Gifts for Festive Affairs - Gift Review

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'. 

And as a dandy gift for HIM, choose this handmade frosted glass Christmas beer mug from the North Pole Brewing Company. 

It's available in the Etsy Shop of Hippie Radio Boutique.

Summary

Hopefully, this gift guide will allow you to be prepared for that host/hostess gift for those holiday invitations.

Happy Holidays! 

For more Gift Reviews, check out ReviewThisGifts.com

*Festive Gifts review 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), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

A Fall from Grace (Clavering Chronicles Book 1) Book Review

Before we ever read the first word in the book, the title tells us what to expect.  What the title doesn't reveal is how and why Selena loses her position in society.

This historical fiction is set in Hertfordshire, England in 1817 and paints a vivid picture of how easy it was for a young woman, or even a whole family, to have the ton (high society) shun them.  

Imagine having everything you have ever known or expected your life to be, stripped from you because someone else made a mistake. By no fault of your own, you have to learn how to make a living for yourself while watching the world you once knew carry on without you. Becoming an employee in a house where you would previously have been received as a desired guest and ushered into the drawing room for tea with the countess.  Instead, you will now be expected to use the servants entrance and consider yourself fortunate that the countess has favored you enough to even allow you to be her companion.

That is what happened to Selena Lockhart in "A Fall from Grace" by Jennie Goutet.

"A Fall from Grace" Plot Synopsis

 A Fall from Grace
(Clavering Chronicles Book 1)Check Price

The first few chapters of the book are somewhat humorous.  We are immediately introduced to Sir Lucius Clavering, sixth Baronet of Mardley.  As a wealthy landowner, he is accustomed to having "young maidens" devise reasons to be in his company alone in order to force a marriage.  A snowy night is the perfect opportunity for "accidents" to strand fair maidens who would require refuge in a nearby home.  On this particular night, two such woman separately appeared at his door.  One was intentionally planned, the other truly was in dire straits.  Both are greeted with suspicion.

___

As the lone female occupant of a broken down stagecoach, Selena needs shelter from the snow storm and other danger.  She believes her salvation must lie within the walls of a nearby home which is lit well enough for her to see in the distance. Dispute her lack of warm clothing, she sets out for the house and has plenty of time to recount the events that put her in this frightening situation.  Her father's extreme gambling problems followed by his subsequent death; her fiance's recindment of his offer of marriage;  insufficient funds to sustain her mother & sisters;  all combined to create this life she was so ill-prepared to live.  She was equally unprepared to be greeted by the cynical landowner who did not readily welcome her in out of the cold.

_____

Following Selena's story of becoming a companion to a bitter and unhappy widowed countess, caused me to consider what a truly difficult situation this would have been for a young lady who was raised in a wealthy home with the expectations of a prosperous marriage and continued position in high society.  It would require a strong and determined individual to make this unwanted transition in life status.

Since this is a Regency Romance novel, the reader can rest assured there will be a developing romantic relationship throughout the book. However, I was equally interested in watching the other relationships develop in this book.

I highly recommend this book, and series, to anyone who enjoys clean & wholesome romance novels.

 

 

At publishing time of this review, "A Fall from Grace" is available for free with a Kindle Unlimited Subscription. Or, you can purchase it with the link below.

More Books Reviewed on Review This Reviews

A Fall from Grace (Clavering Chronicles Book 1) by Jennie Goutet by:

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Gabby - A Story of Courage and Hope - Book Review

Those who come to know Gabrielle Giffords are said to become Gabbified. It certainly happened to me and I would be very surprised if you did not experience being taken in by the immensity of her spirit as revealed in Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope. 

Giffords, a United States Congresswoman at the time, was the victim of an assassination attempt, and deadly mass shooting, on January 8, 2011. Shot in the head at point-blank range, her chances of surviving were less than one percent. The bullet that traveled through the left hemisphere of her brain should have killed her. Yet, despite the astronomical odds against it, Giffords survived.

This is the true story of an astonishing woman who is the epitome of extreme service, deep humanity, and extraordinary fortitude. Way beyond survival, Gabrielle Giffords, through sheer grit and an unmatched work ethic, demonstrates what it means to live out your life's calling with undying passion, radical optimism, and the kind of genuine care for others that transcends political divisions.

Despite years of a grueling rehabilitation regimen that would likely defeat the toughest among us, Gabrielle has never quit when it comes to taking on the most challenging issues of our times. Her nonprofit Giffords organization has stepped up to address the ongoing rampage of gun violence in our nation. 

I picked up this book, and Giffords' new documentary (Gabby Giffords Won't Back Down), because I have been feeling deeply shaken (horrified) by the escalating anger and violence that is destroying lives and ripping apart the fabric of our world.  I knew that I would draw strength, and a new commitment to doing something of substance, by opening myself up to Gabbification.  

As I have reflected on the impact Gabrielle Giffords has had on her constituents, her community, her family, and on everyone who has crossed her path, the thought crossed my mind that I want to be like Gabby Giffords when I grow up.  Then, I realized that she would most likely want me to be the very epitome of me.  I can't be Gabby, but by following her example, I can use my own inner power and determination to proactively be a force for good in my corner of the world.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

What is Jolabokaflod? Christmas Eve Traditions to Try! Holiday Gift Ideas

 So you might be wondering what a Jolabokaflod is and why it's important!  Well in the interests of learning something new every day, this is one word and idea that really resonates with me and my family.

Jolabokaflod is an Icelandic Christmas Eve tradition.  Every one in the family gets a "book" gift on Christmas Eve and the rest of the evening is spent reading and drinking  hot chocolate and eating some of those wonderful Christmas cookies that seem to magically appear at this time of year.

Our family is blessed in so many ways!   All our children are grown and have children of their own. Our children and grandchildren don't really need more "stuff".   Each family member has a roof over their heads and food on the table.  Clothes in the closets and shoes/boots for whatever weather conditions may be outside.  So what more do we need?

The simple answer is NOTHING!  

The most important things to us (my husband and myself) is BEING with each other and sharing time together.  Yet at Christmastime, we also like to do something special for our family.

So this year we have made the decision to do what they do in Iceland.  Instead of gifts for the adults we will focus on purchasing a book that we have loved and share it with another member of  the family.  

The grandchildren will still receive traditional Christmas gifts, but a book might find it's way into that idea too! We love reading and love promoting reading skills to our grandchildren as well. 

If you are looking for a great list of books to peruse, you don't have to go too far!  Review This Reviews has an amazing list of books that have been reviewed by the writers of this site!  There is everything from Puzzle Books and Riddles, to Murder/Mysteries, Biographies, Cozy Romances and so much more!  

Some books are from new authors and some are from well known authors who have been writing for years.

There is something for everyone at ReviewThisReviews.com!  Click on the link and then follow the tabs across the top!  The first one you come to is BOOK REVIEWS.  How much easier can gift finding get?

We (my other half and I) will be using this link to find the gifts for our own first of a kind, Jolabokaflod that we will celebrate this year!  

Now I have to add an addendum:  This idea is not for every one and if you are interested there are a host of "OTHER" reviews that might help you find that perfect gift if you are celebrating in a more traditional way.

May Your Christmas be everything that you hold dear to your hearts and may you enjoy each other's company making great memories as you go along!  Blessings to all!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

A Review of Creepypasta - What Is It?

 

What is Creepypasta?

The first thing that comes to mind is some type of scary noodles!  Maybe a Halloween dish?  Nope, Creepypasta has nothing to do with food, creepy or otherwise.   The meaning of Creepypasta has changed over time.  In the beginning it meant a short horror story, whose author was unknown, that was shared on forums, storyboards and other internet sites.  Now what, you may ask, does pasta have to do with stories?  I thought the same thing.  It seems that Creepypasta is kind of a rip off of the term Copypasta which has been around since 2006 and means a block of text that is shared in many places around the internet.  

Anyway, Creepypasta now refers to most any type of horror story that one can find to read or listen to on the internet.  Creepypasta stories are basically fiction, but are usually written in a manner that makes the reader think that it really happened, or at least that it COULD happen.  This is what makes them so creepy!  Authors are now fully credited and some have become quite well known, going on to become published writers and even writing screenplays for movies.

What are Creepypasta Stories About?  

Creepypasta stories are usually centered around some type of scary being, such as:

Cryptid - Any creature that may or may not exist. Sightings  have been reported, but their reality is unproven.  Includes: bigfoot, dogman, werewolves, mothman, sea monsters, etc.

Alien - Any creature that is not from our planet or dimension.

Undead - Physical creatures that were once alive but have died and then came back in a physical body.  Includes:  vampires, zombies, ghouls, mummies, etc.

Ghosts- An entity that was once alive, but has died and come back to the world of the living without a physical body.

Demons - A malevolent supernatural entity, mostly considered to be fallen angels that serve the Devil.

There are stories about other things that are also considered to be Creepypasta, but these are the top five that I have seen the most.  

How I Found Out About Creepypasta

I was looking through YouTube one day, searching for something interesting when I ran across a video called "I Am A Monster Created By The Government."

I had to laugh, but I was also intrigued.  What kind of video could this be?  I hit play and was immediately immersed in an interesting creepy story.  This was a compilation of a group of stories about the same characters, which is good because it saved me the trouble of looking for all of them in YouTube.  There was nothing on the video screen to watch, it was more like an audio book that you listen to.  This was even better for me, as it gave me something interesting to listen to while I was crafting or cleaning.  After I finished with that video, I went in search of other stories to listen to and that is when I was introduced to the world of Creepypasta. I've  been listening ever since!  There are literally dozens of authors that write these stories and I have listened to many narrators (that is what they call the people reading the stories in the videos) but there are three that I like the best:

Donovan Dread - https://www.youtube.com/@DonovanDread/  

Mr. Creeps - https://www.youtube.com/c/MrCreeps/

Magnetar - https://www.youtube.com/@MagnetarYT

If you don't like to listen to stories, and you prefer to read them yourself, there are also websites with archives of Creepypasta stories.  My two favorites are:

Don't Turn Around - https://www.dontturnaround.com/

Creepypasta - http://www.creepypasta.com

If you are not into monsters, there are other types of video stories that you can listen to on YouTube like True Crime Stories, Mysteries, Bedtime Stories, Time Travel Stories and many others.  Just type "narrated stories"  in the search bar of YouTube.  There is something there for everyone!  I love listening to stories and I am so glad that I found a new place to find them.

If you prefer your reading material in physical book form, you can buy Creepypasta books on Amazon. Not only do they have regular books, but also Creepypasta coloring books and even Creepypasta role playing games.  There are so many ways to have scary Creepypasta fun!

Click Here to Search for Creepypasta on Amazon

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON: