Can you believe it’s almost Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and the Diwali Festival of Lights?!
No matter how or where you celebrate, winter is a time of nurturing our loved ones, ourselves, and beam with gratitude for all to see. We quite literally shine light into the cold and darkness of winter, surround ourselves with warm smells and abundance, and shower our friends and families with gifts, positivity and joy.
But sometimes, we can get a little burned out on the expected gift giving, and the one too many holiday parties. Sometimes we feel pressure to deliver…
“Honey, for Christmas I bought you an island and had an all inclusive hotel built just for you to show how much I love you!”
“Dear Aunt May, I know how much you love bingo so I bought you diamond studded bingo daubers so that all of your bingo friends will be envious and wish they had diamond ones too!”
And what happens if we go out of our means and we fall for that trap?
Some of us have worked and practiced discipline to pay down debt. The cycle can start all over again just to prove our love.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. No one that we love wants us to go beyond our means.
We know in our hearts that all our loved ones want from us is our patience, love and time.
That said, it is in our nature to give and pamper the ones we love. You don’t have to swipe your card like crazy to do that or even be super crafty!
You may have to be open to trying something new. And you will need to be ok with it not breaking the bank to show your love and appreciation.
Who knows… You may already practice this!
If it’s been a while, do you remember the last time you made a gift for someone? Maybe you baked a cake or knitted a scarf. (Thank you Hannah!)
Then, when you hand it to them, they can feel the love and that it truly came from the heart!
And feeling loved, you can’t put a price tag on that.
Here are five gifts that you can make today to help someone you care about feel the love of a heartfelt gift.
Have you ever felt the comfort of a rice pillow on a cold day? Or even a day when you had a headache or just needed a little TLC?
Rice pillows are a tradition in my home with my husband and children. They have allowed me to sooth sick or sad times with an extra touch of literal warmth and they are so simple to make. They work well with or without the added touch of aromatic essential oils. You can heat them up in the microwave in just 1-3 minutes and use them again and again.
If you can do some simple sewing, there are fantastic tutorials and I’ll link some below. https://wellnessmama.com/24601/reusable-rice-heat-packs/
If you don’t sew, no worries! Buy cute knee high socks and tie them in a knot. I’ll share my favorite website below!
Do you know someone who could use a little self care and a bit of fun? You can get creative with the jars when you make these Fizzy Bath Salts for your friends and family. You can even double or quadruple the recipe and make several at once! If you’d like to make them more colorful, you can add a bit of food coloring or tiny pieces of herbs like lavender or peppermint. (as long as they’re small enough to go down the drain) You can use the 4oz jars with labels from the craft store or buy the jars at your grocery and your labels at the craft store.
Here’s an amazing winter time blend! For each one: Feel free to mix and match your own oil for each gift you make.
- 20 drops Frankincense
- 10 drops of Sweet Orange
- 10 drops Spruce
- 3 tablespoons baking soda
- 3 tablespoons sea salt
- 2 tablespoons citric acid granules
You can make a little card with instructions in Canva or you can write them out with a glitter pen on craft paper. Add a little ribbon and a tiny pine cone for a little touch of natural fabulousness!
Instructions:
- In a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly.
- Transfer to a wide-mouth jar.
- To use, dissolve 1 to 3 tablespoons into a nice hot bath.
Oils to avoid in the tub: Eucalyptus, Cinnamon, Oregano and Ginger. These oils are not meant for delicate places or directly on the skin.
Other oil combos that are nice: Lavender & Grapefruit, Frankincense & Patchouli, Bergamot & Basil.
Have you ever walked into a room and it just smelled so comforting and warm that you couldn’t help but smile and snuggle into your heartspace?
Find a cute 8oz glass jar or gift bag and fill it with a mix of cinnamon sticks, dried ginger, anise, clove and orange peels. You don’t need all of these, any combo is wonderful. Again you can create a cute craft label in canva or make one with some hemp twine and a gift tag.
Directions: Add ¼ to a pan and fill with 6 cups or so of water. Simmer on the stove and let the joyful and aromatic spices fill the air!
So maybe you’ve been into oils for a while and you have a bit of a collection. You don’t let them just sit there. Let’s get those little bottles of oils out and create some healing!
Believe it or not, you only need about 10-15 drops of essential oils for each roller bottle you make. The rest is a carrier oil like fractionated coconut oil. This is not to be cheap. On the contrary, it’s for the safety and preservation of these plants. The recommended dilution rate by aromatherapists everywhere is 10% for skin application for a healthy adult. The dilution rate for children and elderly is 1-3%. More isn’t better in the world of aromatherapy. Safe and responsible use is where it’s at for healing and longevity!
You can buy your empty roller bottles here or find them on amazon.
Who doesn’t need to tend to their skin in the winter. Washing, sanitizing and colder air can lead to dry hands. Have you ever looked down and thought, whose hands are these?! Oh my!! Don’t worry, all they need is a little TLC. We can do that with a simple exfoliation and the addition of some healthy oils!
You want about 30 drops of essential oils per 4 oz jar. Mix and match as you please!
You’ll also need:
4 or 8 oz jars ½ cup or so of coffee grounds or sugar
¼ cup of carrier oil like fractionated coconut oil, sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil or jojoba oil.
Pro tip: I like to blend mine in a mixer and add a spoonful of solid coconut oil for a little extra fluff!
Mix, blend, and add your oils! Decorate and add your instructions and a cute gift tag. Remember to keep the sugar scrub away from water or it will crystalize and become hard as a rock.
There you have it! Put on your holiday tunes, enjoy the memories as you create for those dear to your heart and know that you are enough as you are. You don’t have to buy fancy things to show your love. You can give it straight from your heart.
Cheers to your health and happiness & happy holidays!
Michele
Jubilee of Wellness & Michele’s Apothecary
Looking for essential oils to make your holiday gifts with? Enjoy 25% off essential oils at Jubilee of Wellness until Saturday Nov 26th!