It’s the same thing every year, Christmas is an amazing time to give, especially to our family members, because of the surprise and joy they bring. Some of us are even lucky enough to get spoiled back by our loved ones! But, a lot of times, the holidays also come with stress, being rushed, anxiety, and no time for ourselves! The planning, cooking, baking, visitors, dinner parties, and shopping takes time and takes a toll. Before that really kicks off, we need to take time to treat ourselves a bit. I am very frugal, love the good stuff but hate the high prices. I also find no time for myself the couple of months before Christmas – So I put together some great fall ideas & finds for anyone that wants to get that last little retail therapy in for themselves, or enjoy something relaxing and beneficial before the Christmas chaos begins! (If it hasn’t already in your home!)
-Get a Manicure/Pedicure – It’s so nice to treat yourself and have freshly painted or even massaged hands & feet, if you can, take an hour and find yourself a local nail salon close to home (preferably with a massage chair!) and go get pampered! Call around for prices, the local Edmonton salons are usually $5-$15 cheaper per service than the greater area salons tend to charge! Just an FYI 
-HAVE A LONG BATH! By yourself, get a babysitter, or a family member to watch the kids if you need to! Take some time to just soak in the tub and relax. Scented candles, music and bubbles won’t hurt!
-Buy your favorite fruits, and chocolate, melt it at home yourself, and indulge in home-made chocolate covered strawberries (or your fruit of choice) – Sobey’s sells jars of chocolate that you melt at home in the microwave in the container it is sold in – you can find it right next to the fruit, its quick, and the BEST tasting chocolate for fruit (IMO)
-The FABFITFUN boxes that everyone is talking about and all of the celebrities seem to have videos of them opening all over Facebook. It’s over $386 worth of products this season (the content of the boxes changes depending on the season), aimed at fashion, beauty, trending must-haves for women, and living healthy – for $39.99 – to get this price, use the code HARVEST at checkout. See the fall box/order one for yourself HERE
-Activated Charcoal teeth whitener, use the code SHIPNOW for free shipping anywhere in Alberta (Canadian company, Black Magik). One container will last you and your family 4-6 months.
-Fall CLOTHES – Fall pieces (my favorite clothes season) is all out now, great time to find some awesome pieces. Winners/Marshalls usually has cute tops, if you are looking for lower prices, usually Urban Planet or Ardene’s are great. For higher quality clothes that are going to be lasting pieces for a couple of years without needing replacement, I suggest a Canadian owned shop like SI, there are sizes small to 3XL available, depending on the item, and they are amazing quality. Browse their site HERE
-Long sleeve dresses! There is a hidden gem of a company called JessaKae, – clothing companies based in China are constantly stealing the original company’s photos to use as their own and selling knock offs – well, I found the original site and it is now the only place I buy dresses. They just released new fall pieces as well, great quality, but not very cheap shipping, (around $18 to Canada from where they are based in Utah), so it’s worth it only if you’re buying several pieces, or buying with a friend! 
-Go to the Movies! Cineplex is having a FREE movie day on October 14 with select concession snacks for only $2! (Select movies, select times)
-Get yourself an Android TV box. You can watch any movie or TV show you’d like, free. Just needs the internet to work. Buy from a legitimate business that can answer questions later, and help you update them as needed. The newer the operating system, the longer they will last. Best prices in the city for a business we found is Mishi’s Corner Mention this post and get $10 off the GOLD model 🙂
-Go for a long walk in your local community. The fall colors are so gorgeous right now, and the cold weather is going to creep up on us before we know it! My personal favorite is the 3.2KM walk around Beaumaris Lake on the north end of Edmonton
-Go for a chiropractic adjustment. You would not believe the numerous benefits associated with an adjustment, including better sleep! I highly recommend Doctor Hochaimi, CMWC, located in north Edmonton, and taking patients of all ages!
-Read. A book, an online article, a magazine, anything that interests you. Make time for yourself to enjoy reading, even if its only ten minutes. The relaxation that comes with reading is just amazing!
Hope everyone enjoys their Fall and gets a chance to relax before the holiday chaos hits! Find time to take for yourself no matter how you do it, here is to wishing everyone an fabulous season!