Gift Ideas For Busy Moms and Wives

There's nothing Moms and wives love getting more for her birthday than vacuum cleaners and kitchen appliances - NOT! (Unless, of course, she specifically requests them - and even that can be a risky venture.)

There are many gift ideas for busy Moms and wives that are much more personal and some even involve giving her time to relax away from hectic family life.

How about serving her breakfast in bed, along with the newspaper and a crystal vase of roses or her birthday month flower, AND then cleaning up the kitchen afterwards until it's spotless.

If her taste runs more toward jewelry and you can't afford diamonds, a good jewelry gift idea would be a pretty ring, necklace, bracelet or earrings in her birth month gemstone (and if you're feeling really generous just get her the whole set!)

Some busy Moms and wives would love to have time away from the noise and bustle of family life so here are some gift ideas for her to enjoy time for herself:

• Gift card for a massage
• Gift card for a thorough house cleaning
• Gift card for the works at her favorite beauty salon, icluding a manicure
• Gift card for a day of pampering at a day spa

Top off the day with an evening out at a fancy restaurant. Order a bottle of champagne and toast her for all she does for you and the family (and also because you love her.) Don't forget to hire a baby sitter and leave the kids at home.

All Moms and wives deserve a special day.

Gift Ideas For Senior Women

What can you get for Grandma or Auntie if she’s in a nursing home or health related facility? She probably doesn’t get out much so her needs tend more to comfort items. Well fear not; I do have some gift ideas for the inactive senior woman.


How about these gift ideas:

• An attractive, yet soft and cuddly robe
• Comfy slippers
• A cool or warm nightie (depending on climate)
• A soft fleecy throw for those cool nights
• A piece of costume jewelry to show off if she has her meals in the dining hall
• Books (including audio), magazines and music CDs - first find out what her interests are
• A Walkman or MP3 player to play the aforementioned items - you may have to show her how to use these
• Home-baked goods, candy
• A gift basket featuring her favorite non-perishable goodies
• A gift basket containing hair and bath items like shampoos, fancy soaps, hand and body lotions

And, most importantly, visits from you! If Grandma or Auntie is ambulatory and able to go out, she would probably love a nice lunch in a pleasant restaurant with her favorite grandchild, niece or nephew.

Anniversary Gift Idea List

Below are the lists for Anniversary gift ideas. There are two lists - Traditional and Modern - to choose from. So without further adieu, here they are:

ANNIVERSARY GIFT IDEAS

Traditional

First - Paper
Second - Cotton
Third - Leather
Fourth - Flowers, Fruits, Books
Fifth - Wood
Sixth - Candy, Iron
Seventh - Copper, Wool
Eighth - Bronze, Pottery
Ninth - Pottery, Willow
Tenth - Tin, Aluminum
Eleventh - Steel
Twelfth - Silk, Linen
Thirteenth - Lace
Fourteenth - Ivory
Fifteenth - Crystal
Twentieth - China
Twenty-Fifth - Silver
Thirtieth - Pearl
Thirty-Fifth - Coral
Fortieth - Ruby
Forty-Fifth - Sapphire
Fiftieth - Gold
Fifty-Fifth - Emerald
Sixtieth - Diamond
Seventieth – Diamond
Seventy-Fifth - Diamond

Modern

First - Clocks
Second - China
Third - Crystal, Glass
Fourth - Appliances
Fifth – Silverware
Sixth - Wood
Seventh - Desk Accessories
Eighth - Linens, Lace
Ninth - Leather
Tenth - Diamond Jewelry
Eleventh - Fashion Jewelry
Twelfth - Pearls
Thirteenth - Textiles, Furs
Fourteenth - Gold Jewelry
Fifteenth - Watches
Twentieth - Platinum
Twenty-Fifth - Silver
Thirtieth - Diamond
Thirty-Fifth - Jade
Fortieth - Ruby
Forty-Fifth - Sapphire
Fiftieth - Gold
Fifty-Fifth - Emerald
Sixtieth - Diamond
Seventieth – Diamond
Seventy-Fifth - Diamond

I just hope that if a couple is having a First Anniversary party they won't be inundated with clocks or reams of computer paper. (How about tickets to a show - they're paper.) However, when it comes to their Sixtieth, diamonds ARE certainly welcomed!

In this blog I'll be going into gift ideas for all sorts of occasions (including anniversaries) and types of folks and age groups. So sit tight.

Birthstone and Flower Gift Idea List

Okay, let’s start with the basics. There are certain gift ideas associated with birthdays and anniversaries, so we’ll take a look at those lists first. Please note that other lists may differ a little from what I have here.

BIRTHDAY GIFT IDEAS

Birthstones

January - Garnet
February - Amethyst
March - Aquamarine, Bloodstone
April - Diamond
May - Emerald
June - Pearl, Moonstone, Alexandrite
July - Ruby
August - Peridot, Sardonyx
September - Sapphire, Lapis Lazuli
October - Opal, Tourmeline
November - Yellow Topaz, Citrine
December - Turquoise, Blue Zircon, Tanzanite


A nice gift idea for a pre-teen or teen-aged girl is a birthstone ring. Add a matching bracelet, necklace or earrings and you have a gift she’ll cherish.

Flowers

January - Carnation, Snow Drop
February - Violet
March - Jonquil, Daffodil
April - Sweet Pea, Daisy
May - Lily of the Valley
June - Rose
July - Larkspur
August - Gladiolus
September - Aster
October - Calendula, Cosmos
November - Chrysanthemum
December – Narcissus, Holly



Have an Auntie or older female relative? I bet she'd enjoy a surprise bouquet containing her birth month flowers.


Tomorrow I’ll post the list for anniversary gift ideas.

Gift Idea Notebook

Before you totally stress out trying to come up with gift ideas at the last minute, why don’t you get yourself a small date book you can keep in your purse or pocket. You can usually pick these up at a dollar store; some businesses give these out for free. Enter all your relatives’ and friends’ birthdays, upcoming showers, weddings, anniversaries, etc. into this book. This way, when you’re in the local shopping mall or on a trip to another city or state you’ll know whose birthday or special day is coming up. You just might see something he or she would love to have.

In your little gift ideas notebook, make some notes as to what your friend’s or relative’s hobbies, sports or other interests are. Any time you see or hear of a potential gift, write it down. By the time that person’s birthday comes along you’ll already have some gift ideas handy.

If you see a great gift while shopping and have enough storage room in a closet, you might even want to buy it at that time. If your closet is roomy enough, set aside an area for storing gifts and wrapping supplies.

A good time to shop is right after a holiday or when the stores are holding clearance sales to make room for a new season. That’s the time to pull out your little book and start shopping for gifts. This is also a good time to stock up on wrapping paper, cards and other supplies.

At A Loss For Gift Ideas?

Are you ever at a loss for gift ideas? Do you dread upcoming holidays and gift-giving occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, showers, etc.?

Well, that’s me. I used to panic at the thought of choosing an appropriate gift. I was always afraid my gift ideas were either not good enough, not expensive enough or would be absolutely hated by the recipient. So I feel your pain.

I decided to sit down and research all sorts of gift ideas for all the different gift-giving occasions and then share them with you, hoping that maybe the next time you’re in need of a gift idea you’ll find one here.

However, before you choose a gift for someone, it helps to know a little something about that person. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Is the person male or female?
• How old is he or she?
• What are some known likes and dislikes? If you don't know, check with friends, relatives, or (without being too obvious about it) ask the intended recipient.
• Does this person have any special interests or hobbies? For example, is he or she a golf nut? There are plenty of gifts you can choose for a golfer ranging from golf balls to golf clubs, depending on how much you can afford to spend.

In the days to come I will explore all sorts of gift ideas for all different kinds of occasions. So, stay tuned.