When I was a little girl, I was given a set of Crane’s stationery for my First Communion from someone I don’t now remember. Because of the simple and clean look of the stationery, that gift really came in handy at that time because I used them to send thank-you notes. However, stationery has come a long way, and the web has given shoppers and gift givers options like never before from variety to customization and crowd sourcing. Here are some options on my list to give AND get (remember, even if you get stationery, you’re going to be giving it to people over time).
Category: Holidays
Gifts for Golfers
Golf runs in my family. Perhaps you have a strain of that DNA too? My grandfather, uncle, cousins…not me but my kids are taking lessons this summer. If you know and love anyone who plays golf, and not just plays but LOVES golf you know this is a sport meant to be taken very seriously. As one golfer I know has told me many times: “go to the driving range, that’s where amateurs belong.” ‘Nuf said. These are gifts to buy your golfer that are “safe” when you don’t know WTF you are doing.
Joint Gifts: Things To Buy Eachother
There comes a time in every relationship when you decide (hopefully together) that an upcoming holiday or anniversary gift should be a joint gift. The trick on this one is to not loose sight of the romance and fall prey to the too practical, especially for an anniversary. Understandably, sometimes the reason for a joint gift is to buy something you need as a couple or a family but try to find something that connects you both… yes even in a blender.
Gifts for Theater Geeks
I have been a theater lover for as long as I can remember. I had posters of Bernadette Peters, Terrance Mann and Patti LuPone in my room along with The Bangles, River Phoenix, Ricky Schroeder (before he was Rick), Rick Springfield and Toni Basil.
I grew up in the heart of New York City so for birthdays, I could ask for tickets to Broadway shows– Les Miserables (with aforementioned Terrance Mann), CATS (with Betty Buckley), Dreamgirls (with Jennifer Holiday), The Tap Dance Kid (with Alfonso Riberio) and Into The Woods (with Peters and Joanna Gleason)–we’re talking early / mid 1980’s and my parents were theater lovers too so they were happy to oblige. I also saw my share of productions that were probably too “adult” for a child–La Cage Aux Folles with George Hearn in 1983, which would have made me eight–but when I heard him sing “I Am What I Am,” and I could listen to it again and again and my eyes would well up every single time, I just knew that…well…there was something a bit different about me. I was a theater geek.
Below are gifts that I can say, with some authority, are great options for the Broadway Baby in your life (cue Bernadette Peters’ version now…).
First Time Gifts: Buying for a New Boyfriend or Girlfriend
We’ve all agonized over this one at one point in our lives. The first gift. You don’t want it to be too casual or utilitarian (socks is a no-no), but it also can’t be too serious either (a watch or expensive jewelry may be too much right now too). You also may not know enough about the person to be able to really nail this gift, like if their birthday, Valentines Day or the holidays are two weeks after you’ve started dating, well, that’s a tough one, but not all is lost. Here are some ideas–from, me, the Gifting Whisperer, AND my hubby–so you’re not totally hanging out there with your downtown area exposed. This also marks my mans’ debut on giftingwhisperer.com, and I hope it’s the first of many…or at least the first of a few. Hope you enjoy his romanticism, wit and humor as much as I do.
Studded and Spiked Themed Gifts For All Ages
I have a daughter, nieces and god-daughters ages 8-24 (oh, and a very cool aunt but I can’t tell you her age) and although what’s considered appropriate (or “in”) varies, I’m usually impressed and often surprised that despite decades of separation the same types of trends and looks appeal to them. Studs and spikes in some form, have been en vogue for my favorite ladies for the last few birthday and holiday seasons so I’ve earned my stripes…er…spikes.
Monogrammed Gifts: Jewelry
I’m obsessed with monograms. Maybe it’s the timelessness or that they feel so precious because they are made just for you. Regardless, I think a monogrammed gift can feel oh-so-special because it can mark a new initial (wedding), a new arrival (baby), a new milestone (graduation), or a new year (birthday) with someone special (anniversary). No matter what occasion you’re celebrating, there’s lots of options to consider.10 Gifts Every Woman Wants From Her Mate
Guys, I know buying for the fairer sex can sometimes feel like splitting the atom so I thought I would put together this handy guide of can’t-miss gift items most woman would love to open… And bookmark this list…these are ideas you can come back to time and again. I’ve also noted some suggested occasions, this is only a suggestion, you’re free to go your own way as it were. But just a helpful hint: for an anniversary, always go with jewelry.
You’re welcome 🙂
Happy Gifting!
Who doesn’t love to give and get thoughtful, fabulous, amazing gifts? The getting is the easy part… it’s the giving that can stump even the best of us. And how INCREDIBLE does it feel when you know without a doubt that you’ve selected the perfect gift for someone? You just know they are going to L-O-V-E it.
The Gifting Whisperer 