Pretty ideas

Giving a gift is an art form that has been handed down through the generations and takes a great deal of thought if you don’t want it to end up in the “re-gifting” pile. Giving an inappropriate gift is almost as bad as giving no gift at all so take some time to consider what that special person may love to have.

Flowers and chocolates are a favorite – and not only with the women – but do a little research to find out what the flowers, and their colors, mean. Yes, some flowers come with hidden meanings and you don’t want to give the wrong impression do you?

For example, roses have always been a firm favorite but did you realize that each color denotes a special meaning? Yellow, although favored by many to their sweethearts, actually stands for friendship. Red has become the color of love and passion. White stands for purity or innocent feelings but beware, red and white flowers should not be sent to someone sick, especially in a hospital, because it is said to denote blood and bandages!

Surprisingly, some sites also offer flower bouquets amongst their usual gifts of musical and jewelry boxes. Sending a big bunch of sunny yellow sunflowers will show adoration to the recipient. A bouquet of yellow and white lilies could be seen to represent an enthusiastic, but innocent and sincere feeling towards the recipient.

The list is virtually endless and so are the combinations of flowers on offer. All sell at reasonable prices, are delivered to the door and some have been discounted.

Of course, something else surprising is that some sites offer bonsai trees. These miniature trees, identical to their full size cousins, have been carefully pruned and pampered to give an exact replica of the full size tree. The beauty of such a gift is that they are not too difficult to look after, and they can be placed on an office desk to bring a touch of nature into the workplace. Many would love to own one of these trees but are sometimes put off by the thought that they may be too expensive or difficult to maintain. This is a myth on both counts and they are growing ever popular as a gift idea.

Another perennial favorite, adored by old and young alike, are music boxes. These tend to be treasured for years and can be handed down through the family. There is a wide selection here including children’s music boxes.

Imagine that special little girl receiving a beautifully crafted, heart shaped jewelry box that she can decorate herself. This kit, with all the trimmings for her to enjoy, has a great finishing touch. Open the lid and there is a dancing ballerina! This, of course, is the more traditional style box but with the modern twist that will delight children everywhere.

Traditional music boxes are many and varied but some have that extra touch of class. Take a look at the Thomas Kincade collection. These musical boxes are highly collectable and will certainly become a family favorite. Most are limited editions which will make them even more collectable and they have several theme tunes. Try giving one with a Christmas theme which has twelve different songs that play in rotation. Children and adults alike will absolutely love the festive scenes and will be able to sing along with those old familiar songs.

Many boxes can be customized with the tune of your choice. Modern favorites like ‘A Whole New World’, Beauty and the Beast or ‘Can You Feel the Love tonight’ are available as well as the old favorites like ‘Chestnuts Roasting’, ‘Beautiful Dreamer’ or ‘Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy’. For those of you who want to be patriotic “America the Great’ is also available.

Several styles of jewelry are also acceptable; one being a sterling silver or gold key chain which comes in the form of a saw; great for the handyman in your life – or for that very special woman who is ‘doing it for herself!’ Try another unusual piece of jewelry; the gold microphone pendant. This is rather a unique piece ideal for anyone who does public speaking or DJ-ing. Even double clef earrings are available – again for the musically minded perhaps. Indeed, there should be a piece of jewelry to fit almost any profession or past-time you care to mention. Yes, the choice is that good!

The choice doesn’t end there either. If you have a daughter or young female relative, there is a great collection of bags etc to choose from. One comes complete with a matching raglan sleeved t-shirt in pretty shades of pink and white with a cute ‘flower girl’ design on the front. Of course there are many other bags and back packs available but this one looks rather sweet since the two items match each other perfectly. The good thing about giving a gift like this is that even when she has outgrown the shirt, she will still have the bag to treasure for some time to come.

I suppose it can be said that if you take a little time and trouble, you will find that something special for that someone special in your life. The problem lies in the choosing of the gift though. If you are given so much choice you will be hard pressed to decide on which one will be your favorite gift. Help is still at hand though because if you fail to make that choice, gift vouchers are the answer. They come in many values ranging from about $25 up to $1,000 and can be sent direct to your recipient. This too, would make a wonderful surprise. Just think about the hours of enjoyment that can be spent poring over the web pages trying to pick this or that which will delight many. Great for you too if you are not ‘gift minded’ or simply don’t have the time to trudge around the shops looking for ideas.