SantaThing and

Interested in a Secret Santa for books?

SantaThing is a Secret Santa for LibraryThing members.

How it works

You pay into the SantaThing system (choose from $15–$50). You play Santa to a LibraryThing member we pick for you, by selecting books for them. Another Santa does the same for you, in secret. LibraryThing does the ordering, and you get the joy of giving AND receiving books!

Sign up once or thrice, for yourself or someone else. If you sign up for someone without a LibraryThing account, make sure to mention what kinds of books they like, so their Santa can choose wisely.

Even if you don’t want to be a Santa, you can help by suggesting books for others.

Sign-ups close MONDAY, December 1st at 9pm Eastern. By Tuesday morning, we’ll notify you via profile comment who your Santee is, and you can start picking books.

Picking closes Monday, December 8th at 12pm Eastern. As soon as the picking ends, the ordering begins, and we’ll get all the books out to you as soon as we can.

» Go sign up to become a Secret Santa now!

 

 
 Penguin Random House to Give Away Books on Giving Tuesday

Penguin Random House’s employees will be giving out free books on Giving Tuesday, December 1 as part of its #GiveaBook social media campaign, in which the publisher is donating a book to "First Book" for every tweet with the hashtag #GiveaBook, up to 35,000 times.

Tweet to provide kids with books!

Have you seen the 2016 Create Your Shining Year Life & Business workbooks and NEW weekly planner? 

Get Free Shipping on all orders over $25 with coupon code FREE25A

Get $10 off orders of $75 or more at EntirelyPets with promo code SAVETEN

EntirelyPets Holiday Store - Find top holiday pet gifts here!

The California Wine Club - Handcrafted, Quality Wines from "Mom & Pop" Wineries. No Bulk Wine.

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Holiday ideas

Today's post is more a hodge-podge of items I hope you enjoy.

I like to give and receive holiday cards.  But I still like to make my cards when time allows.  In this digital, e-book, email card era receiving an old school card in the mail is even more special.  If you enjoy giving cards, consider buying a few extra, write some encouragement, and delivering them to the hospital or a nursing home.  I remember being a child in the hospital over Christmas day and it can be rather sad.  The elderly can always use some extra cheering up as well.

If you enjoy baking, you might like this great idea called "Drop In And Decorate" (click here for website).  I shared about this in 2011, but I think it is worth mentioning again.  You pick a charity that is "serving basic human needs (food or shelter) in your community, without discrimination," enlist cookie bakers, invite friends over to decorate the cookies and then donate them to the charity.  If the shelter or food pantry can't take home made food, then sell those decorated cookies and give the proceeds. I thought this was a fantastic idea that even children can join in on the fun and it spreads the holiday giving theme and encourages a holiday tradition that brings people together.   The website provides a "How to Host," food safety, and even decorating guidelines.  Here is a short video about the Drop In & Decorate idea featuring three different events across America.

While we are on the topic of  cookies, remember making holiday cookies with grandma when you were young? You probably used Aunt Chick's cookie cutters. Aunt Chick's was the Martha Stewart of her time and her cutters were enjoyed by everyone from Prince Charles to housewives across America. Find out more at www.GrammasCutters.com.  Here is a short video that gives a history of these unique three-dimensional cookie cutters

Now to make your holidays even more decadent, here is a rich recipe :-)  This dessert pie, layered with chocolate, coconut, and pecans, tastes like a million dollars!

Millionaire's Pie (from Recipe.com)

2/3  cup dark-colored corn syrup
1/2  cup sugar
1/2  cup butter or margarine
4  eggs
1/4  cup all-purpose flour
1   teaspoon vanilla
1   Pastry for Single-Crust Pie
1  6  ounce package (or 1 cup) semsiweet chocolate pieces
1 1/3  cups flaked coconut
1   cup pecan pieces (about 4 ounces)

Directions

1.  In a small saucepan, stir together corn syrup and sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is melted and mixture boils; remove from heat. Stir in butter until melted; set aside to cool slightly (about 10 minutes).
2.  Meanwhile, on a lightly floured surface, roll Pastry for Single-Crust Pie to form a 12-inch circle. Ease into a 9-inch pie plate, being careful not to stretch pastry. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry. Crimp edge. Set aside.
3.  In a large bowl, beat eggs, flour, and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until mixture is blended and smooth. Add corn syrup mixture in a slow, steady stream, beating constantly.
4.  In pastry shell, layer coconut, semisweet chocolate pieces, and pecan pieces. Pour egg mixture over all, spreading evenly. Cover edge of pastry shell with foil.
5.  Bake in a 325 degree F oven for 1 hour. Remove foil; bake for 20 minutes more or until filling is set in center and slightly puffed. Cool completely on a wire rack. Serve with whipped cream, if you like. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Holiday Card Projects

Greeting cards are part of the holiday season. We make lists of who should get a card, but without fail you will receive a card from a person you did not expect to. Oh the shame.

But what if you made or bought holiday cards to inspire somebody going through a really tough time, somebody who needs a bright spot in their day? Heidi at deviantART has started the Holiday Card Project for just this purpose.

From the website (click here) "In past years, the Project has received more than 5,000 cards sent in by more than 1,000 deviants from 50 different countries/political regions. Cards were then divvied up and distributed in-person by deviantART members to local Los Angeles, CA hospitals, with additional cards given to various hospitals in the U.S. and abroad for hospital staff members to hand out to patients."

"The purpose of the Holiday Card Project is to have deviants create physical holiday cards for people who are hospitalized during the holiday season — helping to bring a little cheer to those who are undergoing a hospital stay."

You can hand make a card or two, or purchase them, write an encouraging note (share your favorite inspirational poem or quote etc.) to that hospitalized stranger, and send it to:
deviantART, Inc.
Holiday Card Project
7095 Hollywood Blvd., #788
Hollywood, CA 90028
U.S.A.
 
They take care of distributing to hospitals.  One quality, heartfelt card is better than several lacking feeling - so quality over quantity please.  This could be a great family activity to get the kids involved with.  Remember, you will place your cards and envelopes inside a mailer.  You can easily remain anonymous by leaving the return address on the card envelope blank.   Deadline is December 15 for them to receive the cards so they can distribute them.

As a bonus, you will receive one month of premium deviantART membership, so sign up for free and include a note with your username along with any cards you send them.  It is an amazing site with quality artwork touching on a wide range of tastes.

If you would like to remember our hospitalized or deployed military men and women, the Red Cross has a Holiday Mail for Heros drive (click here for details.)  Each year the Red Cross collects cards between October and early December and then distributes them at military installations, veterans hospitals, and in other locations.  Holiday Mail for Heroes, P.O. Box 5456, Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456.  The deadline for having cards to the P.O. Box is Friday, December 7th.

In addition to sending cards on your own, you may want to host card signing parties or card making parties.

I think this is a great way to keep the idea of giving from our hearts alive in the holiday hype.  Better than getting stressed over the commercial aspect.  I scrapbook and have been getting into card making - so I am making at least one for each of these groups to send in.  I am looking forward to it.   

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Just a reminder note to please submit your mystery/suspense book blog reviews or author interviews for the Blog Carnival.  Last month there weren't enough submissions, so we did not have a carnival.  

Please submit links to recent articles (within the last 3 months) to keep the information fresh.  Submit at this link:

(http://blogcarnival.com/bc/submit_8796.html)