We all have a never ending list of people to buy gifts for at Christmas, luckily Myakka has a full range of interesting and exciting gifts for everyone on that list.

Not only do Myakka have a great selection of gifts but we are also offering free standard delivery worth £4.95 on all small furniture, gifts and accessories. This offer excludes items requiring Delivery + services. The Delivery + service includes any items with a £10 or £30 delivery charge and are not included in the free delivery offer.  This offer can not be used in conjunction with any other offer. Hurry shop now as this offer expires on the 21^st December 2010.

But that’s not all! Myakka are also offering you a free gift worth up to £11.95 with all orders over £75, excluding delivery, simply enter the promotion code STOCKING at the checkout. The gift will be selected by Myakka at random, depending on availability and will be from our selection of wooden games including Shut the Box, Boxed Playing Cards and Dominoes. These make perfect stocking fillers and gifts. This promotion is not valid with any other promotion and expires on the 21^st December 2010.

Myakka is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

As Christmas fast approaches this is the ideal time to start getting your home ready for the big day. With the whole family coming for Christmas dinner and inviting your friends round for Boxing Day drinks, your home needs to be in tip top condition to receive the increased number of people heading through your front door. With this in mind Myakka have the ideal solutions to your many Christmas quandaries.

If you are expecting a large number of people around for Christmas dinner then the Mallani Extending Dining Table may be the ideal solution. With two leaves which slot on either end of the table this table grows to comfortably seat eight to ten for dinner.  For every day use the table seats four to six and the leaves can be stored separately. If your large family dinners are the norm for you and your dining room is proportioned to fit,  then the Mallani Large Dining Table may suit. This table accommodates eight comfortably so is ideal for that big Christmas day celebration as well as every day dinners. Some may prefer a more intimate dining experience and the Mallani Small Dining Table would be the perfect solution. Seating four to six people this table is excellent for everyday family dining and welcoming friends for more formal occasions.

If you are looking for some clever storage to tidy away some of your prized possessions,  then we have a number of solutions which might  help. If you are overrun with books then we have a variety of different sized units which will sit comfortably in any room of the house.   

The Myakka  Mallani Mini Bookcase is a popular bookcase with lots of room for all your books as well as a handy drawer which makes ideal storage when space is limited.  If you have a little more space as well as an abundance of  books then the Mallani Large Bookcase or Mallani Tall Bookcase may be the perfect library solution.  With capacity to take more books then we can imagine this is ideal for even the most prolific book lover.

First impressions are always important so with this in mind your hallway needs to be in tip top condition. The Mallani Storage Seat is the ideal piece to tidy your hall and create a welcoming entrance. This popular item is now available in a smaller size for more petite rooms as the Mallani Single Storage Seat.  If you are looking for somewhere to store your house keys so they can always be found then a console table may be just what you are looking for.  Narrow enough to sit in the hall without taking too much space but with enough storage to ensure that everything is in its place, we have a number of options including a Mallani Large Console with three drawers and two slated shelves, a Mallani Petite Console as well as a Khimsar Console Table and the classic Thakat Console Table which are all smaller two drawer versions.

Having somewhere for guests to put their drinks or having a table to place a bowl of nibbles on is essential over the busy festive period.  We have a selection of  nests of tables or occasional tables which might be the perfect solution. Nests of tables are as versatile as they are handy as they neatly store away when not in use.  An occasional table provides a great option for a more permanent solution and can be used for anything from holding a lamp or plant, to perfectly presenting a bowl of nibbles.

Don’t forget to finish your home off with cushions , kilims and accessories to create the ideal look.  

Myakka is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Many people think Xmas has become too commercialised and has lost some of its meaning – rather like life in the modern world generally. 

This booklet explores some of the things that really add meaning and fun to our experience of Xmas (as well as those that don’t) and gives a range of practical ideas and tips to enable you to have a happy, wise and meaningful festive period!

To download it, visit www.lifesquared.org.uk

Life² is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Autumn got off to a great start for Onya Bags – we were invited to Prince Charles’ Eco Garden Party in London! We had a great time there and are looking forward to the Festive Gift Fair in Birmingham at the end of November, to show of our expanding range. Our collection of Onya Bags made from rPET (recycled plastic bottles) is getting bigger all the time – we now have 22 different bags made from the lovely stuff – and that is set to grow. This year we’ve got new pocket designs, and new colours for your delectation. Charcoal grey for Uncle Ted and bright purple with a tree design for Auntie Muriel. So encourage your loved ones to love their planet too – an Onya Bag lasts for ages and can save hundreds of wasted plastic bags.

Or if you gave them all Onya Bags last year, why not give them a bottle? The range of H2Onya is growing, and we now have a larger range in an even bigger range of beautiful colours. Bottled water is as expensive as petrol, so why not save your family some money with an H2Onya, so they can send you on that cruise next year?

Please use the code xmas2010 at the checkout to get a 20% discount.

Onya Bags Ltd is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Christmas is a favourite time of year for home baking.  The smell of hot mince pies, fruit cakes baking and mulled wine spices warming helps bring festivity into your home.

You can find all your essential fairtrade and organic festive ingredients at your fingertips at www.ethicallyessential.coop.  Essential has a wide range of larder staples for Christmas recipes and you can trust its natural, freshly packaged foods will deliver on flavour.  During the giving season, it’s good know that by buying sustainable, fairly traded ingredients, you’ll ensure fair pay is given to food producers across the world at Christmas.

Chocoholics!

Add Essential Organic Chocolate Drops to your baking – they are made without vegetable fat and retain their shape throughout cooking.  Essential’s fairtrade, organic Chocolate Spread Range made with fairtrade cocoa beans from Ghana is perfect for Christmas time.  The vegan Dark Chocolate Spread is delicious as a filling for Yule Log and an icing on fairy cakes.  The Hazelnut Milk Chocolate spread is a classic for tea time toast.  And for an even sweeter treat, try the Duo Swirl Chocolate Spread – hazelnut spread swirled with white chocolate spread…

Bake Me a Cake

Essential has plenty of dried fruit and nuts for your Christmas cake and mince pies including organic Flaked Almonds from Spain, Pecan Nuts from South Africa and a delicious Gourmet Nut Mix.  The Apple Juice infused Cranberries are a revelation: the apple juice takes away the sourness of these beautiful bright gem berries but still leaves a lively flavour to perk up cakes, bakes and pies.  Essential also has a Super Fruit Mix comprising just the right balance of organic sultanas, raisins, currants, cranberries, apple pieces and blueberries ready mixed for you to make cakes, biscuits, muffins and, of course, mince pies!

Winter Spice

Christmas isn’t complete without warm winter spices in baking and mulled wine.  Essential has a range of spices including organic and Fair Trade Ground Cinnamon and Cloves plus a lively Ground Ginger. 

You can find these Essential festive ingredients at www.ethicallyessential.coop and selected independent health food stores.

Festive Essential Food prices

Organic Chocolate Drops, 125g, £2.26; Organic, fairtrade Chocolate Spread, 400g, £2.39; Organic flaked almonds, 125g £1.75; Organic Pecan Nuts – 100g, £2.33

Gourmet Nut Mix – 250g, £2.70; Apple Infused Cranberries – 125g, £2.77;

Super Fruit Mix – 125g, £2.70; Spices – 25g, 99p.

Essential Trading Co-operative Ltd is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Please support our campaign to make real Christmas Trees fair trade

Christmas may seem a long way off, but here at Fairwind we have been campaigning all year to persuade growers and retailers in the UK to start selling fair trade Christmas trees this Christmas.

 We are making good progress but we need your help!

Every year many people in Georgia are injured or killed picking the cones needed to  extract the seeds to grow the UK’s most popular real Christmas tree, the Nordmann Fir.

Fairwind is working with the ONLY supplier of fair trade seeds and trees to bring “Fair Trees®” to the UK.

And here is where you can help:

 1. Join our Facebook campaign

CLICK THE FACEBOOK BUTTON!

2. Email/write to your local garden centre, Christmas tree farm or Homebase or B&Q

 Homebase and B&Q are the largest retailers of real Christmas trees and  here are their email addresses:

socialresponsibility@b-and-q.co.uk

info@homebase.co.uk

 3. Forward this email on to your friends, colleagues and family and get them supporting the campaign

We already have celebrity support from Katie Melua

Now we need your support!

And with a bit of luck you will be seeing this label on your Christmas tree this year!

 Thank you

Fairwind is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Following the November announcement of top ten educational games on the www.keen2learn.co.uk site these are the December results. Christmas has influenced some titles proving that these games are the ideal present.

1. Crystal Rain Forest: For the 3rd month running this firm favourite tops the poll. Using maths skills and logo programming language to help save the planet
2. LogiRobot New entry educational toy robot is a truly unique and multi-talented robot with a mind of its own. It can be used in simple play or in more complex and engaging projects that help you understand the principles of control, automation and robotics.
3. Bunja: Climbing one place this maths game is based on MP3 technology provides hours of fun and is small enough to fir in a pocket when travelling around.
4. Spelling Board Games. Nobody wants to spell – unless it is part of this popular English games pack.
5. Feel Good Friends: Parents and teachers have found this game developed to boost the self esteem in children is great fun for anyone to play.
6. Electric City New entry manly due to the popularity of this science game as a present. Create the fascinating Memory Circuit and understand all about feed-back systems. Make a Burglar Alarm, Light Breaker, Door Alarm, Water Sensor, Alarm Light, Flash Back, Morse Code, Metal Detector and Lie Detector. Test your logical skills.
7. 6 Maths Board Games – Basic New entry to the top 10. Ideal maths resources and games to help understand the basics in maths.
8. Make a Face Puppets New entry  these educational tactile face puppets can be used to create different fun faces and expressions. Used as puppets they are ideal for PSHE role playing or to provide opportunities to talk about feelings and emotions. Each face is supplied with 10 Velcro parts and 6 labels.
9. Nubble Deluxe New entry Everyone loves Nubble! – teachers, pupils and parents. It is the perfect way for pupils to sharpen their numeracy skills. The range is now joined by the a new high resolution version of Nubble! that includes a Headstart option in which between 10 and 50 hexagons are randomly covered over at the start of the game.
10. Kiddoku Children’s Sudoku. Drag and drop the pieces in the grid so that every row and every column contains just one copy of each type of piece. The program includes 4×4, 5×5 and 6×6 grids..

Keen 2 Learn is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

This won’t last forever so don’t hang around; with a massive range of products to choose from and free delivery free on orders over £50, why would you.

Sale ends midnight 23rd January 2010.

Orders placed between 24th December and 3rd January will be processed on the 4th January.

Buy online at www.ambanature.co.uk

amba nature is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

It’s the final week of free Xmas offers from Life²…

Another FREE booklet – for one week only!
Throughout December we have been posting some offers and goodies on our website, and this is the final week of these offers!  This week we are giving away free downloads of ‘How to live ethically’ (worth £5) – our guide to help you think about your values and how you can live in line with them – including developing your own ‘ethical action plan’ – visit our shop to download it.

Xmas²
Our booklet ‘Xmas² – how to have a better Xmas’ is still available to download for FREE from www.lifesquared.org.uk until Xmas.

The beautifully designed, 44-page Xmas² booklet provides a range of ideas and practical tips on how you can have a truly memorable festive experience – one with less consumerism, pressure and waste, and with more of the things that make festive celebrations great, including people, fun, relaxation, generosity, compassion and the opportunity to reflect.  It also promotes a sustainable approach to Xmas.  Ultimately, it’s about remembering what’s important, in both Xmas and life generally.  Critically, in these financially stretched times, it involves spending less – rather than more – money.

We are giving away free downloads of the booklet from the shop at www.lifesquared.org.uk until Xmas.  These booklets normally cost £5 each, so this is a real bargain!

Xmas gift ideas
Looking to buy something useful and personal for a friend or relative this Xmas?  Why not buy them a place on our just think… course – it could be the best present they’ve ever had!  Also, have a look through our Life² Library for some recommended books or our publications section to buy a selection of some books or booklets!

That’s it for now!  Do keep visiting us at www.lifesquared.org.uk to check out our other publications, courses and consultancy and please do help us to spread the word about Life² to anyone else who you think might be interested in our work!
 
All the best,
 
Richard Docwra
Director
Life²
www.lifesquared.org.uk
info@lifesquared.org.uk
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Life² is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Good Green Gifts is offering all ethical pulse readers a special 12 days of christmas discount. When shopping at Good Green Gifts, readers can enter the code 12DAYS when they reach checkout and they will receive a random discount ranging from 5% to 40% on their Christmas shopping. The offer runs until 19th December (last pre Christmas shopping day).

This year’s hot Christmas buys are:

  1) A fairly traded safari animal

2) Sustainably produced solitaire

3) A deer garden kneeler

4) Mr Robothead (wind up flashing toy)

5) A lovely handmade cosy tea cosy

Good Green Gifts is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more