Thank You

Saying thank you is a great reminder of who your friends are. Sometimes we forget to say thank you. Here are a few easy ways.

If you receive a bottle of wine, but don't get to enjoy it at the time, make a note on the label who gave it to you. When you do finally get a chance to enjoy it, call them up and tell them that you enjoyed the wine. It also gives you an excuse to chat with a friend.

Is someone throwing a shower for you? A few days before the shower send a bouquet of flowers to them and let them know how much you appreciate all of their hard work.

A simple card is always appreciated, so if in doubt just send a note to say thank you.

Sharing Sympathy

You always want to do something for someone who has lost a loved one. Flowers just don't seem to fit the bill. Try some of these instead.

Find out if there was a cause that they really liked when they were alive, or maybe a cause that was based on helping others with the same affliction. Donate money to the cause and send the confirmation to the family.

Take a few minutes and rake up some leaves, pull some weeds or shovel some snow. Basic yard work would greatly be appreciated. It might even get the grieving family out of the house and working with you.

At the funeral or the wake, bring with you a small pack of tissues. As you console the grieving family press it into their hands so that they have them if they need them.

Witty Wrapping

Sometimes you find the perfect gift, but it is little and a little oddly shaped.

An easy way to wrap these presents is with aluminum foil.

It molds to the item easily, looks impressive with any color of ribbon.

It is also very easy for small kids to open. Just watch out for any little pieces that might choke and infant or toddler.

Office Christmas Party Bonus

When you have your next office party for Christmas, change it up and help out others.

When you post the information for your Christmas party, announce to bring an unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots, Salvation Army, or other local charity.

Now you get to give a wonderful gift to those who really need it and you don't have to accept or bring home something that you really don't want.

Post Breakup Blues

A breakup can be anything from a divorce to someone who is dating. Sometimes it is very traumatic to your friend. Here are a few idea's to make them feel better.

If you are single yourself, offer yourself as a default date. If they have a function to go to, you can go with them so that they don't have to go alone.

If they have to move because of the breakup, offer to help out with the moving and taking care of the change of address forms with the post office.

Offer to stay with your friend at their place, or offer up a spare bedroom at your place for a change of scenery.

Tokens of Understanding

Not every occasion is a happy one and sometimes you know someone who is having a rough time. Small tokens can go a long way.

If you know someone who is having some health issues, pick up a set of comfortable pajama's instead of flowers. It will make them feel better inside and out.

You can also pick up a soft blanket to give them. They can use it in the hospital or at home.

Pick up some gift certificates for a local ice cream shop. Sometimes ice cream is just what the doctor ordered.

Organizing Christmas Presents

It is Christmas time again and you are starting to wrap the presents. After a while they all look the same. How are you going to remember who gets what and where they go. It is really easy to sort it out if you do it as you wrap them.

Keep on hand several large rolls of gift wrap in various designs. When you wrap presents for specific groups of people or family members wrap them all in the same kind of paper.

Now when you have to grab them to deliver them, look for all of the gifts with the same paper.

Wedding Present Ideas

You have been invited to a wedding, but you have no idea what to get. Here are some simple ideas to ponder.

If you received an invitation, take it to your local framing shop and get it framed. This was by far my favorite gift and still display it proudly almost 20 years later.

Pack up a small cooler with some leftover cake and a bottle of Chapagne. Now the couple has something to enjoy that evening after the reception is over.

Cash is always accepted at weddings. For quite a few nationalities this is the only acceptable gift.

Luggage tags are always a great gift for the new couple. You can pick up fully customized tags or gift cards in any denomination at www.crewtags.com

Lunch with Love

If you have more than one child, and a gift giving occasion is on hand, it can be hard for the younger child to find something to give a sibling.

Something that is easy and inexpensive is to have the younger child grab some crayons, markers, stickers and scrap paper.

Using these items, the younger child can decorate some lunch bags.

Now they can give their gift with pride and each day the older child takes their lunch to school, they can be reminded of their siblings love.

Baby Gifts

Baby gifts are always hard. Not always do the couple know what sex of child they are having so here are some quick and easy ideas.

At the shower place out a journal and have everyone write in a few snippets of advice for the new parents to be.

Gather newspapers and periodicals for the date of the babies birth and place them in a decorative archival box. These will be great reminders as they grow older about events that occured on the date that they were born.

Create a coupon book for the new mom to be. Include coupons for free babysitting, even if it is for only 15 or 20 minutes at a time to give mom some down time to herself.

Pick up a spa package or massage appointments for the mom to be. You can even include a babysitting coupon to watch the baby while she enjoys some time to herself.

Luggage tags are always a great gift. They can be used on strollers and diaper bags, then if one gets left behind on accident it can be easily recovered. You can create your own or pick up a gift certificate in any denomination at www.crewtags.com

Travelling Gifts

If you are planning a big trip this year, keep in mind anyone that you have to buy gifts for throughout the year.

You can pick them up while you are travelling and a lot of places will mail them back home for you for just a small fee.

Recycled Wrapping

Every Birthday or Christmas you are left with a stack of used up wrapping paper. It is usually so ripped up and torn that you cannot see another use for it.

You can create a game with it that is easy and fun. Find a small gift and start wrapping tightly with the old wrap. When you are done, secure each layer tightly with tape.

Now on Christmas eve the following year, sit everyone down and hand the ball to the first person. They remove one layer of wrap and pass it around the the next person.

Whoever unwraps the final layer get's to keep the prize!

Graduation Gifts

Graduations gifts are amongst the hardest gifts to buy for in my book. Not always do you know if they will be continuing on to college.

Order a custom pen and pencil set. It is a nice personal touch and can be used for most anything that they decide to do.

See if you can find old report cards for the graduate and wrap them with a satin ribbon. The grad can then spend quiet time enjoying memories of past school years and can see just how far they have come.

If the grad will be going off to college, find out where they will be going and pick up gift cards from a local pizzaria or burger joint. They they won't have to scramble to find money when they want to grab a quick bite to eat out.

Pick up some luggage tags for the graduate. Chances are there will be some travel in their future. Great tags that you can fully customize yourself, or gift cards are available in any denomination that you want at www.crewtags.com

Gift Exchange

With money being tight sometimes around the holidays it is hard to get a unique present for friends. Instead of a traditional gift, give a gift of time.

If you are really good at something, or can do something, give a gift of time. Give them a gift certificate for something that you can do for them. It can be a few hours of yard work, house cleaning, computer work, computer lessons, music lessons or even dog walking or house sitting services.