Gift Giving Guide http://gift-giving-guide.com Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:17:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7-beta1 en hourly 1 The Family Dinner Box of Questions http://gift-giving-guide.com/the-family-dinner-box-of-questions/ http://gift-giving-guide.com/the-family-dinner-box-of-questions/#comments Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:17:20 +0000 admin http://gift-giving-guide.com/the-family-dinner-box-of-questions/ I think I’m in love with the “Box Girls”: Cece Feiler and Heidi Haddad. They came up with this idea of having a box of conversation questions (not trivia but actual conversational questions about ethics and other deep stuff) to help amuse the whole family while waiting for dinner whilst dining out (I used “whilst”—that’s got to be worth some points!). Yes, it’s possible to do this without the cards, but having cards makes it into more of a game for kids while getting them to learn the fine art of conversation about something other than the newest Miley Cyrus video or XBox game. It also keeps kids from getting bored and disruptive while dining out at restaurants where crayons and a kids’ menu aren’t provided the minute you’re seated.

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]]> http://gift-giving-guide.com/the-family-dinner-box-of-questions/feed/ Parenting Strategies for the Holidays: Get One, Give One http://gift-giving-guide.com/parenting-strategies-for-the-holidays-get-one-give-one/ http://gift-giving-guide.com/parenting-strategies-for-the-holidays-get-one-give-one/#comments Wed, 12 Dec 2007 02:31:23 +0000 Tina V. http://gift-giving-guide.com/parenting-strategies-for-the-holidays-get-one-give-one/ As the mom of a preschooler, I can identify with any parent that complains about toy clutter. The worst type of toy clutter I’ve ever experienced is that of the toys that are no longer played with. This is where the “Get one, give one” rule comes into play.

If your young(er) child has toys they’ve outgrown, or just don’t play with anymore, allow them to pick them out of their collection, figure out if someone else can get some enjoyment out of them, and donate them to a worthy cause. If they’re beyond all hope, find a way to compassionately discharge them from your household (if there’s a way to avoid landfills, take it).

If you have an older child who has either outgrown a toy or just wants a newer model, why not teach them something about money while they make room for something they really want? Teach them about EBay: how to create a listing, how to figure out a fair price, and show them the entire process of selling an item. Not only are they learning about money, but they’re also avoiding the whole packrat habit. If they’re open to the idea, give them the option of choosing a charity or cause and donate the sales of their unused toys to that selection, or have them save the money for something special.

The biggest part of the “get one, give one” rule is that it helps kids avoid holding on to things they no longer use. It helps them learn to weed out unnecessary “stuff” and allows you to hold on to some well-deserved sanity.

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]]> http://gift-giving-guide.com/parenting-strategies-for-the-holidays-get-one-give-one/feed/ Gifts That Don’t Suck: A Small Gift-Giving Lens on Squidoo http://gift-giving-guide.com/gifts-that-dont-suck-a-small-gift-giving-lens-on-squidoo/ http://gift-giving-guide.com/gifts-that-dont-suck-a-small-gift-giving-lens-on-squidoo/#comments Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:57:01 +0000 Tina V. http://gift-giving-guide.com/gifts-that-dont-suck-a-small-gift-giving-lens-on-squidoo/ It’s been rather busy around here this holiday season. In an attempt to make amends for the lack of posts, I’ve been trying to be a good blogger and provide some useful (and sometimes ranty) information about gift-giving. In addition to the posts here, I’ve also been turned onto a little web service known as Squidoo. It’s actually rather nice: you compose lenses, which are rather like small guides to a certain subject. The first lens I ever made was on gifts that don’t “suck”.

It’s not about being ungrateful, it’s about giving gifts that the recipient will genuinely appreciate, regardless of budget constraints. Check it out over at www.squidoo.com/giftsthatdontsuck.

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]]> http://gift-giving-guide.com/gifts-that-dont-suck-a-small-gift-giving-lens-on-squidoo/feed/ Twisted Cookie Exchange: Gingerbread people, complete with missing parts http://gift-giving-guide.com/twisted-cookie-exchange-gingerbread-people-complete-with-missing-parts/ http://gift-giving-guide.com/twisted-cookie-exchange-gingerbread-people-complete-with-missing-parts/#comments Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:47:27 +0000 Tina V. http://gift-giving-guide.com/twisted-cookie-exchange-gingerbread-people-complete-with-missing-parts/ In real life, there’s nothing funny about amputation. It’s just… wrong. The rules on funny bend a little bit, though, when applied to the lives of cookies. If you live in a household like mine, with a mind like anyone in my small family possesses, it’s extremely telling when you look at which part of the gingerbread person (we respect their privacy and don’t refer to them in any gender-specific manner) gets gobbled up first. With my daughter, it’s usually the head. She’s merciful for a preschooler. My husband prefers the legs (so they can’t run away). Me? I go for whatever is sticking out, because it’s a cookie.

When I saw these cookie cutters on Baking Bites, I knew these would be an awesome addition to our holiday cookie exchange. Instead of waiting for your child to horrify friends and relatives, you can make your own, pre-bitten, twisted cookies and decorate accordingly. It may not be for the faint of heart, but if you have some fans of the horror genre, or just some sick little puppies in your circle of friends, these are a perfect gift. Just be sure to include a nice recipe (if you’re at a loss for a recipe, try Baking Bite’s Gingerbread recipe) with them, so that gingerbread people can be made and shared immediately.

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]]> http://gift-giving-guide.com/twisted-cookie-exchange-gingerbread-people-complete-with-missing-parts/feed/ Really? A “Push Present”? http://gift-giving-guide.com/really-a-push-present/ http://gift-giving-guide.com/really-a-push-present/#comments Fri, 07 Dec 2007 16:38:04 +0000 Tina V. http://gift-giving-guide.com/really-a-push-present/ Ok, so we’re deviating from the holiday format for a post to bring you what I think is one of the most ludicrous things I’ve ever heard of: the “Push Present”. Blame it on the New York Times: they ran the story that just made me gag a little bit.

As a biological mother, I understand the whole pregnant business. It can be miserable, and I’m not one of those people that pregnant necessarily looks good on, but I don’t exactly expect a medal for my nine months of “suffering”, and I’m not about to suggest the idea to my spouse. This Times article is inane for several reasons, but the biggest one I can see is the whole position that women are now “pushing” their spouses/partners into buying them exorbitant gifts in exchange for bearing offspring. Kind of like kids with a payment plan.

This is wrong on so many levels, and since it deals with gifts, I figured I might as well cover it here:

  1. This article focuses on the superficial. The women interviewed mostly sound very materialistic.
  2. The ad campaigns featured in the article are ridiculous! Seriously: “She delivered your first born; now give her twins.” (Just in case you don’t read the article, the “twins” are diamond earrings)
  3. Having a child is a very special event. If you’re going to give your baby’s mamma something nice to commemorate that oh-so-special event, give them something with a special meaning other than “The diamond industry said this was a good idea, so I thought I’d plunk some cash on it”. Don’t think that giving mom a bracelet gets you off the hook for a few midnight feedings. Give her a gift certificate to a spa along with the promise that you’ll watch junior for a saturday of one-on-one pampering. Give her something luxurious that you know she’d love, but wouldn’t buy for herself. Don’t just give her jewelry because you think she’s now “earned it”.

The article does have a few redeeming elements to it: the owner of gift consulting business ThinkThoughtful.com comes out squarely against the concept of “You’ve earned these, mom”:

“I do not think that because a woman has had a baby she requires a Tiffany & Company item. She requires help, love and emotional support.”

A-friggin’-men.

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]]> http://gift-giving-guide.com/really-a-push-present/feed/ Five Links to Make Great Gifts Look Even Better http://gift-giving-guide.com/five-links-to-make-great-gifts-look-even-better/ http://gift-giving-guide.com/five-links-to-make-great-gifts-look-even-better/#comments Fri, 07 Dec 2007 15:25:33 +0000 Tina V. http://gift-giving-guide.com/five-links-to-make-great-gifts-look-even-better/ Gift WrappingI’m not exactly known for my gift-wrapping skills. Yes, I do fancy art stuff, but when it comes to wrapping presents, I’m not the neatest girl on the block. My husband, thankfully, takes this task over for me. However, I know a few good “how-tos” that can help me, and possibly you, overcome this grievous character deficiency and start wrapping.

  1. How to Wrap a Gift, from EHow (hat tip, WalletPop) A very simple how-to regarding gift wrapping on EHow.
  2. Diana Bacon’s expert gift wrapping videos, at Expert Village (hat tip, WalletPop) These videos are for those of us who are a little more visually oriented. Diana Bacon will take you through several different types of gift wrapping and show you, step-by-step, how to make your gifts look even more appealing.
  3. Easy to do Japanese Gift Wrapping, by Euryale, at Squidoo Euryale also has a lot of really great how-to links and cultural links on information about Japanese gift-giving.
  4. Instant Gift Wrap, by Pastiche, on Squidoo Just the term “Instant Gift Wrap” intrigues me. Some of her tips are great just because they also include some tips on frugal gift wrapping techniques (printing your own labels and such) and some time-savers that would be well-appreciated for last minute gifts.
  5. Eco-Friendly Gift Wrapping, by HappyToBeHere, on Squidoo Some gift wrapping tips with a greener spin.

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]]> http://gift-giving-guide.com/five-links-to-make-great-gifts-look-even-better/feed/ Last Minute Hanukkah: A Gift for the Audiophile http://gift-giving-guide.com/last-minute-hanukkah-a-gift-for-the-audiophile/ http://gift-giving-guide.com/last-minute-hanukkah-a-gift-for-the-audiophile/#comments Thu, 06 Dec 2007 15:38:34 +0000 Tina V. http://gift-giving-guide.com/last-minute-hanukkah-a-gift-for-the-audiophile/ Know someone who is really into music, spoken word, podcasts or audiobooks? If you do, and that person has an iPod, you’ve got a pretty easy combination for a gift: get them something to help them listen to their iPod in their car. Seriously — it’s like peanut butter meeting up with jelly. If you know a certain teenager who has earned their driver’s license, this would make a great gift as well.

This DLO Transpod for the iPod has gotten glowing reviews on Target, fairly good reviews on Amazon, and offers the opportunity to simultaneously charge and play. If you want to try your luck with Target (the website says that it’s not available in stores, but I’ve seen it with my own beady little eyes), you’ll pay a higher initial price than Amazon ($89.99 versus $67.57), but if you want it by the end of Hanukkah, you’ll pay at least $10.98 more for two-day shipping.

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]]> http://gift-giving-guide.com/last-minute-hanukkah-a-gift-for-the-audiophile/feed/ An Argument Against Gift Cards http://gift-giving-guide.com/an-argument-against-gift-cards/ http://gift-giving-guide.com/an-argument-against-gift-cards/#comments Wed, 05 Dec 2007 16:10:00 +0000 Tina V. http://gift-giving-guide.com/an-argument-against-gift-cards/ I know I said that gift cards are the perfect gift, but I felt I had to offer a counter-argument to the whole gift card suggestion. It seems that there are some very persuasive arguments against gift cards that may sway you toward giving cold, hard, cash for the holidays.

If you’re wondering why I may be waffling on the idea of giving gift cards, check out Seth Godin’s article, The $8 billion story/scam. After reading it, I’m a little more wary of giving the gift of store-affiliated plastic.

I’ve always liked getting gift cards to places that I normally shop at, but I can remember a few gift cards/gift certificates that never got used because they were either to stores that didn’t have any nearby (within 50 miles) locations, to restaurants I hated, or to stores I never shop at. Seth covers these and adds a few more to the list of reasons to not use gift cards this holiday.

I love this excerpt:

If I were a creative non-profit, I’d start marketing alternative gift cards. They would consist of PDF files you could print out and hand over to people when you give them cash. It could say, “Merry Christmas. Here’s your present, go spend it on what you really want. AND, just to make sure we’re in the right holiday spirit, I made a donation in your name to Aworthycause.”

He’s right—it does sound a little more like what we should be celebrating this season.

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