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5 Heartwarming Holiday Movies To Restore Your Holiday Spirit

Christmas is all around, but for some, the holiday spirit is elusive.  Here are are some films to help reignite the spirit, bring a smile and maybe even a tear or two.

From constant holiday music to the rush to find the perfect gift, some people struggle to have the heartwarming holiday spirit. The commercialism of the season can be a bit off-putting, but taking a breath, a puff, a sip and enjoy the simple things – a beautiful tree, a good Christmas cookie and hanging with those you care about.  Here are 5 heartwarming holiday movies to restore your holiday spirit.

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A Charlie Brown Christmas

This childhood classic touches hearts for all the meanings of Christmas including kindness to others. Good ol’ Charlie Brown is still bullied, Snoopy is still cool but the holiday looms over the show. The jazz portions were created by the Vince Guaraldi Trio and have become a holiday staple. It has won awards despite some animation “snafus” (notice Snoopy suddenly appearing on Schroder’s piano) and has captured hearts and respect.  And the dance scene is iconic and you can have fresh moves for New Year’s Eve.

The Bishop’s Wife

It seems every generation laments the lost meaning of Christmas. This stellar cast lead by Cary Grant give a thoughtful, fun, and old fashioned take on the spirit. The snowball fight is great and you will find yourself smiling.

Miracle on 34th Street

The honesty, insight, and love from a kid tugs at your heart and also ignites your faith in Santa Claus.  The 1947 original is the one to watch. A young Natalie Wood plays it perfect with the desire to believe.  And who would think a government agency could be the good guy?

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Love Actually

The music alone makes it worth watching the movie.  This popular film captures multiple plot-lines involved relationships and the holiday spirit. From Hugh Grant dancing to the the infamous drum scene…you will laugh and cry and find yourself enjoying a guilty pleasure.  The additional unexpected lesson to this is to think hard when you date someone with whom you work.

 

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The Holiday

Who needs Hallmark holiday movies when you have Cameron Diaz? In her review for USA Today, Claudia Puig found The Holiday “is a rare chick flick/romantic comedy which, despite its overt sentimentality and fairy-tale premise, doesn’t feel cloyingly sweet.”  Fits in perfectly with eggnog, Christmas cookies and your favorite ornaments.

Hopefully these 5 heartwarming holiday movies to restore your holiday spirit work!

How Cannabis Alters Your Perception Of Time

It can be 5 minutes or two hours when consuming, you just can’t tell.  Here is how cannabis alters your perception of time

When you crack and relax and maybe consume some marijuana, it seems times stands still. THC does play a little bit of a mind trip which accounts for some of the stereotyped “spaciness” associated with being high and keeps us in our heads (and in the moment). Why does it happen?  Well here is how cannabis alters your perception of time.

The Fresh Toast – If you have consumed, you always wonderful about it, so now here is how cannabis alters your perception of time.

Of course, as with any mind altering substance, cannabis affects different people differently, but for the most part, marijuana slows down our perception of time to the point where we’re enjoying and noticing everything around us right in the moment. Artists often rely on this phenomenon to create more work in a session or feel more in tune with their art.

All in all, cannabis is an enhancement drug if nothing else. It enhances the taste of food, the feelings we experience both in our heads and in our bodies, funny situations, and so much more. All of this is tied to the exaggerated slow-motion that allows us to appreciate what’s going on in our immediate sphere.

RELATED: How Does Marijuana Affect Different Parts Of Your Brain?

Have you ever taken a dab and gotten the “wah wahs?” It’s when your head feels like a balloon and all you hear is “wah, wah, wah” and perhaps a few whooshes, like something out of a Charlie Brown cartoon. This is when time perhaps slows down the most, as a very strong high is kicking in and taking it up a notch.

Photo by aamiraimer via Pixabay

Though there hasn’t been many studies on the subject, the ones conducted show, no matter the dosage, those who’ve used cannabis perceive time at a slower rate. When asked to estimate how much time has passed, someone stoned will inevitably  overshoot it.

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In the study, “Acute Effects of THC on Time Perception in Frequent and Infrequent Cannabis Users,” the subjective effects of cannabis on its tokers was measured using performance based, time estimation tasks. It states, “Congruent with the reported subjective slowing of time under the influence of cannabis, individuals given cannabinoids consistently overestimate duration in time estimation tasks… Consequently, cannabis smokers’ perception  of external time passing more slowly is consistent with internal, subjective time passing more quickly.”

THC affects the part of our brain in charge of time perception, hence we perceive slower time when stoned. In summary, cannabis consumers experience this effect because the body’s internal clock is sped up,

What To Know About The Winter Solstice

For the Northern Hemisphere, especially the northern Northern, it is a dark, cold day – and the turning point of light…Winter Solstice is upon us.

The Winter Solstice is upon us. The Northern Hemisphere’s winter solstice falls on December 21 at 10:27 p.m. EST. South of the Equator, this same moment marks the unofficial beginning of summer. Solstices occur at the same time around the world, but their local times vary with time zones.  But whether you are in Tirupattur, India or Mobile, Alabama, it is an ancient and scientific key moment. For the Southern hemisphere, summer is about to begin and for the Northern, winter – and is the shortest day of the year.

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If you are in Longyearbyen, it is twilight all day, where in the Antarctic Circle, the residents experience Midnight Sun, when the sun does not set at night. Humans may have observed the winter solstice as early as Neolithic period—the last part of the Stone Age, beginning about 10,200 B.C.  It is believed Stonehenge, which is arranged for Stone Age people to celebrate the solstice, is another example of historic markings of the date.

Photo by Ron Lach via Pexels

Cultures around the world have long held feasts and celebrated holidays around the winter solstice. Fire and light are traditional symbols of celebrations held on the darkest day of the year. Here are few celebrations

Soyal is the winter solstice celebration of the Hopi Indians of northern Arizona. Ceremonies and rituals include purification, dancing, and sometimes gift-giving. At the time of the solstice, Hopi welcome the kachinas, protective spirits from the mountains. Prayer sticks are crafted and used for various blessings and other rituals.

The Persian festival Yalda, or Shab-e Yalda is a celebration of the winter solstice in Iran that started in ancient times. It marks the last day of the Persian month of Azar. Yalda is viewed traditionally as the victory of light over dark, and the birthday of the sun god Mithra. Families celebrate together with special foods like nuts and pomegranates and some stay awake all night long to welcome the morning sun.

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Even Antarctica gets its share of solstice celebration, thanks to the researchers staying there over the long, dangerously cold season. While those of us in the Northern Hemisphere are enjoying the most daylight hours, in the Southern Hemisphere they are celebrating Midwinter. Festivities include special meals, films, and sometimes even handmade gifts.

St. Lucia’s Day is a festival of lights celebrated in Scandinavia around the time of the winter solstice. Although it is now meant to honor St. Lucia, a Christian martyr, it has been incorporated with earlier Norse solstice traditions, such as lighting fires to ward off spirits during the longest night. Girls dress up in white gowns with red sashes and wear wreaths of candles on their heads in honor of St. Lucia.

Top four ways most people celebrate winter solstice: drinking, complaining about lack of light, consuming cannabis, and prepping for the holiday season.

Too Much Sexting Is Bad For Your Relationship

In the early 2000s, sexting hit the scene.  The combo of sex and texting become highly popular and sending photos become a core part.  In 2023, around 77% of respondents aged 19 years and older have sent a sext, whilst around 88% received a sext.  A little sexting in a relationship can keep things spicy, especially when it comes to long distance courtship. But, if you don’t play your cards right, those very same texts can backfire and bring your relationship down with it. There is, according to research, such thing as too much virtual dirty talk.

The Fresh Toast – More people do it than you can imagine, but too much sexting is bad for your relationship

“Hyper-sexters,” as they’re called, are the worst offenders. And while they may be the most sexually satisfied, according to a new study from the University of Alberta, the romantic relationships of these horny texters suffer in other ways.

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Researchers surveyed 615 Canadian and American adults, all in relationships, about their sexting habits. The analyses revealed 4 distinct groups of sexters: non-sexters (71.5 percent), word-only sexters (14.5 percent), frequent sexters (8.5 percent), and hyper sexters (5.5 percent). Researchers then compared these groups on several factors that would indicate well-being and technology-related behaviors.

According to the study:

Frequent and hyper sexters reported greater sexual satisfaction but were not significantly different from non-sexters or word-only sexters in relationship satisfaction. Further, frequent and hyper sexters scored more poorly on other relationship variables (i.e., attachment security, commitment, ambivalence, and conflict) than non-sexters or word-only sexters and showed greater media and pornography viewing, technoference in face-to-face interactions with their partner, and infidelity-related behaviors on social media.

The study’s lead authoer, Adam Galovan, said sexting doesn’t seem to be a feature of a healthy relationship,”  and that “My interpretation is that the sexters are focusing more on the sexual part of their relationship and may be neglecting other areas.”

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In other words, using a removed form of communication to replace actual face-to-face interaction isn’t exactly a recipe for a healthy, nurturing relationship.

Said Galovan:

These folks want to get to the end goal — a good relationship — without doing the hard work of talking, listening, and spending quality time together. It’s the instant gratification culture — we want it now. But it’s what you do to get to that goal that actually defines a good relationship.

Previous research has found sexting is quite prolific in society, “with 58 percent of college students admitting they’ve sent at least one sext, and 62 percent saying they’ve received one.” And what could be a red flag for both partners, men were more likely to sext with a casual partner, while women preferred to do it with someone they were exclusive with.

RELATED: Single People In This Age Group Are Having The Best Sex

If you’re in a healthy relationship where trust has been established, go forth and sext. But just make sure to give just as much attention to all the other aspects of your relationship. Sexting can’t replace the heartfelt stuff.

How To Get The Most Out Of Cannabis For Chronic Pain

An estimated 20.9% of Canadian and US adults live in chronic pain – and constantly search for a little relief….here is how to maximize help

Over 20.9% of Canadian and Us adults (51.6 million persons) experience chronic pain with 6.9% (17.1 million persons) experienced high-impact chronic pain. When suffering, it becomes the focus of the day and consuming an incredible amount of time and focus.  Medical marijuana can help – here is how to get hte most out of cannabis for chronic pain.

Cancer patients, people living with nerve damage, back injuries and other types of chronic pain also run into this problem on the pharmaceutical side of things; the problem being that if you continue to increase your dosage of narcotic pain killers, they simply become killers. But this is not the case with cannabis.

Eat A Mango

The terpenes in mangoes seem to love to play with the terpenes in cannabis, prolonging the effects of marijuana and keeping them elevated for longer periods of time as well. The mango can be eaten before or after the sesh for the desired effects, but close in timing.

If You’re Ingesting Your Medicine, Eat Something Fatty

THC binds to fat cells and is fat soluble, which is why if you don’t have a hummingbird’s metabolism it’s harder to pass a drug test. But it’s also why if yo u have a slice of toast with butter in your stomach, you’re giving the cannabinoids more fat to cling to and spread throughout your system.

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Donald Trump
Photo by Flickr user ebruli

Combine Ingesting Cannabis With Using Topicals

Whether salve, cream or lotion, topicals provide excellent relief of surface area aches and pains, sore, tense muscles especially. Rub them in thoroughly with warm hands and feel parts of the pain melt away.

Breaking That Routine

If you are a consummate smoker, you may have a method laid out that does you just fine and that you may even swear by. Breaking that routine, using a different piece to smoke out of and even switching rooms can all result in more efficient smoking sessions.

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smoking from pipe exposes you to more germs than a toilet seat
Photo by Bill Oxford/Getty Images

Remember To Inhale Deeply

Hold it in for those important few seconds whenever possible. Breathing it in to your lungs as much as you can will definitely give you a boost, especially if you’ve gotten a little lax on your smoking techniques.

Living in chronic pain is never going to be easy, but it can be improved greatly by cannabis and even cannabis can be improved for pain relieving effects. Enjoy your mango and let the cannabis ease your pain the natural way.

Study Reinforces Marijuana’s Power To Treat PTSD

Soldiers are required to go above and beyond, and sometimes it leaves a long term mark.  Medical marijuana is a clear benefit for PTSD

There seems to be bi-partisian support for medical marijuana to be an aide in treating PTSD. The VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act was introduced during summer for Department of Veterans Affairs. In addition to pain and post-traumatic stress disorder, the legislation would require the VA to examine how the plant affects sleep, agitation, mortality and hospital readmissions.  It was is critical as it healthcare professionals, veterans and counselors give the nod it is a benefit for those in need.

Science is finally backing up these opinions. A study published in the Journal of Pharmacology looked at the patient history of 24,000 Canadians using 2012 Statistics Canada data. Researchers were interested in exploring how cannabis could affects those living with PTSD, specifically with regards to suicide and depression. Living with PTSD sharply increases the risk of depression and suicide in patients unless, researchers discovered, they consume marijuana.

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“We know with limited effective treatment options for PTSD, many patients take to medicating with cannabis to alleviate their symptoms,” lead author Stephanie Lake told Global News. “However, until now, there has been no population-level data to suggest cannabis might have a possible therapeutic role in the course of PTSD. These findings offer those patients seeking treatment options some promise.”

cannabinoids
Photo by lalesh aldarwish via Pexels

In the more than 24,000 participants, researchers found 420 Canadians who’d been clinically diagnosed with PTSD. About 28% (106 individuals) of those living with PTSD reported using cannabis in the past year. Only 11% of respondents undiagnosed with PTSD reported cannabis usage. Non-users were seven times more likely to have experienced a recent major depressive episode and had a 4.7% higher chance of contemplating suicide, compared to non-cannabis users who didn’t suffer from PTSD. Among cannabis users, the study did not find a connection between PTSD and depression or suicide.

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Official VA statistics reports about 10-20% of veterans live with PTSD, depending on the service era in which they participated. But the organization’s National Suicide Report paints a starker picture — suicide rates are increasing for both veterans and non-veterans. About 20 veterans commit suicide each day, according to the report.

While more research is necessary, as Lake and her team said, this study points to how cannabis might assist those living with PTSD.

The Best Winter Ales To Usher In The Cold Weather

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The holiday season and winter weather is upon us. If you are a beer aficionado, now is the time  to consider to something more adapted to the dropping temperatures. Maybe something which warms you from the inside out. Belgian brewers have a long tradition of making stronger, darker and sweeter ales for drinking during the cold winter months. They are also often flavoured with spices and other seasonal ingredients such as ginger and cinnamon.

Fremont Brewing Bourbon Abominable Winter Ale and Winter Ales

Two for the price of one brewery! The Bonfire ale warms your belly with a dark mild hop recipe, while the Winter Ale (formerly known as Abominable Ale), a barrel-aged version of the brewery’s winter ale, is robust and rich, complimented with caramel and vanilla notes. Fremont is a northwest treasure

Deschutes Jubelale

A deep, dark winter ale with joyous imprints of toffee, cocoa and dried fruit, this seasonal pleases craft beer nerds and their unsuspecting families alike. Perfect for setting out on a big dining table for your big dining family.

Sierra Nevada Celebration

This Chico, CA brewery does things a little different when it comes to the winter season. Their holiday beer, first brewed in 1981 (everything from the 80’s is good, right?), is a hop-forward concoction with citrus and pine aromas stemming from the bright west coast hops the brewery is famous for utilizing.

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Anchor Brewing Christmas Ale

Anchor’s Christmas ale is spicy with a lovely malt spine.  Anchor is know for capturing the mood and this ale is good for those 4pm sunsets.

Ninkasi Sleigh’r

One of the Pacific Northwest’s most popular holiday beers, this brewery (named after the Sumerian goddess of beer) produces a hopped winter beer that pairs well with duck and candied yams. You can practically hear the jingling bells of Santa’s ride shaking away as you sip.

Athletic Brewing Co. Lodge Life Non-alcoholic Ale

A stout-inspired campfire brew crafted with cinnamon, vanilla and cacao nibs. It has a smoked malt undertone and light hint of s’mores that make it deliciously decadent yet easy to drink. With roasty aromatics and a full-bodied pour, it’s reminiscent of nights by the fire with hearty brews in hand.

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Sam Adams Holiday White Ale

This is perfect when you want to slip a bit of classic holiday cheer. It is crisp and zesty, with holiday flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, and a dusting of orange peel.

Maui Coconut Hiwa Porter

Nothing says the holidays quite like a beer brewed in Hawaii. For some, the holidays means traveling to warm weather destinations. For others it just means drinking beers from them. And Maui Brewing’s dark porter uses the ingredient the island may be most famous for: coconuts! So, replace the chestnuts roasting on an open fire with the gift from the thriving island’s palm trees.

Mele Kalikimake with the best ales to usher in the cold weather and the holidays!

Hacks To Have More Energy

For many it is the go go go holidays – juggling work, family and a bundle of extra activities or chore…a bit of extra energy could be a big help

It is the go go go festive season. Between work, family, friends and the onslaught of holiday activities, it is easy to get a bit worn down. Add in extra eating and drinking and by the end of the month, a general fatigue can set in. Signs of Festive Burnout. It iis a state of physical, mental, and often emotional exhaustion triggered by prolonged exposure to stress. Sustained exposure to stress – like that of an extremely busy holiday – puts your body in fight or flight mode, and well… it gets stuck there. But here are some hacks to have more energy.

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Over the long term, proper sleep, exercise, and a healthy diet will help your body resume a normal amount of energy.  Sleep is critical and during the holidays, not having enough or having alcohol in your system causing disruptive sleep, hits the body hard. But during the holidays, you need a perk which doesn’t include caffeine.  Although it increases alertness, it has limited effects for higher cognitive processes, and it cannot mask underlying tiredness over time.

Photo by Ron Lach via Pexels

Consider a slight adjustment in your day and the Power Nap. “A power nap, between 15 and 45 minutes, can improve memory and reduce fatigue for the rest of the day,” said Dr. Michael Grandner, director of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona in Tucson. “If you’re otherwise well rested, that kind of nap can actually boost performance pretty well.”

Do not leave it to chance, set an alarm, so it doesn’t become a long nap which later disrupts your sleep.

During the holidays most people drink and eat more, for energy load up and drink more water. It helps to flush out excess toxins, maintains regularity, transports nutrients and oxygen, and best of all, increases energy and helps fight fatigue.

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Here are more hacks to have more energy.

Take 10 square breaths.
Breathe in for a slow count of 5. Hold for 5. Breathe out on 5. Hold for 5. This type of breathwork can shift your energy.

Stand up.
Taking breaks to stand, especially if you’ve been sitting for a long time, can wake up your muscles and get the blood flowing.

Eat a handful of shelled pistachios.
Pistachios give you a boost of protein and cell-supporting antioxidants. Plus, the act of removing the shells may help keep you from overeating.

Drink green tea.
Tea has less caffeine than coffee for a boost without the jitters—and beneficial plant chemicals.

Check in with a friend/coworker.
Being social can provide a boost of energizing self-esteem, even if it’s virtual.

Watch a funny video.
Laughter releases endorphins, the “feel-good” neurochemical, which can reduce your stress and refresh your mood.

Breathe in a whiff of peppermint essential oil.
Peppermint is known to help improve memory and increase alertness. You can add a few drops to a diffuser or take a sniff straight from the bottle.

Hope the hacks to have more energy during the holiday season will help and make your time more merry.

Do CBD Gummies Actually Work

It seems like they are everyone – online and in stores…but do CBD gummies actually work.

CBD has been touted as a gentle health aide a way to reduce stress, a way to sleep better and way to relax.  Found everywhere from Amazon to Walmart, you can pick it up – especially when you feel the need for help. But do CBD gummies actually work?

CBD comes from cannabidiol, one of the two best-known active compounds derived from the marijuana plant. The other is tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which is the substance that that produces the “high” from marijuana. It can also be derived from hemp.

CBD does not get you high, but it can your consciousness. You may feel mellow, experience less pain, and be more comfortable. Some CBD products do contain small amounts of THC.

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Epidiolex is the only FDA-approved prescription CBD medicine, which among many things, means that it has a safety and efficacy profile that has been thoroughly evaluated in clinical trials. The rest of the CBD industry is going through growing pains  there’s a mess going on with plenty of important guidelines, like dosage, purity and strength of the product. One of the many problems this disarray causes is the variability among CBD products. While some might provide noticeable effects, others might not even contain enough CBD to register in your system.

Can CBD Be Used To Treat ADHD Symptoms?
Photo by Pharma Hemp Complex via Unsplash

 

Yes, there is evidence CBD works for some conditions, but certainly not all the conditions it is being promoted for these days. According to different CBD gummy manufacturers, these products can provide relief for a wide range of ailments, including pain, anxiety, inflammation, insomnia and even depression. These statements have no scientific accuracy, however, since few tests have been conducted have been limited to CBD oil.

Anecdotally, plenty of people believe in the effect of CBD gummies, although the dosage still causes some issues. While some claim to feel positive effects after consuming two gummies, others might have to up the dosage until they feel something. With all the hype surrounding CBD gummies, this “something” might also be imagined; a placebo effect could be at work making you feel like you should be experiencing some sort of sensation because you just ingested cannabis.

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Although few scientific tests have been conducted, CBD oil has been associated with plenty of positive side effects, and all of these gummies, if purchased correctly, contain a good amount of oil. You can also expect some clarity in the near future, since the industry is growing and learning the nuance exists between the different cannabis products and plants.

As usual, if you’re interested in trying out a new cannabis product, go slow. Purchase a bottle of reviewed CBD gummies and start off with a slow dose, checking in with your body for any changes and/or improvements. The worst thing which could happen is you ingest a ton of sugar and start to feel a little drowsy.

What To Consider Before Giving Marijuana As a Gift

It is the time to play Santa to friends and family – but before you put a little special extra special under tree – you might want to consider these things

It is the most wonderful time of the year, unless you are stuck for what to give as a gift.  As marijuana legalization has spread with over 50% of the population having access to legal products, some are considering cannabis treats. It is natural as people can purchase and give weed, it would appear on the gift giving circuit. During the holidays 60.6% of people who purchased alcohol gave as a gift.

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The mainstreaming of marijuana means it is joining in festival occasions. But what to consider before giving marijuana as a gift. You need to know the recipient and make sure they are going to enjoy the present or will it go the land of regifting or, worse, into the trash can.

cannabis gifts
Photo by megaflopp/Getty Images

Know if they indulge in anything. Do they drink, have the indicated they are open or are they already consumers? These are critical as you plan on a purchase.  If they drink and have shared they are open, maybe a couple of one time vapes or an edible would be perfect. Just like you wouldn’t give a casual friend Everclear, you wouldn’t want to give a strong joint or flower.

Read the room, especially if there are kids around.  If it is an intimate group, it might be better since you can explain and evaluate how the gift goes down.  Also, think about how you package it so it doesn’t have any sign or smell of what is in the box/bag/stocking.

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Consider if they have any health issues medical marijuana can help.  Inflammation, back pain, trouble sleeping or light anxiety can all be helped the perfect present of an edible, oil, or ointment.

If they are not already consumers or very light consumers, consider gummies.  According to BDSA, gummies are the most popular product with almost 50% of people preferring this on-the-go treat.  Easy, flavorful and a great entry point, this could be a winner.

At most, make sure you give it in the right spirit to make it a merry season.

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