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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.