Nature's Gift Last Minute Shopping Newsletter:

Some are on our Specials page, and others on our newly revised "gift list".

New on our Giftlist:

Our light Silken Lotion, lavishly scented with true Rose Otto, accompanied by a frosted roll on bottle of Rose de Mai 10% dilution (one of my favorite personal perfumes!), and, of course, a jar of Rose Bliss Bath to end the day.   If available separately, these nurturing gifts would cost a whopping $186.00.  We are making them available, for a limited time only, for only $120. (The cost of the Rose de Mai dilution alone would be $98!)

Stocking Stuffer: A collection of pampering products:  "guest size" ovals of our beloved Cleopatra's Secret Goatsmilk Soap,  Silken Skin Lotion, a soothing eye mask for total relaxation, and a stretchy head band (to keep her hair out of her face) while she soaks in a soothing Cleopatra's Secret Bliss Bath. Packaged in an organza bag for gifting.  Retail value over $23.00, yours for only $12.00.  A delightful way to introduce someone to natural skincare!

To Celebrate Christmas: We have bundled our Angel aromalamps with a bottle of Holiday Joy Synergy.  Save $5.00 by ordering the pair.  The perfect holiday hostess gift!

On our "New and Special" page - we are continuing the special holiday sale items from our Thanksgiving Sale...but we've added an array of other "stocking stuffers" for your last minute shopping pleasure.

Back in Stock:  Cleopatra's Secret Cream Cleanser (reformulated) and our beloved Cleopatra's Secret Gift/Travel set.  Now with Radiance Cream as an option!

The USPS gives their holiday "ship by" deadlines here.  Basically they state that Priority Mail packages within the Continental US must ship on or before December 21st for delivery by Christmas Day.  Express Mail domestic must ship on Wednesday the 23rd.

Which fits very neatly into our Holiday Schedule:

Nature's Gift will be open and processing orders through Wednesday, December 23rd.  We will close to celebrate on Thursday, December 24th and Christmas Day. Most of us are mothers or grandmom's and have a little bit to do to get ready for Christmas morning!

We will be opening for inventory on Monday Dec 28th through Wednesday the 30th.  Orders will not ship until inventory is finished.  Most years we do not start shipping orders until the Monday after New Years, however this year the USPS is instituting a rate hike on January 4th. For this reason, we will attempt to ship any orders that come in during our holiday break and/or during inventory on Wednesday, Dec. 30th.  We will be closed on December 31st and January 1st, to reopen "next year."

12 Days of Christmas Gifting:

Our newer clients may not be aware - while we are busy celebrating holidays, and doing inventory, and not shipping orders, we offer gifts back to our clients. Each day, from December 25th through January 5th, one order will be selected to have one of our 12 Days gifts added to it. 

This year's gifts may include:  a bar of Cleopatra's Secret Soap, an aromatherapy amulet, a copy of my book, a "Week of Bliss" kit, a bottle of Silken Skin  Lotion, a Calendula Repair Cream, a Radiance Creme, an Essendulum, an Aroma Lamp,  A deluxe personal inhaler with (or without) a synergy of our choice, a MIO diffuser, a Holiday Synergy....

I first had this White Chocolate Peppermint Bark at my daugher-in-law's mother's house one Christmas morning brunch. Yummy, and FAR too easy!

The classic recipe calls for

2 lbs white chocolate. (PLEASE use real white chocolate... the first ingredient in the list must be cocoa butter. If it's not...put it back on the grocery shelf.) And the so called "almond bark" that's offered looks like white chocolate, but it has a good amount of paraffin in it and leaves your mouth feeling waxy...oddly enough.

Enough Candy Canes (or red and white peppermint candies) to give you a cup if you coarsely chop them.

Obviously you can use less (or more) of everything. I had in the house, and used:

7 ounces of White chocolate
12 Oz White chocolate chips.

and three medium sized candy canes. (They were three for a dollar, that's why three.)

and...for my version... the KEY... our Midwestern Peppermint Oil (the one that I say is sweet as candy, remember?) I used ONE ml (20 drops) for this amount of chocolate.

Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler if you have one, or a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. While it is melting, put the candy canes inside a HEAVY plastic bag, put that bag inside a second bag, and crush the candy with a hammer, a rolling pin, a heavy skillet...whatever striking instrument you have at hand.

Line a jelly roll pan or BIG cookie sheet with waxed paper or baking parchment.

When the white chocolate is melted, pour in the crushed peppermint, the one ml (approx 20 drops) of peppermint essential oil, stir well. Pour it onto the paper lined pan and spread it as thinly as you can.

EITHER... put the pan in the refrigerator at this point and let it sit for an hour or until hard

OR... while waiting for the white chocolate to set up, melt 1/2 cup of chocolate chips with a pat of butter, and swirl bits of this over the white chocolate. Smear that around a bit to marble the dark chocolate over the white.

THEN refrigerate the pan for an hour...or put it freezer for perhaps 20 minutes. Once it's cold...break or cut into random chunks, put in a sealed container in the refrigerator. The cook gets to lick the melting pan and the spatula.  Addictive. Very addictive.
 

EASY Holiday Scones:

You should own a food processor to make these. They are "do-able" with nothing but a grater, a bowl and a fork, but in the processor they are done faster than my oven can heat up. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and you might want to grease a cookie sheet while you are at it.

Then... with the grating blade of your food processor grate ONE 4 oz stick of FROZEN butter.  (Plan ahead...I always have butter in the freezer.)

Switch to the 'regular' blade and dump in

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Process these until you have a crumbly mess.  Then break in one large egg

To 1/2 Cup sour cream add 4 drops of organic orange oil. Add to the processor bowl. (The original called for beating the egg and sour cream together, and adding the grated rind of one large orange. The changes I made work beautifully.)  Process "on and off" until well mixed. You will have a sticky mess on your hands.

Toss in 1/2 cup of raisins, or currants, or "Craisins" (dried cranberries) or dried Cherries (bliss!)  For Christmas I want to use either Craisins or dried Cherries. (A handful of mini chocolate chips would be wonderful with the cherries!)

Pulse just two or three times to mix the dried fruit into the dough.

Scrape the contents onto a cutting board, form into a 7 or 8 inch circle that should be about 3/4 inch high. At this point you can sprinkle them with granulated sugar, raw sugar would be even better.

Cut into 8 wedges, place about an inch apart on that greased cookie sheet. Bake in the 400 degree oven for 15 to 17 minutes, until lightly golden. (Mine took 18 minutes.)

These were amazing. Hot with butter. I suspect they'd be very good cold, as well, but there were none left to get cold.

Other suggested combinations.

Use Lemon Oil instead of the orange, and substitute dried blueberries.

Use Almond Flavoring with the dried cherries.

Use Vanilla Extract (one teaspoon?) and chocolate chips.

Please note, the 4 drops of Orange oil gave a subtle flavour, definitely not an "in your face" Orange taste. You could add another two drops..especially if using dried cranberries.

One of my favorite non-spicy Christmas Cookies.

ORANGE MELTAWAYS:
 

• 1 Cup soft Butter or Margerine (I use butter!)
• 2 Cups sifted Confectioners Sugar (divided!)
• 1 1/4 Cup UNSIFTED flour
• 3/4 Cup Corn Starch
• 3 Tablespoons Orange Juice
• 3 drops Sweet Orange Essential Oil.

Cream butter with Essential Oil.  Add 1/2 cup confectioners sugar and beat until fluffy.
Beat in Flour and Corn Starch until smooth.  Cover and chill for at least two hours.
(Overnight is better!)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Roll the chilled dough into 1 inch balls, and place on an UNGREASED cookie sheet.
Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes until firm and barely golden.  Cool slightly (they
will be very fragile) and remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Mix remaining 1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar with the 3 Tablespoons Orange Juice.
Put wax paper under the cookies on the rack, and spoon the orange glaze over them.
Let dry.  Makes approximately 3 1/2 dozen cookies that freeze well, so you can make them now to serve in two weeks. 

Our Clients Say:

FLU FOIL

Laurie Hyatt recently emailed:

A quick note to let you know I LOVE the Flu Foil sample. I woke up in the
middle of the night with a tickling cough and by morning I felt achy and
feverish. I kept the diffuser going all day with Flu Foil and whatever was
developing disappeared completely!

General Quality:

A friend who needs to remain anonymous recently wrote:

Just wanted to let you know that I let our Spa talk me into ordering EO's from another supplier and was terrably disappointed.
I know when I order from Natures Gift that I am getting 100% essential oils.  They are not diluted unless you specify that they are and they the true EO's.
Thank you soo much for your supurb service and products.
You guys are the greatest

Linda Sewell recently wrote (and gave permission to quote:)

The sample of this oil you sent is
marvelous! I have it on a spot on my leg that has been sore for YEARS and
it is the most comfortable this sore spot has been since the ache started,
95% gone after the second application.
 

Folks...it's feedback like this that reminds us why we are here!

BLOG UPDATES:

This busy holiday season we've not had much time to write.

In November, Christi blogged about her struggles with "A Mouse in the House." and later posted a Thanksgiving message "Which Essential Oil are you most Thankful for."

In December, I shared a "thank you note" from a soldier on the ground in Afghanistan who had received one of the "care packages" we sent.

And a grateful client wrote a letter about some emotional healing, facilitated by use of our Magdalene's Anoint.

(And what could be better than emotional healing during this sacred time!)

Quote of the Season: