I’ve mentioned before that I have 25 people to buy for on my guest list. TWENTY FIVE!!! Just when I start to get a little grouchy about having to do this much shopping I step back and remember two important things:
1. Giving gifts is my love language. It is a joy to be able to give.
2. What amazing gifts I have been given simply by having each and every one of these people in my life. I am overwhelmed by how awesome they each are.
It’s good to take a moment to remember those things, because then it keeps me from being a Grinch and turns me into more of a Santa, feeling downright jolly about the task ahead of me.
Yesterday morning we had our fourth intensive wrapping session. We wrapped and labeled gifts for about 2 hours. And I spent a good deal of time pouring over the list for everyone and determining who I was finished shopping for, and who was left. I then wrote down each person’s name and a budget for each person on a separate list, along with some initial gift ideas I have. This list will live in my purse and go with me everywhere until every last name is crossed off! My hope is to be done by Thanksgiving, but I predict a serious shopping session on Cyber Monday to finish things off.
Now that I know exactly WHO I’m shopping for, I can more easily search for ideas about WHAT to get these fine folks. Party Blu Prints has JUST (as in maybe an hour ago!) released a fantastic holiday gift guide and I want to share with you some ideas it has generated for me!
First up, the gents. Guys are the hardest to shop for, in my experience. I was really excited to see the OtterBox case featured in this #HolidayGuide. Just last week Tim and I broke down and replaced our ancient iPhone 3s with the iPhone 4S. What a difference that upgrade made! And since we have young kids, protecting the phone is a must. My own independent research indicated that the OtterBox was the very best case, and that research is validated by this gift guide. I’ll take one in black, please. Oh yes, this is going under the tree!
Next, I’m looking for a small gift for my mother-in-law. When I saw Nivea lotion in the gift guide, I was reminded of the test I recently conducted where I compared bargain-priced Nivea lotion to my favorite moisturizer. I was genuinely surprised to see that Nivea had much better lasting power. My mother-in-law lives in a desert climate, so a moisturizer that REALLY works is a necessity. This will fit the bill just perfectly.
I’m also looking for a hostess gift for a holiday party we’ll be attending. The holiday e-guide reminded me that a gift doesn’t have to be store-bought to be fabulous. There’s a great recipe for homemade sangria. That happens to be one of my very favorite adult beverages, so giving it as a gift will make it extra special. And it will be extra EXTRA special if my gift gets served at the party! 😉
Finally, I’m looking for some ideas for fun ways to entertain guests in my own home for the holidays. During the first two weeks of December, we will have several family members coming at various times to stay and visit with us. I want our home to be very inviting and festive, but I also have to be realistic about what I can do on my own and what might require some outside help. When I saw the Pepperidge Farm Candy Cane cookies in the guide, I knew that they were going straight on my shopping list.
Pepperidge Farm is something I very much associate with the holidays. Santa Claus always expected this brand to be on the plate we left out for him on Christmas Eve. We made sure to grant his wish every year, in the hopes that he would grant ours! I love that the Milano line has a mini cookie which will be perfect to keep on the kitchen counter for snacking on-the-go. And the fact that it has a candy cane flavor is just too perfect.
I noticed in the guide that these cookies are exclusive to Target. My closest Target is 25 minutes away, so I don’t go all that often. But I’m making a special trip this afternoon to go get those holiday cookies! In addition to having them on hand for guests, I also need a few weeks to taste-test them and make sure they are the right choice for Santa. Mothers have so many tough jobs, and this is just another one of them. But I’ll do it out of love and dedication to my family. 😉
Are you working on your holiday gifts list and figuring out exactly how much shopping remains? Definitely flip through the Party Blu Prints holiday e-guide. You’ll get some great ideas for gifts to buy, gifts to make, and tips to remember to keep the next few weeks festive, fun and light on the stress.
After I’m back home with my Pepperidge Farm cookies this afternoon, I may just whip up the mocktail recipe in the guide. Anyone case to join me? 🙂
I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Pepperidge Farm #CBias #SocialFabric. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
We ended up getting these cookies for Santa after reading your post. Thank you so much for sharing!