5 Alternative Easter Gift Ideas

 Another holiday is here and I am not afraid to admit that it has been a different holiday experience during this pandemic!

It has forced me to be creative, however, and that is always a positive in my opinion. I have thought of 5 alternative gift ideas for Easter 2022 and I am excited to now share them with you:

An Open Air Picnic And Easter Egg Hunt

The great thing about a spring holiday is that everyone is ready to get out into the fresh air and sunshine so a picnic in a park (or even your own backyard) is definitely a gift for everyone! Pack a light lunch or snacks and get out there! You can hide your easter eggs around and watch as the kids try to find all of them. A lovely day together is a gift everyone will remember.

A Child's Gardening And Bug Catching Guide

Since you will already be outside, keep that energy going and gift your child with the knowledge of everything around them. A guide to the different bugs you will see outside can take away the fear or misunderstanding of insects and teach your child about what they see in their environment. Have a little competition to see who can name the most insects correctly and maybe you can learn a little something, too. If your child prefers to learn about the different plants and flowers they see, a gardening and/or botany guide would be another great pick. There is also bird watching and animal guides in case they prefer that. There is lots to learn about out here and having a guide makes it fun!

A Memorable Piece Of Jewelry 

I know jewelry seems like a simple go-to gift for any holiday, but hear me out. Every memorable piece of jewelry I have received on a holiday has always been on a holiday that I was not expecting jewelry. 

    "Oh, you thought you were getting chocolate bunnies or a stuffed duck this Easter? WRONG. Here's a gorgeous gold rabbit brooch by AC Silver!"

Is this more of a gift idea for mom for Easter? Yes, yes it is.

A Disposable Camera And Trip Scrapbook

While I am sure that most older kids today already have a cellphone with a camera attached, a fun thing for little ones who do not is a disposable camera. They can take their own pictures, print them out, and then add them to their very own trip scrapbook. It helps kids open up their creative mind while giving them the satisfaction of seeing their creative work turn into a fun memory they get to keep. They could even start with your fun Easter Egg Hunt picnic I mentioned above!

Tickets To An Open Air Community Theater Event

With tours and shows being opened and then shut back down again, entertainment has been in a sort of limbo. Luckily, there are always community theaters in your town that perform in open air parks! Ask your gift recipient what type of show they would be interested in seeing and then grab some tickets if you can to surprise them with! It's a gift for Easter and it's a gift for in the future. A win all around if you ask me!

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Holidays have been different lately but we can always find a way to give gifts to the people we love. I hope these tips help you find the perfect gift this Easter holiday!

Are You Ready For Black Friday?

I am so ready!

My favorite place to go for Black Friday deals is Best Buy. I have found the best deals I've ever gotten on electronics at Best Buy on a regular day, but on Black Friday I definitely found the best! I bought my first blender, television, computer, laptop, and our favorite games all on Black Friday! I tried Black Friday at a few other stores but the deals on electronics were much better at Best Buy. Even as our ecommerce shopping evolved into now having Cyber Monday as well, Best Buy still reigns supreme.

We're all winners on Black Friday.

Many years ago when my kids were still little and ecommerce hadn't evolved to where it is now, we decided to try the doorbuster deals at Best Buy. We really wanted to get a computer for the family room (so the kids would stay off of mine!) that the kids could play their games on or do homework. We all got up at 4 in the morning and drove out to Best Buy. The doors opened at 6 AM and we went in. It wasn't that crazy but it was definitely crowded. We ended up getting an amazing deal on our computer AND a brand new flat screen television! The next year, my husband and son went back to Best Buy on Black Friday and got great deals on laptops for all of us. I was forever sold on Black Friday at Best Buy at that moment!

Best Buy has announced their Black Friday deals, and I am so excited about the Chromecast Streaming Media Player! Now that a lot of commerce takes place online these days, you can order online as early as midnight on Thanksgiving day. Cyber Monday is my favorite for shopping as well. I love grabbing the deals online, it's like a sport almost at this point.  I definitely choose online Black Friday over sitting out in the cold, waiting for the doors to open Black Friday! I absolutely love that it's easier than ever to get all of the deals thanks to ecommerce.

I have my eye on a few other store's Black Friday sales announcements as well. I am definitely looking to splurge on my granddaughter. I have been learning about all of the new fun stuff there is for babies(which is crazy)! For electronics though, Best Buy is always my go to! What's yours?

Do you have a Black Friday story? Tell me in the comments below! 

Holiday Gift Guide - Part 8

For part 8 of my holiday gift guide, I have FINALLY found the perfect gift for my husband! 

SUCCESS. 

J Paul Skincare is having a HUGE sale right now so you know I had to check it out! It's just as awesome as I thought, too, EVERYTHING is 50% off on the site right now! Not only that, when you buy a shaving regimen gift set or an anti-aging set, you get a free J Paul manicure set. Also, when you purchase a three razor set, you get another set for free!

I could not hold back, either. My husband likes to pretend that he doesn't care about stuff like this, then turns around and spends an hour trying to get his beard juuuust right! At first, I thought it was because he can finally have a beard after twenty years in the Navy, but then I remembered how he was BEFORE he went in and he was just as obsessed then as he is now! I'm not complaining, though. The man is hot, beard or not!

So awesome.

 Skincare for men is just as important as they age, as it is for women! A lot of products for men these days have harsh detergents and ingredients that are actually worse for their skin! J. Paul uses the best ingredients that are perfect for good skin care such as cold pressed aloe vera, jojoba oil, vitamins C, A, B5 and E, peppermint, shea butter, eucalyptus oil, omega 3, green tea, chamomile, and kola nut! This lyposomal delivery system is thoroughly tested by a team of  certified chemists at the Loesch Laboratories and Cosmetic Labs in Houston and Dallas, Texas. Because of this, J. Paul brings an excellent skincare line that penetrates deeply to help damaged skin cells and reduce fine lines and wrinkles to produce healthy skin once again!

I spent a lot of time trying to decide what to get for him, and since the prices are so miniscule during this sale, I was able to get him a large variety of things. I am so excited for him to open them on Christmas Day! You guys definitely need to check out this sale!

Don't forget to check out the rest of my holiday gift guide: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7 

Have you found the perfect gift for your loved one(s)? 

Holiday Gift Guide - Part 5

I've got you covered on useful gifts for lots of your family and friends today!

It's the holiday season so there are going to be lots of travelers on the road. If you're a dog owner, that usually means your pupper is going with you. To keep them safe in the busy traffic, I found a pet safety harness that works as a seatbelt in the car! It's adjustable and fits any seatbelt buckle. I got one for my son and daughter in law's sweet Ramone.  

Picking any kind of gifts out for my husband is always so hard. I never know if he'll want something useful or something fun. I tend to end up buying him useful things, and this year isn't any different. He just got a new truck that he is restoring so I looked in the auto section and found him these collapsible silicone funnels! Of course, I still have more shopping to do for him, but this is a pretty awesome start! 





For my little cousin, I decided to pick up a humidifier. He gets so sick over the winter season and has already gone through a few so this year he's getting a brand new one! This one comes with a night light and auto shut off, too! 





Lastly, I found two super cute sets of cards to send to friends far and away!

     

Have you found any great gifts? Tell me about it in the comments!

Don't forget to check out the rest of my holiday gift guide!

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3
• Part 4

The Wifey Box: A Special Subscription Box

My husband and I have been together a long time. 

Over twenty years. 

We were very young when we began our life together and started our family right away.

What can I say? The man is hot.

As you can imagine, I am constantly looking for ways to keep our marriage fun. I found the neatest new subscription box and I had to tell all of you other wifeys about it!

The Wifey Box comes in two sizes, Petite and Grand. I subscribed to the Petite because I'm cheap (lol) but I'm thinking I might switch over to the Grand. I am so in love with everything in this box!

First, I received the Freematic Eyeshadow Quad (Doucce) in Sweet Dreams, which is like a $35 eye shadow palette! I don't think I have ever spent that much money on all of my makeup combined, much less just eye shadow! I wore it out with the hubs the other night and I felt so elegant. It was a little thing, but it made me feel like one million and thirty five dollars. 

Thoughtfulls are adorable little pop open cards. Each one has an inspirational message of love to remind you of its power or to give as gifts to your loved ones. I put them under my husband's pillow when he's had a bad day because I'm a nerd.

The Iris Beilin Mis Amores Beauty clutch was a surprise! It's a pretty pink leather bag that is bigger than normal beauty bags. I have way too many brushes, so it's perfect to keep those in! Of course, it's great for travel as well.

Last but not least, is my absolute FAVORITE thing that came in my box! A mini Pineapple Mint Whipped Soap Sugar Scrub by Naiad Soap Arts. I.LOVE.THIS.STUFF. It's different from other sugar scrubs I have tried before. It starts out grainy, obviously, but it immediately gets SO SOFT. I could hear my skin singing with joy. It's a cleanser and moisturizer in one and I am going to buy out their entire inventory, I swear! I never would have known about it either if it wasn't for my wifey box!

You get a few more items with the Grand subscription, but the petite size works out great for my needs. It's just a monthly little gift for myself and my husband because if I'm happy, he's definitely happy. I can't wait to see what comes next month!