The Give Twice Holiday Gift Guide: Fab Gifts That Give Back To Charity '09

Giving Twice with Some of My Favorite Gifts!You can never go wrong with totes! Use them as the gift bag and watch them used over and over by your gift recipient. I've given so many of the LOOP Whatever It Takes bags, $32., and everyone who has received them, loves them... I love the quality and the designs. FEED bags, $35., are so classic now and I love all the sizes they now come in. Another favorite is the line of super soft tee's by OmniPeace. I have the classic design and wear it to death . Now you can give your Ed Hardy and be charitable at the same time with the Ed Hardy for OmniPeace tee, $69.

Click here to keep reading for our complete Give Twice Gift Picks!>>

• Subscribe to Gave That by Email

Blacking Out Online: Black Friday Gift Guide '09

Bait and switch, door busters that are immediately grabbed up by the first five people in line, driving for hours only to come home empty handed... discounts which are the exact same sale prices from last week. Oh and less we forget pushing, shoving, yelling, cart wheels rolling over your toes. Score without the stress... here is our guide to some online Black Friday hot spots:

The Jelly Belly Shop: Their gourmet jelly bean sampler boxes are a classic alternative to chocolates and less fattening too. Save up to 20% off on select holiday gifts such as the 40 flavor Christmas sampler box, plus use the code: "MERRY" to get a free 10 flavor gift box with your $35. order. Orders over $50. automatically get free S&H.

W Hotels The Store: This is a favorite off the beaten path spot for finding great gifts at up to 80% off. Check out the Calypso candles, perfume and Jonathan Adler bud vase. Use their one day Black Friday code: "H2T9R" at checkout for an extra 30% off everything in the store online.

Red Envelope: Is holding a Black Red Sale for 3 days with great gifts, many of which can be personalized, at up to 85% off (the average is around 40% off). Check out the 20 Questions Game now $4.99, Diamond Initial Necklace now $24.99 and Fire Starter Kit now $34.99. Use Black Friday coupon code: "SRCHSave5" for an extra 5% off.

Hayden-Harnett: The NYC leather bag designers are offering up to 40% on select current fall bags... and I can vouch that their leather is gorgeous and will only get better with age! Special deals include an additional 10% off your order if you spend $300, 20% off for $500 or 30% off if you spend $700 or more plus get free S&H with orders of $250 or more. Along with bags find scarves, totes, luggage tags, and shoes.

Zoya Nail Polish: Love the more natural version of nail polish by Zoya and the fact it feels OK to give these to younger girls and those who are pregnant. These are vegan too. They can be a little hit or miss but their creamy colors seem to wear best. Zoya's Green Friday event will give you 6 free nail polishes (all in shades of green) when you spend $20 and use the code: "GREENFRIDAY". Also get free S&H on orders over $55. and free gifts when you spend over $30.

Sort Floor Books: A fab secret nook for finding deeply discounted books... especially coffee table gift faves and cookbooks which can normally be pricey. You never know what you'll find there so do searches often. Some can have remainder marks so plan on keeping those for yourself or donate them! Look for children's books, stationery sets and my personal favorite, Mega Mini Kits and Running Press Mini Kits. Use code: "Nov09" for an extra 10% off and get free S&H when you spend $14.99 or more.

Online Sample Sale Perks

One Kings Lane: Is giving each new members who signs up through our link $10 to spend now until Dec. 1st '09 so hurry and join. This Black Friday you will find tons of candles by CIR, Maxim's de Paris and Archipelago plus luggage by Tepper Jackson and Saltbox, toys, Fatboy beanbag chairs and more.

RueLaLa: Is giving each new member who joins through our link $10 to spend now until the end of Dec. '09. Michael Kors bags, Portolano hats and scarves, Vineyard 29 wines and Di Modolo Milano fine jewelry.

Gomatta Girls: This Black Friday they are offering a pretty sizable collection of silk and wool Raj scarves including some that were originally $300, $150, for $29. and $25.50. Many are $19. bucks. Also find lots of Tulle, Plastic Island, Jae Basilio and more. Now through Sun. Nov. 29th '09 get free S&H on any size order.

The Top Secret: Use codes: "LITTLELOVE" for $5. off $50, "BIGLOVE" for $10 off $100 spent or "HUGELOVE" for $15 off $150 on their Heys luggage sale which features the artist collection of rolling bags by Romero Britto. The 4 piece set is $499.00, down from $2,120.00.

For our full calender of online sample sale events visit THE LIST.

Image: Heys

• Subscribe to Gave That by Email

Mulling Things Over

Wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!

A favorite all throughout the holidays is the scent of mulling apple cider filling the home and mingling with baked bread, mulled wine and hot chocolate. Simple to make it sets such a warm, welcoming tone for Thanksgiving and Christmas. This is the recipe I enjoy using:

Combine in a heavy pot:
5 Cups of Apple Cider
1 Cheese cloth pouch or tea ball of mulling spices (a favorite bland includes a cinnamon stick broken into pieces, whole allspice, whole cloves, 3 whole peppercorns, pieces of dried or candies orange peel)
2 Tablespoons of Buttershots (butterscotch liquor)
A couple slices of orange
A couple slices of apple

Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to lowest setting a let simmer (under careful watch) for a few hours. Add water if it becomes too concentrated. Serve warm with a cinnamon swizzle stick.

Also Read:
- The Gift of Gratitude

Image: MAM for GaveThat.com
• Subscribe to Gave That by Email

Kate Spade Redeems Herself - Holiday Collection '09

On the Radar Gift Guide '09 Snap Shot: Not since her Par Avion bag collection has anything from Kate Spade caught my eye but now she has redeemed her line with these swank pieces that channel Maison Martin Margiela and Yazbukey for sure. The necklace is a bit much but love the flats for their good humor and pop of color. Pictured: Bourgeois Bow bib necklace, $125, Red Letter Day bracelet, $65, Fiona flats, $95, Bourgeois Bow ring, $65.

Image: Kate Spade.com | GaveThat digital studio

• Subscribe to Gave That by Email

Savvy Gift Sales: Online Sample & Secret Sales for the week of November 23rd 2009

Save Up to 90% with these Secret Online Sample Sales & Special Gift Deal Finds! Forget Black Friday pushing and shoving and why wait for Cyber Monday? Click through our special links below to see my calender of events, join and start shopping right away:

This week we found... Judith Leiber bags, Vineyard 29, 7 for All Mankind, James Perse, Carla Mancini handbags, Elizabeth & James by MK&A Olsen, Valentino, D.L & Co., Melissa shoes, Juicy Couture, Heys Luggage, Demeter, Fendi, Bosca, Illume candles, Free People, Kalorik , and much more! Take a look at our new GaveThat.com Shopping List section THE LIST dedicated to getting you in to the best secret online sample sales on the net >>More

For invitation and coupon codes for all of the above online sample sale websites and more like them visit our Online Sample Sale Site Directory or click through any of the above links for a calendar of sales and start shopping right now.
• Subscribe to Gave That by Email