December Contest: Win Tarte's Deluxe Palette We Wish You Wealth...

Hello my lovelies...I know I haven't been here but I have been busy busy with the holidaze!  The contest for this month is targeted at lifting your spirits.  I was so so SO moved by all of the submissions I received for the November contest that I wanted to take it a step further.

To win Tarte's latest Limited Edition Holiday Palette called We Wish You Wealth valued at $52, I want you to tell me about a situation where you gave back to others...that is anyway - what the Holiday Season is all about right???  GIVING...AND I want to give this to you my babies!!  This palette is exclusive to Sephora and is JAM PACKED with the following goodies:

-16 brand-new eyeshadows
-16 brand-new lipglosses
-4 gel eyeliners
-4 cheek stains
-3 24/7 lip sheers
-Eyelid primer
-Luminizer
-Eyeshadow & eyelining brushes

Criteria:

In the comments section of this post tell me a situation where you gave back to others big or small....you know - where you think you really made a difference or a selfless contribution for nothing in return.  Melt my scrooggey heart (just kidding - not a scroogey bone in this body heh heh!)

Official Rules:

If you are in my family or you are in my phone book you cannot enter (sorry...but I have to be fair), I will read each and every one of your submissions so let's make this interesting ladies!  Write as much as you want, only one entry per person please!  Contest is open until December 21 so I can ship off the winner's prize before Christmas (a little gift from me to you under your tree!!)

Win Pretty!!

Comments

[lovely]

my favorite story about giving has to do with beauty, and goes back to when i was a little girl! it was around christmas time, and i had a friend that had a single mom. my friend's mom worked really hard to make ends meet for my friend and her brother, but they never had money for anything fun. my little friend was secretly desperate for some rose lotion that one of our teachers always wore - we all loved the smell. so, i decided that i'd do extra chores for my mom (for which she paid me a little bit) until i had enough money to buy her this lotion! anyway, i had enough money gathered together so that one day, before we left elementary school on christmas break, i slipped it in her desk before school. it was so great to see her eyes light up like that when she found it! i try to remember to do things like all through the year, that now that i'm older and have a real job, and can make money without doing chores!!! :) Merry Christmas!

[Lesha]

Oh my, I love to give to people regardless if it is a holiday or not. I'm very free-hearted. ~lol~ Thanks for the giveaway :)

[Nevin]

I'm lucky enough to work for a company that holds a Community Service Day every year. A variety of different charities/organizations are chosen and employees sign up to contribute their time and labor on a scheduled day. One of the organizations I worked with was a home for teenage girls who don't have homes. Many of them have runaway from home, been kicked out, many of them are teenage mothers, etc. My group and I spent the day painting their rooms and buildings. We also organized a their entire storage area, which holds all donated supplies such as clothes, cleaning products, etc. In addition, we spruced up their landscaping and front yard: raking leaves, weeding, etc. I got to meet some of the girls and they were very appreciative of our time and efforts. For many of those girls, the world was an unkind place, but they had found a little bit of solace in this home. To be able to make that home a little bit nicer to live in felt like we maybe made their lives a little better as well. Or at least I can hope.
Thanks so much for the giveaway!

[Courtnie]

The best thing that I've done happened just recently. I work in a very busy chem lab in a hospital where we usually exchange gifts or ornaments for Christmas. We decided that instead of exchanging gifts we were going to "adopt" a needy child from a local program where they send you their wishlist and you send them the gifts they want. We managed to get the 9 year old boy that we "adopted" everything that he wanted on his wish list, including a bike. The wishlist was rather bleak, asking for things like school uniforms and notebooks, which is rather sad that this kid is asking for what he needs and nothing he wants. We got him all the toys and supplies he needed. He will receive these gifts on Christmas eve. It was the best feeling thing I've ever done, to make a little boy's Christmas the best and it not even matter who contributed what, except that everyone contributed in one way or another.

[brandi]

My father who i am very proud of, is a vietnam vet. I feel a strong pride in him and the soliders now and in the past. Unfortunatly they are not always taken care of. I live in Northern Va, about an hour away from D.C. the first time i went there I saw these people (alot of them veterans) laying on the road grates just to keep warm in the dead of winter. My heart was just saddend. I'm not sure of how they got there,but i couldnt just walk past them and pretend to ignore them. Now each time i go there and visit i always bring extra money or food certificates with me. Its such an easy way to help out these men who served the country and men and women who didnt and are very unfortunate to have to live without a house and food etc. I feel so strongly about this. alot of people dont give to them because they feel that the money would just go towards drugs or alcohol, but that kind of thinking leaves alot of the good people without food and shelter.

[Juli B.]

Heya MakeupGirl! We are presently in the throes of Worst ice storm of remembered history. Most people are without electricity and only one Grocery store is open for business. At this store I noticed a young Lady heavily dressed for the cold, teeth chattering. I assumed she had braved the ice and walked to the store. She seemed anxious and the store shelves were emptying fast.She had a lone pack of newborn diapers she had grabbed from front of store.Something told me to make contact with her and I did. I said," what do you really need, things are going fast." She rattled of a list of baby Formula,Baby cereal,eggs,bread,milk,etc. and added I have newborn twins and we're out of food and formula for them. I could see that she was very weak[gave birth 2 weeks ago]and told her I would go get all her Baby stuff on the other side of store and for her to get bread and eggs, milk which she was closer to.There were slim pickin's for formula,but I managed to get as much as she needed with different brands.when I got to baby cereal I looked back at the formula shelf and it was empty.It's a very disturbing feeling to watch a Food store sell out of life-giving items right before your eyes. I went and found the mother who was moving very slowly .[she had A caseararian.] Astounded she told me they were only allowing one milk,bread,eggs per customer.She looked at the different brands of formula and I told her They were now sold out.She fought back tears and said she never would have made it in time and I recieved the most heartfelt thankyou I have ever received in my life. I then said look I know you walked up here and I'm giving you A ride home. She gladly accepted.On the way to her home I was heartbroken that she had walked 4 miles to the store in her condition and ice everywhere and sooo cold.I helped her in with her groceries and was greeted by a husband in a wheel chair holding 2 crying babies. He had been extremely worried about her but she had insisted on going and accomplished her motherly mission. Her husband was sobbing as she took the babies and collapsed on the couch holding her babies close and said "It's done we're all fine now." She had the most Heavenly expression on her face. I was truly seeing Madonna and Child+1. I then went to kitchen with husband and made up bottles, because he could hardly see through the tears, as he explained how stubborn his wife was and I knew she was their only hope in their situation.I then walked to the door and said mind if I stop by tomorrow cause you need rest and some help.She said of course like are you kidding and then said Goodnight Friend like Nancy Grace says at end of her show and I replied Goodnight Friend. I have also been teary-eyed all evening in wonderment and awe of this young mothers resolve and braverey. I was so glad to be put in that certain time and place to help her because No one else would have helped and she wouldn't have asked.When you see a picture of madonna and child during the holidays think of my Hero, Madonna and Child+1 and yes I will be showering her with all the help she needs to recover from birthin 2 babies and then some.

[Coffee]

Hello Makeup Girl!

Although my firm is adament about giving back and I participate heavily in events (i.e Habitat for Humanity, Walk for Children's Diabetes, Thanksgiving Dinners, Hat and Glove Drive, etc) One of the more recent events brought a huge smile to my face and I'm sure will make one little girl smile. Each Christmas, my job participates in a toy drive. Not just drop a toy off, but we get to pick from a series of Christmas Wish List from children that are from foster homes, adopted, less fortunate, abused, etc. So leafing through the lists I saw all types of things--They are kids so of course (and rightfully so) they're going to ask for every toy imaginable. Then I came accross "Khia"...in addition to her asking for Barbies and Brats dolls, my girl "Khia" asked for LIP GLOSS!!!! I kid you not! I knew she was the one for me! :) I had the most amazing time searching for lip gloss sets for her. I had to make sure that they were as cute as can be, but NOT in any ways "too grown" as she is only 8. I purchased some cool sets for her. Some sparkly, some scented, some that taste like ice cream flavors, even a lip gloss bracelet curtesy of Sephora! I only wish I can see her face when she opens it. I imagine her primping in front of the mirror trying on every last lip gloss. Or at school chatting with her lil' girlfriends about gloss! These kids have enough to deal with every day and unlike many of their peers they don't have the pleasure of getting whatever they want, whenever they want. But, in my opinion, EVERY child deserves Christmas (or which ever Holiday they choose to celebrate)...and there is NOTHING better than getting something that you were hoping for! And who knows, most of our love for makeup started early...I may have inspired the next great American Makeup Artist......yeah, I know, wishful thinking! :)

Happy Holidays!
~Coffee

[PinkHibiscus]

In college, I mentored an 11 year old girl for one year. She came from a low-income, single-parent family, but she had a mother who encouraged her to reach for the stars. I remember speaking to her about her relationship with her father, her school crushes, and her dream of going to college. I saw so much of myself in my mentee. She was smart and had a real fighter spirit. Despite her circumstances she knew she deserved more. As her mentor I made sure I was as good a role model to her as I could be. I still remember our bowling trips, and the secrets she told me (she would make me pinkie promise not to tell her mother about her crushes...lol) There were times that we did homework together in my college library, and she would ask me about college life, always exclaiming that she couldn't wait her turn to attend college. I encouraged her, being from similar backgrounds, if I could do it, so could she. Though she moved to a different state, I know I had a positive effect on her. I hope she keeps on dreaming and aiming high. It was truly a rewarding experience.

[Kimberly]

One of the things I remember the most is something I did as a child growing up. I was raised by my grandmother. One year I recall her being super tired from Christmas holiday. So I gave her a pedicure & rubbed her feet. At the time I really didn't have anything thing else to offer, so I gave what was in my heart.

[Courtney]

I love working with an animal shelter-- and here's why. You know you've seen a homeless person. They beg for food, they look for a home. So do these dogs. They are so confused, and most of them were abused. But they have no voice at all. They can't say anything, can't beg, can't cry. All they can do is wait for someone to come along and take them home- and the dogs are usually scared of people, so they run away.

Well, there was this one dog... She was really, really sweet, but really afraid of men and children. I was 10 years old, and probably at risk of being bitten by this dog, but she looked really nice. So I walked up and petted her, she got a little snippy, but she liked it. She even rolled over. She was nicer with kids afterwords and I felt like I had really helped.. Not only the dog, but the next owners of the dog. She was amazing.

[Lila Balla]

About a year ago I was working as a nurse aide at Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton,NY.Working in a hospital you see a lot of people in pain, a lot of people that have given up hope,a lot of people who wish they had lived their lives differently.In my profession we are taught to be sympathetic but impersonal and so I would go about my duties every day administering to each patient ,visiting with them and helping them understand what was happening to their body.When I got home each day I would pour myself a drink and block my mind off what I had seen throughout the day.One night something followed me home.With my Bailey's in my hand I could not shake the memory of the day's event.There was a young girl 23 year old who had entered the ER.I had been assigned to her room and I got a chance to talk to her for a while while I was doing my work.She was a college student who was working two jobs to put herself through college.It was only the previous year that she had lost her father and did not have any other relative in the world.The next day she was diagnosed with a rare but fatal syndrome both her kidneys had failed.With the severity of her syndrome and the length of the wait list for kidney retrieval it was highly unlikely that she would make it past the following week.Everyday I went home and tried not to think about her.It was hard not to.At the end of the week I went to the donor program in out hospital and told them I want to donate my kidney to her.There were many issues that arose but miraculously we were biologically compatible and on December 11 I lay in a hospital bed recovering from a kidney extraction.We are both well and I hear from her every month .I will be attending her graduation this May.Why did I do this? Because every life is precious.I wanted to make a point.No matter what we do we should respect and treasure life and live it to the fullest.Because when you have nothing in the world and you are in the darkest place and you pray a little prayer.God sends an angel and it is an honor to be chosen to be that angel.

[KD]

Although small, it's always the thought that counts. I do work with food groups and whenever we have an abundance of packaged goods, I head to Grand Central station to give away any food, extra supplies, etc, to those who have no food or place to go during the cold nights. Most recently, I met a woman who had to be about 90 years old and was homeless with her grandson. I gave her some food products and it actually made her cry! In turn it made me cry! She explained how her holidays are always terrible and lonely and they often don't have room at the shelters in NYC to accomodate all of the needy/hungry people during the holidays so every little bit helps her. She has inspired me to do this more often, even after the holidays. Knowing that I brought happiness to someone, even for a brief fleeting moment, during the holidays was honestly one of my fondest memories of this city thus far.

[Sarah T.]

I don't really like to talk about myself that often but I think that my most giving traits happen everyday. It's a daily contribution for the last 15 years. I help my mom take care of my severly handicapped older sister who has Cerebral Palsy. My sister can't walk, talk, communicate or do anything on her own. She is a quadriplegic. My sister is 32 this year and has lived at home all her life and it is just my mom and I that take care of her. We have never had outside help for her. It is very hard work everyday. I really feel I have given it my all. It is 24/7 work because my sister doesn't sleep well so I am kind of on the "night shift" for tending to her. I am 25 and have been helping my mom everyday with my sisters care since I can remember but only in these last few years was I was strong enough to be able to help my mom start lifting her to and from bed. It is so extremely hard. Due to her constant 24/7 care there is no way for me to learn to drive (no time to learn), and I have no proper job (since this is my job). I find it rewarding but also in the same aspects incredibly difficult. It does get harder each day because of other things that pile up on top of what we already deal with on a daily basis- my mom was recently diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes (which occured after her being on a prescription- it was a side-effect), my grandmother recently passed away and we also had our kitty pass away this Oct. My mom and I lean on each other in all the tough times of which there are many. If I were to win this Tarte We Wish You Wealth Palette I would give and/or share it with my mom because she likes makeup as much as me and it is our fun little "getaway" type thing we do when times are tough (we do makeup looks on one another and it passes the time). I greatly enjoy doing makeup looks for my mom and it and I would see it as being a nice little gift to give if I were to win it. It would be enjoyed.

Best luck to everyone! May you all have the happiest holidays and loveliest New Years! Thanks for having such a nice contest!

Sincerely,
Sarah

[Christine Cook]

Every year, we contribute to the local food bank drives, Toys for Tots-I have my children go out and buy the presents and wrap them themselves. This year, on top of that, I am my 2nd graders Brownie Troop Leader. We have decided to have the Girls learn more about service and giving to others than just what is required of them. We have visited our local Ronald McDonald House where families of sick children can stay, and our local food bank so far. We have been volunteering with these groups to teach our Girls that there are people out there who do not have everything given to them, and that these groups who help need donations and help themselves. To me, giving is very important during the Holiday season, but to also help these second grade Girls learn these invaluable life lessons is the greatest gift I can give.

[Jolene]

I've been debating posting here for several days just because it feels almost like bragging to come in and post all about the good things I've done.
What tipped the scale for me was wanting to get more awareness about the charity I'm most involved in.

My husband and I are both members of California Chins chinchilla rescue group. We are also a foster home for rescued animals, and often have many scared and abused chinchillas come into our care. Most often we get neglected animals that are malnourished and covered in matted fur. Our part as foster "parents" is to get them checked by a vet, provide them with a safe place to recover from any medical problems, give them good food, regular grooming, and hopefully socialize them so they are ready to become a part of a loving forever home. I joke that our real job is to spoil them rotten so they get fatter and friendlier. Once an animal is re-checked and cleared by the vet, it's picture goes up on the website and they become available for adoption. We foster anywhere from 1 -12 animals at a time. This is in addition to the eight animals that are a permanent part of our family.

We got involved in the rescue about 3 years ago. I was looking for a cagemate for one of our girls, and found the website. I thought it would be great to be able to adopt a chinchilla instead of buying from a breader. When we came in to meet the animals we immediatley fell in love with Felicia, a small female who had been found in a dumpster at a San Fransisco BART station. When CaChins recieved her, she was filthy, and unable to walk very well. The vet gave her an x-ray and it was discovered that both her back legs had been broken some time before and didn't heal properly. When we took her home she could sit up, but only only manage to move a foot or so at a time. We would take her out and set her in the hallway and tempt her to walk to us with a small treat. Over the course of a month we were able to move the treat farther and farther away and she would still come. It took a long time for her to regain her strength but after about 6 months she was able to run a bit (in her sweet, wobbly way), and by the time a year past she was able to run in her wheel easily. It was so amazing to watch her recover! Now she still can't jump up high, or climb like a regular chinchilla, but she gets around quite easily (and quickly if she wants to!), and we have in in a cage outfitted with plenty of ramps so she can move from level to level.

If anyone out there would like to learn more about California Chins,or would like to learn more about chinchillas in general, you can visit their website at: www.chinchillarescue.org

You can also swing by and click on the "available chinchillas" link to see some of the chinchillas currently ready to be adopted. Who knows, you might just fall in love like we did. =-)

So that's what I do. It can be a lot of work sometimes but I wouldn't trade it for anything. This is true of most of what I do actually, my previous job was as a preschool teacher, which is exhausting, and draining, but totally worth it. I have been out since early novemeber with a back injury (we're praying it won't end up being permanent ) and I miss my kids like crazy. It doesn't feel like christmas without them! I went to see them sing in their holiday program yesterday, and got so many hugs from the kids. It was wonderful, and I hope I can get back soon. With any luck my doctor might send be back at least part time by febuary.

Sorry for the rambling. Get me going about kids or chinchillas, and it's hard for me to stop. =-)

[Naomi]

We adopt stray cats and get them fixed and vaccinated. We've had 11 at once although now we're down to six permanent residents. I do community service locally and give away stuff on my blog often.

But my biggest-hearted gift: when my now-husband and I were first dating, I found a whole bunch of polaroids of his ex in the nude. He was going to throw them away but I decided to mail them to her so she could destroy them. I figured that way, she would know they were gone once and for all...

[Caryn Bailey]

I am a NICU RN, so just by the very nature of my job I serve and care for babies and mommies/daddies. I love my job but at times it is very stressful and exhausting. One of the things I've done that I love is going to Ensenada with our church to provide food, clothing, medical supplies and the message to woman and children who have nothing. When I say they have nothing...literally moms will come to the area we set up barefoot holding their babies...some will have walked miles and miles to get to where we set up camp for the few days we're there just to get a hot meal, some clothes, or medical supplies.

[Trudi S.]

I've committed myself to various community service activities. Some of my most memorable experiences include helping out a senior home and cleaning up different areas of my community. Basically, what I did was pick up trash from off the streets, which doesn't seem like much. To be honest, what went through my mind while I was doing this was "why bother doing this, it's going to be dirty the next day anyways?" While, that statement is right, I now realize that what I did was more than that. Doing anything to help out your community is worthwhile, as little as it may seem. So I try to commit myself to bettering my community as much as possible.
I remember once helping out at a senior home (helping elderly people make Valentines Day cards). This wasn't the most enjoyable experience, but I will tell you that I learned something that day: I don't want to reach that age and not be able to say I did something with my life. Right now, I'm trying to get involved in as many community service related activities as possible because I believe that helping any individual may change their life forever -in a good way, of course.