Every year I tell myself it will be different - I will shop early, I will craft and bake early, I will wrap before Christmas Eve - and every year I get a FAIL. I try, I do, but maybe this is the year - OK, it is not the year....I have not even posted about my advent calendar (um yeah, I know it is the 8th!) and the tree is still only half decorated...but there is still time (I hope).
Anyway, I try to shop local and do the handmade or thirfted/re-purposed thing, but that does not work for everyone and every circumstance. I am looking for ideas for kiddos and adults...and I thought I would share some of my (our) favorite gifts for the season.
This is a collection of homemade, handcrafted, and commercial ideas. I am not being paid or receiving anything from these companies...I just LOVE them and have had positive experiences with them in the past - these are my own opinions!
Bay Leaf Wreath from Williams-Sonoma
image, williams-sonoma
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Jewelry from Acro Iris
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Cowgirl Creamery Cheese
image, cowgirl creamery
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Delectable Peanut and Almond Butters from Spread
image from spread
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BOOKS! I LOVE BOOKS!
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Magazine Subscriptions
My FAVORITES are
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Great for Kids!
Homemade/Custom Art Box:
Purchase art box or carrying case at a craft store or art store (I had a 50% coupon for Aaron Brothers). Add Colored pencils, crayons, markers,pencils, erasers, stamps/stamp pads, stickers, googly eyes,pipe cleaners, glitter (if you dare!), pom pom balls - you name it. The great thing is it can be made age appropriate. This is what's going in the 3 year-olds box.
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Homemade Food!
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So trying this Clementine Margarita Marmalade from Fudge Ripple...
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Chocolate Covered Pretzels
Use candy melts (craft store or cooking store), sprinkles, and rod pretzels.
Melt chocolate according got package directions, dip half of the rod pretzel in, roll in festive sprinkles or for that extra fancy touch - use an accent chocolate color and drizzle (i.e. dip in milk chocolate and drizzle with white chocolate). Package in bunches in pretzel bags (at craft stores).
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Custom cloth napkins or tea towels (post coming on Monday!)
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Homemade Candle - so easy to do in a Mason Jar! (post coming asap)
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So any new ideas...suggestions?
(I have ZIP for the hubby or my parents.)
What's your favorite gift?
What's on your list?
(this lady had plantation shutters, a light fixture, a new Harvey's Seatbelt bag!, and sleep on her list!)
What's on your list?
(this lady had plantation shutters, a light fixture, a new Harvey's Seatbelt bag!, and sleep on her list!)
disclosure: amazon links are affiliate links. I am not being paid or receiving anything from these companies...I just LOVE them and have positive experiences with them in the past!
Sleep is good. This year I made a little picture book of things we did with the Grands and had copies made at Shutterfly for each of them.
ReplyDeleteI also did a 'home tour' book for friends that can't travel with pictures of our house and yard. It's something i do every year.
Hope you are got some lovely rest Miss Holly.
Holly, YOu are so funny.... I think almost everyone feels a little overwhelmed these days!
ReplyDeleteLove the pretty gift ideas!
Yvonne
All it get's done just the same Holly. But like you every year I too say the same thing...and still every year it is the same way!
ReplyDeleteAll of the men in my family are always the hardest to shop for!!
ReplyDeleteFor my dad (who loves coffee and chocolate) I am doing a basket of homemade treats (chocolate peppermint bark, truffles, pretzels) and some Starbucks coffee beans!
Other than that...I am at a loss!
I am feeling the same overwhelmingness!!! (not sure if that is a word) Those are some great ideas Holly! I love doing handmade gifts, unfortunetly I am only doing a few this year due to the fact that I have no time!
ReplyDeleteAs of Thanksgiving (black Friday) I had purchased 1 gift. Now it's crunch time and I'm running around trying to figure out what to buy, how I'm going to pay for it, what I'm making and for whom, blah blah blah!
ReplyDeleteBut, I LOVE Christmas time. I love everything about it. Spending time with family and friends, eating... it just doesn't get any better.
I will be ready, as will you. And IF we're not? Nobody will remember that next year.
I've been doing this for years, and it always works out!
Good Luck... do what you can. It's all good!
gail
O, darlin' Holly, try your very best not to get all stressed out. It all will get done and IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PERFECT TO BE BEAUTIFUL..remember the words of the Nester. It also goes for a beautiful Christmas. It will be wonderful, no matter that you don't "get it all done". I KNOW all of my good intentions aren't going to happen...but, it's ok.
ReplyDeleteLet's see...alll our teens love cute pj bottoms...hubby loves to read and is getting a Kindell..daughter, a beautiful French looking phone..son and son in love, a monogrammed, leather shaving kit (Pottery Barn had them on sale for less than fifty bucks with free monogramming). Cut cups filled with Candy Kisses...t-shirts are always great..
Hope this helps...now...what the heck am I going to get for my best friend??? :))
You are not alone my dear. I am the queen of procrastination. I tell myself the same thing every year. Yet, here I sit. With still no tree and no gifts. AH! Need to get to Target to at least start!
ReplyDeleteI bet that Bay Leaf Wreath smells fabulous! I'm in the same boat as you. Year after year my procrastination gets the best of me. Will pics of the grandkids suffice as a partial gift to your parents? That's what we do. Especially for the great grandparents. :)
ReplyDeleteYou are not the only one that tends to get behind on things. It's hard when we're keeping up with our daily commitments as well. I love getting reviews on products we haven't been asked too test or received. Cake in a jar? OMGosh I'm about to check out the previous post for details
ReplyDeleteIt always creeps up on you and you end up scrambling! This year, I got a ton of gifts on vistaprint.com and everyone loved them for Hanukkah. For my dad, I got a mousepad with a photo of his daughters, my mom got stationary and a photo calendar, and my sister got personalized notecards and sticky notes. It was a hit!
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas! I esp love those earrings, and the bay leaf wreath is sublime. If you'd like a few more suggestsions, I've posted a list of "scrumptious'gifts under $25...
ReplyDeleteI've had a lot of Amazon boxes arrive at my house this year. We are a family of readers...so books are always on the list, but this year even more so than usual. I've tried to buy more things that people use...books, DVDs, gourmet foods (I send Florida oranges)and less things that have to "sit somewhere"! I also shop at Sephora frequently for the girls in the family.
ReplyDeleteLove your list...I just did some internet shopping, and if all comes on time, I may never go to a store again, lol, yeah right! I love the idea of buying handmade...teenage boys need the electronics, though. I was going to do all my shopping this summer when I was off, but that didn't happen. Lezlee
ReplyDeleteHi Holly!
ReplyDeleteI'm the same every year!!! For a few years there, I was actually getting all of the holiday shopping done waaaaay before Christmas (like by summer!) and while it did indeed help with the December pocketbook crunch, I was still scrambling to get everything else done in time. And this year, I seem to be the farthest behind! Ack!
But, I do have some of my shopping done. Hubby wants some game for the computer, which I told him to send me the link for....making it easy peasy. The kidlets are really easy this year. I bought teachers' gifts at Sunbasilgarden on etsy (her shop is a new find for me & she's been great!) and recommend checking her shop out. But, I still have my parents & inlaws to figure out. Hmmmmm...
My boy has been into watching Inspector Gadget on Netflix lately & instead of Christmas songs, I have "Go, Gadget, Go!" singing in my head....but, that could be just what it takes to get it all done (or most of it, anyways) this year! :>
Love that you support local, creative, & handmade! :>
We had to wait and see if Rich was getting a Christmas bonus. So that limited our shopping. But we are starting now. The house is decorated. I have some presents wrapped. That's about it.
ReplyDeleteCan I just say we are a lot alike as of a few hours ago I only had 2 present under my belt but I got out to Target and now have a few more ;)
ReplyDeleteThe Creamery Rocks! My ideas...
ReplyDelete--Every Crafty Endeavor: http://www.everycraftyendeavor.com/
Amanda makes "stitched" family portraits and even with a RUSH order, it's really reasonable...
--Chocolate from Fran's Chocolates
--Netflix Subscription
xo Malia
I do the same! I always procrastinate. Ahhh But it all gets done in the end right? ;) lol I LOVE LOVE that Williams Sonoma wreath on this post. Ok, so now I'm putting it on my wishlist too haha. I also love books too. Great book list Holly!
ReplyDeleteHi Holly =) You are certainly not alone! I haven't gotten anything for my husband yet... and not only do I have Christmas but his birthday is Friday! I may have to resort to his Amazon list, although I saw an awesome scarf made from old t-shirts that he would love if I manage to find some crafting time before then!
ReplyDeleteGrandparent gifts all came from Snapfish this year, photo playing cards, etc. And I did a craft project with Serenity to give them =)
Chrissie at http://cleverfaeries.blogspot.com
http://www.u-createcrafts.com/2010/12/creative-guest-ruff-n-tumble-scarf-by.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+u-createcrafts%2FOlHW+%28Ucreate%29