Congratulations to Emily for her book title, "Things That Make You Go Hmmm..." In all fairness to all you budding author's out there, we couldn't decide on a best book title, so we placed our top five in a box and selected our winner. Thanks to everyone for playing and thank you to Kristen for sharing her great idea.
To our new party goers, today's title is as close to Greek as it gets. To our faithful returners, you know it's Wednesday - the day we invite Roger von Oech to whack our thinking.
Put your money away. Tomorrow we'll resume spending money when we feature a $10.00 gift idea, but today we'll look at gift giving from a slightly different vantage point. We won't actually pull a card from von Oech's deck, but if we did we would want #9, "Drop an Assumption; #19 "Challenge the Rules"; or #59 "Do the Unexpected."
Today we are going to challenge the belief that the best holiday gift has to be given on Christmas day or, if you're Jewish, on any one of the SEVEN days of Hannukah.
Let me preface this by telling you about one of the best gifts I think I've ever given. My parents LOVE fruit. My mom and dad are kind of health food fanatics. Fruit, granola, steamed or grilled vegetables, lots of homemade yogurt (no flavoring), and broccoli, broccoli, broccoli. I get the Harry and David Catalog every year, but their prices are high so I usually pass right over it and look for something in the $25.00- $50.00 range. One particular year I combined, giving them a Merry Birthday present and splurged on a gift from Harry and David. I subscribed them to the Fruit of the Month Club - meaning every month for 12 months, they got a delivery of the most juicy, succulent fruits of the season. According to my mother, the deliveries were always beautifully packaged and were accompanied with corresponding recipe cards.
To me, one of the nice things about this gift idea is that it was the gift that kept on giving... every month for the whole year my parents got an edible reminder of me in the mail. None of us has the money to splurge on Harry and David's Fruit of the Month, but I like the idea of "subscriptions." And, not necessarily store "company-purchased" subscriptions such as magazines, fruit, or movies. I'm talking about a homemade, "Here's-what-I'm-good -at-coming-to-you-once -a-month-for-a-year" subscriptions. And really... who says it has to be monthly? Maybe it can be an six times a year or even quarterly, committing you to a delivery only four times a year.
Now the fun part. Let's generate some examples. I'm not genuinely good at a long list of things, but even I could come up with an example for a special someone on my Christmas list (p.s. I would only give one or two of these gifts a season, otherwise you create a healthy amount of work for yourself). How about "Cookie of the Month" club? Each month I could bake a batch of my fun cookies, decorate them and send them to my Christmas recipient. Or, what about a subscription to, "Claudia's Craft Item of the Month" club? You can always find craft items on the cheap and wouldn't it be fun to get one a month for a whole year? Sticker of the Month Club? Accessory of the Month? School Supply of the Month? Tea of the Month? Place mat of the month? The list is endless.
Now what about all the things so many of you are good at? CD of the Month Club? Picture of the Month (photographed or drawn)? Greeting Card of the Month? Recipe of the Month?. My sister loves to read the same kind of books I do. I wish she would subscribe me to the "Ann Toran used Business Book of the Month" club. In a minute we'll brainstorm some more, but first another related idea...
Nordstrom's puts out an annual catalog. At the back of the catalog, for sale at outrageous prices, are unusual and one-of-a-kind gift items. This year for instance you can fight to purchase the one and only custom designed couch by Tory Burch (price tag, $15,000); an armoire designed and stocked by Juicy Couture ($15,000); or a family portrait session with celebrity photographer Sam Jones (Two photo sessions are available at $50,000 each).
I'm assuming none of us will be giving any of those items this year, but what about mailing someone on our list a Custom Made Catalog of items/experiences from which they can choose? They pick the one in the catalog about which they are most excited and you make it happen. The catalog alone could be fun to create and your gift would be the talk of the town.
If I was doing this for a friend, the catalog of choices might include: (1) Private Cookie Flooding Lessons, (2) An afternoon at Paint Your Pottery, or (3) Free Baby sitting.
If Richard was feeling so inclined to make me a catalog, it would want it to include items such as: (1) Dinner and a Broadway Show, (2) a Driving Tour of Fall Leaves, or (3) Complete One Handyman Project of My Choice.
How about our 15 year old son, Ricky? (1) An Overnight trip Fly Fishing with Dad, (2) An Afternoon of Car Shopping at the Car Lots of Your Choice, or (3) A Room Overhaul (deep cleaned, organized, laundry done, and maybe even a new item or two).
My friend Amy should give away a closet consultation. She's my fashion mentor (among other things). Laura, you could include a Picture Shoot in your catalog. Stacie, what about a massage as an offering in your catalog? Other items might include a picnic, a car wash, or a CD collection of your choice. The list of possibilities is long. Heck, one of your catalog offerings could even be one of your infamous "monthly subscriptions."
Let's have fun with this today. Let's put on our thinking caps and generate ideas for "subscriptions" or for items that could be listed in our personalized "gift catalogs"
Signing off until tomorrow...
P.S. Important Spirit of #218 Announcement! Tonight is the lighting of the Tree in New York. It starts at 8:00 EST and is on NBC. This is the perfect reason to gather your family and friends. Pop some popcorn, pull out a game, invite some friends over.... but seize the moment and make time for this great holiday season. It is a simple, simple, simple way to get some holiday cheer going. And, it's FREE!
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19 comments:
Gotta think on this one and come back to it later today!
JULIE! I miss you joining me early morning as well! :-D
Oooh...I have to go back to the last post from yesterday evening by Sarah...the tied fleece blanket idea.
You probably could make that for about the $15 mark and ironically Katie K made one for Lily that she has come to adore. Seriously she sleeps with it every night and holds the tied pieces in her hand like a lovey.
It was the best gift and so thoughtful...definitely a good idea for a less expensive gift.
As far as what I could include. It isn't that I'm not good at anything but what I am really great at is just being there and listening, helping to process. Some people really appreciate this and others not so much but it would be a great Once a Month gift...a 3 hour processing/brainstorming session each month.
As far as my catalog...jiminy...I have NO idea!
So this wasn't a Christmas gift, but really, it could have been. . .
I recently attended an engagement party, and, not having any idea what the proper "gift" would be to bring, I came up with this. . .
I put together a coupon/advice book on wedding planning. This book included several coupons to be given out for such things as cookies to be made, people to help get various items (cake cutters, etc) to the reception hall Friday or early on Sat morning, sober friends to help carry gifts to the car at the end of the night, etc. The advice part was chock full of questions such as the type of wine will be used to toast with, get addresses organized, don't try to please everybody, etc.
JULIE: I think you need to post your subscription that you gave Jory last Christmas.
Another subscription idea might be "monthly phone conversations with me." How many times do we text, email, or use some other form of electronic communication and then realize that we really havent' spoken to a certain person in a very loooong time?!?!
P.S.: I agree, there were lots of fantastic book titles thrown out there. . .keep up all the fun ideas, HLA community!
I love music, and my friends are always coming to me for suggestions of new music, so I would do a mix-CD-of-the-month subscription. I'm also known as the therapist of my group of friends, so I could give out coupons to "drop everything and listen to me (gift reciepient) for at least one hour", similar to heather's idea. I can think of one best friend who would definitely love that. My sister and I occasionally write letters back and forth, so as a gift to each other we could agree to write at least one letter a month. We both love receiving each others' letters but we don't write often enough.
I don't mean to laugh at the Fruit of the Month.... but I can't help but recall an episode of Raymond where he gives his parents the gift of fruit, every month.... Marie, his mother can't believe it, who would get such a thing...
"Marie gets upset when she finds out that they'll be getting food in the mail for the entire year. "
You win on a gift sometimes, and you lose, sometimes!!!
Running late, I'll find something more to contribute later!
If I could make up my own subscription of the month it would be a "Day at the Spa" once a month. I would so look forward to it each month. I must admit it is something I would NEVER buy myself.....
As for Harry and David, my business sends all of our accounts a tower of treats from them and I must say they are pricey but they do deliver quality fruit and snacks.
I could offer "House Cleaning of the Month" now who wouldnt want that as a gift.....
Or, Maureen. If you don't want to commit to cleaning your gift recipient's house once a month, put it in you gift catalog and let them chose it as a one-time only gift.
Lindsay, as someone who loves good music when I hear it, but doesn't know the first thing about music, I would LOVE your gift idea. As a matter of fact, your music-loving genes must run in the family, because good music is what I rely on your great cousin Katie for!
Also, I had another thought on the way home from running an errand. For someone that really likes to bake, you could do a "Baking Item of the Month" club. Fancy Flours sells great cookie cutters (made of copper) in every shape you could imagine.
Also, for those of you who were around a few weeks ago when we had our first Friendship Party. How about a Picture Postcard a Month subscription. This way your recipient gets an update photo AND correspondence all at once. For those who have no idea what we are talking about, but who are curious. Check out the post from Monday, November 17.
I would be a member of the Pedicure A Month Club or a Movie Night A Month Club which could be going to the movies or watching one at home. I'm afraid to offer my services for A Month Club because as I have said a 100 times before I'm not very good at finishing the project. :)
I like Claudia's cookie of the month and craft of the month ideas but I see I'm stuck on the Subscription idea... I'll try to think on what my Catalog offers would be and what I would like to see in the catalog offered to me.
BTW... I love those tied fleece blankets. My sister made us each one and we love them.
ATTENTION: I just added an announcement to the bottom of today's post. I forgot to mention that TONIGHT is the lighting of the Christmas Tree in New York. It is a GREAT and SIMPLE way to kick off your holiday season with family and friends.
It's a school night, I know. But this is no time to be practical. We are in the business of making memories and making memories is not always practical work!
Live the spirit of #218 and gather 'round with your family and friends. It starts at 8:00 EST on NBC.
Cheryl, I would say sign me up for the "Ray of the Month" club, but I can't be confined to just one!
HA! You already have that subscription, silly!
I like to strive to being a member of the "calling a friend a month" club. Being away from all of them now makes it easy for the months to go bye and us not talk to each other, so I strive to talking to them all at least once a month!
I also strive to be in the "sharing good music once a month club". As Claudia mentioned, I like to mix CDs for her and mail them off, knowing she will appreciate it and enjoy the music on the CD.
As for what someone could do for me.... no idea! I don't need cookies, that's for sure. I like pedicures, but not that much. I think I just like a short note every once and a while saying "hey!".
PS. About the fleece blanket. Sarah, it could be under $15 if you get the fleece on sale. Most fleece is about $8 or $9 per yard. The ones I make for kids are about a yard and a half, and for adults 2 yards. So for a kid, that's 3 yards of fleece (2 sides to the blanket) x $8 a yard= $24. I did get some great fleece on sale last week for 3 blankets I'm making this Christmas. I got 8 yards of fabric for $50.
Fortunately for me I finished my shopping! I dont have to make a coupon book because as you know (Claudia) they call me for everything anyway ha ha!
FYI doing RAK's pays off.... I am a firm believer in "What goes around comes around." I was in Yankee Candle (my favorite store in the world). A woman came up to me and handed me a coupon for 2 free jar candles if you buy 2. Of course she saw I was buying 2. I was so happy. Instead of getting 2 jar candles for $50 I got 4. It was my "HIGH" for the day.
Yay my book title won!
I think if I were to offer a service of the month it would have to be free babysitting for my nephews and cousins. It is something that I am good at and enjoy, plus I feel guilty for them paying me to do something that comes so easily. Or I could offer a technology session for my parents to finally teach them how to use their ipods and e-mails with a promise that I wont get frustrated.
I also love Katie's idea of talking to friends once a month club. It is so easy to get caught up in the everyday things that you forget that you haven't heard your friends voices in a while you have just seen their e-mails.
As someone who is technological challenged (I know, it's an understatement), Emily's idea is GREAT! It should be on the Christmas list of everyone over 40!
Lake Havasu City checking in again ...
So, Kristen and her husband are big outdoors--people :) So, in true Schnepp fashion, I gave him a year's "subscription" last Christmas to a VEGAN magazine. (I don't mean to offend anyone's lifestyles). Jory (my brother-in-law) might seriously die if he went more than 18 hours without meat. The look on his face when he saw it!
Other subscription ideas:
~ road trips to see someone a few times a year
~ updated picture(s) of child/children to friends/family that live far away
~ phone date immediately after a TV show you both watch religiously
I like the monthly "drop everything and listen to me sort out my life" option!
Maureen - I LOVE Yankee Candle and am a huge fan of their (new?) .... something with "Pomagranite" (spelling?) in the name.
Lindsay: I love the idea of sending out mix cd's every month! I am a music major and I still dont always know whats out there! I absolutely love hearing what others are into and what's new. Plus, Im usually too busy listening to classical or opera for class that I rarely get to listen to anything else!
KTK: I have to say that I must always get the on sale fleece! I have made 5 of those and have never paid over $20! I guess I never paid much attention to it though, haha.
Emily: Dr. B said that the tech help should be on everyones list over 40... but let me just say that personally I could benefit from your knowledge! I have had an ipod for about 2 years and have no idea how to use it!! It only has two songs on it. That is something my little brothers could definately help me out with. LoL
As for what I could give coupons/subscriptions for I had a hard time coming up with more than one.
I am from a small town where as a teen there is not alot to do... except go to the movies. You can find my 16 year old brother there just about every weekend. I could give him a book of movie coupons. I doubt they would make it through a whole year but I know he would love it.
a day late on this one - spent some time in the ER last night (everything is fine, i just need to learn how to drink more water)
my subscription of the month club would be either an 8x8 or a 12x12 scrapbook page of pictures put together in themes or what have you...then the following year i can have them bound to calander pages and they have a really cool calander!
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