The Great Gift Giving Guide helps YOU give Amazing Christmas Gifts and Stocking Stuffers

 

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I wrote The Great Gift Giving Guide just before Christmas, but I had been working on it my whole life.  I have been known as a fantastic gift-giver, and have even written a number of Gift idea posts on my blog over the years, my most popular one being for dialysis patents. 

How did I become a great gift giver?  I used to keep a small notebook where I kept notes on friends and family.  If I heard them mention something they collected or liked I wrote it down.  If I saw them kick off their shoes, I'd take notice of what size they were because who doesn't love a nice pair of cozy slippers on Christmas -- as long as they are the right size?  

When I got married and my husband's family lives four hours from us, my legend of giving great gifts kind of fell flat, and I knew I needed to do something, but what?  That's when The Great Gift Giving Guide was born.  I decided I was going to make questionnaires and tell his family what I was doing and ask if they would fill them out with what they feel comfortable with.  (For instance, I don't need the pants size of my mother in law, but my teen brother-in-law always can use clothes, and of course I want to spoil my niece, so I need her clothing sizes!) 

After having my in-laws fill this out, I saw where the gaps were, and I changed things up.  So I decided to make my forms available to everyone. I put in 25 sets of four pages (two pages front and back) where you can take notes about people you buy for -- or ask them to fill it out. I also wrote 10 pages of how to use the information to give gifts that they will not only love but likely remember for years.  (Think back to what you received last Christmas.  Can you even remember it?  What gifts do you remember that were special over the years?) This helps you make your gift giving go from ordinary to EXTRAORDINARY.  

 It is available on Amazon and eBay in perfect bound and on Etsy as a downloadable PDF (This is great if your family is spread through the USA and you are doing a gift exchange -- it allows for someone you rarely see to get a great gift from you.). I mean, Walmart and Amazon gift cards are something everyone buys.  But if you want to stay with gift cards, not many people know that Long John Silver's is my favorite place to eat.  I would certainly mention that if I were filling out my pages and hopefully would get a LJS gift card because while Amazon is great, I love fish!

If you click through to Amazon and then click on "Look Inside" you can start reading the pages about how to use the book. 

I highly recommend getting this now so that when the holiday shopping season comes around you will have plenty of ideas for shopping for even that difficult to buy for person!

Great Gift Ideas for People Who Love Guinea Pigs

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People often want to get me guinea pig themed gifts, but I have loved guinea pigs since I was about 8 years old.  So it's harder to find things that I don't already have that I would enjoy.  If you want to read about gifts to GIVE guinea pigs, please click here as I also have a blog post on that!

Here are some ideas that would make almost any guinea pig enthusiast "wheek" with joy.

We'll start off with one for the younger crowd -- Live Little Pets Mama Surprise Guinea Pig

While Crayola calls their Scribble Scrubbie a hamster, it really is a guinea pig.

Piggy Parodies has a great coloring book where they put guinea pigs in famous movie posters.

A subscription to Guinea Pig Magazine

Eat, Sleep, Guinea Pigs T-Shirt

Guinea Pig Soap Company sign for the bathroom

A guinea pig "candy" jar, perfect for holding their guinea pigs' cookies

Tell Your Guinea Pig I said Hi decal for their car

A package of 200 guinea pig stickers

Guinea Pigs in Space on Pizza Jigsaw Puzzle 

Guinea Pig Socks

Remember Harry the Dog books from your childhood?  Well he's back with the neighbor in Harry and the Guinea Pig

A Woman Cannot Survive on Wine Alone - She Needs A Guinea Pig coffee mug

A guinea pig wall clock made from a real record

Guinea Pig Salt and Pepper Shakers

Animal Planet Grow Set that includes a Guinea pig

Guinea Pig diamond painting

Tee Shirt design of a guinea pig made from "bean gifts" -- a guinea pig owner will get the humor in this!

Old World Christmas Guinea Pig Ornament

Just a girl Who Loves Guinea Pig Throw pillow Cover  note, you will have to get the pillow as well

Guinea pig "Wheek Squad" cooking apron

"Nerdy" Guinea Pig Cross Shoulder Bag

We Came, We Saw, We Pooped Everywhere Pop socket

Guinea Pig Shoe Charm for Crocs

Guinea Pig Earrings 

Edwardian Guinea Pig Portrait Necklace

Guinea Pig Leggings

Fill a Guinea Pig stocking with candy!

The Guinea Pig Classics -- Classic books like Romeo and Juliet and Pride and Prejudice with guinea pigs telling the stories.

Guinea Pig journal / blank book / notebook

Guinea Pig Duvet

A Guinea Pig Onesie for adults

Guinea Pig Cookie Cutter(s)

Calico Critters Paddy and Paden's Double Stroller set (THRE toy guinea pigs!)

Guinea Pig parents LOVE stuff for their guinea pig.  If you sew, check out the book Sewing For Your Guinea Pig and if you don't sew, check out my list of great gifts for guinea pigs by clicking here.

Finally, check out my guinea pig's autobiography, Almost a Bunny.  Aimed at ages 7-9 she discusses guinea pig care, being a good friend, wanting to be good and then being naughty instead, and being a good loser.  

Gift Ideas for GUINEA PIGS

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I have had guinea pigs most of my life.  I got my first guinea pig when I was 8.  I poured through a "Pets for Kids" book and decided I wanted a guinea pig.  I was too young to know much about them, but thankfully Tilly was pretty healthy despite our not knowing much about them.

I have found through the years that people have wanted to give a small gift to my guinea pigs at the holidays and don't know where to begin.  Often times, they rely on what pet stores and companies market to guinea pigs, but unfortunately those are not always the best things for a guinea pig.  For instance, an exercise ball can cause a guinea pig to break its back!  Guinea pigs don't have the flexibility that, say, a ferret has, and therefor these can cause harm.  Other places market seed treats, and one time my mother didn't want to offend family who got one of these and fed one of these treats to her guinea pig.  It bit me (which is something that guinea pigs don't usually do) when I had to extract a seed from its mouth that it had impaled through his bottom teeth.  Other treats may have too much sugar, and I have even seen sponges being marketed as chew toys.  Would you want to eat a sponge?  I know I wouldn't, and guinea pigs who snack on these can need surgery as it will often just stay in the stomach. 

I know you want to give SAFE  treats to a guinea pig, and make sure it stays healthy, so here are some ideas.  

Gifts for guinea pigs come in three categories:  Food / treats, Toys, and Cage Accessories.

Food / Treats

I am pretty brand loyal when it comes to snacks and food for my guinea pigs, because I want them to be as healthy as possible.

I feed my pigs Oxbow Essential Guinea Pig Pellets.  This is what they were fed at the rescue, and although other pellets look fun with colors and such, the "boring" pellets are the healthiest.  Be sure to buy GUINEA PELLETS -- rabbit pellets aren't as nutritionally robust as what guinea pigs need.

Piggies should have a nice supply of hay -- and NOT alfalfa unless they are pregnant or very young because of calcium content.  I like Small Pet Select Second Cutting Timothy Hay   Small Pet Select is a reliable company in my experience.  They also have sampler boxes that also contain oat hay.

Making a stocking from the produce section is always a great idea.  Guinea pigs love romaine lettuce and dandelion greens and corn husks!

One of the treats guinea pigs love is Pea Flakes.  Again, I trust Small Pet Select here.  :) 

Other treats I recommend are:

Oxbow Vitamin C "cookies"

Oxbow Simple Rewards "cookies" (my pigs don't care for the strawberry or banana, but they love all the others)

Another brand I trust is Rosewood Naturals.  Unfortunately they are pricey on Amazon, but you may be able to find them at your local Walmart.  My girls go crazy for forage!

Small Pet Select has a selection of Healthy Snacker Treats

Piggy's Choice One Ingredient Snacks are also reliable in my opinion.

Guinea pigs LOVE wheat grass, so some seeds and a growing tray are also a great option.   Or even a window herb garden with dill and parsley.

While this says for rabbits, it's a hit with my guinea pig as a treat.  It's a cute little timothy and carrot lollipop.  They will eat more than they should, so I have to give it to them during lap time.

TOYS

Guinea pigs are good with basic toys.  A paper bag with some hay hidden inside or a Happy Meal box can keep a guinea pig entertained.

My girls have and enjoy the Oxbow Enrichment Center -- one note here -- I did cut off the sponge like chews because I wanted to make sure my girls weren't ingesting anything that could be sponge and Oxbow just says it is "all natural"! 

Other chew toys are the Oxbow cupcake and the Oxbow Barrel Roll

A foraging fleece would be fun! 

My Lucky loved his Crinkle Tunnel -- he LOVED noise, and even crinkle dog toys made him happy.

Which takes us to CAGE ACCESSORIES

The #1 thing a guinea pig needs is a cage that is big enough.  Store bought guinea pig cages really don't provide enough room, so I always recommend a Midwest Cage.  You can read how I made my cage here. 

Guinea pigs love places to hide, and they love their "Strawberry of Safety" as I call it.  :) 

Piggy's Choice has some nice corner hides although the rescue that I work with likes to see guinea pig hides have multiple ways out if there is more than one pig in a cage.  I found a great aerobic step  at Goodwill, but since my HoneyButter lives alone, she loves her tree trunk hideout.  You could also look at the Dollar Store for a child's stool 

I have used guinea pig warming disks in the past, but I prefer self warming pet mats (although these have to be washed OFTEN!)

My HoneyButter is a water bottle connoisseur and she LOVES her glass Lixit Water Bottle

A nice hay bag is always appreciate.  (The hay balls have been known to cause death, so I recommend a hay bag.)

My RedBird is blind, and she loves her StayBowl because she can feel the base of the bowl on her feet before she gets to it and doesn't bump her nose into it like she would with other bowls.

HayPigs have some adorable circus themed guinea pig accessories such as a Veggie Kebob maker, a circus wagon hay hopper , and even a "cannonball" hide tunnel

A foraging Christmas tree is a fun way to serve veggies during the holiday

While not a Cage accessory, I recommend all guinea pigs have a pair of guinea pig nail clippers.

Also, items for a Guinea Pig Emergency Kit  is always a good idea. 

Also, if you sew, check out the book Sewing For Guinea Pigs and create a gift yourself!

I hope this gives you some ideas to make this a safe, happy, and healthy holiday for the cavy on your holiday gift list!  

If you have a guinea pig on your gift list, then I'm sure you have someone who loves guinea pigs on your list as well, so be sure and check out these GIFT IDEAS FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE GUINEA PIGS!

50+ Gift And Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Tweens and Teens

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It's so hard to shop for tweens and teens.  I try and stay away from electronics because really, do they need more encouragement to spend time looking at a screen?  Here's some of my favorite gift ideas for tweens and teens.

Something they can use for a lifetime is always a good idea.  My husband has a MUCH younger brother.  A few years ago we started getting him high quality age appropriate tools.  Examples are a light with magnet extender that can be used to pick up nails (great fun for a nine year old as he hung it from the living room chandelier), a tape measure, and a hammer.  Good quality tools are expensive and can last a very long time.  So it might seem weird to gift your tween or teen a screwdriver, chances are, they will appreciate it for decades to come.  Girls also need tools.  When I was in college, there was only one girl on the floor in my dorm who brought a tool set to college, and you'd be
amazed at how many times we visited her to borrow from her basic tool kit

Along the same lines, if your tween / teen shows interest in a hobby, get them good supplies.  Do they like to draw?  Good quality colored pencils (even good for those who aren't into drawing because a high quality colored pencil is SO much better than the cheap ones and you do need them through college.)  Try getting them into a new hobby -- crochet hooks and a skein of yarn aren't expensive (sometimes as low as $10 for both), and you can find lots of tutorials on YouTube.  Same with knitting needles.  Or find a small cross stitch kit such as this Pusheen one that would be of interest to get her started on a new hobby.  What about a wood burning set?  

One year, I gave a tween boy a S'mores maker.  My mother thought I was ridiculous, but he loved it.  Speciality appliances can be a hit.  Remember, college isn't too far off, so they can be the cool kid with a small fridge in their bedroom now and take it to college in a few years!  Other great ideas are a movie theater  style popcorn popper.  Something the family can enjoy until they move out on their own.  What about a cotton candy machine?  They are around $50, and can turn hard candy into spun cotton candy -- the one I linked to can even use sugar free candy, and not all of them can.  Cuisinart makes a soft serve ice cream maker

that has a mix it ins where things like sprinkles, chocolate chips, and cookie pieces can be mixed right into the ice cream.

Other great ideas can be something that's normal but can be cool.  Why not a lamp for their room with a glass base where they can store small treasures -- seashells from the beach, rocks, etc.  There's always items that hold memories that are small and you don't know what to do with them, so this is a great way to store some of those things.

Blankets these days are not your normal blanket.  Why not get them one that looks like a burrito, pizza, poached egg, or waffle

If they don't have a good sleeping bag, now might be the time to get them a good quality one that doesn't have a cartoon character on it.  I went to so many sleepovers, camp outs, and camps as a teen I totally wore mine out.

Board games have gotten a bad rap over the years but a few that seem to be favorites are Pandemic where everyone works together to either win or lose as a group.  Settlers of Catan and Ticket to Ride are other favorites.  Exit games play like an escape room in a box.  (The Exit games are considered legacy games and are good for only one play.)  Just this year there is the new Cards Against Humanity Family Edition.  This isn't just the old Cards Against Humanity with inappropriate cards removed, but all new cards and plenty of potty humor.  (I actually want this for myself!)  In the past I have taken my original set and removed all cards inappropriate for the under 18 crowd and it's been a huge hit with tweens and teens.

With virtual schooling still happening on snow days why not get them something to make it easier or more enjoyable?  Some ideas are blue light blocking glasses, USB warming slippers, USB warming gloves,  and a fun or unique computer mouse like this one that looks like a Volkswagen Bug, or a nice lap desk with storage so they can go to school in bed on the couch. 

Grilled cheese toaster bags.  You put cheese between two slices of bread.  Put it in the toaster.  I use these all the time -- it's best if you butter the toast after it is done before you eat it.

Pickleball is becoming huge, so why not give them a Pickleball set?

Doesn't every teen need six inch wiggle eyes to adorn their bedroom door?

You can't go wrong with S'mores, and the three pack of S'mores Chapstick is sure to be a hit in flavors of graham cracker, marshmallow, and chocolate.

Funky socks such as "If you can read this, bring me pizza"

A portable ping pong set. 

A jar of peanut butter they don't have to share.

A Bounce Battle Game

A poop knife.  (Yes, it's a thing.)

Shakespearian Insult Coffee Mug

Large assortment of hot cocoa K-Cups

40 Count Frito Lay variety chips

I have given the book Minimum Wage Millionaire: How a Part Time After School Job can Change Your Financial Life to different teens in my life.  I wish I had this knowledge when I was their age!

An "Instant audience" device that cheers, rimshot sound, boos, and has cricket sounds

An extendable fork so they can steal fries from someone else's plate.

Bullet Journal / fine  liner pens in 48 colors

Light up cactus table lamp

dip holder for ranch, cheese, ketchup that hooks onto a plate

DIY / Make Your Own Bath Bombs

A fidget Cube

Magnetic Putty

A hammock for outside (or one with a stand for their room)

And adult workout jump rope

Life Skills for Teens book 

A nice auto seal water bottle

A wireless doorbell for their room.  There was a girl I went to college with who had one for her dorm room and everyone thought she was the coolest!

A bed shelf

A Glow in the Dark Gamer Blanket 

Girls would love a dress of cats wearing Santa hats or if you want something not holiday specific, how about one with dinosaurs?

An ON AIR neon sign for streamers

Lego set of Succulents 

Create your own Yarn Llama kit

For boys who like to work out, how about this "I Flexed and the Sleeves Fell Off" tank top

I Love, love, love creating gift buying guides,  (My niece used to call me "Gift Girl") You can check out other ones I have written by CLICKING HERE 

Also, check out my book "The Great Gift Buying Guide" that helps you collect information on your family and friends so you give gifts that will be remembered for years.  

Christmas Without Debt: Win Your Christmas!

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It's always close to Christmas in my planner!  I keep a countdown so  the holidays don't catch me off guard and I will be prepared for , both with online selling, and just plain out preparing for Christmas with gifts, goodies, and decorations.

For many years I WON my Christmas -- sometimes down to the turkey in the oven.  How did I do that?  Well, I will tell you.  There are no guarantees that you will win, but it's something fun to do, and normally every year for the past twenty I have won a few items I was able to use as gifts.  Last year I won a nice set of watercolor pencils I was able to give my husband who likes to do art.  I also won him a wood chisel set which he thought was really cool.  His grandfather was into woodworking, and while he hadn't done any before Christmas, he was excited to try his hand at it.

Gift Ideas for Dialysis Patients / those with renal and kidney disease

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UPDATED FOR 2019!

I know this is a narrow field, but I wanted to include gift ideas for those on dialysis and with kidney disease.  My mother was on dialysis and people often didn't know what to get her, and often bought her gifts that weren't really the best for her when a small change would have made a gift so much better and useful with the dietary restrictions on those with kidney failure.  Here are some ideas my mother would have liked.  These might vary from gifts that are GOOD for dialysis patients such as a water bottle that lets you know how much you have drunk, because my mother wouldn't have liked that.  But hopefully these ideas can give you ideas for gifts you may not have thought of but will be well loved.

Here are some ideas:

1.  Long sleeved sweatshirts, sweaters, dress shirts, and blouses.   Most dialysis patients have very bruised arms and they like to keep them covered.  Don't overlook shops that cater to Jewish and Muslim women.  They may have some very lightweight long sleeved shirts that are great for summer as the average American doesn't wear long sleeves in summer, finding something appropriate for hot weather can be difficult to find.  Kosher Casual makes "sleevies" (sleeve extensions) which can turn a favorite short sleeved shirt into a long sleeved one.

2.  A blanket with sleeves (such as a Snuggie)   I would suggest this in black because it could get blood stained during dialysis.  Or go with a fun design such as this Superman blanket with sleeves.

Gift Ideas for Missionaries. Overseas Workers, And Other ExPatriots

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Because of shipping times, if you want to send your favorite (or a random!) missionary who is overseas a package for Christmas, you better get the package ready soon.  Don't know what to send? This is an adapted list of things friends of mine who are missionaries would LOVE to receive in a package from home.  Some things are inexpensive and can't be bought overseas, but might be heavy and cost more to ship.  But there are some things that are smaller and light weight that would be less expensive to mail.

Electronic Gifts:
Amazon Gift cards -- most missionaries have a Kindle.  Or they could download a new album.  You can send a gift card in as little as $1, so don't think you have to spend a lot.  If several people sent a small amount, they could get a new book.

Paypal or Money -- send them some cash -- they may live in a place that sounds exotic to us, but they don't always have the resources to do something fun in their host country.  You could even say "Take the kids to McDonalds for dinner" or "treat yourselves to a date night" or just tell them to do something fun.

Gift Guide to High Tech WiFi Enabled Devices

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U.S. Cellular offers a FREE PRINTABLE Parent Child agreement to help you discuss safety of the Internet, cell phone usage, limits, and courtesy with your teen or tween.  You don't even need to be a U.S. Cellular customer to access this, although I have been for 10 years and highly recommend them. 




Can you believe it's almost October?  Christmas is only three months away.  If you are like me, Christmas is not only in your mind, but there are a few gifts being stuck back in your closet. Sometimes chores are easier if we have our phone with us, and a recent study shows that 91% of SmartPhone owners never leave their device at home, so here are a few ideas for a gift for yourself or someone else to stay connected to your home, and know that your day was made easier thanks to technology. 

Gift ideas for the senior citizens, the elderly, or people who have everything

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Postage stamps -- even better if you order from Zazzle and put a photo on it.


Playing cards -- either large ones if they have difficulty seeing or add a photo to the back

Great Gift Ideas: Toys fromYour Childhood Updated for Today

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I have been looking around at gift ideas, and darn it, but I wish I had kids (we are trying to adopt), and one of the many reasons is I want an excuse to play with some of these great toys from the past.  I didn't even realize some of these were still made.