[This giveaway has ended: Thank you so much for visiting our Holiday Open House - WE HAVE OUR WINNERS - CONGRATULATIONS REBECCA and ZOE LEE!!!]
Welcome to Day 3 of our Holiday Picks & Giveaways 2008 (November 24 - December 1) sponsored by some of the most awesomely generous brands I know, who have graciously agreed to provide some really cool stuff for Her, Him, the Grandparents...okay, isn't it time we ALL put the WIN back into the winter holidays and made re-gifting a rule?!?
Seriously, I've got some really great stuff to share with you.
Our kick-off giveaway drew 170 responses -- Holy Craps! -- what a great way to celebrate the beginning of Thanksgiving week!
Raising 4 kids (we'll have two teenagers in the house, this year) my husband, Garth (not his real name) and I are trying (really hard) to remember to take back the holidays and keep it as stress free as...well...you know, we've got a little something for everyone and giving away some pretty cool stuff, too:
Day 1 - For the Outdoors: Lands' End Collection of Warm Fuzzies
Day 2 - For Him: Man Spa Gift Package from Sothys Paris - Because, He's Worth It...too!
Day 3 - For the Home: Deck the Halls, Clean the Floors and Green Gift Giving
Day 4 - For the Grandparents: Gift of the Christmas Cookie
Day 5 - For the Whole Family: Black Friday Night at the Movies...um...Night!
Day 6 - For the Kitchen: Pillsbury Home is Calling Gift Basket
Day 7 - For the Toy Box: The Discovery Store
Day 8 - Gifts that Give Back: Save the Oceans, Adopt a Creature!
My picks, product features and blog posts, as always, are advertorial free. No one is paying me, to talk about their product. It's just some really nice stuff that I thought you guys would like, too.
Let's get started, okay?
Like a lot of families, the holidays are a great time to remind children (and parents, too) to count their blessings and (especially, this year) This Full House of rusted pipes and leaky butts is going to try and keep Christmas simple.
In The Complete Idiot's Guide to Green Living (helps increase awareness and concern over global warming) author Trish Riley suggests the following decorating ideas:
- Decorate a tree living in your yard instead of buying a cut tree that will end up as mulch and which has most likely been sprayed with agricultural petrochemicals that you don't want to expose your family to in your home.
- Clip colorful pages from old magazines to patch together customized gift wrap for each package.
- Buy LED holiday lights if it's time to replace old ones.
Eco-Friendly Families, a new book by Helen Coronato, is a parent's perfect guide to raising a family with "green" values. Gift ideas include:
- Plant a mini herb garden in anticipation of holiday hostess gift needs
- Gather a snowman kit for a favorite child of for the young at heart
- Using an empty toilet paper roll, add small trinkets and candy inside and wrap with comics or cloth to create a personalized Christmas Cracker in true English tradition
That last one is my favorite - saving toilet paper rolls as we speak - cleaning the bathroom, not so much.
Then again, there's all kinds of dirty in my house. Recently, I received a sample of CLR Bathroom and Kitchen Cleaner and - since, the bathroom IS my least favorite room to clean - I thought I'd give it a shot.
It's a product that earned the EPA’s Designed for the Environment designation so the product contains no phosphates, ammonia or bleach to harm you or your family.
How does it work?
Well, I used to think that strong chemicals (like, bleach) was the only way to get my house...you know...clean enough for company.
[sniff]
CLR's foamy spray worked well on my kitchen sink and counter tops and, after I sprayed it and let it sit for a few minutes, was able to get that, you know, gray scummy stuff (you're welcome!) from off the sides of our bathtub.
Aaaand, I didn't smell like bleach - although, I'm pretty sure my husband's immune to its effects, anymore - in fact, CLR Bathroom and Kitchen Cleaner has a nice, herby-sort of green smell.
Want one?
To help make your holiday cleaning a little, you know, greener, our friends and Jelmar.com will send two (2) of our readers a bucket filled with their EPA's Designed for the Environment approved line of CLR Cleaning Products [pictured above] including, the CLR Bathroom and Kitchen Cleaner [missing from picture] for your cleaning enjoyment.
[Retail Value: $25.00]
FIND IT HERE: Jelmar.com
WIN IT HERE: Just leave a comment on this post by
10:00 a.m. on December 3rd (Wednesday) and you ARE automatically entered
to WIN IT! Two (2) winners will be picked (via random.org) and announced via email and post on PRIZEYWinners!
Help us spread the word about our open house by featuring our Holiday Survival Guide 2008 button (shown below) on your website, or blog and/or subscribe to our feed...MAKE SURE YOU COME BACK AND LEAVE ME THE LINK IN THE COMMENTS SECTION...and you'll be automatically entered for 3 extra (for a total of 4) to win!
Button, button, who's got the button?
Oh, and here's the nifty little code, just so you know:
You can take a look at all of our fantastic picks, as they are added each day November 24 - December 1, 2008, by visiting our Holiday Picks & Giveaways 2008 page.
Good luck and, you know, wake me when New Years ends!
© 2008 This Full House and This Full House Reviews - All Rights Reserved.
