Buying the Perfect Gift: Whose Gift is
It Anyway?
by
Dina Beach Lynch
Whose
Gift is it Anyway?
Gift-giving should be an Olympic sport, I think. It
requires a similar level of training, practice and
dedication to get just the right present. Honestly,
it’s hard work. We use ourselves as models, thinking:
“I’d love this…so, of course he will too.” But
sometimes we empathize a tad too much and end up with
an ‘US’ gift.
The US Gift
What’s that? It’s a gift that’s meant for your
sweetheart that you share, too. For example, an old
boyfriend of mine presented me with some very
luxurious French lingerie for Valentine’s Day. Really
gorgeous stuff with lace and not much else.
While I appreciated the sexy gift, it made me wonder
just how well he knew me. (I’m strictly a flannel
woman from December to April). Seemed to me the gift
was obviously for him. That’s not necessarily a bad
thing, if you know what I mean, but it wasn’t exactly
selfless either. Gifts should be selfless, given
without expectation or obligation. At least that’s
what my Dad used to always say and I agree.
How to Avoid the US gift
The best way to avoid giving an US gift is to focus
exclusively on your partner's interests. Remember,
it’s not what you want, it’s what she wants that
matters. Listen to her daily conversation more
closely.
Slipped in between the pass-the-cereal and goodnight
sweetheart is a treasure trove of clues for you about
gifts he desires. Did he mention that he wanted to
read that bestseller advertised in the paper? Or,
maybe you caught her gazing longingly at a local
knitting store and reminiscing about the projects of
her youth. Take notice, and then casually ask
questions to get more specifics. Do it right and your
gift will be considered thoughtful and sweet.
Repackaging an US gift
Don’t despair if you’ve already gotten that US gift.
You can repackage it. Change it in some significant
way that puts the focus squarely on the recipient. A
friend of mine with small children recently planned a
long overdue romantic weekend away for herself and her
husband at a posh spa resort. It was a good
intentioned US gift. To correct her mistake, my friend
arranged for her husband to drive separately. He spent
the first day there alone enjoying a round of spa
treatments. She joined him the next day. He felt
special and they both enjoyed the trip.
My Mom used to say it’s not the gift that matters;
it’s the thought that counts. I agree, especially if
the thought says: I picked this gift only for you.
Dina
Beach Lynch is the co-author of the forthcoming book,
Ideas for the Romantically Challenged. Visit
www.whatsromantic.com for more tips. Dina can be
reached at info@whatsromantic.com.
Give Presence Not Presents.
by
Rachel Webb
Throughout the year we have many gift-giving
opportunities to show love to those around us. From
Christmas to Birthdays, Valentines Day and more, our
thoughts turn to finding the perfect gift. Before you
shop and wrap remember that our loved ones need more
of our presence than our presents! This type of gift
giving uses more creativity, less of our money and
more of our heart. Need some ideas on how you can give
of your presence and not just store bought presents?
DINNER FOR 2
Instead of purchasing restaurant gift certificates for
someone, invite them to dinner with you! Make sure
they understand that you are picking up the tab as
your gift to them, but the real gift will be the time
you get to spend together.
SHOPPING SPREE GIFTS
My mother simply hates shopping for me. She also hates
shopping with me. Ok, she hates shopping period. But
she knows how much I love it! That's why it is such a
wonderful gift to me when she takes me on a shopping
spree for my birthday every year. If you had planned
to buy a loved one something at the store, you can
still give of your presence too. Invite your special
someone to come pick it out with you. I still remember
when I was younger, and a boyfriend took me shopping.
He had me model the knit sweater for him before he
bought it for me. The sweater is long gone and moth
eaten but the memory is still knit tightly in my mind.
COUPONS
Clipping coupons is an excellent way to save money
when shopping but they are also a great way to save
money when gift giving. The home computer has made
coupon books easy and professional looking. Trying to
think creatively about what your loved one needs is
the hardest part of making meaningful coupons. Would
your husband love his own indoor tailgate party with a
coupon for a night of uninterrupted football coverage
complete with his favorite snacks and drinks? Or maybe
your young teenage daughter needs a coupon book
offering taxi rides anywhere her and her friends want
to be chauffeured for the night? You get the idea. Be
creative.
INCENTIVES & BRIBES
Whatever politically correct word you use, incentives
for children to get good grades or allowance given to
complete weekly chores or reach behavioral goals are
generally money or present oriented. I would like to
suggest that you substitute presence for presents in
this situation too once in a while. My parents used to
take me to a good movie when I got good grades at the
end of each quarter, even if I would have preferred
the cash like my friends got, it strengthened our
relationship more than the money ever would have.
When I was potty training my oldest daughter, instead
of giving her candy to reinforce her efforts, I would
let her draw an activity from a jar. She knew that I
would drop everything and give her my undivided
attention and presence to read her a story, color with
her, eat a Popsicle with her, etc. Now that this same
daughter is 8 and she would much rather have me cater
and entertain at her sleep over party, than to be
given an allowance as appreciation for doing her
chores!
If you truly believe that Time = Money, than give a
gift worth it's wealth in gold.
Author
Rachel Webb has been married 9 years and enjoys 4
children. She designs 100% Magnetic Fridge Calendars
in order to Schedule Family First. 5 affordable
designs made entirely out of heavy duty magnet
www.Note-Ables.com .or Rachel@Note-Ablescom and
mention this publication for a $2 off Coupon!
Make Gift Baskets For Fun & Profit.
by
Lisa Maliga
Putting
together lovely gift baskets is the way to give a
memorable gift to anyone at any time of the year. Now
you can assemble gift baskets, and at a very low
price! Baskets come in a variety of shapes from
traditional round to oval, square, heart-shaped, and
circular. Some have a couple of handles, others are
colored brightly, while still more baskets are as
natural as the reeds that make them up. Of course not
all baskets are made from reeds; you’ll find those
made from plastic, metal, tin, fabric, or combinations
thereof.
Basic Baskets
Decide what item[s] will be going into that gift
basket.
Group the items together. It is best if the largest
items are in the center or at the back, so it creates
a pyramid shape. If in doubt about sizing your gifts
to your basket, just measure the tallest part and the
circumference of your gift items.
Make sure your basket will be a bit larger than the
items.
Decide what you will fill your basket with: plastic
grass, tissue paper, raffia, crinkled or shredded
paper or a towel.
Add your items carefully and securely.
You might be able to find a cellophane bag that is
large enough to cover a gift basket and add that.
If using cello wrap, make sure you have a large enough
piece. Using clear tape, apply to the bottom of the
basket to help secure it. Sometimes it may be
necessary to tape around the width of the basket. If
so, please use invisible tape!
Tightly gather the ends of the cello wrap and tie
together tightly with a twist tie. Then add a bow,
making sure it’s securely attached.
Adding a gift card is always a nice idea. Your gift
card should have a loop in which you add a short
length of ribbon or elasticized band which you then
attach to the perimeter of the ribbon or twist tie.
Make Your Own Shredded Paper
All you need is a nice quality paper shredder and some
plain colored paper and you have your own basket
lining at virtually no cost, and no effort!
Basket Themes
Creativity rules here when it comes to what you can
add to a gift basket! Determine whom you will be
giving this basket to, if this person is male or
female, and what their interests are. Here are just a
few ideas to get you started.
Baby ~ Stuffed toy, blanket, booties, cap, bib, baby
powder, mobile, pacifier, books, blocks, toys, bath &
body items, music CD, and baby shop gift certificate.
Bath & Body ~ Soap, loofah sponge, lotion, shampoo &
conditioner, whipped shea butter, bath salts, sugar
scrub, aromatherapy bath oils, bubble bath, washcloth,
rubber ducky, spa gift certificate, relaxing music CD,
and scented candles.
Birthday ~ Balloons, candles, stickers, bubbles, toys,
games, teddy bears, dolls, jewelry, books, gift
certificates, cookies, candies, and fruit.
Bon Voyage ~ Travel guides, maps, compass, travel
diary, passport holder, atlas, travel size toiletries,
and gift certificates.
Bridal ~ Scented candles, bath & body products, spa
gift certificate, gourmet chocolate, flowers,
lingerie, champagne, wine, crystal, other gift
certificates.
Chocolate Lover ~ Chocolate bars, chocolate candy/bon-bons,
chocolate cookies, hot chocolate mix, cocoa butter lip
balm, cheesecake, chocolate scented bath & body
products, chocolate candy, and gift certificates.
Coffee Lover ~ Sometimes you can combine this with the
Tea Lover gift basket. Varieties of coffee, honey,
creamer, sweetener, coffee mugs, coffee pot, Thermos,
coffee-scented soap, coffee sugar scrub,
coffee-scented candles, coffee shop gift certificates.
Corporate/Executive ~ Wine, spirits, gourmet foods,
imported chocolate, personalized gifts bearing company
logo, cheesecake, fully stocked picnic basket, and
gift certificates.
Gourmet ~ Pancake mix, imported jams, cheesecake,
candies, cookies, cheese, chocolate, condiments, teas,
coffee, fruits, syrup, smoked salmon, truffles, olive
oil, imported vinegars, pasta, biscotti and gift
certificates.
Sports Lover ~ Sports Lovers baskets can include a
variety of general sports, or specialize in one sport
like golf, football, hockey, etc. Including tickets to
a game, a stopwatch, popcorn, nuts, wine, beer,
snacks, cheese, toys, t-shirts, baseball cap,
autographed team/sport merchandise, and gift
certificates.
Tea Lover ~ Sometimes you can combine this with the
Coffee Lover gift basket. Varieties of tea bags, tea
cups/mugs, honey, teapot, tea infuser, blocks of tea,
tea cakes, wafers, cookies, tea-scented soap,
tea-scented candles and gift certificates.
Wine & Cheese ~ Fine wine, wine glasses, champagne,
napkins, cheese, cheeseballs, cheese spread, crackers,
biscuits, wine soap, and gift certificates.
Other Theme Ideas ~ Movie Lover, Congratulations,
Easter, Pet Lover, Retirement, Anniversary, 21st
Birthday, Sweet 16, Game Lover, Music Lover, Gardener,
Book Lover, etc.
Buying Your Gift Basket & Accessories
Finding an excellent bargain for the basket itself is
quite easy. You can locate them at your local dollar
store, Goodwill, Salvation Army, thrift shops, flea
markets, swap meets, garage sales, craft stores,
discount stores and online.
Also, don’t be afraid to be creative when selecting a
basket. You can easily find other sizes/shapes that
will perfectly match your theme. A Christmas sleigh
for Christmas presents is an obvious choice. But how
about a bucket, mailbox, birdhouse, birdcage, or large
mug to name just a few alternative basket ideas?
Cellophane, organza bags, tissue paper, ribbon/bows
and plastic grass/shredded paper, can be located at
discount stores, drug stores, craft stores, packing
suppliers, and online.
Once you’ve made your first gift basket you might be
hooked to this creative way to give gifts and will
make many more! Gift basket assembling is a profitable
business that can be started right in your own home.
Make certain you have enough storage space for all
your baskets and supplies! Investigate wholesale
options for the products you will be adding to gift
baskets. And make sure you do your research about
starting a small home-based business.
Lisa
Maliga, owner of Everything Shea Aromatic Creations
www.everythingshea.com offers a fragrant selection
of designer shea butter glycerin soaps, exclusive
Whipped Shea Butter, & unique SoapCakes personalized
for any happy occasion. Visit
www.lisamaliga.com/giftbaskets.htm
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