Holiday Gifts & Gift Baskets Blog

Archive for the ‘Holiday Sentiments’ Category

Holiday season is the time of year when we're brought to be thankful for our family, friends and all we have in life. We're so fortunate to have homes, clothes, food and drink, family, and lots of other things in our everyday lives. But what about those who are less fortunate? They're not as lucky to have all that we have and take for granted. We've thought about this, and have come to a wonderful conclusion on how we can help out this holiday season. Here's our idea.

For every fan that 'likes' us on Facebook (from now until December 31st, 2010) we're going to donate $1 to Millenium Promise. This is a charity that aims to end poverty by providing clean water, food, and health care to those living in extreme poverty. Up to $10,000 will be donated, depending on how many fans join to help the cause.

Want to help? Become a fan and have $1 donated in your honor.

'Like' us on Facebook and help the cause!

With all the holidays approaching, we wanted to give you a chance to win something nice for yourself. Of course, it could also be one less gift for you to purchase as well! The giveaway features one of the brand new designs that are featured on the website. It's stocked with loads of fall treats and offers an attractive appearance as well in the event that it becomes a gift.

This festive gift basket features an adorable scarecrow decoration, cheddar biscuits, candy corn, popcorn, peanuts, hot cocoa, a pumpkin rice krispy treat and a cookie. The perfect mix for any holiday treat, and it could be yours!

To enter the giveaway:

1) Follow us on Twitter

2) Like us on Facebook

3) (Optional) For a bonus entry, mention this giveaway on Twitter and leave your Twitter username in your blog comment

4) Leave a comment on this post and let us know when you're done!

The winner:

A winner will be drawn and posted a week from today on November 1st, 2010 at 10:00am.

If you're not feeling lucky or your patience doesn't allow you to wait a week, you can also purchase the scarecrow treats here.

A homemade gift is a great way to let someone know you are thinking of them. My favorite homemade gift is a jar mix - from cookies to soups - the possibilities are endless! Jar Mixes make great gifts for teachers, your child's bus driver, the postal worker who delivers your mail . . . anyone!

The most common jar to use is a canning jar (also called a Mason jar). Before filling your jars, wash them thoroughly and make sure they are completely dry before adding ingredients. Each jar will be filled with only the dry ingredients. Using a small funnel or a rolled up piece of paper can help with getting the layers to lay just right (don't tip the jar while filling). To pack down your layers, a great item to use is a tart tamper. Other things that may work is a small ladle, a spoon, mallet or spatula.

You may want to decorate your jar before filling. If the jar is filled to the top so that the contents don't move much, then decorating afterward is fine too. One of most important parts of your jar is the Mixing/Baking instructions. You can attach this with a ribbon to your lid or glue it to the jar itself. You can have fun with this too! Use stamps or stencils to create a one-of-a-kind personalized label. You can also use your computer to personalize your instruction labels and print them on sticker paper.

Here is one recipe to get you started!

Decadent Brownie Jar Mix Instructions

Jar Ingredients:

* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1-1/2 cups sugar
* 1/3 cup HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
* 1 cup REESE'S Peanut Butter Chips or HERSHEY'S Premier White Chips
* 1/2 cup HERSHEY'S Mini Chips Semi-Sweet Chocolate

Filling the Jar:
First stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Layer the ingredients in a 1-quart glass canister or jar in the following order (from bottom to top): sugar, cocoa, flour mixture, peanut butter chips and small chocolate chips. Tap jar gently on the counter to settle each layer before adding the next one.

Instructions to attach to jar:

1. Heat oven to 350 F.
2. Grease and flour an 8x8x2-inch baking pan.
3. Combine 1/2 cup (1 stick) melted and cooled butter and 2 slightly beaten eggs in a large bowl.
4. Gently stir in jar contents.
5. Spread in prepared pan.
6. Bake for 35 minutes.
7. Cool in pan. Cut into bars.

Makes 16 Bars

Check out Squidoo for even more homemade jar mix recipes and tips!

So most of us know what happens during Valentine's Day in the United States - sending cards, Valentine chocolates and candlelit dinners.  But what does the rest of the world do during Valentine's Day?  Below are just a few examples of festivities going on around the world.

Wales - A long-held tradition of giving Welsh Love spoons to ones lover still occurs on Valentine's Day. The wooden spoons are intricately  carved with symbols representing a wide range of emotions intended to convey the givers feelings. Some of the symbol meanings are: Heart - Love, Horseshoe - Good Luck, Celtic Knot - Eternal Love, Twisted Stem - Two Lives Become One and
Birds - Love Birds or Let's Go Away Together.

Japan - The traditional gift given on Valentine's Day in Japan is chocolate, but great care is taken to make sure that the correct type of chocolate is given because there are two types - one suitable for friends and one for lovers.  Giri choco or obligatory chocolate is given by women to their male friends, co-workers and superiors. Honmei choco is chocolate given to the man that a girl is truly interested in or serious about.

Brazil - Brazil does not celebrate Valentine's Day on the 14th of February. Brazilians celebrate the Dia dos Namorados (Day of the Enamored) on June 12th.  The day is is celebrated in colorful style with festivals and dancing. It is also on this day that couples exchange gifts or give flowers and cards to one another.

Mexico - The most prevalent Valentine's Day tradition in Mexico is to exchange gifts in a secret way. The men of Mexico have another special way of showing their affection to the one they love. In the evening, they show up at the home of their girlfriend with a mariachi band or trio of singers who serenade the girl with 2 or 3 romantic songs while standing beneath her window.

10 Ways To Say I Love You

In common languages of the world!

Arabic - Ana behibak (to male)
Arabic - Ana behibek (to female)
Chinese Cantonese - Ngo oiy ney a
Chinese Mandarin - Wo ai ni
French - Je t'aime, Je t'adore
German - Ich liebe dich
Italian - Ti amo
Japanese - Aishiteru or Anata ga daisuki desu
Russian - Ya tebya liubliu
Spanish - Te quiero / Te amo

Need a gift for your sweetie?  Check out all of our Valentine's Day gifts!

My family has a long history of participation in the armed forces - my dad, grandpa, great-grandpas and countless uncles and cousins served in the Army, Navy and Marines.  My dad's best friend is currently being cared for at a VA hospital because of injuries he sustained while serving as a Green Beret in Vietnam.  I'm very proud of the military heritage in my family, and I'm grateful for the soldiers that defend my freedom every day.

Although it's not a widely celebrated holiday (except for those who are lucky enough to have the day off from work), Veterans Day holds great meaning for me.  It's a day where I reflect on family memories (Grandpa loves to tell the story of how he celebrated the end of WWII at the top of the Eiffel Tower), I stop to say a short prayer for those who are fighting overseas, and I explain to my children why there are some soldiers away from their families in order for us to keep the luxuries that we have.

To cheer up my dad's friend in the hospital, and to thank him for his dedicated service that came with life-altering results, I'm sending him this patriotic mug gift filled with sugar free cookies.  The cookies are acceptable for his restricted diet, and the mug will be great for his morning coffee!  I'm having the gift shipped to me since dad and I will be visiting Jerry on Veterans Day - I'll be able to hand deliver the gift and see his reaction!  That will be a perfect addition to my personal Veterans Day ritual.