10 Gifts For The Men In Your Life!

   

Giving gifts is part of the Christmas celebration, and I for one love to give gifts. I hunt all year for ideas for the people I love. It doesn’t have to be expensive to be thoughtful, but the operative word here is thoughtful.

Do you all have a hard time finding gifts for men? I have three son’s so you would think I was a champion men gift giver, but I still find it hard to find the perfect gift year after year.

This first gift is actually for young and old, boy or girl, we all play this at our house. It is a beautifully made wood board game, and for $50  it will give you years of fun, and what man doesn’t love a good Baseball game?

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Men are always the hardest to find fun gifs for. I found a new to me website that had the coolest travel toiletrie bag for me. Fill it up with their favorite toiletries, and you have a great gift for $68…..

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Use this link and you will get $10 off of your purchases……

   Click Here to get your discount

 

Look around the site, they had some really different  and fun items for men.

This next gift could be for male, or female. The perfect leather belt personalized for only $55, that price includes the monogramming...

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Pretty cool comb for only $5!!

I always love to personalize something when the option is available and this next item is personalized at no extra fee for $78…

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Talking about carving, makes me think of meat, makes me think of barbecuing, or grilling.

You all  know how men love a remote, well now there is a meat thermometer with a remote.

My hubby just bought these for himself, so I know it makes a good gift.He is loving his new toy at $59.99……

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We live in California so we grill all year long, but in the winter it can get a bit chilly. 

This thermometer has a remote, and it allows the person to leave the grill, but still will be aware of the temp of the meat. 

It can also be used in the oven. This has turned out to be a really good thing for us to have and it is very accurate as well.

To go along with the remote he also purchased these two goodies which would make a complete package gift….

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He says that these fire start cubes are the BOMB, okay he did not say the BOMB, that is coming from me, but he really really likes them!! No more papers or lighter fluid, YAY!!!

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Using this wood proved to make the  meat taste wonderful.

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This is a fun alarm clock for $45 you flip it on or flip it to off. That way you know when it is set. Love this idea!!! It also comes in many different colors.

I know men love gadgets and things that are a bit different. Instead of the normal every day candle, how about this for outside……

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Pretty cool for only $28.

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Now I know to we women this looks a bit odd, but trust me on this. 

Again, my hubby has this, and he has used it countless times. He even used it this year when he was getting things down from the rafters in the garage, It helped him to see up there in the dark!! 

Also great to keep in the car in case you get a flat in the dark or have car trouble.

For only $29.99 it is a deal!! Buy them one they will love it!!

If you need more ideas for gifts, be sure and visit my  board on Pinterest, just click here:

Gift board on Pinterest

 

 

The Great Christmas Race

 

When did Christmas become something we just got, “DONE!”?

I read a lot of blog post, and Facebook post, and it is becoming more, and more evident to me that so many are not enjoying this wonderful season because they are just trying to get it DONE, and they are NOT able to…..…

So many are saying, things like, “I know am behind”, or, “I know  most of my friends already have it done”. 

It is as if it has become the great Christmas race.

That just makes me sad. Trust me it is not a race, and if you are running it, you have already lost because you lost the feeling, and the meaning of what this season is all about.

Personally I tend to start a bit early out of pure excitement for the upcoming season, but I take my time, and to be honest I am probably still decorating, wrapping and baking up until the big day arrives.

So starting early does not necessarily mean we will be the first one DONE! Unless you are truly running a race and just trying to get it DONE.

 Frankly I don’t want to just get it DONE!

I remember when I was younger I realized that the get it DONE attitude was becoming the way of the world, and it also was robbing all of us of  true Joy of the season, and making us forget the real meaning behind this wonderful season.

This subject was discussed with a very close friend of mine and we decided we would not let those people that we referred to as THEY, as in THEY are trying to steal my joy get to us. 

We would do whatever it took to remain joyful, thankful, and happy during this wonderful season of  Joy, Love and most importantly the celebration of the birth of  Christ.

I will admit there are times when it is much harder  to do. I too have those moments of dealing with a grouchy (I hate my job) type of clerk, or things don’t go as planned, but that is just life, and we all make a conscience choice of how we choose to handle these situations. 

When I see a clerk that is obviously grumpy, and hates her/his job, I make sure I smile at them and say Merry Christmas.  

It is amazing how they almost blink, shake their heads and act like, "Oh that’s right it is Christmas, I forgot!!"

Then they smile and say Merry Christmas. Try  it! You will be amazed at how surprised they look when you say Merry Christmas to them.

Are you ready to join me in the movement of not letting your Joy be taken away by all the busyness of the season?

So with that being said,

Don’t JUST get it DONE!

Do take your time and enjoy each step.

You have now officially been sprinkled with Merry Christmas Happy Snow!!! Just trying to help ;)

 

 

Working On My Tree And Mantel For This Year

 

I have been decking the halls, and Falalaing all along the way at my home this week.

With the Christmas music playing in the background all day, and the cold rainy weather outside the perfect stage has been set.

Taking my time, and trying to, “enjoy the process,” is my goal, especially during this time of year.

 

I will have to admit I have to consciously fight against the way of todays world with the check list, and the, “HAVE TO GET IT DONE,”  attitudes.

I have learned over the years that all the truly important things DO get done, but it is the little things that we thought we HAD to have done that we finally let go. As much as the doing is part of this season, so is the letting go of the unimportant.

For me if I have food, gifts, tree, and the mantel decorated, we are pretty much good to go. Those three things are what seem to be important to my family when they come to visit. They kind of expect certain things around here.

So let me share what we have done so far……

First we arranged all the furniture so the tree could fit in the corner. Next, I cleared off the mantel. I find it easier to work with a clean slate.

Boxes came down from the rafters, Moravian star lights were hung and you can see Dougie, and I fluffing the branches for the tree.

We had a couple of hic-cups that involved the lights. 

Isn’t it always the LIGHTS?!

Only half the lights worked on two of the strands for the tree, and the garland for the mantel, none of the lights would work.

We laughed because this is pretty typical. So off Dougie went to the store, and came back with new lights in hand.

Back to decking the halls!!

I already knew the direction I was taking……

AND

The one last thing I needed to start was the white birch logs, and I had a good friend offer some to me from her newly trimmed trees. (Thank you Toy!)

A pile of logs to most, but to me the base for my Christmas mantel.

The tree now has lights, and the garland does too! 

Now we have our base to work with.

Let The Decking of the Halls Commence!!

I had a picture of what I wanted in my head. A winter wonderland with little snow critters.

Frosty whites, and natural wood, and greenery would be at the base, and the little critters would be the stars.

I did a post last year on a Woodland Christmas Theme…

This was my inspiration for that Christmas board and this next image is what I came up with……

If you go and read this post you will see the little critters that I found last year, that I wound up using this year. I love pinterest for keeping track of ideas for me.

You might be wondering why I am showing you this? It is a good idea to keep track of past and present ideas, you never know what you might be able to use, or what might jump start your ideas for this year.

With logs, and little critters in hand, I began my mantel….




Big decisions were being made …. Little critters on birch pedetals, or not…..

How tall should the logs be?

The tree was ready to decorate! Now another big decision, what color of bows should I do, cobalt, like last year….

After all blue is a huge part of my room, but for some reason with this years look it felt too much to me.

So white bows won. I love a nice soft flowing bow so I use good quality double faced satin ribbon. This years bows are a bit larger since I used 3in. wide ribbon.

Then the next big decision had to be made, remember it is all in the details……

 Should I cut the ribbon ends in dog ear ends or slanted. I decided slanted, but have since changed my mind, and I will be cutting all streamers with a dog eared end….

NEXT!!

Placing all the family memories on our tree. Every single year I cry, but they are sweet happy Christmas tears of years gone by.....

 Sometimes I wish I had my three little boys back, but then I remember we still have lots of sweet memories to make.

Now go and Deck YOUR halls and start falalaing!!

Remember who and why your are doing all of this...

FAMILY

 and 

To Celebrate the Birth of Christ!!!