{Day 12} On a Personal Note ~ 12 Days of Christmas Gifting

On the twelfth day of Christmas gifting, inspiration came to me . . . in the form of personalized note cards printed on the spot! Are you in a crunch for time but would really like to give a personalized gift? We have the answer for you!

Salutations has just launched the Stationery Bar from Harmony Row Press. This innovative program allows you to select your note card design, select your envelope color, and get the personalized cards printed while you shop. There are more than a dozen designs available, with most designs offered in a choice of colors. Sets of 10 personalized note cards and coordinating envelopes are just $16.50. Add a return address for just $5 per set.

Have you ever heard the saying “Quality, Speed or Price ~ Pick two, because you can never get all three”? Well . . . with this new Stationery Bar program from Harmony Row Press, you can get all three! Great designs, personalized and printed while you shop, and at a fantastic value!

{Day 11} Stylish Stamps ~ 12 Days of Christmas Gifting

On the eleventh day of Christmas gifting, inspiration came to me . . . in the form of stylish stamps. Give the gift of endless possibilities for personalization of just about anything ~ note cards, calling cards, bookmarks, wine tags, stickers, gift tags, and more.

It’s not too late to give this terrific and personalized gift for Christmas! We have all sorts of options for gifting these stamps.

We have stamp kits themed for the Book Lover, Cook, Gift Giver, and Weddings. We also have mix-and-match options where you can purchase a blank stamper, along with your choice of several ink colors, changeable motif sets, as well as a gift certificate so the recipient can decide exactly how he or she would like the stamp personalized.

With so many options, you can take care of several people on your list. The only hard part will be in picking who should get which set!

{Day 10} Pearly Whites ~ 12 Days of Christmas Gifting

On the tenth day of Christmas gifting, inspiration came to me . . . in the form of a year’s supply of the most eco-friendly toothbrushes. This unique gift set provides a foolproof way of remembering when to change your toothbrush. Each toothbrush, made from sustainably forested bamboo, displays three months of the year etched into its handle.

There are two other sets available ~ one set features the numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 on the handle, while the other set reminds you to Meditate, Ruminate, Concentrate, and Contemplate. Each set comes in a giftable kraft box with a clear lid. {Set of 4 toothbrushes, $12.50}

{Day 9} Luxe Writing ~ 12 Days of Christmas Gifting

On the ninth day of Christmas gifting, inspiration came to me . . . in the form of the most beautiful writing instrument. This Limited Edition Walden Woods rollerball pen from Faber-Castell epitomizes fine writing. The barrel is made from historic, naturally fallen ash wood from the famous Walden Woods. Platinized metal parts provide the finishing touches to this German-made pen. Each pen is individually numbered.

The gorgeous barrel, which darkens over time from the oil on your hands, features a passage from Henry David Thoreau’s Walking manuscript in his original handwriting.

Faber-Castell supports the efforts of the Walden Woods Project and American Forests Historic Trees. With each purchase, a new tree will be planted in the Walden Woods. The pen comes in a beautiful wooden gift box with a limited edition certificate. {Walden Woods rollerball pen, $600}

{Day 8} Heartfelt Sentiments & $25 ~ 12 Days of Christmas Gifting

On the eighth day of Christmas gifting, inspiration came to me . . . in the form of very sad news of the passing of one of my most beloved and loyal customers, and a $25 credit through Small Business Saturday. What does this loss have to do with a promotion from American Express? {Bear with me on this one, it does end well.}

Yesterday afternoon, I received a call from Sara in the Chapel Hill store letting me know that our treasured Mrs. Mangum had passed away. Elizabeth “Liz” Mangum, for those who did not have the good fortune to know this jewel of a woman, was 80 years young and the epitome of warmth, grace and generosity. I had only been open a few short months in Chapel Hill when she first visited Salutations in 2002. She captured our hearts instantly by engaging us in her witty conversation, laughing heartily at the Patience Brewster cards that she so dearly loved, and enriching our lives with her stories of foreign travel, the opera, museums, and her family and friends.

It was always a treat when Mrs. Mangum would visit our store, chauffeured there by her husband Ben who {after spending several trips waiting in the car} began to accompany her into the shop and engage in the always fascinating conversations until he became one of our family as well. Mrs. Mangum would leave with dozens of greeting cards that she would faithfully send to her friends and relatives at every occasion and every holiday. Every year, she would order 200-300 Christmas cards {usually a Crane engraved card with her favorite combination of fine art and religious sentiment} and she would painstakingly {literally, due to severe osteoporosis} spend months signing each one with a special handwritten message inside. In fact, when I first saw the Madonna & Child holiday card pictured above in the Crane album this year, I thought “Ooh, I know Mrs. Mangum will love this card.” Now, I’m heartened by an image of Mrs. Mangum skipping merrily through the pearly gates and waltzing up to introduce herself to the Virgin Mary!

For Liz Mangum, the act of sending a holiday card was not done out of duty or obligation. It was the expression of a true desire to share her love and friendship with those for whom she cared. I have no doubt that every lucky recipient of one of Mrs. Mangum’s cards and letters had their day brightened and their heart warmed when they opened that envelope.

Salutations was often a lucky recipient of Mrs. Mangum’s heartfelt thoughts and cards. In fact, I have a collection of several handwritten cards from Mrs. Mangum in which she took the time and effort to let me know how special the Salutations shop was and to thank me for our wonderful products and services {including one sent to me in my Charlotte store after I’d moved}. We have also on several occasions received wonderful treats sent to us by the Mangums to express their love and gratitude for Salutations and its staff. {I am always amazed and deeply grateful when we receive such gifts from our customers ~ feeling that their continued business is their thanks and we should be sending notes and gifts of thanks to them.}

Yesterday afternoon, Ben Mangum and his daughter made a trip to the Chapel Hill store to personally let us know that our dear Mrs. Mangum had passed away on Friday. They told Sara and the girls that we had always made her feel like a princess when she visited our store. {In a way, I’m glad that I was in the Chapel Hill store the day before and not yesterday, as I would not have been able to contain the tears that are flowing now.} Sara and Lesli will be attending the memorial service in her honor.

When Sara called to give me the news, I was saddened and then in disbelief. Had Mr. Mangum really visited the store just to let us know in person of the loss of his life partner? Yes, he had. Had Mrs. Mangum really handwritten so many notes and sent such wonderfully thoughtful gifts to our business just to thank us and express her appreciation? Yes, she had. Mrs. Mangum was truly a remarkable woman and she will be deeply missed.

I started to ponder all of this and wonder, “What kind of a business relationship involves an 8-year friendship with people who repeatedly send cards and gifts to the store just to let the staff know that they are appreciated? What kind of a business has a grieving husband deliver the sad news in person so that we didn’t need to learn of his wife’s passing in the obituaries? What kind of a business has staff members who attend memorial services of a customer?” Then the answer came to me loud and clear, “Small businesses. Every day, in every city across America. That’s the kind of business.”

As more and more small business owners decide that the blood, sweat and tears is no longer worth the return, or that it is simply impossible for them to continue, and they close their doors, stories like this beautiful friendship with Mrs. Mangum will continue to become more and more rare.

This Saturday is Small Business Saturday, a movement created by American Express. To support small business, American Express is giving registered cardholders a $25 statement credit when they spend at least $25 at a small business on Saturday, November 27th.

Did you know that for every year in the last decade, 60-80% of new jobs were generated by small businesses? Did you know that for every $100 spent at a local small business, $68 returns to the community? These are just a few of the economic reasons to support your small businesses and help to ensure that they will continue to survive and thrive ~ the intangible, human reasons are too numerous to count.

So, this Saturday, stop by Salutations. Emulate Mrs. Mangum and pick out the perfect holiday card to really let your friends and family know how much you care, or find a great holiday gift. While supporting a small business, you can also receive $25 for yourself. It’s a win-win-win.

{Day 6} Entertaining Panache
12 Days of Christmas Gifting

On the sixth day of Christmas gifting, inspiration came to me . . . in the form of entertaining panache. Make someone’s holiday special by giving them a stylish, functional gift that will help them be the hostess extraordinaire. The personalization adds a wonderful touch and shows that you put some advance thought into the gift.

These personalized melamine trays by Fontaine Maury come in a variety of tray colors, as well as personalization styles and colors. {Personalized tray, $45} You can see all of the options by visiting our Custom Ordered page.

This party tub by Fontaine Maury makes another great personalized gift for the entertaining friend or family on your list. The tub is perfect for holding frosty beverages or as a giant serving bowl for chips or a healthy green salad. How about for stowing sunscreen by the pool or for organizing flip-flops by the back door? Fun and functional! {Personalized party tub, $45}

{Day 5} Stylish 2011
12 Days of Christmas Gifting

On the fifth day of Christmas gifting, inspiration came to me . . . 365 days of style and design. Help someone ring in the new year with one of our fabulous calendars that will add pizzazz to every day of 2011.

The hottest gift calendar this year is the Karen Adams Designs easel calendar. Each month’s card features a beautiful Karen Adams illustration, embellished with touches of glitter, and perched on a gold easel. It’s a thrill to begin each month! Beautifully gift boxed in a creme box with lid and tied with a gorgeous satin ribbon, this calendar makes the perfect distinctive gift.

There are several formats available in calendars by Snow & Graham: choose from a wall calendar, a write-on wall calendar, an easel desk calendar, and a mini-easel desk calendar. All formats and months feature the fabulous graphic design that has made Snow & Graham a perennial customer favorite!

For the giftee on your list who is attracted to vintage design, the Cavallini & Co. calendars are sure to please. Once the year is over, each page of the wall calendar can be upcycled into wall art! These classic designs, printed on luxurious paper in Italy, are also available as easel desk calendars.

We currently have all of these calendars in stock and ready to go, but don’t wait. Once they’re gone, they’re gone!

{Day 4} Crane Stationery
12 Days of Christmas Gifting

Just in time for the holidays {and the need for more stationery on which to write thank-you notes}, Crane has launched a fabulous promotion. Through December 15th, you can order personalized stationery {50 folded notes or flat cards, with lined envelopes} for only $99!

The stationery is thermographed {raised printed}. You choose white or ecru card stock, one of 8 popular ink colors, and a matching or contrasting envelope liner in one of 8 colors. You also pick the monogram, lettering style, or motif from a huge selection in Crane’s correspondence album.

For additional options, you can get a set of 100 thermographed stationery sets for only $160. You can also add a return address printed in the same ink color for only $56 for 50 and $58 for 100. This fantastic offer is only available for a limited time, so get your order in soon!

{Day 3} Love & Laughter
12 Days of Christmas Gifting

On the third day of Christmas gifting, inspiration came to me . . . in the form of love and laughter in the eyes of a child. We have just the thing to evoke the most heartfelt giggles from children of all ages . . . the Tickle Monster Laughter Kit.

The kit has everything you need to bring the loveable Tickle Monster to life. Just slip your hands into the super-soft fluffy blue mitts and start reading and tickling. Finger holes in the mitts make it easy to turn pages and tickle too. The result is joy, laughter and lifetime memories for a child. The Tickle Monster Laughter Kit comes in a colorful reuseable gift box, and makes a wonderful gift for parents, grandparents and children. {Tickle Monster Laughter Kit, $34.95}


The book, written by actress Josie Bissett, features a loveable monster with big puffy mitts who has just flown in from Planet Tickle. His mission is to bring joy and laughter to Planet Earth. How? By tickling any child who happens to follow along in this book. Adults read aloud and do the tickling while the children squirm and giggle with delight. Tickle Monster is a winner of the Mom’s Choice Award, Parent’s Choice Award and the Parent Tested Parent Approved Award.

Speaking of awards, don’t miss the great selection of educational and eco-friendly games and art supplies that we have by eeBoo!

{Day 2} Heavenly Scents
12 Days of Christmas Gifting

On the second day of Christmas gifting, inspiration came to me . . . in the form of heavenly scents for the bath, body and home. I am in love with this new line called Simpatico, which is filled with the most amazing aromas and presented in the most beautiful packaging.

Luxurious and intoxicating, the silky bubble bath is made with pure and natural vegetable based soap, sweet calendula petals, and chamomile. . . all known to soothe your skin. Nearly as alluring for me, the bubble bath is presented in a vintage glass whiskey bottle with a letterpressed hang tag.

The bubble bath is available in No. 17 {Fern}, a complex aroma created by blending crisp mayapple with fresh moss. Lingering white cedar and fragrant black currant complete this grounded, spirited scent. I am whisked away to my favorite spa every time I smell it! It is also available in No. 35 {Petal} This alluring floral is a blend of petal soft magnolia and herbaceous coriander and is deeply anchored with juniper, clove and cardamom. This is not your grandma’s floral scent! {Bubble bath, $25.50}

The diffuser, available in the No. 17 {Fern} scent, is inspired by vintage botanical books, field guides and fragrances reminiscent of simpler days gone by. Fill the antique style apothecary jar with reeds and essential oils and fragrance oils to disperse this breath of fresh mountain air throughout your space. {Diffuser, $47.50}

The candle, a simple blend of vegetable wax and fragrance, allows the nature-inspired scents to carry throughout your space. This 100% vegetable wax blend is made from renewable sources and is grown by American farmers. The candles are hand poured into a thick, tapered glass and packaged in a decorative gift box. Made with a cotton wick, they burn approximately 40 hours. The candles are available in the No. 17 {Fern} and the No. 35 {Petal} fragrances. {Candle $25.50}

All of the products in the Simpatico line are hand crafted in the United States and, in the words of the Simpatico founders, are “made with fine ingredients, a bit of surprise and nostalgia.” Doesn’t that describe the perfect gift?

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