Enter to Win Free Stuff!

What gift giving site would be complete without a contest or two (...or three or four)giving away great prizes from my online friends? Head on over to my website and enter to win great prizes every month. This month we are giving away:

• A heavenly box of milk chocolate and almond toffee from Enstrom's
• A set of rhinestone bra-strap converters from Strappy's
• Six sets of two Beverage Caddi's
• Five eyeshadow compacts from SKINN Cosmetics

Enter once per day to increase your chances! Winners are selected at random and will be announced on December 10th...just in time for holiday delivery! What are you waiting for? Go get 'em, tiger!!!!

Happy Giving!

Divine Chocolate at Women Thrive Worldwide

Women Thrive can make your holiday shopping easy with a gift your friends and family will rave about! Celebrate the holiday season by supporting sustainable livelihoods for women and girls. You have the power to transform the life a woman and her children, and offer hope. With each $25 gift, they will send a very large bar of Divine Chocolate to you or the person of your choice.

Your gift supports the urgent work of Women Thrive Worldwide, and a wonderful Fair Trade product. Women Thrive helps the women and girls in the world's poorest countries. They effectively leverage each dollar you donate to reach as many women and create as much good as possible - so your gift will go a long way.

The chocolate is from Divine Chocolate, a farmer-owned Fair Trade company that supports small-scale cocoa farmers. You'll feel good about sharing the chocolate with your friends and family when they send it out with a beautiful holiday card, featuring gorgeous photos, and personalized to the recipient of your choice with your holiday wishes. The card is memorable enough to put on your desk and enjoy, and is guaranteed to last longer than the chocolate!

Click here to choose an alternative to retail shopping this year, and do good by giving. Easy, socially conscious gift-giving doesn't get better than this, and they have made it simple for you!

Are Buying Gift Cards Safe this Year?

It's no secret that many retailers may not survive after the holiday and into 2009 when it's time to spend those gift cards. I just received an email and am not sure that the info is completely accurate, but I am posting this for your consideration and input. The message warns that the following stores are currently in jeopardy of closing. Here is the text of the email:

"Stores that informed the Security Exchange of closing plans between October 2008 and January 2009. PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO ALL YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS!"

Circuit City stores... most recent (? how many)
Ann Taylor- 117 stores nationwide are to be shuttered
Lane Bryant,, Fashion Bug ,and Catherine's to close 150 store nationwide
Eddie Bauer to close stores 27 stores and more after January
Cache will close all stores
Talbots closing down all stores
J. Jill closing all stores
GAP closing 85 stores
Footlocker closing 140 stores more to close after January
Wickes Furniture closing down
Levitz closing down remaining stores
Bombay closing remaining stores
Zales closing down 82 stores and 105 after January.
Whitehall closing all stores
Piercing Pagoda closing all stores
Disney closing 98 stores and will close more after January.
Home Depot closing 15 stores 1 in NJ (New Brunswick)
Macys to close 9 stores after January
Linens and Things closing all stores
Movie Galley Closing all stores
Pacific Sunware closing stores
Pep Boys Closing 33 stores
Sprint/ Nextel closing 133 stores
JC Penney closing a number of stores after January
Ethan Allen closing down 12 stores.
Wilson Leather closing down all stores
Sharper Image closing down all stores
K B Toys closing 356 stores
Loews to close down some stores
Dillard's to close some stores"

Real or hoax? Are you re-thinking your gift card giving this year? Either way I believe it's a great idea to do a bit of research before you jump in and buy that gift card. Maybe consider giving cash...after all, it is the most valuable "green gift" out there this year! Good luck and Happy Giving!

Mama Says...No More Frozen Pizza

A twist on the traditional recipe card, Mama Lynn and Iris have come up with a fabulous and ingenious gift for the young adult on your list. Mama says, "No More Frozen Pizza" is a recipe collection of 24 nutritious, delicious recipes from home for the new cook working on limited time and limited budget. The recipe collection comes in what looks like a pizza box and filled with laminated recipe rounds with pictures and full step-by step recipes for the novice cook. Just pull out the recipe you like and get cookin! For $18.99, this high quality and practical gift can be yours at www.mamasays.us. Pefect for the college bound or the young adult who wants to expand their culinary skills beyond mac and cheese or microwave dinners! I can't wait to try some of the recipes myself...the Greek Lemon Chicken and Artichoke recipe is the first on my list to try! Bon apatite and happy giving!

Holiday Traditions, Memories and More

I was fortunate to grow up with a large extended family, rich with traditions for the holiday season. Last evening my cousin Bob and I spent over six hours looking back at what made our family so special. We remembered the awesome food, experiences while sitting at the kiddie table, and, of course loved ones who had passed who made many of our holidays so special. We laughed, reminisced, and cried throughout the evening. We came to the conclusion that our family possesses a special gift that many families do not...we look forward and enjoy spending time together. We are still excited to spend time with our aunts, uncles and cousins. Not because we have to, but because we want to...no obligatory visitations, here. What a gift! At no point during our marathon conversation did we even mention a tangible gift that we received. Funny how you filter that detail out as you grow older and your priorities change.

Do you have holiday traditions that you look forward to every year? What are they? What make them so special to you? If you don't have them, make a new tradition! It's never too late to create a memorable experience that you will look forward to for years to come. Please share you ideas and plans for making this the most memorable holiday season ever!

Meet Jennifer Chapman: Founder of Hemloq

As a consumer and blogger, I find it very helpful to get to know the person or people behind a brand that I choose to consider, recommend and purchase. This week I have the honor of introducing you Jennifer Chapman, the beauty and brains behind Hemloq skin care. You may remember the infamous "Chocolate Masque" that I recommend in my "Top Twenty Gifts" for the season. Just in time for the holiday, enjoy my recent interview with Jennifer below:

1. What is the best gift you ever received and why?

One year for Valentine’s Day, my husband left me little Valentine cards all over the house (in the dryer, the microwave, my car, etc). On each one, he thanked me for all of the little things that I did for him. It took me days to find all of them. It was such an amazing gift because it was so special. He took the time out to make feel appreciated.

2. What is your favorite gift to give and why?

I really don’t have a favorite gift. I really like to tailor the gift to the person. I try to listen to them throughout the year and pick up on new hobbies, a particular author that they like to read and then find them a gift to suit.


3. What is your favorite place to shop when no one else is looking?
Loehmann’s.
Loehmann’s has great designer clothing at a fraction of the cost. The store isn’t exactly pretty and you may have to rummage through the racks to find something. But, you can walk out of there looking like a million bucks without having to spend a million bucks.

4. Can you recommend a “must have” gift for women this season? If so, what is it and where can we buy it?
I actually have two “must have” gifts this season.

"YOU BECOME WHAT YOU BELIEVE" WALL PLAQUE

I Love this plaque because it can be hung anywhere (bathroom, office, kitchen) and it is an inspirational reminder that anything is possible. I think that we should always surround ourselves with uplifting messages and little reminders throughout the day. It makes the perfect gift!

It can be found on the Uncommon Goods website.
http://www.uncommongoods.com/item/item.jsp?source=family&itemId=16785

And, for the woman who loves to be pampered, give her the Chocolate Masque by Hemloq. She will love this decadent masque that will make her skin absolutely glow!
It can be found at: http://www.hemloq.com/index.php/products/scrubs-masques/


5. What personal advice do you have that would help consumers this holiday season?

Start shopping early so that you can spread out the purchases over an extended period of time. This way, you won’t have the “crunch” of the holiday expenses.
Also, figure out your budget and stick to it. If you start shopping early, you have a much better chance of finding gifts to fit within your budget instead of the “last minute buying frenzy” that tends to blow your budget. By doing this, you won’t have to make your New Year’s Resolution one to get out of debt

And as an added bonus, take advantage of the huge ONE DAY sale at www.hemloq.com!

Tough job but someone's gotta do it...

Looking for the perfect no-fail holiday gift? Look no further than Enstrom's Milk Chocolate Almond Toffee. I've tasted it, LOVE IT, and will probably crave it when it's gone! You know how toffee sometimes sticks to your teeth? Not this confection! It's crisp, crunchy, and melts in your mouth without the fear of looming cavities :) Honestly, this is the best toffee I've ever had and I highly recommend it! Enstrom's toffee and chocolates are great year-round, but also make wonderful gifts for the Holiday season. Enstrom.com has numerous gift boxes, baskets, and tins to choose from (the peppermint cookie bark is to die for!), and also provides information for corporate gift giving. Also, all of Enstrom's products are certified Kosher Dairy, so you can send them worry-free. They are currently running a buy 4 get 1 more toffee event through November 20th, so order early to take advantage of this offer!

Looking forward to a future giveaway for my loyal readers...just in time for holiday giving, I promise!

Feeling the pinch? Focus on quality rather than quantity!

As I watch the numerous news reports about the decline in retail sales, I can't help but wonder how everyone is going to approach the gift giving season this year. Since everyone has a different gift giving style, my guess is that most changes will be either subtle or extreme. Subtle in the sense that those who are not terribly effected by the economic downturn will be more conscious of their spending and extreme for the folks who just can't squeeze an extra penny out of their household budget. But the silver lining in all of this is that folks are really thinking hard about the definition of "giving" and now realize that all gifts do not have to come with a price tag attached.

Buying and giving are two very different things. Shopping blindly without considering the likes, tastes or values or the recipient is just buying. The pay off is for you, rather than the recipient...does that make sense? Shopping or creating a homemade gift from your kitchen that you know will resonate with the recipient is true giving. The pay off is reciprocal and an emotional connection is made. Isn't that the true meaning of the holiday season? Celebrating the love, friendships and family traditions that make this time of year so special? Focus on giving rather than buying and make this the most prosperous holiday season ever!

A Free Gift to all Caregivers: Caring.com

I feel very blessed to still have both of my parents. Walter and JoAnn are in their early 70's and lead fairly active lives. But when I look outside of my front door and see them sitting together on their front porch, it sometimes brings a tear to my eye. All great things of course, but the fear of taking care of aging parents creeps in sometimes. Unlike most families, I grew up an only child and am solely responsible for making sure they are keeping up with the demands of daily living. If something should happen, where would I turn? A wonderful website that has just about everything you need to know and when you need to know it is http://www.caring.com/. Care giving can be scary, stressful and economically draining to those who take on this responsibility. This site provides caregivers with all the tools to help make the process easier and compassionate. Caring.com is a comprehensive free informational site that covers a wealth of information including resources on health, legal, and community supports available to you in your own area. Discussion groups and forum posts help connect other caregivers together and provide online support that is so vital to the needs of the overburdened caregiver. This site is a gift and I hope you will pass it on to all of your friends and family who may benefit. I hope to use it later, rather than sooner, but in the mean time I'll keep watch from my front door and pray for their continued good health. Happy Giving!

Read, Remember, Recommend...GENIUS!

If you love to read so much that you often forget what you have read, this book has got you covered! I have a great friend that reads hundreds of books a year yet cannot recommend a title for me because she forgets it as soon as she moves on to the next book! This reading journal contains over 2000 cross-referenced award winning and notable reading suggestions to help you discover great literature and new authors, columns within the lists to help organize and keep track of books you want to read, have loaned or borrowed, and books you wish to recommend.
It also contains journal pages to record your thoughts, ideas, and book club discussion points on books and authors. Definitely the perfect gift for the book lover on your list! And even more exciting, they have a new version out for teens with refillable pages...I guess their journal can get quite large since they are starting out early!

Buy the adult version for $14.95 or teen version for $21.95 by visiting www.bibliopages.com or clicking HERE

Happy Giving!

Find the Best Price Online with Frucall.com

This is super cool! Imagine this scenario. You're in your favorite store and not sure if the sale price is really a sale. Rather than run around like a crazed maniac, www.frucall.com created an online shopping search engine where you can check prices via you CELL PHONE! Call in to their toll free number and enter the bar code of the product and the automated attendant will report the best prices they find online for that product. You will need to sign up for a fee account but have fun testing the service before you sign up. Watch the demo by clicking here http://www.frucall.com/demo/controller.html
Happy Giving

Thank You PittsburghMom.com

Just got notice that my Q&A interview with Heather over at http://www.pittsburghmom.com/ has been posted. A division of the Pittsburgh Post Gazzette, Pittsburgh Mom is packed with great information for moms throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania. The site's goal is to help parents raising young children in Pittsburgh quickly find local resources and information they need in their daily lives. Ever wondered where to host your birthday party? The best parks and playgrounds in the Pittsburgh region? Kid-friendly arts and cultural events? Their resource directory of the best in the 'Burgh grows daily! And their blogs and forums help keep Pittsburgh moms connected and entertained.

My feature focuses on gift giving and smart shopping tips for moms. Head on over and take a peek...They are giving away a gift set of "Shop Smart GIVE MORE" to the reader with the best holiday shopping tips. Click here to read, post your comment, and hopefully win!
Happy Giving

Chocolate Dipped Wine?

Hmmm...how in the heck does this work? I am intrigued, and a bit puzzled. But whoever came up with this gift idea was a pure genius! This a gift that won't soon be forgotten...or last very long in my holiday party :) A bottle of wine or champagne dipped in chocolate....hmmmm Here's the product description:

Chocolate-Dipped Wine

Savor the taste of a crisp,
sparkling champagne or a fine wine paired with rich,
decadent chocolate. Indulge with your choice of a
full-size bottle of Gosset Champagne, Dom Perignon,
Beringer White Zinfandel, J Lohr Cabernet, or J Lohr
Riverstone Chardonnay. Each bottle of wine is
hand-dipped in gourmet Guittard dark chocolate for
a most beautiful and unforgettable gift presentation.
Simply pull the ribbon ''zipper'' to release the
chocolate jacket from the bottle, pour the wine into
glasses, and enjoy! The fine quality of chocolate
used in this gift requires a controlled climate
during shipping. Overnight shipping is suggested for
warm weather delivery destinations.

---

A bit pricey, but if budget is not a concern I would be curious to hear some feedback from anyone who buys one of these bad boys. I have a wedding anniversary coming up :) Please let me know your thoughts!

Group Gift Giving Made Simple!

I am all about chipping in and giving a great gift as a group. You definitely get more bang for your buck, but the stress of tracking everyone down and collecting the money can be a real pain...and then someone actually has to go out and get it. The folks over at www.frumus.com has this dilema solved! Register your project and all you need to do is set up a page, invite others to contribute and accept payments via paypal. Super simple! After you've received all of the contributions, you can withdraw the funds you've collected or shop online through their site where they have tons of great gift ideas for every recipient on your list! I love this idea and hopefully you will, too! It's definitely a great site worth a look for the holiday giving season!
www.frumus.com

Happy Giving!

Win Your Copy of Shop Smart GIVE MORE

Who doesn't love giveaways? Well this month, "Shop Smart GIVE MORE" is up for grabs at one of my favorite websites this month! Visit www.itsaglamthing.com today for your chance to win one of five copies to be given away during the month of November. Check out their other contests, too! Win cosmetics, jewelry and blue jeans. They post the winners every month on their homepage so check back often! Good luck and happy giving!