Christmas is always the time of year we consider to be the best opportunity to give something special to someone and show how much we appreciate him or her. The mall is full of wonderful, shiny and delicious gifts and the Internet offers countless items that we can send to someone without ever seeing the product in person. But sometimes there just doesn’t seem to be the perfect idea for one or two individuals. That’s probably when you need to become creative with your Christmas gift ideas.
Purchase a small pine tree. It can be living (usually costs around $6.00 for a small potted one it a nursery) or an artificial one. Consider who the gift is intended for when deciding which type of pine to purchase. Decorate the tree appropriately for the intended recipient. If there is an individual who loves a certain type of dog, decorate the tree with that type of dog as the focus. If they don’t have a particular interest that you feel you can decorate around, hand make your own ornaments and use them to hang on the tree. Present this very personal gift to make a special memory for someone.
If you know someone who loves to cook, is starting out on his or her own or is a newlywed, consider creating a cookbook from your own personal recipe
collection. Over the years, we’ve all had favorite dishes and desserts that were requested over and over again. Share your ‘secrets’ with someone special. You might even want to make a small sampler of appropriate items to give as a part of this gift. It is truly a personal and touching gift.
Create a scrapbook including photos that will mean something to your intended recipient. Scrapbooking is quickly becoming a popular way to arrange one’s photos. A visit to your local craft store will give you some very simple yet decorative ideas on how to put even the smallest scrapbook together. Imaging the fun of sitting down and reliving the memories with a loved one!
Personal Christmas gifts are becoming more and more popular each year. The reaction and way these gifts are treasured is a testament to how much yours will be appreciated.
This article appears in the Christmas 2004 issue of ‘Celebrating Christmas PDF Magazine’. To read the complete article and to download a FREE copy of the entire magazine, go to http://www.celebrating-christmas.com/magazine.shtml
Packed with illustrated articles on holiday recipes, crafts, home decor, party planning tips, gift ideas and family fun activities for Christmas, ‘Celebrating Christmas’ magazine is the ultimate combination of a ‘Home and Lifestyle’ and ‘Holiday’ magazine and is aimed to help you celebrate a better, merrier and stress-free Christmas.
Sure, you can call it a Hallmark holiday. But don’t be fooled: Mother’s Day is serious business. A big deal. Especially for new moms.
How do I know? Because I make my living surveying moms for my books. I ask them everything from which diaper bag they like best to how they handle meddling in-laws. And let me tell you, every new mom lives for Mother’s Day.
Why? Because it’s her one chance to feel cherished and appreciated for all she’s done for her family.
Now, I’m about to reveal a secret so simple and so basic, you may not recognize how powerful it is. Don’t be fooled. If you follow this advice, you are guaranteed to make any new mom happy on Mother’s Day. All you have to do is give her something that makes her life easier or makes her feel cherished.
Here are my top five picks:
1. A good night’s sleep.
To a new mom, eight uninterrupted hours of sleep are worth more than anything that could come in a box from Tiffany. Give her coupons for ten good nights of sleep (they don’t have to be used consecutively), and she’ll be forever grateful.
If she’s nursing, make sure she pumps breast milk in advance, so you can handle the nighttime feedings. And do whatever you can to ensure she has quiet surroundings. You may even suggest she move toanother room if she finds it hard to sleep throughnighttime crying.
2. New mom jewelry.
New moms love jewelry that features baby charms, baby
shoes, moms holding babies, etc. I recommend Lucy Ann products (http://www.lucyann.com) because they’re adorable, they can be personalized, and they’re reasonably priced.
3. Maid service for a month.
For the neat freak who is just too exhausted to do it all herself, this is the perfect gift. It may not seem romantic, but she’ll love the fact that you’re thinking of her needs.
4. A personal chef or a post-baby casserole shower.
The last thing a new mom has time for is cooking, but you still have to eat something for dinner every night. If you can afford it, hire a personal chef to cook and store two weeks’ worth of meals in your freezer. Go to (http://www.personalchef.com) for referrals.
If finances won’t permit that luxury, ask friends or relatives to throw her a post-baby casserole shower.
Each friend or relatives makes a casserole that can be frozen and re-heat as needed.
5. A memory.
Memory-savers like scrapbooks, baby pictures and photo gifts are always a hit with new moms. If she likes scrapbooking, get her a gift certificate to her favorite craft or scrapbooking store.
If she’s a digital photography fan, Shutterfly (http://www.shutterfly.com) offers prepaid print plans and portrait packages from $24. Or have a photo quilt made at Personal Creations (http://www.personalcreations.com) or a hand-drawn pencil sketch or watercolor done from one of your baby photos at My DaVinci (http://www.mydavinci.com).
Stephanie Gallagher is the editor of “The Shopping Mom’s Weekly Tip,” an ezine that’s jam-packed with insider shopping secrets and money-saving tips. Subscribe by sending a blank email to theshoppingmom@aweber.com.