6 Great Holiday Helpers

For frocks that rock, easy gift ideas, e-cards and more, here are 6 Great Holiday Helpers to keep your spirits bright.

Don't get stuck in the closet, looking for something to wear to the next holiday fete. Repeat after us, if you're short on budget but long on style and looking swell, it's all about Rent Frock Repeat. For anyone, especially moms who don't have time to shop, let alone dress shop, you'll save time, money and sanity when it comes to sartorial selection. Choose a dress, they rent and ship it to you, you wear it and ship it back. Seriously.

If you're hopelessly behind on holiday prep and getting greeting cards out seems like an unlikely goal this season, save paper by going the free e-card route. JibJab is known for their photo-personalizing feature and their free musical cards (haven't you always wanted to see yourself as a dancing elf?). They're sure to guarantee lots of smiles from the recipients and your own family.

Use your buying power for a little bit of good this season. Plan Canada can be the perfect gift for that person who has everything already. Buy a goat, mango tree, clean water for a family, library in a box and more for families in developing countries—it's the gift that gives twice. We also love the Gifts to Support Girls campaign (a great gift to celebrate your BFF).

There are other things we wish would stick, like the tape used to wrap the mountain of presents we're facing. Make things easier with Scotch Plant-Based Magic Tape, a greener alternative that also allows you to write on it if you need to keep track of names while wrapping.

If your kids are Advent Calendar enthusiasts, a great online version will have them hurrying down each morning to see what scene will be uncovered next. We love anything old school, but these village scenes from jaquielawson.com are interactive and well designed. For a small fee, the kids can enjoy a new take on a true Christmas classic sans chocolate.

Another Christmas classic we never tire of is our favourite way to keep kids calm and on their best behavior all season: The Elf on the Shelf. He's a great motivator for goodness all season long. We just wish Santa, and the elf, stuck around for all seasons.