Gift Ideas Blog

OK, it’s Christmas Eve, and you’re still looking for that last-minute gift. Your options are limited, but lucky for you, many retailers are open extra hours today to accommodate the last-minute rush.

Your best bet is probably a gift card. Gift cards help make up millions of dollars in sales for retailers, and it’s no wonder. They are easy to buy, and popular with gift givers who aren’t sure what their gift recipient might like. It’s also popular with gift recipients because they get to choose exactly what they want to buy, albeit only in the store from which the gift card was purchased. It’s a win-win situation, though, so what’s not to like about gift cards?

If not, try making your own gifts. A homemade heartfelt card written with sincerity and filled with love and friendship just might speak volumes more than a hundred-dollar gift. Some construction paper and scrapbook decorations and stickers can go a long way in creating a personalized and much-loved Christmas card. Then, hand-deliver the card with some freshly-baked cookies or other baked goods. It’s easy to look up a recipe for holiday baked goods and then deliver them on a nice holiday paper plate and wrapped in Christmas-color cellophane and ribbon.

Other great Christmas gifts include floral arrangements, boxes of candy or chocolates (the Lindt Excellence “Holiday Spice” chocolate bar is particularly delicious and gourmet), and gourmet snack tins filled with such poppable foods as popcorn, pretzels, cheesy poofs, or gummy candies.

Well, good luck with your last-minute Christmas gift shopping! When all is done, you’ll be relieved and happy to settle down and celebrate that “most wonderful time of the year” with all your loved ones.

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!

People start to look pale in the long winter season because of the reduced sunlight and fewer opportunities to go outside, but you can give the gift of tan, bronzed skin with gift certificates to your local tanning salon! In fact, Hollywood Tans is offering a special holiday deal for those looking for last-minute gifts.

The indoor tanning salon chain is offering a seasonal promotion through which you can get a free $10 gift card to their salons with a $50 purchase. So you can give the gift of tanned skin while giving yourself a little treat as well. Help a friend or relative look as if he or she has just returned from a tropical vacation, even though it’s the middle of winter!

Hollywood Tans has several programs, and memberships begin at $19.99. Some options can get you looking tan in as few as one or two sessions. Visit Hollywood Tans to find which of their 320 locations is closest to you and to look at their various tanning plans.

Considering perfume as a gift can be a difficult process, but it is can definitely be worth the effort. The folks at BB Perfume have provided some perfume gift giving tips for that special someone who can really appreciate a new and exciting fragrance to sprinkle herself with. According to BB Perfume, a great way to buy gift perfume, especially if you don’t know a woman’s preference, is to pick something that matches her personality. Here are their suggestions to help you choose the perfect gift fragrance for the following personalities:

Adventurous — Try Reaction by Kenneth Cole, Cool Water by Davidoff, Mambo Women by Liz Claiborne

Sexy — Try Attraction by Lancome, Burberry Touch, Contradiction by Calvin Klein.

Carefree — Try Acqua Di Gio by Girogio Armani, Boss Woman by Hugo Boss, D&G Light Blue

Confident — Try Amarige by Givenchy, Lacoste pour Femme, Dalissime by Salvador Dali.

Chic — Try Burberry Brit, Chance by Chanel, Desire by Dunhill.

Outgoing — Try Sensi by Giorgio Armani, Bazar By Christian Lacroix, Red Door by Elizabeth Arden.

Youthful — Try Daliflor by Salvador Dali, Paris Hilton, Diorissimo by Christian Dior.

For more recommended fragrances by personality, visit this article: Perfume by Personality.

Fragrances and perfumes make great gifts for your friends and family members. And you benefit as well because you can smell the results of these gifts for months to come!

Labor Day weekend is coming up, and it’s time to celebrate the favorite workers in your life. Or yourself!

It’s a popular end-of-summer holiday, so it’s everyone’s last chance to get out, get some sun, and get some relaxation. Many people have barbecues on Labor Day weekend, so a great gift idea would be to give something that’s related to barbecuing. Perhaps a brand new grill for the backyard? Or a cookbook with recipes to have the perfect BBQ? Martha Stewart or Paula Deen have great home and backyard entertaining tips. Also, maybe a trio of gourmet barbecuing sauces? The possibilities are endless.

Also, because Labor Day is a celebration of America’s workers, you might consider giving a gift that will help your friend/relative/etc. with his or her job. For example, maybe a fun desk toy or stress-relieving bean bag. Or perhaps an ergonomically correct wrist pad or mousepad or chair. Little cubicle accessories are great, too, perhaps catering to your gift recipient’s favorite things, such as TV shows, movies, celebrities, sports, etc. Perhaps your teenage niece working as an office assistant would like a Zac Efron cubicle poster. Or your sports-loving friend would like a daily sports quotes calendar, etc.

Of course, you can always give the generic (or themed) gift basket that is apropos for Labor Day. Maybe one featuring coffee and snacks, for consumption at the work desk. Several Web sites sell gift baskets themed to Labor Day. Keep on the lookout for great deals.

However you choose to celebrate the day off for Labor Day, make it special and memorable with a fun themed gift!

A cute candy gift idea. This item from Personalization Mall allows you to put your own message on a candy jar.

Put something like, “I love you, [name of recipient]” or “I love you, Mom; from [name of giver]” on the jar, and the gift will be specific and always associated with you.

This would make a good Valentine’s Day gift, as well as a Mother’s Day gift.

Fill the jar with your gift recipient’s favorite candies, and you’re on your way for a sweet gift. Your sweetheart, who might place this personalized candy jar on his or her desk at work, will think of you every time he or she reaches for a piece of candy.

Now what would make a better gift idea?

Here’s a great interactive gift idea that adds the perfect bit of color and luck to your gift recipient’s life:

The Luck Garden Growing Kit

This RedEnvelope.com gift comes with a green, rectangular ceramic pot, white clover shamrock seeds, soil, and instructions on growing your own lucky shamrocks! The shamrocks take about 2 weeks to grow. The pot in the Luck Garden Growing Kit is 3 1/2 inches high.

Give the wonderful and attractive gift of the Luck Garden Growing Kit to someone special in your life! This gift is $18 from RedEnvelope.com.