Outside the Box Gift Ideas for the Home

(BPT) - In the words of a popular Christmas carol, there's no place like home for the holidays - it's

where family gathers and where long-treasured memories are made. So this year as you begin shopping

for those on your list, why not gift something for them and for their abode? There's something for

everyone - for the music junkie, the whole family, even for the king or queen of the brood. Read on for

some outside-the-box gift ideas that will add instant luxe inside the home.

* For the music junkie: Soak yourself in water and music with one of the holiday's hottest gadgets: the

KOHLER Moxie Showerhead + Wireless Speaker, an easy and affordable way to tech up your bath by

integrating sound into the showering experience. The bonus: the Bluetooth-enabled wireless speaker

pops out for musical enjoyment throughout the bath - and beyond. List Price: $199

* For the concert aficionado: If it's the pulsing energy of a rock concert that brings goose bumps to

your arms, or the delightful cascading flow of an aria that sends shivers down your spine, you can now

recreate these experiences right in your own home. The KOHLER VibrAcoustic Bath transforms your

bath into an in-home concert hall. This new technology encompasses the hearing and feeling sensation

of music through the entire body, giving you the same musical experience as felt in a concert hall. With

six speakers both above and below the water line, you'll love the musical experience while taking a

bath. And with its premium sound quality, the bath doubles as an audio source, even if you're not

soaking. List Price: Starting at $3,245

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For the family: Think giving everyone in your home a custom shower would break the holiday

budget? Think again. The KOHLER HydroRail Shower Column instantly transforms a standard

shower into an at-home spa with the addition of a rain head and a hand shower, allowing each

family member to adjust the height of the hand shower for a truly customized bathing experience.

Now the tallest members of the family won't complain about constantly hitting their arms and heads

on the shower head, and parents can easily bathe small children without having to get wet. List

Price:Starting at $380

* For the color enthusiast: Splashes of color bring out energy and happy emotions when strategically

placed around the house. From throw pillows to a colorful painting in a bedroom, it's fun to install a

touch of color here and there. KOHLER Colors featuring Jonathan Adler highlights four bold hues on

six of Kohler's enameled cast iron sinks that will add a memorable punch of color to the kitchen or

bathroom: Greenwich Green is cultured and cultivated, Piccadilly Yellow is exuberant and fun, Palermo

Blue is cool and refreshing and Annapolis Navy is the unconditional classic nautical hue. List

Price:Starting at $295

* For the king (or queen) of the castle: If money is no object and you want to gift something with a

serious luxe factor, consider a throne. The Numi toilet from Kohler is the most advanced toilet with

bidet functionality, built-in music system, heated seat and foot warmer, dual-flush technology and

of course, a sleek, interactive LCD touch-screen interface. This royal flush is worth the splurge. List

Price: $6,390.

Should Santa sneak one or two of these finds under your tree, don't fret. Your house will certainly

thank you.

Get Crafty with These Holiday Gift Wrap Ideas

(BPT) - Make wrapping gifts more fun this holiday season. Get your supplies ready, invite some friends and turn up the holiday music.

Before you get started, here are some creative gift wrapping tips from popular crafting blogger, Cindy Hopper, founder of SkipToMyLou.org.

"I love wrapping holiday gifts - from little treasures like Dunkin' Donuts(R) seasonal packaged coffee

to bigger presents like kids' toys and electronics - in unexpected and creative ways," says Hopper. "You don't need a lot of money, just some motivation and imagination, to create packaging that will make any gift recipient smile."

* A touch of fun - Make packaging playful by adding a small toy like a jump rope as ribbon or jingle

bells to the top of the gift.

* Tie two together- Have the gift and its wrapping complement one another. Place a bag of new

Dunkin' Donuts Gingerbread Cookie packaged coffee in a cookie jar. Present the Pumpkin Spice

variety in a basket of mini-pumpkins, or serve Mocha Mint with a favorite chocolate bar.

* Keep a cushion - Replace packing peanuts with colorful tissue paper, blown up balloons or even

wrapped candies, to create an eye-catching display when recipients open their package.

* Wrap it up - Instead of purchasing wrapping paper, see what's available at home to use. Newspaper comics, wallpaper scraps or even pages from an old atlas or map make memorable gift wrap.

* Look to nature-Add a fresh flower, pretty shell or sprig of mistletoe for an elegant, outdoor element

to any holiday gift.

* Contain yourself - Instead of the standard cardboard box, house gifts in decorative tins, hat boxes or

fruit crates for a clever presentation.

* Two in one - If gifting seasonal food or beverages, pair the gift with serving items. For example, offer Dunkin' Donuts packaged coffee in a mug, or wrap the package with a ribbon attached to a coffee scoop.

* Tag, you're it- Focus on the gift tag. Use unusual items like recipe cards, luggage tags or coasters to

identify gift recipients.

* Stamp it out - View plain wrapping paper as a canvas by covering it with a unique pattern of colorful rubber stamp prints.

*Monogram madness - Personalize presents by including the recipients' initials on the wrapping.

Write their initials all over the paper or affix cut out letters or cookie cutters in their initials as tags.

Six Tips for Taking the Best Family Portraits

 Photo attribution

http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=60534&picture=christmas-family 

(BPT) - As the holidays approach, many families are planning annual portraits for personalized cards

and gifts to loved ones. But this can be a complex planning ordeal for even the most organized person. In addition to coordinating schedules and what everyone should wear, it's just as important to focus on the best photography tips, tools and techniques to make the most of your family portrait.

"Everyone who has ever taken or posed for a family photo knows it's a rewarding yet challenging

endeavor," says Tim Meyer,-owner of Meyer Photography and program chair of the portrait division of photography at Brooks Institute, a leading provider of higher education for film, visual journalism,

graphic design and photography. "The good news is that with proper planning and digital photography advances families can get higher-quality photos than ever before, whether you're hiring a professional photographer or doing it yourself."

While it can still be difficult to capture the entire family with smiles on their faces, Meyer offers six

tips for taking the perfect family portrait this holiday:

1. Invest in quality camera equipment. Digital photography has brought the world of photography to

the masses, and high-quality digital cameras can be purchased new or used at reasonable prices. For

family portraits, make sure the camera has a timer so you can be a part of the picture. You should also

consider buying a tripod to steady your camera and make your photo shoot easier.

2. Scope out the best locations and background for the shoot. Think outside the family fireplace to

create interesting indoor backdrops for family photos - but avoid mirrors and windows that can create

issues by reflecting light. If choosing an outdoor location, make sure it is free from distraction. Like

indoor shots, intricate patterns or background commotion can distract from the subject of the photo - in this case, your family.

3. Consider the best time for taking photos with your family. Natural lighting is great for family photos, particularly the golden hour - the first and last hour of sunlight during each day. If this isn't convenient

for your family, choose a time when any children involved in the picture are well rested and more apt to patiently pose for photos. If you're shooting indoors, ensure there's adequate lighting, whether natural or from other sources.

4. Take lots of shots, but remember that the best expressions with children are often the first ones.

Group photos are challenging, considering the number of people who must smile and look their best at the same time. Chances are you'll have several photos with eye-blinking subjects and wiggly children. To increase your odds of getting the best family portrait, take as many photos as possible and vary the composition to get different angles and arrangements.

5. Plan ahead if including a furry friend in your family portraits. Many people view their pets as

members of the family, so it's only fitting that you might want to include your beloved pet in a family

portrait. If so, choose a time when the pet is naturally calmer, perhaps after a walk or at nap time. Also,bring treats to hold the pet's attention and reward the pet for a job well done.

6. Leave it to the professionals. If the challenge of taking your own family photographs becomes

overwhelming, connect with a professional photographer who can provide additional tips or

work within your budget to help you get professional family photos in time for the holidays.

Today's professionals offer a greater variety of styles and ways of sharing your images than ever

before.

Secrets of Building a Great Gift Basket

(BPT) - Giving a great gift basket is like bestowing a buffet of gifts on your loved one, and when the

well-put-together gift basket is opened, well, that's a magical moment. Beneath the pretty decorations

lie enchanting mysteries that emerge one-by-one to the delight of the recipient.

The personal aspects of a gift basket are also endearing. You can customize a gift basket to the occasion

(holiday, birthday, retirement, etc.) and tastes of the recipient, and taking the time to do so shows your

thoughtfulness and caring. Building a great gift basket can be fun and easy. The gift experts at Cracker

Barrel Old Country Store offer some advice for putting together a gift basket that will charm any

recipient:

The first steps

Begin by deciding what to put in the gift basket - packaged food, gourmet coffees, collegiate items,

apparel, candles, personal care items like soaps or lotions, cooking utensils, books, jewelry, home decor

items, gardening tools, ornaments, picture frames, etc. Practically any hobby or area of interest can be

an inspiration for a gift basket. Base your choice on the recipient's personality and interests.

Next, choose a container. Baskets, of course, are the classic container, but don't overlook other options,

especially if they fit the overall theme you've chosen. For example, load a toy football helmet with

items inspired by his favorite football team. A large stockpot can be ideal for holding cooking utensils

for a foodie or budding chef. A planter makes a useful and decorative container for gardening tools.

Arranging items

Once you've chosen the perfect container, think about how you'll arrange the items that go in it. First,

add some decorative shredding (available in craft stores, or make your own with colored paper and a

paper shredder) to help stabilize items in the container and make it look even more attractive. Then,

follow these rules of thumb for arranging items:

* Place tallest items in the back. If you're using a round container, choose a side to serve as a visual

"back."

* Moving forward, stair step the rest of your items from tall to short. It's OK if the rows are not

perfectly straight or even. In fact, a little variance in the arrangement will make the basket look even

more appealing.

* Be sure to place packaged items with the most interesting side facing forward so it's immediately

visible. For example, if you've included a bag of the recipient's favorite coffee, make sure the brand

name is showing so he or she will be able to tell at a glance what's in the basket.

* Be careful not to completely hide any items. It's fine to have things peeping through here or there, but

avoid burying anything on the bottom. Buried items could potentially get lost and tossed out with the

shredding.

* If you need to hold items in place, secure them using some glue lines or glue dots (also available in

craft stores.) Fitting everything snugly is the key.

The finishing touches

Once your basket is artfully filled, place the entire container in a large cellophane bag. Gather the bag

above the contents of the basket, then tie a bow at the narrowest part of the gathered bag. For smaller

containers, pull the corners of the bag under the container and tape them. Trim any excess bag at the

top.

You can either hand-deliver your gift basket - which gives you the instant gratification of seeing the

surprise and happiness on your loved one's face - or ship it if that's more convenient and practical.

When shipping, be sure to package your basket securely. If you purchase a gift basket at Cracker

Barrel, they will pack it for you at no extra cost and you just pay the actual shipping fee.

If creating a gift basket yourself is not your cup of tea - or if you prefer to have an expert handle the job

- the gift gurus at Cracker Barrel can do it for you based on your specifications. Visit

shop.crackerbarrel.com to learn more.

Five Tips for Stress-Free Gift Giving

(BPT) - Holidays are supposed to be fun. But the struggle to find the right gift can put a damper on

even the happiest celebration. Good news: It doesn't have to be that way. With a few simple tips and

tricks, learn how to take the stress and hassle out of shopping for presents and focus on the joy of

giving.

Lizzie Post, etiquette expert and paid Bank of America spokesperson, offers these simple tips for stress-

free gifting:

* Get creative: Not sure what to buy? Sometimes it's as simple as a little investigating on social media.

Friends or family members often post clues on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest that indicate their

interests or "must have" items.

* Stay organized: Make a list of stores throughout the year where you've seen gift ideas and presents

you'll want to purchase for the holidays. This will cut down on the number of trips you make to the

mall. Also, keep blank cards on hand for any occasion, as well as envelopes and stamps, so that sending cards becomes as easy as walking to the mailbox.

* Don't break the bank: Create a budget for gifts. Managing finances and shopping within your means

will take away some stress and restore a sense of control. Then relax and enjoy the occasion without

fretting about your next credit card statement.

* Designate a day: Dedicate a day, or even just a few hours, to shopping. Crossing all of your errands

off at once will feel like an accomplishment and free up time for other activities such as spending time with friends and family.

* Be practical: No one wants to buy a gift that's going to collect dust in the recipient's closet. Instead,

buy something that will be useful. And remember, useful doesn't mean boring; it means thoughtful like a gift certificate to a favorite restaurant or a vase for a friend who loves fresh flowers.

*Don't hesitate to gift cash.

To make gift giving even simpler, why not give a friend or family member the freedom to buy what

they want? Giving cash is the best way to ensure that the gift will go toward something they really

want. Better yet, it means no more trekking to the post office, paying outrageous shipping fees, dealing with crowds at a mall, or waiting in long lines. It's a win-win situation.

And, with advances in mobile technology, gifting money is easier and more convenient than ever. For

instance, Bank of America lets people send money to another person using only their email address or

mobile phone number, allowing them to save time, energy and effort.

Prefer to send a check? No problem. Recipients can simply access Bank of America's mobile banking

app on their smartphone or tablet to securely deposit checks on their schedule.

Follow these tips to simplify your life and focus on what's truly meaningful. For more information,

visit www.bankofamerica.com/mobilebanking.

18 Layer Red Velvet Cake

With just a little effort on your part, this cake manages to create maximum "wow" factor for guests.

1. Ingredients

White Cake

1box Betty Crocker SuperMoist white cake mix

1 and 1/4 cups water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

 Red Velvet Cake

1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist German chocolate cake mix

1 cup water 

1/2 cup vegetable oil 

3 eggs 

2 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa 

1 bottle (1 ounce) red liquid food color (about 2 tablespoons)

 Frosting

 2 and 1/2 cups marshmallow creme (from two 7-ounce jars)

 1 and 1/2 cups butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

4 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar .-

Heat oven to 350 F. Spray 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray. Line bottom of each pan

with cooking parchment paper. Spray parchment paper with cooking spray.

Method 

2. In large bowl, beat White Cake ingredients on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2

minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Loosely cover and refrigerate.

3.In another large bowl, beat Red Velvet Cake ingredients on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium

speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.

4.Spread 1/2 cup red velvet batter in bottom of each pan. Loosely cover and refrigerate remaining

batter. Place all 3 pans on oven rack positioned in center of oven. Bake about 8 minutes or until cake is set when lightly touched in center.

5.For next cake layer, spread 1/2 cup white batter evenly over each baked red velvet layer. Bake 8 to

10 minutes or until cake is set when lightly touched in center.

6.Repeat steps 4 and 5, twice, baking 9 to 12 minutes per layer or until top of cake layer is set when

lightly touched in center.

7.Cool 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans; remove parchment paper from bottoms of cakes. Cool

completely, about 30 minutes.

8.Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat marshmallow creme, butter, vanilla and 1 tablespoon milk with

electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Beat in powdered sugar until fluffy. If necessary, beat in more milk, a few drops at a time until spreading consistency.
9.To assemble, stack cake layers, spreading 1/2 cup frosting between each layer. Spread remaining

frosting on side and top of cake.

The Christmas song - Michael Buble rendition