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.

Posted on 5 Dec 2007 by Tina V.

Last Minute Hanukkah: Gifts for Writers & Artists

A last minute gift doesn’t have to be meaningless — you can give someone a meaningful gift just by remembering what they like to do. I’m a little biased on this one: I love getting journals and sketchbooks. I usually have two or three going at once for random notes, doodles and plans for world domination. I also love getting pens — a good pen makes writing and sketching a truly enjoyable experience. If you’re dashing out to find a last minute gift, you’re probably not going to have time to order from Amazon, but you may have time to head to your local bookstore or art supply store to find something.

Sketchbooks/Journals

Sometimes a good sketchbook or journal is just a necessity. If you know someone who loves to write, doodles on napkins and placemats, and is always coming up with great ideas, a small pocket-sized sketchbook is a nice small gift. Try to find one that has a pocket to store napkin-doodles and small ephemera. If you’re at a loss for a good, small notebook, look for a moleskine. These aren’t just for writers and artists: Moleskine has notebooks specially made for composers, reporters’ notebooks, travelers’ journals with city maps and guides, diaries, and a heck of a lot more types than I’ll list here. You can find Moleskines at Amazon.com, Borders Bookstores and Barnes & Noble Bookstores in the U.S., or if you’re looking in a different country, you can take a look at their retail info page.

Posted on 5 Dec 2007 by Tina V.

Last Minute Hanukkah: Gifts They Need

Sometimes you can’t find the perfect gift online or in a store. Sometimes it’s not an object, but a service. If you have someone on your list who is in desperate need of relaxation, how about a gift certificate to a local spa or massotherapist? When I was pregnant with my daughter, I received several gift certificates to a prenatal massage specialist and I nearly cried with joy and appreciation.

Posted on 4 Dec 2007 by Tina V.

Frugal Last Minute Hanukkah — Gifts that mean more than they cost

Keeping with the last minute gifts for Hanukkah theme, here are a few last minute gift ideas that don’t cost very much at all, but mean much more than a dent in your wallet.

Gift the gift of your time

I know it sounds schmaltzy, but a card promising something like three free babysitting nights for new parents that need to get out of the house will mean a heck of a lot.

Homemade gifts that aren’t hokey

It doesn’t have to be a badly painted ashtray to be homemade and from the heart. The internet is full of gift ideas that don’t break your back or the bank.

• If you have someone on your list that loves to cook, whip them up a batch of beer bread mix put the dry mix in a plastic bag with a bow, grab a bottle of beer and put them in a nice loaf pan. The only cost is the ingredients, a little time, the bottle of beer and a loaf pan.
• Whip up some quality relaxation with some homemade bath salts. All you need is a cup of epsom salt, a cup of coarse sea salt, some essential oil (try lavender for relaxation or grapefruit for rejuvenation) and a bowl. Mix them together and put them in a nice container (the dollar store is a good place to find small glass jars) with some directions for use.
• Know someone who knits? There are tons of free patterns out there on the ‘net that are just begging to be knitted. Find one that suits your recipient, get some luxurious yarn and needles and make your own knitting gift bag. Don’t know where to look for the perfect pattern to print? Try Knitty or MagKnits.
• If you’re still at a loss for ideas, try visiting a few DIY websites for quick and easy gifts. Some of the ideas are strictly adults only (involving fire, machinery or sharp things), and some are nice ideas to make with kids and more accident prone adults. Try Not Martha (an excellent site for DIY ideas), Craftster (a forum website also full of DIY goodness), and the Craftzine blog.

Posted on 3 Dec 2007 by Tina V.

Last Minute Hanukkah: Target Gift Card

Some people (Mom, I’m looking at you!) think that gift cards aren’t personal enough. I disagree—anything that you give to someone can be personal, it’s just in how you frame it. Getting a gift card to a store the recipient actually goes to can be great. It’s a good way to make sure you’ve gotten them something they really want, because they can pick it out themselves.

Posted on 2 Dec 2007 by Tina V.