Wednesday, December 17, 2014

A December to Remember: Gift Guide

Between Secret Santas, White Elephants, Yankee Swaps, and hostess gifts, we always find that there are small random gifts that need to be purchased around this time of year that don’t necessarily need to be bought with a specific person in mind. And, since we couldn’t let this holiday season go by without a gift guide, we decided to bring you some out of the box gifts that (almost) anyone would love. Here are some of our favorites:

1. Custom Coasters. Get festive with these and write holiday greetings on them such as "Be Merry" or "Holly & Jolly." They are great for parties as well because you can write your name on them to keep track of your drink. 

Set of 4 for $35. Link to site. 


 2. Novelty Playing Cards. There's nothing better than unwrapping a package and getting a glimpse that signature Tiffany blue. You may be surprised to find out that not everything at Tiffany's costs an arm and a leg. In fact, you can find some pretty amazing gifts that won't break the bank.
$35. Link to site. 

3. Cheese Markers. We challenge you to attend one holiday party that does not involve some sort of cheese platter. We think that cheese is an absolute hands down necessity. 

$28. Link to site. 
4. Festive Dessert Plate. Speaking of cheese, the holidays call for something salty AND something sweet of course. These dessert plates are something people rarely buy for themselves, and we think Santa will love them too.


$14. Link to site. 
5. Stationery. Something else that everyone could always use is stationery. C Wonder has some adorable choices for your holiday "thank you" or "thinking of you" notes. 



Wednesday, December 10, 2014

A December to Remember: The Alternative Christmas Tree

We have no idea how this happened, but Christmas is actually two weeks from tomorrow! Before this sends you into an absolute tizzy, we understand and are here to help. You are supposed to be making this a "December to Remember," remember?  It's almost impossible to get into the holiday spirit without a little holiday decor, so we figured we could start there. We have found that there are so many reasons for NOT getting a Christmas tree (time, space, etc.). Sometimes you don't feel like dealing with a real, full sized tree, that you have water everyday, that you maybe have to CUT DOWN in three feet of snow. But having no decorations at all is neither fun nor festive. So here are some alternative holiday tree ideas to show that you can still snaz up the place without going crazy: 
A small faux tree is so easy - no excuses! 
Our favorite - another way to display your ornaments 
A decal delight 
Rustic and quirky
Instead of stuffing your Christmas cards into a box, put them on display
Branches can sometimes be chicer than flowers
For this one, all you need are some unique looking vases, a couple of branches and colorful bulbs
Find a fun canvas painting- or DIY if you dare

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

A December to Remember

A very wise and trustworthy source known as Soul Cycle once said, “December is the new January.” AKA, "Don't wait until the New Year to whip out your credit card and whip your figure into shape." We thought long and hard about it, and we actually think they may be on to something. Why wait until January to start thinking about those resolutions we all make: to start new workout routine, to cook more often instead of ordering from Seamless (guilty) or to give back and start volunteering? There’s no time like the present! And when you think about it, don't you want to be your best self around the holidays? A bit more philanthropic? Craftier? The challenge with December though, is that the month FLYS by with holiday parties and packed schedules. As such, we (The No.1 Ladies) will be bringing you all things fitness, gifting, entertaining and of course eating so that you can make the most out of the holiday season. 

In the spirit of giving Tuesday yesterday, we took some time to reflect on what is really important to us. We work with so many amazing organizations that all work tirelessly toward making the world a better place. We also have our own personal causes that we hold near and dear to our hearts, and we encourage you to get out there and do some good in your community. Here is a guide to some (but certainly not all) volunteer opportunities in the area:


This past year, Mary proudly joined the board of the Don Bosco Community Center. DBCC is located in Port Chester, NY, and its mission is to enable all people, especially the young and those who are most in need, to realize their fullest potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. The organization provides many youth and family services for the Port Chester community, and Mary and the MK team love assisting with field trips and doing arts and crafts with the adorable little ones!


2.     New York Cares
Emily found her niche at New York Cares where she has volunteered her time creating after school art projects with the children. Working with kids isn’t all you can do, as NY Cares is the city's largest volunteer management organization. Hundreds of volunteer opportunities are available in all five boroughs. You can participate in anything from tutoring adults in computer skills to playing bingo with the elderly. One of their largest community projects going on now is a winter coat drive. With so many different volunteer opportunities across all of New York City, New York Cares is the perfect organization to join to meet the needs of your local community.



3.     Kids in Crisis
Another organization that assists children and families in the local community is Kids in Crisis.  This safe house provides free round the clock help for children, teens and parents dealing with any type of crisis, including abuse, neglect, family conflict and more. Ashley and her family have been large supporters of the organization in the past, and love spending the afternoon playing with the children and helping out at dinner time. Sometimes all it takes is a few hours of play time to make these kids feel safe and loved. 


Other great organizations that are always looking for volunteers around the holidays include The Salvation Army, The Boys and Girls Club, and your local food bank or pantry. We actually found this great tool that matches you and your passion with a volunteer project. With that, we wish you happy holidays and happy helping!