Christmas Gift Suggestions for All My Friends

Macy's shop for a better world. They have gifts from around the world. Super cute, hand made and a great price range. I'm going to get the $10 necklaces for some girls at work. Supercute.

Since you are planning this early, I would make something. I do love handmade christmas ornaments. Google some ideas. IF not ornaments, bake breads or cookies for all of them.

If you belong to Costco, I love giving the box of handmade cards they sell esp at this time of year. It comes with about 30 cards--all sorts of occasions (bday, congrats, sympathy, friendship, blank). They are beautiful, useful and economic. About $15. I've given it to friends, teachers, and myself! I've even given it repeatedly to the same person b/c the box of cards is different every year. Everyone I've given it to has found it useful and fun! We joke about someone being "card-worthy"

I like to put together little goody baskets or tins! I usually will find great tins or tin baskets (if you know what 'm talking about!) from JoAnn Fabrics or Michaels and will fill them with lots of little goodies! Maybe a new coffee mug and a single serving size of a yummy hot chocolate mix, a small sized hand lotion or sanitizer from bath & body works, a small godiva chocolate bar and maybe a new book! Something that a busy mom can grab and run to the couch with when all they have is 20 minutes for themselves! My friends usually love it! :) And it usually ends up costing me no more that $10-$15 per gift!
Good luck!

I am making a sugar scrub for all my lady relatives and friends this year. I make a sugar scrub as opposed to a salt scrub because it's not as painful if you have a little cut on your hands! I also use grape sead oil instead of a olive oil or the like because it is better for your skin.
You just add sugar to a glass jar, add the oil and then a few drops of a scented essential oil that you like. I love lavender!
So easy and is always a hit!

Christmas ornaments?

I like the idea of a tin, filled with 'stuff.' Think of things that you use daily or wish you had with you. Or make a theme out of it like "for your car" and have a Tide To Go pen, a Neosporin To Go spray, a small pack of kleenex, a small hand santitizer, a small bag of chips or a snack, a small snack-sized candy bar or granola bar.

I am not a fan of giving or getting jewelry since that can be a very personal preference. (My mom got a "Nana" necklace years ago that she has YET to wear. My brother knew I liked frogs 10 years ago when in highschool so bought me a gold frog necklace. I don't even wear gold. I've worn it once when he was in town so he could see me wearing his gift.)

Only other thing I can think of is a good book that you really liked and would want to share. Or a calendar with your bdays and her kids bdays written in there already.

gift cert. for manicure... so they can pamper themnselves a little.

Gift cards to coffee places, YUMMY YUMMY

Purse hook that you hang on a table at a restaurant.

Personalized pasta! Pick the ones that suit your friends' interests/talents. It's economical, and helps busy moms to have a quick fun meal on hand.

I bought some through a local group doing fundraising. I think you can order right off their website, and even have the profit go to a local group.

http://www.funpastafundraising.com/products_brochure.php

If you can afford it, I would recommend a Scentsy Warmer with a beginner scent....and NO, I am not a Scentsy representative but I LOVE mine and they make my house smell so nice without worrying about a lighted candle. You can get the small warmer for about $25 or a larger one for around $35 so depending on how many friends you are buying for it can be a tad pricey but so worth it! I'm sure there is a rep in your area if you don't already have one :-)

p.s. it's what I bought for my sister and mother-in-law this Christmas (and my husband wanted one in our college colors for his office with some of the masculine scents)

I suppose it depends on how quirky you want to get - and if you can get to certain locations.

I know someone who sells these glass pendant necklaces for like $10 a piece. They are super fun and really pretty and you could easily get a unique item for each: the picture doesn't do it justice.

http://www.localoakpark.com/new-posts/tag/when-you-need-a...

The same goes for a post on this site about a kitchen gadget that is adorable. There are enough of these to go around at the store to get a different gadget for each friend. And Green Home Experts offers reusable gift wrap - or you could be creative with some sustainable dish towels.

http://www.localoakpark.com/new-posts/?currentPage=5
to see one of the gadgets go to the bottom of page 5. LOVE THEM.

Picture frames! If you're creative, you can jazz it up a bit or personalize it.

I am a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant. I made holiday gift baskets for women. They can be filled with any items you choose or you could just choose the best gift which is the Satin Hands Pampering Set!Check out Mary Kay under member perks for deals! (FREE SHIPPING)

While watching WGN News yesterday ... they made an excellent suggestion for a gift idea. Why not a cookbook? They were actually promoting 'The Taste of Home Cookbook' ... simple easy to make family favorite stuff ... but I am sure anything will do. It just keeps on giving. A great idea, I thought. Considering it myself.

I love my scentsy, and I don't sell it. Maybe a little gift bag/basket with winter items. A really nice lip balm, hand cream, gift card for Starbucks(coffee or hot chocolate), stretchy gloves to keep in your purse for driving on mornings when it is not too cold, box of hot chocolate or flavored coffee. I know target sells many different ones in their dollar bin and I bought them for people and they said they were good. I believe they are single servings. I room spray that is lavendar to help sleep better. I love mine. I spritz my pillow before bedtime. Some home made cookies or some small bags of goodies. Gift certificates for main and pedi are great too. Good luck!

the One Trip Tote by Neeblink, Inc. Last year I simplified and got all the busy moms in my life one. They loved it! I'm giving them to my kids teachers this year. Tote is large and open. Beautiful. The idea is to have a carryall to load up the night before and be able to just make one trip (thus the name) out the door to the car, store, pool, game, school, etc. The website is awesome for giving you endless ideas on how to use it, and has great testimonials. It also collapses so I keep one in my car and mudroom. Keeps groceries still and organizes my trunk! I've got one labeled for myself and one for each of my kids. Just one of those few things I couldn't live without now and wouldve paid a lot more for. Google it. Good luck!

I like the idea of the cookbook myself. I actually just bought the Taste of Home one the other day and look forward to now looking through it for recipes. Borders usually has a 40% off coupon offer every other week so watch for that.

S.

I am a HUGE fan of the gift boxes from the Spice House. They come in a nice box with four different spices, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, bay leaves, and a letter explaining the origin of the spice and useful ways to use it. The spice boxes themselves are themed...Chicago ethnic neighborhoods (my favorite!), barbecue lovers, chicken lovers, curry lovers, bakers, etc. I love to give them as hostess gifts too. I guess I like them so much because I always fall back on my same old recipes and hardly ever try something new, but with these I was able to "add a little spice" to my life and my kitchen with hardly any work. They have several locations around Chicago and are running two specials in November: free shipping for four or more boxes ordered from their web site, or 15% off your entire in store order when you buy 5 or more boxes. I just picked up 5 boxes myself! With the 15% off the ran about $17 a box, so that might be a little more than you want to spend on everyone.

Here's their website. Good luck!

http://www.thespicehouse.com/

It can be expensive but I've found women like L'Occitane hand cream. It's so good and a bit indulgent...

Gift card for a restaurant or for manicure.

Personally, I've always been more of a fan of donating to charity, then getting cards from that charity that state a donation has been made in their name. I've never had anyone think it was a bad idea or not appreciate it (or at least nobody has said anything!)

Heifer International is my favorite - you can get a gift card for every $10 you donate right now. I also like UNICEF.

Sephora has a very cool tube of lipglosses that I am getting for everyone: only $10

link
http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P272313&am...