Mommy Blog, Tips & Ideas
Posts tagged Christmas Shopping
The Feel-Good Factor: Ethical Christmas Gifts
Nov 30th
Christmas is the season for giving. We give to our families, the community and friends. Gifts are a large part of the spirit of the holiday. When we do something for another, it adds to our well-being.
Ethical Christmas gifts are those that will help someone else just by using them. It can be gifts purchased to support a cause or a donation given in the name of someone else. The choice is yours.
Kerry
Ethical gifts are best appreciated by someone who also likes to give to others in their lives. If you have someone on your Christmas list who is a regular volunteer worker or who donates to several causes during the year, they make a great candidate for an ethical gift. Know the people in your life who would most appreciate it.
Now maybe you don’t have enough money to make a donation in the name of everyone that you know. If so, you can turn your donation into a family gift. Let’s say that one of your good neighbors likes animals. Make a donation in their name to an animal rescue program or a wildlife fund. Present a plaque or card, to the family, stating that the donation was made.
For a greater level of support this year, buy your gifts and cards from organizations trying to raise money for global awareness campaigns. For instance, you can purchase recycled greeting cards from an organization that is trying to save the earth. Charities like the March of Dimes, The American Red Cross and UNICEF sell cards, the profits from which go to help in relief efforts and research.
Many people want to get in touch with the real spirit of giving around the holidays. It is okay to give gifts when the spirit in which they are given is one of love and kindness. Ethical Christmas gifts have the distinction of being timeless. A gift of a vase may sit in your living room and collect dust. A gift of new water wells for a poor village will continue to give even after Christmas is over.
Ethical gifts have the distinction of positive feelings tied to them. Parents know the frustration they feel when a toy that was begged for is tossed in the corner a week later. Instead of so many gifts that clutter up the household, you can teach kids how they can give to other kids just like them who are far away and need even the basic things like a meal or clothing.
Giving to a worthy cause gives you a chance to help others. You are actively making a difference in the world by choosing to give an ethical gift and/or receiving one graciously from another. Who wouldn’t get a deep down good feeling from that?
Shop Online and Keep Your Sanity
Nov 29th
Christmas is right around the corner. Have you thought about holiday gift shopping yet? Whether you have a ton of people or just a few on your list, you’ll want to get that off your plate as soon as possible. This year, try shopping online.
Some are wary of shopping online. It could be because it is new to them or because they aren’t computer savvy. However, with the ease of navigation on many websites, even a child could find what they are looking for.
Shopping online is safe for those who have that issue. The important thing to remember is to be aware of what constitutes safety and not to deviate from it. Here are a few things to look for:
* Find security certificates on the site and be sure they are up-to-date
* Look for a closed lock symbol on checkout pages where you supply financial information
* Enter your personal and financial information each time instead of storing it in the browser
* Delete cookies after you finish your shopping for that day
* Implement the highest security that you have for Internet browsing
When you know what to do to keep from being taken for a ride, the Internet becomes a fun way to shop for items that you want to give at Christmas. Here are a few reasons why it is less stressful to shop in cyberspace than leaving your home.
* No traffic jams
* No long lines outside the store
* Greater product availability
* You can shop anytime you have a few spare minutes
* You can have items delivered anywhere you need to
If you have an Internet connection, you can shop for Christmas presents online. In the stores, they only carry a certain number of items. It is how they drum up demand. Online, your supplier may have a warehouse full of that same item just waiting to ship.
What do you do when you go to the store and they are sold out? Online, product availability can be checked weeks and months before Christmas. You can buy early to avoid the rush. Also, some product colors and styles are only available online so your gift will be more unique.
Have you ever stood in the line at the post office the week before Christmas? It’s worse than the retail stores. Online, you can fill in a billing address and a shipping address. They don’t have to be the same. Send your gifts automatically to family far away without ever darkening the door of the post office.
What are your plans for Christmas shopping this year? See if you can do the majority of your shopping online. Now, you can go to the mall for a stroll and an ice cream instead of scouring the stores for hard-to-find gifts.
Happy Shopping!
Kerry
Teach your Kids the Meaning of Giving this Holiday Season
Nov 23rd
Christmas makes kids wide-eyed, with thoughts of a ton of presents under the Christmas tree. Some kids even like to count their presents under the tree. This holiday season, teach your kids the true meaning of Christmas — giving to others.
Give to Others – One simple way to teach your children the value of giving is to have them donate to a local shelter. Have your children go through their toys and clothes. Make sure they give away one really nice thing that they don’t really need or play with. Place an emphasis on the fact that there are many children who have no home or parents.
Another way your children can learn about the gift of giving is to donate canned goods to a local food drive service. These services provide food to families in need. The holidays are often a difficult time for those in need. Take your children to the grocery store and have them choose a nice variety of canned foods to donate.
One more way your children can learn a lesson in giving is to buy gifts for others. Choose a needy family in your church or community. If you don’t know of anyone in need, ask around. Officials at your city’s municipal building or local pastors will be able to make recommendations to you.
Take your children shopping and help them pick out age-appropriate toys and gifts. Let them wrap the gifts, too. Finally, drive your family to your “adopted” family’s home and let your kids hand out their gifts. You can also give a gift to a local gift drive for children in need, most of these will advertise in stores and the local community during the holidays.
Kerry
Holiday Organization Tips
Nov 20th
Don’t let this holiday season be stressful. Simply organize yourself to get it all done with little to no hassle. Get started early with these easy holiday organization tips.
Be a List Writer – Writing lists is an excellent way to keep yourself organized and on track. Write your list by hand then type them into a computer and print a neat copy to keep handy. Some list ideas for you: Christmas gift shopping list, spending budget, holiday cards list, meal planning, etc. Be sure to keep each list separate and mark off every task as it is completed.
Learn to Delegate – When it’s time to decorate for the holidays, get your family involved. Delegate specific tasks to each person. This will help you by reducing decorating time. Your family will also have fun decorating the house for Christmas. Your family members can also help get the house ready for Christmas by doing laundry, dusting, clearing snow and shopping.
Order Online – You can cut your shopping time in half (or more!) just by ordering online. After your shopping list is complete, sit down and shop online. You will most likely be able to find the majority of your gift list online. What’s even better is that you can save time and money by having some gifts automatically shipped to friends and family afar. You can even order your groceries online.
Think Ahead – Christmas happens every year and every year you swear you will put those decorations back in the right place. This is a good time to think about what you can do this year to make next year easier on yourself next Christmas. Organize your Christmas decorations before storing them in the attic. Jot down any ideas you might have for next year in a special holiday journal. Collect those favourite family recipes you requested this year and save them in your holiday journal for next year’s family dinner. And remember to untangle the Christmas lights before putting them away!
Share the Love – Plan your holiday dinner early and share the love (or food). If you’re hosting the Christmas dinner ask family and friends to each bring a dish, make sure you ask what everyone is bringing so you don’t end up with ten desserts and no main courses. This will take a huge amount of stress of you and your family members can show off their favourite recipes. If you’re going to someone else’s house for dinner offer to bring a dish along, your offer may be greatly appreciated.
By starting early, doing some online shopping and learning to delegate you can dramatically reduce your Christmas stress this year. Christmas shouldn’t be a time of stress and worry, try to slow down so that you can enjoy the sites and festivities around you and more importantly share it with your family.
Merry Christmas!
Recent Comments