12 Days of Christmas: Gift DIY

So, every year because of my small budget I end up making quite a few gifts. It's a fun, and more affordable way to give this holiday season. If you want detailed instructions on how I made everything, let me know, and I'll make either a whole blog post about it, or a downloadable PDF file. But for now, here are the gifts that I made.

For my mom, I wanted to knit something. I always want to knit something. And any excuse to practice is a good enough reason for me. So I'm knitting my mom a set of coasters, as well as maybe some cloths or towels if I have time. For now, I know I can get the coasters done.

For my aunts, I've made an oatmeal bath soak. Sadly my mother took my idea for a spa kit, so I'll have to add my little gifts to hers. As well as I have some little hand made bags, and little tags that I made to go with them.

My dad is less of a home made gift, but a combination of some things that I bought. I got my dad everything he needs to make sushi. In this little package, I'll be including a way to make sticky rice with regular rice. That way he doesn't need to wait for me to come home with a bag of rice all the time.

And lastly my grandmother. My grandmother and I share this addiction to chocolate, and usually for every holiday I go out and buy her fancy chocolate. But not this year. This year I am making her truffles. I'll be sharing this one more when I do all of my Christmas baking tomorrow.

As well, I decorated the Christmas tree, so it's been a busy day. So you can have a bonus picture of the tree that I had to decorate by myself. I'm the only one in the house that is super excited for Christmas. And I guess that's okay. I'll spread the Christmas cheer all around.

Happy Holidays.

12 Days of Christmas Day 7: A Christmas Tag.

I feel like challenges like this aren't complete without a tag of some sort, so I browsed the internet, and I found a Christmas themed tag. I hope you enjoy! :) Just like the last tag, I'll post a link to where I got the questions down at the bottom.

1. Favourite Christmas movie?
My favourite Christmas movie is easily Elf. I'm not usually a fan of Christmas movies, the cartoon ones used to scare me as a kid, heck they still scare me. But Elf didn't scare me, and it's also hilarious. What's not to love about a fully grown man who thinks he's an elf?

2. Have you ever had a white Christmas?
Yes. I live in Canada, so a white Christmas usually comes around. However this year is not looking so great for the white Christmas thing, but there is still time.

3. Where do you usually spend the holidays?
Usually I spend the holidays at my parents place.

4. What is your favourite Christmas song?
I have a few... I'm pretty picky about Christmas music. I've been doing choir most of my life, and we sing the same few songs every year, and it gets tiring. The ones I love are Gabriel's message, and Last Christmas. They are the only two we don't sing over and over again. BUT if Michael Bublé is singing any of them, then all Christmas songs are my favourite.

5. Do you open any gifts Christmas eve?
Yes! Every year my family goes to my grandmothers house, and we have the big Christmas dinner, and open gifts and stuff. It's a lot of fun. Then Christmas day we are all too full to eat anything, so we snack all day.

6. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
Uhh... dasher, dancer, something..., comet, cupid, blitzen, Rudolf... no, no I can't. I did try though.

7. What holiday traditions are you looking forward to this year?
I'm kinda looking forward to bringing some Norwegian traditions to my family for Christmas, last year it didn't happen, but this year I am feeling the holiday spirit, so that'll be fun.

8. Is your tree real or fake?
Real.

9. What is your all time favourite holiday food/sweet treat?
My moms side of the family is German, so my favourite is any sort of German Christmas cookie. It's not Christmas without them! As well, I love Rømmegrøt, and hopefully I'll be able to share that with the family this year.

10. Do you like giving, or receiving gifts more?
I like giving gifts. I'm pretty good at coming up with creative gift ideas, especially creative ideas on a budget. I also love making gifts, it gives me something to do to get excited for Christmas.

11. What is the best Christmas gift you've received?
One of the best gifts I've received was a book of Viking poetry when I was in Norway. I still read it quite a bit whenever I'm feeling homesick.

12. What would be your dream place to visit for the holiday?
Not gonna lie, I wanna go back to Norway, and bring my family with me. I think my family would love Norway. And I could celebrate Christmas with all of my families.

13. Are you a pro present wrapper, or do you fail miserably?
I try really hard, but I fail so miserably. I generally just stick everything in a bag.

14. Most memorable holiday moment.
I have two from the same night. I was celebrating with my host family in Norway, and the thing I remember most is giving grøt to the nisse in the barn. In Norway, they have nisse which are little elves that help the farmers. And every Christmas families give grøt or porridge to the little elves, and I remember watching the little lantern walking to the grøt and watching my host siblings being super excited about it. As well, as helping my little host sister make butter.

15. What shattered your truth about Santa?
Not gonna lie, I don't really remember what shattered my truth about Santa. My grandmother still likes to believe in Santa. So that's cute.

16. Do you make New Years Resolutions? Do you stick with them?
Every year I make them, and every year I fail. But hopefully this year I'll be able to stick with them.

17. What makes the holidays special for you?
I'm not really sure. Not gonna lie, there is just something warm and fuzzy I like about Christmas, and the holiday season.
Questions: here I couldn't find the original tag, but here is where I got the questions.

12 Days of Christmas Day 6: Gifts for Book Lovers.

So Christmas is almost here, and like me I'm sure most of you have some last minute shopping you have to do. And I know from personal experience that unless you know a person really well, it's hard to pick out books as gifts. Especially if they are a little bit picky like me. So I have come up with a list of things that aren't books for you to get the book lovers in your life.

1. Gift Cards.
The most obvious thing you can get them is a gift card to a local book store. That way they can go and pick out a book they know they would like. This is usually the go to for people who don't know what to get their reading friend. It's tried and true.

2. Book merchandise.
If you know your reader friend is into certain series, try looking online to see if you can find tee shirts, or jewelry relating to their favourite books and series. You'd be surprised what you can find if a series is popular enough. Usually a series will have merchandise if there is a movie, or a tv show to go with it. But be sure your reader does like the movie or show before buying something that is super involved with the show like a poster of the actors, or board game.

3. Tote bags.
If you reader goes and borrows books from the local library, then a nice tote bag might be something they could be interested in. They are long lasting, and come in lots of patterns and colours and designs. And of course these bags don't need to be for just hauling around books. You can even get ones that are related to series your friend loves, and they can use it for whatever needs they have.

4. Hot Beverages.
There is nothing like curling up with a hot beverage and a good book. Find out what your reader likes, tea, hot chocolate, coffee, or apple cider, and get them some of that. They'll thank you for it. Make sure you know what they like before buying anything though. For fantasy readers, you could also get them mulling spices. That way they can drink spiced wine (or grape juice) as they read.

5. A book themed mug.
Now, of course to go with the hot beverage you could get your friend a mug. But getting them any old mug is kind of impersonal. You can get lots of mugs with book quotes on them, or something like that. Even better is getting a plain white mug, and painting on it yourself. If your reader is really into Jane Austin style books, then you could get them a tea cup and saucer from a local thrift store.

6. BOOKMARKS!
As someone who looses so many book marks, I know that you can never have enough. So go into your local bookstore and pick out a nice book mark. These are a great idea for people you don't know very well. Just basic laminated paper ones will work, but if you want to take it a step further and you know your friend will like it, then of course try for something fancier.

7. E-reader cases.
I personally don't use an e-reader that often, but if your friend uses their e reader, and uses it a lot, then maybe think of getting them a nice case. You can get ones that look like real books for reasonable prices. And of course it doesn't hurt to have more than one case.

8. A snuggie.
Now, I am serious about this. It's well known that readers like to curl up with their books, and blankets aren't great for that. So try getting your reader a snuggie or a fleece poncho. Something to keep them warm, but still give access to their hands so they can hold the book. I have a fleece poncho, and I love it to bits.

9. Decorative book ends.
Find out if the person you are shopping for uses book ends first! Some people (like me) just don't have the space for them. But if the person in your life uses them, then pretty book ends look great on any book shelf. And there is a huge array of book ends to choose from. Check on etsy, or a local nick knack shop.

10. Book subscriptions.
If you have a little more money to spend on your book loving friend, then try getting them a subscription to a book crate service. Pretty much what these services do is once a month they send you a box with some bookish things as well as a book usually revolving around a theme. These are awesome for avid YA readers. Here are a few services you can check out: (Add some book crate services)

11. A signed book.
Now this is a little bit tricky, because getting a signed copy of a book isn't always easy. But it can be done. Usually it happens when a book is first released, or if the author has been to the book store. So keep an eye out for book tours. A lot of times these events are free. This is one of the harder things to get so don't worry too much.

12. A book light.
Is your friend a night owl? Think about getting them a book light so they can read late into the night. Usually these are pretty cheap things to get, and they aren't hard to find either.

13. Pretty editions of books.
Does your reader love pretty book covers? Well, you could get them a copy of a book they already have in a nicer cover. I find this works really well for those who love classics. A lot of covers look like they are text books. If you know your friend would be okay with it then maybe a nicer edition would be a great gift. Best place to begin looking is in used book stores, and of course the internet.

14. Audible credits.
This is kind of like the gift card idea, but instead it's for audiobooks. Be sure that your friend actually listens to audiobooks before getting them this gift. But it's a great way to share something different with someone.

15. Notebooks.
I feel like a lot of book lovers, even if they aren't writers collect pretty notebooks as well. Notebooks are just all around useful to have around. And especially if the book lover in your life is a writer too, then getting them a notebook might be a nice addition to their collection.

Here you are! Fifteen things to give book lovers this holiday season. Of course some of them are easier to get than others, but I hope you got some ideas from this list. But be sure your friend actually uses things before getting it for them as a gift. And of course if you know your book lover well, you can just get them a book.

Happy Holidays.

12 Days of Christmas Day 5: Giving Scarves.

So a while ago, I made this post here and I am proud to say that I have all of the scarves done! And today I went out to give away each of the scarfs I've made.

I feel so bad that I cannot do anything more to help these people. What I would love to do is get a big pot full of soup, and give that out as well. But I don't have the means for it. This will not be the last charity project I do, I can assure you of that.

So, I packed up all of the scarfs and headed down town. It's been such a heart wrenching day, and so harrowing. It makes one feel very thankful for what they have. They looked so happy getting something nice as a Christmas gift.

I think the favourite people I gave scarfs to were two guys sitting out with a banjo, they were out traveling around Ontario, and they had run out of gas. I sat down, and jammed with them for them for a bit. It was really interesting to sit an chat with them. So, I hope they made it home alright, and that they were kept warm.

I did ask to take photos, but most of the people didn't want their photos taken, and so I didn't take a lot of photos.

I know a lot of people didn't have mittens or gloves, so I think when I do this again next year, I'm going to knit mittens. I do want to continue this little project, and keep giving things to people who need them more than I do.

I hope you all had a good day, and I'll see you tomorrow.

Happy Holidays.

12 Days of Christmas Day 4: Cloaked Book Review.

So it's been a long time since I've read something that is very young adult. I've lost a lot of interest in the typical YA books. But once in a while they are a fun read, and lately I want to read something light and fun. So let's jump right into the review.

Cloaked by Alex Flinn follows the story of Johnny a teenage boy who works in a shoe repair shop inside of a hotel. One day a princess from a small country in Europe comes to stay at the hotel. And when she comes to Johnny with a broken shoe, she explains to him that magic is real, and her brother has been turned into a frog and is missing somewhere. She has chosen Johnny to go find her brother and bring him back so she can break the curse. In return she'll marry him.

Now, I did enjoy the book for what it was. A cute young adult novel, nothing too serious, based around obscure fairy tales. But there were a few elements of the book that I was not okay with. One of them is Johnny's thoughts on Victoriana the princess. She is a very smart, clever girl, and we don't see a lot of it. A lot of what we see is her party girl side, and how hot she is. And it's almost the same with the other female character Meg. However since Meg gets more page time, we see a little more of her spunk.

As well, the idea that this young girl is offering to marry this boy she has never met bugs me so much. But it is an interesting idea on the instalove trope that is seen in a lot of YA books. It's clear she doesn't love him, she finds him cute, funny, nice, typical things one thinks when they first meet a person. But still marriage is a huge commitment, and should not be dealt out lightly.

The characters I feel are a little bit flat, especially Meg. We do see more of her, and we see more of her spunk. But the thing we see the most is the obvious crush on Johnny she has. She seems to only be there to help out our male protagonist. So the girls in the story, not so great. However I did enjoy Johnny's love for something that is typically feminine, and that's shoes.

However, there were some things that I found really interesting about the book, and it makes the story stand apart from other fairy tale retellings. One of those is it's not just one tale that is referenced, but several. And they aren't your "typical" stories. The most obvious one that is mentioned is the elves and the shoemaker. It's refreshing to not have yet another retelling of Cinderella.

As for the romance in the book, there isn't a whole lot of that. There is a little, but it's clear that the characters are focused on their goal to save the prince not on romance. The girl Johnny ends up with is a little predictable, but endearing all the same.

Johnny is an interesting character, and easily the most well developed character in the whole book. The choices he makes are to not only help his mom, but him as well. The reason he agrees to help the princess, is because of the money he is promised. I know being selfish isn't a great character trait, but it's real. And the author doesn't shy away from that. I think that's what I loved most about Johnny was that he was real. Granted I didn't care too much if he succeeded or not, but he was much like your typical teenage boy, and I could appreciate that.

Despite having a lot of negative things to say about this book, I enjoyed it. It was the break that I needed. I've been reading Game of Thrones, and I just needed something light and fun, and Cloaked was it. Do I recommend it? Kinda? I recommend it to people who need a break from serious books, or who want something that isn't super challenging to read.

As well if you are looking for a gift for your young reader this holiday, and they like the cute books like this. Then this is something to add to their book shelves this holiday season.

Happy Holidays.

12 Days of Christmas Day 3: Christmas Shopping.

Alright, so living in the city, I have a bit of an advantage when it comes to Christmas shopping. And I wanted to get a dear friend of mine, plus my dad something really unique for Christmas.

For years my family has talked about making sushi. My dad and I both really like it, and making it is a lot of fun. But nothing has been done apart from talk. So I decided to get my dad everything he needs to make sushi. I picked up the  and the bamboo roller from the Pacific Mall, and I'll be picking up the proper rice and the nori paper from the grocery store later on.

The next gift I needed to buy was for a dear friend of mine. We've been close ever since grade ten. And I wanted to get her something very special for Christmas. She's talked about travelling to Japan for years. But due to money, and stuff, she hasn't been able to go. So I'll be bringing her a bit of Japan. Now, I did ask her about what she specifically wanted when it came to these gifts.

I picked her up a tray of assorted flavoured mochi, a bottle of ramune, and a poppin cookin set that her and I plan to do together. This girl is a sweet heart, and she has been through so much. Right now she has degenerative disk disease in her back, on top of all of other health problems she has. So hopefully this will cheer her up a little bit.

But this trip wasn't just made for others, I also decided that I needed to try bubble tea for the first time. Since I went up with a friend who's had bubble tea, I got her to pick for me, and just drank it. Bubble tea is a milk tea with tapioca pearls in it, and honestly, I was really impressed. I didn't think I would like it. But I love it.


Of course I have more gifts to give people, but those I'm making, so you'll have to wait and see what they are.
I hope you guys enjoyed this, and I'll see you all tomorrow.

Happy Holidays.

12 Days of Christmas Day 2: 15 Gifts for Nerds.

Alright, so I'm sure we all have that nerd in our life who is just impossible to shop for. Well, I have come to juggle some ideas in your brain, and get you started on shopping for you nerd or geek. So let's jump right in.

1. Fandom merch.
Of course if you geek is into the big fandoms, then merch will be super easy to get online, or even in a book or movie store. Of course somethings are easier to find than others.

2. A sewing kit.
Do you have a cosplayer, or j-fashion enthusiast? Maybe a small sewing kit is something they would like. I know as a cosplayer I feel almost a little naked out on the con floor if I don't have a needle and thread on me. It doesn't have to be huge, just something they can carry around in their con bag or purse.

3. Books!
Does your nerd have books to go along with their fandom like Sherlock, or the Hunger Games? Well, maybe you could get your nerd the book. Make sure they either don't have the books, or there is a special boxed set you've had your eye on for them. As well there are guides to video games and cartoons that have really interesting concept art that your friend might enjoy.

4. Game cases.
Have a handheld gamer? Well, a new game case might be just what they need. They are a variety of colours and styles for you to choose from. As well as game holders. These are great for gamers on the go.

5. Hogwarts acceptance letters.
I know this kind of goes along with the merch, but getting your Harry Potter fanatic an acceptance letter to Hogwarts might be the ticket to their heart. Even better is if you get it framed ahead of time. That way they don't have to go to the trouble of framing it.

6. Board games.
A lot of shows and movies have board games to go along with their series. Or if you have a LARP or RP friend, then maybe a table top RPG would tickle their fancy.

7. Recipe books.
This one requires a little more personal effort, but it super cheap. If the person you are shopping for loves fantasy books, movies, games, and all things like that. Then maybe search the internet for recipes from their favourite series and put them in a book. This of course isn't just for fantasy enthusiasts, it's just a little easier. This way they can enjoy butterbeer, and lemon cakes as they sit and read, or watch their shows.

8. Fingerless gloves.
This one is more so for the ladies, but men, no fear you can totally enjoy them too. Try getting your geek artists or gamer some fingerless gloves. They keep the hands warm, and as well keep the fingers free to kill zombies.

9. Replicas.
A lot of series have little replicas for their characters like Dobby from Harry Potter, or BEEMO from Adventure time. Sometimes these figurines can cost a little bit of money, so be warned before getting these for your geek.

10. Science stuff.
If your geek friend is really into science then why not get them a little science kit. Even the ones for kids can be a lot of fun. You can get prints from the hubble space telescope if that's what your friend is into, or even a star map could be fun.

12. A movie marathon.
This isn't so much a physical gift, but you can totally make it one. Gather up all of the things you might need for a movie marathon. Popcorn, candy, chips, pop, stuff like that and give it to your friend as an invite to spend all day bingeing tv shows and movies.

13. Comic books.
If your nerd loves superheroes, then maybe get them some of the comics from their favourite series. These sometimes can be pricey, especially if you nerd is already a comic book collector. But if you know they'll be happy with anything, flipping through the bargain bin at a local comic book shop isn't a bad idea.

14. Cosplay sets, or fabric.
Cosplay can be expensive, but if you know your cosplayer is looking for either a certain cosplay, or fabric to make one you can help them out. If you don't know the first thing about buying fabric, have no fear, a gift card to either the local fabric or craft store will work.

15. Anything signed/event tickets.
If you know your friends favourite creator is coming to town then try to get something signed. Or even event tickets for you and your friend to go do something. This way you get to share with them all of the wonders of the geek universe.

I hope these ideas jog some ideas. I tried to pick things that would appeal to a large range of people in a large array of price ranges. Hopefully this made shopping for your friend a little bit easier.

Happy Holidays.