Cleaning Tips

CREATIVE GIFT GIVING SIMPLIFIED

Want to give creative gifts but not a huge fan of shopping? Want to offer someone special more than the usual stuff? Try these ideas on for size.

Give an experience. That might mean concert or theatre tickets, membership to a museum, spa gift certificates, or travel money. Movie gift cards are often well received. How about a hotel stay? Restaurant gift cards are popular, as well. If someone you know is interested in learning a new craft, hobby, skill or sport, pay for them to take a class, whether it’s yoga, watercolor, or auto mechanics.

Give your time. Make up attractive certificates redeemable for your time and perhaps your expertise. Maybe you’re willing to cook a great meal, or clean the garage! Give coupons for landscape help, or if you know someone who is redecorating their home or apartment, volunteer to come help them paint or strip wallpaper.
Attend an event together. Sometimes a few happy hours in each other’s company are better than any gift that can be unwrapped. Invite someone special to an event that’s your treat. That can range from breakfast at a local diner to an exhibit opening.

Do some charitable work together. Time spent giving to a worthy cause in the company of someone you care about can be a treasured memory. Consider it as alternative to the usual gift-giving.

Frame a photo that brings back a cherished moment. Always a big hit, and it needn’t cost a lot of money.

Write someone a heartfelt letter. This may be the gift that someone treasures long after other objects have fallen out of fashion. Tell someone how you feel and why, record on paper your favorite shared memories. Write it in your own hand on special stationery. If you are gifted with words, you might also write someone a poem especially about them, or compose a song. Talk about memorable!