Finding gifts for your loved ones over the holidays can always be a bit stressful, but on a tight budget it can start to feel overwhelming. It’s easy to feel like you’re caught between your finances and the expectations of the people you care about the most. If anxiety starts to rise as you think about how to get your friends and family gifts that they’ll love, it’s so important to remember that a gift is just a representation of your relationship with someone else. The price tag will never matter as much as the amount of effort, thought, and love that are put into a gift, and many of the greatest gifts don’t have to cost a thing. Here are a few ideas for free gifts that will make the holidays shine for your loved ones.
Create A Free Gift from Things Around Your Home
A gift doesn’t have to come from a store to be valued and appreciated; here are a few meaningful gifts you can make out of things you already have.
Pass Along a Favorite Book. If there’s a book you think someone on your list would love, consider taking it off your shelf and inscribing it with a thoughtful message. The fact that you love it will only make your loved one appreciate it more.
Press A Flower for Them. If you’ve got a garden or live near an area with wildflowers, pick a few that are your loved one’s favorite kind or color and press them inside a heavy book— when it’s time to present them, you can glue them inside a card or scrapbook or even put them in an old frame as a piece of decor they’ll treasure forever.
Give Them a Cutting From One of Your Plants. If you love gardening and have a plant that’s easy to propagate like a pothos or a succulent, you can plant a cutting from one of them in an old mug with some soil. Giving your loved one a plant grown from something you have is a beautiful message and will always make them think of you when they look at it.
Give Them A Photo Gift. A photo can be great gift that can have a lot of meaning without costing much. Either print or regift a photo you already have and put it in an old frame—for added sentiment, you can write a personal note on the back of the photo for them to read and think of you.
Create an Affirmations Jar. If you have a free jar on hand, the perfect gift is only a few steps away. Create a bunch of paper scraps and write either an affirmation, a favorite memory, a word of encouragement or an inspiring quote on each one. Fold them all up and put them in the jar, and your loved one will receive the gift of a little burst of positivity whenever they need it the most.
Give the Gift of An Experience
A memory or adventure can be just as much fun as a physical gift; here are some ways to give someone an amazing experience as a gift.
Plan An Outing. An experience can be a great free gift that provides your loved one with a memory to cherish forever. Map out a tour of places in your town where the two of you have memories, or find a special or interesting place to take them that’s within driving distance. You can just even take them for a walk on a nearby trail or park and save any leaves, flowers or interesting rocks you find on the way as a keepsake.
Make Them Coupons For Services. If you’re trying to find a gift for someone who appreciates acts of service, the old homemade coupon route can be a great way to show them you care. Think about the things they’ve mentioned wanting or needing, whether it’s a night of complementary babysitting, a clean house or car, or a lesson in something you know how to do, and customize your free gift to these needs.
Give the Gift of Your Voice. If you live far away from your loved one, consider making a recording of yourself reading a section of a book you both love or recounting a story from your past. You never know how much someone might be missing your voice, and giving them a way to feel closer to you whenever they’re feeling lonely can be more meaningful than you realize.
Get Creative
Whether you’re artistically inclined or not, there are many ways to make the perfect gift without spending money at all.
Give the Gift of Art. If you’ve got a creative outlet, whether it’s drawing, writing, poetry, or any other kind of art, think about how you can channel it into creating a thoughtful free gift for a loved one. Draw a picture of their favorite animal or place, write a story about them or something they love, write a poem for them and frame it, write a song and perform it for them. You have so many options to use your skill in a way that will be so meaningful when received.
Make a Memory Book. Either print up or handwrite a bunch of your favorite memories of your loved one or list the things you love about them. You can even attach any photos you have. Your loved one is sure to appreciate the thought you put into writing down all your favorite stories and will love having the book to look back at.
Give Them a Glamorous Photoshoot. If you have a camera, or even a nice cameraphone, you can plan out a photoshoot for your loved one in a nice local park or garden. It’s always nice to feel beautiful and you’ll be giving them the chance to look their best and have the photos to keep forever. If they have a partner or child you can include them in the fun and give the gift of a free family photo session.
Make a Recipe Book. If you’re an accomplished cook, try writing down your favorite recipes in a book or stowing them in a box to give the free gift of some fresh and exciting meals. You can even recruit other mutual friends or family to add their own favorite recipes to the mix!
Create a Special Playlist. If you have iTunes or Spotify, curate a playlist for your loved one full of songs you think they’d like or ones that are important to your relationship. If you have a CD on hand you can even burn the playlist to the disk for a physical element. Even if you don’t have a go-to music service, you can create a playlist of songs on Youtube or even find free music from your local library. No matter how you put it together, music can be such a powerful way to communicate feelings and memories and your loved one will be sure to appreciate the gesture.
No matter what your budget is this holiday season, finding gifts to suit your loved ones can be simple if you have a little time and creativity. Some of the best gifts are ones that don’t cost anything at all; something on this list is sure to stay in your giftee’s heart for years to come.
Maybe one of your friends just got a new tattoo that they love and it’s sparked some envy. Maybe a talented tattoo artist’s posts have caught your eye while scrolling through Instagram. If you’ve been thinking about getting a tattoo for the first time, or even if you have a few tattoos already, the process of getting a tattoo can be intimidating. We talked to a few tattoo artists to get their perspectives on what you should expect when booking an appointment, from coming up with original tattoo ideas to what you should bring to a consultation. Tattoos may be permanent, but they’re also supposed to be fun; with these ideas and words of advice, your next tattoo will be a breeze.
Whether you’ve got a detailed vision for your tattoo or you’re still looking for ideas, it’s important to pick an artist whose style resonates with you. Janice Savonen, a Denver-based tattoo artist, says Instagram is extremely helpful for this exact purpose; you can spend time online just scrolling through artists’ pages to start identifying what you like. “The ideal scenario is that people have already looked at my portfolio or are pretty well versed in the work I’ve done, as that can give them an idea of what to expect,” she says. For instance, Janice’s style involves an illustrative aesthetic and tends to feature plants, animals and nature, so many clients seek her out for these themes. “Liking the style of the person you’re choosing more so than anything seems to be really important.”
If you’re new to tattoos, it can be helpful to start identifying the subjects and art styles that you like. Emrah Ozan, an artist based in Brooklyn, recommends trawling Instagram for inspiration. “Instagram is the most accessible way today to quickly find artists and to see their style. I would recommend finding some good studios to follow, and then start doing some research on the style that you’re most attracted to.”
Working with a tattoo artist is always both a conversation and a collaboration. Bringing reference photos to the table, either of a subject, an image, or a style you like, is a great way to help your artist know more about what you’re looking for. Carrie Metz-Caporusso, a tattoo artist based in Ann Arbor, says she prefers not to see photos of another tattoo artist’s work so it doesn’t compromise the uniqueness of her own creations. “I always ask for 4 things. The subject matter, the size in inches, the location and a photograph of the location,” she says.
“Consultations are pretty cool because I can get a look at someone and get an essence of what they’re already decorating themselves with.”
Janice says she likes clients to bring in photos of her work that they like to help her come up with the perfect tattoo idea. “I do have a few different styles, and pictures are great references for me to understand visually what they’re interested in.”
Janice finds that often, in-person tattoo consultations can be a great place for the artist and the client to collaborate on an idea. “Consultations are pretty cool because I can get a look at someone and get an essence of what they’re already decorating themselves with.” She says when clients are flexible, a conversation with them and a few key questions can help her hone in on a meaningful tattoo idea. “Do you like a certain type of flower? Or maybe I’ll play with astrology a little bit. If they’re not into that, I’ll ask what they’re up to or where they live or what they care about and get a feel for who they are to give me access points.”
If you’re struggling to come up with an idea for your tattoo, Carrie says she always recommends a bit of self reflection. “Think about what is unique to you. What represents who you are? For example, I have people who want dedication tattoos for a loved one who passed and they come to me with birth dates and death dates. There’s nothing wrong with this concept, but I encourage them to tell me what they think about when they remember their loved one. Was it a fun trip? A favorite song? That way I can come up with a unique design that’s special to them.”
Emrah says that the more he’s able to talk with his clients about the things they like, the easier it is to create a work they’ll enjoy. “[Bringing in references] helps me understand the direction for the design,” he says. “Often clients are unsure of the placement, so knowing the other elements can help me give a good suggestion on where it would fit best.”
If you’re getting your first tattoo, or even considering adding another to your collection, it can feel paralyzing to need to find an idea that’s “important” enough. Janice would argue that the very fact that you’re drawn to an image means it’s worth getting. “I love telling stories through art; [tattoos are] my favorite form. However, I really value when people don’t know why they’re getting the tattoo and just love it for the sake of what it is. Choosing it connects them to something bigger than they really understand and sometimes once you get the tattoo it slowly creates that meaning for you. It’s like you grow with the tattoo and the tattoo grows with you and slowly it decodes itself no matter what. When I’ve gotten tattoos, the meanings changed, or sometimes the meaning’s irrelevant because it’s more a time capsule of where you’re at.”
“I really value when people don’t know why they’re getting the tattoo and just love it for the sake of what it is.”
Janice says that it can be really freeing just to submit to the process instead of worrying about having the “perfect” tattoo idea. “It’s a huge form of letting go. When you get a tattoo you’re surrendering; it’s almost like a surrender to your body. I think it’s self expression but it’s also a transcendence. You’re transitioning. On a cellular, metaphysical way you’re changing your body too.”
Carrie adds that as long as you’re following your intuition, you’re going to have a good experience. “You know what you like best so lean into who you are and you’ll never have a regrettable tattoo.”
When you hire a tattoo artist, their role isn’t just to copy an image onto your skin; you’re hiring them not only for their style, but for their expertise as well. Tattoo artists can help you translate your ideas into body art, which is harder than you might think. “It’s really important that it’s a conversation because there are some things that I can’t do,” Janice says. “There are certain things that just don’t make sense in tattoos; drawings don’t automatically translate. It has to be a dialogue. When someone says ‘I love your art, I trust you,’ when they’re flexible, it allows me more room to be creative and apply the skills and passion and excitement.” She says it’s ideal when a client comes to her with a few key elements and lets her make suggestions about how to incorporate them. They might say they like mammals and flowers and Janice might recommend a pairing of a bear and a peony, with some decorations.
Alexey Trofimov, based out of Brooklyn, says that after he works with a client on a tattoo idea and they agree on references, the client won’t see his final design until the day of the session. “As practice shows,” he says, “when a client has a design, he begins to doubt it and always tries to change something.” He says this can interfere with the process and even result in a cancellation because a client can’t stop overthinking the design.
“The outcome of the tattoo isn’t just the image; it’s warrior training in a way.”
Janice says one of the more interesting parts of working as a tattoo artist is that you don’t know exactly what the end result will look like; there’s a magic in the capturing of that moment. She says this is what differentiates it from many other art forms. “When you’re tattooing, you’re holding that space with a person and energetically you’re connecting.” The fact that the art manifests itself in that moment, as a collaboration between a client and an artist, only adds to its value. “You can never fully know what the tattoo is going to look like until the day of, and it’s painful, it forces you to meditate and get through it. The outcome of the tattoo isn’t just the image; it’s warrior training in a way.”
Tattoo artists can also have an expertise when it comes to placing tattoos in a way that elevates your body instead of distracting from it. “I’ve spent a lot of years training,” Janice says. “I’ve taken a lot of figure modeling classes and I’ve figure modeled myself and understanding those angles and those flows and ways to accentuate the body is really cool because a tattoo can make you feel really sexy and confident, and it can change how you see your body.” She especially loves to do bigger, more flowing designs on thighs. “In my personal experience I wouldn’t want to put a small tattoo on someone’s thigh because it’s such a big beautiful area and that’s really a fantastic opportunity to flow.”
“You know what you like best so lean into who you are and you’ll never have a regrettable tattoo.”
Emrah says that whether his clients’ tattoos are spontaneous or commemorative, he can see the impact it makes on their self esteem. “I find that tattoos increase people’s body positivity, and that no matter the reason behind it, they end up leaving the session very happy.”
Carrie’s newest pursuit is using tattoos to emphasize and celebrate parts of the body that we are often encouraged to hide or downplay. “I’ve mocked up a bunch of adornments around fat rolls.” She says the idea is to “encourage people to use tattoos as a tool for loving their bodies as they are now. Tattooing has helped me love my body and I want to help spread that love to others. I’ve only ever seen tattoos that ‘enhance’ a thin or muscular body type; I’d love for people to start looking at their current bodies as something worthy of decoration.”
If there’s one thing that has been getting me through this pandemic (besides quality time with loved ones), it’s entertainment. We’ve all needed a bit of levity in these unprecedented times, and thank goodness that taking a moment to escape into fantasy can be as simple as clicking a button. The entertainment industry has been hard at work to provide audiences with a sense of normalcy, but producing shows in the middle of a pandemic is anything but normal. As a production assistant (or PA) at Dancing with the Stars, I thought I’d walk you through what my not-so-typical day looks like.
As the Dancing with the Stars judges’ PA, my job is to make sure that Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough are on schedule and have everything they need for a smooth day. I work closely with our wonderful judge producer to stay on top of meetings, interviews, and anything else that might arise.
The first step of my day is to check in with our COVID officers, who need to verify that your COVID test was negative and take your temperature before they can let you into the studio.
Next, you’re given a wristband, your golden ticket to walk about the building without security tackling you. It’s far from an all-access pass, however: The show divides employees into different “zones” to limit unnecessary exposure between people. If you’re “Zone A”, like me, you are one of the lucky few that can watch the show from inside the stage.
After getting my wristband I head up to Dancing with the Stars’ production office, which looks a bit different this year. You can’t exactly walk around freely or keep your door open as in previous years. Gone are the days of sharing fun snacks in the kitchen or communal coffee pots. Can you imagine touching the same coffee pot as 50 other people now? Nightmare.
Next comes everyone’s favorite part of the day — getting COVID tested! The COVID logistics team has the daunting job of making sure hundreds of people get tested on time to keep production moving smoothly. Without them, we have no show!
Before and after the Dancing with the Stars goes live, my main job is to keep the judges on time for their meetings and interviews. Most of these now take place on Zoom or FaceTime via our trusty iPads. Usually our social media team will also make a socially distant appearance to get some behind-the-scenes content (namely, Bruno and Derek filming TikToks). During the hours leading up to the show I also make sure the judges get their lunches.
Our craft services department (or Crafty, as we affectionately call it) has seen a lot of updates this year to keep everyone safe. Lunches and snacks used to be served buffet style, a concept that sends shivers down my spine now. Again production has come up with a creative solution, packaging our meals and snacks separately and handing them out to-go style. After you get your meal, you have to stay outside in the designated eating /drinking zones until you’re done.
Once it’s time for Dancing with the Stars to start filming, I make sure the judges are settled on stage. Since there are unmasked dancers and judges around, the HMU (Hair and Makeup) and Wardrobe teams and I have to make sure we are wearing face shields and N95 masks for extra protection. Then comes the actual best part of my day — getting to watch the show!
When the day is over we are exhausted, but we’re all proud of ourselves for pulling together and making things work even in the midst of such challenging circumstances. Through all of the changes, live TV is still a fun, very unique experience. I’m so grateful to be working with such a dedicated team. I hope that our appreciation to be back doing the things we love translates to the viewers at home, because it has never felt more important to bring joy to your screens.
I want to thank everyone who tuned in and supported Dancing with the Stars Season 29. It was a unique season because of the pandemic, one where we all worked extra hard to bring some entertainment and light into everyone’s homes. It was also a special season because I believe that it brought us all a lot closer as a family. We did it as a family and we did it with love, and I truly believe you can feel it in every episode we created together. Before we say goodbye though, I wanted to leave you with my top ten most memorable Dancing with the Stars performances of all time.
1. Drew Lachey and Cheryl Burke’s “Save a Horse, Ride A Cowboy” Freestyle, Season 2
This iconic piece of choreography performed by Drew and Cheryl in the finale of Season 2 was when Dancing with the Stars became the show it is today. Cheryl broke down boundaries of style and created a perfect vehicle that both entertained the crowd and suited Drew’s style of movement. It was sexy and fun and just a downright show down. I loved this piece and when anyone asks me what my favorite performance of Dancing with the Stars is, this one always pops into my mind first. From the orange and gold costumes tinged with Western themes all the way down to the cowboy boots, this piece felt like it became a bit of American history while entertaining us all.
2. Nyle DiMarco and Peta Murgatroyd’s “The Sound of Silence” Freestyle, Season 22
Some dances just take your breath away, and this one took mine away for so many reasons. Set to a darkened stage with a piano on fire behind them, Nyle and Peta began in such an intimate way. The details of each movement and the lyrics both remind us that Nyle DiMarco is, in fact, Deaf (He’s an activist and created the Nyle DiMarco Foundation to help Deaf people all over the world). The poignancy of this piece added a depth to each of the movements. His connection to Peta and the music was beyond what we normally see in a couple because of his unique attributes. Not only did this performance leave behind a passionate and artistic masterpiece but it also left behind a message. During the season, Nyle had an interpreter who would always sign for him, as well as translate everything that was being said to him. I was inspired and learned to sign so that I could tell him how I felt that day about his performing on our show.
3. Kaitlyn Bristowe and Artem Chigvintsev’s “Toxic” Argentine Tango, Season 29
What was so special about this number was the journey that led up to it in Season 29. Kaitlyn had received a few low scores leading up to this dance, and I had given her some stern feedback. Kaitlyn had potential and, in my opinion as a judge, she had more to give. I gave her honest feedback about her Paso Doble and there was an outcry from Bachelor Nation that I was being unfair to Kaitlyn. I’ve noticed that around the 7th week of each season of Dancing with the Stars, people get very impassioned about who they are rooting for and the social media feedback can get quite negative towards the judges. I’ve seen it happen from Season 1 on. It’s always happens. But I believe in honest feedback because I want people to have the ultimate experience on our show, and that kind of experience only happens when you challenge yourself and push yourself to go beyond what you thought was possible.
We all witnessed Kaitlyn find her perfection in the expression of her Argentine Tango. Together, Kaitlyn and her partner Artem faced that Argentine Tango with a fire and determination unlike any prior performance. And it was incredible! It was sheer and utter perfection. Every movement was executed with the right balance of passion, power and intention. Every line was stretched to perfection, every step placed with meticulous attention to detail. It was truly amazing to witness. And this moment was one of pure joy not only for them, but for all of us in the ballroom. Magic is magic, after all. I love when people who join our show can experience a dance of perfection, where you surpass your own expectations, where you are almost beyond human, where you and the dance become one. I remember my perfection moments in my own dance career and I love when our contestants can have that moment for themselves, and can look back at that instance of pure ecstasy and can claim it as their own. There is nothing like earning a moment in your life, through blood sweat and tears, and to be at one with pure expression and creativity. Bravo!
4. Amy Purdy and Derek Hough’s “Only Human” Contemporary, Season 18
It was only Week 3 in the competition, and it was the first time Amy exposed her prosthetic legs. Amy is a double amputee, snowboarder, Paralympic medalist, and inspirational speaker. In my opinion, she was one of the most inspiring people ever to be on Dancing with the Stars. Her ability to compete so strongly while being a double amputee was eye-opening. We had to hold her to the same standards as everyone else that season, and she stood up to that test and smashed the concept of “limitation.’ This performance showcased the power of vulnerability in dance. It demonstrated so clearly that when you open your heart and share of yourself in dance, or in any venue, you can touch the world in a way that’s life-affirming. In dance, the only tool is the person dancing. Dance is truly the artistry of a human being. This performance is etched in my heart as the dance that touched our nation. Amy showed me and everyone else that anything is possible when you take it one step at a time. There is a move in that choreography that I will always remember: the final steps where Amy suspended in the air by her partner Derek and she was walking on air. And I think we all could see ourselves in that moment, walking towards our dreams.
5. Mel B and Maksim Chmerkovskiy’s “Free Your Mind” Pasa Doble, Season 5
This was a Paso Doble that set the bar for all Paso Dobles to come. Maks and Mel started in an embrace. Suddenly Mel turned around and marched right down center stage, owning us all with her attitude. Her costume was one of the sexiest we had ever seen, and she had her breakthrough with that dance. We had never seen something so risqué before, something so daring and on the edge. It had an “in your face” and rebellious attitude that left us all with our mouths agape. She was dressed as a dominatrix and she had never danced with that much passion or precision before. Mel B’s in my hall of famers for her powerful performance, command of the dance and that aggressive but controlled Paso. Whenever I hear that song I still see Mel B, coming down centerstage and ready to blow your mind.
6. Meryl Davis and Maksim Chmerkovskiy’s “Feel So Close” Tango, Season 18
This performance proved Meryl Davis to be one of the absolute greatest female celebrity dancers in the history of Dancing with the Stars. She delivered everything you could ask for in a perfect Tango. What was so incredible was the way she mastered the technique. I can still see her hold in my mind’s eye, with the fingers of her left hand placed just perfectly. She had an elegance and grace to her, but it was matched with a ferocity and a power that was focused like a laser. She had the most elegant and elongated neck and her head was always at the absolute perfect angle. Meryl was a perfectionist, and the magic was also in the immense and palpable chemistry she had with her partner. She brought out the best in Maks; I believe that was his best season as well. It’s wonderful when you see someone firing on all cylinders as Maks was in his season with Meryl. His choreography was intricate and extremely challenging, and she pushed him to his outer limits as well. Dancing with the Stars is so many things but it is also a wonderful showcase of alchemy of partnerships, and how people can change people and bring out the best in each other. This was one of those partnerships and this dance was one of their best. Artistry in motion.
7. Hélio Castroneves and Julianne Hough’s “Hey Pachuco” Quickstep, Season 5
This was my favorite Quickstep ever! I still remember Hélio in that yellow zoot suit. Len, Bruno and I would often refer to his Quickstep with Julianne as the “gold standard.” It was filled with content and was jam-packed with energy and excitement, at least until he dropped her a little roughly at the end in the final pose. I think she hit her head, but was ultimately fine. She stood up and laughed hysterically. It was such a vibrant performance, and the way they glided by us in fantastic form, body contact on pointe, incredible and basically flawless footwork… It was one of the brightest moments in Dancing with the Stars history.
8. Alfonso Ribeiro & Witney Carson’s “3-6-9” Jive, Season 19
This dance woke up the house at Dancing with the Stars! It was Alfonso’s first dance of the season and he came out of the gates and blew us away. It was so strong and so powerful, but so much fun! There’s a naturalness to they way he performs, and this routine left an impact that told us all to watch this guy! Alfonso’s musicality and his innate ability to feel the moments and know when to stretch out a move and when to bring it tightly gave him the nuances that make a performance really come to life. This dance is all about his showmanship and ability to bring it out in the best way. When Alfonso stepped off the lifted stage onto the hardwood, he lit the place up. Some dances just make you wanna dance and they make America feel good. This was one of those and Alfonso is a showman through and through. Whoop Whoop!
9. Allison Holker and Riker Lynch’s “He’s A Pirate” Paso Doble, Season 20
This dance was so fantastic. It was epic! Riker transformed in the role of Captain Jack Sparrow and danced as a man possessed. He was brilliant, and so was Allison! At the end when the cannon went off, that was how I felt inside. I felt so much joy for what they just accomplished that it was like my heart exploded. The room exploded into wild and well-deserved applause. Riker’s performance was larger than life and like a live-action Disney ride come to life. He danced with more enthusiasm and precision than he had ever danced before, hitting all his lines with incredible shaping and and dancing like the leading man he was meant to be! You could tell that he was just “living his best life” at that moment. The performance had all the excitement of the film right there on the ballroom for all of us to witness, up close and personal. He had a flourish to every step that made this dance worthy of being called Disney Magical.
10. Nev Shulman and Jenna Johnson’s “Black Swan” Paso Doble, Season 29
This dance was powerful and had a certain gravitas that makes it a stand out to me. Yes, I am a fan of Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake which I do believe this was a tribute to or was inspired by, and that could have worked against it because his dancers are quite spectacular. I’m not comparing the two, but this dance dug its way into my heart by sheer determination. Jenna and Nev threw themselves into this dance and infused the element of drama into it. This dance proved that Nev deserves be on a stage performing and entertaining people forevermore. His killer smile always lights up the room, but here in this dance, he ignited our imaginations. They truly transported us into a world of imagination, and I love when dance can take us out of this world and let our imaginations light up and lead us. This was a magical performance and Jenna’s choreography was a highlight indeed!
HONORABLE MENTION: The Judges Partner Dance featuring Paige Vanzant and Antonio Brown with Mark Ballas and Sharna Burgess, Season 22
In Season 22 of Dancing with the Stars, the judges were asked to create numbers for the couples on the show and I created this Paso Doble for Antonio Brown and Paige Vanzant. Each judge was assigned two teams and tasked with creating a performance to feature them and help them in their journey towards the Mirrorball Trophy. Antonio and Paige were very different types of performers and were at very different skill levels, but I love a creative challenge. My goal and strategy was to use the one thing they had in common: their incredible athleticism. I had a few ideas floating in my mind, but I kept thinking about the film Prometheus by Ridley Scott. I wanted to put Antonio and Paige in that type of raw, dark, alien and otherworldly environment where it took pure physical strength and a beyond-human desire to survive. These two titans Antonio and Paige had that kind of energy and I wanted to highlight that because, in that aspect of things, they were equals. I knew it would create a more balanced performance if I highlighted their physicality and incredible prowess. I used this song because the lyrics emphasized the competitive spirit and nature of the competition: “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” I knew this would help them tap into their inner gladiator spirit.
The element of man (and woman) versus nature was the main theme here and it was imperative that I create that kind of environment not just through lighting but through actual texture. I asked for the box of chalk that they started in. It took a few attempts to find the best way to create the effect without overdoing it, but with the right camera angles and with the jib moving in the right direction, it created the impact I was looking for. I wanted my dancers to seem as though they came from the earth and were of the earth element. It was an epic battle within a battle, even though they were actually and ultimately a team of four. They needed to survive and fight with all their might to survive. In the end, they survive…. they make it to the promised land, where the water flows and they can keep going. I chose to end with them walking into the water with a “less is more” energy for the most impact; my goal was instilling hope. The whole piece was very heavy and physical and it needed the energetic relief, so I saved it until the end. It was powerful to witness. We only had one chance to rehearse it in the water, and we had never done it in full costume until it was showtime. I’ll admit I was a bit nervous, but I loved creating this for them.
Sharna Burgess and Mark Ballas were great to work with as choreographers. I had worked with Sharna before with Noah Galloway and I have always loved and respected her talent. Mark was not as comfortable or trusting at first but ultimately, the piece spoke for itself. My role as creative director was to create the world, choose the costumes and add the lighting and sound effects. I also created the beginning and the end of the piece (I’m always hands-on for the beginning and the end of anything I direct— that first impression goes a long way). I directed the moments, beat to beat: what happens where, who dances with whom and for how long, what we are going for at each moment as far as storytelling goes, what we want to feel and what intensity we need and where. That’s all my part, but I cannot take credit for the steps. At Dancing with the Stars, the pros are always the choreographers and are responsible for their partners. Here, in the role of creative director, I was very happy with the outcome. I am proud of this number and truthfully, I am always happiest when I get to be creative.
It’s been an amazing, truly unprecedented season of Dancing with the Stars, and I couldn’t be more thankful for the chance to look back through all that our performers have accomplished so far. I’m so proud of every member of this incredible family, and I can’t wait to see what next season holds!
Anyone who knows me well has heard me talk about how much power our sense of smell has. Our most familiar smells will always have a special place in our minds and hearts, connecting us to memories we might otherwise have forgotten. Some of my favorite smells are connected to the holidays, and many of you probably feel the same; the smell of a crisp tree, a crackling fire, or our favorite desserts can always help signal that the holidays and all the joy and connection that they celebrate are here again. Whether you live for the smell of cinnamon spice or want to curl up with a dark, musty winter scent, we have 11 winter candles that will help bring holiday cheer into your home.
Wax Cabin makes great candles for every season but, as their name suggests, the cozy winter months are where they really shine. Merry Mule has all the sparkle and cheer of our favorite copper cup beverage. Light notes of fizzy champagne and ginger will bring you cheer while deeper hints of Frasier fir will make you feel like you’re on your own alpine getaway.
If for you the holidays aren’t complete without a Christmas tree, this candle is the perfect wintry staple. The notes of evergreen and cedar wood are fresh and pure without being overpowering, bringing the smells of a snow-dusted forest with every lighting.
If you spend your days fantasizing about a cabin in the woods where someone’s always baking, Snowed In might become your new go-to winter candle. Sugary sweetness layered with all the best holiday spices will bring you comfort and warmth with every burn.
Sweet mornings smells exactly like warm honey drizzling onto a freshly baked breakfast pastry. If your biggest delight in the holiday season is sugary sweets, the warm scents of vanilla and oats that waft from this candle will be the perfect companion for winter.
The deep, rich notes of plum brandy and dried fruit will instantly transport you to a stately study lined with leather-bound books; this deeper and muskier take on the holidays is perfect for someone who prefers to stay away from sweeter scents, and the gorgeous gilded casing makes is the perfect centerpiece for any room.
If the chilly weather always leaves you craving a crackling fire, then this limited edition candle filled with rich wood and leaf scents will be the perfect addition to your evenings.
The holidays are all about celebrating while staying snug, and this clear, crisp scent of prosecco will bring you an abundance of both. Perfect for bath time or a nightcap, this winter candle will bring a little something special to any occasion.
This winter candle smells like the perfect peppermint hot chocolate, dripping with rich cocoa, warm vanilla, and fluffy whipped cream. If the holidays always make you think of peppermint bark, you’ll never want to put out this candle.
Sugar, spices and pine are all wonderful, but sometimes you might need something a bit simpler. Black Fig smells like walking through a musty forest on a winter night; it’s rich but subdued enough to bring you a woodsy winter whenever you need it.
Familiar scents can be such a comfort for us as we navigate our lives and create comforting spaces for ourselves. No matter which smells remind you of your treasured memories, favorite places, and loved ones, a winter candle can be the perfect way to create all those feelings wherever you find yourself this winter. I hope you find a new favorite on this list that you’ll keep coming back to every time the weather gets chilly.
For centuries, reading tarot cards has been a way for people to connect with their intentions and deepen their intuition. A lot of people are drawn to tarot for the insights it can offer, but how does someone get started? Katelan Foisy, a Chicago-based writer, artist and occultist, has been reading tarot both professionally and personally for years. She knows better than anyone that reading tarot can be intimidating when you first start out, and she has some advice for the best experience.
Getting to Know Your Tarot Cards
Because the process of reading tarot is so personal to the individual, it’s important to have a deck that you feel connected to. “Look for the deck that speaks to you. Don’t look at the decks that are really popular.” Katelan says even if you’re shopping online, try to look closer at each deck to see what feels right to you. “Look at the way they’re drawn, the way they’re set up,” to find a deck that resonates. She says that more than once she bought or received a deck that was beautiful, but didn’t quite work for her. Katelan says that you can’t force it if you want to have accurate tarot readings. “It’s worth it to find the deck that works for you.”
When you first get a tarot deck, it’s important to make sure you’re attuned to it. Energy is a big part of tarot, and you want to make sure that you cleanse the cards of anyone else’s energy while getting used to them yourself. Katelan says that when you get a new deck, you should take some time to look through the cards and absorb the imagery. “Make sure you shuffle them really well; you can take some incense to get rid of any energy [from other people]. I wrap all my cards in scarves, and then I sleep with them under my pillow for three days. You’ll get some really strange dreams during that time, but it attunes your energy to the cards.”
When it comes to deciding where to read your tarot cards, Katelan says it should be wherever you feel most comfortable. When she reads cards professionally she’ll do it at a table, and the Bronx botanica she used to practice at had a table set up in an altar room, but her personal setup is less formal. “I am always sitting on the floor. I have these antique trays, and I like to pull cards on the trays if I’m doing a three card spread. If I’m doing a full spread I’ll do it on the couch or on the floor.”
Katelan also recommends learning more about the history of reading tarot to feel more connected and grounded in the practice. She points to its roots in the Romani culture, and in the Jewish New York tenements in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. “You’ll always notice with the history of fortune telling and card reading and tea reading and all of that, there were often surges of interest in it when wars were occurring, when something was happening. Now, in the pandemic, people are looking for answers and for meaning in their own lives.”
How to Start Reading Tarot
There’s no one right way to read tarot cards. Everything from the questions you ask, your approach, your interpretation, and even the number of cards you pull is up to you. Katelan says it’s more helpful when you don’t ask a yes or no question. “You’re going to want to ask a question that digs in more. ‘Where are my blocks? What can I do to alleviate these blocks? What’s the best course of action to live my best life and align with my higher self?'”
As for the number of cards you pull, it depends on what you want to accomplish. You could start by simply pulling one card a day to get a message for that day’s energy and intentions. You could pull three cards for a “past, present, future” spread. For a fuller reading you could pull a Celtic Cross, a ten-card spread that captures your current moment and the factors surrounding it. Katelan says this spread “gives you the core issue, what the basis of the matter is, the people you’re surrounded by, and gives you some insight into your dreams and fears about it.”
When it comes to reading the cards themselves, Katelan says you’re going to want to have a website or book reference on hand to look for individual meanings. The cards are broken up into two categories: the major arcana and the minor arcana. The major arcana cards mostly feature archetypal subjects like the fool, the devil, the lover or the priestess, while minor arcana cards are the ones that come in suits of “pips:” the swords, coins (or pentacles), cups and wands. Katelan says “The major arcana is mostly about the psyche, so it’s whatever you’re thinking, the changes that are occurring around you.” The minor arcana are mundane, signifying the external issues that surround you. The coins or pentacles signify issues of family, money, or stability. Cups are associated with emotions and relationships (“or anything else you feel emotional about”). Wands are about taking actions. And swords? “People get really scared when they see a lot of swords in their spread, but swords are communication. It can be action oriented but it’s usually mental conflict. When someone’s overthinking you can guarantee the spread will be full of swords.”
Katelan says everyone reads their spread differently, but one common way is to start with the majors first. “Let me focus on what I’m internally going through first, then look at the minors to see the everyday actions I need to take or look out for.”
She says that you could think about tarot like a little town in and of itself. “The majors are the places you would go for greater knowledge. Say you get the High Priestess; it’s indicating that you need to focus on your own intuition, focus on the greater mysteries. If you’re really feeling something, maybe take a couple of days to see if the feeling’s still there. Say you come to The Lovers. That’s a choice you have to make.” The Lovers card indicates that you’re going to be faced with leaving an aspect of your life behind to make room for something new. The minor arcanas can help inform these bigger insights. “Say you get a minor as the outcome [in this three card spread]. Say it’s the ten of coins. So you have the High Priestess that’s asking you to look at all the facts, take a few days to mull over it, follow your intuition. You have The Lovers, meaning if you make this choice you’ll leave one aspect of your life behind, and then the ten of coins is leading into stability.”
You can also look at your spread as a whole, like a landscape, and glean meaning from interactions between the cards. Katelan says that the way the cards “interact” with each other in the spread can also give you information when you’re reading tarot. “If there are figures in the cards, are they looking towards each other or are they looking away from each other? That will indicate whether you’re stepping towards yourself or your goals or stepping away from them. For instance, if you’re thinking about switching jobs, and you go in for an interview. If two cards in their spread are facing each other, they’re thinking about you or you would be received well. If they’re facing away from each other, this might not be a good fit for you.”
Katelan describes how she’s used the cards’ combined meanings to glean a direction. She said at one point in her life, she found the Three of Cups guiding her to spend more time with her female friends. “That time in my life I had gone through a slew of really turbulent relationships. When I saw the three of cups along with two female cards, I think they were two queens, it was a sign I needed to focus on my relationships with women.”
Trust Your Instincts and Your Interpretation
Tarot is deeply subjective; reading the cards requires you to bring your own perspective and interpretation to each card’s meaning. Reading tarot is only as useful as the knowledge and intuition you bring, which is why Katelan suggests you spend a lot of time with your cards. “One of the things that people are going to want to do especially if they’ve never worked with a deck before is just to spend some time with them. There’s so much symbolism in them.” She says one way you can get to know your deck is by looking at just one or two cards a day, taking in the symbolism of each one, and writing down what you think their meaning is. “Then, look them up online or in a book and see if it coincides. A lot of times you’re going to pick up on things.”
Looking up the meaning of each card is crucial to reading, but so is being able to think about how the meanings apply to your own life. It might be confusing, as a beginner, if you’re asking your deck about the blocks you’re experiencing and you get a card like The Star. “You might say, ‘how is the Star card, a genuinely good card, my block?’ And that might mean that the person is only ever looking at the future hope of things but never taking actions to make it a reality.” The same thing goes if you see a more troubling card, like The Devil, in your future. Katelan says there’s no cause to worry about lurking evil. “The Devil card would be associated with Capricorn energy, so what you’re stepping into right now is the need to get out of your head and take action the way a Capricorn would work on something. Focus on your goals. The main thing is just looking at a lot of these interpretations and seeing how they fit into your life.”
Don’t Panic!
Like The Devil, there are a few other cards that might frighten someone when reading tarot for the first time. You might be worried about the possibility of pulling a “scary” card, but Katelan says these cards are less likely to spell danger and more likely to show you areas of your life that need care, or places where change is coming..
“The Death card, Devil card, Three of Swords, Ten of Swords, Eight of Swords, Nine of Swords, Five of Coins… People get really worried when they see those. For instance, the Five of Coins is two people shivering outside in the snow in front of a church with its lights on.” She says this is the wounded healer card, signifying that you’re spending too much energy trying to heal others when you should be healing yourself. “Obviously people get freaked out by the Devil card, but it’s not necessarily bad.” She says The Devil can indicate a vice or an unhealthy area in your life like a relationship or a thought process. “Someone who overthinks so much that they spend hours procrastinating because they’re worried about something and they don’t do it: for that the Devil card would come up. It’s not necessarily something horrible.”
There is one card that can be a bit more troubling, Katelan says. “The Tower card is rough, I’m gonna say. It’s rough. It always is for the good of the person, but it usually indicates that something they either believed or something they were building is going to crumble down. It says that you’re going to have this moment of truth but it’s not going to feel good. But,” she says, “it’s also not going to be forever and you’re going to move forward. Sometimes it could just mean a huge breakthrough. It’s not always super rough but it can be.” Every year Katelan pulls a card on her birthday to read the energy of the year ahead, and one year she knew she would pull The Tower before she even flipped the card. “It was the most turbulent year of my life,” she says. “Afterwards I understood why everything had to happen but I didn’t expect to have a year of crying.”
She says that her response when she pulls one of the more challenging cards is to pull more cards for more context and clarity. She tells a story about a client who got The Tower and knew it meant their marriage was failing. “We pulled more cards and we saw that this person’s career was about to take off, so it was good that it was all coming up now because it would have held them back. A lot of times when The Tower comes up it means something is holding you back that you need to let go. You may not want to but you need to, in order for something better to come along. That person ended up finding a partner that was great for them.” She says pulling more cards can also give you guidance on how to cope; pulling other cards to inform The Tower is how she pulled the Three of Cups that pointed her towards her female friends. These supporting cards can help give you a direction or guidance. For instance, “if you get the Ace of Swords it might be telling you to journal so it doesn’t get bottled up inside you.”
If You’re Not Ready for Tarot…
Not everyone is ready commit to purchasing a tarot deck, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use tarot’s lessons of intention setting and clarity. “If someone doesn’t want to go full into the tarot, they can go for oracle cards,” Katelan says. “They’re easy starters and a lot of people like them because they’ll give insight on what to focus on for the day.” She recommends the Rumi Oracle deck, which has cards with poetry and meditations on them for a daily message. For something more to-the-point, Katelan illustrated a deck of oracle cards called the Sibyls Oraculum. “It gives you a core issue and can be very matter-of-fact. It’s like your grandmother who tells you, ‘Yeah, you know what your problem is? This.'” If the imagery on some tarot cards is too intense for you, she recommends the The Wayhome Tarot and its beautiful, soothing illustrations.
The principal of reading tarot is looking for symbols and applying them to life, which means you can harness the same energy by seeing how symbols show up for you throughout your everyday. You can start to look up images that appear in your dreams and see if they give you any baring on your circumstances. Keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary in the course of your routine. “A sign can be anything,” Katelan says. “It can be a rose blooming in the winter. You can watch for certain animals and look up their symbolism. I know when I have to be more gentle with myself I’ll see deer everywhere. If someone needs to take hold of their time and restore their energy, they might see squirrels gathering nuts. If you’re worried about prosperity, look out for money on the ground. When you pick it up, thank the universe for your prosperity and all of a sudden you’ll start to see more money. Things will start to shift. It really is focusing on your surroundings and changing a little bit of the energy of that reality around you.”
No matter your approach to reading tarot, Katelan’s parting message is just not to get frustrated when you’re first starting out. Like any discipline, reading tarot takes time and intention. In time you can start to learn the cards and learn your preferences, maybe even picking up a favorite card or two along the way.
“The wheel of fortune has always been my favorite card,” she says. “I feel like it keeps me grounded because there are going to be times when everything’s fantastic and there’s going to be times where everything is awful, so remember that the wheel is turning.”
From the very beginning, Shawna Christian has cared about plants. This past month Shawna Christian celebrated the one-year anniversary of opening her shop, Tansy, a bright, airy storefront in Burbank, CA bursting with gorgeous plants, eclectic decor, personality and warmth. Shawna’s journey with plants started ten years ago when she started renovating her house and backyard. “It was this ten year journey for finding stuff for my home from all around the world and making it bright and colorful, and creating this backyard that turned into a garden of Eden.”
Shawna realized that she couldn’t wait to spend every spare moment in her yard tending to her plants. She started realizing that she could stay out in her garden for up to eight hours without having a single conscious thought. “It was like my version of meditation,” she says. “When I decided to open up a shop I wanted to bring what I was experiencing in my own home and garden to a place where people could come and start their own journey with their own homes and their own plants. I found such joy and peace with it.”
I talked to Shawna about some of the common mistakes people make when they start cultivating their green thumb, and advice she has for beginners.
“I think the biggest issue for most people is not understanding the type of plant they want,” Shawna says. “People will walk in and they’ll gravitate towards the really cool looking one or the one with a lot of colors.” A lot of times, she says, new plant owners get ambitions beyond their abilities, and overextend themselves. “Buying difficult plants is not the way to start, because you’ll kill it, you’ll get disappointed and you won’t want to do it again.” Shawna recommends starting with easier plants to get into the rhythm of attentiveness before moving on to plants that can’t survive being forgotten about or ignored.
For beginners, Shawna has a few starter plant recommendations. She says a ZZ plant, or Zamioculas plant, is a great place to start. “They’re stunning plants, and some of the easiest plants to take care of.” They’re a great plant for lower light environments, which can be ideal for people who live in houses or apartments without a lot of natural light. “Not everybody has these big windows with all the sunlight coming into their home. Most people live in apartments or places where there’s only specific pockets of light, but they want to be able to put plants everywhere.” She says that basically the only thing a ZZ can’t handle is direct sunlight, because it can burn. “You can stick it in a closet for a month and it won’t die.” ZZ plants are also able to store water in their root systems for months, meaning that they only need to be watered about seven times a year. “They’re just the easiest plants in the world and honestly they’re beautiful.”
Another low-maintenance staple is the Sansiveria, also known as the snake plant or the mother-in-law tongue. Another low-light plant, the Sansiveria also needs only occasional watering, around seven times a year. “Both of these plants can be ignored,” Shawna says. “As a first time plant owner it’s really easy to forget you have to take care of a plant. You’ll go a month and a half and realize you didn’t water it. Both of these plants are easier than sin. You don’t have to do much to keep these plants beautiful and luscious.”
When you’re new to plant care, it can be easy to overwater or give them too much exposure to light in an effort to make sure they get enough. “For the most part people tend to overwater because they don’t know what the plant needs,” Shawna says. It’s particularly easy to overwater plants if they’re in pots without draining holes, because the roots can end up sitting in excess water they don’t need.
Shawna says it’s easy to understand what your plants are telling you if you know what to look for. “On average if you get plants that have yellow stems, yellow leaves, and are a little bit squishy to the touch, that’s overwatering. If you get brown leaves or droopiness, that tends to be under-watering or too much sun.”
One thing that first-time plant parents tend to misunderstand is that there’s a difference between caring for indoor and outdoor plants, specifically when it comes to the amount of light they need. A lot of indoor plants are shade plants, meaning they’re only ever meant to get partial sunlight. Yes, Shawna says, “they do need a little more constant light if they don’t have that outdoor piece, but any light through a window is magnified.” Morning to 2pm light is especially brutal, she says. “It’s like an ant in a magnifying glass. If that’s the kind of light they want, then they probably want to be outside.” Parking your new houseplant on a windowsill that gets direct sun might seem like the perfect choice, but chances are it’ll give your plant more light than it can handle.
3. Talking To Your Plants Really Can Help.
“They’ve done scientific research that says your plants will thrive better if you talk to them. It’s the weirdest thing,” Shawna says. “There’s a whole science with plants. They obviously don’t have mouths, they can’t speak, they can’t smell, but they have a nervous system.”
She says plants are a lot more responsive to their environments than people might think. For instance, a plant will grow better if it’s in a planter surrounded by others of its same kind as opposed to plants of different species. “Even though they are somewhat of an inanimate object, there’s something really magical about them.”
4. Growing A New Plant From A Succulent Cutting Is Easier Than You Think.
Many plants can propagated somewhat easily from cuttings, but succulents in particular need almost no help to regenerate. Succulents are draught tolerant plants that need little care, and when pieces of a succulent are disconnected from their life force they quickly start looking for a place to root. Shawna says that when a piece falls off of a succulent, or if you get a cutting from one, the first step is just to leave it alone. “Don’t water it, don’t put it on a wet paper towel. Just walk away. Within two to three weeks you will start to see a root pushing up from that cutting, looking for a place to root. You can literally turn around, plant it and start a whole new plant. Succulents are really specific; there aren’t a lot of plants you can do that with.” She says Tansy has a trough outside full of succulent pieces that have started to root after falling off of various plants.
5. Do Your Research.
Shawna’s biggest piece of advice for new plant owners is just to make sure they understand a plant’s needs or maintenance level before investing in one. “When you’re a new plant owner just start easy. Don’t go and buy the rare hard-to-find plant. There’s a plant craze now. People are buying plants left and right and will get too many plants and they can’t take care of them. Each one has its own personality, its own water and light system. My advice is to go slow and do your research.”
This story was originally published on July 3, 2020, and was updated on November 3, 2020.
Whether you’ve been visiting thrift stores for years or have just recently discovered a passion for secondhand clothes, there are so many good reasons to buy clothes used. Thrifting gives you a chance to find clothes with a story, craft unique looks you couldn’t buy in any other store, or recreate trending styles at a fraction of the cost. Buying from thrift shops is also a great way to invest in sustainability; by electing to give a used piece of clothing a second chance, you avoid contributing to fast fashion that’s designed to wear out fast and end up in a landfill.
Whether you’re shopping for sustainability, to curate your style or to save some money, thrifting has never been easier or more fun. In addition to your local thrift shop, you can use your phone to find vintage and secondhand clothes across the country. From new apps like DEPOP and ThredUP to the tried and true websites like Ebay and Etsy, here are six easy ways to snag the perfect thrift finds from the comfort of your home.
The DEPOP works a lot like Instagram, except you can buy anything you see on your feed that you like! You can filter your feed according to your sizes in everything from jeans to shoes so the app only shows you the things that will fit you perfectly. You can search for items to see hundreds of options, or just scroll through the recommended finds that DEPOP thinks you’ll like. It’s all the fun of a day at the thrift store with none of the hassle.
ThredUP prides itself on being THE place to find high-quality brands at a fraction of the cost, making it a great site to look for the dress you saw and loved in your favorite celebrity’s story last week. You can search by brand or category of clothing and even filter by price range; brand-name finds for under $10 are waiting for you to discover them!
Poshmark shows you secondhand clothes being sold by users just like you, allowing you to connect and even negotiate on price over thousands of items.It’s an easy way to find users selling thrift store looks you love, and you have the option to bundle your purchases to save money.
If you’ve always prided yourself on digging through thrift store bins for vintage gold, Etsy is a great place to start doing the same online. Etsy is a site for artists to sell their handmade crafts, but it’s also a great venue for vintage secondhand clothes and unique fashion. Etsy vintage sellers’ prices tend to trend higher than some other sites, but they also offer endless amounts of inspiration and interesting, high quality pieces.
You might not expect it, but Ebay is full of thrift store finds sold by individual stores. If you know where to look, you can find anything from discounted Gucci bags to fine jewelry to vintage Levi jeans. You might have to consult a few guides to find your way to Ebay’s best thrift stores, but once you do you’re sure to find a few pieces you love.
If you like a thrift store experience that feels more like shopping online than haggling with a user, Swap.com is a great way to find fully vetted vintage and secondhand gems. Secondhand clothes are sent from sellers to Swap’s distribution center, inspected for quality and then shipped to you so you can be sure that you’re getting exactly what you’re paying for.
The promise of thrift shopping is that you’ll always come away with something you didn’t expect to find, and there’s no reason you can’t have that same experience shopping from home. We could all benefit from adding a few “pre-loved” thrift store finds to our collection, and picking up an item with a history that still has value left to give can be a great way to live sustainably.
There are few feelings that parallel the joy of fostering or adopting an animal in need. Anyone who’s adopted knows that you always receive so much more than you give when you choose to open your home to a shelter pet. Whether they’ve been adopting for years or just started fostering a rescue pet in quarantine, many celebrities are doing their part to reduce the number of pets sitting in shelters by bringing one home.
Gomez has a long history of adopting rescue pets from shelters, which is why it’s no surprise that her latest effort to simply foster a dog “failed” miserably. The singer ended up making her foster, Daisy, a permanent member of the family. On her IG Story, Gomez announced the adoption by telling her followers: “I couldn’t help it, I have to keep her.”
There’s almost no rescue pet Kaley Cuoco won’t find room for, from elderly shelter dogs to rabbits, or even piglets! Most recently, Kaley and her husband Karl Cook adopted an elder pit bull named Petunia after she couldn’t find a forever home. The Big Bang Theory star doesn’t just help animals via adopting and fostering; she also regularly shares the stories of dogs up for adoption on her Instagram page using the hashtag #muttmondays.
Denise Richards hosts all sorts of animals on her Malibu property, whether it’s 10-day-old foster puppies, a potbellied pig named Rosie or a horse named Marvin. Richards has several rescue dogs as well, all of whom make regular appearances on her social media. A golden retriever named Tucker, a black mutt named Lily, a French bulldog named Leo, a poodle mix named Luke, a beagle mix named Henry, a pug named Baby, a black lab named Betty and a chihuahua named George make up her adopted fur family.
My lovely cohost Mrs. O is famously an animal lover; her rescue pets are so important that her website has a page devoted to them. Mrs. O’s “pack” includes two cats and several Pomeranians, Pomskies, a Shih-Tzu, a Yorkie mix, and a Maltese mix, and that’s not including regular visits from the pets she “babysits” for friends and family!
3. Pauley Perrette
My awesome home groomer came today! My TOTALLY SPOILED ROTTEN #RescueDogs SMELL SO GOOD and got an anti itch bath. They love him!!! (And his flowers!!!) #K9GlamSqad YAAAAY!!! pic.twitter.com/5JRr37ZWLO
NCIS’ Pauley Perrette has been active in supporting the American Humane Association, making animal rights and wellness a lifetime pursuit. She’s also involved with the Amanda Foundation in Los Angeles, having adopted all of her rescue pets there. In 2012, she made it official with her two dogs Bug and Grace after first fostering them, tweeting: “We have failed at fostering. Of course we are keeping #RescueDogs Bug & Grace forever!” In 2017 she added a third member to her little family, a Papillon Chihuahua mix named Rosie.
Dr. Evan Antin isn’t just an animal expert, he’s a rescue dad himself. His “fur babies” include a Chihuahua mix named Henry and two cats named Willy and Blue as well as a menagerie of smaller animals like a tortoise, a snake and some fish. He told Pet Central that Henry and Willy are both huge “cuddle bugs,” and that he may have sustained an injury or two when his tortoise mistook his toe for a carrot. All in all, though, he wouldn’t have it any other way and calls his pets “a sweet little crew.”
Ryan Reynolds warmed Instagram’s heart last month when he made a tribute post for Baxter, his rescue dog of ten years. The day Reynolds met his future best friend, the actor wasn’t even expecting to adopt. He was just at a Houston animal shelter looking for a rescue pet for his friend when the big golden retriever caught his attention. “I just fell in love with him,” he told PEOPLE . “I didn’t mean to, I just picked him up along the way.”
In September, Nicole Kidman and her husband Keith Urban announced that they’d adopted the newest member of their “fur-family,” a black and white cat named Louis. Kidman and Urban have two other cats, Ginger and Snow, as well as Kidman’s “first puppy,” a red poodle named Jules. Kidman treasures her cats and has even figured out how to take them on hikes with a special windowed backpack. “[It’s] a cat carrier that’s a backpack and it has a window that they can peek out of and it’s got air and everything and they love it,” she said in an interview with PEOPLE. “It is really cute. They hop in. They can’t wait to get in.”
Zac Efron met his furry best friend MACA after Bark N’ Bitches, a LA-based dog shelter, rescued her from being euthanized. Efron stepped in to foster her before realizing he just couldn’t give her back and they’ve been inseparable ever since.
Last year Amanda Seyfried adopted her Australian Shepherd Finn after meeting him on the set of Big Love. In an interview with PEOPLE, Seyfried shared that Finn has been huge in helping the actress manage her anxiety. “As soon as he was mine, like 24 hours after I got him, I realized something about me needed him. He completely changed my life and helped me find my solitude and my independence.” Now, Seyfried makes sure all of her film contracts allow her to bring Finn along whenever possible.
Captain America met his now Internet-famous dog Dodger while filming the movie Gifted. When he realized the doggy actors on set were available for adoption, he fell for Dodger right away. On National Pet Day two years ago, Evans shared a heartwarming video of the first time they met, writing, “I knew right away that he was coming home with me, so I took this video to always remember our first hello.”
Olivia Wilde was happy to introduce her newest “heartbreaker,” Elvis Sudeikis-Wilde, to her Instagram followers a few years ago. “He’s lived a pretty harrowing life so far, and we are so lucky he adopted us as his new family, so we can treat him like the king he was born to be,” she wrote in her post, thanking Barc Shelter for helping them find “the missing member of our brood.” Wilde hopes that others will give rescue pets a chance at a better life, adding, “Please consider saving a dog today.”
Chelsea Handler has always outspoken about the importance of animal rescue; she recently adopted two chows named Beret and Bernice after the passing of her longtime companions Chunk and Tammy last year. Chelsea saved Chunk from a kill shelter at 9 years old and he quickly became a favorite of fans all over the world and even had his own Facebook and Twitter accounts. In April, Handler took to Twitter to ask people to support the shelter she adopted her new rescue pets from, writing, “If you are able to help, please join me in supporting them.”
Kristen Bell has a passion for adopting senior dogs, including her beloved girl Barbara who passed away earlier this month. She was intentional about sharing her experience with Barbara in the hopes that it would encourage others to see the merit in adopting and fostering older rescue pets.
In an Instagram story after Barbara’s passing, Bell urged followers to love on older shelter dogs, saying: “I had and I continue to have such a good experience with adopting senior dogs, and I hope by seeing some of Barbara’s antics, it inspires other people to open their hearts to older dogs. I know they’re not like the ideal thing to take on and obviously it’s sad when they die, but it’s no comparison to the feeling you have knowing that you spoiled someone in their twilight years.”
Kristen Bell isn’t the only one in her family with a soft spot for rescues. Bell and her husband Dax Shepherd decided to start fostering their other dog, Frank, as a way to settle an argument. “I didn’t get an apology, but I got a dog! This is so much better than an apology,” she told Justin Long while sharing the story on his podcast.
Last December Charlize Theron added two new dogs, Leo and Cleo, to her adopted family. She told Stephen Colbert that she adopted them off the street for her two children. Theron’s son and daughter were jealous because the family’s older two dogs were clearly their mom’s, and the actress couldn’t disagree. Theron said she couldn’t be prouder of her two older rescues, and that even though they came with their own issues like any rescue pet, “they’re such good boys.”
Kellan Lutz has been an adoptee dad for ten years ever since he adopted his rescue dog, Kola, after breaking up with his first girlfriend. His most recent rescue dog, Koda, was just featured in an “Adopt, Don’t Buy” campaign for Peta and recently celebrated her fourth birthday.
Jennifer Aniston joined the masses who have stepped in to rescue shelter pets over quarantine, welcoming a puppy named Lord Chesterfield into her family earlier this month. She gave a shoutout on Instagram to the Wagmor for connecting her to her new family member, writing: “A HUGE thank you for the incredible work you do. Grateful you take such great care of these rescues and find them their forever homes.”
Last but not least, there’s me! My lifelong passion for animals has always drawn me to rescues, particularly ones with special needs. I’ve always found that a home feels empty until there’s some love from an animal companion to fill it. I currently have three dogs named Lola, Buddy and Peanut, and two cats named Reb and Sophie.
Adopting an animal can be a great way to show kindness both inward and outward. The love that rescue animals have to give is so pure and uncomplicated; making space for a rescue will change your life in ways you can’t imagine. If the stories above have made you curious about adopting or fostering a pet, Petfinder.com or your local shelter’s site are great places to start researching. Your new best friend could be a simple search away.
If you’re unable to foster or adopt an animal, there are still plenty of ways to make a difference in the life of a rescue pet in need. Click here for 9 easy ways to “virtually” adopt an animal today.
We’ve all seen stories about pet adoptions surging over quarantine, but fostering or adopting a pet isn’t always possible for everyone. Have you ever wanted to adopt a pet and help give an animal a loving home, but weren’t able to due to constraints in your space, availability or means? Adopting and fostering are both great ways to help animals in need, but not everyone has the resources to open their homes to a new life. You don’t have to miss out on helping an animal just because you can’t physically house one! There are so many ways to save an animal’s life and feel like you’re making a difference. Here are a few ways you can help an animal live their best life (and even receive updates on how they’re doing!) when you’re unable to foster or adopt a pet.
Wildlife Alliance works with animals it rescues from illegal wildlife trafficking, helping to care for them during their rehabilitation. From a pangolin named Roux to a slow loris named Pey, you can browse their list of current residents and choose one to support today. When you decide to join Wildlife Alliance’s journey you receive quarterly updates on your “adoptee,” along with a personalized certificate, a photo of your animal and a sheet of facts about them. For $5 extra a month you’ll also get a subscription to Wildlife Programs Director Nick Marx’s e-newsletter, which has regular updates on all of the animals at the rescue center.
The Snow Leopard Trust works every day to protect snow leopards and their habitats from poaching and encroachment, conserving these rare and beautiful animals while investing in the human communities they share their land with. You can choose to adopt a snow leopard out in the wild, sponsor a snow leopard family or even fund a whole “flurry” of cubs. Adoptions come with all kinds of goodies including a tote, a matte photo of your adoptee, and a snow leopard plush!
Best Friends Animal Society is devoted to rescuing animals from kill shelters and giving them a second chance at the life they deserve. The society currently houses more than 1600 animals at their sanctuary in Utah, giving each one love and care while they await their forever homes. For a donation of $25 or more you can “adopt” one of hundreds of pets from a cat named Coraline to a pup named Caboodle. When you donate, you receive a printable card describing the difference you’ve made in your adoptee’s life. If you make a trip out to their Sanctuary (which is currently open to visitors) and fall in love with one of the animals there, you can look them up when you get home and virtually adopt them.
Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation’s mission is to help foster more connection between humans and other species, working to help animals that have been injured, orphaned or displaced eventually return to their homes in the wild. They also provide permanent care for animals who can’t be re-released, and invest heavily in programs to help show the public how to have a respectful and sustainable relationship with wildlife. The Wildlife Rescue Sanctuary has many different animals you can support with your funds, from wild ringtail cats and parrots rescued from the pet trade to red-tailed hawks who have been injured by hunters.
The David Fossey Gorilla Fund isn’t exactly a gorilla sanctuary; instead, it’s the largest and longest-running organization fully dedicated to gorilla conservation, making sure that the gorillas in its care stay free and wild. When you choose to “adopt” one of the Fossey Fund’s gorillas, you not only get a photo, profile, and a special video of “your new gorilla family member,” but you get yearly updates as well. You can invest in the freedom and happiness of any of their gorillas, from infants to silverbacks to parent-child duos. If you don’t know where to start, the website even has a personality test you can take to see which gorilla you resemble the most!
The Penguin Foundation is based out of Phillip Island, Australia and is focused on maintaining a diverse and healthy environment for the little penguins that call the island their home. And, yes, “little penguin” is the species’ official name! When you sign up to sponsor one of the Penguin Foundation’s little penguins you get access to so much information about the animals you’re helping and even get to provide a name for your chosen penguin.
Like many shelters, the staff at Kitten Rescue LA is devoted to rescuing, rehabilitating and recovering as many cats and kittens as possible. One thing that’s special about this specific rescue is that it has an entire section devoted to special needs cats. This is a space specifically created to provide care, love and affection for cats who, because of health complications, might find themselves living at the shelter for their whole lives. The staff at Kitten Rescue are invested in making these cats feel loved, safe and happy within their walls, and you can help! When you pick a special needs pet to “adopt,” you become a part of their story and get to know that you made a positive difference for a particularly vulnerable creature.
For the cost of a one-time donation, you can adopt a sloth from the Sloth Conservation Foundation and help an individual sloth as well as contribute to the safety and happiness of many sloths in the wild. Read through the profiles of each sloth to pick your favorite and you’ll receive a photo and certificate for your new sloth friend as well as a copy of Sloths: Life in the Slow Lane, the Sloth Conservation Foundation’s best-selling book.
With locations in Los Angeles and Upstate New York, Farm Sanctuary’s mission is rescuing abandoned or at-risk barnyard animals, giving them a safe place to live and a better quality of life. Farm Sanctuary’s animals become ambassadors for animal rights, reaching thousands via social media to advocate for ethical treatment of animals everywhere. Farm Sanctuary’s most famous resident might be Finn, a cow who went viral in 2019 for running around the New Britain woods while evading capture.You can adopt animals like Finn, Albert the donkey, Stephen the rooster or Adriano the sheep, while learning their stories and receiving periodic updates on their status in the sanctuary.
If you want to help out closer to home, you can adopt a shelter pet by agreeing to sponsor one at a location near you. Pets that are up for adoption still need help before they reach their forever home; fostering is a great option but it’s not the only way to support these deserving animals. You might know Petfinder as a resource for finding pets up for adoption, but did you know that you can also choose to sponsor any animal on their site? Homeward Trails is another resource that can help you find animals that need your help— sponsoring them now can get them one step closer to a brighter future tomorrow.
Fostering or adopting a pet is a great gesture of kindness, but it’s not the only way to make a difference. If you’ve ever felt burnt out by all the bad news in the world, or felt unable to make the world a better place, the easiest cure is taking that first step. One small act like choosing to symbolically adopt a pet can make such a big impact, whether it’s helpling a wild animal maintain its freedom or keeping a shelter pet safe and happy. The next time you feel the call to help out, or want to give someone else a gift, try looking at a few of these sources for endless ways to do some good.
We use cookies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features, and to analyze our traffic. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy.OKPrivacy policy