POSTS TAGGED : shopping

Sponsored Post: Gifts For You Now

We  all know how hard it can be to come up with creative gifts for the same holiday or special occasion every year.

Ties for Dad. Been there, done that.

Earrings for Grandma. Over it.

Gift card for just about anyone. Useful, but can be seen as impersonal.

Sigh.

What’s a momma to do?

As a mom, we don’t always have time (or ambition) to trek through stores with kids and gear in tow to find that “perfect” one-of-a-kind gift that will get all the oohs and ahhs. That’s why it may seem almost impossible and downright stressful.

That’s when you let your fingers do the shopping. Personalized gift sites are a great resource for unique gifts that will get all those oohs and ahhs. Gifts for You Now is one of those sites.

Whether it’s Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, wedding, baptism, or any other special occasion, you can find those unique gifts topped with a personal touch. How about a personalized bunny for your little one? Or an engraved frame for Grandma for Mother’s Day?

Instead of buying another tool box for Dad for Father’s Day, what about some cool engraved items for his man cave?

When it comes to weddings, there are all kinds of gifts starting with the bride and groom and ranging to the parents as well as the wedding party. As for baptisms, there are so many keepsake gifts like blankets, bibs, and crosses that are sure to warm the hearts of those receiving them.

So, the next time you want to give a great gift but don’t have the time to shop around, just click and create for a one-of-a-kind gift.

 

Why Do Father’s Day Gifts Suck?

I’ve been out shopping this week, searching for the “perfect” Father’s Day gift for my husband. After searching high, low, left and right, I’m here to tell you all the options out there really suck. There’s no nice way to put it.

Let me break it down for you. If you look in any of the sale flyers in the paper, they are all littered with neck ties, khakis, golf clubs, and tools. I’m sorry, but I think those are all crappy gifts. First of all, the only time my husband wears a neck tie is for a wedding or a funeral. Through the years, he’s acquired enough to never need another one in his lifetime. So, scratch that off the list.

Now on to the khakis. Boring. There’s really not much more to say. I don’t wear khakis. My husband doesn’t wear them. We are not a khaki clan. I can’t buy khakis. The same can be said for golf clubs. I know a lot of guys would be foaming at the mouth if they got a new set for Father’s Day. Not in my house. My husband doesn’t golf. So, this goes in the “N/A” pile of Father’s Day gifts.

Moving on to tools. I like to compare these to small appliances for women. It’s kinda like buying a woman a vacuum or iron for Mother’s Day. You may need it, but it’s really not a gift. It’s just something to help you do even more housework. It’s like giving your guy an electric screwdriver, a shiny new hammer, and a wrench and saying, “Go fix all the things in the house that you should have fixed all year round. Happy Father’s Day!” Yet, another crappy gift.

There are always gadgets and electronics. Guys love that stuff. But, honestly some of them are so expensive. Who has money for that? Not this momma. I thought about going the sentimental route and getting something engraved. But, I’ve done that so many times. I’m running out of things to carve.

Hmmm. So, what do you buy for a Father’s Day gift? I asked my husband what he wanted. He truly said nothing. He’s the type to just buy something when he wants it. He’s not going to wait for some Hallmark holiday to get something he’s been wanting. That’s why shopping is so difficult.

I was ready to chuck the whole gift idea, but I felt a twinge of guilt about not having something for him to open Sunday morning. At least something from the kids. After sorting through racks of ugly shirts that left me wanting to chuck some golf balls at someone, I did find a gift. Not a big gift. Not a “typical” gift, but a gift none the less. It’s just a little something from the kiddies. Hopefully he likes it because I can’t return it.

So, what am I going to get him? Maybe I’ll make something other than chicken. That would truly be a gift in my house! I don’t know. I still have a few days to decide.  All I know is that shopping for Father’s Day is annoying. Enough said.

One of These Things is Not Like the Other

  Babies R Us, Motherhood Maternity, Target…those have really been the extent of my shopping experiences over the last few months while I’ve been pregnant. Throw in a random trip to J.C. Penney and Macy’s and that just about covers it. Most of it has been to buy practical things…some new maternity shirts, gifts, clothes for my daughter, and some necessities for the new arrival. I haven’t really bought anything for myself because I figure what’s the point in buying new clothes when I don’t know what post-baby has in store for me.
   But, my good friends at Victoria’s Secret (actually we’re not really good friends, more like acquaintances, but I digress) sent me some coupons in the mail. Some were for percentages off your purchase when you spend a certain amount. But there was one for a free pair of underwear. There’s not a lot that’s free in the world and my motto has always been if it’s free, it’s for me. So I decided to cash in on my coupon. I took my daughter on a nice little stroller ride through the mall and stopped in Victoria’s Secret. Well, I’m surprised an alarm didn’t go off when I stepped foot inside. Let’s just say with my bulging pregnant belly and bouncing two-year-old in the stroller, I didn’t exactly blend in. To my right were some women checking out the latest lingerie…they needed to eat a twinkie. To my left in the “Pink” section were a bunch of teenie bopper girls wondering what sweatpants to buy. It is apparently very important which word is on your butt, silly me.
So I waddled over to the table to get my free grub when a bubbly girl asked if I needed help. I’m surprised she didn’t ask me if I was lost or if I needed directions. I told her I was just picking out my free underwear. She did point me in the right direction and then asked if she could help me with anything else. I looked at her, looked at my belly, looked at her again and politely said no. When she realized she wasn’t going to make a dime off of me, she slowly strolled away.
   As I rummaged through the table, I realized that some things have changed since I had been here last…mainly the sizes. I think the size small could have fit my two-year-old. What grown woman could fit into those? I have wash clothes bigger than those underwear. Obviously, I was starting to feel like getting the free pair of underwear just wasn’t worth it. But, I kinda already felt like I committed, so I figured I might as well follow through. So, I sifted through to sadly determine my “new mommy” size and get to the register. Once I got there, the Barbie behind the counter asked me why I wasn’t using my other coupons. For the love of Pete, just give me my free underwear and let me get out of here! I pointed to my belly and told her it just wasn’t practical right now. I got an “oh”. Yeah, “oh” is right. So, she wrapped up my non-purchase and I was on my way. I dodged my way through the dental floss undies and super padded push-up bras. Luckily, my daughter was too obsessed with her cheerios the whole time and didn’t say much. I just couldn’t wait to get out of there. I was feeling kinda dumb being in there, but they did send me a coupon. And if you know me, I haven’t met a coupon I didn’t like. Maybe they need to add a line of fine print on the bottom of the coupon that says, “pregos steer clear, if you come in, you’ll find one of these things is clearly not like the other.”