A few weeks ago, I received a package with a huge red gift box inside…

There was a TOMS logo on the shipping box, and I already knew I’d be receiving some sort of holiday sweater in conjunction with a #TOMSforTarget holiday campaign they were doing, so I just took a super quick peek inside since I was in major deadline mode on another project at the moment. I saw the print of the sweater, but didn’t pull it out of the box… I mean, it was folded up so nicely and all. ;)

Later that night, my husband asked what the deal was with the giant gift box sitting on the table. I said, “I think I’m supposed to wear it in a picture or do some sort of “ugly sweater party” story with it, but it looks HUGE!” I opened the gift box all the way this time, noticed a card inside, and proceeded to read it out loud and try to figure this out… “Well Hello There! You’re probably wondering why you’ve received a large, festive, multi-headed sweater…”

Wait – WHAT?!! Did I just say “multi-headed”???

I yanked that perfectly folded sweater out of the box this time… then proceeded to immediately collapse on the floor laughing. This gigantic holiday sweater did indeed have TWO head holes… THAT was definitely not something I was expecting at all!

The two things that instantly popped in my head upon seeing this sweater:

• Well played, marketing geniuses. ;)
• I am seriously going to have the BEST white elephant gift ever at the Christmas party our friends host every year… this baby is definitely going to make for some hilarious pics!

SHOPPING + GIVING

The best thing about all this playfulness is that it’s attached to a really great cause! Many of you are probably already familiar with TOMS and all of the good that they do – every purchase you make from them helps a person in need.

Well, they’ve teamed up with Target this holiday season to offer a signature collection that makes it super easy for holiday shoppers give to people in need across the country. Every TOMS for Target item purchased is matched one-for-one with a donation of blankets, shoes, or meals!

Here’s a tiny peek at the collection, including a t-shirt that I will admit I bought for myself… at least I know that the purchase helped someone else too!

FREE PRINTABLE: Quote on Happiness + Giving

So in the spirit of giving, I felt compelled to design a little inspirational freebie to give away today too… hopefully it can serve as a helpful reminder of what this season is REALLY about. You know – for those moments when the hecticness and stress of it all start to get to you. (Trust me, I have lots of those moments too, and this quote really does ring true… if you want to make yourself feel happier, the best thing to do is start spreading happiness elsewhere.)

Click here to download a high res PDF of the printable. (The quote fits in an 8×10 frame.)

Before I leave you, here’s one more pic of the multi-headed sweater… which is now safely back in the box waiting patiently to spread some cheer at our upcoming holiday party.

Want to see more of this sweater? This BuzzFeed post has pics of LOTS of different people (including some celebrities) wearing it… there’s even a version with 8 heads! Good stuff :)

Sponsored by: Toms For Target: One-for-One. For All. Starting November 16th, for every Target+Toms limited edition gift you buy, we’re (Target) giving shoes, a blanket or meals to those in need. #TomsForTarget

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Target via Mode Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Target. Thank you for supporting the companies that make it possible for us to keep the creative content coming!