Little luxuries are all around us if you know where to look – be it a bright red lipstick that makes you feel like a movie star on a Monday morning, a mini-facial that makes you glow inside and out, or a book that takes you to the other side of the world. These tiny everyday gems are anxiously waiting to be discovered by you and wrapped with a bow, and each chapter of the LLGG seeks to deliver a new morsel of inspiration to you and your holiday season. Fancy shmancy is out; it’s those legendary “small packages” that hold the key to a perfect season of giving.

Promote health by giving a gift that is healthy in the most literal sense. But don’t be boring about it – food should be fun and never taken quite too seriously!

1. Wine of the Month Club

There are thousands of Wine Of The Month Clubs, none of which I feel comfortable recommending because I, myself, have never been part of such a club (hint hint). Google one and sign your favorite wino up!

2. Wickwood Spice Rack with Spices from Tubularspices.com – $150.99

For a cook with limited counter space and a fondness for rustic simplicity. Or a chef who has chemic tendencies. A full set of 40 spices in a 10 X 6 inch space.

3. The Ultimate Healthy Gift Basket from gourmetgiftbaskets.com

I can’t vouch for all the food that would show at their doorstep… but it sure beats a box o chocolates on both the health and creativity scales.

4. Whitefish Roe Sampler by Tsar Nicoulai, available at DeanDeluca.com

Remember that lavish party you went to when a friend of yours fell in love with the caviar? Hopefully they didn’t glob it on Larry David style, but gracious or not, the last thing they’re expecting this holiday is caviar. Surprise them… and you can also tell them they’re packed with iron, vitamin A, and other nutrients. Or not.

5. An avocado and avocado masher couplet. Masher available at Amazon.com

Your extra-guacamole-plus-guacamole-on-the-side friend will love you forever.

Think someone might mash YOU with an avocado masher if that showed up under their Christmas tree? Or, maybe you don’t believe in healthy food gifts because you’re afraid the recipient might read into it as a “lose weight hint”? Play it safe and give a healthy gift that’s sure to please everyone on your list – send them for a rejuvenating treatment this holiday. $100 SPA WEEK® Gift Cards are on sale for just $80, $150 cards are on sale for $120, and so forth. They’re redeemable all year ’round at spas throughout North America. How delicious is that?

It’s the last day of November, which means it’s time to get serious about holiday shopping. Now, we know you’re a thoughtful gift-giver, but why not completely outdo yourself this year with the best gift ever? We’re not talking perfumes, books, or gift certificates (though don’t get us wrong, those are great gifts.)

No, we’re talking diamonds.

Three diamonds, to be exact, in a breathtaking pendant setting on a 16-inch white gold chain. Interested? Oh, we thought so. One lucky winner will take home that gorgeous piece of jewelry – and 3 almost as lucky winners will take home $500 gift certificates to Diamond International. Enter here.

Every single one of us could use a trip to the spa. That’s why we’re here. But when push comes to shove… there are some folks who could use a day at the spa a little more than others. A few examples of these people would be: Mothers of 8, commercial airline pilots, top execs at GM, and the 13 poor souls on the receiving end of a billion laughs provoked by these tried and true YouTube classics. 

13 YouTube Legends In Need Of The Spa from SPA WEEK® on Vimeo.

Visit the SPA WEEK Holiday Gift Card sale at spaweek.com/giftcards

Cleanses are all the rage among young women (and men), especially in urban areas – a search for “cleanse” or “detox” can turn up hundreds of webpages extolling the virtues of these righteous purges, which usually consist of food regiments with little to no solid food. Proponents of cleanses say they flush out the fats, toxins, and chemicals that are part and parcel of a modern diet. Many companies offer pre-prepared cleanses, where customers can choose the length of time they’d like to “cleanse” and can purchase instructions and enough premade juices and liquids to last for that number of days.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Hmmm...

I’ve read about these cleanses, but I must admit I’ve been skeptical. I get irritable, moody, and nauseous when I’m hungry – I can’t imagine voluntarily subsisting on juice for more than a few hours, much less a few days, and I can’t imagine that depriving myself of solid food would really work to flush my system out. Jauntsetter recently posted a firsthand account of one of these cleanses that seems to agree with me – this blogger found that a cleanse made her feel worse, not better.

After reading that, I feel vindicated and quite sure I won’t be committing to a cleanse anytime soon. Have you tried any of these trendy cleanses or detox programs? What was your experience?

Can you think of anything more romantic than a crowd of anxious door-busting shoppers camped out at Best Buy the night before Black Friday?

Newlyweds Edward Burbo and Jennifer Dykstra sure could not. The Michigan couple, who met 6 years ago during a Black Friday campout, decided to exchange vows on the line at Best Buy and rekindle the spirit in which they first met.

The bride and groom have not only enjoyed this tradition together for years, but with 4 kids they say that they have to really watch what they spend. Forget plasma TVs… it looks like this wedding was the best buy of all.

Now for the honeymoon… how do you think Mr. and Mrs. Burbo should follow up this charming little act? I say, whatever it is, they must book on Cyber Monday.