Christmas

Christmas

Shopping Bag Chic: DIY Holiday Gift Wrap

Stephanie

Is it just us, or does holiday gift wrap seem to be disappearing faster than a snowman in a sauna?

At many stores, all that’s left of your wrapping paper options are birthday and baby shower themes, which, you have to admit, you momentarily considered buying in a pinch. Though there are several ways to rationalize this thinking, the truth of the matter is, adorning your gifts with the announcement “It’s a Boy” will only cause confusion at the Christmas tree.

Don’t let the seasonal shortage in wrapping paper be your unraveling! We’re here to tell you, a simple, cost-effective solution is already in the bag…

Retailers are really stepping up their game when it comes to decorative shopping bags this season. Pretty ribbon drawstrings and glossy, eye-catching designs mean consumers look more chic than ever toting around their holiday purchases. So why not use these pre-made packages as your own wrapping material when you get home? With this solution, design and color scheme are already chosen for you, serving as a stylish, semi-subtle hint to the contents within.

A Few Tips:

• Keep the bag as flat and wrinkle-free as possible when transporting your goods.

• After emptying its contents, cut the bag vertically along one corner creases, stopping at the base.

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Christmas

Man-Up at the Mall: A Guy’s Holiday Game Plan

Stephanie

Three words: Extended Holiday Hours. If you’re a guy, the acronym probably sums up your opinion of seasonal shopping pretty well (“EHH…”). But unfortunately, this disinterest does little to shield you from the mall-time mayhem. One way or another, you invariably end up accompanying your wife or girlfriend to her yearend retail pilgrimage. And it doesn’t even matter if you’ve been naughty or nice!

“Sure, I’ll meet you in Sporting Goods in an hour,” she claims. But by lunch, you’re still waiting, and ready to take a candy cane to the gut just to feel alive.

At Elfster, we think the secret to avoiding the doldrums in a situation like this is to have a game plan. So to reach out to dudes the world over, we stepped away from our workbench and designed a detailed agenda to help whittle away those “extended hours” at the mall. We know it’s no trip to the lumber yard, but compared to twelve hours of world-class thumb-twiddling, we think it’ll suffice.

1:00 pm-

Find a bench, read-up on your Emotional Intelligence 2.0, and bask in your newfound popularity among single moms.

2:00 pm-

Lay low in the Men’s Room after the unexpected influx of marriage proposals.
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Christmas

Eggcelent Eggnog Alternatives

Stephanie

Like the great debate of “glass half empty or glass half full”, eggnog, too, can be a divisive subject. We elves happen to love the holiday staple even in our breakfast cereal, but we also understand that it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. That’s why we compiled a short list of eggnog alternatives for you to try at your next holiday party… Okay, so our motives aren’t pure as the driven snow (more eggnog for us), but that’s not to say we don’t think these recipes are every bit as delicious. Try them, and if you care to add a little “holiday spirit” to the recipes, we won’t tell Santa, either!

Cinnamon Apple Shakes

3 cups vanilla ice cream
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup cinnamon applesauce
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
1/2 tsp. rum extract (optional)
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Christmas

Sweet Smelling Ornaments for a Natural Noel

Stephanie

This year, finding eye-catching, affordable Christmas ornaments doesn’t have to feel like searching for the Eternal Fountain of Eggnog. (Oh, it’s out there…) But an easy, natural solution to tree trimming is as close as nearest the produce section!

We admit, sometimes the “smell of Christmas” can be about as subtle as a dip in a vat of aftershave, and the hunt for a more muted fragrance can be equally daunting.

That’s why when we came across this project from younghouselove.com, we couldn’t wait to show you their simple solution!

If you’re as excited about the Elf Week Glitter Gala as we are, you’re probably spinning garland in anticipation at this very moment. But with homemade dried citrus ornaments, you’ll get the added benefit of aromatically accenting that Christmas tree smell without overpowering it. [read more]

Christmas

Shopping Therapy: Mall Stress-Busters

Stephanie

By now, we all know Santa’s stance on pouting, shouting and crying. (Apparently, we “better not!”) But we also know that one bad trip to a seasonal shopping mall is enough to make even Tiny Tim go postal. So what’s an elf to do when the stress boils over like a hot chocolate gone wrong? Use these simple relaxation tricks, of course!

At Elfster, we’ve been through enough holiday shopping seasons to know that deep, cleansing breaths simply won’t cut it when someone cuts in line. And there’s no mantra in the world that’ll make parking a delight. So you can chant a soothing “ho ho ho” if it’s any fun for you, but for the best stress management at the mall, here’s what we suggest:

Wheezey Does It

Losing your breath in the retail race can have your chest feeling tighter than Santa’s tummy in a man girdle. But when you start to hyperventilate, don’t panic! Bloomingdale’s Big Brown Bagdoubles as a pretty nice respiratory aid. A few puffs in and out, and you’ll be back on your pointed little feet again in no time!
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Christmas

Tips To Organize An Office Secret Santa

Julie

It just isn’t the Holidays until Blitzen gets blitzen’ at the annual stable party… Let’s face it, Santa deals with enough awkward situations in his line of work. Fortunately, your office Secret Santa doesn’t have to, thanks to Elfster! With the high-tech help of anonymous questions and wish lists for every coworker, this year your workplace gift exchange can be more enjoyable than ever! And you don’t have to butter-up the IT Guy to do it. Elfster is so easy, a Garden Gnome could use it! Check out the demo and these starter tips:

Tip #1 Use the bulk invitation option where you can just type in a list of email addresses, or if you have a large company, use the sign up link and send it via email to your coworkers.

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Christmas

Santa’s Choice: World Cookie Recipes

Stephanie

This Christmas, don’t be caught with your oven mitts off… We’re giving you a list of Santa’s all-time favorite cookie recipes from around the globe. With these international favorites on the plate, Santa is sure to stop by your place first this year!

Crumb roll, please…

• Raspberry, Olive Oil and Thyme Shortbread (Great Britain)
• Meringue and Raspberry Baskets “Korzinki” (Ukraine)
• Ma’moul Cookies (Lebanon)
• Chocolate-Dipped Palmieres (France)
• Almond Cookies (China)

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Christmas

Announcing “Elf Week” 2010!

Stephanie

With the holidays closing in faster than Rudolph on a sugar rush, we’ve now officially entered what the reindeer call “Mush-Time”… and the Claus has got no room for error on his team! That’s why the week of December 20th, we’ll be devoting our entire agenda to the training and initiation of Santa’s most promising, up-and-coming little helpers. It’s called “Elf Week”… and it isn’t for the feeble-footed! As the name implies, it separates the Oafs from the Elves, building character and moral fiber with each event!

So how does one train for such a rigorous week? You could practice by bobbing for halibut, or birthing a set of reindeer twins. You might even try brushing up on your coal-mining skills for Santa’s Naughty List. But you’ll be glad to know, as a loyal Elfster blog reader, you’ll get an extra leg up in the competition.

In honor of Elf Week, we’ll be showing you a slew of helpful tips, tricks and holiday advice right here on Wish Fulfillment, the Elfster blog! As the event approaches, keep your eyes peeled for our fun and informative series of posts called “Elf-Help”.

In the meantime, here’s a sneak peek at Elf Week 2010’s calendar of events:
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