Why Hampers Make Great Christmas Presents

There are often people on our Christmas lists that we just aren’t sure what to buy for.  They are usually adults who are have very special interests or ones that don’t lead naturally to presents.  They may be older family members or friends who ‘have everything’ when asked what they want.  But one thing that can be a perfect Christmas present for these awkward customers is the hamper.

DIY hampers

Making a hamper is easier than it used to be and this can be a great option if you are dealing with someone who has specific dietary requirements.  They may be diabetic, need gluten free foods or other special diets that mean buying a hamper off the shelf is tricky.  By selecting the items to go into the basket yourself, you can ensure they fit in with their needs and requirements perfectly – after all, there’s nothing more depressing than a present you can’t use through no fault of your own and people with diet issues will often get these.

You can even theme the basket towards something they love – this can be anything from wine to coffee, chocolate to cheese.  Buy a selection of smaller items that fit neatly into the basket and carry a theme for a perfect treat.

Wicker baskets are easy to pick up with garden centres often stocking them as well as plenty of online places.  Some of the big department stores even offer a service to make your own hamper such as John Lewis.  Shredded paper is a good base to lay the items in or even crepe paper from the local art shop while you can let the kids at it with some glitter and sequins to give it a Christmas feel.

Personalised hampers

If you lack the time or the confidence to make up your own hamper then the other option is to buy a ready-made version.  One example is perfect for the coffee fan – the Coffee Mug Personalised Gift Hamper.  This hamper features ground coffee beans from Brazil and from Columbia as well as some chocolate to enjoy with it.  The stand out feature is the personalised mug which you can have up to 14 characters added to.  There are even three different designs to choose from to get the perfect match for the recipient.

Nor do hampers just need to be about food – beauty products, smellies and toiletries are popular choices, particularly for the ladies.  The Luxury Personalised Pamper Hamper is all about the smellies and will call out for a relaxing bath as soon as the recipient opens it.  Among the presents include are five hand cut soaps, a bath bomb, shower gel and hand cream.  The moisturizing bath butter is perfect for after the bath and the scented candle can be used anywhere around the house.  The finishing touch to the present is a bottle of sparkling rose wine with a personalised label on it.  She can lie back, sip her wine and enjoy the bath treats for a totally relaxing time – and will love you for giving the set to her! 

Top Natural Ways to Help Your Body Fight a Cold

While this year so far hasn’t been too cold, there’s little doubt that we are in the cold and flu time of the year.  Older people and those with health problems or vulnerabilities are all getting flu jabs and most of us are making sure there are cough medicines and other over the counter cures in the house, just in case.  But are there other, natural ways to help boost your body to assist in the fight against a cold?

Tasty and helpful

One of the best natural helpers is garlic.  Known for its anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties, it is ideal for killing off the germs that cause the cold as well as giving the immune system a boost.  How often do you get a cold then straight away get another bug?  This is because your immune system has been hit by the cold and left vulnerable to other bacteria.  Giving it a boost can help combat this.  If you can manage it, mix together a clove of garlic, two teaspoons of lemon juice, one teaspoons of honey and a touch of either cayenne pepper or chili powder.  Take the mixture each day.  Alternatively, boil four or five cloves in water and add a teaspoon of honey.  Just remember, don’t use your favourite mug that the kids got for your birthday – garlic has a habit of making things stay garlic-flavoured!

Mentioned honey leads us to our next helpful ingredient.  Honey is known for its ability to soothe sore throats, which is why it is used in many medicines.  It also has a high number of nutrients and enzymes that are great at bacteria killing.  Add one teaspoon of lemon juice and two of honey in water then drink or even just take a spoonful of raw honey to ease a sore throat.

Spicy relief

Spice tea is an Ayurvedic remedy that is used to get rid of the common cold.  To make your own, take a quarter cup of coriander seeds, half a tablespoon of cumin and fennel seeds and a quarter teaspoon of fenugreek seeds then dry roast them as you would coffee.  Boil a cup of water and add one and a half table spoons of the mixture as well as half a teaspoon of rock candy.  Leave it for three of four minutes then add two tablespoons of milk.  Boil then strain it and sip while hot.

Ginger is another spice that has benefits when suffering with a cold.  It has anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and expectorant properties.  Ginger tea is a great option so get your teapot out.  Add a little lemon juice and honey to it for taste and extra benefits. 

Traditional ideas

Then there is good old chicken soup, still a great helper when you are feeling bad.  The reason the soup is so helpful is that it has lots of nutrients and vitamins that help fight the bacteria causing the cold as well as anti-oxidants to fight the symptoms.  So if all else fails, get yourself a bowl of this each day to help your body fight off that nasty bug.

What is Thanksgiving and Should We Celebrate it?

There are many traditions that our friends across in the USA celebrate that are making their way across the Atlantic to the UK.  Halloween is a prime example – while it originated here, it is the Americans who have made it the holiday it is today.  Thanksgiving is a very American holiday that is becoming popular to celebrate here in the UK, especially if you have friends who are from the US originally.  So what is it all about and how would we celebrate it?

Roots of Thanksgiving

The idea behind Thanksgiving is based in the traditions of the first Pilgrims and Puritans who travelled to the US back in the 1600s.  These settlers arrived in 1621 and were thankful when their first harvest produced crucial supplies for their new settlement so celebrated the event.  Therefore the root of Thanksgiving is similar to the harvest festivals celebrated around the world – celebrating a time of plenty when all the work of the year has produced the food needed to survive the winter.

Today, Thanksgiving is a national holiday in the US and is a secular holiday focused on spending time with family and friends as well as eating and drinking.  It is a time for larger gatherings that is typical at Christmas with ‘the more, the merrier’ being something of a saying for the occasion.  Americans also worry a lot about people being on their own at Thanksgiving and make a great effort to ensure no-one is by themselves.  The holiday is celebrated on the 4^th Thursday of November.

Thanksgiving traditions

One of the biggest traditions at Thanksgiving is football – not as we think of it, that’s soccer over in the US, but American Football.  There are usually at least three games on during the big day with around twelve hours of televised sports for fans.  The ThanksgivingDay Parade at Macy’s in New York has also become a huge tradition, for those visiting the city or just to watch on TV. 

However the biggest part of the traditions associated with Thanksgiving are around the food.  It isn’t the best time to be a turkey in the US, as this is the main meat for the day, though the President does traditionally pardon one each year at a fun ceremony at the White House.  Classic turkey served with stuffing is usually the centrepiece of the table.  Mash potatoes, glazed carrots and cranberry sauce are also found on most American tables while a green bean casserole is a side dish made with green beans and crusty Italian bread.  Cornbread is another dish we in the UK aren’t too familiar with that plays a big part.

For dessert, pumpkins are the top ingredient, a link to the harvest season origins of the holiday.  Pumpkin pie is one dish that is easy to make at home and is a great excuse to get out the personalised baking setthe kids got you for your birthday to put them to good use.  If you aren’t keen on pie, then pumpkin cheesecake or pumpkin bread pudding make themed alternatives.

Decorating Your Home for Christmas

There’s a lot going on a Christmas what with shopping, visiting friends and family and seasonal parties.  Decorating the house tends to be focused around the Christmas tree and we all put a lot of effort into decorating it.  But should we be considering more than just popping up the Christmas tree?

Seasonal candles

One of the best ways to enjoy the scents of winter and the Christmas season is through a candle and most companies have their own Christmas ranges.  These are often big on woody scents and seasonal smells as well as spices from the Christmas pudding.  But not everyone likes these strong and sometimes masculine smells so the option to stick with something that is a favourite all year round also works, such as vanilla.  Candles are also a great present, particularly personalised ones that allow you to add a special message to the candle jar including a name or a message that means something to you and the recipient.

If you have kids and don’t like the idea of real flames then the other option are diffusers.  These are usually jars or bottles filled with a scented liquid that come with sticks.  Insert the sticks into the jar and they absorb the liquid then evaporate into the room to create a gentle smell.  There are no flames involved and they have an equally long life span.

Fireplace decoration

If you have a fireplace or other feature in your living room, this often cries out for some seasonal decoration.  Whether you opt for the simple tinsel wreath or want to go for something more comprehensive, it isn’t an opportunity to be missed.  Wooden signs are a popular choice to hang above the fireplace and offer an instant Christmasmessage to anyone that enters the house when they are personalised.  Again, they make a great gift, particularly if a year is the first in their new home for a family.  It also makes for an ideal decoration for a baby’s bedroom, remembering their first Christmas that can be brought out each year.

If you don’t want too much clutter on the fireplace or are worried that you have a real fire and waving decorations could be a hazard, then a simple centrepiece could work well.  Candles are one choice and if you have kids or are young at heart, a snow globe is a great idea.  As well as traditional ones with village scenes and Santa Claus, modern versions often include cute teddies and fairies for those modern tastes.

Dining table decoration

Many people lay the table with special settings for Christmas including tableware for the occasion, candles and special serving dishes.  Special glasses can be added for each person with their own message added or otherwise, a Christmas personalised label on a bottle of Prosecco makes for a great Christmas present for someone who loves a glass of bubbly stuff with their Christmas lunch.  Wines and spirits can also have their own special bottle messages so place them on the table at the last moment for an extra surprise for someone special.