Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Top Five Ways to Make Gifts More Personal


Wrapping up a "boring-but-requested" blender for a bride? Got a much needed, but boring package of diapers for a new mom? Don't have much cash, but want to give a special gift? The following are some ways to make gifts a little more personal while keeping practicality in mind.
  1. Stick with a theme: this helps when you're shopping on a budget and collecting sale items from various places. A baby shower example: bath theme (gift could include baby shampoo, hooded towel, rubber ducky). A bridal shower example: small kitchen utensil theme (gift could include several utensils on the registry, plus a neat scone mix to use the new utensils for).
  2. Include something personal: The easiest example here is to include hand written recipes with a small kitchen appliance you're taking to a bridal shower.
  3. Make something: I have a friend who is a Stampin' Up demonstrator. She often makes darling customized scrapbooks for new babies who are younger siblings; she knows that the mom doesn't have as much time for that second baby's scrapbook and gives her a head start! We also got two "Diaper Cakes" from people when our twins were born; one of these was a homemade affair and the kids helped make it! (the photo is of a diaper cake for a girl) There's always the option of homemade food-related gifts (baking mixes, baked goods, hot beverage mixes, etc.).
  4. Volunteer Your Services: Give a gift of babysitting to a harried young mom. Offer to run errands for an elderly lady or clean house for your mother. Give a grass-cutting "coupon" to your dad for Father's Day. You can come up with several ideas and package them all together as "coupons" the recipient can receive at his/her leisure.
  5. The Sky's the Limit! Hopefully the above four suggestions have inspired you enough that you can come up with a fifth. Feel free to comment about the special way you make gifts more personal.

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