Chic Geek: CHRISTMAS!!!
Dec03

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Chic Geek: CHRISTMAS!!!

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A blogumn by Delia Hauser

I LOVE CHRISTMAS. I mean, EVERYTHING CHRISTMAS.  From Fa La La La Lifetime movies and abcFam’s 25 Days of Christmas to the garish decorations and crowded stores of unhappy shoppers.  ALL OF IT.  It’s just wonderful to me.

Even though I’m obsessed with it, I’m always really smart about my Christmas shopping, baking and decorating. I start early, which isn’t great advice now since we are 3 weeks out, but maybe you can think about it next year when everyone else is carving pumpkins.  Here are some ways to make it easier:

1.    Buy your cards and fill them out early. Make a list of everyone you know well and put them in different categories; card, card+cookies, card+gift, card+gift+cookies, etc.  I swear these two things will help you out so much before everything gets crazy and suddenly you are 3 WEEKS OUT!!!

2.    If you love baking, choose four or five different things that look pretty together in a box because it’s a great last minute gift if you forgot to put someone on your list. Branch out this year; make truffles or homemade candy canes instead of cookies.  If you don’t feel like baking, buy your goods from your local baker or on Etsy.com and package them yourself.  Yes, they even have bakeries on Etsy!

3.    Speaking of which… I’ve only featured Etsy sellers this week because of the economic crisis. When times get tough, people flee to Wal-Mart and Target leaving craftspeople and moms-and-pops in the dust.  If we don’t buy from them, the economy just gets WORSE!  The handmade world is affordable, warm, lovely, eco-friendly and very personal — especially during the holidays.  Just look at all the wonderful stuff I found!

4.    Simplify your gift wrap. Come up with a scheme or two and stick with it.  It’s beautiful to see everything matching or coordinating under a tree.  I suggest one of two things.  Buy brown parcel paper (about $3 worth will get you through 2 Christmas’s) and sass it up with really amazing toppers like glittery fruit and red ribbon or bright yarn and an ornament instead of a standard bow.   OR, buy a variety of vintage papers and use old silly toppers that barely match or a contrasting wide ribbon tied up in a huge bow.  With either option, don’t forget that gift tags are like art these days and you don’t have to use those boring ones from the drug store.

I know this time of year can be overwhelming for people who celebrate these holidays (and for those who don’t) but when you’re out in the whirlwind of shoppers and feel like you can barely breathe, do what I do; try to remember that they are out there trying to make their loved ones happy too.  It’s a necessary evil, so you may as well smile and look at the pretty lights. Tons of stuff to help you out after the jump:

1.    Blomma card set – $12
2.    Dippylulu mini card set – $4
3.    Sweet Letter Press card set – $13
4.    Design des Troy card set – $14.50
5.    Ink drop design card set – $11
6.    Jen Lou card set – $17.50
7.    Tina Seamonster card set – $14
8.    Inflatable Eye card – $3.50
9.    Daydream Studios card set –  $18.75
10.  The Frantic Meercat card – $3
11.  Sweet Letter Press Card Set – $13
12.  Junkmail Greetings card – $3
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1.    Rikrak stocking -$18
2.    Haru wreath – $85
3.    Winsome Hollow tree – $24
4.    Michima joyeux noel letters – $8
5.    Fact and Fancy tree – $14.50
6.    Green Chile Mama wreath – $140
7.    Earmark banner – $11.50
8.    Sew Sew Suck UR Toe stocking – $17
9.    Kup Kup Land collage – $48
10.  Katydiddy decorative box – $6
11.  Lusitania tree – $32
12.  My Sweet Savannah garland – $12
13.  Sweetshorn Vintage wall hanging – $16
14.  Maka Le Wakan garland – $7
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1.    Jean Francis Bean gift tags – $5
2.    Courtney Kessel vintage paper – $4
3.    Hey Lady! gift tags – $6.50
4.    The Merry Magpie vintage boxes – $2.95
5.    Vintage Ephemera gift wrap – $4
6.    Lucky Duck Designs gift tags – $3.25
7.    Time Passages vintage paper – $3
8.    Katie Blair Designs gift tags – $1.50
9.    Paddywack Designs gift toppers – $7
10.  Paloma’s Nest gift bag – $6
11.  Paper Red Shoes origami gift boxes – $9
12.  Maka Le Wakan gift tags – $4.80
13.  Shop 66 vintage paper – $2.50
14.  Dallas Shaw gift toppers – $3
15.  Loverly Ink gift toppers – $3
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1.    Paloma’s Nest – $48
2.    Winsome Hollow – $38
3.    Shannon Harris – $20
4.    Sew Danish – $12
5.    Norajane – $6
6.    Kylie Parry – $8
7.    Make Me Smile – $9
8.    Jennifer Orme Ceramics – $15
9.    Red Marionette – $24
10.  Guy’s Art Gal – $22
11.  The Monkey See, Monkey Do Shoppe – $5
12.  Dreaming Giggles Design – $14
13.  Paper Displays of Affection – $19.99
14.  Snowfish – $21
15.  Bossy’s Feltworks – $10
16.  Time Passages – $7
17.  Run Amok – $15

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Looking for more holiday fa-la-la, check out Delia’s lovely creations at her online one-stop holiday market shoppe!
Holiday Ornament Set - $15

Holiday Ornament Set - $15