40 Simple Gift Ideas To Spark A Smile
I have a confession to make鈥?I still have not started my Christmas shopping. Having said that, I鈥檓 guessing that many of your out there are just like me, waiting for the last week before Christmas. As a gentle reminder to myself, I鈥檝e compiled a list of gift ideas for the holiday season. These ideas are not limited to just Christmas, but for all occasions. I hope you may benefit from this list as well. 1. Seed Gift Wrap that Blossoms - Okay, this is really cool. Imagine a wrapping paper that you will plant instead of throwing away. These are biodegradable paper embedded with wildflower seeds. Once you鈥檙e done using the paper, just plant and water for beautiful blossoms. 2. Nepalese Recycled Silk Sari Yarn - Vibrantly colored and unique yarn guaranteed to be a unique gift. Purchase helps provide an income to otherwise disadvantaged women while simultaneously using otherwise-discarded fabric waste. 3. USB Heating Blanket - Is your boss too cheap to pay for a little heat in the office?
Show your boss a little respect by buying an electric blanket that plugs into your computer. In all seriousness, if your computer is next to a drafty window or a cold area, this seems handy to throw over your legs or use the button clasp to make a cloak for your shoulders. 4. Solar Powered Night Light - I love these eco friendly items. They recharge during the day by soaking energy from natural lights and you can use them at night time as a cool atmospheric room light. 5. Tibetan Singing Bowls - Singing bowl gives clear, beautiful sound, perfect for beginning and ending meditation periods. Here鈥檚 a blue design with pretty packaging. I personally own this one. 6. Recycled Paper Coasters - Beautifully made unique coasters reuse earth鈥檚 resource. 7. Portable Solar Charger - Great for traveling. Charge your phone, ipod and other electronics. 8. Bamboo Cotton Bath Robes - I鈥檝e never met anyone who doesn鈥檛 enjoy a nice light-weight, soft-feel bath robe. 9. Solar LED House Numbers - I think these are just plain cool. Attractive house numbers which are solar powered.
I love the modern look of these designs. Also very practical for the home. 10. MiniCards - Moo makes these really cool and attractive name cards. Get a box for your gift receiver. Be creative with the images you choose for them, or use existing designs. Moo also offers gift certificates. These are especially great if you have a teenager or twenty-something on your gift list. They鈥檒l think you鈥檙e cool. And be proud to give these out to their friends. 11. Neck & Shoulder Relaxation Tool - I am sitting most of the times for my job, and my neck and shoulders can easily become tense after several hours. Here鈥檚 a nice little tool to help us relax. You can see a more attractive picture of the product here. 12. Handmade Paper Journal with Cinnamon stick closure - this also helps to support local artists from disadvantaged countries. 13. Avocado Scooper - This made me laugh out loud. It鈥檚 very clever and unique. 14. Compact Portable Speakers - Great for when you鈥檙e traveling. 5 you can鈥檛 go wrong.
I own these and love them. They work with portable devices like the ipod, cd players, laptops. 15. Multi-Language Talking Translator - Ideal for international travelers, the Talking Translator will help you learn the pronunciation of foreign words. Search among 12 different languages. 16. Homemade Gift Basket - What do they like? Put some of their favorite things together, or put together a group of small things that you think your friend will like. I鈥檝e made this for a friend once, I included things like: chocolates, a mug, a shirt, homemade CDs, books, etc. You can get a straw basket from IKEA, home decorative stores or from your local Chinatown. Get some party stuffers for the bottom of the basket. Or stuff it with newspapers and cover the top with colored tissue paper. Wrap the entire basket with clear wrapping and close the top with a colored ribbon. Your gift receiver will love this personalized gift.
17. Love Coupons - Make a little coupon book containing favors you would do for the receiver. It doesn鈥檛 have to be fancy, you can print them out from a word processor, cut it in rectangles of the same size and staple them together. Or if you want to go all out, get nice paper and a nice ink pen, write in each page of your coupon book. I鈥檒l let you be creative with what you鈥檒l put in the coupons. Here are some ideas: airport pickup, make dinners (can be specific with meals), massages, take dog for walks, babysitting, pamper day, etc. Put the coupon in a little box or gift bag. Recycled jewelry boxes are great for these. 19. Maid Service - Buy your friend or family a one-time maid service to clean up their place. Especially if your friend really needs the help. Alternatively, you can offer to help as a gift to them. You can find maid services from Craigslist and your local photo books. 20. Meditation Gift Basket - make your own basket containing incense, guided meditation CD or DVD (or both), meditative music, candles.