reader question…

“Hello Jane! I have followed your blog for a while now without commenting. Thanks for always sharing such cute ideas on parties, crafts, shopping, eating, you name it! I was wondering what you recommend getting close neighbors or family friends for Christmas? Have you given or received some cool gifts over the years that you could share for ideas? Thanks! -Ashleigh”

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hey ashleigh. my thoughts on gift-giving are always this: make it personal. {and unique, if possible!}

either choose something that is your favorite to share with those you love or choose something that totally suits the people you are giving it to.

for example, i have a serious obsession with chocolate covered cinnamon bears, and every year we give out boxes of those to all our dearest friends, neighbors, and family with our annual christmas card. one year we changed it up a bit and gave everyone cocoa-latte machines, wishing them a “latte’ peace, warmth, and love!”

do you have a favorite poem? book? treat? snack? i would also love to give people a box of cake bites but that would get pricey compared to what i already spend.

other gifts i have loved getting over the years, are personalized christmas music cd mixes. with treats it’s fun to include a recipe with the ingredients to make it themselves. one year my sister in law gave our family a binder full of 25 days of christmas stories, each story in sheet protectors similar to a story-a-day-advent-calendar and i pull that out every year. another niece gave us a six pack of reindeer root beer one year each bottle decorated like reindeer, my kids loved them – i found an online visual here. i truly love christmas cards, oh the joy, my favorite cards over the years are those that include hand-drawn pictures by the kids, classic family quotes, whatever you do – make it personal.

i found some other ideas here, here, and here.

…good luck, happy holidays!