Gifts from the Heart

Hi All,

We are all in the Christmas spirit. We have decorated the place and are working on Christmas cards. I love this time of year. It is cold here, so we are using the wood stove and drinking hot tea and cocoa. Yum! The smell of baking is permeating the house as my daughter loves to bake and I enjoy it myself.

Though this time of year seems to get more hectic, keep in mind the important things. Don't fret over what to buy but who you are buying for. In other words, give gifts from your heart. Create sweet gifts that are handmade. They don't have to take a lot of time, but have the recipient in mind.

Here are some suggestions:

~ for the coffee lover, give a gift certificate for coffee, or better yet, a homemade certificate for a coffee date.

~ for a mom or person with added stressors in their life, a certificate for a massage or spa.

~ for a dad who loves movies, a subscription to Netflix.

~ for a cook, a homemade certificate for a shopping date to buy a new baking/cooking tool in the designated denomination.

~ for a cookie lover, a homemade certificate for a dozen cookies each month for six months. (cookies can be bought at a local bakery)

~ for the fitness enthusiast, a homemade certificate announcing a year-long subscription to a favorite magazine.

~ for a sweets lover, a fun jar full of favorite candy treats. Better yet, fill it with homemade certificates for favorite candies/treats to be redeemed for several months.

~ for a child, a booklet to a favorite fast food restaurant, or several. Mom will love this too.

~ for someone who enjoys quality time with friends, a certificate for a day out with you. Possibly a movie and lunch or just a lunch date.

As you can see, it doesn't take alot of time, just some homemade certificates to put in simply handmade cards filled with love. It will extend the Christmas spirit well beyond the end of the year.

Post your gift ideas and ways to relieve holiday stress.

My biggest thing is to simplify and let go of the idea of a "perfect" Christmas and just enjoy the advent of the season, the celebration of Jesus Christ's birth.

Nami

This is the cover for the pop up card above.
This bag was made from the Coordinates collection. I stamped the polka dots with cherries for the pattern. The paper was 12x12 inches.