What are you going to do with 7 shopping days left?

Some of the best gifts of the year are still within reach!

You can still order Monogrammed Jewelry and Embroidery in time for a Christmas delivery (cut off date to order is December 18th!), plus Swagger Gifts has just received several boxes of new merchandise including new Firelites, watches, and everyone's favorite... Entertainers (the two-section hot and cold dish carrier that can be monogrammed - pictured below as Kelly's favorite)!



That Santa Claus sure knows how to work a holiday, y'all!

XoXo,
Gina

Christmas Jewelry - Oh My!

What do you guys think?  Do you think I have the Christmas Spirit today?

Merry Christmas Y'all Tshirt - $20

Flashing Bulb Necklace - $5.95

Christmas Earrings & Bracelet starting at $2

Overall Look - Priceless!!

You know you want my look - makes Holiday shopping that much more fun:)!  Or hey - you could always get this stuff for a Tacky Christmas Party - ha!

Turkey Day Specials and an AwEsOmE Pumpkin Soup Recipe!

Happy Thanksgiving Day!!!  I am hosting my first Thanksgiving in almost 10 years so I hope I don't mess up the Turkey (or my husband's favorite stuffing!)!  So if you guys could send me some good Turkey mojo that would be great!:)

However, I did make an AmAzInG Curried Pumpkin Soup last night - if I do say so myself:)!  No seriously I think it is going to be my new Thanksgiving Eve traditional menu item!  I have posted the recipe at the bottom in case you want to make it - yummmmmmmmmmmm!

I also wanted to post a couple Thanksgiving Day Specials for all you guys who want to start your Black Friday shopping early!  So without further delay - here they are:

Sterling Silver Mother's Pendant - regulary $125 today $100!  I love this with the kids name around it, but a quote or saying looks great too!

Monogrammed Bucket with Bottle Top Opener - regularly $38 today $30!  This is a great gift for a couple!  I use this for all my entertaining - I like to use it as an ice bucket!  It is heat sealed so it doesn't leak and the monogram makes it looks so cute!

Monogrammed Fleece Blanket - regulary $30 today $20!  A great cozy gift for a family! I  have one (of course) with "The Beckers" written in turquoise and I love curling up in front of the TV with it!  AND it looks great draped over the back of my couch.  I think it would be great for a little or teenager girl too!

Merry Christmas Y'all T-shirt - regulary $24.95 today $20!  How cute is this shirt to get you in the Christmas spirit?!?!

We will be open tomorrow with even more Black Friday specials in the store!  I will be working all day and hope to see you guys!

Happy Thanksgiving!




p.s. - Here's the Curried Pumpkin Soup Recipe
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tbsps butter
2 tbsps all-purpose flour
1/2 to 1 tsp curry powder
3 cups vegetable broth
1 can (15 oz) solid pack pumpkin
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Minced chives, optional

In a large saucepan, saute the mushrooms and onion in butter until tender.  Stir in the flour and curry powder until blended.  Gradually add the broth.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Add the pumpkin, milk, honey, salt, pepper and nutmeg; heat through.  Garnish with chives if desired.

Yield: 7 servings

What’s at Swagger Gifts right now? Check it out!

Savvy shoppers know that the selection at Swagger Gifts changes on a daily basis during the holidays, so I thought I'd give you all a sneak peek at what's in the store right this very moment!




If you're on facebook, stop on by the Swagger Gifts page and check out today's photo album that has all of the photos: What’s at Swagger Gifts right now?!



Swagger will be open today - Wednesday, November 24th - from 10:00am until 3:00pm for last-minute Thanksgiving hostess gifts and early Christmas orders and will be closed on Thursday to spend Thanksgiving with our families. (Have no fear, you can always shop 24/7 at SwaggerGifts.com!) The store will re-open on Black Friday with regular hours: 10:00am until 6:00pm. Saturday hours remain 10:00am until 5:00pm.

Happy Shopping!
-Gina

Psst: Swagger will be open on Sundays starting in December 5th!

After Christmas Sale at Swagger Gifts

You know January is the best time of the year to buy all of your Christmas favorites for the next holiday season, right? Check out this month's special and stock up today for next Christmas... it's only 11 months away! ;-)

Second Annual Tacky Christmas Sweater Extravaganza is TODAY!

Don't forget - Swagger's 2nd Annual Tacky Christmas Sweater Extravaganza is TODAY! Come out, have fun, and save on gifts for your family and friends OR you:)! (Don't worry we won't tell if it is for you:)!)

Today only from 10 am - 5 pm IF you wear a TACKY Christmas Outfit:

• 20% off any one item (excluding Trollbeads and Local Designers)


• Free Gift with Purchase


• Awesome prizes for the top 3 outfits

We thought we would show you our winners from last year to see what you might be up against!

Yes - those are Christmas stirrup pants and a man in an ornaments sweater:! We love our customers!!!!!!!!

We can't wait to see what you guys have in store for us this year!

See you soon!

Mandy

Second Annual Tacky Christmas Sweater Extravaganza

The Swagger Gifts Second Annual Tacky Christmas Sweater Extravaganza will be on Saturday, December 19th, 2009!

Join us in your tackiest Christmas Outfit (and we mean TACKY!) at the store on December 19th and receive:

Free Gift with Purchase

20% off any one item (excluding Trollbeads and Local Designers)

We will also have prizes for the Top 3 outfits!

Bring your mom, bring your neighbor, bring your friends - bring anyone who enjoys a good tacky sweater!

Trollbeads Holiday Trunk Show Going on Today and Tomorrow!

Tuesday, December 8th through Thursday, December 10th
Trollbeads Trunk Show at Swagger Gifts

Need a great reason to come pick out your favorites and select a few great gifts for the Trollbeads fans on your list?

Treat yourself (and your holiday budget) with Swagger's Trollbeads Trunk Show Specials!

• Buy $100 worth of beads and get a free $25 glass bead!
• Receive a free bracelet with the purchase of an upgraded clasp!
• Receive a Free bracelet or leather necklace with the purchase of a chain necklace!
• Receive $25 off a Fantasy pendant with the purchase of a Fantasy necklace!

*Limit of 2 promotions per customer.

PS: Ladies, send your honey to this guy-friendly event and we'll be happy to help him select the very best! Just stop in to create your very own personal Trollbeads Wish List beforehand and we'll make sure he gets on his way to picking out perfect gifts for the ladies on his list. (Just think: great gifts for you, for his mom, for his sister - the possibilities are endless... and he'll have a hand in all of them!)

PS #2: Guys, bring your buddies along! With our help, you'll be right back to football, basketball, and fantasy leagues and your holiday shopping will be done! How much easier can it get? Your buddies will thank you!

The Just In... The Elf on the Shelf!

Some of my favorite memories from childhood are based on family traditions. I think it is because these traditions (especially at Christmas time) were part of the "magic" of the season and always something to look forward to.

For example, on Christmas Eve we would always go to Candlelight Service at Church, drive around to see all the pretty/tacky Christmas lights in town, make lots of hors d'oeuvres for dinner, then settle down to open gifts from other family members. We always did it in that order. Period. It still makes me smile to think about it today :-)

One of my favorite new Holiday Traditions is the Elf on the Shelf:

We carried this in our store last year and we loved hearing stories from both the children and the parents about how they loved the Elf!

The children would come in and tell us what they named the Elf and the parents would tell us how the Elf was keeping Bobbie and Susie in check during the Holiday season since he had a direct line to Santa ;-) I know that both the adults and children will look back fondly on the Elf as one of their favorite traditions.

So of course, we couldn't pass up bringing that much happiness again this year - right?! So the Elf on the Shelf is back in at Swagger so make sure to come in early - he is already flying of the shelves and was almost sold out by Thanksgiving last year!

I though I would share a letter from the author, Carol Aebersold, and how the "Elf on a Shelf" came to be:

From My Family to Yours,

This charming tradition began for our family when my children were very small. Like most children through the ages, they wanted to know how Santa really knew who was naughty or who was nice. Their answer, as in my own childhood, came in the form of a small pixie-elf.

The first time the elf arrived at our home, my children officially adopted him by giving him a name. Each year he would arrive around the holidays, usually at Thanksgiving. His sole responsibility was to watch the children's behavior and report it to Santa each night. The next morning after the children awoke, they discovered the elf had returned from the North Pole and was now resting in a new and different place. My children would race each other out of bed to try and be the first to spy him in his new position.

Over the years the tradition was perfected and rules were introduced. For example, to better preserve his mystique the children were not allowed to touch him but talking to him was a different matter all together. My children shared many secrets with the elf, and while he was under strict orders not to talk to them, the elf was under no such orders where grown-ups were concerned.

Unwittingly, the tradition provided an added benefit: it helped the children to better control themselves. All it took was a gentle reminder that the "elf is watching," for errant behavior to be modified.

I never dreamed this simple tradition would lead to so many treasured Christmas memories for our entire family. It is my earnest desire that The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition will bring as much joy to your family as it has to mine.

Enjoy this tradition, and MAKE IT YOUR OWN!

With my best wishes for you and those you love,
Carol

To many happy traditions!
- Mandy

Digital Holiday Photo Cards are this week's Facebook Giveaway!

This week we are giving away Digital Holiday Photo Cards as our FB Friday of the Week!

We are so excited to be offering Digital Holiday Photo Cards at Swagger this year! To kick off this new offering we thought we should make them our FB Friday of the week. So this week we are giving away 30 Holiday Cards to one Lucky Winner!

All you have to do to get yourself entered is hop on over to Swagger Gift’s FB Friday of the Week Photo Album, become a fan of Swagger Gifts on FB, and leave a comment before next Friday, October 16th!

Last week we gave away our monogrammed pashmina. Looks like a lot of you guys are cold-natured, too! This week the winner is #39: Alice Bradsher! See her comments below:

Email me at mandy@swaggergifts.com and I will hook you up with your gift, Alice!
You have until next Friday, October 16th to claim your prize!

Good Luck!

Tacky Christmas Sweater Extravaganza

Join us this Saturday December 20th for the Swagger Tacky Christmas Sweater Extravaganza!
Wear your "favorite" Christmas Sweater and/or accessories and get 20% off any one item! (excluding local artists)

Make sure to enter our Contest for the Tackiest Outfit to win these beautiful JOY Letters from the Round Top Collection (not tacky - really cool)!
(The Swagger Girls will be judging and we do accept bribes:))

We are still monogramming some items in the store so if you think you have procrastinated too long - you haven't!! Come in for details!

We have lots of great ideas for your Dirty Santa parties, teacher gifts, stocking stuffers and other Gifts Under $20!

Manic Monday: Save 15% of Christmas Tree Ornaments

It is clearly a Monday: I started off the morning by almost over-sleeping for my dentist appointment in Apex (whoops!), had a longer than usual wait because someone was out sick (I can wait for the excellent service I get at my favorite dentist!), and it's now 2pm and my mouth still is a little sore.

The girls at Swagger promised to offer a retail pick-me-up to lift my spirits: 15% off Christmas tree ornaments!That'll do :-D

Just stop in the store before 6pm today and mention this Manic Monday blog special to take advantage of this special. Easy as pie, right?

Happy decorating!

Thirsty 3rd Thursday: Holiday Wine Stoppers

Holiday parties starting in early December? (I know I have at least one to attend the very first Saturday in December!)

This month's Thirsty 3rd Thursday blog special is SO for you!



You and your fellow vixens of vino can save 15% today in the store - until 6pm - on all festive holiday wine toppers just by mentioning this blog post!

Nice, huh?

Thought you might think so!

PS - They make a FABULOUS hostess gift. Be sure to snag a few for yourself if you're playing the role of hostess with the mostess this season!

Manic Monday: Save 15% on Swagger Ornaments

The early bird gets the worm this week, dear readers!

While I'm not one for putting my Christmas Tree up a minute before Black Friday, I am actually very keen on picking up trimmings and beautiful accessories for my seasonal decor beforehand... especially when there is a deal to be had!

So don't waste on minute, because we all the know the awful fate of those who shop last (they get the least selection!), and take advantage of today's Manic Monday blog special: 15% off ornaments at Swagger!

Just stop in today, before 6pm, and mention this blog to snag a few trimmings for your tree on sale - whether it's one that's already up or even still naked and in it's off-season home, is up to you.

The Elf on the Shelf!!

The Elf on the Shelf is one of my favorite Christmas traditions and a great holiday gift to give for families (being the single gal I am, with no minis of my own yet) and a fun tradition to start!
Grab the youngin's (and those young at heart) and take a look at the official The Elf on the Shelf website - it'll make you want to round up all of the Christmas DVDs (and original classic VHS movies) because no magical detail has been spared!

Carol, the crafty mother who created the tradition itself, describes the family favorite as this:"At our home the elf would arrive around the holidays, usually at Thanksgiving. His sole responsibility was to watch my children's behavior and report it to "Santa" each night. The next morning after the children awoke, they discovered the elf had returned from the "North Pole" (with some parental assistance) and was hiding in a different place. My children would race each other out of bed to try and be the first to spy him in his new position.

Over the years the tradition was perfected and rules were even introduced. For example, to better preserve his mystique the children were not allowed to touch him; however, they were allowed to talk to him. For obvious reasons, he was not allowed to reply. Eventually, my children even gave him a name - officially adopting him into the family."Today's Manic Monday blog special is a great opportunity to bring The Elf on the Shelf home for yourself (we can all use a little reminder to be on our best behavior!), your family, or as a great gift for your favorite neighborhood families or in-laws!

Until 6pm today only, you can stop in Swagger and pick up your very own Elf on the Shelf for 15% off, just by mentioning this blog post!

PS - Can anyone else see this being a fun office tradition? I like the idea of getting everyone networking each morning on a hunt for The Elf on the Shelf!