Are you at a loss on what to get someone? A gift that never fails is a nice candle! Perfect for a house warming, birthday, thank you or any other occasion – a candle is a thoughtful and useful gift.
Are you thinking why a candle? Often times people don’t buy themselves candles, especially nicer ones, making it a luxury when given as a gift.
One of my favorite brands is Nest Fragrances. They offer about 10 clean yet magnificent scents including Periwinkle Hyacinth and Freesia Kiwi at around $30. If you think that’s a bit pricey remember that the candles will burn for approximately 50 hours and after 30 minutes the entire room will smell amazing. Not to mention the delightful packaging they come in. What scent should you get? If you don’t know the personal well, opt for a basic understated scent such as Beeswax and Whipped Cream. For those close to you you’ll most likely have a better idea of what smells appeal to them. Nest Fragrances are available in stores and online at Neiman Marcus.
http://www.neimanmarcus.com/search.jhtml?Ntt=Nest&_requestid=11328&N=4294967184 or visit their website to find other locations. http://nestfragrances.com/
Another brand I love is Votivo. Votivo offers a wide range of scents from sweet and fruity to musky and masculine. I like the aromatic line and my favorite scent is Red Currant. They are $25 and also burn for approximately 50 hours. You can purchase them online at http://www.votivo.com/.
If those two brands didn’t strike your fancy uou can find luscious candles at many other stores including Anthrpologie which offers a broad selection of brands at different prices.
As always if you have any questions on what to give as a gift please email me at chapetx@gmail.com
Monday, June 15, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Anniversary Gifts:
I would like to thank everyone who gave me ideas for future posts. Today I’m going to go with Emily’s suggestion – Anniversary Gifts.
I find this a tricky one as the gift should be personal, meaningful and loving. This is a token of a couples love for each other. More than that it’s celebrating the years of life they’ve spent together. This post if going to focus on getting the couple a gift rather than you giving your spouse a gift for your anniversary – perhaps I’ll post on that come mid November.
Traditionally you would give the following gifts:
1 year: Paper
2 years: Cotton
3 years: Leather
4 years: Books
5 years:Wood or Clocks
6 years: Iron
7 years: Copper, Bronze, Brass
8 years: Electrical Appliances
9 years: Pottery
10 years: Tin, Aluminum
11 years: Steel
12 years: Silk of Linen
13 years: Lace
14 years: Ivory
15 years: Crystal
20 years: China
25 years: Silver
30 years: Pearl
35 years: Coral, Jade
40 years: Ruby
45 years: Sapphire
50 years: Gold
55 years: Emerlad
60 years: Diamond
Personally I find some of these silly. Who can wait eight years for an electrical appliance? But it is a good guideline if you’re clueless. You can also put a hint of that in your gift.
Emily wants ideas for a 30th anniversary gift. A frame with pearls bordering it and a photo of the couple in their early years of dating/marriage might a nostalgic and personal gift. Another idea would be to make a mix CD with a song from each year they were married – the first song on the CD could be their first dance. Add an issue of “Life Magazine” from the month and year they were married. You can purchase that at: http://www.oldlifemagazines.com/index.php
I’m big on giving “experiences” as gifts. Is there something the couple has always wanted to do? You could give them cooking lessons, trapeze lessons, dinner for two at a restaurant they’ve always wanted to try or even a formal photo session to commemorate their years of marriage. If the couple likes to drink a bottle of wine or champagne from the year they were married would be a delicious and sentimental gift.
For a one year wedding anniversary a time capsule is a cool idea, especially if you’re really close with the couple. This could even be given by the husband or wide. Fill the tin with your wedding invitation, photos of your first year of marriage, a newspaper from your 1 year anniversary date, or anything else of sentiment. Bury it and dig it up on a later anniversary.
Want to give a small affordable gift? Did the couple get married in a unique spot of have an exoctic or unforgettable honeymoon? Find a beautiful coffee table book about that locale. Did the couple have a signature flower at their wedding? Find a nice candle with that scent and send it along with a card that reads something like “a scent to take you back to your wedding day”.
If none of these ideas work with you please feel fee to email me at chapetx@gmail.com and I would love to help you find a gift that meets your wants and needs.
I find this a tricky one as the gift should be personal, meaningful and loving. This is a token of a couples love for each other. More than that it’s celebrating the years of life they’ve spent together. This post if going to focus on getting the couple a gift rather than you giving your spouse a gift for your anniversary – perhaps I’ll post on that come mid November.
Traditionally you would give the following gifts:
1 year: Paper
2 years: Cotton
3 years: Leather
4 years: Books
5 years:Wood or Clocks
6 years: Iron
7 years: Copper, Bronze, Brass
8 years: Electrical Appliances
9 years: Pottery
10 years: Tin, Aluminum
11 years: Steel
12 years: Silk of Linen
13 years: Lace
14 years: Ivory
15 years: Crystal
20 years: China
25 years: Silver
30 years: Pearl
35 years: Coral, Jade
40 years: Ruby
45 years: Sapphire
50 years: Gold
55 years: Emerlad
60 years: Diamond
Personally I find some of these silly. Who can wait eight years for an electrical appliance? But it is a good guideline if you’re clueless. You can also put a hint of that in your gift.
Emily wants ideas for a 30th anniversary gift. A frame with pearls bordering it and a photo of the couple in their early years of dating/marriage might a nostalgic and personal gift. Another idea would be to make a mix CD with a song from each year they were married – the first song on the CD could be their first dance. Add an issue of “Life Magazine” from the month and year they were married. You can purchase that at: http://www.oldlifemagazines.com/index.php
I’m big on giving “experiences” as gifts. Is there something the couple has always wanted to do? You could give them cooking lessons, trapeze lessons, dinner for two at a restaurant they’ve always wanted to try or even a formal photo session to commemorate their years of marriage. If the couple likes to drink a bottle of wine or champagne from the year they were married would be a delicious and sentimental gift.
For a one year wedding anniversary a time capsule is a cool idea, especially if you’re really close with the couple. This could even be given by the husband or wide. Fill the tin with your wedding invitation, photos of your first year of marriage, a newspaper from your 1 year anniversary date, or anything else of sentiment. Bury it and dig it up on a later anniversary.
Want to give a small affordable gift? Did the couple get married in a unique spot of have an exoctic or unforgettable honeymoon? Find a beautiful coffee table book about that locale. Did the couple have a signature flower at their wedding? Find a nice candle with that scent and send it along with a card that reads something like “a scent to take you back to your wedding day”.
If none of these ideas work with you please feel fee to email me at chapetx@gmail.com and I would love to help you find a gift that meets your wants and needs.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
A gift that won't break the bank!
Hi all (and by all I mean the four followers I have),
A quick post for today.
Are you drawing a blank on what to get someone? Want some inspiration on gifts that won't hurt your wallet? Go to http://poorcouture.net/ an amazing blog that posts fun finds all under $50! Props to PC for keeping us on a budget!
A quick post for today.
Are you drawing a blank on what to get someone? Want some inspiration on gifts that won't hurt your wallet? Go to http://poorcouture.net/ an amazing blog that posts fun finds all under $50! Props to PC for keeping us on a budget!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
The "I Do's" Of A Wedding Gift:
Wedding season is upon us and after getting a request to blog about wedding gifts I thought why not?
I have done some research on various sites regarding the etiquette of wedding gift giving. Please note that this post is only about the actual wedding gift not the shower, bachelorete etc gift. (I’ll post about those later.)
The first thing about giving any gift is the timing. According to Emily Post you should “send the gift to the bride before the wedding or to the couple soon thereafter”. As I just got married here are some tips – it’s easier if you send the gift rather than bring it to the wedding to avoid any loss or damages. Many people state that you have a year to give a wedding gift. I agree with Emily Post that “it really should be sent right away of within three months of the wedding”. It makes the entire process of thank you note writing much easier.
So what do you give the bride and groom? In the Gift Giving Girlies opinion you can’t go wrong with a purchase off the registry. These are items the couple needs and wants! If the registry only has expensive big ticket items and little inexpensive items and you want to spend somewhere in between why not put together a themed gift? For example “kitchen gadgets” – buy the spatula, oven thermometer, whisk etc . . . the couple will use them and you’ll have given a cute and practical present. Or go in with friends and buy a pricey place setting of china or vacuum cleaner.
At this point you might be thinking; “but I really want to go off the registry”. As a newlywed let me say that unless you know the couple very well and are 100% sure they will LOVE that gift it’s not a great idea! Nobody enjoys getting an ugly vase or heaven forbid a re-gifted platter. That being said I did get a few wonderful off-registry gifts like homemade pottery serving pieces, special etched glass plates and a great and sentimental set of Brooklyn Bridge Bookends (we got married overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge). When in doubt use the registry.
Is it appropriate to give money? My answer is yes! It’s a generous and perfectly acceptable gift. Furthermore, it will be well received by the bride and groom. If you’re giving the money at the wedding reception try and hand it to the groom as he has pockets to store it in for safe keeping :-)
The final piece of the wedding gift puzzle is the delicate question of “what do I spend”? There is no right or wrong answer to this.
According to Betsy Goldberg, features editor at Modern Bride, “ a typical amount is $75. If you bring a date, expect to spend twice that amount.”
Spending more or less depends on how close you are with that person, if you’ll be traveling to the wedding and your personal finances. My rule of thumb is spend what you would want spent on you if the roles were reversed. If you say you’re short on cash but go out to lunch everyday think about cutting back for a week. The wedding gift is a nice gesture that says “congratulations on your marriage and thank you for including me in your special day”. If you’re invited to the wedding but do not attend it’s still polite to send a gift.
I thought it would be fun to have a little contest. Send in photos of the worst wedding gift you received. I will post the top 3 pictures and send the winner a prize. Pictures must be sent to chapetx@gmail.com by May 31st.
I have done some research on various sites regarding the etiquette of wedding gift giving. Please note that this post is only about the actual wedding gift not the shower, bachelorete etc gift. (I’ll post about those later.)
The first thing about giving any gift is the timing. According to Emily Post you should “send the gift to the bride before the wedding or to the couple soon thereafter”. As I just got married here are some tips – it’s easier if you send the gift rather than bring it to the wedding to avoid any loss or damages. Many people state that you have a year to give a wedding gift. I agree with Emily Post that “it really should be sent right away of within three months of the wedding”. It makes the entire process of thank you note writing much easier.
So what do you give the bride and groom? In the Gift Giving Girlies opinion you can’t go wrong with a purchase off the registry. These are items the couple needs and wants! If the registry only has expensive big ticket items and little inexpensive items and you want to spend somewhere in between why not put together a themed gift? For example “kitchen gadgets” – buy the spatula, oven thermometer, whisk etc . . . the couple will use them and you’ll have given a cute and practical present. Or go in with friends and buy a pricey place setting of china or vacuum cleaner.
At this point you might be thinking; “but I really want to go off the registry”. As a newlywed let me say that unless you know the couple very well and are 100% sure they will LOVE that gift it’s not a great idea! Nobody enjoys getting an ugly vase or heaven forbid a re-gifted platter. That being said I did get a few wonderful off-registry gifts like homemade pottery serving pieces, special etched glass plates and a great and sentimental set of Brooklyn Bridge Bookends (we got married overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge). When in doubt use the registry.
Is it appropriate to give money? My answer is yes! It’s a generous and perfectly acceptable gift. Furthermore, it will be well received by the bride and groom. If you’re giving the money at the wedding reception try and hand it to the groom as he has pockets to store it in for safe keeping :-)
The final piece of the wedding gift puzzle is the delicate question of “what do I spend”? There is no right or wrong answer to this.
According to Betsy Goldberg, features editor at Modern Bride, “ a typical amount is $75. If you bring a date, expect to spend twice that amount.”
Spending more or less depends on how close you are with that person, if you’ll be traveling to the wedding and your personal finances. My rule of thumb is spend what you would want spent on you if the roles were reversed. If you say you’re short on cash but go out to lunch everyday think about cutting back for a week. The wedding gift is a nice gesture that says “congratulations on your marriage and thank you for including me in your special day”. If you’re invited to the wedding but do not attend it’s still polite to send a gift.
I thought it would be fun to have a little contest. Send in photos of the worst wedding gift you received. I will post the top 3 pictures and send the winner a prize. Pictures must be sent to chapetx@gmail.com by May 31st.
Friday, May 1, 2009
And we're off . . .
So here I am blogging . . . something I thought i would never do as 1. I am awful at spelling and 2. I didn't think I had much to say. So here I am on a Friday afternoon waiting for the weekend in my tiny cube when Christie emails me asking for Mother's Day gift ideas and it hits me - I should start a blog dedicated to gift giving! And poof - here it is!
So perhaps my first post should be about Mother's Day gifts. Mother's day is on Sunday, May 10th. Remember how much your mom did for you? Well now is the time to show your thanks!
Here are some ideas:
For That Personal Touch:1. Get a caricature of the two of you made. Take a photo of you to a caricature artist. They'll be able to draw you and your mom in a cute and funny picture. You can even theme the drawing with an activity you like to do together - shopping, singing, playing tennis. This is a cute, inexpensive and memorable present.
2. A couple years ago I got my mom an Ipod Mini and loaded it with all the music I thought she would like. This worked well because she didn't have to spend the time figuring the technology out and I was able to share some great tunes with her.
Nice and Easy:
1. Flowers. Most women LOVE flowers. It's a nice surprise and brightens any day. Find out your mom's favorite flower and have them sent to her. Some sites like FTD even offer specials like Marriott Rewards points with purchase.
2. Spa Gift Certificate. Mom's work hard and a day of being pampered goes a long way. If you're on a budget get her a mani/pedi. If money's not an issue try an entire spa day. To really make it special treat the two of you to a spa day - Mom loves spending time with her kids.
Just for Her:
1. A "Mom's Night In" is a great way to show your creative side. Buy a cute tote bag in Mom's favorite color or print and fill it with her favorite things for a night in. Perhaps a candle and bubble bath or a DVD and microwave popcorn? If you have a wild mom why not two fun martini glasses and a bottle of vodka? The sky's the limited and this is an amazing way to make it really personal and fun. http://www.victoriassecret.com/ has some cute "pink" totes as well as great bath products.
2. A photograph. It may sound trite but it's a nice sentiment. Be artsy and turn one of your favorite photos of you and mom into a black and white photo and put it in a nice frame. Perhaps located a photo of her and her mom and frame that as well. Photographs are memories and always appreciated. Sites like http://www.ofoto.com/ and http://www.shutterfly.com/ have great ideas as well like mugs, puzzle and even playing cards with your photo on it.
If you're not sending a present at least get a card. Mom will be touched you thought of her.
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