If you are giving a gift card this holiday season, don’t just slip it into a card – make it into a snow globe. It will take giving a gift card this holiday to a whole new level – especially if you are giving it to a child. Eben and I decided to do this project for a Secret Santa party that he will be going to – it was a super fun gift to make, read on to learn how. These are perfect for last minute gifts too!
What you will need:
glass mason jar
water
eco-glitter
glue gun
gift card
tiny ornaments
This is actually a super easy do-it-yourself project that only takes a few minutes to complete. Secure the gift card to the lid of the mason jar with hot glue. Fill the mason jar with water, add eco-glitter and a couple of tiny ornaments, screw the lid on super tight – you now have the perfect way to give a gift card!
Hello, Friends! Can you believe Christmas is right around the corner? If you’re anything like me, hitting the mall this holiday season isn’t going to happen! No worries, you can still surprise everyone on your holiday list and those gifts can be eco-friendly too! Read on to discover five of my favorite holiday gifts that don’t require you to even leave the comfort of your sofa.
1. Give the Gift of Experience
One of my favorite gifts to give is the gift of experience. A few years ago I gave the mister scuba diving lessons and this year part of Eben’s holiday gift is art lessons. I have given the gift of annual memberships to botanic gardens and science museums. The possibilities are endless, just consider what your recipient enjoys and go from there.
2. Give a Gift that Helps Someone Else
Have a do-gooder on your holiday list? Consider giving a gift certificate to Kiva – your recipient will go through a list of loan applicants and pick a hard-working borrower to give a micro-loan too. This is a great way to help entrepreneurs in other countries who need a little help, the best part when the entrepreneur pays the loan back, you get to re-loan the funds to another entrepreneur!
3. Give the Gift of Your Time
I was telling the mister the other day that the best gift that I could ever receive is the gift of someone offering to take Eben for the weekend. Since we live very far away from most of Eben’s grandparents, we have never left him for a long weekend. Wouldn’t a romantic long weekend with your loved one be the perfect gift! The possibilities here are endless as well, just think of something that you can do for someone else and wrap that up as a gift.
4. Give the Gift of Nature
I love to receive a gift in the form of a living plant or something that can be planted in the yard. Even better when the plant is of edible variety. Eben and I gave the mister a lemon tree one year as a birthday gift – and it is a gift that he seriously enjoys every day. He is always watering, pruning and checking for lemons – and seeing how much the tree has grown is a delight. Plus, giving him lemonade all year long has been a sweet gift that he really enjoys.
5. Give the Gift of Your Expertise
Are you a fantastic chef? Can you sew a mean pair of pajamas? Are you great at web design? A beautiful photographer? Whatever it is that you are an expert at consider giving that as a gift this holiday season. If you are a fantastic cook, arrive at your recipients home with all of the ingredients necessary to cook a fabulous meal for them. Spend the time teaching your recipient how to prepare and cook the meal and then enjoy it together!
Do you give the gift of experience during the holidays? I would love to hear about the gifts you are giving this holiday season.
The holiday season can be downright magical — but it can also be pretty darn wasteful. Despite the fact that 81% of global consumers feel strongly that companies should protect the environment, many of us forsake sustainability for tradition during this time of year.
The reality is, though, that you don’t necessarily have to choose between the two. There are plenty of ways to deck your halls in a way that doesn’t hurt the planet. Here are just a few ideas to provide you with some holiday decor inspiration that’s a little bit greener.
Collect Your Own Greenery
American homeowners (who move every five to seven years, on average) really love their green space. Being surrounded by natural elements will come in handy when you want to decorate your home this year. Take yourself on a little nature walk to gather up some greenery. Branches, berries, pinecones, and other natural materials can easily be turned into garlands, wreaths, centerpieces, swags, and other decor elements. You might pay a pretty penny for imitation versions at the store that are made from plastic, but you can make use of what you already have in your own backyard and save money. Best of all, you can probably compost them after the holidays are over!
Consider a Real Christmas Tree
There’s a lot of debate when it comes to real vs. fake trees. Although it might seem rather wasteful to get a real Christmas tree every year, there’s actually a good argument for this option. Although fake trees can last for years and reduce waste on an annual basis, most artificial trees are made in factories that require the use of raw materials and potentially harmful chemicals before they’re transported long distances. Artificial trees don’t decompose once they’re thrown into landfills, either. Real trees are usually grown locally and on area farms and are carbon-neutral. New trees are planted every year and real trees can also be made into compost. You can even “rent” a Christmas tree in some areas, which allows the farm to actually reuse Christmas trees from year to year. As long as you’re being thoughtful about where your tree goes after the fact, this is a surprisingly sustainable tradition you can keep.
Use LED Lights
When it comes to decorating the tree, ornaments get a lot of the glory — but it’s the lights that keep everything together. Of course, you may be using more electricity during this time of year anyway, given that there are fewer daylight hours available. Instead of relying on incandescent lights, consider switching to LEDs this year. They tend to last longer, will use less electricity, and will emit less heat. When you aren’t celebrating, however, you should unplug the festive lights. Since appliances use electricity even they’re switched off (with a desktop computer using around 80 watts even when it isn’t in use), you can save even more energy by unplugging completely.
DIY, Thrift, or Get Hand-Me-Downs
If your mantle or tree are looking a bit sparse, don’t be so quick to run out to the store for new stockings and ornaments. You can probably DIY some homemade alternatives that will be a lot more meaningful. For stockings, you can use an old sweater to make your own. There are also a number of DIY ornament tutorials that use items like scrap ribbon, sticks, salt dough, recycled paper, or dried citrus to create beautiful baubles. And if you aren’t much of a craft queen, don’t fret. You can probably ask your relatives for some hand-me-downs they aren’t using, especially if their decor style has changed or they have pieces from their own parents hanging around the attic. If all else fails, head to a local thrift store in your area. You may be able to score a bargain and support your local community, all while keeping unwanted items out of landfills.
Because this time of year has become so commercialized, it’s easy to fall into the trap of believing you need all new decor for the holiday season. But if you make use of what you already have and employ a little bit of creativity, you can make your home look perfectly festive while saving money and the environment.
Every year as an advent activity, Eben and I made a gingerbread house. While those store-bought gingerbread kits seem very simple, making your own gingerbread house can be too! You can use ingredients that you already have on-hand, use your creativity, and there is no packaging waste either.
This year, we decided to make a healthier version of the gingerbread house using ingredients that we already had in our kitchen cupboards. And while there are still a handful of chocolate candies used in the decorating, most of the ingredients are better for him. The best part, it took less than an hour to make and we laughed and chatted while we made it, and our house smelled fantastic when we were done! Read on to learn how to make a healthier gingerbread house with your children for the holidays and add it to your weekend activity list.
Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients
graham crackers
carob chips
shredded coconut
miniature chocolate pieces
yogurt covered almonds
square cereal pieces
ice cream cones
cinnamon sticks
peanut butter
baker’s twine
Step 2: Choose your Design
Eben and I decided on a simple cottage design inspired by the ingredients that we had on hand in our kitchen. We wanted a sweet look and choose our colors to match the orange yogurt covered almonds that we had.
Step 3: Construct the House
You will need 4 graham crackers squares and 4 graham cracker triangles. Use a serrated knife to cut the graham crackers into a triangular shape.
We melted carob chips and used them to “glue” the house together. We then placed it in the freezer for a few minutes to speed up the hardening process.
Step 4: Add the Roof
Choose your favorite square cereal to construct the roof. We used peanut butter to secure the “shingles” on the roof starting from the bottom and then layering each level until we reached the roofline. We added the shingles to all four sides of the roof.
Step 5: Add Doors and Windows
We used more cereal and miniature chocolate pieces to make the front door and windows – attaching those to the house with peanut butter as well.
Step 6: Add a Little Color
We used orange yogurt covered almonds to the peak of the house!
Step 7: Make the Trees
We used sugar ice cream cones turned upside down and adorned with miniature chocolate pieces (also attached with peanut butter) for our miniature forest of trees.
Step 8: Make a Wood Pile
We tied a small stack of cinnamon sticks together with baker’s twine to make a stack of firewood to place next to the house.
Step 9: Add the Snow
We sprinkled shredded coconut all around the gingerbread house and then added the trees and woodpile to the finished display!
Step 10: Eat and Enjoy!
After all of our work, Eben didn’t want to eat the house immediately – he said we should at least wait a day and enjoy looking at it before we devour it.
Do you make gingerbread houses with your children? Have you ever made a healthier version? How did it turn out?
