Winter is almost here, loves. Shorter days, longer nights, more spiced rum, and snow angels. Did you know that spiced rum and snow angels are a fabulous combination? You can work all night and into the morning without getting cold or discouraged, and suddenly you’ve produced this.

Unfortunately, there are people that become suicidal this time of year. For these poor souls I try to give Christmas gifts that remind them of happier times:

Suntan oil
Cute floral aprons
Flip flops
Seashells
Homemade sangria
Watermelon earrings
Swimsuits if they’re not self-conscious about their weight
A DIY terrarium

A DIY terrarium is heart-felt. And eco-friendly, and perfect for creative, poor people, like out of work Shakespearian actors. But they do require some time, so start now Prospero. You don’t want to be up at 4:00 am on Christmas Eve, fingernails bleeding, crying over the fact that burlap sticks to NOTHING. At that point you will have realized the hours of your life you’ve wasted creating the same thing you saw on clearance at Bed Bath and Beyond last week.

Give yourself a nice chunk of time and enjoy the creative process. Here’s what you do. Line the bottom of a jam jar with about an inch of pebbles. Get some glassine bags, and fill one with a bit of activated carbon (keeps bacteria from forming) and another with a hefty amount of potting soil. I like to throw in a third bag with moss, which always ups the class factor a notch or two.

The most important thing is a hand-written note describing how to assemble this thing. Don’t make it too complicated, because you risk overwhelming your friend and half the fun is letting them struggle. I’d say something like “Let’s get crafty! To make your terrarium, sprinkle some carbon, add a couple inches of potting soil, tuck in a few of your favorite plants. Throw in a bit of moss to brighten things up and enjoy the memory of summer all winter long!”

What a beautiful, hand-made gesture of love.