Now that Thanksgiving
is behind us, the next major gift-giving holiday is Christmas, less
than a month away.
It's often said, by Christians and non-Christians alike, that Christmas is a time for giving. It is usually thought to be following the tradition of the Three Wise Men (or Three Kings) who brought gifts of Gold, Frankincence and Myrrh to the infant Jesus - a kind of Christening Present or even a forerunner of the Baby Shower!
But it seems to be true
that we all like to give - and receive! - gifts to celebrate any kind
of High Day or Holiday; birthdays, of course, Valentine's Day,
Mother's Day and all the other feasts and festivals celebrated by
religious and non-religious folk alike.
For instance, the
Jewish festival, Hanukkah, comes
before Christmas, in early December.
So, as I've been so busy,
making Collections for my Zazzle stores that I haven't had time for any new artwork, here are just a few ideas for
Hanukkah Gifts and Greeting Cards:
Click on the image below to see the full Collection
.....
As you get
older,
Your
Christmas List gets shorter.
Not
because you want less,
But
because the things you want
Can't be
bought.
At my time
of life, I'm in a position to confirm that!
My perfect
Christmas List would start with 'more time with my family' and
continue with things like: a more equal society, where everyone's
voice is heard, politicians who behave like grown-ups, an end to
global poverty and pollution, a cure for cancer, a world free of the
fear of terrorist attacks and the ravages of war . . . I could go on
and on!
But while
none of those things can be expected in my Christmas stocking, I
continue to try to assemble a little list of material things I'd like
to receive. My aim is to make the Christmas present-buying decisions
a little easier for my nearest and dearest and to avoid a situation
where unwanted gifts are either returned to the store or donated to a
charity shop!
Looked at
from a purely logical point of view, maybe we should all give one
another gift vouchers or money to choose our own gifts - and
sometimes that is the best solution.
But imagine how our Christmas
Trees would look, without their intriguingly-shaped,
festively-wrapped packages and parcels! And if we've all stuck
faithfully to the 'Christmas List', there's far less temptation to
prod and poke the parcels, to try and guess what's inside -
surely part of the excited anticipation of Christmas for children of
all ages!
So while the
Christmas List may have its advantages, it's always nice to add some
little unexpected gift, as long as you choose it carefully - it
doesn't need to cost a lot of money as long as it's something to make
the recipient's face light up as they unwrap it, something to show
you really know what will make them smile.
With that in
mind, I've put together some Collections of gift ideas in a wide
range of prices and to suit all ages, gifts that you won't find in
the High Street!
Many of them can be personalized with a name,
initials or monogram. Some of them are ready for you to choose your
own background colour and customize by changing the scale of the
pattern or rotating it for a completely different 'look'.
Go ahead,
experiment with the 'Customize' button and create a truly unique and
personalized Christmas gift!
Click on the images below to see the full Collections.
'Fish in the Sea' Gifts
'Candy Floss' Fashion and Accessories
'Faux Snakeskin' Fashion and Accessories
'Indigo' Gifts for the Bedroom and Bathroom
'Heffalumps' Gifts for Men
'Rosy Posy' Home Decor Gifts
- and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous
New Year!
Click on the images below to see the full Collections.
Gifts for Kids -
'Skating Penguins' Gifts 
'Fish in the Sea' Gifts
Gifts for the 'girliest' Girl -
'Candy Floss' Fashion and Accessories
Gifts for Lads -
'Faux Snakeskin' Fashion and Accessories
Gifts for the Home -
'Indigo' Gifts for the Bedroom and Bathroom
Fashion Gifts 'for Her' - Accessories and Apparel
'For the Love of Lilies' Fashion and Accessories
Gifts 'for Him'
Plaid and Check T-shirts and Footwear for Men
'Heffalumps' Gifts for Men
Gifts for Grandma -
'Rosy Posy' Home Decor Gifts
Gifts for Grandpa -
Coffee Mugs for Men
In my experience, buying gifts for men of all ages - once they get into double figures - is the most challenging of all!
So I very much hope you found something here to fit the bill!
And next month, I shall be looking at some of the reasons why it's so hard to choose a gift for a man - and offering tips and suggestions to make it a little easier!
So be sure to pop back after Christmas - and in the meantime, why not pay a visit to my other Posh & Painterly blog, where I post a brand new Collection every day of the week!
So be sure to pop back after Christmas - and in the meantime, why not pay a visit to my other Posh & Painterly blog, where I post a brand new Collection every day of the week!
Till then -
New Year!
