Thursday 10 November 2016

New Christmas Traditions


Last year I was put onto a wonderful charity idea, where you take a handbag and fill it with toiletries and treats for adult women. I won't go into all the details - they're here. What I love about this is that it's so easy to do. If you are a savvy shopper, every time you notice something suitable on sale, you grab an extra one. Come November, hey presto, a heavily laden goodie bag is full! 

There are many collection points all over the country, so look for one near you here.

The bags are due by December 3, so they can make it to the recipients by Christmas. There are some rules on what you can't pack, so read over the instructions before purchase.




While I organise the kids Advent Calendars, this new tradition for me has also been on my mind. I've been down in the dumps lately so I decided to finish off the purchases and have the bag ready to go. I have to say I really enjoyed getting the final touches and the lovely goodies to go with the more practical side I'd collected over the last month or so.



I also got some of the Thank You body lotion so I'm giving twice, which made me doubly happy. They've also started making a Coffee Body Scrub for $14.95 which makes for a great girly present. The Thank You products come with a tracker code so you can see which part of the world the profits from the product you purchased are going to. (My coffee scrub profits are going to a hygiene project in MANDARBARI WASH, BANGLADESH.)

When do you start thinking about Christmas? Have you started any new traditions? What would you put in the bag? Do you like the gifts that give twice?



This is the first of the weekly Christmas link up. Please add one Christmas themed post below. #ChristmasLinkUp

Linking with the #OpenSlather and #MummyMondays


20 comments:

  1. I love the "It's in the Bag" campaign and I've got two bags ready to go - just waiting to find out where I can drop them off. I'm hoping we'll take it on board at work - I teach adults so it would be so neat if every class in the college put together a bag!

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  2. I'm going to a morning tea at the end of the month to drop my bag off! I'm a big fan of this charity.

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  3. Hi Lydia, talk about 'great minds' meet on social media! I spent a morning at my local shops yesterday buying for 2 bags I will have filled ready for #itsinthebag . I found people who understood what I was talking about in a couple of the shops were so helpful. I am linking an 'old' post from my link up a few weeks back when I got very nostalgic about Christmas past. I am planning to post new ones for this linky soon! Thanks for a great place to share. D xx

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  4. I love this way of giving to those less fortunate. I have two shawls getting blocked now and they are the last two things to go into the two bags I started earlier this year. Need to look for a drop off point on the coast.
    Thanks for sharing a great way to help others xox

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    1. You were the one who put me onto it! You started the tradition!

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  5. I just love love love this handbag idea. I've started chatting to my handbag designer friend about options for her in this regard to support this charity.

    The Thankyou creator spoke at ProBlogger. Very inspiring!

    Thanks for the linky. You got my A into G today with my CCC advertising.

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  6. I am planning on taking part in this campaign too. It's great to hear so many are taking this on.

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  7. oh my gosh I have never heard of this! I always donate for the kids and the food drives but I had never heard of this, just had a look at the website, what a fab idea! Thanks for letting us know #stayclassymama

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  8. A perfect new Christmas tradition!

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  9. I saw this on another blog somewhere last week... such a great idea, and so simple. Your bag looks wonderful and so full of good things.

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  10. What a great idea. Girly things in a handbag. It's a win-win I will check this out Thanks

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  11. Thanks for the party Lydia. Great idea on the handbags.

    Anne xx

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  12. That's a fantastic bag you've put together there! It's great to think that this will make someones day when they receive it. A wonderful thing to do for another person x

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  13. I love this idea of filling up a bag for others, I will have to look into it!

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  14. I really like this idea. I'm going to investigate and share this idea with my book club friends. Many years ago I convinced our family that we should do away with extravagant gift giving and go back to writing a letter to Santa asking for humble gifts. I collate all the letters, emails now, and each person is sent one letter to buy one gift for one family member and must post it to wherever that person will be for Christmas Day. Young children are exempt, of course. We love the fact that we receive a gift we actually want and the cost is kept low ($50). Many of us now ask that our gift be an Oxfam pig or goat. I wrote a post about our tradition around this time last year.

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    1. Dig it up and add it on Friday when the new link up goes live...

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  15. Ah that handbag idea is just amazing! #stayclassymama

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  16. What a great idea. Will look into it.

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