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I caught up on a little blog reading last night.  Here are 3 posts I thought you might enjoy

1. Simplify Your Holiday Cards from Disorder2Order Blog
2. Organizing Holiday Gift Wrap & Scrapbook Supplies from Creative Organizing Blog
3. Santa to Kids: Do you have room for more toys? from Ask an Organizer

courtesy of FreeFoto.com

And so we come to the end of the series.  Who have I left out?  Well, I can’t forget Santa and the Reindeer!

I’m sure Santa would appreciate a little something left for him, a glass of milk, or something stronger and a biscuit or two.  And for the reindeer I have something special, Magic Reindeer Food.  Simply mix 1 cup of rolled oats with 2 tablespoons of glitter.  Toss the mixture onto the lawn to mark your home as a safe landing place.

Merry Christmas to you and your family.  I’m looking forward to spending time with mine.

There’s more to consumables than just food and drink.  How about these out-of-the-ordinary ideas -

For the young adult

• batteries
• photo paper
• deodorant

For someone moving into their own home

• cleaning products
• light bulbs
• garden mulch

For the car enthusiast

• fuel voucher
• car oil
• waterless car wash spray

For a new mum

• candles (for me time)
• handcream
• nappy wash service

As you can see, the options are endless.

If a tipple’s out of the question, perhaps a non-alcoholic drink is just the thing.  How about

• fair trade coffee
• chai
• herbal tea
• homemade lemonade
• all the ingredients for hot chocolate, including marshmallows?

If your friends prefer a tipple over a nibble, I can suggest wine, liqueur, champagne or imported beers make great clutter-free gifts.

The last 2 days have seen me recommending indulgent foods.  Today I’m focusing on the healthier side of things.  How about a luscious fruit basket?

Or just one fruit – cherry anyone?

On with the consumables theme, and today I’m suggesting celebration food.  At this time of year, everyone can do with something on hand to entertain the unexpected masses, or just take time out and indulge in good quality delectables.  Wrap a few of these items up or place them in a basket and they will most definitely be appreciated.

• quince paste
• olive tapenade
• smoked salmon
• dried figs
• pretzels
• macadamias
• salsa
• paté
• truffles
• chocolates
• fruit cake
• Turkish delight
• gingerbread
• shortbreads
• dessert sauce

Yum!  Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to share.

Over the next few days I’ll be focusing on consumables as clutter-free gifts.  I’ll start today with goodies for foodies.  (Beware: these may cause clutter if placed in the wrong hands, so be sure your recipient loves to cook.)

• pink salt
• truffle oil
• wattleseed
• wild hibiscus flowers
• caviar

When you make a donation to a charity on behalf of a loved one, you give twice, and neither of them becomes clutter.  Here are some great charities to consider -

• Give the gift of independence by helping Guide Dogs Victoria
• Oxfam Australia works hard to fight poverty and injustice
• Change lives with a duck, vaccines, well or mosquito nets with Smiles, the World Vision gift catalogue
• Invest in children by supporting Unicef
• Give a gift of sight through the Fred Hollows Foundation

The good news is donations to a registered charity are tax deductible.

The bad news is not everyone appreciates this kind of gift for one reason or another.  To make sure you get it right

• Align the gift with the values of the recipient
• Make the gift in their name, and ensure they, not you, get the tax deduction to avoid the appearance of a “hollow” gift

School’s out this week and you may be wondering what perfect gift to give your child’s teacher.  I once did too and asked a teacher that very question.  She said what she enjoyed receiving most was a heartfelt letter or card about how she’d helped that year, or expressing a favourite moment or quote.

Having worked with children myself, I love every gift a child or family ever gave me.  I will never have to buy soap again for the rest of my life.

But if you really want to get soemthing extra for the teacher, take note… One year I was surprised when the entire class got together to buy just one gift of jewellery.  I really appreciated the extra effort it took to arrange and choose it.