Blogmas Day 24 Christmas Eve Preparations

 Welcome to Blogmas Day 24!  Only one more sleep to go, yay!  I truly can't believe I made it to the last day.  Truth be told, there were a few instances when I thought of skipping a day or two.  I am so glad that I persevered.  

I did have to go rushing out again to get a few things that I had forgotten.  For example, I needed to pick up some red wine for the pot roast I am planning.  

I picked up some clementines as well.  Clementines just say Christmas to me.  I also picked up this jar of cranberry orange sauce.  This was the only jar of any type of cranberry sauce left in the store.  If you have ever had cranberry orange sauce before, let me know.  

Yes, I do have a couple of very, very last minute gifts to get. I know, I know. I am thinking of digital subscriptions to magazines and newspapers.  There is no waste and it is a gift that keeps on giving.

Wishing you a Lovely, Healthy and Safe Christmas!  Thank you so much for following along with Blogmas.  It is the first time I have ever done Blogmas here on the old bloggity blog.   It gave a much needed rhythm to my days.  Even though this year has been deeply challenging on many levels, I feel a deep sense of gratitude for what I have.  Just remember that if you are alone at Christmas, please reach out,  I am sure that one of my readers would be more than happy to start a supportive conversation.  If there is anything you want me to write about next year, please let me know.  I will see you on the flip side.

Blogmas Day 23 Last Minute Gifts for Children and Tweens

 Welcome to Blogmas Day 23!  Every Christmas, I always promise myself that I will be more organized and not get sucked into a shopping frenzy but inevitably, at the last minute, I get a case of nerves and worry that I didn't get the right gift or the perfect gift or that whatever I did get just isn't good enough.  If anything, this year has taught us what is really important in life.  But still, I was beset by doubts.  This is what happens when you are surrounded by extra demanding people. It doesn't help that we are in lockdown.  Even doing curbside pickup is fraught with difficulty because although the website may say something is in stock and is available for pickup, when you go to checkout, the pickup time is weeks away because the store has to ship it over from another store or warehouse.

I went racing over to the local pharmacy today as I knew they had children's toys.  The shelves looked like a herd of elephants had gone stampeding through.  I wrote about Lego on Day Three.  The Lego boxes that you see above were literally the last ones on the shelf.  

I have no idea what to get a tween, do you?  If you have any ideas, please let me know.  They aren't properly teenagers but they aren't very young children either.  Jenga is a classic game that the whole family can play.  It was also the last one on the shelf.  I picked up a couple of Star Wars Pez Candy as stocking stuffers and, yes, you guessed it, they were the last ones.  Thank goodness for late night pharmacies! I had an elaborate blog post planned for Day 23 but I had to be honest and keep it real.  I also got groceries.  All the essential stores had massive lineups outside.  By the time I got home, I felt completely and utterly shattered.  I had an elaborate blog post planned for Day 23 but I had to be honest and keep it real. 

Only 2 more sleeps until Christmas!  How are you doing with your preparations?

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Blogmas Day 20 DIY Handmade Christmas Crackers How To Guide

 Welcome to Blogmas Day 20!  I love the concept of Christmas crackers but the reality of them has always been a bit of a letdown.  The store bought ones tend to have silly useless trinkets inside them that invariably end up in the trash.  Homemade crackers where you choose the surprise are so much better.  I chose to make mine with tea towels as they can be added to a table setting and used as napkins.  Best of all, the tea towels can be reused instead of being thrown away once the cracker has been opened.

You will need:

Cardboard rolls

Ribbons

Tea Towels

Small gifts or sweets to fill the cracker

Optional: Christmas cracker snaps.

Cut the roll to size.  I cut mine to approximately 1/3 the width of the towel.  Fill the cardboard roll with the surprise or treat. I chose toys like a miniature BMW (one can only wish), and hand cream mini's. You could fill the cardboard roll with delicious bonbons as well.

 Roll the towel around the cardboard.  I love using tea towels with a monogrammed initial on it as you can match the letter to the name of the family member.  Make sure that the initial is facing up and outwards. 

 I used tea towels with an embroidered Dala horse as well as they are so much fun for a child's place setting.  Tie a ribbon at eachend of the cardboard roll. 

Of course, you can also use leftover giftwrap as well.  The great thing about this craft is that you can use up what you have on hand such as cardboard rolls from giftwrap, paper towels and even toilet paper.  These tea or dish towel Christmas crackers are sure to enliven your festive tablescape.

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Blogmas Day 18 Assembling Care Packages

 Welcome to Blogmas Day 18!  This weekend is really the last couple days that you can mail off parcels or order gifts online with any hope that they will arrive in time for Christmas.  I put together a care package for a family member who does not drive and took it off to the post office today.  The line up was long but moved quickly.

I love those big boxes of assorted biscuits that appear in the grocery stores at this time of year.  They are excellent quality, taste delicious and usually come in a pretty tin that you can keep for storing your own baked goodies.  I put in a few other goodies as well as practical things like a package of disinfectant wipes which are hard to find.  Remember that it isn't so much the dollar value of the contents but the feeling of pleasurable surprise that is elicited at a time of year when we have to continue to shelter in place.  Care packages that are a mix of treats and the practical are always well received. You should also keep in mind the cost of postage as, depending on how heavy the package is and where you are sending it, the cost could far outstrip the value of the contents.  As well, there are still a number of countries to which Canada Post has stopped service, so you should check first before taking your package to the Post Office.

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Blogmas Day 17 Maple Syrup Roasted Nuts Recipe

 Welcome to Blogmas Day 17!  I don't know about you but, for me, the Holiday Season is always associated with nuts for some reason.  Is it because of the proliferation of nutcrackers in holiday decor?  I just love roasted nuts and the following recipe yields a bowl of crunchy goodness that has a mouthwatering balance of the salty and the sweet.  However, if your tastes lean more towards the spicy, you could experiment with ground pepper and chili flakes.  Herbs work well with roasted nuts as well. I would recommend staying away from herbs with delicate leaves as they will likely just char.  Search out herbs with woody, twiggy leaves like rosemary, for example, as they are more robust and can withstand the heat of the oven.

Ingredients:

2 cups whole almonds

3 tablespoons maple syrup

3 tablespoons unsalted melted butter

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  In a bowl, combine the ingredients.  I used almonds but you could use any nut that you prefer such as hazelnuts and even combine seeds such as sunflower seeds. Spread the mixture over a silicone baking mat.

Place the tray on the middle rack.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Turn the nuts at the 10 minute mark.  Check every 5 minutes to make sure they don't burn.  

The smokiness of the maple syrup combined with the vanilla extract and the roasted almonds produces a magical flavour profile.  Packaged into a pretty airtight jar with a tag or label describing the ingredients, they make a delicious gift.  

Blogmas Day 16 Handmade DIY Christmas Gifts Hair Clips Brooches Pendants With Beads and Buttons How To

 Welcome to Blogmas Day 16!  I have always loved unusual buttons as I felt that they had the underrated power to really elevate an outfit.  Over the years, I have amassed a small collection of vintage buttons as well as a handful of beautiful glass beads.  I really wanted to pull them out of the depths of a dresser drawer and do something creative with them.  Here is a DIY craft that doesn't require any level of specialized skill.

You will need beads and or buttons, pin backs, fine guage wire and hair clips.  You may also want transparent fishing line, pliers and a hot glue gun. The pin backs have holes for you to thread wire or fishing line.  The hair clip had a hole at either end as well.  I used both without issue.  Because the fishing line is transparent, you may prefer using that.  You may also wish to use hot glue for greater adhesion.  I found that I didn't need a large needle to work with the wire or fishing line as both were substantial enough for me to handle them with ease.  Use the pliers to snip off the wire once you have finished threading the beads and/or buttons and secured them together to pin back or hair clip. 

This is where you can really get creative.  Select the beads and buttons you want to work with and string them together with either wire or fishing line.  I made a long dangly pendant and attached a lobster claw clasp at one end so that it can clip easily to a chain.  I used a vintage button with a flat back at the end of the pendant so that I didn't have to make an ugly knot. I also strung together gorgeous handmade glass beads on a hairclip and attached a rectangular midnight blue glass bead to a pin back to form a one-of-a-kind brooch.  Buttons with a little loop at the back are easy to string together and attach to a hairclip as well.   Each bead is handmade and is like a tiny work of art in itself.  Placed in a pretty gift box or little jewelry bag, they make gorgeous, unique gifts.

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Blogmas Day 15 DIY Handmade Essential Oil Reed Diffuser How To

 Welcome to Blogmas Day 15!  Now that we are all spending so much more time at home, nesting and making the home as cozy as possible has become a national, if not, international obsession.  A big part of creating a homey ambiance is deploying delicious fragrances into the air.  I love a good scented candle but I don't love worrying about the flame.  I much prefer reed diffusers because they are scenting the air 24/7 without me having to worry about leaving an unattended lit candle.  However, essential oil reed diffusers can be prohibitively expensive.  In the past, I have bought reed diffusers that had no scent throw whatsoever. As well, until smell-o-vision is invented, ordering reed diffusers online is a risky business.  Below are the instructions for a handmade, DIY essential oil reed diffuser.  The great thing about making your own is that you can personalize the scent.  Even the most clumsy amongst us can master this as it really doesn't require any special skills at all.

You will need:

1/2 cup safflower oil (you may adjust the amount of carrier oil depending on the size of the display container you will be using)

9 reed sticks

30 drops of each type of essential oil

1-2 tablespoons of isopropyl alcohol

display container with a narrow neck opening

Mix everything in a glass bowl or a glass measuring cup then pour into the container of your choice.  When choosing essential oils, imagine your favourite perfume or scents.  Do you just want a single note or a medley?  Adjust the levels of the essential oils according to which ones you want to dominate. Think top, middle and base notes.

I would advise against using carrier oils that are thick or have a strong aroma such as olive and sesame oil.  A thick oil will have difficulty travelling up the reed and a strong aroma will interfere with the fragrance of the essential oils.  I chose safflower oil because it is readily available at the grocery store and is affordable.  You should use a glass container that has a narrow neck opening as the essential oil mixture will not evaporate as quickly.

You can use vintage perfume bottles, glass jars or even glass vases for your display container.  I decided to use the vase as the opening was sufficient to hold 9 sticks and I didn't have to shorten them.  You want to have a sufficient length of reed protruding from the top.  The reeds should be flipped once a week to maintain a constant scent throw.  

Handmade essential oil reed diffusers make a lovely gift.  Just decant the essential oil mixture into a pretty lidded jar that is leakproof, arrange it in a box or basket with the display container, the reeds and a festive note describing the essential oils that you chose.

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Blogmas Day 13 DIY Christmas Gifts Handmade Tea

 Welcome to Blogmas Day 13!  Are you a coffee or tea drinker?  Myself, I love a cuppa first thing in the morning.  I have a family member who is obsessed with herbal tea.  If you read Blogmas Day 12, you know that I wrote about growing a herb garden.  If you have been harvesting and drying your herbs all summer then transforming the fruits of your labour into a sweet DIY handmade Christmas gift is simple.  If you don't have any homegrown herbs at hand, then loose herbal teas are readily available at your local health food store.  

The wonderful thing is that you don't need any type of culinary skills at all.  Mix in whatever tickles your palate such as chamomile, rosehips, hibiscus flowers or green tea.  Spoon in a generous teaspoonful or two into little drawstring bags available at craft stores and in health food stores.  

Place the filled tea bags in a pretty container.

Attach a festive tag describing the unique ingredients handpicked by you.

Blogmas Day Nine Purdy's Chocolates

 Welcome to Blogmas Day Nine!  There is no doubt that the Holiday Season is coupled with lashings and lashings of chocolate.  I've spoken about my love for Purdy's Chocolates here and here but I truly adore this Canadian chocolate company.  I made sure to pick up a box of my favourite, Sweet Georgia Browns, before the second lockdown as the Purdy's stall nearest to me is inside a mall and doesn't have a street presence.  I just wasn't sure how they would manage curbside pickup and didn't want to take the chance of not having my favourite chocolates during the holidays.  Yes, I know, I am that much of a dedicated fan.

The sweetness of the caramel and chocolate balanced against the contrasting textures of the pecans and gooeyness of the caramel is an unparalleled delight.  

I spotted this box of matcha chocolate balls which I thought would be a perfect stocking stuffer for someone I know who is obsessed with matcha tea.  You can also get the boxes of chocolate prewrapped which is a real timesaver.

Luckily Purdy's is also available online for those of you who weren't able to stock up before lockdown or are still in lockdown.  Considering how delivery times are anyone's guess nowadays, I would suggest putting in your orders soon.

I do think that taking the time to indulge in something luscious and decadent with a steaming mug of your favourite tea or coffee is practically a necessity now as a way of combating the stresses of our lives.  

Let me know what your favourite treat is!

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Blogmas Day Six Christmas Advent Calendars

 Welcome to Blogmas Day Six!  This weekend was the first weekend in December.  Do you celebrate Advent?  I do love Advent and especially Advent Calendars.  It means that Christmas starts early and doesn't start and end within 24 hours.

I think the Lindt chocolate advent calendars have a better quality chocolate than the usual kiddie advent calendars available at the grocery store.  

Who cares if you left childhood behind long ago?  There is something so magical and innocent about searching for and opening that day's window and then popping out the sweet treat within.  I love reusable Advent Calendars as well.  

This one is from Target several years back. It is really sturdy.  The doors have magnets embedded in them so that they close with a very satisfying click.  You don't just have to hide chocolates in the calendar.  It is such fun to think of creative ways to fit surprises into each compartment. A thoughtful note, an IOU, the possibilities are endless. Of course I have seen some really elaborate ones out there.  Given as a gift, they become an heirloom and treasured family piece that is brought out year after year.

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Blogmas Day Five Wool and the Gang Knitting Kits

 Welcome to Blogmas Day Five! Now that we are spending so much time at home, I am sure that many of us have taken up new crafts, skills and hobbies or else renewed our interest in crafts and hobbies that fell by the wayside in our busy lives.  I taught myself to knit out of a book years ago but then I never kept it up.  Then, by chance I came across this knitting kit in the Summer.

The kit is by Wool and the Gang and contains everything you need to knit, in this case, a pom pom hat.  The wool is a ball of delicious chunky Peruvian wool.  You even get a needle to sew up the hat. What I love about this kit is that the instruction booklet contains instructions for 4 skill levels: beginner, easy, intermediate and advanced.  There are even video tutorials available.  The kits are available with different coloured balls of wool.  I chose a fashionable tweedy gray.  Just that luscious ball of soft wool is well worth the cost.  I have also seen crochet kits for summer hats and bags and knitting kits for chunky scarves.

This would make a wonderful handmade gift or you could even give the kit as a gift as well.  Maybe it is the teacher in me but I love giving educational gifts rather than a toy that gets played with for 10 minutes and then gets abandoned.  

I am so excited to try this.  There is something so wonderfully calming and meditative about the steady click click of the needles.  And then at the end, you have something handmade that you can use in everyday life.  What crafts or hobbies have you taken up lately? 

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Blogmas Day Two Christmas Cards and Polaroid Camera

 Welcome to Blogmas Day Two!  Today, I decided to start on my Christmas cards.  Over the years, my list of Christmas card recipients has dwindled to just a select few.  It's just so much easier to send an e-card.  Plus I think that sending out cards has generally fallen out of favour.  This year, though, I think we all need that extra bit of personalized connection.  

My card of choice this year is by Peter Pauper Press.  I just love their designs as they always have an adorable woodland scene in their offerings.  Canada Post does not have service to a number of different countries due to the pandemic.  So you might be wise to check the list of countries where service has been suspended before you mail off your cards and parcels.

I also decided to pull out my Polaroid camera and add in a fun, festive themed snapshot.  Of course, my camera is in the requisite festive colour of red.

I whizzed through Nordstrom's before lockdown.  They usually have a pop-up Christmas gift shop stocked with interesting and unusual gift ideas.  This year's pop-up shop was a bit slimmed down compared to yesteryear's but I did notice that they brought back Polaroid cameras and packs of instant film.  In the past, they have stocked vintage, reconditioned Polaroid cameras and film by the Impossible Project.  This year, I noticed that the Polaroid cameras looked like they were new and the film was Polaroid branded.  So it looks like Polaroid has decided to reissue their instant cameras.  Woohoo!  This is such a fun creative gift for anyone of any age, really.  It doesn't matter if the quality is a bit dodgy as the fun is seeing the film pop out and then develop.  Of course, if you have a colour printer, you could always print off copies of family holiday snaps to pop into the card.

What have you been doing to get into the Christmas spirit?

If you are a small business owner and would like me to do a shout - out, please contact me.  I know that small businesses are really suffering this season and need all the support that they can get.

Last Minute Christmas Stocking Stuffer Ideas Steamery Sephora Purdy's Chocolates Eataly

The clock is ticking down and I am sure we are all running around like headless chickens.  Here are some quick suggestions, if you are like me and have only just finished work and feel like a deer caught in the headlights at the very thought of braving the mall.
Everyone, and I do mean everyone, has been buzzing about Steamery.  Since when did people salivate over gadgets that look after one's clothes??  I suppose it is an offshoot of the whole idea of sustainability and looking after one's clothes so that they last longer.  You would never guess that this pink egg is actually a fabric shaver.

I got mine at Nordstrom.  If the man in your life balks at attacking his sweaters with a pink Pilo fabric shaver, Chapters carries them in black as well.  Steamery also offers a clothes steamer which is on my Wish List.

Gift packs filled with travel sized skincare goodies are a great option for the skincare and beauty maven in your life.  

I got this Ole Henriksen gift pack with travel sizes of Truth On The Glow cleansing cloths and C-Rush Brightening Gel Creme at Sephora. 

Yummy treats are always a hit at this time of year.  Who can say no to a box of Purdy's chocolates?

The best thing is that they come pre-wrapped which is such a brilliant time saver.
Speaking of food, I popped into the newly opened Eataly.  Yes, Eataly is now in Toronto! No need to go trekking to New York.

The place was an absolute madhouse but there is no doubt that you could put together an amazing hamper here with very little effort.

Feel free to add your suggestions in the comments!

Last Minute Christmas Stocking Stuffer Gifts: Bluetooth Selfie Stick and Light, Stonewall Kitchen, Charlotte Tilbury

If, like me, you were stuck at work right up to the last minute and still had to bring home piles of work to slave over during the holidays, then like me, you have been racing around the shops like a headless chicken randomly grabbing anything off the shelves.  The following is a true representation of what is going into a certain someone's stocking.  It is a bit of a hodgepodge but I think they cover the fun, frivolous, luxe and useful to a "T."  All but one are gender neutral which is a bonus.

In a selfie obsessed age, a selfie stick is a must. This one is Bluetooth enabled so you csn take the perfect selfie and hold your mobile phone at the right angle at the same time.

Along with the selfie stick, this selfie light is genius. It clips on to your mobile phone so worries about unflattering lighting are now a thing of the past. The stick and light were picked up at Chapters.

Christmas is always a good time to try out delicious foodstuffs that you would normally not indulge in.  I was so pleased to find Stonewall Kitchen jams in Toronto  (it is an American company). The jam was picked up at the Bay.

And finally, for the makeup maven on your list, you can't go wrong with a Charlotte Tilbury lipstick or for that matter, anything from Charlotte Tilbury. Above is her iconic lipstick in "Pillowtalk." I picked up the lipstick at Sephora.

Let the countdown begin!

Last Minute Gifts: Crabtree and Evelyn Biscuits, NYX Wanderlust Palette

The minutes are counting down to the Big Day!  Are you done your Christmas shopping?  Perhaps you are like me, still frantically scurrying around the shops.  This week threw all my plans out of the window.  The washing machine sprung a leak, causing an almighty mess.  I figured that, if I was going to call in a repairman, I might as well knock out a couple of other pressing repair jobs at the same time.  Haha, big mistake.  The promise of "No worries, we'll blast through the repairs in an afternoon" turned into a 3 day marathon.  Herewith are a couple of emergency last minute gift ideas in case you are stuck having to visit your local 24 hour pharmacy (or worse a gas station that has a mini mart attached to it) because the inlaws decided to spring a dropin on you.

Delicious edibles are always a safe bet.  They are gender free and don't involve too much thinking because, at this point, with your brain on overload, too much thought is contraindicated.

The Crabtree & Evelyn shop in Toronto only brings out their biscuits at Christmas time.  Imagine my chagrin when I discovered that, in other parts of the world, their mouthwatering bikkies are available year round.  This year's Christmas special is their All Butter Dark Chocolate and Hazelnut Biscuits.  The packaging is gorgeous, of course.

NYX came out with a selection of Wanderlust Palettes inspired by cities such as Copenhagen, Los Angeles, Paris, Madrid, London and Dubai.  I was really excited to pick up a few Toronto Palettes to give away but the colours were, in my opinion, astoundingly unwearable.  The lip creme was a dark gray/blue paired with gray eyeshadow.  I live in Toronto and have yet to encounter anyone wandering the streets in gray lipstick.  I suppose the intention was an edgy, goth vibe but it just isn't wearable on the regular unless you want to look like an extra off the set of "The Fifth Element."  I settled for Copenhagen which had a more on point selection of colours.

The lipcreme is a wearable nude and the eyeshadows, blush and highlighter remind me of Urban Decay's Heat Palette but at a price point that is a lot more bearable on the wallet.  Darn those Scandis!  Why do they get all the good stuff?

Wishing all of you a lovely Christmas!  Come and visit me on Instagram tomorrow @lheurebleuewithchloe for the last reveal of my Advent Calendar.

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LBH Christmas Gift Guide for Men 2016

Whoa, is Christmas just around the corner already?  Even though I have been diligent all year in decluttering my home, I don't try and force a spartan mindset on friends and family during the Holiday Season.  If not at Christmas, what other time can one relax a wee bit and ooh and aah over lovely things?   I put together a little Gift Guide for Men because, let's face it, men are hard to shop for.  At least, I find them hard to shop for especially when considering something other than the standard fare of shirt, tie and socks.  I asked Monsieur for his input but he said that he was drawing a blank. Hah! It is a very edited and curated list with a decidedly Canadian slant, just to kickstart your imagination!

First up is a gift set from Acqua Di Parma.  Holiday Season is usually the time when fragrance houses bring out their gift sets.  While pricey, they can be a better deal than buying everything separately.  Monsieur loves Acqua Di Parma.  I got him Acqua Di Parma Colonia Essenza for his birthday which was just in November so this set won't be sitting under the tree for him.  This set is $152.00 CDN at Saks.

via saksfifthavenue.com

For those frosty Canadian winters, there is nothing more cozy than a pair of Garneau sheepskin slippers.  Best yet, they are a Canadian company.  All of their slippers are made by hand in Quebec and come in a large range of colours and styles.  The mules are $95 CDN.  Monsieur's parents got him a pair of moccasins for his birthday so he and I can attest that they are sublimely soft and comfy.

via garneauslippers.com

Speaking of eminently Canadian, of course I have to mention the iconic Hudson's Bay Point Blanket.  It comes in a variety of colourways in case the traditional red, yellow, green and black stripe is a bit too log cabin-ish for your suburban man.  

via thebay.com

The Millenium Point Blanket, from $325.00 to $550 CDN is in a tasteful neutral colourway of taupe and brown and would not look out of place in a downtown condo.

If that special man in your life is a foodie, then an apron from The Blunt Roll is just the ticket.

via thebluntroll.com

The Blunt Roll is a local Toronto-based shop that specializes in aprons made of denim and leather.  The aprons can be rolled and double as a knife roll, hence the name.  The original apron, pictured above is $170.00 CDN. Hurrah for supporting local, small businesses!

Lately, I have been seeing a lot of university students walking around in Moose Knuckles coats and jackets.  They are a Canadian company that seems to have taken over the winter outerwear scene.

via mooseknucklescanada.com

This parka is the Yellowknife Parka $895.00 CDN.  Well, I guess if it's good enough for the Millenials, it's good enough for Monsieur.

Oh my, my brain is whirling now!  Time to start making lists.  Do you find men hard to shop for?  Any suggestions?  Please let me know!

This is not a sponsored post.  There are no affiliate links although such links may be added in the future.