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Million Dollar Gift Giving |
| By Nancy Twigg |
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So you just barely survived Christmas and Valentine's Day, and now Mother's Day and Father's Day are right around the corner. Every time you turn around, it seems that another gift-giving occasion is looming on the horizon. Birthdays, weddings, baby showers, anniversaries, graduationswhew! Just thinking about it is enough to send you and your budget into a tailspin.
Is there any relief in sight? Is there a way to control the expense of gift giving without becoming a Scrooge? Can you actually give meaningful gifts without emptying your bank account? Rest assured that the answer to all these questions is "yes".
Gift giving does not have to be something to dread but rather an opportunity for you to exercise your creativity. Even those who must watch their spending carefully can give gifts that reflect the true spirit of giving. Let's face it. Anyone can shell out a lot of money for a gift without putting much thought into it. How many people can give a thoughtful gift without shelling out much money?
Reflect for just a moment on all the gifts you have received in your lifetime. Which gifts stand out in your memory? Most likely the gifts you remember the most are not the ones that cost the most. Gifts like a handmade picture frame or a memory book created especially for you are not particularly costly but are indeed priceless. I call these kinds of gifts "million dollar gifts."
Million dollar gifts are gifts that make both the giver and the recipient feel like a million bucks. Instead of a big investment of money, they require the giver to invest of herself: her effort, her energy, and her creative talents. These gifts send a very clear message that the giver cares enough to give one of life's most precious commodities: her time.
Here are some examples of million dollar gifts. All of these require little or no money, only your time.
- Can you provide a special service? Give an IOU for a needed service. Babysitting, mending, ironing, weeding the flower beds, chauffeuring the kids for the afternoonanything that would be appreciated by the recipient.
- Is there a special dish or dessert your loved one enjoys but doesn't get to eat very often? Give the gift of good taste that also tastes good. Food gifts make great non-cluttering gifts.
- Are you artistic? Write a poem, compose a song, or paint a picture. Give the special gift of your unique talent.
- Can you teach a skill or hobby? Offer to provide lessons to that person who has always admired something you do well.
- What about using your camera or camcorder to create a memorable gift? Pictures of the recipient's family members or pets are always special. In the same way, a keepsake video is something the recipient can watch and enjoy over and over again.
- Does everyone rave about your creative cooking? Make sure all those recipes aren't lost by compiling them all into a handmade cookbook. Giving this special collection to that family member or friend who enjoys trying new recipes.
This is only a short list but the possibilities are unlimited. Without damaging your budget, you can give meaningful gifts as unique as you are. When you put your mind to it, you will find that instead of dreading the next occasion for gift-giving, you will look forward to the opportunity give your own special million dollar gift.
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About The Author: Nancy Twigg is the author of Celebrate Simply: Your Guide to Simpler, More Meaningful Holidays and Special Occasions. For more information on low-cost and low-stress celebrations, visit Nancy online at www.celebratesimply.com
This article provided by the Family Content Archives at: http://www.Family-Content.com |
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RE: Million Dollar Gift Giving
Perfect Bath Fill a basket with bath salts, oils, and a large natural sponge. Line the basket with a finger towel or fluffy hand towel. Add a great book or soothing CD, and don't forget a baby-sitting coupon! Dress up baskets with bows, spray paint, and ribbon. Weave different colored ribbons into the weave of the basket. Glue ribbon around the edge of the basket, or you can also glue flowers, figures, or fabric to the sides. Get creative!
Tex-Mex Fill the basket with the makings for a great Mexican meal. Add salsa, peppers, tortillas, and a variety of seasonings. Add a couple of Coronas or Dos Equis (for adults only). Line the basket with a bright checked napkin, and finish with a raffia bow. Note: This can be done with any regional cuisine. Just fill with ingredients, add recipes if needed, and voila!
Mini Gift Pails Clean and dry empty soup cans. Punch two holes opposite each other, about 1/2" from the open edge. "Corkscrew" one half of an 18" piece of wire (wrap it around a pencil). Insert the ends of the wire into the punched holes to form a handle. Spray paint the cans. When dry, use white glue to apply Christmas pictures cut-out from wrapping paper scraps or paint the child's name. Fill pails with small toys and candy.
Coffee-Lovers Fill a basket with a mug or two, some flavored spoons and flavored creamers. Add some biscotti or shortbread cookies. Line with holiday colored paper napkins, and finish with a coffee-filter bow.
Romance-Lover Load a basket with a romantic novel, bubble bath, candles, English tea with a delicate cup and saucer set and line with a lace scarf. Include incense and a relaxing CD, too.
Gift Pots Tired of gift baskets? Try gift pots! Use large painted flower pots, filled with favorite items or a terrific plant. Terra cotta pots are easy to paint, take glue well, and can be decorated with ribbons or fabric.
Computer-Lover Stuff a basket with new floppy discs, a picture mouse pad, fancy printer paper and a book of best web sites on the net." Don't forget a gift jar of flavored coffee creamer and a mug.
Teen Girl Beauty Basket Fill a basket with a brush and cob set, scrunchies and other hair accessories, lightly scented body mists and a couple of teen magazines. Don't forget to include a picture frame for her favorite teen idol.
Ideas for Boys For a young boy, use a large plasticdump truck as a gift basket. Fill the bed of the truck with Hot Wheels cars, dinosaurs, army men and a Nerf toy.
New Pet Baskets: The New Puppy Basket - Fill basket with dog toys - a ball, a few squeak toys,- rawhide chews, small training bisquits, collar, leash, name tag, etc. The New Kitten Basket - Fill basket with cat toys - "jingle" ball, squeak toys,- a bag of catnip, cat treats, collar, leash, name tag, etc. (Extra special idea for cats and dogs: A coupon for a pre-paid spay or neuter.) Customize for other pets: birds, iquanas, rabbits, etc.
Breakfast Basket - Fill a basket or a large juice pitcher with gourmet pancakes mixes, 2 or more gourmet coffees, jams, spatula, wooden spoon, mugs, maple syrup, maple candies, and your favorite breakfast recipes.
For a sick friend - Include a large soup cup, can of chicken noodle soup, crackers, spoon, Chicken Soup for the Soul book, cough drops, vicks vapor rub, video of a comedy movie, tea bags, chap stick, kleenex.
\Lovers' Basket - Include several scented candles, a cassette tape with romantic music, a good bottle of wine or brandy, two glasses, a bottle of massage oil, some good chocolates, and a cardboard note to hang on the door that says "Do Not Disturb". Include a card with instructions to read "Close the door, turn off the phone. Enjoy together your precious time alone."
Tea Time Basket - Include some interesting teas, and a small jar of honey. Add homemade jams or jellies with crackers or a small loaf of homemade bread and a copy of If Teacups Could Talk. Decorate with ribbon and an interesting kitchen utinsel attached to the handle (a teaspoon or honey dipper perhaps
Gardener's Basket - For the gardener, fill the basket with packets of seeds, garden hand tools, gloves, plant markers. Decorate with flowers!
Gift for teacher - Fill a basket with fun pencils, "reward" toys, erasers, Post-It notepads, Award pads, etc. Decorate the basket with a "school" theme - instead of ribbon around the rim, glue on a row of pink erasers, alternating with some cute large plastic clips.
Coffee Lover's Basket - Get a bunch of the small packets of flavored coffees for the coffee lover to sample. Add some chocolate dipped cinnamon sticks, butter cookies, a special coffee cup, a jar of homemade Hot Chocolate Mix. Dip a spoon in melted chocolate - allow it to harden, wrap in cellophane and tied w/ a pretty ribbon. Attach the spoon to the handle.
"Pamper Me" Bath Basket - Fill a basket with some homemade bath salts, lotions, etc. along with lufa, scented candle, and a cardboard note to hang on the door that says "Pampering, Do Not Disturb".
The Ultimate Chocolate Basket: A pkg of hersheys bars, triple fudge brownies, better than sex chocolate cake, red velvet torte, chocolate truffles, german chocolate brownies, 3 different types of fudge, chocolate syrup, yoo-hoo in the can, a few boxes of chocolate pudding, and chocolate covered pretzles, chocolate/fudge butter cookies, homemade hot cocoa powder and a box of cocoa krispies.
The Baby Basket: A boo boo bunny. A baby's first christmas ornament, a small canister of powder, baby lotion, diaper rash oitnment, baby wipes, washcloths, receiving blankets, a teething ring, a bib and a night light.
The Fantasy/Sci-fi Role players basket: 3 different types of chocolate candy. A 6-pack of the gamers favorite beverage. A gift certificate for their favorite photo copy store. a couple of sets of dice. some miniatures or the new suppliment they want.You can also include a couple of pencils and a note book.
The Wearable Art Basket: An Ironing board cover, some iron ons. Fuseable web, some pretty fabrics for applique, an assortment of fabric paints and pens. Rinestone studs, and the metal studs, a box of bandaids and a candy bar.
The New Mom's Basket: A large bottle of asprin, a picture frame or photo album. A cassette of favorite music, a package of burp cloths, hand cream, chocolate and coffee.
The New Car Basket: A fire extinguisher. A steering wheel cover. Some annoying fuzzy dice. an air freshener. A bottle of car wash, tire cleaner, spot remover and car wax.
The Baker's Basket: A recipe for something that you made that someone liked, along with all the premeasured ingredients (within reason) and a pack of recipe cards - perhaps a bottle of extract or some food colouring.
YOU CAN PURCHASE ALOT OF THESE ITEMS AT THE LOCAL DOLLAR STORE..
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