5 Great DIY Gift Wrap Ideas

Great gift wrapping doesn’t have to be expensive or elaborate. As you see here, utilizing just inspiration and a few extra bits lying around the house, you can create a unique gift giving experience that will be cherished and remembered. Here are five of our favorite DIY gift wrapping ideas:

Paint Chip Gift Tag

1. Use paint chips as gift tags.

Yarn Gift Wrap

3. Use extra bits of yarn to adorn gifts.

Button gift wrap

4. Tie it up with a spare button.

Twig Gift Wrap

5. Embellish your gift with live wildflowers.

Follow our Gift Wrap Inspiration Board on Pinterest for more!

Secrets to Welcoming a New Boyfriend to Christmas

Some families are better than others at welcoming newbies into the fold, so if your family tends to be on the more intimidating side, take a few of the easy tips below and things should go a little more smoothly. Even if they’re not intimidating, it’s always good to be prepared!

Give Your Boyfriend the Lowdown Ahead of Time

Ideally, your boyfriend will have met your family members before the holidays, but if he’s meeting most of them for the first time, help the process along by spreading some info.

Make sure your boyfriend knows a little bit about each person he’s going to meet. This will make it easier for him to start conversations with them, helping everyone feel more comfortable. Don’t be shy about talking him up to your family before he arrives, as the more they know about him, the more comfortable they’ll be about asking him questions and starting or joining conversations with him, as well. It goes both ways!

Gifts: The Secret to Winning Good Graces

He’ll probably volunteer to do so, but make sure he brings a gift. You are a precious jewel, so your family wants to make sure you are consorting only with the most upstanding of young men.

If you have large holiday parties, have him bring a gift that the entire group can appreciate, such as a bottle (or two) of wine, a tin of cookies, chocolates, or a tray of savory treats. Flowers or seasonal arrangements are always a nice bonus, as well. If there’s a certain kind your mom or grandmother likes, let him know so he can get some extra brownie points.

Help Each Side Choose Gifts

If your family is small and exchanges gifts between every person, let him know so he’ll be prepared. Help your family members choose his gifts (and vice versa) to make sure everyone will be happy.

If there are a large number of gifts being exchanged, try to have the exchange during a time when he won’t be present to ensure that your relatives don’t feel bad for leaving him out of the fun–it’s unlikely that everyone will be prepared with a gift for a new boyfriend! If there’s a Secret Santa, be sure to help him with the name he draws, but don’t choose the gift outright, as having the final choice will help him feel more connected to his giftee and to your family in general.

New Boyfriend, New Tradition

Start a new tradition so he can be part of a new family activity, rather than simply joining in on ones that everyone else has down in the past. It could be as simple as playing a new game together or trying a new treat or drink.

A fun idea is to make some eggnog for a toast, then have everyone share a favorite memory from holidays past. This will allow the new boyfriend to learn more about your family, and also give them an endearing peek into his life. Everybody wins!

Tense? Escape for a Bit

Keep it relaxed. Holidays are about enjoying time with loved ones, so there shouldn’t be room for stress, but it usually manages to creep in when we aren’t looking. If things get a little overwhelming or stifling, ask him if he’d like to take a walk or go on an errand together. The time alone will give him a chance to let you know how everything is going without worrying about being overheard by your family.

You can also create opportunities for him to go on errands with smaller groups of your family (with or without you)–it’s a great way for him to get to know them better individually. A little variety is always a good thing!

Good or Bad, It’s All Memories Made

Really, there’s no magic formula for making sure your new boyfriend has a good time with your family during the holidays, but with a little preparation and know-how, you’ll at least be able to say you tried. On the upside, if it’s awful and you stay together, there’s nothing like a bad holiday to make a great story for the future. Best of luck!

Three Great Digital Cameras for Mom

Are you searching for a gift for a new (or old) mom that you can wrap up and put under a tree? Is a week long beach vacation out of your price range? Search no further and get her a shiny new digital camera–one in her favorite color!

Moms Love Cameras

Every mom we’ve ever met LOVES taking pictures of their kid, whether the bundle of joy is her first or her fourth. After taking these photos, many moms love to SHARE them!

There are now on the market cameras that not only take great photos but include instant sharing to the user’s cell phone for easy uploading to the social network of your choice. They also vary in price range so one of the following is sure to fit your budget.

1. Nikon D3200

Nikon CameraThe Nikon D3200 is amazing in quality and has the ability to wirelessly send photos to your tablet or cell phone so they are instantly available to share! It is a higher end camera so the almost $600 price tag may be a bit steep, but it is well worth it and the lucky recipient will be forever grateful for the ability to capture endless images of her pride and joy! It comes in red or black.

2. Samsung WB150F

Samsung CameraIf your pocketbook isn’t so fat, another great camera with the ability to share photos wirelessly is the Samsung WB150F Smart Wi-Fi Digital Camera. And for 159 dollars, Amazon will throw in an 8 GB Memory Card, a Card Reader, a Carrying Case, a Mini Tripod and a 3 piece Lens Cleaning Kit. A great deal for the mom who may not need all the fancy features of a DSLR but still wants high quality images and the ability to wirelessly send them to their phone or computer.

3. The Clap

Clap Digital CameraFor just $49 you can get the minuscule Clap Camera, sure to fit in her purse! It comes apart into two pieces to reveal a USB drive–making uploading images and video nearly effortless! If green isn’t her color, you’re in luck. The Clap comes in white, red, purple, pink, yellow, blue… you name it!