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Helpful hints for holiday gifts Daniela Rumlova Supplement Editor Need a fun idea for your up- coming Secret Santa or holiday party gift? Instead of giving a gift card this holiday season, go for something a bit more original while still sticking to a budget. There is no need to spend a fortune giving someone a gift that they will truly appreciate. “Hand- made gifts do not only have to be made by little kids. If you put your talent and creativity to use, you can easily make a great and inexpensive gift for somebody,” sophomore Jessica Malhotra said. One of the easiest gifts to make are baked goods. Grocery stores offer a variety of pre-pack- aged cookies and cakes with holi- day-themed decorations. However, you get bonus points if you bake the cookies from scratch. Everybody needs scarves, hats and gloves in the winter, so why not give your friends and fam- ily something that will keep them warm during these chilly months? Instead of buying these items, cre- ate a more personalized gift by knitting or crocheting them your- self. Even if you have never laid eyes on knitting needles and yarn, Michael’s craft store sells numer- ous how-to books and supplies, which will help you accomplish these projects. For an even easier handmade gift, turn to your art classes for ideas. Ceramics, painting, draw- ing, fashion, and woodshop class- es already have the supplies you may need to create a holiday gift, meaning you do not have to spend any money at all. “A gift should be a reflection of the person you are giving it to. When buying someone a present, you have to ask yourself, ‘Is this something they would buy them- selves? Is it their style?’” fresh- man Janine Migden said. This is why Art and Soul, a pottery and jewelry studio located in New Ca- naan, is a great place to visit for the holidays. You can choose to make unique jewelry with various metal, wood, and glass beads or select and paint premade pottery. They have many designs to choose from, which means that you can make something special for every- one on your list. Another personalized gift is a themed basket. Find something your recipient is interested in, such as movies, beauty items, technol- ogy, or sports, and make a basket out of it. For example, if the recipi- ent is a movie addict, buy a basket and fill it with popcorn, movie tick- ets, candy, and DVDs. “I think that when buying a gift, a person should try to look for something that almost everyone will like. For example, everybody likes music, so give that person a CD or iTunes gift card,” junior Tessa Grebey said. Most people also like choco- late. But instead of going for the typical Hershey’s Kisses this holi- day, buy the recipient something a bit more unusual. Schakolad Chocolate Factory, which is lo- cated on Bedford Street, special- izes in handmade European style chocolates in many flavors and as- sortments. Peppermint Bark is another great holiday treat. Williams- Sonoma makes renowned pepper- mint bark that it sells in a decora- tive holiday tin box. Another holiday-themed gift is the Snowman-In-A-Box kit from Barnes and Noble. The pipe, top hat, scarf, carrot nose, and but- tons will allow anyone to perfectly accessorize his or her snowman this winter. It also includes a book- let that teaches the reader how to create different kinds of snowmen, such as a female snowperson, a rock-star snowman, a snowman monster, and much more. FEATURE December 2010 Aaron Gregory Staff Writer During the holidays, it’s im- portant for people to come togeth- er. That’s why local charities such as the Ferguson Library, the Salva- tion Army, and the New Covenant Soup Kitchen, as well as large organizations such as Feeding America and Free Rice are helping those who are less fortunate. The Ferguson Library is al- ways in need of extra materials to put into circulation or to sell in its used book shop. Anyone can drop off donatations of books, mov- ies, or magazines to the library. The library is also in need of fi- nancial support in light of recent budget cuts. For more informa- tion on how to keep our libraries open and serving the greatest number of people possible, visit fergusonlibrary.org. The Salvation Army is a non- profit organization that uses its donated money to build homes, improving childrens’ quality of life, and reaching out to com- munities in need. The Salvation Army is known for its red kettles around Christmas time. The red kettles are used to collect dona- tions or can be purchased as a donation. The Salvation Army is always in need of volunteers, es- pecially around the holidays. The organization will be distribut- ing food and gift baskets around Stamford on December 22 and 23. To get involved, contact Lt. Walter or Lila Droz at 359-2320. If you’re looking to donate, visit use.salvationarmy.org or locate a volunteer with a red kettle. The New Covenant Soup Kitchen is located at the Yerwood Center in Stamford. Extra help in the soup kitchen is always ap- preciated. The soup kitchen pro- vides food for approximately 150 people.Volunteer work involves shopping for groceries, cooking, delivering, and serving the meal. To volunteer at the New Covenant Soup Kitchen, call 964-8228 or visit the Yerwood Center, located on 90 Fairfield Avenue. Feeding America is the na- tion’s leading domestic hunger re- lief charity. Feeding America helps over 14 million children and three million seniors citizens. Its goal is to help put an end to nationwide hunger issues. In its efforts to feed America, the organization has es- tablished over 200 food banks. In order for this organization to reach its goal, it needs the help of many, either through volunteering or do- nations. For volunteer opportuni- ties visit feedingamerica.org. If you don’t have money to donate or time to volunteer, play- ing a game on freerice.com for a few minutes can make a dif- ference. The Free Rice website donates rice through the World Food Programme. Free Rice is a non-profit organization in which you can donate with the click of your mouse. Upon entering the website, you are given a set of vocabulary questions. For every question answered correctly, ten grains of rice are donated. Al- though ten grains might not seem like a lot, you have to think about the millions of other people who are also donating. According to the Free Rice website, rice do- nations from the game have fed 270,000 refugees in Bangladesh for two weeks. In Cambodia, pounds of rice are delivered to pregnant women, and in other na- tions, the rice goes to hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren and refugees. Playing this game can also benefit you, the player, as you learn new vocabulary. By playing this game, you are help- ing others as well as yourself. This season, choose to help bring some holiday spirit to those in need. Whether it be through a monetary donation or simply a do- nation of your time, remember that giving is recieving. Get involved to spread the season’s spirit Photo collage by Ariel Shaulson / Photo Editor www.thewestwordonline.com How to pick the perfect handmade or store-bought present 15
