The Gift Ideas Blog

Richart Valentine’s Day Chocolate collection

Although we just finished the Christmas holiday season, Valentine’s Day is quickly coming up. It’s never too early to start thinking about your Valentine’s Day gifts because the holiday is coming up in less than a month! Already retailers are rushing out merchandise for the lovely holiday.

You needn’t be married or have a significant other in order to give a Valentine’s Day gift. Valentine’s Day could be a great time to show your friends how much you appreciate them. You could also give gifts to your family members to show them you care.

The most popular Valentine’s Day gift, of course, is chocolate and candy. Many chocolatiers and confectioners offer special heart-shaped boxes of chocolates to give to your sweetheart. These range from lower-end chocolates available at your drugstore or supermarket to gourmet heart-shaped truffles from high-end chocolatiers such as Richart. Keep your eyes open, as most chocolate and candy stores will have special Valentine’s Day collections in special red and heart-shaped boxes, both big and small.

Another romantic Valentine’s Day gift is a cute stuffed teddy bear or stuffed animal that might be clutching a little heart. I cute stuffed animal is the way to a significant other’s heart.

Perhaps you could consider a Valentine’s Day gift basket, which can include a variety of items such as candy, stuffed animals, and other holiday paraphernalia. If you don’t want to purchase one, you can always make your own.

Finally, you might consider giving items that are in Valentine’s Day colors, such as red, pink, and white. If you are not giving a traditional Valentine’s Day gift, you could give something that is in red or pink to give it that Valentine’s Day feeling or flavor.

What are your gift ideas for Valentine’s Day? Let us know by e-mailing us!

Christmas presents

Christmas will be here before we know it, and it’s time to get all those last-minute gifts before the big gift-giving holiday. Many online retailers are still offering last-minute shipping deals, and it’s quite possible to find a gift online that will still be sent out by companies to your gift recipient by Christmas Day (rapid guaranteed one-day shipping, for a price, of course). But you’ll have to hurry. Many of these retailers are swamped during this time with similar last-minute gift shoppers, so you’ll want to order today to have them ship out the item by Monday to hopefully arrive on time on Christmas Day.

You might actually have better luck going to a store to find the perfect gift during this time. A recent jaunt over to Kmart and Target yielded delightful gift boxes, all wrapped up and ready to be given. They contain various gifts, from jam and preserves sets to shaving kits to hot cocoa mixes in holiday mugs. All packaged nicely in appropriate boxes, you don’t need much effort to get it ready for presentation. With these stores doing all the work, it shouldn’t be hard finding the perfect gift. They’ll also help you out because many stores offer gift-wrapping as well, so it’s all one-stop shopping, without any hassles once you get home.

Also, try a smaller boutique. They offer unique gift items that are personal and not as mass-marketed. Perhaps try an antique store for a vintage twist. My friend recently found at a vintage store a silver heirloom locket that she planned to give to her mother after putting in her own portrait. Such treasures seem to have more meaning when they are vintage and have an old story to them.

If you are unable to go out to shop for Christmas, perhaps consider a home-made gift. One delightful idea a friend used once was to make a huge batch of gingerbread dough. Then, divide the dough into smaller portions, wrap it up in plastic, and give the gingerbread dough away to friends and family members along with a card containing a recipe for making gingerbread and instructions on how to bake it (temperature, how much time, etc.). Perhaps also include a gingerbread man cookie cutter. That little set is cheap and easy to make yourself, yet it will be well-received by your gift recipient because it is unique and a fun gift to receive because you can have a mini-party baking and then later decorating that gingerbread.

Also, you could try creating your own gift basket. Put some coffee or teas, or jams or wines or fresh fruit into a basket, then affix a delightful and colorful bow to the top. It’s an instant gift basket! If it’s a Christmas gift for children, add some toys and candy, and that’s sure to be a hit with the youngsters. Perhaps you could also use Christmas colors of green, red, gold, and silver in coordinating your gift basket items. Or use a green, red, and gold ribbon to tie up the basket. There aren’t any rules; just pick what your gift recipient might like and wrap it up so it looks beautiful. Easy peasy!

Well, it’s just two shopping days ’til Christmas. Good luck, everyone, in finding that perfect Christmas gift!

Halloween gift basket from Devynns.com

The next big holiday coming up is Halloween, and while it’s not commonly a gift-giving holiday, you definitely have the chance to do something fun on this occasion. Some great Halloween gift ideas include the following:

Halloween costumes: If a loved one is having a hard time picking out a costume, you might consider giving one to them as a gift to help them out. If it’s a younger friend or relative, give an age-appropriate costume, such as a favorite cartoon character or animal. For your adult friends or relatives, you could give something more grown-up or risque. Be sure to get the right size for the Halloween costume gift. You wouldn’t want things to get too tight or too loose, which could pose a problem during nighttime trick-or-treating outings or late-night parties.

Other Halloween accessories, such as fangs, devil horns, angel wings, makeup, and trick-or-treating bags might make fun Halloween gifts as well.

Candy: Of course. Everyone loves those bite-sized candy bars, and supermarkets have a great selection during this time of the year. There’s the traditional Hershey’s chocolate bar, or M&Ms, as well as Starburst or Skittles, and other popular candy bars such as Snickers, Kit Kat bars, Milky Way, Rolo, Almond Joy, Nestle Crunch, Butterfinger, or Almond Joy. You can also dress up your candy, too, by putting them in a nice little basket or ceramic pumpkin decoration, or present it in a nice glass bowl. Halloween is all about sweets and treats, so give the sweet gift of candy during this festive occasion.

Halloween decorations: Fun light-up Jack-o-Lanterns or ghost lamps make great gifts. Also black lights and glow-in-the-dark spooky decorations could be popular as well. Fake tombstones or spiderwebs and giant spiders, or lawn witches can bring seasonal delight to any front yard.

Halloween gift baskets: You can buy Halloween-themed gift baskets that usually include lots of candy, some fun fall toys, and other spooky treats. They might come themed in the Halloween colors of orange and black, and maybe purple and green as well, and they could be based on themes such as pumpkins or Jack-o’-Lanterns, witches, ghosts, vampires, werewolves, and other spooky characters.

Pumpkin-carving kits: It’s popular this time of the year to carve pumpkins, so you can help a friend or family member out by giving a pumpkin-carving kit. These usually include several carving knives, various patterns for carving, and tips on how to make the perfect Jack-O’-Lantern.

Try the above Halloween gift ideas, and you’ll be on your way to perfect holiday popularity!

It’s summertime and a great time to give a random, fun gift. What are some great gifts to give during the summer?

A lot of people go to the beach during the summer, so you could get a beach gift. What would this entail? Maybe give a fun beach towel. Or a new swimsuit. Plastic shovels and pails and molds to create the perfect sand castle are also appropriate for the beach. Other beach toys, such as beach balls, volleyballs, a sand volleyball net, horseshoes, and kites might be a fun gift for those who spend a lot of time at the beach.

Of course, not everyone lives near the beach, but certainly a lot of people live near a body of water that is fun to visit in hot weather. For example, many people visit lakes or rivers for recreation, so similar gifts can be given.

A lot of people go swimming in pools and other bodies of water, so you could give snorkels, goggles, flippers, flotation devices, kickboards, surfboards, or wetsuits.

Maybe you could create a fun beach-themed gift basket, filled with snacks to take to the beach, some fun beach toys, maybe a tube of sunscreen or coconut-scented suntan oil, all placed in a beach pail or large fabric tote bag to carry all of the above? It’s perfect prepping for a fun day out at the beach. Great for the whole family.

Summertime offers a spectacular opportunity to give the gift of fun. Take advantage of the hot water and give a loved one or friend something exciting for the summer!

Wine Gift Ideas

Wine could be a great gift for anyone 21 and older. It’s classy, but fun at the same time. There’s so many different varieties and wineries, it may be difficult to figure out what wine to buy as a gift.

Wine makes for an excellent corporate gift, as well as be part of a nice gift basket.

For example, this gift basket from FTD features wine and a wine country theme.

However, there are a few things to consider if you want to give a wine gift.

First of all, just because it’s more expensive, doesn’t mean your wine gift is better. Sometimes the higher price could simply be for the prestige of coming from a famous wine-producing region (Napa Valley, anyone?), but the taste may not be exactly the gift recipient’s favorite. Make sure to do your research for your wine.

Also, does your wine gift recipient know anything about wine? If he or she does, be sure to be extra careful about your gift. If they don’t know anything about wines, maybe you could give a guide to tasting wines. Perhaps a book from your local book retailer could explain the art and nuances of wine-tasting.

Finally, wine is frequently paired with food, so a nice gift idea could be to invite them to a fancy dinner with paired wines. Any restaurant with a knowledged sommelier can help you pick out the perfect wine to go with your gourmet dinner.

Wine can be a classy and cultured gift to give. Good luck finding that perfect wine gift!

It’s one week until Mother’s Day, and there’s still plenty of time to get that perfect gift for Mom. Whether you’re shopping locally or going to an online store that will ship directly, there’s hope to find the gift that will say “I Love You” to your mother for Mother’s Day (May 13, 2007).

- How about a writing and stationery set? Mothers frequently correspond with their friends and extended family members, so you can help her out by giving her a personalized card set, with her monogram (or Mom-ogram!) or a long-lasting pen with her name on it. Blank greeting cards are nice and can be used for any occasion. Find some at your local paper/office store, or order them online.

- How about a wine gift? Perhaps a fancy chardonnay or pinot noir? Maybe a gift basket with wine and appropriate paired snacks (chocolates, cookies, crackers, smoked meats), or even a trip to a winery to try some wine tasting. Since the film “Sideways,” trips to experience wine country and try out different wines have taken off. Join in on the wine-tasting fun by introducing her to the joys of wine.

- A beautiful floral arrangement could enliven your mom’s Mother’s Day and will last for some time on her windowsill. Or, for an even longer-lasting gift, give Mom a living plant or planting kit, so she can grow her own foliage at home. Plants bring color, refreshment, and good air to a room. Every time she sees the plant, your mom will think of you.

- Take her on a shopping trip! Or take her out to dinner! Time spent with Mom is always precious, and your continued love is the greatest gift you can give to her.

For more gift ideas for the occasion, see our earlier post: Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

Good luck!

A fruit basket gift idea

FTD offers this colorful and delightful Garden’s Paradise Basket, a fruit basket filled to the brim with colorful and flavorful seasonal fruits.

Fruit baskets are a great gift idea, and this gift basket can offer a healthy and sweet present for an important guest or host.

The gift basket includes an assortment of what’s in season. It also comes with a personalized message. It’s great for business contacts as well.

Try this fruit basket and impress your gift recipient!

How about a tropical twist for an Easter gift? Mauna Loa, famous for its macadamia nuts from Hawaii, is offering delightful Easter gift baskets featuring varieties of its famous product.

There are several to choose from. They include cans and bags of macadamia nuts seasoned with different flavors, as well as the nuts covered in delicious milk chocolate. The gift baskets start at just $25. Check it out!

Here’s a great gift idea for St. Patrick’s Day. This gift basket features a fun, 12″ singing leprechaun bear that sings the delightful song “When Irish Eyes are Smiling.”

Other additions on this St. Patrick’s Day gift basket include crackers, caramel corn, cookies, Irish Cream coffee, cheese, and other fun treats. It’s the perfect way to bring a bit o’ the Irish into your gift recipient’s life. Find it at Holiday Gifts and Gift Baskets.

Give an Arizona themed gift with the Premium Arizona Gift Basket from Sphinx Date Ranch.

This beautiful gift basket includes Sphinx Medjool dates, Arizona honey, mixed nuts, chips and salsa, prickly pear salsa, coffee, tea, stuffed olives, dried fruits, and coconut dreams snacks.

Your gift recipient will enjoy this wonderful assortment of classic Arizona snacks, weighing in at 13 pounds.

Available for $85 at Sphinx Date Ranch.

Contains: Sphinx Medjool dates (of course), Coconut Dreams, Arizona honey, Dried Fruit Assortment, mixed nuts, chips and salsa, Prickly Pear jelly, stuffed olives, coffee and tea.