Em Dy: A Clutter Free Christmas

Annie Snider: Create Your Own Critter 

Joey V.: When You Have a Long Christmas List

Congratulations!  Each of you won a 125 x125 ad on 1Happy Corner.com for the month of November! Please e-mail us your ad so we can post it as soon as possible! Our address is support [at] 1HappyCorner [dot] com . Thank you for participating!

Strirrings Chocolate Peppermintini Gift Set

Stirrings Martini Gift Sets

Get the party started with this martini gift sets. Each set comes boxed with the the cocktail mixer (makes about 11 cocktails) and rimmer garnish. Just add the vodka. Choose between three flavors: Chocolate Peppermintini, Apple Martini and Cosmopolitan.

Colin Cowie Square Bowls in Wood Tray

Help out the host by gifting something they can use immediately. Colin Cowie Set of 3 Square Porcelain Bowls in Wood Tray provides a beautifully contrast of white porcelain bowls against the dark wood tray. Contemporary in its clean style, it is a set designed to impress, and the dark wood blends well in traditional settings and makes an elegant food presentation.

Suck UK Key Bottle Opener

Finally! An attractive bottle opener. It’s a key shape bottle opener that looks like one belongs on your key chain. A practical and affordable present that comes in a gift pack.

Junior’s Little Fellas Mini Cheesecakes

Good things come in small packages. Made in convenient individual sizes and these Little Fellas cheesecakes are sure to please every guest at the table! Each box comes with 9 mini cheesecakes. Available in Strawberry Swirl Christmas and Assorted (Devil’s Food Cheesecake, Carrot Cake Cheesecake, and Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake).

Faith Hill's Joy To The World Album

Music

Stay away from the boring traditional Christmas music and give music for today’s audience. There are more and more artists who are making or revamping holiday music then ever before. Give your host an artist they truly love and they will always remember your present. Suggestions: Faith Hill’s first holiday album Joy To The World, What A Night! A Christmas Album by Harry Connick Jr., and A Swingin’ Christmas by Tony Bennett. For more ideas, check out Amazon’s music section.

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Do you have any great ideas for cool host gifts? Let me know and leave your suggestions!

Photo courtesy of JoshBerglund19

Give Food

Give the gift of food to a hungry person (or two!) by cleaning out your pantry or making a special trip to the grocery store. Include a variety of canned goods and non-perishable items like pasta or pancake mix.

Give Baby Supplies

Your local women’s shelter may have a variety of items on their wish list this holiday season. Call and ask for specifics or give them the gift of baby supplies like diapers, formula or clothing to help the mother’s with young children.

Give Clothing

Clean our your closet or your attic. Pack up clothing you don’t wear anymore and gift it to a local thrift store. That way someone less fortunate will be able to use it and you’ll be supporting a worthwhile cause.

Give Toys

Christmas is a very special time of year for children. But for struggling families, purchasing Christmas gifts can be a challenge. Try buying toys for needy children through a program in your community. Check with the local Salvation Army office about taking care of a child’s wish list this Christmas.

Give Pet Supplies

Cats and dogs are among the less fortunate and they need gifts, too. Take pet food, pet beds and toys to your local animal shelter.

Give Blankets

As the temperatures drop, give the gift of blankets to a homeless shelter. Your gift will help someone stay a little warmer this winter.

Give Love

Giving gifts to the less fortunate doesn’t have to mean an expensive trip to the shopping mall. Bake some treats and take them to a local shelter. Hand them out and strike up a conversation. Showing that you care will be a gift they won’t forget.

Korres Limited-Edition Sugar Plums Set

Korres Limited-Edition Sugar Plums Set

This limited-edition nature-inspired kit has all you need for a fresh and flawless look. Korres Sugar Plums Set comes with a lip butter, lip gloss, and a shimmering eyeshadow. The Plum Lip Butter is a mix of Shea Butter and Rice Wax that will melt on the lips and provides a shiny, tinted finish which will hydrate and add softness.  Plum Cherry Lip Gloss is a sheer, high-shine, color lip gloss.  Cherry oil hydrates the lips while vitamins E and C offer antioxidant protection. The Plum Shimmering Eyeshadow is very easy to apply and is infused with sunflower and evening primrose oils to nourish the sensitive eye area.

LAVANILA Three Wishes Healthy Body Trio

LAVANILA Three Wishes Healthy Body Trio

The trio of 100% pure Shea and cocoa butters are infused with super anti-oxidants Goji Berry and Kakadu Plum, for a healthy dose of 30 essential vitamins & minerals and 19 amino acids to feed the skin.  These naturally formulated and rich body butters deeply nourish and repair the skin. 

The LAVANILA Three Wishes Healthy Body Trio comes with a Pure Vanilla Body Butter, Vanilla Grapefruit Body Butter, and a Vanilla Blossom Body Butter, all in a beautiful signature gift box.

Tsi-La Organic Eau De Parfum Mini Collection

Tsi-La Organic Eau De Parfum Mini Collection

Delicate, sophisticated and 100% organic. Untouched by alcohol, preservatives, artificial fragrances or colorings, the Tsi-La Organic Eau De Parfum Mini Collection uses a moisturizing base of select coconut oil infused with botanical extracts of pink orchid flowers.

The 4 miniature bottles are perfect for travel and come packaged in a black lotus signature box. 

Comes with four fragrances: Fleur Sauvage, Kesu, Ilang Ilang , and Kizes.

Burt’s Bees Men’s Natural Grooming Kit

Burt's Bees Men's Natural Grooming Kit

We didn’t forget the men!  This collection of men’s grooming necessities is the perfect gift for guys on the go. Burt’s Bees Men’s Natural Grooming Kit is all you need to cleanse, moisturize, shave and invigorate your skin with natural botanicals including Sunflower, Coconut, Cyprus and Fir oils, Aloe and Vitamin E. Each kit contains aftershave, shave cream, body wash, bar soap, and a lip balm all in a men’s travel bag.

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Do you have any earth friendly bath & body products you would like to recommend?  Please leave a comment and share any ideas you have.

Earth Kit from earthkits.com

One person can make a difference– especially if that person is a child. That’s the philosophy behind EarthKits.com. The idea is to educate and excite some of Earth’s youngest inhabitants so that they’ll continue a long life of environmentally-friendly living.

The site’s signature product is the Earth Kit for Kids. (The Earth Kit for Adults is on its way.) There’s a deluxe version and a mini version. The deluxe kit comes with lots of items including a 16 oz. BPA-free “Kids Go Green” spill-proof water bottle by Camelbak, a “Kids Go Green” organic cotton T-shirt, a “Green at Heart” wristband and a seeded download card. Kids can download two songs for free and then plant the card and watch the seeds grow into a plant. All of the products will come in a cardboard box that has been made from recycled materials. For under $50 you’ll feel good knowing you’re helping the environment one child at a time.

Everything Kits Environment Book from earthkits.com

If you’re looking for a great gift under $5, why not have a tree planted on someone’s behalf? Your $3 donation to American Forests will plant one tree. American Forests is working on tree-planting projects in all 50 states, as well as 21 countries worldwide. If $3 buys a tree, a $100 donation could practically fund a forest!

Besides the online shop, EarthKits.com offers lots of free information on how YOU can slow global warming or make a difference to help our environment. Take a few minutes to review dozens of tips on how to live an earth-friendly life at home, at work or even on vacation. Soon, you and your family will be living green!

If you tried any of these “go-green” products, please leave a message! We’d like to know about your experience!

Ornament

An ornament is a great Thanksgiving gift. It arrives at the perfect time– just as the tree is about to go up. This hand-crafted “Love Dove” ornament from Lilly Pottery is just $10 and comes stamped with the word “love”. A jute rope allows the ornament to hang from a branch all season long.

Calendar

As 2008 winds down, a calendar can make a great thank-you gift. Especially when accompanied by a note describing your excitement of looking towards another year of their friendship. This beautiful Keisuke Serizawa calendar has been popular since it first appeared in 1946. Serizawa created it using stencil-dyed Japanese paper. It was a popular gift for well-to-do army wives and now it’s a popular gift around the world! You can pick up one from Tortoise for just $18.

Snow Globe

Snow globes can be beautiful works of art. Bring a miniature winter wonderland into a loved-ones home with the tree snowglobe from West Elm. It’s a modern take on this classic gift. It’s just $29 and shipping is free.

Luggage Tag

Looking for a lovely way to say thanks to a travel buff? These colorful luggage tags from Pottery Barn can be monogrammed for a few extra dollars.

Sweets

Say thanks with a super sweet gift- cupcakes. Order a set of nine from RedEnvelope.com. They’re made in San Francisco at the Teacake Bake Shop. Your lovely box of sweets comes with four combinations: three vanilla with vanilla buttercream, two vanilla with chocolate buttercream, two chocolate sour cream with vanilla buttercream, and two chocolate sour cream with chocolate buttercream

Card

Saying thanks doesn’t necessarily require a gift. Just a thoughtfully written note can be worth a lot– especially when written on cute cards like these from Swoozies. Ten cards are $15.95.

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If you have tried the products mentioned in this post or if you have any other gift ideas that would make great “thanks” gifts, please leave us a message!

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Vote Now ! One week left to vote!

Photo courtesy of The Leakey Collection

The voting phase of World Challenge 08 closes midnight 21 November, so to make sure your favourite is in with a chance of winning, visit the World Challenge 08 website and vote now.

Remember, with your help the winning project will receive $20,000 and the two runners up will receive $10,000 to continue their good work so make sure your vote counts.

Tune into BBC World News this weekend to watch the series and find out more about the finalists. All finalists are also being featured in Newsweek.

The winners will be announced in the final programme on 20 December. They will also be featured on the World Challenge 08 website and in Newsweek on 22 December (Issue date 29 December).

Also, don’t forget to watch BBC World News on 22nd November 2008, or pick up Newsweek on 17th November 2008 (Issue date 24th November) to find out about last year’s World Challenge winner and how their project is going one year on.

Regards
The World Challenge Team

The BBC has a new policy on competitions.
Visit bbc.com/competitioncode

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If you’d like to find out more about The Leakey Collection and their mission to help the Maasai women, please read our post Zulugrass Jewelry by The Leakey Collection - A Gift That Gives Back! or just visit their website at http://www.leakeylife.com/

The “His & Hers Sheet Set”

His & Hers Sheet Set from www.BedHog.com

If you want to stay away from any conventional gift and offer something fun and unique, I suggest the “His & Hers Sheet Set” from www.BedHog.com. The set is made of 1 flat sheet, 1 fitted sheet and 2 pillowcases. The 100% cotton sateen sheets are white with a stylish “His” and “Hers” print on them. A line down the middle will delimitate the two sides and help reveal who the real Bed Hog is!! The flat and fitted sheets are reversible so partners have a choice on which side they want to sleep.

The set comes in King ($119.99) and Queen ( $99.99) sizes. I wish they had a California King size to fit MY bed! hahaha Anyway, this would be an excellent choice for a unique and special gift! One of my favorites!

For $29.99, you can buy a separate pillowcases set; they even offer pillowcases sets for Gay Couples or singles who like to have the bed all to themselves!

Who is Behind BedHog.com?

photo courtesy of BedHog.com

The story goes that Sue and Patrick were newlyweds when all of a sudden they had an important debate in the bedroom. The topic: who was hogging more than their fair share of the bed?! In order to find out, they created the Bed Hog sheets. So, now they are sleeping on their own Bed Hog sheets and are happier than ever!

To read more about their story please visit www.BedHog.com  

Hannah Montana Guitar Video Game

Hannah Montana Plug & Play Guitar Video Game

Budding musicians can play along to hit songs from Hannah Montana with this cool Guitar Video Game . With the Hannah Montana guitar-shaped controller, players use the guitar to match the musical notes of her hottest hits, scoring points, and rocking out just like Hannah. The guitar plugs directly into any standard TV for hours of fun.

Cars Mega Garage

Cars Mega Garage

Playhut’s Cars Mega Garage is a massive play environment featuring bright and colorful pictures the characters from the Cars movie. The popup garage stands 5′ x 5′ and is large enough for up to six kids to play. The Cars Mega Garage features a flap door entrance, as well as a crawl-through tunnel port that can connect to other EZ Twist play environments. Created from durable and soft non-woven materials, the Cars Mega Garage features Playhut’s patented twist-n-fold technology for instant set-up and easy storage, and is ideal for children ages 3 and up.

Ratatouille LeapPad Book

LeapPad Book: Ratatouille

An educational gift that will please both child and parent. Designed for use with LeapPad, Quantum LeapPad, and LeapPad Plus Writing Systems. The Ratatouille LeapPad Book will teach children discover French words, nutrition, table manners and essential preschool skills as the child helps Remy and Linguini become two of the best chefs in Paris.

Disney's Cinderella Snuggler

Disney Princess Snuggler

A great gift for the little girl who thinks she’s a princess. The Disney Princess Snuggler is made to go over a standard pillow and turn each Disney princess into a giant plush toy. Great for cuddle time, sleepovers, and travel. Available in Cinderella, Belle, and Arial.

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Do you have a Disney children gift idea? Please share your suggestions.

Christmas Card. Photo courtesy of Stamp Not Included

Christmas cards are a great tradition. They are a simple way to connect and spread holiday cheer with friends and relatives. There are so many options when it comes to Christmas cards– funny ones, religious ones, artsy ones, sparkly ones, homemade ones. How can you possibly choose? Here are some ideas for places to find the best Christmas cards, depending on your style and your budget.

Photo Christmas Cards

Since one of the main purposes of a Christmas card is to fill your friends in on the past 12 months, a photo can be a great way to bring them up to date. Several sites offer easy opportunities to upload a photo and design your own card. Try Shutterfly or PhotoWorks.

Christmas Cards that Support a Cause

Christmas cards are meant to spread love– why not let your actions speak louder than your words by supporting a non-profit organization with your Christmas cards? That’s the idea behind Cards that Give, a site developed with the purpose of promoting non-profit greeting cards. Cards that Give only includes qualified charities that have been reviewed by Charity Navigator, a watchdog organization.

Christmas Cards Designed by You

There’s no way to make a greeting card more personal than by designing a card yourself. At Moo.com you can upload photos, or combine Moo designs to create your own cards. Another cool thing about Moo.com is that you can design up to 25 different cards in each pack you order. So if you like variety, then this is a great option.

Homemade Christmas Cards

For those with a crafty side, try making your own Christmas cards. Need ideas? Check out ScrapVilliage’s Christmas card gallery and then head to your local craft store for supplies like paper, stamps and stickers. Surely your effort and care will not go unnoticed when your homemade Christmas card shows up in the mailbox.