The time is near for giving gifts of good cheer! With all the hubbub of the holidays approaching, the added task of gift-buying can quickly end up on your “Naughty List.” To make your life a little easier, here are a few great gifts that any homeowner would love to receive this holiday season.
Local Lore. There’s just something about hometown pride and a connection to the cultural uniqueness of the region where we live—we get all warm and fuzzy about our local goods. Plus, if you’ve recently PCSed, it’s especially fun to combine learning all that your new geographical area has to offer with checking gifts off your holiday shopping list. So go ahead and spread the good cheer by giving a local bottle of wine and a wooden wine cork engraved with your state or an item representing a local legend like Sasquatch (hello, Pacific Northwest!). Find out if a local farm produces great goat cheese or do a little research on a nearby distillery—many offer gift certificates for tastings or would ship a gourmet local delicacy right to your friend’s door.
Pillow Pretty. A seasonally themed throw pillow makes a perfect, simple gift. Who doesn’t have a front porch chair or a couch that needs sprucing up for company? There are so many laugh-out-loud sayings you can have embroidered on a pillow cover (just ask Pinterest), or you can go with a pretty holiday scene or seasonal colors. Even better, make sure the pillow cover is removable and washable; it can be swapped out for a more year-round design when the holidays are over. It’s the gift that keeps on giving! Besides, with your military experience, you know the best gifts are the ones that flatten and don’t add much weight to your household goods allowance!
Cocktail Hour, Covered. With this gift, you can transform anyone into a super-host, which is a welcome superpower this time of year. Pair a bottle of bourbon and a mixer of apple cider (or cocoa and peppermint schnapps) with a conversation-starter game like Table Topics for Foodies and some humorous paper napkins or holiday coasters, and you’ve got a well-appointed party in the making that any host would appreciate having at the ready.
Warm Welcome. Who doesn’t love curb appeal or that wonderful first impression that the right doorway décor can bring? A fresh, new doormat with a cheerful holiday saying, or a wooden sign that can be propped by their entrance will add a happy sentiment to their front steps. While you’re at it, grab a new welcome mat for yourself, especially if you just PCSed!
Merry Mailing. Need a gift especially appropriate for those on your list who have just recently moved into a brand-new home? Many online shops, like Shutterfly, offer customized card sets that say, “We have a new address.” Add a holiday theme to the new address message, and this gift will be both practical and helpful for updating contacts and serving up season’s greetings!
The holidays are fast approaching, and hopefully these ideas will keep the task of holiday gift-buying on your “Nice List” this year!
