Gifts and Giving: Building an Emergency Gift Supply

Have you ever found yourself in need of a gift at the last minute and no time in which to go out and get one? This can present quite a quandary, and in some instances it might even prove rather stressful. That is, unless you are one of those people who plans ahead so as to be prepared for just such a moment.

Gift giving should be just as fun and stress free as gift receiving. Read on for a way to make gift giving easier and stress free, even in last minute situations. Continuing with the gift and giving theme, this article was originally published on Helium in January 2011.

Build and Emergency Gift Stash

When an occasion comes up at the last minute, it can be very handy to have an emergency supply of gifts already on hand. Building up a gift stash is a very easy thing to do. All it takes is a little planning and a place to organize and store your stash.

First you’ll need an empty drawer, storage bin or foot locker in which to keep your emergency gift supply. Next, think about the different kinds of occasions for which you generally need gifts, especially last minute gifts, and the types of items you typically purchase.

Quite often seasonal items will go on sale or be reduced drastically during store clearances. Whenever you’re out shopping or even just browsing, be sure and check to see if your favorite retailer has any good deals on items you can use to build your emergency gift stash. After major holidays is an opportune time to score bargains on gift items.

Winter scarves, hats, gloves, and fleece items can all be put away for next year’s gift-giving. Picture frames, photo albums, handkerchiefs, ladies’ scarves, candles and votives, boxed stationery, pen sets, writing journals, and glassware are all useful items that have no season and can be presented as gifts year-round for a variety of different types of occasions.

Dish and tea towels are great to have on hand for last-minute housewarming gifts. Bottle openers, wine openers and other kitchen gadgets that often go missing are handy to include in gift packages as well. Table linens and other household items such as guest towels are things a hostess can never have too many of.

Discount stores are a good source of items for an emergency gift supply. Quite often, they sell the same items as the major retailers at significantly lower prices, and just like in the department stores, these items will be rotated regularly and leftovers put on clearance.

Books are another great item to have in your gift stash. Coffee table books, how-to and reference books make great gifts for adults, and coloring books go along with kids. Many book stores have bargain bins where they regularly reduce books for clearance. Office supply stores are a good source for finding desk accessories and items for professionals on sale for your gift stash.

When putting together a stash of emergency gift items, it is also a good idea to have a stash of gift-wrapping supplies as well. This is easily accomplished by visiting dollar stores and catching end-of-season sales at other retailers.

A little planning and a lot of browsing are all that is required to build an emergency gift stash. By checking clearance racks and bins often, you can quickly amass a supply of gifts suitable for every occasion without breaking the bank.

Etiquette: What to do With Unwanted Gifts

It's that time of year again, the season of giving. Unfortunately, not all gifts given during this period will be useful items that are wanted by the recipients. In some instances this will be no big deal, and the gifts will be received with grace and a smile, but in some instances it will lead to major disappointment, and possibly even a negative response.

For still others, the folk in between the "Nice, just not my taste" and the "What am I supposed to do with this" crowds, unwanted gift items bring yet another knick-knack to add to the already overflowing clutter. After all, who really needs yet another coffee mug?

I published several gift theme articles to Helium over the years, and as I am still migrating, expect a recurring theme through the next few posts :-) This one is from November 2009, and looks at what you should do about unwanted gifts.

What to do with Unwanted Holiday Gifts

Everyone loves getting gifts.  It’s a great feeling to receive something special that was chosen just for you.  It’s not so great though when you receive a gift that turns out to be something you can’t actually use or worse, something you really don’t want.

During the holidays in particular we give and receive a multitude of gifts that range from small tokens to big ticket items.  With all this exchange among friends, associates, coworkers and family members it is inevitable you will receive something that makes you feel that even the thought didn’t count.  When this happens it is still important to accept the gift graciously and not embarrass or hurt the feelings of the person who has given you the gift.

After all, not everyone is good at choosing just the right gift for the right person.  Likewise, not everyone has an unlimited holiday gift giving budget.  Even though you may receive something you don’t want or feel you don’t have a need for the person giving the gift may have put effort into choosing it and may even have been excited about giving it to you. 

When you receive a clothing item as a holiday gift that is not your taste and you know that the person who gave you the item will expect to see you wearing it, you can either say the article is not the right size or doesn’t really match anything you own or in the case of “special occasion” garments you can say you would probably never get a chance to wear it and ask the person if you can exchange the item for something in a different color or size.  This way the person knows you appreciated the gift and are sorry you can’t use it.

The same holds true for jewelry.  Perhaps you have a coworker who loves big, chunky jewelry but you are more on the conservative side.  Thank her for the item, perhaps wear it to work once and then set it aside. After the holidays have passed, if you have another friend or a sister who likes something in that style pass it on to them and if the coworker asks about the item you can say you loaned it out or gave to someone who really needed it.

In the case of little knick knacks and figurines and things that are not functional that you may see as more clutter for collecting dust in your life, it is still in good taste to thank someone for thinking of you at the holidays, even though you have no use for what they have given you.  Perhaps you know someone else who collects items like the one you were given whom you can pass it along to after the season is over.

If you have received a piece of original art that “doesn’t fit your décor” or is something you just can not live with, find out who the artist is and see if you can possibly exchange the piece.  If the artist is the person who has given you the gift, unless the piece is completely unseemly try to find a place for it even if only temporarily.  You can always move it later or try to swap it out for something else that you like better.

When it comes to items such as music CDs, DVDs, and books you may not be interested in them when you receive them but after some time after the holidays if you give them a chance you may find these items to be not so bad after all.  If several months have passed and you still don’t have interest in the item you can always donate it or simply give it to someone else.

In those rare instances where you have received a gift that was not thoughtful such as an XXL sweater when you are a size 5 or a tin of fudge when everyone knows you are diabetic or on a diet, accept with grace, try to find a positive comment about the item itself and then give the item away to someone else who can use it.  The holidays are about giving so in that spirit, when you receive something that you absolutely can not use, it is perfectly acceptable to pass it along to someone who can. 

It is never appropriate to react negatively or show anger towards the gift giver.  Before deciding what to do with the unwanted holiday gift take a moment and ask yourself how you would feel if a gift you had given were haphazardly discarded.  A little compassion for the other person’s perspective can go a long way keeping your heart open in the spirit of the season.

Receiving and opening holiday gifts can be just as exciting of an experience in the adult years as it was during childhood and it can be just as disappointing to open a gift and see something you don’t really like or want as it was in your youth.  But even when you are disappointed it is important to keep your composure and thank the person for the gift.

Gift Giving: Best Budget Friendly Gifts For Men

No matter how many times you've heard it, there's no disputing that when it comes to giving and receiving gifts, it's definitely the thought that counts. Men are not like women; with the exception of collectors, they just are not into acquiring. They may own a few pairs of shoes and a very basic wardrobe, and they are not likely to have drawers and drawers full of accessories.

Their hobbies tend to be more expensive (golf, fishing), and while a gift card to Academy Sports will be greatly appreciated by many, it's not exactly the most original or thoughtful gift you can give. Additionally, when you're on a budget and/or have a long list of folks to shop for, you may find yourself in the tough spot of being unable to afford the items on your fella's wish list.

Originally published in July of 2009, the article below lists a few suggestions of items you can purchase without looking cheap or busting through your budget.

Great Gifts for Men when on a Budget

Shopping for men is sometimes quite challenging, particularly if you are not a man. Everywhere you look there are lovely gift items like rose petal soaps or cute stuff for kids but when it comes to shopping for men gift givers are often left dazed and confused scrambling for suitable items at the last minute.

Purchasing a Christmas gift for a man such as a coworker, particularly one you are not close to can be even more of a challenge as you will more than likely not be familiar with his likes and dislikes. If you're on a strict budget, your gift options for a man will seem even further limited.

Some of the best cheap Christmas gifts for men are handkerchiefs - be they plain white or simple bandannas, nail clippers, beard and mustache combs, desk calendars, dress socks, knit caps, bargain books, undershirts, shoe shine/cleaning supplies, car accessories such as a glove box wallet/organizer and snacks.

Single guys may appreciate items to help them in the romance department. Scented candles, place mats, dinner napkins, a cork screw, CD compilations of romantic music, recipe cards, anything useful on a date that can help set the mood for a romantic evening. Also, if the single guy in question is someone you like he may even take the hint and ask you out!

If you know that a friend or coworker likes to download music, a package of blank CD-Rs and jewel cases would be a thoughtful item that is very affordable. Many stores have multi-packs of recordable CDs for just $5 (U.S.) and you can find sets of jewel cases at the dollar store.

The well-groomed man on your Christmas gift list will no doubt appreciate lip balm, exfoliating scrub, lotions and personal care items for sprucing up just as much as your best girlfriend or gal pal would so don't leave these very affordable items off of your shopping list.

Many men love to sit and soak in the tub and bath products can be purchased cheap just about everywhere. Choose budget friendly soaps scented with ginseng or sandalwood such as Bee and Flower, or even oatmeal or aloe such as those made by Yardley. When selecting bath water additives consider relaxing or invigorating salts and oils or make your own.

Almost every man has a collection of caps he loves and since they can never have too many of them fleece or knit caps in winter are cheap gifts that are practical and easy to care for that will likely see a lot of use. These are especially good for men who like to coordinate the color of their cap with the rest of their outfit. Fleece gloves are also cheap and welcome gifts once the weather turns chilly.

It is just not possible for a man to have too many handkerchiefs and even those who don't have them should. They are handy to have for mopping brows, wiping tears and since they are sold cheap in multi-packs they are a great gift item as you can repackage them to make them look more impressive. They can even be folded origami or dinner napkin style and placed in a gift bag or used as ornamentation on gift packages.

One of the absolute best cheap Christmas gift items for men is an assortment of snack items. Most men love to eat and most men love sports. They especially love to eat while watching their favorite sports. An assortment of snacks will be greatly appreciated during holiday bowl games or when hunger hits at the office.

Finding great gifts for men that are affordable on a budget is easy once you develop a plan. Shopping early and checking for clearance items will also insure you have everything you need when the holidays roll around and you won't have to put out huge sums of money all at once.

Note: At the time this was published, CDs and DVDs were still popular purchases. Today I would add SD and micro SD cards to the list, as you can often get them on sale, and everyone with digital devices is in constant need of them, especially photographers.