The holidays bring families, friends and loved ones together to celebrate and often exchange gifts for Hanukkah (November 27 to December 5, 2013), Christmas (December 25, 2013), Boxer Day (December 26, 2013) or Kwanza (December 26 to January 1, 2014) or simply appreciation of one’s clients.

9 Muses News offers these favorite gifts from readers, featured artists, innovators, explorers and businesses and special people.

Eric Slavin, guitarist and founding member of the Santa Fe Quartet http://bit.ly/1dmolW0

Create Your Own Memory Game with Photos or Artifacts for Archeologists from Peter Campbell http://bit.ly/18p0Zva

Wherever You Are My Love Will Find You by Nancy Tillman http://bit.ly/1anqLTZ

Re-Inspire Greece Extra Virgin Olive Oil http://bit.ly/1cknunE

Vigo. Arquitecture Perdida Lost Architecture http://flashbackediciones.com/portfolio/vigo-arquitectura-perdida/

Cafe Kreyol Haitian Hound Dark Coffee http://bit.ly/16ZjsBm

Gallery Paige Pottery http://bit.ly/18QaOCO

The Frenchman’s Corner box of Neuhaus Chocolate http://bit.ly/1gGHBSH

Anthropos, An Ancient Greek Alphabet book by Therese Sellers and Lucy Bell Jarka-Sellers http://alphaisforanthropos.org

Jewish Life In Poland: The Art of Moshe Rynecki (1881-1943) by Moshe Rynecki http://amzn.to/1cSZtJu

Adopt a Donkey Agria Marina Donkey Rescue http://www.agia-marina-donkeyrescue.com

Things Can Only Get Feta: Two Journalists and Their Crazy Dog Living Through the Greek Crisis by Marjory McGinn http://amzn.to/HZZZY3

A creative coloring activity with Madame Butterfly by Annina Luck Wildermuth who always weaves in a bit of Greek mythology into her work. Enjoy one of her opera butterflies, print the pdf and color one yourself. http://bit.ly/I3HnH3

For the creatives, enjoy a creative afternoon coloring a pdf offered by Annina Luck Wildermuth, children’s book author and illustrator while listening to the opera Madama Butterfly. Or, create a memory game of photographs of family, loved ones or as cave diver archeologist Peter Campbell says, use photos of artifacts.

For the gourmets, sip heavenly Cafe Kreyol coffee, no sugar or cream required. Enjoy chocolates selected by Jul Roach Buckley at Frenchman’s Corner. A special treat is Gaea’s Re-Inspire Greece’s extra virgin olive oil. Poet Katie Aliferis loves to offer Greek honey and oregano from her local Greek store.

Listen to Eric Slavin’s Serenade one of the most beautiful guitar ensembles.

Save a piece of history through the eyes of artist Moshe Rynecki, whose great-granddaughter is searching (and finding!) lost illustrations of Polish Jewish life during the interwar years.

Learn something new. Try Alpha is for Anthropos, an ancient Greek alphabet book with ancient verses of poetry by Therese Sellers and Lucy Bell Jarka-Sellers. Cinnamon Stephens, an art lawyer, suggests learning Arabic through the Rosetta Stone Arabic.

Discover the beautiful VIGO, a book on the lost architecture found and preserved in photographs by Spanish photographer and author Cristian Freire Macias. Experience Greece through the stories of Marjory McGinn who shares tales of life in Greece with her husband and little Jack Russell Terrier in her book, Things Can Only Get Feta.

Or perhaps a piece of art by Paige Dansinger, who recently opened up a Gallery Paige to show her playful paintings and pottery.

Don’t have room in your apartment for a large animal, adopt a donkey at Agia Marina Donkey Rescue in Crete.

Share your love, be inspired by Wherver You Are, My Love Will Find You, a love story for anyone special in your life.

Even more special, write your own love letter and spend an afternoon at the theater or concert with each loved one in your life – old, young, best friend, partner in life, husband, wife or make a new friend. @PabloJaccrion wrote, “The best gift is unexpected, not planned. Not very expensive, personal, meaningful.” @Nafees on Twitter recommended movie tickets. Elizabeth Rynecki suggested taking the family on a hike or picnic. Another great friend of 9 Muses News, Nikos Chatziandreou reminded, stay connected with the people you love and “get to know more”. Share your love over the holidays.

Time is most precious, appreciate the gift of each moment with the ones you love. As artist, Paige Dansinger, wrote the best gift is ‘gratitude’. Enjoy and appreciate the holidays with the ones you love! 

Have more ideas and suggestions? Please share in the comment section. 

By Keri Douglas, writer/photographer, Washington, D.C. (Please follow 9 Muses News copyright use policy.)