everyone is looking for the same thing and you can end up really frazzled and annoyed. The simple solution is to do your Christmas shopping online. You can avoid the crowds, the traffic and the queues at the checkout.

Most of the popular stores have an online presence so you can calmly browse the site and order just what you need. You can even get it all delivered to your home hassle free.

Ask People What They Want

Some people can get really stressed out trying to decide what to buy as gifts. The simple solution is to ask the recipients just what they would like to receive. The advantages are that you will get them something that they actually want and you will not have to endure sleepless nights worrying. It is true that you may lose the element of surprise so you have to decide what is more important to you, seeing the look of surprise as each person opens their gifts, or knowing that your shopping list is filled with items that will be truly appreciated.

Make A Charitable Donation On Their Behalf

If you want to do something philanthropic this Christmas you could choose to spend your Christmas budget by donating to a range of different charities on behalf of those people you would normally buy presents for. The donations could be made to a charity that you know your friends already support or is something that they have an interest in.

One example is to give to a charity where you can adopt an animal. These can be for an endangered species or for one of the many animal shelters in your own country. Donating to an animal charity would be perfect for animal lovers. Alternatively you could provide funds to sponsor a child in a developing country. The recipient of this gift would reap the benefits by receiving regular updates on the child’s development. This would make a wonderful Christmas gift all round.

Make Your Own Christmas Gifts

If you have a special skill or particular profession that you can use to make things then you should definitely put those skills to use by creating custom made Christmas gifts. Everyone is sure to appreciate a gift that has been made specially made for them. If you are a great baker, you could prepare batches of homemade cookies or cupcakes. If you are an artist, you could produce individual works of art. If you are a writer, you could write a poem for loved ones. Whatever your skills, you can put them to use and give people a gift that they can’t get anywhere else.

Shopping for Christmas presents doesn’t have to be a burden if you use one or all of the above options to get all your gifts for the holiday season.