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10 Unique Mother’s Day Gift Ideas 2012

Admin — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 17:29:46 +0000

House Beautiful Cover Magazine, July 2009

Unique Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Candy and a bouquet of flowers are typical Mother’s Day gifts received from children and husbands. Make a difference and score big points with mom by giving one of these ten unique gifts. They are all thoughtful as well as unique.

Autographed Book

Although this Mother’s Day gift requires planning, it is something that any mom will cherish for years. An autographed book by a favorite author will be a real surprise. Additionally, a mother will appreciate the time, effort, and thoughtfulness of the gift. Although it was not handmade, the signed message makes the book a personalized gift.

Coffee/Tea Gift Basket

This is a practical gift because it contains a mother’s favorite coffees and or teas. Take the time to fill the basket with gourmet coffee beans of several blends. If a mom is not a coffee drinker, include exotic teas with flavored sugars. In addition to coffee or tea, hot chocolate is another tasty warm beverage. Besides the powdered cocoa mix, do not forget to include cinnamon, marshmallows, and whipped cream to flavor and embellish the hot chocolate. Lastly, include a fine china cup and saucer.

Birthstone Jewelry

A personalized bracelet, necklace, or ring with the birthstones of a mother's children makes a unique Mother's Day gift. The stones will remind a mother of her children in a heartfelt way and they remain symbolically close. This gift is unique because jewelry pieces have individual birthstones of each child. A mother enjoys talking about her children and birthstone jewelry is a way to start a conversation with other mothers.

Dining Out

What mother would not enjoy a dinner without having to cleanup afterwards? Additionally, there is something about sharing a special dinner with her children, husband, and family members. A mother feels like a queen when loved ones take time out to celebrate her special day.

Money Tree

Instead of giving flowers, a braided money tree is a plant with special meaning. This Mother’s Day gift is an indoor plant that grows into a tree. The plant’s origin is from Asia and is supposed to bring good fortune.

Gift Basket

A gift certificate to a day spa may be expensive but perhaps a spa experience in a basket could be a cheaper alternative. Decorate a basket filled with products like bath salts, lotions, and scrubs. Complete the basket with a bath pillow, sponge, head wrap, and eye mask and mom will feel pampered.

The basket may include items that reflect interests or hobbies such as painting. A basket full of brushes, paints, and other art tools make a gift tailored to specific interests. Think outside the box and come up with a basket including unique contents.

Pajamas

Another unique Mother's Day gift is personalized pajamas. Have pajamas monogrammed with a mother’s name and a special message. The pajamas will become a favorite and be a reminder of that special day with loved ones.

Photo Frame

On the same vein as personal pajamas, a photo album with a picture of children or of a family portrait is a visual reminder of those closest to a mother’s heart. A digital frame holds more images and easy to upload new ones.

Scavenger Hunt

Have fun with a Mother's Day gift that is creative and interactive. The scavenger hunt is similar to an Easter egg hunt; however, mom is the only one getting all the presents. Hide smaller gifts for real fun and make it interesting by using clues and hints to find the gifts.

Relaxing Vacation

Whether the trip is for one day or one week, it is one of the best Mother's Day gifts because mom gets a chance to rejuvenate and recharge. It is a mom’s special time to enjoy time with family or reflective alone time.

The size of the Mother's Day gift is not as important as the love behind those giving the gift. The love and appreciation from a mother’s children and loved ones on that special day is more than enough. Every day mothers carry out unselfish acts and take care of others all year long-it is the least children can do to recognize their mothers.

Author bio:

Brent Davies is a brand promotional specialist and avid blogger who writes for Search Marketing Zone.

Corporate Gift Ideas For Clients

Admin — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 01:46:17 +0000

Corporate gifting is a great way to show clients that you appreciate them and it is also a fine marketing opportunity to ensure that clients keep you in mind next time they need any services. However, getting the right gift can sometimes be a hard thing because you don’t want to give them something that is so boring and generic that the clients get angry at your poor attempt to pick out a gift. Try out one of these ideas to really impress your clients.

(Photo credit- Flicker River)

Personalized Calendars

There are plenty of calendars for corporate gifting, but most of them use generic images that can be found on many other calendars. Personalized calendars are different. Many services allow you to personalize a name, such as the client’s name, or some other identifying feature. This is then added to all the photos, customizing it for your client. This is much better than a generic calendar and your client will really appreciate it.

Food Items

People love to eat, especially when they get it for free. Sending quality fruit baskets, wines, olive oils and chocolates are perfect for winning over clients. A happy client is a buying client, and nothing wins over someone like a mouthful of really good food. If you have a tight-knit circle of clients that drive your business, consider getting really expensive food items to really win them over.

Movie Tickets

Giving away movie tickets or movie gift cards allows your clients to watch a movie and have a night of fun with their loved ones. The tickets are generally inexpensive and your client will have the possibility of choosing their own movie to watch. This gives clients a chance to relax and they will remember that. Even if the movie is bad, they won’t take it out on you, they will just remember that you gave them the tickets.

Money Gift Cards

Giving business-based gift cards can be hit or miss. If you give clients gift cards for a store they don’t like then they might get annoyed with you, especially if they have to go through a hassle to get a cash equivalent or change the gift card for another one. This can also detract people from your business by telling them to shop somewhere else.

However, money gift cards enable your clients to shop anywhere. Besides the versatility of these cards they may use the cards to buy more from you, which is always beneficial.

Free Services

Let your clients use your services for free. Don’t give them a coupon saying they will get $20 off if they spend $40; just give them the whole $20 without the conditions. For example, arcade owners sometimes give out rolls of quarters just to make people happy. Even if you don’t make any money directly from this, your clients will remember the kind offer.

Charity Offers

Making charitable donations on behalf of your clients or giving your clients cards or certificates that enables them to make donations to their favorite charity is a great gift idea that makes clients happy. They will like the feeling of helping someone else and they will appreciate that you gave them that chance.

Invest in Clients

This is best if you are working with businesses or individual entrepreneurs. Give them a little something to help invest in their business. When their business grows they will need your services. The best way to do this is usually through a virtual assistant who can help them complete tasks, but you can even give them money as an investment.

Account Upgrades

Do you have different account types for different clients? Upgrade all of your clients’ accounts for the next few months or the entire year for free. Clients will be happy to get the extra service and they will really see what a better account type can do for them.

Conclusion

There are many ways of going about corporate gifting. Just think about your clients and what they want. Also make sure that you don’t make your gift seem like a bribe. Give the gift in good faith and the sales will follow. Even if they don’t, making your client happy is your number one priority.

Author bio
Tom Demers writes for Zintro, a marketplace of experts in various fields that helps connect investors, lawyers, analysts, entrepreneurs, and more with experts and consultants in various niches like biofuels consulting.

Why Have Personalized Gifts Become So Popular?

Admin — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:16:18 +0000

Woodsy Stitched Art Piece Photography by Kelli Trontell and Vanessa Warren From Gifted Magazine

Although it is a technique that has been around for a long time, personalizing gifts continues to grow in popularity. Technology makes it possible to personalize a vast array of items at a very reasonable cost. Personalizing gifts makes sense from the perspective of business and personal relationships because the recipient appreciates that you are giving them something special. When you personalize items, you choose to put information about an event, the givers, the recipients or a combination of all three on select items. The most common form for personalizing items is when companies place their logos on items and give them away as promotional pieces. This form of marketing is popular because your customers, clients and associates do your advertising for you. They are willing partners in your advertising plans because you have given them gifts.

Choices
There does not seem to be a limit to the items that you may personalize; from lower cost items such as pens, shirts and balls to high cost items, such as briefcases and silver goblets. Typically, the best items to personalize are those that have some relation to you, your business, the event you are commemorating or the people who are to receive the items. Couples may choose to personalize champagne glasses to give to guests at their engagement parties. A personnel agency may choose to personalize leather portfolios to give to clients.

Keep up with the Competition
Personalizing items is a way to gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. Businesses need to be very resourceful in finding ways to distinguish themselves from their competitors. Businesses that provide services rather than tangible products need a way to remind their customers of their offerings. Service providers can personalize and give away items that relate to their services. Customers will then have something that they can see and touch to help them remember a specific company when it is time to use that service again. Businesses also need to keep track of their customers' expectations. If the majority of the members in an industry give away promotional items, your customers will be disappointed if they do not receive personalized gifts from you.

Low Cost and High Quality
Technological improvements have helped to lower the cost for producing personalized items. Technology has also improved the quality of goods. Together the developments combine to make personalized items more of an attractive option for givers and recipients.

Convenience
Companies that provide personalization services are making it easier for customers to order items. Most companies have a way for customers to place orders online. In the majority of instances, customers may upload their own images or text to the website. The website can then display how the logo or image will look when placed on various items. Being able to see what the final product will look like early on in the ordering process encourages many people to complete the process.

Rewards and Incentives
Companies are including personalized items as part of an overall campaign to reward and inspire employees or volunteers. Distributing items with the company logo or slogan helps to build a sense of loyalty to the company. Companies can establish a hierarchy of items and let everyone inside the firm know what it takes to achieve the various levels by printing the information right on the items.

Fundraising
Community, school and charitable organizations have known for a long time that they stand a better chance of getting noticed when they customize common items. Adding a charitable group’s logo to a plain tee shirt transforms the shirt from an inexpensive item of clothing to a keepsake that shows support for a good cause. As the prices for personalizing items drop, it is within the reach of many more groups to personalize items and give them to acknowledge donations. The less that a group needs to pay for an item, the more funds they can raise.

Personalizing gifts keeps businesses in contact with their customers, helps people to remember special events and provides a way to say thank you. They will continue to grow in popularity as long as people have something to say and need a place to say it.

Author bio:
Stacy Gianakura is an avid blogger and writes for USA News Brief.

Thrifty Packaging Gift Ideas

Admin — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 22:49:55 +0000

Almost everyone is looking for ways to cut corners on gift packaging, and save some money. These days, gift wrap along with bows and ribbons can be just as much money as the presents themselves. To the left is a picture (author unknown) of a gift wrap that anyone can make in their own home using a sewing machine and old books or newspapers. Using newspapers, line up 6 sheets of newspapers, and sew them together. Using old books, the paper tends to be thicker, so only one sheet is needed. Throw in some hand baked cookies for your neighbours. Create three packages for three different cookie recipes. Ideally, this packaging works with natural twine. Punch two holes in top and thread your jute natural twine through to seal the package, and you have a hand made gift.

Thrifty Gift Ideas Natural

You may be able to save more money buying from Amazon. Buy in bulk and save money online:

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, 17.5-Ounce Pouches Pack of 12

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip, 17.5-Ounce Pouches Pack of 12

Oatmeal Cookies, Just Add Chocolate Chips and Nuts*, Pack of 12

Peanut Butter Cookies, 17.5-Ounce Pouches Pack of 12

Sugar Cookies , 17.5-Ounce Pouches Pack of 12

Double Chocolate Chunk, 17.5-Ounce Pouches Pack of 12

The Lazy Baker Variety Pack,Brown Sugar Pecan Shortbread and Oatmeal Cranberry Cookie Mix

Festivus Gifts 2010: The 10 Most Unique Festivus Gift Ideas

Admin — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 20:20:49 +0000

It's a Festivus for the rest of us! So when is Festivus 2010? It is on December 23, and it is a time that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Festivus is a holiday that was created by Seinfeld writer Daniel O'Keefe, and it was first featured in a Seinfeld episode that aired on December 18, 1997. Since that time (and thanks to countless Seinfeld reruns) the holiday has gained an increasing number of adherents. Traditions include an aluminium "Festivus Pole", the "Airing of Grievances" and the "Feats of Strength". Any event that happens during Festivus that is in any way out of the ordinary is to be heralded as a "Festivus Miracle". Festivus is not about commercialism. Rather, Festivus is all about "open communication", "family interaction", and most of all, rampant enthusiasm. Once not much more than a fictional event, it is now a very real holiday with very real people that enjoy it each and every year.

The following is how Wikipedia describes the history of Festivus....

The holiday, as portrayed in the Seinfeld episode and now celebrated by many, includes practices such as the "Airing of Grievances," which occurs during the Festivus meal and in which each person tells everyone else all the ways they have disappointed him or her over the past year. After the meal the "Feats of Strength" are performed, involving wrestling the head of the household to the floor, with the holiday ending only if the head of the household is actually pinned.

The original holiday featured more peculiar practices, as detailed in the younger Daniel O'Keefe's book The Real Festivus. The book provides a first-person account of an early version of the Festivus holiday as celebrated by the O'Keefe family, and how O'Keefe amended or replaced details of his father's invention to create the Seinfeld episode.

The following are ten of the most unique gift ideas for Festivus 2010....

#1 Festivus: The Holiday for the Rest of Us- If you want to observe Festivus, this is a great guide on how to celebrate it properly.

#2 The Real Festivus- This book explains the amazing story behind the real history of Festivus.

#3 The Festivus Holiday Penguin Sculpture- Would Festivus be complete without the traditional holiday penguin sculpture?

#4 Seinfeld A Festivus for the Rest of Us Green Adult T-shirt Tee- Declare your love for Festivus with this very festive green shirt.

#5 Duracast Weight Set With Dumbells- Get prepared for the traditional Festivus "Feats of Strength" with this very versatile weight set.

#6 Seinfeld A Festivus for the Rest of Us Green Adult Hoodie Sweatshirt- What fan of Festivus would not want this beautiful green hoodie sweatshirt?

#7 Festivus - Airing Of The Grievances Dark T-Shirt- This shirt is great to wear during the "Airing of Grievances".

#8 Happy Festivus Car Magnet- Declare your love of Festivus to the rest of the world with this handy car magnet.

#9 Seinfeld Festivus T-shirt White- With this shirt you will never forget what date Festivus falls on ever again.

#10 StylePlus Silver Aluminum Poles, 6 Foot With White Caps- You simply cannot have Festivus without a proper aluminum pole. This 6 foot aluminum pole should fit very comfortably in any living room. Remember, the aluminum pole is the centerpiece of Festivus - a holiday for the rest of us.

The 10 Best Star Wars Gifts For The 2010 Holidays

Admin — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 19:43:19 +0000

Do you need to find a gift for a Star Wars fan? Well, you came to the right place, because we here at Unique Gift Ideas are huge Star Wars fans and so we really know the kinds of gifts that Star Wars fans would love to receive. This year, there are more Star Wars gifts to choose from than ever. There are great toys like the Imperial AT-AT All Terrain Armored Vehicle and The Ultimate Blaster, there are great video games like The Force Unleashed II, there are great graphic novels such as the "Star Wars: Legacy" series, and of course there are tons of great books and videos. Below, you will find a list of 10 of the best Star Wars gifts for the 2010 holidays. Trust us, any of these gifts would be enough to make a Star Wars fan absolutely squeal with delight.

#1 Star Wars® Imperial AT-AT All Terrain Armored Transport Vehicle - If your little boy is into Star Wars, then this is the gift. I know that if I had received this as a child I would have been crying tears of joy. This AT-AT is just way, way, way too cool.

#2 Star Wars Clone Wars Ultimate Blaster- Oh how I wish they had these when my brother and I were kids! What little Star Wars fans would not want to run around the house shooting Star Wars blasters at each other? These are very, very cool and they will provide hours upon hours of fun and laughter.

#3 Star Wars Trilogy - Is there any Star Wars fan that could not watch the original Star Wars trilogy over and over and over? Get this DVD set and watch Luke, Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca and Darth Vader in super high quality for many years to come.

#4 Star Wars Child's Deluxe Clone Trooper Costume, Medium- I think that all Star Wars fans have dreamed of dressing up as a Storm Trooper at some point. These costumes are very high quality and are very, very cool.

#5 Broken (Star Wars: Legacy, Vol. 1) (v. 1) - Do you want to know what happens to the Star Wars Universe after Luke, Leia and Han Solo are all gone? That is what the "Star Wars:Legacy" comic series reveals. This is the best graphic novel series that I have ever read. Trust me, if you are a Star Wars fan, you have got to get these graphic novels.

#6 Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II- If you have a little Star Wars fans that loves to play video games, then this is the gift to get them this holiday season. This is perhaps the most amazing Star Wars video game that has ever been released.

#7 Star Wars The Clone Wars: The Complete Season Two - Did you know that there is an animated Star Wars television series? It is called "Star Wars: The Clone Wars", and it is set during the timeline between the second and third prequel movies. It is actually very well done, and if you have not been watching it, why not get the entire second season and enjoy it with your while family?

#8 Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary - The Ultimate Guide to Characters and Creatures from the Entire Star Wars Saga- Do you know a Star Wars fan who thinks that he or she knows everything that there is to know about Star Wars? If so, you might want to grab this "dictionary" which is actually more like an encyclopedia. It contains so much information that it is absolutely mind blowing.

#9 Revell Star Wars - X-Wing fighter- What little Star Wars fan would not want an X-Wing? I sure wish I had been given one of these when I was a little boy. If you know a kid who collects Star Wars toys, then this is a gift that would bring huge squeals of joy.

#10 Star Wars Clone Wars Ultimate Light Saber- Is there any Star Wars fan out there that would not love to own a lightsaber? In the past, toy lightsabers were cheap plastic imitations, but now Hasbro has released what they are calling the "Ultimate Lightsaber". This is one gift that would blow just about any Star Wars fan away.

Unique Gift Ideas For Father’s Day 2010

Admin — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 19:38:37 +0000

Father's Day is on Sunday, June 20th, 2010 and this year Amazon and Ebay have more deals for this holiday than ever before. Father's Day is coming up very quickly, so if you have not gotten something for your father yet you better hurry up. Father's Day represents a very special opportunity for all of us to let our dads know just how much we love them and care about them. A perfect gift can make a huge impression. The following are some of the most unique gift ideas for Father's Day 2010....

Picture taken from 2010 Free Printable Fathers Day Cards

Amazon Kindle

If your father is a voracious reader, you might want to consider getting him an Amazon Kindle book reader. There are over 600,000 books available for the Kindle, and you can get new books in under 60 seconds. In addition, free wireless coverage comes with the Kindle, so you can access new books wirelessly in over 100 countries around the globe. One of the great things about the Kindle is that you can literally carry your entire library around in a device that is just 10.2 ounces. The Kindle is Amazon's number one selling product, and so if your father loves to read books and has not tried the Kindle yet, this could really make a great gift.

TomTom GPS

Another really unique gift idea for Father's Day is a TomTom portable GPS navigation device. Trust me, once you try GPS navigation you will never want to be without it again. The TomTom XL 340·S combines the latest GPS navigation technology with a beautiful widescreen display. It is very easy to use and it is ready to go right out of the box. Spoken turn-by-turn instructions including street names will guide you to any address in the United States, Canada and Mexico - including more than 7 million preloaded special points of interest.

DVDs

What father does not like getting DVDs? Well, a way to get your fathers some great DVDs and still save a ton of money at the same time is to get them on Amazon.com. Right now, some of the hottest movie releases are up to 58% off on Amazon. We would very much encourage you to check them out.

Sharp Clothing For Father's Day

Are you looking for a dress shirt, a tie or some cuff links for Father's Day? Well, Amazon.com has a stunning collection of men's clothes at bargain prices. Dealing with Amazon is always a pleasure, so if getting your father some sharp threads seems like a great idea, then Amazon.com is a great option.

Geek Dad: Awesomely Geeky Projects and Activities for Dads and Kids to Share

If you are looking for a great book for your father, you might want to consider "Geek Dad: Awesomely Geeky Projects and Activities for Dads and Kids to Share". This book was written by a self-acknowledged "supergeek", and father of two, Ken Denmead. Denmead is a successful engineer and he is the editor of the incredibly popular GeekDadblog on wired.com. The guide that he has put together is packed with ideas for how fathers can connect with their children in today's advanced technological world.

Some of the ideas in Denmead's book include....

•Fly a night-time kite ablaze with lights or launch a video camera with balloons

•Construct the "Best Slip n' Slide Ever," a guaranteed thrill ride

•Build a working lamp with LEGO bricks and CDs

•Create a customized comic strip or your own board game

•Transform any room into a spaceship

•Make geeky crafts like cyborg jack-o'-lanterns or Ethernet cuff links

So if you know of a father that could use some creative ideas for bonding with his kids, than this book might just be perfect.

Ebay

If you are really tight on funds but still want to find a great gift for Father's Day, then you might want to check out what is available on Ebay for Father's Day....

Family Table Conversation Starters- Board Game Loaded Questions- Gift Ideas

Admin — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 18:38:17 +0000

Loaded Questions is a multiplayer game that tests your knowledge of other people's opinions as you race your opponents. By correctly guessing your fellow player's answers to probing, opinion-oriented questions, you advance around the board. Over 500 questions are included along with six pencils, one die, six game pieces, a score pad, and board.

Loaded Questions Party Game

Loaded Questions - Junior Edition

Loaded Questions On the Go Travel Game

Loaded Questions