Last year Brooks broke into the green running shoe scene with their Green Silence, a sleek, light-weight, running shoe with tons of eco-friendly materials. This year Brooks is hitting the trails with the Cascadia 6, an eco-friendly trail running shoe. Brooks sent me a pair to test out, and although my running routine usually has me hitting the pavement, not the trails, I was curious to see how they would hold up in the wilds of New York City.

So you've purchased your gifts, or maybe even made them yourself. The thoughtfulness doesn't have to end there. Part of the fun of a gift is the surprise and that excited moment when the present is opened. What's not fun about the holidays is the tons of wasted wrapping paper. In my family we are notorious for last minute present wrapping, and there is never enough wrapping paper to go around (forget finding a pair of scissors on Christmas Eve, it's impossible). So, I've learned to be crafty.

You're never too old to proudly say, "I made this myself."

Do-It-Yourself gifts sometimes get a bad rap. Think about how many macaroni necklaces and popsicle stick frames you made for your parents as a child. But, DIY gifts can be the most thoughtful and personal of presents. They can also be quick and inexpensive --not that popsicle sticks aren't cheap, but you may want to give something you can be proud of now that you're all grown up.