The Gift of Giving {Giveaway CLOSED}

Giving is Happiness and it’s Happiness to Give.

Christmas is the most magical time of year – and finally, the festive season has arrived. We, like many other Australian families, unpacked our Christmas tree and decorations this past weekend. As it’s our first Christmas in the new house, it was fun trying to work out where everything would go.


Christmas Tree 2013


Christmas is the season of giving. It is hard to think about celebrating Christmas without giving gifts. The main reasons we have the custom of giving and receiving presents at Christmas, is to remind us of the presents given to Jesus by the three Wise Men.

We give gifts to our family and friends and as Christmas also coincides with the end the of the school year,  kids all over the country, take great joy in writing their Christmas cards to give to their classmates while parents busily search for the THE perfect gift for class teachers.


Christmas 2013 - Polar Bear


Both kids have written up and distributed the cards to their classmates and I’ve finished my teacher gifts. Now, it’s time to think about the gifts we’ll be giving to our family and friends. I will be making a lot of gifts this year, so family, if you’re reading this, you can expect hand made items under the tree.

Obviously though, not everyone will receive handmade gifts, so I’ll be heading to my local shopping centre to find some inspiration.




With thanks to Westfield, I have a $100 gift card to give away to a lucky Samelia’s Mum reader. I can think of a few things I’d buy with a $100 gift voucher. I’m lucky in that I have 2 Westfield Shopping Centres within 15 minutes of where I live, so finding gifts won’t be too difficult.

To enter, just tell me: 


How will you share the gift of giving?

If you don’t live near a Westfield, just think how happy you’d make a friend or relative by sending them this $100 gift card for Christmas if you won.

* This giveaway will also be running on the Samelia’s Mum Facebook page – please leave a comment on the #HappyGiving post, if you’re unable to leave a comment on the blog.

Terms and Conditions: 1. Australian Giveaway ONLY 2. Giveaway will close at 5pm on Sunday 8 December 2013 AEDST. 3. The judge’s decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered upon. 4. The prize will be sent by the promoter. Samelia’s Mum will take no responsibility for any delay, loss or damage to prizes sent to winner/s. 5. Winner/s will be announced on the Samelia's Mum Facebook page and/or contacted by email. 6. Winner has 7 days to claim the prize. If it is not claimed within this time period, it will be forfeited.


GIVEAWAY CLOSED. WINNER: Monique P (FB Entry)

41 comments

  1. wow what a prize i would spend it on the grandies,they make xmas such a joy.xx

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  2. what a great giveaway. Thank you for the chance.

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  3. Last year I did a "random act of kindness" on my business page, and I'm doing the same this year. I ask my customers to nominate someone who could do with a nice surprise. It's lovely to see people's messages :)

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  4. If I won a Westfield voucher, I would take the kids to "the tunnel" (Westfield Southland) as it is named by my kids and let them choose something totally awesome for their dad (my ex). It would definitely make Christmas so much easier. Thanks for the chance! :)

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  5. We dont have to look too far to find ways to share the gift of giving - food hamper contributions, gifts under the wishing tree in KMart, Target etc. As well as children, I like to give a gift for a young mum as they often go without so their children can receive gifts. Giving some time to visit elderly or lonely neighbours is also appreciated.

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  6. After my brother died a few years ago we decided to buy an Oxfam goat in his name - it means that he is still part of our gift giving & it's.lovely that there are good things being done in his name. Thanks for the fab giveaway.

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  7. I have a couple of FB friends who seem to be really struggling at the moment, can't pay for basics, would love to help them out especially at this time of year.

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  8. Love the setup of your tree in your new home! It's our first Christmas where we are too so I'm looking forward to doing the tree, which we'll be doing this weekend. I'm so excited :)

    I love finding gifts that fit perfectly the recipient - was just shopping in Westfield today to do the first scouting shop! Didn't buy anything yet - just at the planning stage :) Will be back too many times between now and Christmas to buy everyone's gifts.

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  9. Fantastic Giveaway. What would I do. I would take my mum shopping and get her something for herself she is always giving to us.

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  10. Snoring that is an excellent question. I have convinced my 8 th graders to select a Christmas angel from the Salvation Army and the gifts have already started rolling in. I picked a five year old girl and made her a custom quilt.

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  11. I help organise a hamper for a family through St Vinnies for Christmas. Everyone at work brings things in and we always get the most fantastic hamper to give away. I get my kids to come and help deliver it to St Vinnies, and I hope that it is something they will do when they are older too!
    galwayst@hotmail.com kim

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  12. I'd love to give it to the Salvos, they do such amazing work.

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  13. The church community we left in Sydney did a special Christmas offering that we gave to both local and overseas charities- World Vision smiles projects, here and overseas and we found a local to us organisation that we could donate to e.g. womens shelter run by Baptist Community Services. They will continue the tradition even though we are gone.

    Each year we as a family do everyone spend $10 on the other members of the family - 12 immediate family, including 3 granddaughters. This way everyone gets something usually handmade or well thought out gifts are given. This teaching the little ones that it doesn't have to be a great big present to be meaningful

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  14. We like to do our buying at small business's instead of large chains for Christmas. Besides them having more unique, boutique items, the Christmas retail window can make or break a small business, and we know every sale means so much for those smaller business's. Westfield has plenty of them peppered throughout the centre, small popup stalls, others that have made the leap for outside arcades to a bigger profiled Centre store. Buying thoughful gifts from them can mean employment for another year for them and their staff! I can think of alot I could do with a $100 Westfields gift voucher..... xx

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  15. Like every year,we are going to buy presents for the people who live in AGED CARE and have no family around. Every year me and my son buy gifts & bake cupcakes for the aged care people and present them a day before christmas - to make their christmas happy like ours. It feels so good to see smiles on their faces.I am sure its a great way to teach my son that festivals are all about sharing & celebrating .

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  16. One of my family members has been struggling with underemployment for a number of years. A Westfield gift voucher would allow his family to experience happy giving, free of the worry about how gifts would be paid for.

    Mandy

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  17. For me I would love to share the Gift of giving with my Mother in Law. My Son had to have surgery in the royal children's for a rare infection last Christmas day. Most people just went on with their Christmas festivities but she was there for us when we needed her most. So I would love to give her something really special.

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  18. I could take the family to Westfieds for a fun pre Christmas spendup

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  19. Obviously there are no Westfields in the UK but if I were lucky enough to be drawn Id love you to send it to a dear pal who lives in Perth please and who lives on a very tight budget?
    My handmade Christmas gifts have largely gone by the by this year since Ive been in rented accom for several months and only very recently managed to get my belongings out of storage and move into my new ( old) home.
    10 weeks my animals have been in care too : ( - veryyyyy costly that!!
    My home is having to be renovated and at the moment although I have a sink in the newly fitted kicthen ... there are no taps or weater connection! lol - yes, the loo works fine!
    Good luck in your new home and wishing you love, luck and laughter this Christmas, come what may : )

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  20. I'd like to win this for my grand daughter Tia (her first Christmas!)

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  21. I will share the gift of giving by encouraging others to give to me generously :)

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  22. We have an annual Christmas party and rather than gifts, we ask guests to bring tins of food to donate to charity.

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  23. our closest Westfield has a Build a Bear workshop, Id love to take the kids to make their own bear, something they can cherish forever.
    (beck.babylaila @ hotmail dot com)

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  24. I would go out and buy doggy/cat treats and toys for the Animal shelter i do volunteer work for the dogs and cats that are there, so they are able to have a nice Christmas and not feel like they have been forgotten about at Christmas time.

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  25. Would like to spoil my son....we have had a bad year an a little bit of Christmas cheer would go a long way :)

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  26. With a huge smile on my face as I love being the cause of someone else's smile!

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  27. I'd give it to my mum. It's ridiculous but she always feels bad that she can't buy presents for our children (not that we care!) so I think she'd love to use it to buy presents for all her grandchildren.

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  28. Give the card to my American boy so he can explore the joy and wonder of Aussie shopping centers.

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  29. After 6 weeks of radiotherapy and getting close to patients in similar circumstances , I would donate the prize to the cancer foundation. It might by some wonderful gifts to help with their self esteem or a special gift just for them personally.

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  30. I'd give it to my Filipino friend who is raising funds to help those affected by Typhoon Hai-yan. She and her fellow Filipino friends have been raising funds via sausage sizzle, baking and selling cookies, etc. I think the Westfield card will be very useful for buying the ingredients and other raw materials she uses for her fund-raising.

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  31. Love your tree!
    What a great giveaway! I've made all of the presents for family this year, and would love to be able to go shopping for decorations and presents to give my son the best Christmas ever!

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  32. I would use this to buy my dad a giant honey glazed ham so he doesn't have to make it himself!

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  33. I'd love to spoil the grandies....and maybe hubby if there was anything left!

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  34. I would buy toys for a friend who is struggling to get her kids toys as well something for the kmart wishing tree.

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  36. Jingle Bells,my sister smells, my brother laid an egg. I want to spoil my hard-working mother instead, Yay!

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  37. EACH CHRISTMAS, MY BOYS AND I GO THROUGH OUR CUPBOARDS AND SET ASIDE ALL THAT WE NO LONGER NEED. THEN, ALL THAT CAN BE USED BY OTHERS, IS GIVEN AWAY TO THE ENDEAVOUR FOUNDATION OR THE SALVOS. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR ME THAT MY CHILDREN UNDERSTAND THAT CHIRSTMAS IS ABOUT GIVING, NOT RECEIVING, SO WE WOULD USE THE VOUCHER TO BUY GROCERIES FOR FAMILIES IN NEED AT THIS TIME OF YEAR!

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  38. There is a Kmart at my local Westfield, $100 would buy many gifts for under the Kmart Wish tree.

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  39. By spending quality time and eating great food with family and friends.

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  40. I want to spoil my husband who has been my rock through illness this last year. trips back and forth to hospital and looking after our two young kids. After all this stress he deserves a great present this year

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  41. I live in a fairly short street. I'll be making gourmet biscuit packs for each of my neighbours for Christmas - they are almost as important as family in this rather reclusive world

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