A Gift for Santa

All of these characters are tied to the fireplace. So to send a message and encourage better behavior next year, they leave something less desirable than the usual toys, money, or candy—and the fireplace would seem to make an easy and obvious source of non-presents. All the individual would need to do is reach down into the fireplace and grab a lump of coal.

While many people think of fireplaces burning wood logs, coal-fired ones were very common during the 19th and early 20th centuries, which is when the American Santa mythos was being established. Have you got a Big Question you'd like us to answer? If so, let us know by emailing us at bigquestions mentalfloss.

But the truth is, if you ever see a minor out wassailing, you may want to call his or her parents. The word wassail has many meanings. Before the Battle of Hastings in , English soldiers reportedly sang:. But, in England, wassail also denoted the alcoholic beverage you imbibed during that toast—an elixir of steamy mulled mead or cider.

Sometimes, wassail was a whipped dark beer flavored with roasted crab apples. Wassail was usually slurped from a communal bowl before, during, and after big events and holidays.

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It was supposedly on the menu during Lammas Day, a pagan autumnal harvest holiday that involves transforming cornhusks into dolls. It was also imbibed on Twelfth Night , a January holiday that involves lighting a fire in an orchard, dancing, and singing incantations to apple trees in hopes of encouraging a bountiful harvest. By the Middle Ages, the practice of sharing a giant bowl of wassail—that is, the practice of wassailing —evolved from a holiday celebration to a form of boozy begging. Not all rich folk were happy to see wassailers at their doorstep. Misers like Selden may have had a point: Since alcohol was involved, wassailers often got too rowdy.

Just choose your bread and then layer on your choices of eggs, cheese, precooked meats or another favorite ingredient, as you start the day with the best inside you. Sometimes we need our tablets sat up in front of us, especially with the drive towards to combining wireless keyboards with our small friends. This classy stand is made of wood and measures 7. This cheeky set of brain coasters will be a major talking point at parties and become a fun item as they stack up letting you look down on a full brain. Ideal as a secret Santa gift, the coasters are made from glass and have rubber feet to protect surfaces.

Not dishwasher or microwave safe. White Noise Sound Machine. For those struggling to get to sleep at night, this white noise machine may just be the answer to getting some perfect rest. Pac-Man Lamp Ghost Light. Retro cool while it sets the mood, this Pac-Man ghost lamp will be a hit for that Secret Santa gamer you pulled!

With 2 light modes, and USB cable function, it can change between 16 different colors, or pulse to the rhythm of their favorite tunes! When you need something to lean your laptop on, or hold some food or drinks while you watch TV, this homemade lap desk is ideal. Sewing Kit in a Jar. When you require a small gift for either Christmas, a wedding favor, or maybe just to say thank you, then check out this blog for how to put together a sewing kit.

Follow the simple instructions to construct your own preferred version of these items that will not stretch your festive budget. Diy Felt Heart Hand Warmers. For someone special in your life, take a look at this simple blog post that explains how to make some heart shaped hand warmers. Touchingly sentimental, these little gifts have a very practical purpose and can be made without fuss by following the included instructions and helpful photographs.

Sometimes the simplest gifts can be the best, especially if they provide relief to an ailment. For those with chapped or cracked lips this handy blog post gives a solution in the form of a lip balm, homemade and ultimately a delight for any sufferers that you may know. The simple gifts detailed in this blog can be constructed with ease by following the instructions provided, and will be ideal as small favors or secret Santa gifts for work colleagues or friends.

Stylish yet inexpensive, these pencils are bound to be a hit with both giver and recipient. It can be mesmerizing when you see the large range of soaps and lotions available to buy as presents, including the price tag.

However, if you follow the instructions in this simple blog, you will be able to make your own lotion bars that can have a very personalized scent for your recipient. Homemade can sometimes be best and when it comes to Sriracha salt, it can be done quite easily and to your own particular taste.

A Gift For Santa

Check the details in this blog that will have you reaching for ingredients in a frenzy to take charge in the kitchen and produce your own salt. Popular at Christmas time and yet bought for serious cost, peppermint bark makes a great favor or present with its unique taste. Vintage Feedsack Chalkboard Lockets.

Check out this blog for how to make keepsake necklaces that will say so much, with their included photograph of the special person, and their touching verse. Pie Chart Paper Pendants. These fun and funky necklaces make great cheap, but stylish gifts to fill stockings at any Christmas time.

With simple instructions and detailed photographs included in this helpful blog, there will be no stopping you as you lay on the craft for this festive time of the year. Cup Full of Cheer. With a quick trip to the dollar store, a glass jar, a mug, and a few other odds-n-ends can come together to make one of the most customizable and thoughtful office exchange gifts imaginable!

Follow the simple instructions here. Anyone can make this delicious smelling and healthy homemade orange and espresso soap to give as gifts this holiday season! Using some essential oils, powders, a potato peeler of all things! You can find the full instructions here. Why should your co-worker settle for the same-ol, same-ol blah bulletin board in their cubicle…when they can have this handmade masterpiece? With a bit of burlap, a few decorative nails, a hammer or rubber mallet, and a heavy-duty stapler or staple gun, you can create this rustic piece of practical art!

Find the complete instructions here.

Mint Matcha Body Scrub. Bath and body gifts always, always, go over big at the Secret Santa gift exchange. And once people see that their gift is this homemade delicious-smelling mint matcha body scrub made by you , the office gift exchange will never be the same!

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Gather some matcha green tea, Epsom salt, and a couple essential oils, then follow the easy instructions here! Chocolate Peppermint Swizzle Sticks. You rarely go wrong with holiday-themed food as a Secret Santa gift exchange item, and these white chocolate swizzle sticks are a sure hit! You can either make the sticks themselves with wooden dowels and beads, or buy them at the craft store. Or, you can mix it up and use the peppermint sticks as the swizzle sticks. Either way, grab some chocolate chips, vegetable oil, and these instructions as you head off into deliciousness!

All you need will be a glass mason jar you can find at the local dollar store , the ingredients for the cookies, a free printable label, and a bit of decorative trim. Find the full and delectable instructions here. Stir up a gift giving storm with this DIY guide on homemade cork coasters. With very little materials and just as little time, you can make a beautiful set of coasters straight from the heart and not the bank!

Give as a gift to loved ones or as a uniquely special secret Santa gift. This printable elf arrival letter is a personal touch to the festive season. Encouraging the recipient to give to others, it holds a valuable message to both the young and old. Cute and simple, it would be a great addition to any secret Santa sack. Diy Washi Tape Notebooks.

Benefit from the ever popular washi tape, and create this beautiful homemade gift. By following this guide through, and using very little materials, you can make a DIY notebook. Have fun experimenting with patterns and end up with a very personal gift idea for your loved ones. Follow this tutorial to discover a very cute secret Santa gift idea that you can make from home, without putting a hole in your packet. Simply use the guide and print out the free pictures, and you will end up with an adorable set of Tic-Tac holders.

Chalkboard Mug Diy Project. Read this DIY guide and you will end up with a very personal and creative addition to your secret Santa arsenal. With just a few simple instructions to follow, you can create spice blends personal to the gift receiver. The article even offers recipe cards to help with the process. A very unique gift idea. Diy Secret Santa Gift.

Using just a few materials that are readily available, and a small amount of creative skill, you too could make this stocking in time for Christmas.

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Diy Cookie Cutter Candles. Quintessentially Christmassy, these cookie cutter candles would make a great addition to any festive home — fun to make, they would make a perfect gift for anyone and everyone in your life. Stove Top Potpourri Gift. Spread the love and the smells of Christmas with this printable guide on making stove top potpourri.

Diy All Natural Lip Balm. This lip balm is easy to make, smells amazing and is beneficial to the lips in so many ways. Follow the guide to find out how to make it! Diy Wooden Triangle Hair Pins. Cheap and fun to make, you can create an individual and personal gift that does not leave a hole in your pocket. These infused vodkas are the ideal DIY gift this Christmas. Neither time consuming or too expensive, you can gift someone a delicious, heartfelt gift that you know they will enjoy just hopefully not in one sitting. With different flavors to choose from, you know there will be something suited for everyone.

This DIY guide shows you how to make not only one, but two great homemade Christmas presents. Starting with festive tea bags and moving to an embroidered ornament. They would both make a great secret Santa gift together or separately as stocking fillers. Fun to make, delicious and well received, these hot cocoa stirrers will go down a treat at Christmas. Cheap to make, they are a great way to add a bit of luxury to your cocoa.

37 Painfully Funny Secret Santa Gifts (These are Hilarious)

Leaving marshmallows floating in the cup, and a sweet peppermint taste or whatever flavor you decide your cocoa just got upgraded. You may also like: Be the secret Santa who everyone hopes to get next year, by giving gifts this year that really raise the bar. Cards Against Humanity You might have heard the buzz about this delightfully despicable card game lately. Magnetic Decision Maker A new twist on the classic Magic 8 Ball, and a fun new way to make those tricky decisions at the office. Habit Rabbit Did you draw the Secret Santa name of a friend at work who is known for being a tad forgetful?

Tea Drop Sampler If you drew the name of a tea-lover at work then this tea drop sampler is ideal for them! Crackling Candles The holiday season is the perfect time to give the gift of candles, and they make a wonderfully festive Secret Santa gift to boot! Ticket Stub Diary Draw the name of a real music lover in your office? Flavor Infuser Water Bottle Just about everyone wants to be healthier and drink more water, but sometimes water is just so….

Merlot Infused Coffee You ever really want a glass of wine at work? Bubble Calendar Admit it. My Therapy Wine Glass Sometimes the only way to work through, well, work, is with a bit of therapy. Dance and Embrace Spirit Candles Upon first impressions, this unassuming candle might not seem all that unusual, aside from its extra little bit of weight. Banned Books Tote Bag A sophisticated gift for the free-speech book lover of the office.

Morning, Noon and Night Coffee This is the ideal gift for the refined coffee-lover in the office, the one who knows there are different types of coffee for different moods. How to Traumatize Your Children Book Give this gift to a parent in your life, so they can pass on the gift of lifelong trauma to their children. Polaroid Snap Instant Digital Camera Shake off last years secret santa fail, and flash your way into the gift giving hall of fame with this instant digital camera by Polaroid. Cute Marshmallow Shaped Hot Chocolate Mugs These cute marshmallow mugs are the perfect companion for a hot cup of cocoa on a cold winters night.

Lewo Wooden Stacking Game Great for adults and kids alike, this colorful stacking game from Lewo would stand tall as a great secret Santa gift this year. Estaly Yellow Nesting Duck Colander Set Bring a bit of color and fun to your kitchen with these nesting duck colanders. Pizza Slice Plates Grab a pizza the action and serve pizza on pizza. Vent Human Face Ball Anti-stress Ball We all know someone that could do with letting out some stress from time to time. See what they did there?

Festive themed hilarity is always welcome. W e've all got work acquaintances we just don't know that well, so a nice vague, non-personal, inoffensive gift voucher is actually the ideal gift. And considering that Amazon sells pretty much everything, they can spend it on whatever mystery interests they have. T ea that tastes like Christmas?

Why We Should Leave the Smaller Gifts to Santa

We think they'll be pleased. A game where the players have to guess which of the quotes were actually said by Donald Trump. S et them up for their New Year's Resolutions with this one litre water bottle.



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S weets usually go down well and you never know, they might share them with you. It's a pocket-sized kite. Why wouldn't you buy it for yourself, let alone your Secret Santee? W ill I get a pay rise? Will my boss stop making my life miserable? We foresee the whole gang having a go on the Mystic 8 Ball. E veryone is a cycling enthusiast now so chances are you could give this to anyone in the office and still hit the bullseye. H ave their name printed on their very own Santa's Sack for pure Christmas vibes.

And with your money going to Cancer Research, there'll actually be good vibes all round.