By Natalie Greggain, Contributing Editor
Every holiday season I get extremely excited about all the parties and fun I’m about to have with loved ones, but I simultaneously become terrified that January will come along and suddenly a month’s worth of wine and holiday goodies has turned into a brand new tire sitting around my waist. Yikes! As you may know, it’s not a nice feeling at all. And getting rid of that spare tire is always a heck of a lot harder than accumulating it!
There are two things you can do to avoid gaining weight. They’re pretty simple [...]

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor
Okay,  so you just realized that Santa is coming in 2 nights and you, being one of Santa’s “little” helpers, still have lots of people on your list to buy for. No need to panic. I have a one-stop shopping location for great, creative, inexpensive and thoughtful gifts for everyone on your list.
Indeed, I have  just come back from IKEA, a shopping trip that allowed me to check off every last item on my list. I found so many budget-friendly gift ideas that I thought I’d list some of my favorites here. If you [...]

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor
My husband and I are actually going out this New Year’s Eve. Although we usually do not make a big deal out of the over-rated evening, it is still fun to be a part of the elevated festivities. I dislike taking a handbag out with me on New Year’s because of 1) the inconvenience of carrying it and 2) always being worried about it getting stolen should I leave it on my seat or table when I’m on the dance floor. I have had my husband put my lipstick in his pocket before, but that [...]

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor
As with all families, our Christmas morning’s agenda is all about opening presents and pulling fun gifts and treats out of stockings. But before that even happens, everyone needs to hold tight until the coffee and hot chocolate drinks are made and, more importantly, that the Chelsea Buns (our Christmas morning tradition) are baked. We nibble on these wonderfully gooey, decadent Chelsea Buns that I have prepared the night and just popped in the oven that morning.  They are sooooo easy to make and delicious and serve as Christmas morning breakfast appetizer, a prelude to [...]

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor
It is one of those ” wish I had thought of that!” products. One of my favorite serving bowls is a sugar bowl because it has a nice lip around the top (for the lid to sit on) that helps prevent the dip from spilling over the edge as you try to scoop it onto a cracker. It is way too small to be really practical for parties but I still bring it out knowing I will have to refill it more often. Then someone told me about the CaliBowls.
Jeff Bollengier, a native from California [...]

Where do you start with these folks? They already have everything, they don’t want anything, they’re difficult and picky… We have some in our family too. What to do? Ignoring them is not a sensible option, whether the “impossible” person in question is the mother-in-law or the boss. So, then, we thought that these types should probably be receiving virtual gifts. No, not a virtual Facebook cupcake, but rather something that is meaningful, of interest to them and that, more importantly, won’t gather dust.
Let us know what you think of these ideas…

Catalog Choice Unlisting [...]

Nothing plebeian about this little California bubbly. Karma Fine Beverages has re-conceptualized how we should be drinking our effervescent wine: in single-serve (187 ml), wide neck bottles, ready for the taking right then and there, no glasses or straws necessary.
The wine itself has been described as “clean, crisp and dry”. That would be exact. Nothing froufrou about this custom blend of French Colombard and Chenin Blanc. However, if you like to dress up your Brut, this wine lends itself very well to that, as does the bottle which was designed to be topped off with a variety of liquors and [...]

This is the third annual Free Shipping Day. It’s an online event where a 1000+ merchants offer free shipping for a delivery by Christmas eve. It’s a “universal” one day agreement by some of the top (and some serious favorite) online merchants around. This year it’s taking place coming Friday, December 17.
See the whole list of participating merchants here and should you already be planning to shop with these retailers, make sure to take advantage of this free shipping offer on Friday.
The merchants include the expected big box stores (everything from Kmart to Neiman Marcus), chain stores (Ulta, Apple Store, [...]

As animal lovers we must, bien sûr, propose a gift guide for (wo)man’s best friends. For all the unconditional love and comfort that they provide us, we think they deserve their holiday treats too.
Here then are some great finds that Fido and Fluffy are going to love (well, the owners will anyway).

FOR DOGS

Humunga Tongue – Winner of the Editor’s Choice Award and Best New Product is an all-in-one ball and tongue. Reserved for dogs with a good sense of humor. Buy on Amazon for approx. $8.99.

Bark n Bag – Carry your pup in grand style [...]

Are women hard to buy for? We certainly don’t think so.
Gentlemen, listen up! Know that we always love a little – relative term – bling (check out our compelling Jewelry Gift Guide! ), and should you need further inspiration, here are some other great gift ideas that any woman would love to receive. We could almost offer a guarantee.
 

Vintage Starlet Robe -  This gorgeous robe is reminiscent of a glamorous era and is certain to make  her feel like a princess. A royal feeling for $128.95! Buy at SoftSurroundings.com.

UNII Makeup Organizer – UNII palette stores multiple [...]