Find-me-a-gift asked:


If Christmas is supposed to be about giving, then why are children always so grabbing? It’s no surprise really – they’re advertiser’s dreams. They see something – they want it, it’s no different than when you and I were kids! But at least this Christmas you can sleep easy, knowing you’ve got the best Christmas Gifts for Children around!

As well as unique and one-off Christmas Gifts for Children, we also stock branded items and guaranteed fail-safe Christmas Gifts for Children that’ll have them counting the days ‘til next Christmas from the day! You can easily select boys, girls and babies Christmas Gifts for Children to make sure you don’t have any confusion over who gets what! Our Christmas Gifts for Children are suitable and spectacular!

http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/christmas-gifts/boys-unusual-christmas-present-ideas.html

http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/christmas-gifts/girls-unusual-christmas-present-ideas.html

http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/christmas-gifts/babys-unusual-christmas-present-ideas.html

You may think all kids are interested in are the latest PS2 games, but we can assure you that Christmas Gifts for Children have come a long way since your traditional Connect 4! Girls and boys can be difficult to separately buy for – but the art is to find Christmas Gifts for Children that will be loved by all – we’ve mastered it!

Take for example the Racing Nuns as a Christmas Gift for Children. There wouldn’t be a little boy or girl dissatisfied with this holy humorous gift from Christ – they’re anything but innocent at the speed they race at!

What about the Marshmallow Shooter Gun? The Christmas Gift for Children that understands all small children have a sweet tooth and all small children will be fascinated by the fluffy treats being shot out at 30 feet!

The Simpsons and Harry Potter are hardly going to go out of fashion any time soon, what with their new movies this year being absolute gems and their insane popularity by children of all ages! Wizardry and yellow-bellies make the perfect Christmas Gifts for Children! The Harry Potter Levitating Wand Pen is back to school cool, whilst Homersapien is a fun addition to any backpack!

And finally, not forgetting the little animal-lovers in our lives! For boys and girls that adore anything small, cuddly and cute – a little companion makes a wonderfully received Christmas Gift for Children! Choose from Gupi the great little 3V-Interactive Pet Guinea Pig or what about a warming water-bottle Sheep Hot Hugs or the snoozing Sleeping Pet Kitten? All of our novelty animal gifts are guaranteed to become best friends with boys and girls when given as Christmas Gifts for Children!

Don’t think we’ve given up on those kids who just don’t know what they want – there’s hundreds of Christmas Gifts for Children that are sure to tickle their fancy! From radio-controlled games to flying planes to colour changing toys! Find it here, don’t find it anywhere else!

So ensure their waiting up until midnight hasn’t been a tiring experience that amounts to nothing with our fun-filled range of creative, unique and exceptional Christmas Gifts for Children!

For any additional information on these specialised Christmas Gifts For Children please email info@findmeagift.com or call 01926 640710

Regards

Katy Young

Christmas Gifts For Children Expert!



Caffeinated Content

Dan Castro asked:


Last year, my wife Rose and I volunteered to take a crew of seven junior high kids, a big pile of presents, food and a Christmas tree to a needy family in East Austin. We left straight from church, so we were in our Sunday finest. That was my first mistake.

We packed the tree and the food into Rose’s SUV, put the presents in the trunk of my car and we were off. We sang Christmas carols all the way to the part of East Austin where the roads turned to dirt. The heavy rainfall the night before had created giant mud pits that we had to drive around. We were looking for the home of Maria Ceballos and her six kids. When we finally found the right road, it was a dirt road with its own huge, insurmountable mud pit right in the middle of where we had to go. But I was undaunted. We had Christmas presents to deliver.

I stopped just short of the mud pit to plot out the best strategy. It looked like if we stayed to the left of the deepest part of the mud pit, we might get through. I shifted into gear and vowed to keep moving no matter what. That was my second mistake.

Into the pit I rolled and my tires immediately started spinning, but the car was not moving. “Got to keep moving,” I said to myself. I turned the wheel hard to the left and then hard to the right to keep wheels from digging into any one spot. It worked. I kept the gas peddle down and kept turning the wheels hard left and hard right until I had “walked” the car all way to where there was an “almost dry” spot and then I pulled off the road onto the grass. Then I got out to check on Rose and the kids who were in the SUV behind me.

Sure enough she was stuck in the mud pit and she was doing the worst possible thing - gunning the engine and digging herself deeper. These Wisconsin girls can drive in snow, but not in good ol’ Texas mud. I waved her off and she turned off the engine. She and all the kids piled out of the SUV and into the mud in their nice, clean church clothes. The little Mexican kids from the neighborhood just stood there, staring at us wide-eyed as if we were crazy.

I left Rose and the kids with the vehicles and walked down the muddy road to see if I could find the Ceballos’ house. Only half of the cinder-block houses and mobile homes had addresses on them. No one seemed to know who Maria Ceballos was or where she lived. I was getting depressed, thinking we might not even be on the right road and now we were stuck in the mud with a group of hyper-active junior high kids. I turned around and walked back toward the cars only to see Rose and the kids all happily marching toward me and carrying bags of presents and the tree – like a prize. “What are you doing?” I shouted. “Isn’t this where they live?” Rose asked. “I thought that’s why you pulled off the road.”

The kids dropped the Christmas tree in the mud on the way back to the car. So now we had a slightly muddy Christmas tree to deliver. I was trying not to get frustrated. It was Christmas and we were there for a good cause. I managed to get the SUV unstuck and over onto a semi-dry spot. It looked like the road was a bit drier a few hundreds yards away, but we’d have to make our way through the rest of the mud pit to get there. Our only other alternative was to go back out the way we came in and go around the block. We decided to go around the block. But first, we had to go back through the mud pit from which we had just escaped.

By this time, I felt like a pro. I laid the hammer down and sent mud flying everywhere and made it back through the mud pit with no problem. Rose, unfortunately got stuck again. A couple of young guys saw her desperately struggling and ran up to give her a push from behind with their hands. She baptized one of them in mud as she finally spun out the hole and made it to the other side. “Sorry!” she shouted from the window. “No hay problema!” came the response. I’m sure the last thing they wanted was a couple of yuppies with a pack of teenagers stuck right out in front their house for the rest of the afternoon.

We went around the block and came down the same street from the opposite direction and finally found the right house – thanks to some men who were out in their front yard playing with roosters on leashes. I asked them in Spanish if these were cock-fightin’ roosters and they proudly responded “si” and told me the names of each rooster. The names sounded like Spanish versions of Top Gun fighter pilots. They showed me the battle scars on their roosters as though they were medals of honor.

I told one of the men out front that we were bringing “regalos de Navidad” and he shouted in Spanish to the open windows of the Ceballos’ house. Almost immediately six little Ceballos kids came spilling out of the house with wide open, expectant eyes. “Donde esta Maria Ceballos?” I asked, and all the kids pointed to the open door of the cinder block house. I could see Maria shyly peeking at us from behind the door. “Okay guys, everybody unload the gifts and follow me.” We were finally home.

Seven junior high kids and Rose descended on the little house like a tornado and set up the tree on the cold, concrete floor of the living room. Then came all the presents and the food. The Ceballos kids immediately began squeezing and shaking the presents and looking for their names. During the entire trip, little Tiffany Wilson had been carrying a brand new stuffed kitty with no name on it. She alone knew who it went to. “Quien es Daisy?” she finally asked and a little girl raised her hand. Tiffany walked over and handed the kitty to Daisy and she snuggled it closely to her chest and smiled. It was a beautiful sight. We sang the only Spanish Christmas carol that everyone knew – Feliz Navidad. Then we said a prayer of blessing on the Ceballos’ home.

As we walked out of the house, the men outside had decided to give us a show. They released the cocks and immediately they started fighting. Our church kids just stood there - with mouths open. “Why are they fighting?” a little girl asked me. “It’s their instinct,” I said. “When you get two male roosters together, they always fight. This is one of the biggest sports in Mexico. Everybody places bets on the rooster they want to win. The rooster left standing wins.” Just about that time, one of the men asked me if I wanted to bet $5.00. That was our cue to leave. “Gracias. Feliz Navidad,” I said and we piled seven muddy teenagers into the cars and left.

As I thought about it, I realized that the Ceballos family could have very easily been my family five generations ago, when my ancestors first came to Texas from Northern Mexico. Those guys out front with the roosters could have easily been my uncles. I imagined that I had gone back in time to give my family a Christmas tree and a pile of presents and food and I wondered how I would have felt as a little kid seeing piles of presents being brought into our house – totally unexpected. For just a moment, I was that kid, and my heart swelled with excitement.

And then I wondered – what if I really could go back in time and give my own ancestors a gift. What would I give my ancestors, knowing that it would one day benefit me? My imagination ran wild. Would I give them the gift of education? A million dollars to invest over the next five generations until it was passed down to me? Stock in Coca Cola which would increase over the years? Political connections like the Bush’s or the Kennedy’s? Faith in God?

As my mind wandered, it went further and further back in time . . . to two thousand years ago . . . to an ancient hill overlooking a small village where shepherds were watching their flocks by starlight. And then I realized that God had already gone back into my past and given me a gift –the greatest gift of all – the birth of his son Jesus Christ . . . and I smiled.

Daniel R. Castro, author of Critical Choices That Change Lives: How Heroes Turn Tragedy Into Triumph. To download the first chapter free, go to http://www.dancastro.com



Caffeinated Content for WordPress

Maria Schasteen asked:


Family Christmas Holiday Tradition gives us freedom and guidance in a time that is otherwise hectic and stressful, and often unorganized. Tradition gives us a blueprint of how our family anticipates and loves the holiday season, what they expect, how they love to celebrate.

This is Part II of our Family Christmas Holiday Tradition. (Read Part I also for great holiday ideas.)

7. When the holiday draws nearer, we children got more and more excited. When we were high-spirited and tempestuous, mom just needed to say. “Look, an angle’s hair!” And we would look in awe and see really a golden hair. Little did we know that mom must have made some gift packages and the golden threat must have fallen on the floor. But for us children this was a sure sign that Christmas was near. Mom left signs of the coming holy night everywhere for us, so we would remember to be good, and patient, and kind. This made it easier for us children, who yearned for that long awaited Christmas Day!

8. Then, one day the wait was over - the 24th of December dawned. We children had to take a little afternoon nap - I am sure mom needed the time to make last adjustments to the Christmas tree and the arrangement of our Christmas presents. In Europe the Christmas tree is the highlight of the 24th. The tree is hidden from view for children, and for the first time seen in the holy night when the door to the Christmas room magically opens. The room is locked already the night before Christmas. We children were especially attentive - maybe we would hear a movement in the Christmas room - maybe an angle came by - or the Christkind personally - to bring presents!

9. The nap on the 24th was very hard for us kids. Who can sleep when such an excitement lies in the air? When we finally got up, we laid on our best clothes. Then mom came with the traditional Christmas storybook! It was a story of a little boy named Heinele, who’s mother had sent him out in rags into the bitter cold winter night to sell toys to the busy people on the streets - who rushed home to their family celebration without even noticing him. The boy went into the woods and as he looked in the snow - lonely and ice cold - he found the Golden Star of Christmas.

At the same time in heaven, the angles were hectic, looking for the Golden Star that Christkind had lost as it flew over the winter world on earth. Finally they found the frozen boy, holding the Golden Star tight in his hand. He was dead. They took the boy into heaven. Here it was warm. It gave plenty to eat, and Heinele was truly happy - probably for the first time in his young life. But the good boy, as he saw that his mother in the cold house down on earth was crying because her child did not come home, returned to earth to comfort his mom, bringing her true Christmas love. Love reigned over the joy and comfort of staying in heaven. A true sacrifice.

And while we children hang on every word that came from mom’s lips, suddenly - first faint but then louder - we heard the clear Christmas bell. It signaled that Christkind was here! We would rash to the Christmas room. The doors silently swung open. And we would stand there in awe, still and devout, our wide open eyes reflecting Christmas Spirit. The Christmas tree would stand in all its magic beauty - brightly shining with many real candles and magic stars. We would sing Christmas carols and dad would read the Christmas story from the Holy Bible.

Finally we children could rush to our Christmas presents - many big and little gift-wrapped boxes in all colors, decorated with beautiful ribbons and a fir twig on each gift box. We had each a little extra corner right under the Christmas tree, and close to the crib where Maria and Josef and the beautiful baby would remind us of the reason for our joy. To find our space, the packages had little cards with our names on them. And the Ah and Oh was great!

10. And mom did not forget the lonely people outside. She put a warm shining candle in each window to greet those who were lonely and cold this night.

11. The Christmas dinner was another highlight of the day. We had our traditional fish dinner with potato salad which I loved. The table was set with grace and glister. Each set had a mandarin that held a Christmas candle. Fir twigs were decorating the table. It was festive and the candle light reflected in our smiles!

12. The Midnight Christmas mass was for the older kids. I remember sitting in church and seeing the happy smiles on every face. This alone showed me that in this special night a miracle must have occurred. I could see the new hat, the new shawl, new boots that people were wearing. Everyone had something new this night. And if it was not a new piece of cloth, it was the renewed hope and light in their heart that held the promise that life is good and all is well, no matter the life circumstances.

Today I am old. My children are out of the house and I am alone again. But at Christmas time, I still remember my family’s holiday tradition: the haunting scent of Christmas; the dazzling light that lightens the eye that looks into the world with hope; music and laughter that fills the hearts and the room at Christmas eve. I thank my parents for the wonderful Christmas tradition that they had given us - a tradition that lives on …

When Christmas holiday draws near, don’t let yourself be burdened by stressful last minute holiday preparations. Follow your time proven family holiday tradition - and if you don’t have a holiday tradition yet, manifest your own! Utilize some of the suggestions I shared with you from our own family Christmas holiday tradition.



Caffeinated Content

Deby asked:


Babys First Christmas.

Every Christmas celebration includes Family, Friends, Pictures with Santa, Christmas Dinner, Beautiful Decorations, Presents to unwrap and lots of pictures with Family and Friends. The mere mention of Christmas takes us all back to Christmases past and inevitably we bring out our photo albums and scrapbooks where our most treasured Christmas memories are archived. What an exciting time for Baby and so much fun for Mom and Grandma.

Babys First Christmas Outfit.

The first thing Baby will need is a super cute outfit for all those photos. You don’t need to spend a fortune there are many very cute, good quality ones on the market. There are beautiful, frilly dresses for little girls that you can accessorize with a bow for her hair, lacy tights and pretty matching shoes. For little boys there are cute suits with bow ties, suspenders, socks, a jacket and sometimes a matching vest and of course little shoes like Daddy has. There are also little Santa outfits for Babies and Toddlers. These are very cute red and white plush outfits that should include a little Santa Hat.

Babys First Christmas Bib.

To protect the new outfit during Babys First Christmas Dinner there are many different styles of Baby Bibs. There are handmade Bibs from wash clothes or small hand towels, ones with plastic or vinyl on the back, ones you can have monogrammed and there are the very stylish and elaborately decorated ones.

Babys First Christmas Presents.

Now for the really fun part of the day, capturing the joy and surprise as your baby looks at the fully decorated and lit up Christmas tree. Equally fun is watching him or her open their first Christmas Present. It is so fun to see how each child reacts. Some decide its more fun to play with the box than the actual toys.

Another part of this is the Christmas Stocking. There are so many to choose from now. They have very beautiful satin, crocheted, felt and plush stockings for Babys. In designs from whimsical to the absolutely gorgeous.

Babys First Christmas Traditions.

The most memorable part of all the Christmas Celebrations we enjoy are the traditions we make within our own families. Most family traditions I know of are not costly or elaborate but focus on bringing the family together. One of the most popular traditions of this kind is Christmas Reading. Many families choose a story such as ‘A Christmas Carol’ and read it on Christmas Eve. Another variation of this tradition is to let each family member pick their favorite Christmas story and read them over the days between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.

Another popular tradition that children love is to leave a plate of cookies and milk for Santa Claus. Beside this they can put an old key with the poem about Santas Magic Key, for people with no chimney.

Babys First Memory Book.

To preserve all the memories you will make during your Babys First Christmas you will need a scrapbook. There are ones that come with all the paper, photo sleeves and decorative accessories so that you just add the pictures and mementos and write your recollections and you are done. Just be sure to put the names of all the friends and relatives.



Caffeinated Content for WordPress

Dev Aziz asked:


Having splashed and sloshed our way through the wettest summer in living memory, many of us Brits are severely in need of a bit of light relief. Recent statistics reveal a desperate rush to leave the country over Christmas and head to the gloriously sunny climes of Tenerife. The statistics, from a survey by TravelRepublic, show a massive increase in winter sun holidays in general and Christmas holidays to Tenerife are the most popular of all.

There has been a drop in Tenerife holiday prices this season with many one-week package holidays to Tenerife coming in at under £300. Cheap holidays to Tenerife are clearly a big draw to those of us keen to escape the grim British weather, but could there be more to it than this? Christmas is getting bigger every year and the pressure to get it right is immense. A Tenerife Christmas can remove such hassles, and more. That’s why I’ve compiled a list of ten aspects of Christmas hell and how jetting off on a sunny holiday to Tenerife will turn them all around!

1) In the UK: Presents and shopping

Us Brits spend an average of £384 on 18 Christmas presents. Significantly more than you might be spending on your whole Tenerife holiday!

In Tenerife: Spanish souvenirs

It’s impossible to list all the Spanish souvenirs you could find for your loved ones, but here are five of the most popular items you could pick up whilst on holiday in Tenerife:

Abanico - hand held fans elaborately decorated or carved from wood make a great Tenerife Christmas present.

Football Souvenirs - items brandishing the Real Madrid crest or a miniature replica of the stadium are ideal gifts for footie fans!

Bullfighting Souvenirs - you can buy a representation of the three matadors or even a replica matador’s jacket.

Toro - these miniature Spanish bulls vary in quality from moulded plastic to elaborate pieces hand made in leather.

Art & Paintings - from the country that gave birth to Salvador Dali and Picasso there is a large selection of cheap scenes of everyday Spain.

2) In the UK: Enforced jollity

At Christmas there is no greater sin then appearing to be grumpy. Never mind if it’s raining again when it ought to be snowing. Never mind the awkward family tensions. If your mood isn’t up you’re in trouble - you’re ‘ruining Christmas’.

In Tenerife: Real jollity

Waking up to the bliss of no responsibilities and a day of sunbathing will put you in a naturally good mood, so there’s no need to fake it!

3) In the UK: Inappropriate outfits

Christmas seems to inspire the oddest outfits: fluorescent antlers, hair tinsel, ‘fun’ paper crowns, ridiculous knitted festively themed woolly jumpers - the list is endless and another example of that enforced jollity.

In Tenerife: A good tan

Developing a healthy glow on holiday in Tenerife will make you the envy of all your friends when the glitter of Christmas has died down to a dull fizzle and everyone’s feeling pale and miserable. Ha-ha!

4) In the UK: Guzzling excessive cheap alcohol

To get through the emotional rollercoaster of another family Christmas, many of us, despite our best intentions, will turn to the bottle to ease the pain. The following day’s hangover only makes it that much worse.

In Tenerife: Sipping cocktails by the pool

There are so many fabulous bars in Tenerife that you’ll be spoilt for choice, and there’s no need to overdo it when you’re already having so much fun!

5) In the UK: Office parties

You can already picture the scene: watching what you drink in case you say exactly what you think about your unbearable boss or colleague, whilst pretending not to be disgusted by the cringeworthy advances of the office letch. Finally, you end up dancing wildly with said letch in a mad drunken stupor. The Facebook photos won’t make it any easier to forget.

In Tenerife: Beach parties!

A beach party in Tenerife will really blow away the winter cobwebs. For daytime fun, the main beach of Playa de las Americas is where the party people go to recharge their batteries before the next clubland assault and when the sun goes down you can head to Enramada Beach near La Caleta, where Chiringuito Beach Club hosts parties at the weekend. Many revellers choose to camp on the beach at Las Galletas, bringing their own food and drinks and listening to music into the small hours. Christmas in Tenerife is such fun!

6) In the UK: Christmas lunch

First of all, whoever’s cooking is incredibly stressed, and claims you have no idea how much work there is to do (if you try and help then you’re inevitably doing it all wrong). This leads to petty arguments and numerous kitchen disasters. Meanwhile one member of the family has suddenly decided to become a vegan without telling anyone and refuses to eat a thing, glaring grumpily while everyone else tucks into their turkey.

In Tenerife: Tapas & fresh tropical fruit

Food in Tenerife is very tasty and a lot less stressful than Christmas dinner. Tapas are Spain’s appetizers, scrummy little dishes which are often flavoured with garlic, chillies or paprika, cumin, salt, pepper or saffron. It often comes with seafood such as anchovies, sardines or mackerel in olive oil with tomatoes and sometimes peppers or olives. On your Tenerife holiday you can also sample many delicious tropical fruits like mangoes, paw paw and ‘platanos fritos’ - fried bananas.

7) In the UK: Christmas television

Saccharine Coca Cola adverts, endless repeats of ‘Only Fools and Horses’, soap extravaganzas and ‘Celebrity’ Christmas specials.

In Tenerife: singles - Find a winter romance

For goodness sake, forget TV and get out there onto the lively Tenerife singles scene. If anything’s going to boost your sprits at Christmas it’s a sizzling holiday romance!

In the UK: Christmas number ones

Slade’s ‘So here it is Merry Christmas’, Band Aid’s ‘Do they know it’s Christmas’ and Aled Jones’ ‘Walking in the air’. Haven’t you heard them all enough?

In Tenerife: iPod

Forget the naffness - when you set off for your holiday in Tenerife you make sure you’ve got all your favourite tunes at your fingertips so you can sunbathe in peace.

9) In the UK: Carol singers

Expecting you to give them money for one chorus of ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ when half of them don’t know the words and the other half are miming.

In Tenerife: iPod

See above.

10) In the UK: Unrelentingly grim weather

Grrr. Grrr. Grrr.

In Tenerife: Sunshine

Mmm - what a relief!



Caffeinated Content for WordPress

Kacy Carr asked:


How is it that on Christmas day most mothers spend more time slaving over a hot cooker only to spend even more time standing over the kitchen sink elbow deep in suds washing dinner pots and pans than the time that should be spent with the kids when they delight in opening their Christmas gifts? Just to see the kids happy and hear the laughter on Xmas morn has to be the best present for a mother in the way of a maternal emotion she could ever experience. Sadly precious moments do not last long for mum because she is to busy worrying over who will sit where at the Christmas dinner table or whether to slice the turkey hot, or cold just to get more cutting to make sure the bellies of all are filled.

Christmas is a time for the “whole” family to celebrate and if that means including mum then so be it. The children need mummy around the Christmas tree a little longer so that those precious moments become special moments.

1 Make this Christmas extra special by having Christmas dinner abroad, this can be a cheap option in the long run, meaning, dads flight ticket can be his Christmas present from mum and vice a versa, and as for the kids if there are any, buy them a primary for the home present placed under the tree and then fill their Xmas stockings with holiday fun bits and bobs i.e. rubber blow up balls, inflatable, flippers snorkels etc, make sure they are light and easy to pack.

2 If you want to celebrate in your home town then consider booking a table in one of your favourite restaurants to have Christmas dinner, this way you can all be together. This is the time where you can enjoy those uninterrupted precious moments where mummy has no need to leave the table and can give you all her undivided attention. Why this is one of the best options to choose aside from giving the woman of the house a well deserved break is, by eating in a restaurant the kids never want to leave the table to play with their toys.

3 If you are one of those mothers that believe her place is in the home then fine, consider lightening the load so those precious moments prevail a little longer. Roast the turkey the night before and prepare the vegetables. Trifles and jellies can also be made the night before and stored in the fridge. I know you may be thinking this is all well and good but how do you make this time available when wrapping up Christmas presents. You can overcome this in a way which will prove to be cost affective in saving you money. This can be an expensive time of the year so you should consider shopping early, as early as in the January sales.

Unsold Christmas gift wrapping paper, decorations etc can be purchased at rock bottom prices. Scour the local newspaper for unwanted gift items for sale at half price i.e. toys, aftershave, perfumes, electrical goods and gadgets. It is a good idea to go along to a garage or car boot sale; you will be surprised at what you can pick up. Christmas shopping should commence as early as six months before if not earlier Snap up bargains as soon as you come across them, don’t dither over whether to buy or not because you may find you’re self out of pocket a little later down the line when you may have to pay full price. As you stock you must lock, meaning, put all your early Christmas presents away in a safe place away from prying eyes. Remember it is not just the kids that are inquisitive.

If this be your decision to spend Christmas this way then not only will your Christmas be extra special - you will find that you are celebrating the lords’ birthday the way intended “together”.



Caffeinated Content

catherine preth asked:


Around this time of the year, everyone will be pre-occupied with Christmas presents, not just buying and giving them but also getting them. In the midst of all the festivities, sometimes the real meaning of giving is lost. After the Christmas holidays, we accumulate more ‘stuff’, sometimes even losing track of who gave them. Isn’t this just awful? So how do you make your Christmas gift special? It takes just a little extra effort.

With a little effort, an inexpensive Christmas gift can become one of the most treasured gifts, sometimes lasting for life.

Let me tell you a story about a special Christmas gift I got for Christmas many, many years ago. This most precious gift is still in my house today, not collecting dust, but occupying pride of place by being significantly displayed on the shelf, even after 15 years. On occasions, I still pick it up and remember how much it meant to the giver in giving me this little Christmas present.

The Christmas present was just a seashell – an inscripted cone-shaped seashell with something very special written inside it - which made it the only one in the entire world and very special to me. He had painstakingly carved a short love letter message on the inside, on the mouth of the shell. He had wriiten a love note to me, using the shell as his medium.

Although the cone shell was rather pretty, he later told me that he found it during one of his trips to the beach. As a shell, it didn’t cost him anything, and wasn’t all that unique.. But his painstaking effort in carving a message for me on the shell had made it so valuable, and turned out to be something I have, and will continue to treasure for the rest of my life.

The interesting thing is that this shell will definitely outlive me and one of my children will probably want it. I have often shared this story with my kids, and curious friends, on how this shell came to be in my possession. All of them are so taken up by the thoughtfulness and the innovativeness of the gift. I have had the love note framed up with the envelope it came in, and have placed it on our living room shelf.

In fact, any type of gift which you can inscribe some wordings on, such as a pet-name or even a secret symbol where you both share, is a perfect Christmas gift. It does not have to be a very long message. Of course, if it can be written on, then a long love letter message is ideal. However, if you have to carve on it then you should pick a short love note. What I have found is that Christmas gifts in this form is more effective if it is not expensive.

The simpler the gift, the better the choice. However, you do have to put in some effort to make it special and you must do it yourself. Don’t worry if it does not come out professional looking or a little flawed - it is alright. In fact, the flaw will accentuate the fact that your gift ‘reeks of effort’ and this makes the gift even more precious. A point to note, you should never send it to other people to make the engraving or writing, the recipient will know and this will tarnish the value of the gift.

So, to make the Christmas gift even more special, attach a love letter to it. It does not have to be a long one and you can get more pointers from my other articles in writing a love letter. Wrap up the gift in a nice box together with your letter. Your gift may not be the biggest or the most expensive but if you put in the right amount of effort, your gift will continually stay with the recipient for a very long time.

Putting effort in selecting a Christmas gift, and mastering the art of writing a love letter and sharing wonderful life’s moments often bring lots of joy to both the giver and the recipient.

Think of your Christmas gift and love letter as a means of capturing life’s moments shared between you and the recipient. Try it and be amazed by its effects. The best part is it does not have to be costly or difficult to do, just a little effort on your part.



Caffeinated Content

John Smith asked:


Are you tired of trawling around the sock rack on Christmas Eve trying to find last minute Christmas gifts? “Should I go for days of the week or something funny?” you ask yourself while trying to remember what it is you bought last year. As the clock counts down, the rest of the family (already having bought their Christmas gifts) are back home getting ready to sit down to dinner. So you panic and grab anything. You return home only to realise as you’re wrapping the Christmas gifts that the socks are either the wrong size or the same as last year or just generally not very interesting – even worse, they seem to be playing a jolly Christmas tune. You promise yourself that this is the last year you’ll be buying pairs of socks for Christmas gifts. However, you know full well that next year you’ll just do the same thing all over again! If it’s not socks it will be some equally boring present, as shopping for Christmas gifts becomes increasingly hard and frustrating.

Christmas is supposed to be a relaxed time of year where you can enjoy time off work with the family. Be it by the fire listening to carols or just in front of the television catching up on the Christmas specials and cheesy films. However, Christmas has inevitably become more and more commercial over recent years. The stress of hunting down the latest gadgets for Christmas presents for your loved ones, only to discover they sold out two days ago, has made shopping for Christmas gifts an exhaustive process. Of course once you find them, you then have to think about the other Christmas gifts; the stocking fillers. Something small and cheap that’s not a complete waste of money….it’s a hard one.

Back in the time of our grandparents it was traditional to find an orange in your stocking on Christmas morning. The World Wars and rationing made certain foods and fruits exotic and rare Christmas gifts. Now we give socks, an everyday commodity. The originality and excitement of stocking fillers has been lost somewhere along the way. It’s no surprise given that mass production, superstores and the Internet mean that everything you want is only the push of a button away. It is increasingly hard to predict what your loved ones are going to want as Christmas gifts, after all how do you shop for someone who can easily get anything they want on-line? So inevitably we end up back with the socks, pyjamas and other every day commodities. They may make boring Christmas gifts, but at least they’re needed, they will get used.

And then of course there are the people receiving the Christmas gifts. There are only so many times you can un-wrap a pair of socks and feign excitement. Either they’re too tight or they are too embarrassing to wear to the office. Without a doubt at some point during the year you are going to be running late and will mismatch your days of the week, inevitably leading to some office joke. Or perhaps they’re just that little bit too bright. But it’s Christmas so you smile, say thank you and make a mental note to store them at the back of your drawer. After all someone went to the trouble of going out and buying them. You just hope that maybe next year they’ll have that bit more imagination with their Christmas gifts.

As the shopper, having exhausted your bank account on that one big present, you want something small and cheap to make the stocking look that little bit fatter. So what’s the answer you ask yourself? Well first forget the oranges and socks. Why not try searching on-line and beat the Christmas rush to try and find Christmas gifts that are a touch more original. The credit crunch may have hit, but there are still plenty of affordable Christmas gifts available on the Internet. Most websites stock Gifts all year round and have plenty of hints and sections to help you find the perfect For Him or Her, For Kids, as well as a wide variety of Stocking Fillers.

For example if your loved one is a culinary whiz, instead of buying them more cookery books, you could try giving them a Hot Stuff Chilli Pocket Garden which will allow them to grow their own spices. Or for the more creative relatives you could always try something like Create your own Christmas Cards. While Internet shopping may seem impersonal there are plenty of sites that will let you personalise your Christmas gifts with little messages. There are plenty of alternatives, so just get searching! You should be able to find original Christmas gifts that will hopefully both please and surprise and all from the comfort of your own living room. Forget annoying salesmen, panicked shoppers and huge queues. Everything is just a mouse click away, you can’t ask for much more!



Caffeinated Content

Gianni Truvianni asked:


Once we have accepted this simple truth it is then that we can proceed by taking another factor in to consideration when getting that specific someone the perfect gift and this being. that the present we are giving is not to ourselves but to another person. It is this fact rather then opinion that should allow us to understand that it is not important for us to like the present but for the future receiver. For instance the fact that we do not like or wear ties should not dissuade us from getting a tie for someone we know does like ties any more then the fact that some of us may like opera should not propel us to give opera CDs or DVDs to someone we know does not like opera. Naturally with some presents such as clothes we can not avoid using our own taste may it be good or may it be bad and then again there are those who tell us in so much detail (for instance a bottle of “Kenzo” “Jungle” 100 ml or “Star Wars 3” on DVD) that we need not fret.

Some people worry weather or not taking the direct approach is appropriate. The direct approach being the one in which we ask the person what is his or her heart’s desire. To this concern I reply that since the present is to be not for ourselves but for that person then we should ask if there is anything specific that person wants or perhaps needs. This makes shopping more efficient though some may say this rules out the element of surprise which is a lovely one but a risky one for we may end up buying some one who does not smoke a very exclusive pipe or a book in a language that person does not speak. I do not rule out surprises but we should go about it with caution when we attempt to pull one off for this may backfire on us if we end up spending a lot of money on a present that receiver will have no use or liking for.

When we ask there are those who may say that what ever we choose is fine or that they wish to get what their eyes see when they close them. It is these people who are the most difficult or perhaps the easiest because they by virtue of having held their peace when asked forfeited their right to complain if they do not get something that is to their liking. With concern to what to get these people then I suggest getting them anything but not for the sake of satisfying them but for the sake of satisfying the need in ourselves to be generous and to give. For if the present pleases not the receiver may the act of giving bring joy to the bearer after all “tis the season”.

We should always remember that a gift maybe practical but does not need to be fore if practicality were the sole issue then all would be made simpler as we could just get our loved ones some roles of toilet paper and have it done with. After all it is this kind of paper which is useful to all living human beings but who in truth wishes to get even 100 roles of toilet paper for Christmas. When I say a present need not be useful this should not to be interpreted that it can not be as a present might be both useful as well as decorative. For instance sweaters are both useful as most people wear them specially in cold countries and are not difficult to get in the right size as they mostly come in Small, medium or large. Of coarse a present has the right to be completely without practical use for instance a bottle of Champagne which in the event the receiver does not drink he or she may always serve to his friends who do or simply pass this present on to others. Let’s not forget that we give presents to others for them to do with them as they see fit.

As an additional word of advice I would like to add that if we are giving ornaments for the house such as paintings or other items of the sort we should be sure that they are to the person in question’s taste because if they are not then that person might be left in an awkward position of having to display in his or her home what that person does not like.

There are many strategies to follow when buying Christmas presents but mine (which is presented in part in my book “New York’s Opera Society”) is the following:

1) Make out a list of all those we wish to make happy with our presents.

This may not be necessary for those whose list only includes a very small number of people but for those who have more to give to it is a way of not forgetting not only those we have to get something for but even those we do not have but should get something for.

2) Next to each name put down two figures, one a minimum and the other a maximum of how much our budget or generosity will allow us to spend. This might be a good idea for those of us who shall we say only posses the kind spirit to give Ferraris, diamonds, Rolexes and such lovely presents but not the unlimited funds that being so generous requires.

3) Decide based on the amount of capital pledged weather to get that person one present or more. In some cases it may be nicer to give more then one present even if they be more humble for the physiological reason of allowing that special someone (effect might be greater on a child) to see more gift paper wrapped boxes under the tree. The sight of many bejeweled boxes is to my way of seeing things the true spirit of Christmas as it not only represents beauty but the spirit of giving and sharing with those who are dear to us.

4) Learn about the person whom we are trying to buy a present for if we are not already familiar with that person by this I mean find out what does the person on our list like. What hobbies if any does this person have so that we might get them something related. For instance if we know a person likes a certain kind of alcoholic beverage that would be an idea.

5) Of coarse asking perhaps eliminates the surprise factor but can also serve as a method that would avoid us getting somebody a present they may like but already have. For example what use would it be to anybody to have two copies of the same film on DVD, naturally there are those items where this would not matter like having two bottles of “Absolute” vodka for we could empty one first before starting on the second.

6) With children then the wise man’s or woman’s approach would be to ask the parents’ of the child if they are not us not only what would make content the child’s heart but what we can get them so the child will not get two of the same computer game or doll, making it seem as if Santa had committed an error.

7) a method a gentleman or lady might use to get a perfume or any other such item that requires knowledge of the person’s taste is by telling the person whom they intend to give to that they are looking for a perfume for another person. For instance a man could tell his girlfriend he is seeking to buy a perfume for his sister or a female cousin and needs advise on what perfume to get. Naturally his girlfriend will mention the name of the perfume she likes and by doing so tell what perfume she herself would like to get. This making it easy for her boyfriend to know what perfume to get her while still keeping the element of revelation.

last but not least we should remember that the aim of giving presents is to let someone know they are special to us. This concept is simple in theory but is often forgotten as people in their attempt to impress a certain someone loose sight of the idea that it is the thought that counts.

As a final word I might add to those who feel guilty about receiving what they themselves would classify as overly expensive presents that if a person of his or her own free will is able to give something that is exclusive then why for any logical reason should the receiver hold feelings of culpability. The reason for my believe is that Christmas is a season for giving but for giving to take place somebody has to receive and if a person gives whose large funds should match his large heart then why should another be ashamed to let that person give. Should not being able to match the presents we receive dollar for dollar because our financial position does not allow us to do so prevent us from accepting costly presents? I claim for myself and those who care to heed my counsel that it should not fore those who give should do so only with intension of pleasing the spirit of giving and nothing more.

However to those whose feelings of guilt go beyond all reason then I suggest to them not to return that Ferrari, Rolex watch, diamond necklace or those 2 million dollars worth of shares in Microsoft as this will surely offend the giver beyond measure. To them my recommendation is to pass on their feelings of guilt on to me for I by taking these items will relieve them of the ill feelings that taking them would have brought upon them.



Caffeinated Content

Find-me-a-gift asked:


For those of you not familiar with the Secret Santa concept – basically - you gather a group of friends, work colleagues or family together, write down each person’s name on a piece of paper and jumble them all up into a hat/shoe/mug/whatever takes your fancy. Then ‘the chosen one’ moves around the group and demands (or asks politely) each person takes a piece of paper. Each person will get someone’s name – this is the name of the person they must buy for – you become their Secret Santa. You must keep this a secret and guard it with your life else the Secret Santa concept is ruined – DOOM! So where does Find-Me-A-Gift fit into the equation we hear you ask. Well, Find-Me-A-Gift is the perfect way for Secret Santa’s to choose their gifts!

Secret Santa is a fantastic way to solve your buying problems – but what happens if you get stuck with someone you don’t know that well – what on Earth would you buy them? That’s where Find-Me-A-Gift comes in! Simply click over to our Christmas Gifts page and then choose whether you’re buying for a man, woman, boy or girl – if our product pages don’t inspire you Secret Santa’s nothing will!

http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/christmas-gifts/unusual-christmas-presents-ideas.asp

The whole point of Secret Santa goes hand-in-hand or glove-in-glove (well, it is Christmas) with Find-Me-A-Gift as spontaneity and creativity in gifts is what we’re all about! Whether you’re stumped on what to buy Suzanne from accounts or troubled on what to purchase for Uncle Terry, Find-Me-A-Gift will make sure you’re the most spectacular Secret Santa this side of winter!

http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/christmas-gifts/unusual-christmas-presents-ideas.asp

Now brief yourself. We’re going to give you a fool-proof short-course in Secret Santa scientology to ensure you never come a cropper with poor present ideas (as if you could ever do this with our site anyway!) Being a Secret Santa, you should always ask ‘Would I want to receive this?’ or ‘would my brother/sister/mum/dad’ want to receive this? As long as you’ve got that question burning in your mind, there won’t be a hole burning in your pocket!

http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/christmas-gifts/unusual-christmas-presents-ideas.asp

Listen up Secret Santa’s - as well as wonderful traditional gifts, fantastically funny novelty gifts and futuristic technical gadgets, we also stock activity gift experiences and personalised gifts so you can really go to town playing Secret Santa! (Depending on how much you like the person of course!)

So now you’re all quizzed up and knowledgeable Secret Santa’s why not start the ball rolling by organising yours now! Get your family, friends and work colleagues in on the act – start recommending Find-Me-A-Gift and spread the festive affordable cheer!

For any additional information on these specialised Secret Santa Gifts please email info@findmeagift.com or call 01926 640710

Regards

Katy Young

Secret Santa specialist!



Caffeinated Content