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Tag Archives: gifts
Innovative — and Sustainable — Gift Wrap Ideas
I wanted to share this lovely idea for gifting Annieglass that was recently shared with us. As you know, I’m a fan of very minimalist and sustainable gift wrapping — wrapping paper from holiday gifts is largely to blame for a 25 percent spike in curbside trash volume between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, according to the EPA. And in the U.S., the annual trash from gift wrap and shopping bags adds up to over 4 million tons of garbage. That makes a pretty gift wrap, seem a little less festive, doesn’t it? I love the simplicity of presenting Annieglass with just a beautiful bow or ribbon, which can then be reused or repurposed. But this idea makes it even more personal — attach a recipe that matches the dish to the gift — in this case an easy and elegant chocolate chip pound cake to go with a rectangular tray. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?
Posted in Miscellaneous Adventures
Tagged gifts, hostess gifts, sustainable, wrapping
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Green Gift Ideas for Valentine’s Day
We are exactly a week away from Valentine’s Day, so if you haven’t figured out what gifts you are giving to loved ones, now is the time to start. Sustainable and local gifts also show your love for your community and the planet.
Organic or local flowers. Nothing says Valentine’s Day like a big bouquet. But the environmental footprint of flowers can be huge. According to studies, supplying the 100 million roses ordered for a typical Valentine’s Day produces 9,900 tons of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions. And the pesticides used in large scale flowers farms in many places are cause for concern. But you don’t have to give up on blossoms for you beau. Instead look for organically grown flowers and/or locally grown flowers.
Give local wine, preferably one that is made organically and/or sustainably. Local wines don’t travel as far so they have a smaller carbon footprint. Spending money at a local vineyard also supports local industry and your community.
Organic Chocolates. Valentine’s Day is one of the biggest chocolate giving occasions of the year. Organically grown chocolates are made from ingredients produced without any pesticides or fungicides. Which is better for both you and the environment.
Sustainable Gift Wrapping
Weddings mean lots of gifts, both to and from the happy couple. Wrapping paper is something we take for granted when presenting a gift, but did you know that wrapping paper and shopping bags alone account for about 4 million tons of trash a year in the U.S.? That’s a little less beautiful and festive when you look at it that way. But there are more sustainable ways to present your presents.
Ribbon. I love just using beautiful ribbons to decorate my gifts. A beautiful ribbon around a plain box is very dramtic and environmentally friendly There’s not always a reason to completely obscure your gift from the recipient — sometimes just a bow around the actual gift itself is enough. Or you can weave together several ribbons to create more of a covering.
Fabric. Furoshiki is the Japanese art of wrapping gifts in cloth. Not only is this beautiful, but the cloth can be reused, either to wrap another gift or it can be an additional gift of its own — consider wrapping a cookbook or cooking utensils in a tea towel or using a beautiful scarf to wrap a present.
Paper Grocery Bags. No matter how good we try to be about bringing our re-useable bags to the grocery store, we all have a few paper shopping bags lingering around. Cut these up to make your own wrapping paper. Use gel pens or stamps to create patterns on the plain brown wrapper.
Newspapers and Magazines. Publications that you’ve already read can be cut up and used to make striking wrapping paper. Be sure to scour the pages that you are using for any inappropriate headlines or photos though!
Bridal Registry Dos and Don’ts
Did you get engaged over the holidays? Almost 26% of marriage proposals occur between
Be sure to pick out both plates for everyday and a set for more special occasions
November and December. That’s a lot of wedding planning happening in the new year. Once you’ve spread the news to your loved ones and started thinking about dates, one of your first tasks is the Bridal registry. Here’s a few dos and don’ts to help you navigate your way through this exciting but somewhat daunting task:
Do register at least six months before your wedding date to give your guests the chance to shop from your registry for bridal showers and engagement parties.
Don’t register during your lunch hour — that’s not enough time to peruse and choose. Allow plenty of time to decide what your wedding gift wish list will be. Call ahead for an appointment with the bridal registrar.
Don’t bring along your mother, sister or best friend. Too many opinions will make this even more confusing. You and your partner should be the ones registering. You are starting a life together and sharing a home, it only makes sense to figure this out together. Don’t forget to practice the fine art of compromise together!
Do sit down with your fiancé and talk about your likes and dislikes, how you envision
yourselves entertaining, if any, differently than how you do now. Think about future
holidays and family get-togethers as well as parties and Sunday dinners.
Don’t limit your wish list. Go ahead and register for that one of a kind hand blown vase.
Or limited edition Annieglass! It’s called a wish list for a reason.
Do get organized. Treat your bridal registry with a professional attitude, the way you would a work project. Keep track of what you receive and from whom, and check off your thank-you notes as you send them.
Do ask your bridal registrar for help with gifts for your bridesmaids and groomsmen. And don’t forget thank you gifts for those who gave showers or parties in your honor. I think that engraved messages of thanks on Annieglass make some of the most special gifts. Consider giving hearts engraved with your names, wedding date and thanks to your bridesmaids for sharing your big day.
What I Love This Holiday — From Alexis Bittar
The jewelry of my friend Alexis Bittar is certainly on a lot of wish lists this holiday
season. Alexis is renowned for his luminous and modernist jewelry creations. He has collaborated with Sex and the City stylist Patricia Field and designed Burberry’s first ever couture jewelry collection. He also designed an exclusive collection of Lucite and stainless steel furniture for the Cooper Hewitt Museum and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London asked him to create an exclusive design for their “Cherry on the Cake” exhibition. Michelle Obama has worn his jewelry and he worked with Madonna on her forthcoming movie W.E. I asked him what was on his list of favorites this holiday season and this is what he said:
- Silver Lucite Long Raindrop Earrings
- Hitchcock Movies
- Jacques Torres Chocolates
Posted in Miscellaneous Adventures
Tagged chocolate, friends, gifts, holidays, jewelry
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