I had the idea for this posting a while back, when there was still plenty of time to do your holiday shopping. I apologize to those of you who are already done with your shopping, but for those who are not and for those who are starting to plan ahead for next year, here are a bunch of envirnmentally-friendly gift ideas.
- Make a donation in the recipient's name to an organization they support (double bonus if it is also an organization that supports the environment)
- Give the gift of time. Give gift certificates that are redeemable for services such as snow shoveling, gardening, lawn care, house cleaning, etc
- Put together food baskets using organic fruits and veggies, chocolate made from fair-trade cocoa, and locally grown and produced jams and honey. Put it all in a re-usable shopping bag.
- Just about any item that is re-usable that would replace something that the recipient currently is using a disposable version of. Re-usable coffee filters, cloth diapers, and cloth napkins are just a few ideas.
- Solar chargers are now available for things like i-pods, laptops and cell phones. They initially are charged by plugging into the wall, but then they charge themselves from solar power and in turn charge your device.
- A potted plant
- Bamboo items. Bamboo is a quick growing plant that can be cut and re-grown over and over again.
- A membership to the local science museum, art museum, etc.
- A bus or subway pass to promote mass transit
- Make something useful from things you would have otherwise thrown away. See my earlier posts on re-using shopping bags to make plarn for knitting a throw rug or a market bag.
Now for environmentally-friendly gift wrap ideas
- Decorate paper bags with stamps and/or markers and use them as wrapping paper
- Use old newspapers (the comic section works great) and magazines to wrap gifts
- Re-use gift wrap from gifts you have received (if it is wrinkled, try sprinkling it with water and then ironing it)
- Wrap gifts in something else that can be part of the gift, such as dish towels for a college student or woman, baby blankets for a baby, pretty fabric for a crafter/sewer, re-usable shopping bags for anyone who shops, etc
- Check your local Goodwill, similar-type, store for baskets. You have a re-usable item and no gift wrap. You can plan ahead for next year by checking yard sales for baskets during the summer as well.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Family Friday: A wrapping party
One of my sister's was often staying up all night on Christmas Eve trying to get all her gifts wrapped in time. She was then often so tired the next day, she was unable to really enjoy the children's reactions. In an effort to alleviate her wrapping dilemma, I started organizing a "wrapping party" a few nights before Christmas. My sisters, my mother and some long-time family friends, and I, all get together at one house (with no kids, except infants) and spend the evening wrapping and laughing and just enjoying each others company. We share gift wrap, giving us all a great variety of wrapped gifts and when we finish wrapping our own gifts, we help those who have more to wrap. In the past, we have all brought snacks to share as well and we have discussed, but never actually done yet, having a cookie swap as well. Our wrapping party has become a nice way to get our gifts wrapped without worrying about spying eyes, a way to get a little adult interaction, and more importantly, a way to grow closer with our "extended"-immediate family (family that was considered immediate before we grew up). It also helps relieve a little of the holiday stress, knowing that much of our wrapping is done, allowing us to better enjoy the time with our spouses and children.
Do any of you do something similar?
Do any of you do something similar?
Thursday, December 18, 2008
This Week Thursday (My 100th Post!)
Well first, this is an exciting post because it my 100th post for this blog! In honor of the hundredth posting, I will be having a giveaway that will start sometime between now and Sunday, so be sure to check back soon. Now onto things I have found this week:
On The Web:
-Jenny at the Picky Palate shares some yummy looking cookie recipes for your cookie platters. The look as though they are very tasty and they are not the same old ones you find on everyone else's platters.
-Maria, at A Girl Anachronism, shares a quote from Vickie Swindling, that talks about poverty being a state of mind more than one of finance. It will make you think.
-Sydney, at While I Wait, shares her tips for keeping our skin healthy and moisturized throughout the harsh winter weather.
-La Mammina shows how to make cute photo tea bags which would make a wonderful holiday gift.
Giveaways:
-ChefDruck Musings is giving away a Friends Forever Girls Doll. (ends 12/27)
-Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls always has lots of great giveaways going on. My current favorite is for Mabel Handbags. This giveaway ends 12/23 at 9:00PM EST
-Bargain Briana has a $50 gift certificate and 2 free mini Dessert certificates for Carraba's Italian Grill. She also has a yummy recipe on the giveaway posting for Carraba's Mini Cannoli Dessert. Giveaway ends 12/21 around 11PM PST.
On The Web:
-Jenny at the Picky Palate shares some yummy looking cookie recipes for your cookie platters. The look as though they are very tasty and they are not the same old ones you find on everyone else's platters.
-Maria, at A Girl Anachronism, shares a quote from Vickie Swindling, that talks about poverty being a state of mind more than one of finance. It will make you think.
-Sydney, at While I Wait, shares her tips for keeping our skin healthy and moisturized throughout the harsh winter weather.
-La Mammina shows how to make cute photo tea bags which would make a wonderful holiday gift.
Giveaways:
-ChefDruck Musings is giving away a Friends Forever Girls Doll. (ends 12/27)
-Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls always has lots of great giveaways going on. My current favorite is for Mabel Handbags. This giveaway ends 12/23 at 9:00PM EST
-Bargain Briana has a $50 gift certificate and 2 free mini Dessert certificates for Carraba's Italian Grill. She also has a yummy recipe on the giveaway posting for Carraba's Mini Cannoli Dessert. Giveaway ends 12/21 around 11PM PST.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Wellness Wednesday: Cranberries
One of my favorite foods this time of year is cranberries. I love cranberry juice, cranberry sauce, dried cranberries, cranberry bread, cranberry cookies, etc, etc, etc. I often buy several bags of cranberries towards the end of the season to freeze for year-round use as well. Not only do cranberries taste yummy, they are good for you too.
Cranberries help protect our bodies in a myriad of ways. They contain flavonoids called proanthocyanidins. Ok, so what does that mean, you ask? Well, flavonoids, in general, are antioxidants which means they help keep our cells from mutating, and therefore help prevent cancer. They also help keep our LDL (bad) cholesterol levels low, helping to prevent heart disease. Proanthocyanidins, help inhibit bacteria from adhering to the body, which is why cranberry juice is often credited for preventing urinary tract infections. It has also been shown to prevent plaque formation on teeth and mouthwashes containing proanhocyanidins have been shown to reduce periodontal disease. Cranberry juice can also help prevent H.pylori bacteria from adhering in the stomach, reducing the risk and severity of peptic ulcers.
So now we know why they are good for us, here are some tips for storing and using them. As I said earlier, I buy extra bags to use throughout the year. Often you can find bags of fresh cranberries on sale for about $1, or even less as the season ends (usually the end of December). I even found some on clearnace last year for 25 cents a bag at Wal-Mart. Just be sure to buy bags with very few brown or soft berries. If you are planning to store the berries, just throw the entire bag in the freezer. They will be likely be good right up until next year's cranberry season. As for using cranberries, homemade cranberry sauce is so simple and the canned stuff just does not compare. One simple recipe is to dissolve 1 cup of white sugar in 1 cup of orange juice, over medium heat. Add 12 ounces of cranberries and continue to cook for about 10 minutes, or until the cranberries begin to burst open. It will seem a bit runny, but it will thicken as it sits. I also like to toss dried cranberries into my salad or you could even use fresh cranberries to make a cranberry salad dressing. I also use dried cranberries in trail mixes and sprinkle them on top of my cereal. Cranberries also go well with meat dishes, especially poultry, and I will sometimes throw a bunch into my casseroles, if I think they will go well with the other flavors. There are lots of drink recipes too that use cranberry juice as a main ingredient. For some ideas, go to www.allrecipes.com and type in cranberry drink or cranberry punch in the search box for a whole list of them.
While many people find cranberries too tart to be eaten raw, there are so many other ways to ingest them, that to not eat them is a shame. They help our bodies from our heads to our, well, I will put it nicely and say bladder. We can drink them or eat them in dishes that range from salads to entrees to desserts. Their season is beginning to come to an end though, so I recommend getting out there and picking some up for yourselves before they are gone until next fall. Enjoy!
Cranberries help protect our bodies in a myriad of ways. They contain flavonoids called proanthocyanidins. Ok, so what does that mean, you ask? Well, flavonoids, in general, are antioxidants which means they help keep our cells from mutating, and therefore help prevent cancer. They also help keep our LDL (bad) cholesterol levels low, helping to prevent heart disease. Proanthocyanidins, help inhibit bacteria from adhering to the body, which is why cranberry juice is often credited for preventing urinary tract infections. It has also been shown to prevent plaque formation on teeth and mouthwashes containing proanhocyanidins have been shown to reduce periodontal disease. Cranberry juice can also help prevent H.pylori bacteria from adhering in the stomach, reducing the risk and severity of peptic ulcers.
So now we know why they are good for us, here are some tips for storing and using them. As I said earlier, I buy extra bags to use throughout the year. Often you can find bags of fresh cranberries on sale for about $1, or even less as the season ends (usually the end of December). I even found some on clearnace last year for 25 cents a bag at Wal-Mart. Just be sure to buy bags with very few brown or soft berries. If you are planning to store the berries, just throw the entire bag in the freezer. They will be likely be good right up until next year's cranberry season. As for using cranberries, homemade cranberry sauce is so simple and the canned stuff just does not compare. One simple recipe is to dissolve 1 cup of white sugar in 1 cup of orange juice, over medium heat. Add 12 ounces of cranberries and continue to cook for about 10 minutes, or until the cranberries begin to burst open. It will seem a bit runny, but it will thicken as it sits. I also like to toss dried cranberries into my salad or you could even use fresh cranberries to make a cranberry salad dressing. I also use dried cranberries in trail mixes and sprinkle them on top of my cereal. Cranberries also go well with meat dishes, especially poultry, and I will sometimes throw a bunch into my casseroles, if I think they will go well with the other flavors. There are lots of drink recipes too that use cranberry juice as a main ingredient. For some ideas, go to www.allrecipes.com and type in cranberry drink or cranberry punch in the search box for a whole list of them.
While many people find cranberries too tart to be eaten raw, there are so many other ways to ingest them, that to not eat them is a shame. They help our bodies from our heads to our, well, I will put it nicely and say bladder. We can drink them or eat them in dishes that range from salads to entrees to desserts. Their season is beginning to come to an end though, so I recommend getting out there and picking some up for yourselves before they are gone until next fall. Enjoy!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Try-It Tuesday: Pomegranate 7-Up
I absolutely LOVE pomegranates and have been thrilled to see an increase in pomegranate-flavored foods. Unfortunately, many of them do not measure up and I end up disappointed. That was so not the case with the limited time only Pomegranate 7-Up. I tried to find a link so I could share the "official" information with you, but was unable to locate one through 7up.com. I did find another blog though that quotes what looks like "official" information about Pomegranate 7-Up: Junk Food Blog. Here is the information from the bottle itself: caffeine-free, 100% natural flavors (note ingredient list does NOT contain pomegranate though: carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, natural flavors (but WHICH natural flavors?), potassium citrate, potassium benzoate, red 40 and blue 1), Contains NO juice, 100 calories per 1 cup. I also saw a diet version in the store.
As for taste, this is pretty good, not overwhelmingly pomegranate-y, but still has pomegranate flavor. It is also not too sweet nor bitter or sour. The color is a beautiful red, similar to the seeds of a real pomegranate. I am not a big 7-Up fan, but find that this is a delightful balance of flavors. I will be sad to see it go at the end of January:0(
I have heard some people cannot find this in their local stores. I have been finding this in 2L bottles at our local Wegmans stores (western NY) on sale 3/$3.
As for my recommendation, I say try it, especially if you like the pomegranate flavor.
As for taste, this is pretty good, not overwhelmingly pomegranate-y, but still has pomegranate flavor. It is also not too sweet nor bitter or sour. The color is a beautiful red, similar to the seeds of a real pomegranate. I am not a big 7-Up fan, but find that this is a delightful balance of flavors. I will be sad to see it go at the end of January:0(
I have heard some people cannot find this in their local stores. I have been finding this in 2L bottles at our local Wegmans stores (western NY) on sale 3/$3.
As for my recommendation, I say try it, especially if you like the pomegranate flavor.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Money Monday: Inexpensive, Quick Gifts You Can Make
Can you believe Christmas is only 10 days away (Hannukah starts in 6 days!)? Around this time, peple start scrambling to finish off their gift lists, often paying whatever the asking price is for whatever items are still on the shelves. They end up with meaningless, over priced gifts and feeling unfufilled. Today I will share a couple of ideas for gifts that can be made at home for relatively low cost (especially if you make them in batches) and fairly quickly. They are also gifts that can pretty much suit anyone on your list. You can give the gifts by themselves or pair them up with other gifts, adding until you reach your budget. You will end up with great gifts that have been made with love and that the recipient is bound to enjoy.
Chocolate-Covered Stirring Spoons: Get a bag of chocolate chips. You can use semi-sweet, dark chocolate, white chocolate, butterscotch, raspberry, any kid you want. Pour 1 cup of the chips into a microwaveable bowl or cup (the deeper the better). Melt the chips in the microwave for 30 seconds and then stir. Continue doing this in 30 second increments until the chips have completely melted, being sure to stir each time. Chips tend to hold their shape, even when they are completely melted, so stirring them is essential to avoid burning them. Be certain not to overcook the chips and do not let any water get into the chocolate either. Once the chips have completely melted, stir 1 teaspoon of shortening into the melted chips, just until blended. Take a heavy duty plastic spoon and dip it into the melted chocolate, coating the entire bowl and the lower portion of the handle. Sprinkle with some colored sanding sugar or add a few mini-marshmallows or crushed candy canes or anything else you may want to add, or leave it plain, and set the spoon on wax paper to set the chocolate. After about 15 minutes you can drizzle other melted chocolate or re-dip half the spoon into a contrasting chocolate color or simply leave as is and place in the freezer to finish setting. After about 1 hour, wrap the bowl of the spoon in cellophane and tie with a ribbon. You can give the spoons away as a "bouquet" or add them to a coffee mug (the dollar stores often have decent mugs). To make the gift go even further, add a small package of coffee or hot chocolate. This is a great way to use those samples you may have received throughout the year.
Fish in a Bag Soap: This is an idea I saw on the Martha Stewart show lat week and I absolutely loved it. You can watch the video directions here. The only additional thoughts I have is to maybe add a scent and/or color (probably blue would work best) to the soap (or leave it as is). Also, the fish can be found at many craft shows, but I have also seen them at the dollar stores in the toy section. You could give this soap as is or add it to a soap dish for a more adult gift or pair it with a nylon bath scrubby or fun washcloth for a child. Add more bath supplies if desired.
Gift Certificates for Time: I did this one year when I was in college and simply could not afford to give gifts. Unfortunately, no one ever "cashed" in their certificates, so I kid felt like I gave nothing, but they all appreciated the thought. Looking back, I could have encouraged them to actually use their certificates throughout the year. Anyway, decide what you can do for the recipient and give them a homemade gift certificate good for that service. You could print the certificate from the computer (design it yourself or use a free template site like gifttango or Free Printables, buy cardstock and hand design it yourself or even buy blank certificates from an office supply store. As for what to "give", here are just a few ideas: babysitting services, car wash, dog walking/pet sitting, gardening, housework, yard work, a home-cooked meal or dessert, etc. I know one lady who gave "memberships" to her "food of the month" club. Each month she gave each person a gift of whatever was in season in her garden. During the colder months, the gifts were herbs from her kitchen herb garden. It was a great way for her to use her surplus and to give her gift all year long. You could also do a "cookie-of-the-month" club and deliver a dozen cookies each month.
I hope you will be able to use some of these ideas to cover your gift list and stay on budget. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!
Chocolate-Covered Stirring Spoons: Get a bag of chocolate chips. You can use semi-sweet, dark chocolate, white chocolate, butterscotch, raspberry, any kid you want. Pour 1 cup of the chips into a microwaveable bowl or cup (the deeper the better). Melt the chips in the microwave for 30 seconds and then stir. Continue doing this in 30 second increments until the chips have completely melted, being sure to stir each time. Chips tend to hold their shape, even when they are completely melted, so stirring them is essential to avoid burning them. Be certain not to overcook the chips and do not let any water get into the chocolate either. Once the chips have completely melted, stir 1 teaspoon of shortening into the melted chips, just until blended. Take a heavy duty plastic spoon and dip it into the melted chocolate, coating the entire bowl and the lower portion of the handle. Sprinkle with some colored sanding sugar or add a few mini-marshmallows or crushed candy canes or anything else you may want to add, or leave it plain, and set the spoon on wax paper to set the chocolate. After about 15 minutes you can drizzle other melted chocolate or re-dip half the spoon into a contrasting chocolate color or simply leave as is and place in the freezer to finish setting. After about 1 hour, wrap the bowl of the spoon in cellophane and tie with a ribbon. You can give the spoons away as a "bouquet" or add them to a coffee mug (the dollar stores often have decent mugs). To make the gift go even further, add a small package of coffee or hot chocolate. This is a great way to use those samples you may have received throughout the year.
Fish in a Bag Soap: This is an idea I saw on the Martha Stewart show lat week and I absolutely loved it. You can watch the video directions here. The only additional thoughts I have is to maybe add a scent and/or color (probably blue would work best) to the soap (or leave it as is). Also, the fish can be found at many craft shows, but I have also seen them at the dollar stores in the toy section. You could give this soap as is or add it to a soap dish for a more adult gift or pair it with a nylon bath scrubby or fun washcloth for a child. Add more bath supplies if desired.
Gift Certificates for Time: I did this one year when I was in college and simply could not afford to give gifts. Unfortunately, no one ever "cashed" in their certificates, so I kid felt like I gave nothing, but they all appreciated the thought. Looking back, I could have encouraged them to actually use their certificates throughout the year. Anyway, decide what you can do for the recipient and give them a homemade gift certificate good for that service. You could print the certificate from the computer (design it yourself or use a free template site like gifttango or Free Printables, buy cardstock and hand design it yourself or even buy blank certificates from an office supply store. As for what to "give", here are just a few ideas: babysitting services, car wash, dog walking/pet sitting, gardening, housework, yard work, a home-cooked meal or dessert, etc. I know one lady who gave "memberships" to her "food of the month" club. Each month she gave each person a gift of whatever was in season in her garden. During the colder months, the gifts were herbs from her kitchen herb garden. It was a great way for her to use her surplus and to give her gift all year long. You could also do a "cookie-of-the-month" club and deliver a dozen cookies each month.
I hope you will be able to use some of these ideas to cover your gift list and stay on budget. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
My deepest apologies
I offer my deepest apologies for going MIA over the past month+. I was frazzled by the move and settling in and kind of mentally shut down for a bit. I missed you all terribly and hope you are still here with me. I will be getting back on track with a regular posting tomorrow and also have a few product reviews and giveaways coming up this week as well. I appreciate your patience and understanding with me.
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