Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

Giving the Gift of an Xperience! GIVEAWAY!!!!

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I personally believe that the very best kinds of unique gifts are not material objects, but experiences, as these give the recipient memories to hold on to for life. My best friend has such fond memories, for example, of the time she got to spend with her grandparents out in Arizona every summer as a child. I don’t think she, even as a child, would have wanted to swap those great memories for all the toys in the world.

I can also remember, even more than 10 years later, times when Tim and I went and did really fun things together in college, such as taking road trips or going to really fancy and fun restaurants (that was a rare treat on our budgets, for sure!). Having special experiences with people you love is something that money might be able to buy, but its worth is priceless.

Today I’m highlighting a company that wants to help you give a unique and special experience to your loved one as a gift. It’s called Xperience Days, and it can radically change the way you shop for gifts from here on out! I think it is an especially fabulous shopping destination for the men in your life, who are likely much more difficult to shop for than the women (at least that’s my experience!).

Simply type in your zip code on the site and see what offers are available to you. While there currently aren’t any offers in Chattanooga, I found 4 activities in Nashville, just 2 hours away! They have a few different types of hot air balloon ride packages and even a woodworking class. Atlanta, just 2 1/2 hours away, has 18 different experiences. We are planning a trip there in July, so I’ll definitely be back to this site to purchase something super awesome for us to do together!  I’m so glad to have found this resource for getting gifts that will be really and truly special. Go check it out and see what you can find in your area!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win a $50 gift certificate to Xperience Days!
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Know Who Made Your Stuff? Novica Will Tell You

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Novica

Every once in a while, I come across a company that has a mission that just warms my heart, and makes me feel like they are truly working to make the world a better place by connecting us to each other. Novica is one such company.

bracelet from novica Here’s what Novica is all about: “We want to give artists and artisans around the world a global platform to express their true artistic talents and to spur their creativity. And, we want to provide you with access to unique, hard-to-find items at great values that only the Internet infrastructure can allow. We want you to know about who you’re buying from. We want you to feel that attachment to the product and to the hands that created it.”

Have you ever looked at an item in your home and wondered who made it? Even if it was machine made, there were likely people in that factory, making sure those machines worked and making sure the final product was correct. I wonder about that sort of thing all the time, actually. How many different people from how many different countries have played a role in creating something that I use or that I admire? I bet the answer would blow my mind.

platter from novica It is so very cool to me that Novica gives me information about the artisan who makes every single product. It gives me some context for where it came from, the love that was poured into it, and the person whose livelihood I am supporting by making my purchase.

I was given the opportunity to do a bit of shopping with Novica in order to see what it is like to shop on this site. It was a very cool experience, I must say! I looked around the shop for a gift for my mother-in-law, a woman who has been to many different parts of the world, and who really appreciates fine craftsmanship. I knew she would be very pleased with and appreciate a gift from Novica. While I won’t tell you what I picked out (sorry! MIL reads the blog!), I will tell you that I received notification of when the product would be shipped, and it got to me surprisingly quickly. I will also tell you that what I got is GORGEOUS. It looked pretty on the website, but I audibly gasped when I unwrapped it. It truly looks like the work of an artisan, and not something mass produced. It also came with a card telling a bit more about the person who made it. The Novica website also has videos on many of the artists they work with, and I was really tempted to put a video up of the artist I bought from, but it would give away the gift! Here’s a different artist for you to check out.

http://www.novica.com/media/publicPlayer.swf?id=81

Buy it!: I can tell you from experience that ordering a gift from Novica is a special experience, and being able to give a gift that supports an artisan and gives you information about the person who made your item is very cool. I would recommend this site to anyone who is looking for something extra special and meaningful this holiday season!

Win it!: Just in time for the holidays, Novica wants to give one lucky Stuff Parents Need reader a $50 gift certificate to use on whatever the heck you want at their store! You will be able to get a truly beautiful and unique gift for someone on your holiday shopping list! Or…you can give a wonderful present to yourself! 🙂 The contest will run until November 15th at 11:59pm EST when a winner will be selected using Random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning notification before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.

Mandatory entry: Tell me about something you own that is from another country (not talking about “made in China,” unless you are referring to something you got while in China!). Perhaps it is something you got while traveling, or perhaps someone you love who was traveling brought it back to you. Perhaps it is something you inherited! For me, I love my beautiful ceramic vase that my mother-in-law got for me in France. It is simply gorgeous and I will be passing it down to Darah one day!

Additional entries:
1. Sponsor love: Follow Novica on Twitter
2. Blogger love: Follow Stuff Parents Need on Twitter

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my home page.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.