Successful Holiday Gift Giving Starts with a Plan
by Wendy Wood
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and the clock is ticking down as we grow closer to the holiday festivities. By now, many have either started thinking about what they are going to purchase for those on their gift list – others are in full holiday shopping mode. The holiday season proves to be a stressful time for some, adding to their already tension-filled lives. Buying gifts is only half of the dilemma – deciding what to buy makes up the other half.
Gift buying can actually be fun and stress-free. I recommend a fool-proof method of ensuring you get the right thing for each recipient the first time around. The key to successful holiday gift giving starts with a plan. Begin by making a list of names you will be purchasing holiday gifts for. Leave two or three blank spaces between each name where you will jot down information about each recipient. Once your list of names is complete, your holiday gift giving plan will start to take shape one recipient at a time.
Starting with the first person on your list, write down what types of things they like, hobbies they enjoy, collections they may have, and anything you can remember about them that will help you make your holiday gift selections. For example, Susie is the first person on my list. The things I know about her are that she is a scrapbook enthusiast and she enjoys gourmet teas. I jot those items on my list and move on to Tim. Tim is Susie’s husband and a guy that is so hard to buy for. I am never sure what to get him. I do know that he likes to golf, and Susie recently mentioned that he has taken up cooking. That is an interesting combination, but I will think of something. My list also includes a corporate client that I like to send something to every holiday season as a token of my appreciation for the business they send to me throughout the year. There are many other recipients on my list, but I want to focus on these three individuals.
My holiday gift giving plan is beginning to take shape. Since I am the type of person who cannot settle for just one item, I have discovered a very simple and smart approach to meeting my holiday gift giving needs – gift baskets! Based on each recipient, every gift basket has its own theme. Let’s start with Susie the scrapbook enthusiast. A gift basket filled with archival safe photo mounting paper and pens, interesting fibers, decorative brads, a corner punch, and a few other small related items make a great start to a winning gift. Topped off with a mug for the avid scrapbook-a-holic and a few gourmet tea bags, this gift is going to rock!
Tim’s gift will even come together nicely when implementing a little creativity. I decided on a huge mixing bowl filled with small kitchen tools, a cookbook, and some unique spices will be sure to please the aspiring cook. For a more personal touch, I added a personalized apron and gourmet chef’s hat! The bowl of goodies is sitting on a wooden cutting board and the entire present is tied up in a square table cloth.
The corporate gift is a cinch. Select either a basket filled with gourmet treats or a stack of gift boxes filled with diverse snacks. Either is sure to make a big hit.
Holiday gift giving and planning do not have to be a chore. Solicit the help of others. If you come up short on items for your list, call a family member or friend to assist you. They may know or remember more about a specific individual than you. Once your list is complete, the fun part actually begins. Gift baskets take the stress out of the entire process of holiday gift giving. To make it successful for both the giver and recipient, be sure that you take into consideration items that relate to the individual. When you take time to personalize the gift basket, you ensure a successful holiday gift giving experience.
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About The Author
Wendy Wood is the owner of Seek Gift Baskets, an online gift basket directory listing professional gift basket designers from around the world. http://www.seekgiftbaskets.com
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Anniversary Blues
by Margaret Paul, Ph.D.
Jamie and Kurt are a sweet, successful couple in their early thirties. In spite of loving each other deeply, they often find themselves in conflict over seemingly minor issues, as most couples do. Recently, just one week before their wedding anniversary, they had a particularly hurtful argument. Jamie had expressed her unhappiness about Kurt’s busy schedule and the limited time he finds to spend with her. As usual, Kurt promised to try harder and they got through it. But having not dealt with the real issues at hand, the problem was bound to resurface. Jamie unknowingly began planting the seeds for their next bout when she decided to bring up the subject of their anniversary.
“Kurt, I just wanted to remind you that next week is our anni 
Anniversary Blues
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Family Matters
by Rosalyn Bronstein
Since the escalation of international terrorist activity a few years ago, many of us have had an opportunity to re-evaluate relationships and reflect upon our lives. This can be a very difficult, and sometimes wrenching thing to do, but a necessary activity. Making this sort of emotional assessment takes us back to our core values. It helps us to appreciate the people who have touched our lives in positive ways.
Who you are is a reflection of the people you have been around, in conjunction with circumstances and environment. These are usually family and friends – those who care about your physical, emotional, and spiritual welfare Having a support system is an important aspect of developing a strong psyche.
Have you ever wondered why Family Matters
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How To Buy The Perfect Gift For Anyone
by Gary Gresham
Shopping online for gifts rather than going to a store is not only convenient, but you save time, money and have an incredible variety of gifts to choose from.
It's no wonder online shopping is growing at a phenomenal rate every year. But with so much to choose from, how do you buy the perfect gift for someone?
The mistake most people make is buying something that they like instead of thinking hard about the interests of the person they are buying for. Admit it; you have probably done this before.
If you want to buy the perfect gift for your recipient, take the time to learn about the interests of that person even if it's something you don't particularly enjoy.
Once you know their interests, you can shop smarter and have a muc How To Buy The Perfect Gift For Anyone
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How to Find, Select, and Afford a Wedding Photographer
by Dain H. Binder
You are engaged and one of the most important days in your life is fast approaching. Your wedding day will be filled with happiness and emotion. Family and friends will be there; some you have not seen in many years. It will be a wonderful day for you to remember and share. There will be so many things going on of which most you will not even know about until you look at the wedding photographs.
Choosing a photographer may be a difficult and daunting task; and affording it may be even more cumbersome. You may be apt to ask a friend or relative to photograph it for you; this is surely to be a bad idea for many reasons. A professional wedding photographer knows how to capture all the moments of your wedding day with the best results by having How to Find, Select, and Afford a Wedding Photographer
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