Gift Shops
Archive for December, 2007
So Christmas is over but the season is not yet done. In less then a week is New Years. Planning on going to a big football party, a glamorous celebration of the new year or a quite gathering of friends if you are invited the fun is yours without any of the planning.
So you have what to were, have MapQuested your way there but are then left wondering if you should bring a gift for the Host or Hostess. The answer is most often yes. It all depends on your financial status at the time of course-don’t let being strapped for cash stop you from enjoying your friends but if you can spare a few dollars here are a few great ideas to show your Host that you appreciate the invite and the effort.
A bottle of wine is great for the celebration.
What does it all mean anyway? For some of us the holiday season has left us filled with exhaustion, worry that we forgot someone, guilt because we did forget someone, a bank account in the red and/or a feeling of bliss had finding the perfect something to show our love.
Regardless of the feeling you get from giving and receiving gifts it should really all just be about one simple thing. You have extended something to say “I thought about you,” “I’m sorry,” “I love you,” or “Here I didn’t forget you,” without the expectation of getting something in return. Gifts are just another way of socially interacting in a human society.
To yourself: The gifts of daily self-examination, self-discipline, self-respect, originality, balance diet, regular exercise, and regular mental and spiritual nourishment.
To your brothers and sisters: The gifts of love, help, understanding and emotional support.
To your spouse: The gifts of appreciation, support, affection, faithfulness, love, patience, understanding, and time.
For Give and For Get
The plain truth is that Americans love to consume, and we do it with more abandon than ever during the holiday season. Nearly a quarter of all retail goods move out of stores and into homes between Thanksgiving and Christmas (and, we suspect, often into landfills by January).
That poses a dilemma for the thoughtful and socially responsible holiday shopper. What if one of those “four calling birds” is an endangered species? What if the precious metal in the “five golden rings” was mined in an environmentally insensitive manner? What on earth to do about all the noise pollution from those “12 drummers drumming”?
And, most of all, how do you stay in the holiday spirit while still being kind to our planet? Grist’s Glenn Scherer interviews The Green Guide about suggestions for a greener Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, solstice, whatever.
Read the rest of this entry »
Two gleeful faces exchange beautifully wrapped presents in a burst of holiday cheer. Most of us picture this type of scene when imagining the ideal gift giving moment, not one where beat-up, re-gifted presents wrapped in old newspaper stand a chance.
So why, if most everyone dreams of the traditional exchange of warm holiday cheer, do we still give and receive poorly wrapped presents, thoughtless gift cards and the old pine-scented candles that linger with the smell of 1994?
CNN.com asked the experts of holiday etiquette and shopping what’s appropriate and what’s tacky when it comes to gift giving.
To Peter Post, grandson of legendary etiquette guru Emily Post, the most important thing is “giving the gift because it’s coming from you and your heart.”
Bridal registries these days are likely to let you request such nontraditional items as scuba gear, his-and-hers power tools and — gasp! — money.
Modern wedding registries go beyond mere towels and toasters. Today’s brides and grooms can use registries to help fund their honeymoons, improve their homes and even purchase his-and-her sporting gear.
Wedding registries can include just about anything, from jewelry to wine to home-office supplies.
If you have a friend or relative that is an avid gardener, there is no more thoughtful gift than a garden gift basket for a holiday, birthday or anniversary present. At first, you may seem overwhelmed when shopping in your garden center or on the internet. There are a few things to consider when trying to find just the right “flavor” for your garden gift basket to give to the people who love to play in the dirt, so t speak.
First you must determine how much you want to spend for the garden gift basket. After you have the dollar amount, walk through the aisles of the garden center to see what items are available. Of course, you could also do an internet search to see what the most popular tools and gadgets are selling. You will be surprised at the range of goods that are available from the inexpensive to the extravagant. Keep in mind that you will want to get quality products that will last so your friend or relative will have years of enjoyment.
The top educational and learning toys of the year
Educational toys are the rage nowadays. Most toys have some educational element in them. Besides traditional educational toys, edutainment toys are slowly gaining the lion’s share of the toy marketplace. This year, the educational toys which have made the cut include toys like the Hot Wheels Accelerator Laptop, Piano Made Easy, Brain Quest DVD games and many others. Here’s a list of the best educational toys of 2007.
You’re sweating, panicked. You’re about to recycle an old gift, buy a weight-loss book for Aunt Josephine or grab the Victoria’s Secret catalog. Stop! Break the cycle of Holiday Gift-Shopping Syndrome!
Pressure, stress and confusion, inexplicable choices, a complete lapse of taste.
Alzheimer’s? No, it’s Holiday Gift-Shopping Syndrome! If you suffer panic attacks at the mall or you have recurring nightmares about the colossal gift gaffes you’ve made over the years — you may be an HGSS sufferer.
Does holiday shopping for women in your life become increasingly difficult each passing year? Whether you are shopping for your mother, wife, daughter, sister or friend, here are some great Christmas gift solutions for all the women in your life.
Top 10 gifts for her:
Is she a fitness guru? Then yoga fashions are just right for her! They’re stylish and easily go from the gym to the street. Or, get her the Free Spirit Yoga Mat or Yoga Tote to help her keep her exercise gear together.