Holiday Party Decor

We're deep into the midst of holiday party season, but if you're still looking for a last minute decor idea for your party, look no further.  Tissue paper pom poms are a great and affordable way to fill a large space with vibrant colors.  This easy DIY project is something older kids can help with too.  And with tissue paper coming in every color of the rainbow these days, the possibilities are limitless. 

We originally discovered these pom poms on Martha Stewart's website...no wonder they are so perfect!  Here's her how-to and here's a few samples of the pom poms in use.  We've seen them at weddings, parties and even used as permanent decor in children's rooms and nurseries.

Have you used paper pom poms for decor at your events? Send us a picture and you could be featured on our blog.

Light Up the Season

One of my favorite holiday traditions is driving around to look at all of the beautiful Christmas light displays that families do.  I've loved doing this since I was a kid.  If this is one of your favorites too, or if you're new to the idea, I've got a great website for you:

Chicagoland Christmas Lights

Chicagoland Christmas Lights' website offers an interactive map to finding all of the great Christmas light displays in the area.  (The map below is just for illustrative purposes. For the active map, please go to the website linked above.)  The map enables you to search by city or county and by the type of display you're looking for.  And they are always adding more locations, so be sure to check back frequently. Or submit your house to their list if you're the neighborhood Clark Griswold.

Hostess Gifts

It's that time of year.  You know what I mean: parties and events practically every day. My sister lamented that she has five(!) events to go to this week alone: a baby shower, a bridal shower, a work holiday party, an adult birthday party and a kid's birthday party!  All those festivities can get expensive, especially the ones that require gifts for a guest of honor.  But don't forget about your gracious host(ess).  We've scouted out some great, affordable gifts for your party hostess this holiday season.

shop Callie Micks

shop Red Stamp

details found here

how-to found here

So tell us about the great hostess gifts you plan to give or the great gifts you've received. We love to feature real stories!

Giving Green

This year when you're doing your holiday shopping, consider buying fair trade gifts. Fair trade means that it's an item from a producer in a developing country and that production processes support sustainable practices. These products range from jewelry to clothing to coffee to candles.  All sorts of gifts can be found for everyone on your list. 

Here's our guide to Fair Trade gifts for everyone on your list.

For the writer:

originalgood.com

For the kids:

pottershouse.com

For the new mom on the go:

tenthousandvillages.com

For the gardener:

tenthousandvillages.com

For your pets:

globalexchangestore.org

For the baby:

globalexchangestore.org

For the fashionista:

greenwedding.net

For the chocolate-lover:

greenweddings.net

For the cook:

originalgood.com

So have you bought fair trade gifts before, for yourself or someone else? Tell us where you shopped and what you got!

Rent-A-Tree

Make your holidays greener with an evergreen that lasts beyond New Year's Eve.  We recently discovered a great way to go even greener this Christmas: Rent-A-Trees. The LA Times featured this article online yesterday and it sparked our interest. Basically, you pay for a Christmas tree to be delivered to your house for the holidays. This is a living, potted tree with a root ball attached. When the season is over, the company picks up your tree and plants it somewhere for you so it can go on being a tree and helping our environment. How cool is that?!

Unfortunately, the rent-a-tree market is localized on the west coast, primarily in CA and Portland.  So that doesn't bode well for us Chicagoans.  But The Original Living Christmas Tree Company offers some great tips for finding a living Christmas tree and making sure it gets planted after the holidays.  You can check out their advice here.

Tell us about your Christmas tree.  Do you go with a real tree each year or reuse a fake one?  Have you ever cut your own tree at a farm?

Multi-Purpose Packaging

When considering how to wrap your holiday gifts this year, consider multi-purposed packaging. Instead of wrapping paper and bows, opt for cloth bags and ribbon that can be reused.  One of my favorites is festive holiday shopping bags available at my local grocery store for just 99 cents!  With a cute holiay picture and slogan, they are perfect for wrapping presents, and can also be used by the recipient for every day shopping trips. 

We browsed etsy.com for a bit and found some other great reusable gift bags for this holiday season.  Check out our favorite selections.  Click the "shop" link under each picture to go to the Etsy seller's site.

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Holiday Countdown

Boy does time fly! Our last post about Holiday Countdowns had Thanksgiving 75 days away!! Not the case anymore - as you all know Thanksgiving is now only two short days away. While most of your menu items, decorations and preparations are no doubt complete, check below for some last minute ideas you just might want to include in your holiday celebration!

1. Keep the Kids from Getting Cranky
Do you have a large amount of young children attending your Thanksgiving festivities? If so, check out what Amazing Mom's has come up with to keep your kids busy! Our favorite is the Turkey Treat Holder - makes a great centerpiece!

2. Try a New App

A new appetizer that is! Change things up a little this Thanksgiving with a new menu item - try this super simple recipe from the Food Network's Giada De Laurentiis for Stuffed Mushroom's.  Suggested prep time is 25 minutes, we think it would take closer to 10-15! And they look just delish! Or, instead of the classic, and dare we say BORING, dinner rolls, try Paula Deen's Parmesan Puff Pastery Recipe. Prep time is 12 minutes, how easy. And YUMMMMMY!!

                             

3. Kick the Cran

Cranberry sauce from an aluminum can is quite cliché (and lazy) in our minds here at WGIC. With so many simple recipes for delicious, fresh, quick and easy homemade cranberry sauce, there's no reason to waste your money and your reputation on store bought! Try our very own, family recipe:

                                                                          

4. Where's the Host Gift?

Forget to get your host something? Don't have an extra bottle of wine lying around, or do you think wine isn't thoughtful enough?  Well we've got a great idea for a host/hostess gift, and the best part, it's under $20!!!   Try a plant and Go Green, literally!!  You can even stop ON YOUR WAY TO DINNER to pick it up - try Walmart, Target or even Home Depot. You'll want to make sure you get an indoor plant. Flowers are nice, but not necessary. Get creative, pick an exotic looking leaf, or a plant that you have in your own home.  Your host/hostess will be impressed that you thought outside the box and you might even brighten up there day!!

And here is the rest of our Holiday Countdown:

18 Days until the start of Chanukah

32 Days until Christmas

33 Days until the start of Kwanzaa

38 Days until New Year's Eve

Holiday Greetings with a Conscience

Here at We've Got It! Chicago, we respect the Turkey. We try not to get too ahead of ourselves this time of year, but we just can't help it this time. We found these amazing earth-friendly holiday cards, and we know this is the time of year when you're looking for just this sort of thing. So this year, check out some of these great eco-friendly cards so you can send holiday greetings with a conscience.

Why choose cards from Tree-Free Greetings? "Tree-Free is the most sustainable card and gift line on the market . . . . Tree-Free continues to develop new sustainable products, incorporating ancient fibers with modern production technology to produce Holiday Decor, Journals, Memo Pads, Stationary, Party Ware, Greeting Cards, Matching Envelopes, Note Card Sets, Gift Bags and More!" Here's our favorite holiday picks from Tree-Free:

Or maybe you're looking for a custom, photo holiday card. If so, check out Tiny Prints, whose products and packaging are now all 100% eco-friendly. Here's some of our faves, but check out their website, there's dozens and dozens more styles available.

Have you found the perfect eco-friendly holiday cards? Show us what you've found and you could be featured as a Socially Responsible Butterfly on our blog!

Happy Halloween!!

WGIC wanted to wish all of our readers a happy and safe Halloween.  Whether you are Trick or Treating with the little ones or throwing a formal dinner party for 20 (or both!!), we hope this year's holiday makes for a spooky event!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Holiday Cards

It's the time of year when offices everywhere are begining the search for their annual holiday cards. While lots of companies are switching to electronic cards for a greener approach, more traditional offices still like to send cards the old-fashioned way. But now there's a greener way to do that too.

We've Got It! Chicago promotional products offers great recycled-paper holiday cards to send to clients, employees, and business partners. Our favorites are these, which include a plantable holiday ornament. When the season is over, just plant the entire ornament to grow your own pine tree.

What a unique and green way to wish your colleagues a very happy holiday season!