Ireland, The Emerald Isle, is known for its lovely green countryside; one of the reasons that green is associated with Saint Patrick's Day.
Since the Saint Patrick's Day holiday occurs right about the official start of spring, people are ready to see some green after a long cold winter.
Gold is another color associated with this holiday, as it represents wealth, luck and prosperity. (Remember the Irish legend about finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?).
Let's review a few green and gold gifts for the holiday of Saint Patrick's Day.
Green and Gold Gifts
The Shamrock (the symbol of Ireland) and the expression “Luck of the Irish” are both associated with St. Patrick's Day.
Lucky Sweatshirt on Etsy
This embroidered Lucky sweatshirt by Franky B Studios on Etsy, with the word 'Lucky' and a 'shamrock' would make a perfect gift for your Irish friends.
St. Patrick's Day Teddy Bear
Firsts for baby are always fun. This My First St. Patrick's Day Teddy Bear in green plush, personalized with baby's name, would make a darling gift for your own baby or that of a relative or friend.
Created by The Gift Chicks (Harley Hayes and Pam McDanial) for their Etsy Store. They also create many other personalized bears for birthdays, anniversaries and many holidays.
Leprechaun Soap on Etsy
We've all heard the Leprechaun legend from Irish folklore about this solitary fairy who ~ legend tells us ~ will reveal the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. But ~ only if you catch him. :)
Have your own Leprechaun in this gold Leprechaun Soap, handmade by Sarah for her Etsy Store BubblesandBaubles
Wear a symbol of luck and good fortune with this Real Solid 10k Gold Four Leaf Clover Pendant. A lovely gold lucky charm for the lady in your life. A St. Patrick's Day Gift handmade by Michael of California for his Golden Fire Jewelry shop on Etsy.
Summary
So, for St. Patrick's Day, or any gift occasion, think Green or Gold for a delightful gift.
*Green and Gold Gift Guide written by Wednesday Elf
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Throughout the year, there are numerous occasions when a gift is needed. Naturally, when we think of buying gifts, Christmas and Birthdays come first to mind. But there are numerous other times too, such as weddings and anniversaries, a new baby, a graduation, or a retirement.
There are always the standard gifts of clothing and toys, tools and sports equipment needed or wanted by the person you are gifting. But for someone difficult to buy gifts for, or for that special someone, a unique gift that exactly fits the personality of that person will be remembered forever.
How to Find the Gift that is Perfect and Unique
To come up with that unique gift idea, all you have to do is listen to, or observe, your children, relatives, and friends you are shopping for. Perhaps they have a favorite sports team and would love a T-Shirt or hat with their team's logo. Maybe they collect certain things and would enjoy an addition to their collection.
But to be truly unique, I've found that a word or phrase often becomes associated with people, or seem to suit someone's personality to a 'T', and these can make for very unique gifts.
A Few Fun Examples From My Past
Many years ago a luncheon was given for my youngest son and his fiancee where the future in-laws came together to meet one another. The couple had often been heard to say to each other “I'm doing the best I can.” One of my favorite books featured an English Manor House known as 'Quantum' because the Latin inscription carved into the Lintel over the front door read “Quantum in me fuit”. Roughly translated, the phrase reads “I did the best I could”. I thought it was the perfect phrase to have put on a pair of T-Shirts for the couple.
One recent Christmas I came up with the perfect gift for my oldest son. He and I regularly played cards on Wednesday evenings. His favorite phrase to tease me when he was on a winning streak was that his 'Mojo' was working for him. So, at the Mall, I bought a T-shirt and had a shop put decals on it of a hand of cards and the word “Mojo”. My son absolutely loved it and would often wear it on 'cards' night.
One year I bought a pink sweatshirt for my mom and had the names of her 7 grandchildren printed all over it. Another uniquely individual gift no one else had thought to get.
Gift for the Boss
One of my favorite unique gifts had to do with what the office got the boss one Christmas. I was in charge of the shopping, so ended up getting a collection of coffee mugs with unique sayings. You see, we worked for the Director of twenty-seven Pathology Labs in a hospital. He often had numerous meetings throughout the day for one lab or another. He was also a big coffee drinker and frequently filled a cup before going off to a meeting. Just as frequently, he would 'forget' his coffee mug after the meeting, with people often returning said cups to his office. To help in identifying which cups were his, we got him mugs with sayings that were unique to his personality. My all-time favorite, since he was also the County Medical Examiner, read “Don't take life too seriously, it's not permanent”. :)
Summary
So, listen to the people you want to find a unique gift for and you'll discover exactly the right one.
*This article is brought to you by Wednesday Elf. A unique gift for me would be this 'Elf' Mug. LOL.
*Unique Gifts Ideas – review written by Wednesday Elf
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
I recently came across Pocket Hug Tokens on Amazon and I absolutely love them. There are about 50 different sayings that you can get on them and to me they are perfect as a little gift for all the special people in your life.
I was looking at the different sayings and I wanted to buy so many of them as they spoke to me for various friends and family members. It is such a simple concept, but I think it's brilliant.
Who Would Love a Pocket Hug?
People who make daily affirmations would definitely love a pocket hug.
People who are away from their loved ones would really appreciate a small reminder that they are loved.
People who need something to physical to draw mental strength from would love that you thought of this for them.
So Exactly What is a Pocket Hug?
Pocket Hugs are a little stainless steel, sturdy, round token with a saying on one side (there are 50 to choose from) and on the other side it just says "A little Pocket Hug" and has a love heart on it. Also with this token is a piece of PU leather keychain and a bag to store it in when it's not in your pocket.
It is small and light enough to easily fit in your pocket, your wallet, bags etc.
Why Did I Fall in Love With the Idea of a Pocket Hug?
I love reading daily quotes and saying personal affirmations. Also when I have a lot going on or I have to go into situations I'm nervous about I like to carry a crystal in my pocket to hold and remind myself that I am strong/awesome/know what I'm doing/whatever it is I need to feel at that time. I know I'm not alone which is why I think these pocket hugs are amazing.
If you're looking for a small gift I hope you'll consider the Pocket Hug Token and if you already have one (or have gifted someone one) please let me know below.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Many of you may know that in the last two months my life has changed drastically. Not in a bad way, but in a drastic way none the less. What happened? Well my almost 92 year old mother fell, was hospitalized for a month and then it was decided that she could no longer live on her own.
So, our family has shrunk over the years and now it is growing again. My mother has come to live with us! There will be some challenges ahead. Mother's Day is coming up quickly and it will be the first one she is spending in her new "home"! As always we are looking to make it special.
After 70 some years of Mother's Days under her belt, you would think there is nothing in the world she could truly want. Right?
Wrong! It seems that during her fall, her watch broke! We have had it to several watch repair places and they all say the same thing - "It's not worth fixing!" This was a watch that my father had purchased for her on one of their many trips home to Switzerland. So she really did not want to give it up!
So this Mother's Day we are on the hunt for a watch! This may seem like a no-brainer, but, when you have a lady who is used to having a "nice" watch, it's not so easy anymore. We are hoping that one of our choices will be close enough to her old watch, that she will enjoy the new one as much as the old.
There are so many new-fangled watches that keep track of steps taken, pulse rates, oxygen levels and so much more and she's not interested in any of that "nonsense"! Personally I think she could use the extras to make sure she gets some walking in, but that's me and not her!
She wants a replacement for her watch that told her the time and the date! She wants nothing more and nothing less. And none of this Plastic or Silicone bands for her! It has to be a metal bracelet type watch that is big enough for her to read but still looks nice. Nothing that is heavy and /or bulky!
As you can see there are lots of options available for someone who is looking for a "simple" but elegant watch. Sometimes all the new electronic watches with their multi purpose uses are just not fitting the bill. In her 92 years she has seen a lot of time pieces go by and the new ones just don't do anything for her at all.
Simple, straight-forward and useful are her main needs and nothing more. Truth be known, I think she'd be overwhelmed with the new digital watches/fitness trackers. She would have to learn how to use that kind of watch! I could see her jumping out of her skin if it started to vibrate or flash or sound an alarm. She just doesn't want to do that!
I get it and I'm so happy to report that while watches have been taken to a whole new level of usefulness, the old trusty analog watches are still there!
Now it's just a matter of choice! I don't think we will surprise her, rather, we will give her the option of choosing the one she thinks she'd like best!
For all those Mother's out there, may I take the time to wish you all a Happy Mother's Day, may it be a timely one!
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris is an absolute gem of a movie. I
discovered it while perusing American Airlines' in-flight entertainment
selections during a recent flight home from California. This comedy/drama was
released earlier this year and received enthusiastic positive reviews from
film critics and audiences alike. However, likely because it wasn't promoted
heavily or well, it had only a short run in theaters and I hadn't heard about
it before. (Such a shame to stint on the marketing for such a terrific
picture!) It deserves a much wider audience.
I am delighted to share my review of this wonderful, delightful, inspiring
movie, which is available to purchase or rent via DVD or streaming media.
Based on the First of Paul Gallico's Bestselling 1958 Novel
Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris
Paul Gallico started his career in the 1920s as a sportswriter, sports
columnist, and sports editor of the New York Daily News. After
switching to writing fiction in the late 1930s, the prolific author wrote 41
books, numerous short stories, 20 theatrical movies and 12 TV movies and had a
TV series based on his Hiram Holliday short stories. Two of Gallico's most
famous works were the short story The Snow Goose (1941) and
the novel The Poseidon Adventure (1969), which was also
adapted for the big screen.(Source)
Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris (1958) was the first of Gallico's four
novels about the adventures of Mrs. Ada Harris, a war widow and hard-working
charwoman for London aristocrats. Mrs. Harris's adventures continue in the
subsequent books in the series, Mrs. 'Arris Goes to New York (1960),
Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Parliament (1965), and
Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Moscow (1974).
Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris has been adapted multiple times for stage and
screen:
A 1958 American TV episode for the television series Studio One starring
British comedian Gracie Fields.
A 1982 West German TV film, Ein Kleid von Dior (A Dress by Dior) starring Inge Meysel.
A 1992 television movie starring Angela Lansbury, Diana Rigg and Omar Sharif
(produced by Lansbury's production company and directed by her son, Anthony
Shaw).
A 2016 musical-theatre adaptation, Flowers for Mrs Harris (the
Gallico novel's UK title) produced by Sheffield Theatres in May 2016, with a
new production mounted in 2018 at Chichester Festival Theatre, which was
streamed online in April 2020.
The 2022 feature film adaptation I am reviewing, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (note the tweak to the title).
A Fabulous Cast of Characters
Here are the main characters of this charming movie set in the mid-1950s:
Ada Harris (Lesley Manville), a charwoman in London who cleans up the
messes of her well-heeled, arrogant clients. She learns that her beloved
husband, Eddie, a soldier who had been missing for seven years, was killed
in action.
Violet Butterfield (Ellen Thomas), Ada's best friend, who also works
"in service." Vi encourages the grieving war widow to try to enjoy herself
and get on with her life now that she finally knows Eddie's fate, taking her
out to a dance club in the evening and to greyhound races on their day off.
Archie (Jason Isaacs), another friend and bookie who takes their bets
at the races. Although he fancies Ada, she thinks it's too late for her to
love again and makes it clear their relationship is strictly platonic.
Giles Newcombe (Christian McKay), a womanizing bachelor and house
cleaning client.
Pamela Penrose (Rose Williams), another of Ada's clients, is a
beautiful but spoiled, scatterbrained, pouty and self-centered actress who
is also a slob, tossing and leaving her clothes and accessories all over the
floor for Ada to pick up and put away.
Lady Dant (Anna Chancellor), another client who spends lavishly on
parties and clothes (including a one-of-a-kind, beaded and sequined
Christian Dior dress that Ada falls in love with at first sight), yet
repeatedly deflects Ada's requests to be paid her long-overdue wages.
Christian Dior (Philippe Bertin), the world-famous
haute couture fashion designer whose first collection under his
own label in 1947 was dubbed "The New Look" by the editor-in-chief of
Harper's Bazaar.
Claudine Colbert (Isabelle Huppert) is the directrice of
the house of Dior and guardian of its refined, elegant, exclusive image. She
is offended and supercilious when an English charwoman invades the hallowed
halls of Dior, mistakes Madame Colbert for a shopgirl and naïvely assumes
she can purchase one of the master's iconic, one-of-a-kind
haute couture creations just because she has brought enough
money to Paris with her to pay with cash.
Marquis de Chassagne (Lambert Wilson), a wealthy, aristocratic
widower whose late wife used to enjoy attending the exclusive Dior couture
shows. He continues to attend in her honor and, when Ada is rebuffed by
Madame Colbert, the marquis invites her to attend as his guest. He
subsequently buys her roses and invites her over for tea.
Natasha (Alba Baptista), Dior's top model with an Audrey
Hepburn-eque, waif-like beauty. She would rather be at home curled up on a
couch, wearing a plain black sweater and reading Sartre than parading around
as a fashion model.
Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris is a story about how kindness, courage,
honesty, hard work, a willigness to dream big and a single-minded commitment
to achieving your goals can, indeed, make your dreams come true.
It's a modern fairy tale grounded in some historical fact. Director Anthony
Fabian takes some liberties with Gallico's story. In an interview for a
July 22, 2022 article in Town & Country magazine, Fabian said, "The key to this story is that it is magic realism, so it has
to have an equal dose of magic and reality. If you go too far into magic, you
won’t believe it; if you go too far into the realism, it wouldn’t have that
uplifting fairy tale quality."
Check Out the Official Movie Trailer
If you are reading this on a mobile device and the video player doesn't
display, you can click on this line to watch the MRS. HARRIS GOES TO PARIS Trailer (2022) on YouTube.
Stream, Rent or Buy This Heartwarming and Inspiring Film
There are multiple options for watching this movie, including:
This wonderful story encourages us to dream big but also keep our priorities
straight. I definitely plan to rent or buy the movie so I can watch it again
and plan to get the audiobook as well. Both the movie and the book would make
a lovely gift for any occasion, as well as a great stocking stuffer.
Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris: A Wonderful, Delightful, Inspiring Movie — Reviewed by Margaret Schindel
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
If your holiday plans include an invitation to a holiday dinner or as a house guest at a relative's home, than a gift specific to the home and the host is perfect.
Cutting Board Gifts
Since almost all invitations to a holiday gathering involves food, a special cutting board makes a thoughtful and useful gift.
There is a wide range of cutting board sizes and styles, many even in animal shapes, or personalized, to choose from. My favorites are the handmade boards I found on Etsy.
Handmade in Walnut, Cherry or Maple wood, in a variety of sizes, the personalized cutting boards at WallThingsCo on Etsy have just the one you want to match the person you are gifting.
If you are going to 'grandma's house' for the holidays, this Nana's Kitchen board is a popular choice. But this Etsy Shop offers a wide variety of choices, or you can choose your own name, saying or design. A lovely choice for your favorite cook.
Coffee Mugs
In town for an overnight or several days visit over the holidays? Then you will be having coffee in the morning with your hostess. Therefore a coffee (or Tea) mug makes the perfect hostess gift. With so many designs and 'sayings' available, it is easy to match one to the person it is for.
To get into, or stay, in the Christmas spirit, consider a coffee mug from this group of vintage Waechtersbach cups made in West Germany.
Six such pretty designs to choose from ~ a Christmas tree, white terrier dogs, a white cat, a 2000 Christmas tree, white snowman, and a shorter Christmas tree mug. They can be found in the Etsy Shop of TheRustyJewels.
Or choose the cutest hostess mug I have ever seen. The ever-popular Yoda on an adorable coffee mug.
Found in the Etsy Shop of Expression Prints, a shop filled with a large variety of mugs with sayings which help you express your thoughts to those you love.
Special Glassware
Glassware makes a lovely gift for your host or hostess. With so many choices, such as a beer steins for HIM or pretty glassware for HER, the choices are endless.
These hand-painted vintage songbird glasses would be a lovely hostess gift to someone who enjoys birdwatching or who enjoys the bird feeders in their back yard.
Available in the Etsy Shop of 'Shop the Leo Collective'.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Handmade gifts are more than an artistic rendition of what a crafter can create. When given as a gift, it becomes - a gift of oneself.
The reviewers here on Review This Reviews! are a talented group. They can crochet and knit, draw and paint, cook, bake and sew, and create fantastic DIY projects.
This is a review of several of the many artistic crafts created by our reviewers who can do more than write – a craft in itself that they all do well.
She states that these chests are iconic and incredibly versatile. Not only will someone gain a unique conversational piece, but this suitcase is a great place to store things like remote controls, or dreams of future travel.
Handmade Yarn Crafts
With a simple crochet hook or a pair of knitting needles, our in-house crafters create a cute collection of fun and useful gifts. They have reviewed here a collection of crafts, including pattern books whose patterns are the basic beginning of a wonderful gift to give.
From the pattern designs of two cute cats, two birds and a rooster, Petunia the Pig a darling dog, and an adorable Fairy House, Elf has already made the two colorful birds and one of the cats.
Wednesday Elf has also crocheted many of the cute animals in this Crochet Critters pattern book. My 8-year-old grandson loves the lion the best! Plush animals make a great gift for everyone from babies to children to college students to take for their dorm room. You're never too old for a 'stuffie'. :)
You can even make a very easy and beautiful Loop Afghanwithout using any hooks or needles. You only use your fingers to weave the yarn. Sylvestermouse shows us how in this review.
Jewelry is always a welcome gift and it is especially appreciated when it is handmade. Margaret Schindel reviews how she made a lovely and stylish beaded coil wrap bracelet. This one-of-a-kind bracelet was created as a birthday gift for a dear friend.
Summary
The above are just a few examples of the crafts you can create for yourself or to give as gifts. Check out all the craftiness on Review This Reviews here in this compilation of DIY and Craft Tutorials.
*This handmade gift review was written by Wednesday Elf
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
What would be a more appropriate gift for the libraries of readers and writers than word-related bookends?
READ is the perfect word for bookworms ~ lovers of books of any age.
Paul of Oregon creates beautiful bookend sets that he hand cuts with a scroll saw from 1/2” thick, furniture grade Birch plywood. His bookends are then sanded and finished with satin interior non-toxic paint.
This heavy duty two-piece set of bookends has a bottom surface protector which will extend under a few books for enhanced book support. This set, and many more designs in words and in intricate shapes of animals and sports activities are available in Paul's Etsy Shop he calls ScrollMaster Designs.
An appropriate gift for your writer friends would be this set of WRITER bookends. Handmade and designed by Knob Creek Metal Arts of Louisville, KY, the bookends are solid steel and heavy enough to hold up your reading collection. Sold in a set of two pieces, they are finished in a black powder coat. Dimensions are approx. 6 1/2" t x 6 1/2" w x 4" d.
Cooks are bookworms too, with cookbooks being their favorite genre. So a set of bookends with the word COOK is an ideal gift idea for your favorite cook.
This set from Amazon is made with quality steel and is very durable and able to hold many large and heavy books such as you often find in favorite cookbooks. These bookends have a powder-coated surface, so it is smooth and anti-rust, with a non-slip base.
Summary
So, choose a Wordy bookend set as a gift for your bookworm friends and family.
For Books for your Bookends, check out ReviewThisBooks.com for excellent reviews in every genre.
*Wordy Gifts for Your Favorite Bookworm was written and compiled by Wednesday Elf
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Everyone is familiar with the Aesop Fable about a 'Wolf in Sheep's Clothing'. Well, how about a grandson in wolf's clothing.
Grandson David loves everything to do with the theme of wolves. His bedroom is decorated with wolf pattern sheets and bedspread. He requested a handmade plush wolf from his grandma who crochets, along with his birthday wolf toy to put on his headboard. And he is quite the budding artist and created his own website for his wolf-related pencil art work he calls Art Wolf.
Therefore, when his mom told me that suggestions for Christmas gifts included new pajamas, naturally I sought out Wolf-themed PJs.
Animal Related Sleepwear
In addition to wolves, children love animal themed pajamas. Probably the most popular animal among the youngest children is dinosaurs. I know David's little brother Tyler LOVES dinosaurs!
And, of course, you can never go wrong with bears – the most popular animal of all. Any bear from teddy bears, cartoon bears, panda bears and that favorite Winnie-the-Pooh bear would please any kid to wear to bed.
So, any time you need a gift for a child, just remember that pajamas are always appreciated by mom, and favorite animal designs please the children. David was delighted with his (grandma-sent) wolf pajamas this past Christmas.
Sleepytime Gifts for Kids Review written by Wednesday Elf
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
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