Make the Season Special!
Hi Friends!! With the holidays fast approaching thinking of things to make the season special is a must! Homemade gifts, activities and unique table settings, add the extra touches which make the holidays magical. This post is a bit late for Hanukkah, but the colors below can easily be changed to use for any occasion.
Gifts:
Whether you are searching for the right little something for a teacher or neighbor, handmade gifts are always the most heartwarming.
I love the mason jar idea and the presentation of this one by Uncommon Designs really makes this gift extra personal. I adore the cookie idea, but if you’re a health conscience person, you could put together an overnight oats combo. The main jar could be one cup oats mixed with a ¼ cup chia seeds. ¼ cup hemp and ¼ cup of your chosen nut. You could opt to put a few extra ingredients in the bulbs like coconut flakes or dried fruit shavings. In addition to the sources for materials on her site, I have found a few more! Just click! Light Bulb Ornaments and Mason Jars
Marshalls, Home Goods and Tuesday Morning are great places to find fun dishtowels, but if you are an online type of gal—these were my best picks– $1.00 each on Amazon. They come in green or blue as well.
These painted jars by This Tiny Blue House are pretty cute too, and simple enough for your kids to make! You could put a candle in these, or candy rather than a full cookie recipe!
Super fun! I found these jars on Pinterest. Fill them with desk supplies, candy, cotton balls and …what you glue to the top is virtually limitless!!
Teach while you craft!!
With my youngest daughter being a kindergarten teacher, I am always looking for crafts that are both fun and educational. I stumbled across a mirage of activities using scrabble pieces that you can buy bulk on Amazon! Below are just a few. Use snowflakes, small rulers, Popsicle sticks, even ribbons as a base for your designs.
Giving Back:
Doing things for others and giving back is what makes this season a time of hope and miracles. Plan these activities in a group and engage your children and friends in service opportunities.
Write a holiday greeting to someone in the armed forces. Being so far away from their loved ones, these messages can make a huge difference in each of our hero’s lives!! Your local Red Cross has a Holidays for Heroes program and will be happy to help!
Serving meals at a homeless shelter is always a wonderful activity but there are many other ways to help as well. I found this post from Moments a Day and loved her story of not only how many people they had helped but also how giving back had impacted her family personally in such a positive way. You could even pack the care packages in stockings!!
Below are a few more ways that U.S. News suggests!
- Bake cookies or casseroles. Cooking with kids isn’t the most mess-free option, but this is a really easy way to involve your kids in giving back with their time. As a family, pass out homemade cookies to your local fire department or police station, or take some frozen casseroles to an elderly neighbor or single mom.
- Clean out the toy box. The holidays are a great time for kids to donate some of the games, clothing or other things they own – and clean out some clutter while you’re at it. Even preschoolers can pick a few lightly-used toys to donate to kids who don’t have any. As an alternative, take kids shopping for new toys they’d love, but will donate to a local shelter or nonprofit.
- Visit a nursing home. As a family – or with a group of your kids’ friends – visit a local nursing home. Call ahead to schedule your visit. Take cards and decorations to brighten up nursing home rooms, or sing a few carols for the residents.
- Adopt a family. Many local organizations and religious groups can help you sponsor a family in your area to shop for over the holiday season. Use some of your family’s designated holiday money to buy or make gifts for another family in need.
- Donate to a food bank. Even little kids enjoy picking out food items at the grocery store. Take your kids on a special shopping trip to pick up their favorite nonperishable goods for a local ministry or food bank. They’re always in need of extra food around the holidays.
- Baby-sit or wrap gifts for donations. Older kids and teens can offer baby-sitting or gift wrapping services in exchange for a donation. The money they earn can sponsor a local family or be donated to a favorite charity.
- Take lunches to people who work over the holidays. Police stations, fire stations, hospitals and even retail stores are full of busy workers on holidays. Make some delicious sack lunches to take to the workers in your area who don’t get a break over the holidays.
- Host a party. Sometimes hospitality is the best way to give back. Host a holiday party with your kids’ help, but focus on inviting those who are often forgotten, such as the new kids at school or neighbors and co-workers with no family nearby.
Tablescapes:
I thought this would be such a festive concept from I Gotta Create to use for the desert table—or making little bowls this way where you could serve the dessert on.
Look how they made this edible winter forest! It would be so beautiful to create a peppermint dish and put a tree in each for a Christmas desert.
One Little Project takes this concept and shows us how to make the cutest ornaments! These would be great gifts, party favors or wrapped around each napkin for holiday pizzazz to your table settings!
I have posted many of Andrea’s artistic creations and here is one more I had to share! She is one of our lead designers, her creativity always amazes me. She is making these adorable, fun Christmas earrings! She only has a few pairs left for this season, but they are such a cute gift idea!
With so many styles to choose from, I think they would be such a conversation piece.
I bought these fun lights for the girls and some holly ones for my Mom and sweet Aunt Gayle!! They LOVE them!!
Here is beautiful Andrea modeling some of her creations!! If these are your perfect gift or would add to your holiday dress, email Andrea directly to see what is still available– andrea@segretofinishes.com or follow her on instagram @andieseedesigns for updates on future holiday trinkets!
If you need a few last minute gifts we are offering free shipping in the United States for Segreto Vignettes!! I am happy to personalize the gift for you, just leave me a note in the message box. Let’s make magic this holiday season by creating special memories with your family and friends. Make someone’s day by sharing a bit of yourself. A special thought goes a long way!! Much love to you all this Holiday season and take time to enjoy the moment! Till next week. xo Leslie
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