9 Gifts In A Jar That Anyone Would Love To Get

A genius hack for better Christmas photos, a podcast that can protect you from fraud, and more. December 20, 2021 [View Online]( Good morning! Putting a new twist on an old idea can be an unexpected source of inspiration, like it was with the gift ideas featured in Today’s Good Thing. A modern twist on the gift basket, the “gift in a jar” feels both fresh and timeless, and the 9 I'm sharing with you today make perfect last-minute gifts. Here’s to the short week ahead—let's make it a good one. Jillee DAYS UNTIL 🎄 Christmas: 5 🎊 New Year's Day: 12 TODAY'S GOOD THING 9 Gifts In A Jar That Anyone Would Love To Get [Photos of various gifts in a jar.]( Not only does a glass jar make a beautiful gift container, but it’s every bit as useful as the gifts inside. Several years ago, I was considering putting together a gift basket to give to someone for Christmas, but had the idea to put the gifts in a large glass jar instead of a wicker basket. After I shared my “gift in a jar” idea on my blog and Pinterest page, it quickly became one of my most popular posts. It's still one of my favorite gifts to give during the holidays, and the fact that I have yet to run out of ideas for gifts you can put in a jar is—at least in my humble opinion—a testament to how versatile the concept is. The most crucial component of a gift in a jar is, unsurprisingly, the jar itself. My favorite jars to use for this purpose are the [1-gallon]( and [2-gallon]( glass jars from Anchor Hocking you can find at Walmart. Their classic design never goes out of style, and they make attractive and functional storage containers for just about anything. The other component of a gift in a jar is what you put inside it. I like to pick a handful of relatively inexpensive items that all relate to a central theme, and I’ve done some of the legwork for you by coming up with 9 different gifts in a jar for anyone you still have to cross off your gift list. Check out these 9 “gift in a jar” ideas you still have plenty of time to put together by following the link below. (Plus, get even more gift inspiration by checking out my other gifts in a jar posts in the related links section.) [9 Gifts In A Jar That Anyone Would Love To Get ➜]( Related • [10 Unique Gift Ideas For An Amazing “Gift In A Jar”]( • [7 Easy “Gift In A Jar” Ideas You Can Put Together In No Time]( ⚡️QUICK TIPS⚡️ • From monster bars to lemon bread and beyond, explore treasured holiday recipes submitted by OGT readers here. [Read more ➜]( • If you have several glass containers with labels you want to remove, here’s a quick and easy way to do it. [Read more ➜]( • Spruce up your holiday table with easy-to-fold Christmas tree napkins or any of these other table decor ideas. [Read more ➜]( CLEANING Hide Christmas Trash In Plain Sight [A photo of box wrapped in wrapping paper being used to hold trash.]( Use this creative tip to keep empty gift bags and torn paper contained without relying on trash bags. This tip is one of many that I wish I had known back when my kids were little! I think it makes a brilliant solution to a common problem, especially for those who take a lot of photos of their kids or grandkids opening presents on Christmas. During present opening, torn paper and empty bags can pile up fast if you don’t have somewhere to put them. You could stuff it into trash bags to keep it contained until you can recycle it, but wouldn't it be better of you could avoid having bulging bags of garbage in your Christmas photos? Instead, hide your refuse in plain sight by making a “Christmas recycling box.” Just cover the outside of a large cardboard box with some spare wrapping paper, leaving the top of the box open. It’s a great way to keep your gift wrap refuse contained in a way that won’t be an eyesore in your photos. STAY SAFE OUT THERE Cautionary Tales That Can Help You Avoid Scams [A promotional image for ]( This podcast uses the power of stories to help the 50+ community protect themselves from fraud. Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools that humans have to learn about the world around us. While individual dates, names, places, and events are easy to mix up or forget entirely, the same details are often much easier to retain when they’re presented in the format of a story. Stories also make for entertaining listening, and many podcasts use storytelling to educate their audiences on subjects that may not be very exciting in other formats. One podcast doing this is [The Perfect Scam]( a weekly podcast from the [AARP Fraud Watch Network]( that shares the stories of people who have been targeted by scams. The podcast is hosted by Peabody Award-winning journalist Bob Sullivan, who uses storytelling and interviews with experts to pull back the curtain on con artists and their operations. Recent episodes have covered scams related to property, puppies, charitable giving, get-rich-quick seminars, and more. If you’re like me and like to listen to something while you work or do chores, consider downloading an episode of The Perfect Scam and giving it a try. The more scams you're familiar with, the more likely you'll be to recognize the red flags if you’re ever targeted by one. JILLEE'S PICK A Gift Box That Makes Them Work For It [A photo of 2 money puzzle gift boxes.]( If you also come from a family whose love language is “giving people a hard time,” then I don’t have to tell you about the appeal of packaging gifts in a way that makes the recipient put in some time and effort to get to the gift inside. In addition to the classic gift pranks (for example, putting the gift in a box, then putting the box in a slightly larger box, then putting that box in a slightly larger box, and so on), I recently came across a fun new idea for giving a loved one a gift they’ll have to work for: the [money puzzle gift box](. Just roll up some money, place the money in the hole at the center of the box, then close it up. Once closed, the only way to open the box is by moving the ball through the maze. Once the ball reaches the end of the maze, the recipient will be able to open the box and retrieve the money. The way I see it, the appeal of these money puzzle gift boxes is two-fold—first, it makes a cash gift more interesting, and second, the recipient can continue to play with the puzzle even after they’ve gotten the cash out. So it’s sort of like two gifts in one—albeit with a dash of annoyance (but that’s family for you!) [See money puzzle gift boxes on Amazon ➜]( MONDAY MOTIVATION You Are The Best Gift You Can Give “A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.” - James Keller Especially during the Christmas season, we can all use a reminder that material things aren’t the only gifts worth giving. We all have gifts that can benefit others if we’re willing to give them, like our time, our friendship, our compassion, and our unique talents. But it isn’t always easy to give these kinds of gifts. Offering up these aspects of ourselves to others can be a vulnerable thing, or even make us feel as though we’re giving away the things that make us interesting and “valuable” as individuals. Our gifts aren't something we need to jealously guard, because when we do give our time, knowledge, or love away freely, we share light and warmth instead of giving it away, like a candle shares its flame with another candle. Giving can help us realize how much we have to offer, and increase our awareness of all the gifts we receive from other people. This week, I encourage you to look for opportunities to light someone else’s candle. Whether it’s help, wisdom, or even a smile or compliment, we all have the power to brighten someone’s day by giving of ourselves. A FEW MORE THINGS... Game On: It’s Games Day, a celebration of games of all varieties, whether card, board, live, video, trivia, mobile, role-playing, etc. Games can be both a form of stress relief and a source of stress, sometimes simultaneously, but that's part of the fun! No matter what kind of games you like to play or who you like to play them with, games bring us together, and for that we salute them. On This Day: In 1946, the movie [It’s a Wonderful Life]( premiered at the Globe Theatre in New York City. While it was initially met with mixed reviews, it became a holiday television staple in the 70s, and in 1990 was added to the National Film Registry. The movie is now widely considered one of the greatest movies—Christmas or otherwise—ever made. What did you think of today's email? [Not good]( | [Just okay]( | [Loved it!]( 🏠[Visit the By Jillee Shop]( 🤗 [Join OGT Free]( Let's connect! [facebook]( [instagram]( [pinterest]( [youtube]( If you have thoughts, comments, questions or a tip or trick you'd like to share, I'd love to hear from you! My inbox is always open, so just hit "reply" and let me know what's on your mind. See you tomorrow! Sending you bright ideas and simple solutions to help you create a home and life you love. My mailing address is: One Good Thing by Jillee 841 S. Main St. Heber City, UT 84032 If you're not happy please reply to this email to tell me why, or you can [update your preferences]( or break my heart and unsubscribe [here](. View our privacy policy [here](.