Hello and welcome to all our new subscribers! It's amazing how much has happened since the last issue. Wow! First there was the legendary performance of the San Francisco Giants leading up to and right through the World Series. Now I must confess that I don't normally follow what's going on in the sports world with more than a passing nod, but the excitement rippling through the city here during those 10+ days was so palpable that even I got swept up in Giants fever and watched most of the last 7 post-season games with some enthusiasm. Go Giants!

Then there was the gut-wrenching nightmare of Hurricane Sandy and its trail of devastation. Having grown up in New York City and lived in New Jersey for many years, it was difficult to watch the images of some of my favorite places destroyed by the ravages of Mother Nature and it brought back sad memories of Katrina. Our hearts go out to all the "Nor-Easters" who've been affected by this, many of whom are still struggling to get back on their feet. Here's hoping for as speedy a recovery as possible.

And amidst all the hoopla and chaos, the long and dreary 2012 election season finally came to a spectacular close. All just in time to gather our wits, re-group, and turn our attention to the approaching holiday season. I've been busy working on a special report called "50 Conscious Gift Ideas for the Holidays & Beyond" to help put some of the joy back into holiday gift shopping and giving. This week's article is an excerpt from that report and features 12 of my favorites that I just had to share with you! Be sure to read on to the end to find out how you can grab a FREE copy of the entire report. And don't forget to take advantage of our Early Bird Holiday special ... but hurry because it ends on Sunday!

Yours in health and prosperity,

Donya

EARLY BIRD HOLIDAY SPECIAL: Take $10 OFF total Gift Set Purchases of $40 or more

12 Health-Conscious, Eco-Conscious, & Socially-Conscious Holiday Gift Ideas

For many people, giving gifts, especially during the holidays, can seem like a chore. This is especially true if you're driven to give from a place of obligation rather than a place of sincere love and gratitude. If you've ever been on the receiving end of what appears to be a completely random gift that has little or no practical application or even any sentimental value, then you know what I mean.

The holiday season, with all its emphasis on consumption and shopping can sometimes feel like an empty exercise in crass commercialism. But gifts are an important way of expressing how we feel about others -- it's a way of showing our gratitude to and for them. And while our gift-shopping and gift-giving gyrations don't always accurately reflect that intention, I believe that it's still the driving force behind why most of us give gifts.

Generosity towards others is intrinsic to the heart. Giving usually starts with the people you're closest to, but helping people you don't know also has a very profound karmic effect too. If the whole holiday shopping thing leaves you feeling more like Mr. Scrooge or The Grinch than Santa's little elf ... take heart. It's easy to transcend the superficial and unrewarding aspects of holiday shopping when you focus on giving conscious gifts. There are all sorts of "cool" and interesting gifts you can give that either add value to the recipients' lives, provide a tangible benefit to a third party, offer intangible benefits for the collective good, and in some cases all three!

I've culled 12 of my favorite "conscious" gift ideas below  --all excerpted from my new report "50 Conscious Gift Ideas for the Holidays & Beyond" (keep reading to find out how you can grab a copy of this for yourself and use it as a guide for all your gift-giving occasions). [Read the full article here ...]

Dropwise Essentials is a San Francisco-based manufacturer of pure aromatherapy and organic plant-based personal care products that give people a safe and effective way to relieve stress, increase vitality, improve confidence, or manage their emotional state any time or place without popping a pill. Our products are:

• Free of synthetic chemicals and petroleum ingredients
• Made with high quality certified organic oils and pure essential oils sourced from around the world
• Packaged in re-usable or recyclable materials
• Hand-made locally in northern California

Dropwise Essentials was founded by Donya Fahmy, a writer, producer, and consultant whose avid interest in the curative powers of aromatherapy and herbs ultimately led her to design and create the seven products and seventeen unique essential oil blends that make up the current Dropwise product line. She has studied aromatherapy with Carol Schiller - a successful author of several aromatherapy books - and with Dr. Daniel Penoel - a renowned expert in the field of medical aromatherapy.

Dropwise Essentials is a proud member of the Indie Beauty Network (formerly the Handmade Beauty Network), the Green America Business Network (formerly Co-op America), Green Product Alliance, Natural Ingredient Resource Center, and a Friend of PETA. We were among the first companies to join the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics by signing their Compact for Safe Cosmetics - which simply formalizes our existing commitment to formulate products free of known or potentially toxic ingredients.