This peppermint bark body butter is a heavenly blend of coconut oil, shea butter, and cocoa butter with one of my favorite holiday scents—peppermint! The oil and butters have moisturizing and antioxidant properties, which are excellent for your skin, especially during the dry winter months. The yummy minty fragrance is not an artificial additive; it is peppermint essential oil—how great is that?!
Each of these darling fish ornaments would look lovely on any Christmas tree. They are donning some sparkly sequins and a bell, so whenever a branch sways with movement, you’ll hear the bell jingling and see the sequins twinkling in the light. What’s more, these cuties are made from organic cotton and available in different colors. Merry Fishmas!
For most of us, our basic necessities are met, and we can easily access the other things we need. But for many others around the world, resources are limited, and they need a helping hand to get back on their feet. That’s where Kiva comes in.
Kiva is on a mission to alleviate poverty by supporting people around the globe. How does it work? People like you lend money through Kiva to help impoverished people grow or start their business, or help with education costs. The loans are dispersed through Kiva’s Field Partners, which are microfinance institutions who interact directly with the lendees. When the lendees repay their loans, you can either withdraw your money or loan it again. In the spirit of giving, we are naturally in favor of lending it again to another person.
Giving is easy and fun! When you visit Kiva.org, you can choose who you want to lend the money to. If you love South American culture, you can choose an artisan or other small business owner that interests you. Have you always wanted to visit Africa? Perhaps you’d like to choose someone from Kenya or Nigeria—or any other country, for that matter! In this way, you can support people and business that are special to you.
If you want to join the millions who lend through Kiva, there are several ways to get involved.
Visit the Kiva Store to purchase gifts, such as a water bottle or iPhone case. Sales from the store help support the organization as they spread the word about Kiva.
Instead of asking for presents for Christmas (or any other life event: birthday, graduation, etc.), ask your friends and family to donate to your Kiva campaign. Learn how to start a Kiva campaign here.
If you know someone who doesn’t need anything for Christmas, then sending a Kiva Card is great way to give your loved one a meaningful gift! When you give a Kiva Card, the recipient can hop on Kiva’s website and choose who they want to receive the loan. The great thing about this is that the recipient can pick a lendee who inspires them. If you’re giving a Kiva Card to a family, I’m certain the children would enjoy selecting who they lend the money to! Plus, because Kiva has such a high repayment rate, the family can lend the money again and again, making this a gift that really does keep on giving.
Dedicating a Kiva Loan in honor of a loved one or in someone’s memory is another way to give. There are two big differences between a dedicated loan and a Kiva Card. The first is that you select the recipient of the loan, which means that the recipient doesn’t have to do anything to redeem the gift. The second difference is that when the loan is repaid, the funds convert to a donation to Kiva (instead of being returned to the lender). Personalize a dedicated loan to fit the personality of the recipient: for the coffee fanatic, give a coffee loan; for someone with a sweet tooth, give a bakery loan; for your bestie who loves to travel, give a loan that reminds her of a favorite destination.
There are a few different ways you can volunteer for Kiva, and the easiest way is to volunteer from your own home! Kiva’s Review and Translation Program is operated by folks who volunteer their time translating and reviewing loan profiles. For others who desire a more hands-on approach, click here to learn about Kiva’s Internship Program and Fellowship Program.
You can also support the work of Kiva by making a tax-deductible donation.
Elf. Need I say more? That film is one of my all-time favorites! Like Buddy states in the movie, an elf’s four food groups are candy, candy canes, candy corn, and syrup. Send this sweet card to your friends and family who share the same love of sugary treats and Elf as I do. 🙂
We’re almost half-way through December, can you believe it? By now I bet most of you have already put up your Christmas trees, which is why I thought it would be the perfect time to remind everyone of some general safety tips. The infographic below contains lots of handy tips to keep you and your loved ones out of harm’s way this holiday season.
