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National Short Film Day was created to honour and celebrate the birth of “film.”  Did you know that on this day in 1895, The Lumiere Brothers premiered their collection of short films in front of a public audience for the very first time.  33 guests joined Auguste and Louis at the Grand Cafe in Paris, France, to view the first ever series of 10 short films.Although each film was only about 50 seconds long, each of them truly captivated the audience since there had never been anything like it before. more In fact, their first projector was called the  “Cinematographe” (based off of the Kinetoscope concept) and is where we derived the word “cinema!”  The first ever motion picture captured by the brothers was titled “Workers Leaving the Lumiere Factory” and is the earliest known video recording.  Yes, that’s right, you have the Lumiere Brothers to thank for all of your favourite car, racing, and automotive blockbusters! The brothers captured their movies using their Lumiere apparatus: a single camera used for photography and projecting moving images at just 16 frames per second.  They used this device to capture daily life in France, creating more than 40 films in 1896 alone!  In addition, they helped create the first newsreels and documentaries. They even sent a crew of cameramen across the globe to capture additional footage as well as show their work to new audiences!  One might be able to call them the great great great grandfathers of Youtube and TikTok, if you will. We’ve come a long way since then from short films to major motion pictures and blockbuster films, and the industry continues to grow by leaps and bounds.  We can even watch movies on the road in our car now!  Pretty cool, if we may say so. If you’re craving more Short Film content, we recommend browsing streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. Each of these services is host to a litany of short films in multiple genres!  In addition, you can also find incredible content for free on sites like YouTube or Vimeo, and even TikTok! Check out our picks for some great short films and film festivals: Chicago International REEL Short Film Festival Chicago Comedy Film Festival Illinois International Film Festival The MKE Short Film Festival The PBS Short Film Festival The Midwest Indie Film Fest McHenry Fall Film Fest Short Films to Stream Right Now:

Maybe you don’t celebrate Christmas, or Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa but want to get into the holiday spirit nonetheless?  Well, there’s good news, because today is Festivus, the celebration for the rest of us!   The inventive holiday first appeared in 1997 on the hit TV show Seinfeld. Key components to the unique and wacky holiday include the Festivus dinner feast, the aluminum Festivus pole, “Airing of Grievances” and “Feats of Strength.”  This cheeky pseudo-holiday from TV has evolved from clever gag to an ever growing pop culture seasonal celebration! more Looking to throw an exciting Festivus event of your own?  We’re here to help with our fun guide!  So invite your friends to road trip for a visit and enjoy a festivus feast together. How to Celebrate Festivus At Home (image from Seinfeld TV series) Acquire a Festivus Pole and decorate: It’s best to keep it as non-commercial as possible, and thus upcycling is preferred.  The pole itself should remain undecorated, but you should place it in a central viewing area. Look around your home and find an aluminum pole of any size or length.  According to the holiday’s founder, one famed Frank Cosntanza, it cannot be made of any other material. Prepare the Festivus meal and call guests to the table: The traditional Festivus meal consists of your choice of meat served on a bed of lettuce - Turkey, Ham, Lamb Chops, or Beef Stew - or the traditional meatloaf on lettuce.   Place the dinner on the table and invite all of your guests to sit down to proceed in the first celebration. Airing of Grievances: Just before serving the meal, place a clock inside of a bag and nail it to the wall (don’t ask, just do.)  Prior to the meal in lieu of prayer during religious holidays, the Festivus tradition instructs us to go around the table and tell the others how they have disappointed you in the past year.  Once you’ve cleared the air and everyone’s said their peace, it’s time to dig in. Feats of Strength: After the meal it’s time to commence the final Festivus tradition.  The “Feats of Strength” tests are immediately following the Festivus feast (although some exuberant folks do start earlier as the meal winds down.)  The rules are as follows:  The head of the household chooses one Festivus guest, and challenges them to a wrestling match and test of strength.  The head of household must be pinned by other family members, the honor of which is given to someone seated at the main table.  Festivities do not end until the host is pinned, so choose wisely! Foods of Festivus Salted Soft Pretzels Turkey Chili, Crab Bisque, or Mulligatawny Soup Lettuce Wedge Salad with Large Cherry Tomatoes, and thick Carrot ribbons with your favourite choice dressing. Beef-a-Roni from a can, or a homemade Beefaroni Dupe Chocolate Babka and Cinnamon Babka Black and White Cookies Easy, No-Fuss Turkey Lettuce Wrapped Meatloaf Burgers Grilled Beef Lettuce Wraps Wear Your Finest Festivus Sweater Festivus For the Rest of Us Aluminum Pole Sweater Seinfeld Aesthetic Festivus Sweater Festivus Pole and Feats of Strength Ugly Sweatshirt Festivus Ugly Sweater Sweatshirt with Frank

What is the Winter Solstice? The Winter Solstice is on Tuesday December 21st at 10:59 EST in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s the shortest day and longest night of 2021. It has many names around the globe including Midwinter, Yule, Longest Night, and Jol.  Learn more about different global solstice celebrations here! Celebrate with your loved ones and our list of festive Yuletime traditions on today’s blog. more Did you know: The word Solstice is based in Latin, combining the word for sun (sol) and word for standing (stit) as in “the sun stands still.” Ancient Romans celebrated the agricultural god of Saturn at the Midwinter Festival of Saturnalia. The days get colder following the Winter Solstice, contrary to the fact that the days get longer and it stays lighter each day. December 25th is the Yuletide celebration, inspired by the Sun Day, where people would burn a tree to celebrate the return of the sun and longer days. The Winter Solstice in China is celebrated as the Dongzhi Festival, a lucky day when the sun is more active, the past is gone, and hope is on the horizon.  Traditional foods consumed are dumplings or glutinous rice balls. Celebrate The Winter Solstice with These Winter Traditions Create a Yule Altar - A Yule Altar is created to welcome the return of the sun and the lengthening of the days. To create one, you’ll need golden, silver, or yellow candles to symbolize the sun.  Gather items that represent the winter season: pinecones, evergreen branches, pieces of cedarwood.  You’ll want to burn some sage or sweetgrass to cleanse the altar with positive intentions. Burn a Yule Log in the Fireplace or a Fire Pit - Historically, Nordic tradition was to burn a whole tree across 12 days leading up to Christmas.  Since that’s not exactly sanctioned by apartment management or condo associations (and definitely not feasible for modern hearths) the Yule Log is a popular alternative.  If you don’t have a woodburning stove/fireplace in your home, you can always cue up the digital version on Netflix (in regular or birchwood options!)  Don’t have a Netflix account? You can always bake and serve a Yule Log cake instead. Enjoy some Yuletide “wassail” cocktails! Wassail is a festive warm drink with mulled spices consisting of: 2qts apple cider, 1.5 cups of orange juice, ¾ cup pineapple juice, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon sticks, and cloves.  You can also add a splash of Rum or Whisky if you wish! Take Some Time to Meditate - Since this is the longest night of the year, set aside some time to meditate and so some soul searching. Reflect on the quiet and peace that blanket the world on snowy evenings.  Think about your goals for the upcoming year, and how you can grow as a person and focus on propelling yourself forward towards your goals.  Reminisce about the past year, and what you would like to accomplish in the new year as the world begins to thaw and usher in Spring.  Focus on being present and how you can connect with your peers, loved ones, and yourself within your own space. Exchange Nature-Related Gifts with Loved Ones - Yule is a time to celebrate the changing of the seasons as the days grow in length and nights get shorter. Get your loved ones gifts that remind them about the beauty of the world around them!  Focus on things made from natural elements, plants for their home, bulbs or seeds to be planted in spring, or perhaps some books about nature or a documentary celebrating Earth!  Make some Orange Pomanders with your family.  Take small, firm oranges and whole cloves to create this craft.  You may use a sharp knife or citrus zester to create patterns on the orange skin (save the peel for your wassail or baking!)  Poke the cloves into the orange in pretty patterns (you can use a toothpick or chopstick to pre-make the holes for little ones!.)  They make a gorgeous holiday gathering centerpiece, or temporary ornament for live Christmas trees. Read a Wintry Theme Book with Family and Friends - You can try “The Mitten” by Jan Brett; “The Winter Solstice” by Ellen Jackson; “The Return of the Light: Twelve Tales from Around the World for the Winter Solstice” by Carolyn McVickar Edwards; “The Solstice Badger” by Robin McFadden; “The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice” by Wendy Pfefer and Jesse Reisch. Sending our best yuletide wishes to you and yours from all of us here at Classic!

For National Christmas Wreath Day, and we’re highlighting wonderful local businesses in the community who have natural wreaths for sale. And if that’s not enough, we’ve got a mix of virtual DIY Classes and events where you can make your own festive decor.  Check it out on today’s blog! more Wreath Themed Workshops Events On December 21st from 7PM to 10PM, grab your pals and take a road trip to Moran’s Pub in South Milwaukee for a Sip and Craft class. Sign up for a virtual Festive Wreath Workshops online with AmbienceArtsGB via Etsy. Book a spot in a virtual Holiday Wreath Workshop online and create a festive piece of holiday greenery with your pals. Forage for your own greenery and embellishments to create a wreath with Rogers Gardens in this virtual tutorial. Shop Small and Shop Local for Wreaths These wonderful local shops and businesses are ready for the holidays with a fine selection of festive trees, wreaths, and more! Laura’s Home & Patio Furniture Store in East Northport Hicks Nurseries Inc in Westbury Long Island Christmas Tree Delivery in Mineola J.G. Brands Christmas Tree Sales Inc at Padavan-Preller Fields House of Holiday in Ozone Park Elwood Christmas Tree Farm in Huntington Mike’s Christmas Tree Farm in Manorville Carter Christmas Tree Farm in Miller Place Santa’s Christmas Tree Farm LI in Cutchogue Dart’s Tree Farm in Southold Shamrock Christmas Tree Farm in Mattituck Greg’s Trees in College Point Atlantic Nursery & Garden Shop in Freeport Cheap Sam’s Plant Bargains in Holtsville Bayport Flower Houses, Inc. Hewlynn Home & Garden Center Wreaths for Your Car Who says festive holiday decorations are just for your home and office? Let’s get into the holiday spirit with these silly adornments for our automobiles! Christmas Car Decorations Christmas Reindeer Antlers Car Kit with LED Lights Christmas Wreaths fro Cars and Trucks Reindeer Antler Kit for Cars

Show up in your holiday finest to the rest of this month’s gatherings in any of these festive picks for goofy fashion on today’s blog.  Or check out these tips to hosting an ugly sweater party, and then get to it with these fun recipes and shirts!  Whatever way you celebrate the holidays, today is the perfect day to highlight the best and boldest in Ugly Sweater party outfits. more That’s right, we’re helping you find fun new ways to celebrate this holiday season, no matter where you’re headed. And while you're at the party you can share these fantastic fun facts with your guests: Ugly Sweaters first appeared in the 1950s, and were known as “Jingle Bell Sweaters” In the 1980s, ugly sweaters became a big deal in movies and television, especially holiday comedies The trend took off again into mainstream fashion trends in the early to 2000s, and is now a ubiquitous sight during the holiday season worldwide Fun Ugly Sweater Recipes Ugly Sweater Cookie Cake Ugly Pizza Christmas Sweater Eggnog Ugly Sweater Cake Gluten Free Ugly Sweater Cookies Vanilla Spice Ugly Sweater Cookies The Spruce Ugly Sweater Christmas Cookies Make An Ugly Sweater Cake Fun Ugly Sweaters for the Holidays You can make your own DIY Sweater, of course, or you can head over to these online stores and get your own!  Check it out: Pickup ruck Christmas Sweater Crewneck Retro Santa Ugly Sweatshirt Pullover Holly Jolly Vibes Pullover Sweater Ugly Christmas Sweater with Dragons Womens Ugly Sweater Sheep Cardigan Ugly Sweater Krampus Shirt Fast N Furious 1967 Style Ugly Christmas Sweater Truck With Tree Holiday Ugly Sweater Sweatshirt Christmas Time Is About Family Women’s Ugly Sweater Mirror Shirt

Let’s get creative over the holiday break!  Break outside of  your comfort zone and try something new before the year is over, and check off the last few of your New Years Resolutions.  We’ve got a list of creative projects to do at home, and a few ideas to get out of the house and shake things up a bit at local studios. more Creative Classes, Events and Workshops On December 19th from 4PM to 6PM, come on over to the Dandelion Gallery & Studio in Waukegan for the Snow Globe and Coco Holiday Workshop. Today in Waukegan at the Belvidere Recreation Center, please stop by to pick up a treat back with four DIY Winter crafts, activities, treats, and all supplies you need to have creative fun.  $5 per bag for residents and $6 for non-residents. Order and pickup today (preregistration is required.) On December 20th, come over to Pinot’s Palette at Pleasant Prairie WI from 6:30PM to 8:30PM to paint “Aurora’s Magical Glow” painting. On December 21st from 6:30PM to 8:30PM Pinot’s Palette in Pleasant Prairie is hosting a Frosty Ornament Wine Bottle Painting class. At the Evanston Art Center in Evanston on December 27th from 9AM to 12PM, register your children for the Painting and Drawing Camp, Mixed Media Camp, and more! On December 27th at the Kenosha Public Museum, come on out with the kids for the Winter Art Camp Enchanged Forest event! At Bottle & Bottega in Arlington Heights on December 31st from 4PM to 6PM, come out to the Open Studio with your friends and pick a painting of your choice to create together. Got your own paints and brushes at home, but not sure where to start when it comes to building in creativity to your holiday break?  The “Winter Is Here” virtual Painting Class from Paint Sesh for a 1-2hr session guided by an instructor. Book now and use your own supplies. Cabin Fever Prevention: Great Activities and Projects to Get Creative Over Winter Break If you’ve got older kids, this list of 15 Crafts for Tweens and Teens will be right up their alley.  It’s got lots of ideas for easy DIY projects, and current color palettes to keep things aesthetic. This list is perfect for the teenagers in your life who want to add a more personal touch to their own rooms or some shared spaces: The Spruce Crafts knows what’s up! Remodel-a-holic blog has 25 DIY Canvas projects for teens (tested and approved by teens “Irl.”)  It’s a great way to make the most of those craft store holiday/post holiday sales, too! Promoting a healthy use of TikTok and Social Media can be tough, but this amazing list of craft ideas that teens will love to share on their socials is a great way to start! Check it out right here. Looking for something to share with your relatives or friends over the holiday?  This list of 10 great winter crafts are just what you need for family bonding time! The Art Bar Blog really knocks it out of the park with their beautiful DIY projects and tutorials.  Here’s another list of wonderful crafts to do over winter vacation.

Missing the joy rides and road trips of warm weather days?  Fret not, because we’re here to help get you through the winter with lots of reading material.  You’ll be able to live vicariously through the pages of these fabulous automotive inspired books. more From cool pictorial retrospectives, kids books and easy readers, and lots of other fabulous vehicle themed pop culture reading material, we’ve got something for everyone to share.  Check it out on today’s blog and let’s get cozy for some chilly weather reads! Great Reads About Life On the Road Cool Cars By Quentin Wilson Bullitt: The Cars and People Behind Steve McQueen By Matt Stone My Dad Had That Car: A Nostalgic Look At the American Automobile By Tad Burness Wheels for the World By Douglas G Brinkley Making Hyundai, Remaking Seoul By Lee Myung-bak Chrysler’s Turbine Car: The Rise and Fall of Detroit’s Coolest Creation By Steve Lehto Eat My Dust! Henry Ford’s First Race By Monica Kulling Monster Trucks By Susan E. Goodman Elbow Grease: Teamwork Wins By John Cena How Cars Work By Tom Newton Built for Speed: The World’s Fastest Cars By Publications International LTD Classic Cars: The Definitive Visual History By DK Books New Driver’s Guide To Things Not To Crash Into By Lea Dodykavis A Brief History of Motion By Tom Standage A Man and His Car: Iconic Stories of Cars & Men Who Love Them By Matt Hranek Of Metal and Earth By Jennifer M. Lane Antique Cars and Vehicles By James Homans

We’re getting ready for holiday break with the kids by collecting all sorts of fun creative projects over the wintertime season.  To start things off, we’ve got an easy to customize DIY snow globe project!  Following that, we’ve got other great crafts and plenty of coloring pages for everyone to enjoy.  You’ll find lots of creative activities on today’s blog!  Plus, as an added bonus, most of these make great handmade gifts for loved ones and friends! more DIY Your Own Water Snow Globe What You Will Need: Recycled or new glass jars with matching tight fitting lids or snowglobe containers Optional: decoupage and paper, spray paint, or felt for Jar Lid Hot Glue or E6000 Epoxy Glue or Super Glue (both to be used by adults) Glitter and/or small sequins A small container of glycerin Miniature toy cars or miniature figures that fit on jar lids Distilled water How to Make It: Paint or decoupage your lid if desired. Arrange your decorations on the jar lid, and secure them with the glue.  Allow to dry fully (check glue container, tube, or glue sticks package for dry time.) Once your decorations are glued and dry.  Add your glitter or sequins to the clean, empty jar, add ½ teaspoon or so of glycerin to the jar, and pour distilled water into the jar until it’s just about full, leaving room for your decorated lid to fit inside. Add glue to the edge of your jar lid, secure it tightly to the top of the jar and allow the glue to fully set and dry (yes, your decorations will be upside down until the glue is fully dry and sealed!)  Add glue around the edges of the seal once the lid is applied. Once the glue is all dried and fully sealed, flip your jar over, and voila!! It’s a snow globe you’ve made all on your own! Great Decorations and Add-ins for Your Snow Globes Micro Machines 20 Pack of Tiny Toy Cars via Amazon Vintage Mini Figures via Etsy Holiday Snowflake Glitter Laser Sequins Via Amazon Holographic Chunky Glitter via Amazon Mini Christmas Ornaments Resin via Amazon 25pcs Pull Back Metal + Plastic Tiny Toy Cars via Amazon Superhero Mini Figures via Amazon ​​Plastic Toy Cars via Etsy Miniature Snowmen via Etsy Easy Wintertime Arts and Crafts for Families This is a great list of preschooler friendly winter themed crafts to make together. Here’s a great list of really easy Snowflake Crafts for Kids! FreeKidsCrafts.com has an awesome list of 10 easy crafts to make with kids. You can find them all right here. HomeMade Lovely has this adorable waterless snow globe craft idea. Great for decorating or gift giving. Lean into the classic, vintage aesthetic of the holiday season with this vintage inspired car snowglobe. Commemorate your family fun time with a photo snowglobbe craft! Fun for all ages and a great way to showcase a year of memories together. Check out this adorable Christmas Light Snowglobe craft for some festive holiday cheer. No need to be a trained fine artist to start painting!  You can easily learn paint a snowflake in acrylics, watercolor, or gouache. Start off making cut paper snowflakes with this helpful tutorial for Paper Snowflake decorations, and then get creative and design your own! You don’t need piles of coloring books to have fun, you can print-on-demand with these great coloring pages depicting winter wonderlands! Crayola has a great selection of wonderful Winter Coloring Page s on their site for more print on demand fun!

Classic cares about our customers and our community, and believes in doing whatever we can to support and raise awareness for important issues.  Since today is World AIDS Day, we'll be supporting our community with a list of local HIV/AIDS related organizations and charities, facts on HIV/AIDS and prevention measures, and a special spotlight on a potential cure. more World AIDS Day began in 1988 as an international effort to raise awareness for those living with HIV/AIDS as well as prevention, treatment options, and research for a cure.  World AIDS Day is an opportunity for people to unite across the globe and show support for those living with HIV/AIDS, and pay tribute to those who have passed from AIDS related complications. Since its discovery in 1984, more than 35 million people have died from HIV/AIDS related issues, and more than 38 million people are currently living with the virus. Key Facts about HIV/AIDS and Prevention HIV can be transmitted from an infected individual through contact with human bodily fluids such as sexual interourse or intravenous drug use.  The virus can be found in bodily fluids from an infected person including blood, semon, pre-seminal fluid, rectal fluid, vaginal fluid, and breastmilk. To reduce risk of HIV, always use a condom or barrier method every time you have sex, avoid intravenous drug use and any sharing of needles or medical equipment. You may ask a medical provider about securing PrEP( pre-exposure Prohphylaxis) Avoiding high-risk behaviors such as unprotected sex or drug use you reduce your risk of contracting HIV. Get regular testing and treatment for STDs and request an HIV/AIDS panel from your medical provider. If you believe you may have been exposed to HIV, speak to your doctor about Post-exposure Prophylaxis medicines within 72 hours of exposure and you may greatly reduce your risks of contracting the virus. An Unprecedented New Medical Advancement in Treating HIV/AIDS Here at Classic we sell cars and we’re passionate about cars, and we were very excited to learn about recent medical advancements in HIV/AIDS therapy known as “CAR T-cell therapy.”  As part of our own observation of World AIDS Day, we’d love to shed some light on this novel advancement in HIV/AIDS management. Dual Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell therapy (CAR therapy) is in development as a potential cure for HIV/AIDS.  Current treatment for HIV/AIDS involves a daily Antiretroviral therapy (ART therapy) which is designed to control the reproduction of HIV virus particles.  CAR T-cell therapy is an immunotherapy currently employed in Cancer treatments which reprograms a patient’s cells to recognize and eliminate mutated or infected cancer cells.  It is able to target and eliminate the diseased components to help patients recover from those life threatening illnesses.  CAR therapy has shown great promise for HIV/AIDS patients if programmed to target HIV particles! You can learn more about the improvements in this therapy via this post by Seattle Children’s Hospital and this post by Penn Medicine. Find out more info about the current clinical trials of this innovative therapy at ClinicalTrials.Gov! Local HIV/AIDS Organizations to Support Catholic Charities HIV/AIDS Program in Waukegan HIV-AIDS Care in Lake County Alexian Brothers The Harbor PFLAG of Lake County/Gurnee PFLAG of Deerfield PFLAG Palatine Lake Cook Health Care Center Angles for Sexual Health Identity and Education INC Vivent Health (Formerly AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin) Walkin’ In My Shoes of Kenosha AIDS Foundation Chicago Access Community Health Network Chicago

Not everyone is home for the holidays. Or even home at all. Join us in helping our local veterans this holiday season. Next time you shop - think of vets in need & pick up some extras. more How to Help: 1. Donate money at coolministries.org/veterans-assistance/ 2. Donate time at coolministries.org/volunteer-opportunities/ 3. Donate essentials at 800 W. Glen Flora Avenue, Waukegan 10am - 2pm M-F

Today is “Buy Nothing Day” and we thought it would be a fantastic opportunity to share some great DIY and Handmade options for gift giving this year!  We can do our part to upcycle, reuse, and repurpose old things into something new and beautiful, and go green for the Holiday season. We’ve got a roundup of brilliant ideas to add a personal touch to holiday gifting using things others might toss, discard, or ignore.  We’ve also got some fun projects you can do with kids to spend some quality family time together to recover from the chaotic Thanksgiving festivities.  Let’s head into the garage for some DIY time! more Repurpose Those Broken Dishes from Holiday Dinner Grab a pair of safety goggles and a trusty set of tile nippers and let’s get crafting! You can turn those cracked and broken dishes from yesterday’s holiday party into something beautiful for the holidays.  Wash them well with soap and water, and put them in a box to be repurposed in a mosaic!  Using the tile nippers, cut off the most interesting pieces of your broken, cracked, or chipped plates and tile them onto something such as containers to hold your tools, a stepping stone for the garden, or even apply them to reclaimed wood for accent pieces for your living room or garage wall. Click here for a great tutorial on how to use the tile nippers on plates. Give Your Garage Tool or Workspace A DIY Overhaul Check out this amazing list of ways to repurpose household items, leftover packing supplies, and the leftover bits and bobs from other house projects.  You can source most of the materials on this list from Freecycle, Craigslist, or your own recycling pile.  If you’ve got an eco-conscious family member in your midst, this would also be a great idea for a personalized gift; outline your plans, gather the materials and box them up, and gift them with a “coupon” for garage reorganization! Gather Up Your Cardboard Recycling & Let’s Build Together This tutorial from Parenting.com shows step by step how to build the kiddos their own car for pretend races.  If you’re looking for something super creative with a little bit of a challenge, you can live out your architectural dreams with this Youtube Tutorial by Mr. Vereshchak for a Cardboard Kids Playhouse.  Craft an entire Rainbow Town for playtime with the kids using this tutorial from Hellowonderful.co! Blog Project Roundup: DIY Your Own Holiday Gifts Great DIY Gifts for 8 Nights of Hanukkah 36 Hanukkah Crafts to Make Traditional Kwanzaa Gifts to Make and Gift DIY Car & Truck Ornaments for Families DIY Vintage Car Ornaments for the Holidays Upcycled Holiday Gift DIY Projects DIY Gifts for the Friends Who Have Everything Did you try any of the projects shared here? Show us with a photo and tag us in a comment on social media! Have an idea for a DIY project that we’ve missed on the list? Let us know in the comments and we may feature it in a future post!

After more than a year of “WFH Life” and limited travel, many folks are finding themselves on the road more frequently as commutes to the office, holiday visits with family and friends, and even personal vacation travel resumes. more So we thought we’d gather a list of great items to remind you to breathe, relax, and destress while you’re on the road!  Improve your mood and reduce your chances of road rage with some of these uplifting gadgets. Snag One Of These Today: The Sharper Image Car Cushion with Massage and Heat for $59.99 will ease your transition back to the office by reducing stress with a relaxing, calming massage on your commute. The Youloveit Full Body Massager has 8 modes and 3 levels of intensity with vibration, heat, and kneading to reduce muscle aches and pains, and give you a little relaxation on route. And it won’t break the bank at an affordable price of just $46.99 at Walmart. If you prefer to keep it low-tech, this wooden bead massager will do the trick by keeping you cool and providing a low-key massage for under $25. Many of us spend anywhere from 8 to 12 hours in a desk chair in front of a computer, and let’s face it: that can make a long commute of sitting in the car rather excruciating.  Why not snag one of these Pressure Relief Car Seat Cushions to make yourself more comfortable?  It’s got an ergonomic design to help you distribute weight more evenly while sitting. It can easily fit over your current car seat and reduce driver fatigue for under $100! Looking for a similar ergonomic seat cushion for a lower price?  Walmart has a great option by Auto Drive for under $30 that would work well.  The Auto Drive Cushion has a universal fit to adapt for most cars and drivers. The CYLEN Memory Foam Bamboo Charcoal Infused Seat Cushion utilizes state of the art memory foam for maximum comfort, and natural bamboo charcoal to help absorb odors and smells in your car.  This is a great option as well for those with leather/vinyl seats instead of fabric, as the cushion will keep your seat cool and increase air flow. Find it on Amazon in black or blue options for under $30. AutoZone boasts a great lumbar support cushion at a budget friendly price point of just $16.99. The ProElite Concave Lumbar Cushion provides great lower lumbar support to relieve pressure when commuting home after a long day at the office. The Prime Stash is offering an orthopedic Memory Foam Headrest and Lumbar cushion set for $60-$80 and it comes in a variety of colour options to suit your aesthetics. The Sharper Image Cooling Gel Cushion Grip Steering wheel cover will make long drives more comfortable with microfiber leather and cool grip gel pads.  Affordably priced for just about any budget at around $20 and it has a universal fit that works with most vehicles.