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Do You Thank a Giftless Guest?
Thank You Gift-Giving Etiquette
When to Give a Thank You Gift
There are countless situations when it’s appropriate to send a thank you gift. Generally, any time somebody goes above and beyond what is asked or expected of them it’s appropriate to thank them with a gift. Thank you gifts are never required, though always appreciated, and are a thoughtful way to make someone feel good about helping you out.
Rules of Thumb
The type of thank you gift you should buy depends on your relationship with the person and the nature of the favor.
- If it’s a relative or close friend you can make the gift more personal by catering it to his or her interests.
- Go with a more traditional thank you gift for a neighbor or co-worker, such as a gourmet food basket.
- Consider the degree to which the person made your life easier. Watching your children for a week deserves a nicer gift than taking in your mail.
- Avoid giving cash for as a thank you gift.
A thank you gift is a token gesture to show someone you’re grateful for what they’ve done. Depending on the favor, it’s acceptable to spend as little as $10-$15.
Here are some excellent gifts ideas to help you say thank you!
Treasured Keepsakes. A jewelry box or plaque with a thank you quote or poem about friendship on it can make a treasured keepsake for a dear friend. If somebody helped you while you were on vacation a keepsake from the place you visited is a great way to remind them that you couldn’t have gone away without them!
Who Gives an Easter Basket?
Easter baskets have long been a source of joy and sugar-highs in many Christian households. Traditionally, it’s the magical “Easter bunny” who leaves a basket full of sweet treats and toys for the youngsters in the home.
But nowadays Easter has become an even broader gift-giving occasion as more and more adults hop on this spring ritual. Parents typically still provide the major basket to children, but grandparents, aunts and uncles,godparents and even neighbors are using the day to show the little bunny in their life that they care.
It’s not necessary to give an Easter basket, but if you do, here are some tips you might want to consider:
Size matters
You don’t want to outshine the Easter Bunny! Make sure the basket you give is significantly smaller than the one delivered at home by the furry guy.
Get an OK on contents
Ask a child’s parents if it’s okay to give candy or if they’d prefer you give a healthy snack, a stuffed animal, kite, or coloring book..
Don’t overdo it
If you live in a neighborhood full of kids or are attending a party where there will be lots of children, consider giving each a single wrapped chocolate bunny or Easter egg instead of a full-blown basket. You can buy the bunnies and eggs in bulk and distribute them individually.
Embrace the theme
If you’re hosting an Easter dinner, put small baskets filled with jelly beans at each place-setting. Attach the guest’s name so they know where to sit. If you’re attending a holiday dinner as a guest, package the hostess gift in a festive basket.
While Easter is a deeply religious holiday, fun baskets are a great way to celebrate the day and welcome a new season.
Etiquette dictates that thank-you cards should be sent to acknowledge any gifts. But what do you do if someone’s attended your party, shower, or wedding and showed up empty-handed?
Often, guests spend a substantial amount of time and money to travel to an event making it even harder to purchase a gift on top of their other expenses. In such cases, you should consider your friend’s or relative’s attendance as your gift, as his/her “presence” should trump the gift-wrapped kind. The same is true for a destination wedding, where guests incur considerable extra expenses.
When in doubt, it’s best to be gracious and let the person know that you appreciate the effort they made to attend and share in your special day.
gift guides
How to Make a Diaper Cake
What is a diaper cake?
A diaper cake is a collection of diapers rolled up and arranged in tiers resembling a traditional cake. The finished cakes can also be decorated with baby care items such as bibs, pacifiers or any other item you choose.
6 Easy Steps to Diaper Cake
Large cake plate, 60 diapers (newborn size), 1 inch ribbon, ¼ inch ribbon, 50 small rubber bands, 6 large rubber bands, an 8 oz and a 4 oz baby bottle, baby and decorative items (silk flowers, plastic booties, etc.). Tip: Use ribbon that matches the baby shower theme!
For this step you will need about 35 diapers. Place the 8 oz. bottle in the center of a large cake plate. Roll 17 of the diapers into a cylinder shape and make sure they are rolled tightly. Place a rubber band around each diaper roll to hold it in place. Assemble 5-7 diapers side-to-side around the bottle and place a large rubber band around the ring of diapers to keep them secure. Continue to add a second ring around the first with the remaining rolled diapers and secure them with another rubber band.
Roll up 18-20 more diapers but instead of securing them with a small rubber band, tie a piece of the ¼ inch
ribbon around each one. This ring will be visible by everyone so it needs to be pretty! Assemble these
band. Tie the 1 inch ribbon around the ring to cover the rubber band.
Step 3 – Keep Stacking - Tier Two
Repeat Step 1 to form the second tier, but only form two rings instead of three. Make sure the outer second ring diapers are each tied with a ¼ inch ribbon. Also tie the 1 inch ribbon around the entire second tier, similar to the first.
Step 4 – You Are Almost Done! Tier Three Time
This tier can be assembled separately. Roll 5-6 diapers with ¼ inch ribbon and assemble them in a ring around the 4 oz. bottle. Secure this entire ring to the bottle with a rubber band and a 1 inch piece of ribbon. Place this tier on top of the second tier to form the three-tier cake.
Step 5 – Time for the fun part!
Add stuffed animals or other baby items such as rattles, receiving blankets and pacifiers all around the cake. You can tuck them into the rubber bands or in between the diapers.
Step 6 – Be prepared for ooohs and ahhhs!
The gift recipient will adore your creation and so will the other guests!
gift etiquette
Do You Have to Celebrate Every Birthday?
Some people plan their birthday bash almost a year in advance. Others never celebrate their own big day, but put themselves out to make a friend or loved one’s celebration special. And yet others believe that the occasion is one to be commemorated only during childhood, and ignore their own birthday as well as those of their acquaintances.
Forget The Day At Your Own Risk
Whether or not you enjoy going big on birthdays, many people do! As a universally acknowledged custom, it may be offensive to some if you ignore their special day. So even though you might save birthday gift-giving for only close friends and family members, for everyone else in your life, simply extend a birthday greeting via an e-card, Facebook post, or an old-fashioned birthday phone call. And make doubly sure to note the birthdays of your friend's children since although the child may not remember, a begrudging parent might. When in doubt, wish happy birthday!
Different Jokes For Different Folks
Birthdays are an excuse to show our friends and family that we care about them. That doesn’t mean your gift can’t be silly, but make sure not to cross the line (don’t buy a grilling guide for a vegetarian, as hilarious an idea it may seem to you). If you’re buying your brother a set of stink bombs and trick gum (not a recommended gift), offset them with a more sincere card. Likewise, if you give a somewhat serious present such as a family heirloom, you may want to choose a more lighthearted card so that the recipient leaves your company with a smile rather than ceremonial solemnity.
Birthdays Are Like Bookends
Sure, birthday milestones like 16, 18, 21, 30, and 40 are especially significant because they symbolize rites of passage, but does that mean life goes downhill until, say, 50 or 100? Each year should be acknowledged, and birthdays are a way to celebrate life and lighten the load when things are looking down. Think of birthdays as bookends to the years of your life—moments of reflection on the past year and on wishes and goals for the future.
Cool Gift Ideas Under $25
Boo Plush $ 15.00
Trendy Eye Chart Hip Party Flask $ 24.88
The Fast Food Wallet $ 15.00
American Rag Hat, Black Fang $ 9.99
Knit Tech Glove $ 17.99
Guitar Pick Punch $ 24.95