Unique Christmas Gifts Warms The Hearts Of Your Loved Ones And Friends

Unique Christmas gifts from the heart

'Tis the season for giving and receiving Christmas gifts.

Making or buying Christmas gifts is one of the most enjoyable tasks for me in my Christmas party planning.

However, for some of my friends they said that it is a great challenge with budgeting, squeezing out time for shopping, making the season's gifts and for some, they ran out of ideas of what to give. They also dread the thought of the mad crowds and the deadline for shopping. Even wrapping presents can be stressful. Last of all, the MOST mind provoking question of WHAT to buy and for whom can cause great stress too!

If you belong to the second catgetory, do not focus on the negative! It's Christmas afterall! You should enjoy yourself even if it is in the preparation stage. First, you will have to start planning for your Christmas gifts early (for example in October)

Here are some tips to get you started on your pre-holiday purchase and home make gifts so that you will not be "rob" of the joy of your Christmas party planning, Christmas decorations and Christmas menus. Enjoy the rest of your time bonding with your family members.

Here are some tips to help you get started with the Christmas gifts making or purchase:

1. Start early with your gift planning as with your Christmas party planning. You can do both simultaneously.

2. Do a list with the following categories of gifts:

A. MOST important and MUST not forget gifts

For your loved ones, immediate and extended family, bosses, close friends that you MUST give

B. GOOD to give and Social relationship gifts

For Colleagues, clients, business associates, partners, friends, acquaintances, neighbors etc

C. Standby gifts

For expected guests at Christmas parties, long lost friends and Christmas parties gift exchanges

Having a organised list of your gifts and reciepients, you will less likely to forget and overspend. Also, it will ensure that you don't give the same gifts for the people who are expecting something uniquely from you.

If you can plan much earlier than Oct, you can even catch the summer sales and get some really pretty great bargains for quality goods at affordable prices. (I managed to purchase a few branded items for my loved ones this Christmas at The Great Singapore Sale from May to July before the increased in the Singapore Goods and Services Tax from 5% to 7%. I look forward to giving the Christmas gifts to my loved ones this Christmas.

Besides having a good chance to really take your time shopping around, you can also order your goods custom made, check the quality of each item and still have time to change should there be some design faults, goods defects. You can also allow enough time for the shipment to arrive. If you are making your own Christmas gifts, you will be able to enjoy making the gifts without the stress of the deadline pending.

For immediate family and close friends

Sometimes the hardest gifts to get for is your own family members. It seems that they have everything! You job to get an idea of what to give this Christmas to each and everyone of the family members really starts last Christmas. In your daily communication, what are the things they need and want and based on your budget what you can afford.

For Surprise visitors and new friends at Christmas parties

It is always a good idea to buy or make standby gifts like home make cookies in pretty jars, Christmas gift baskets or buy some general useful gifts like baked Christmas cookies, fruit cakes, cup cakes, aromatherapy oils, bath and accessories, pen and card holders, golf balls pen holders, Christmas candies, picture frames, hand towels with Merry Christmas inscriptions etc. Check these websites for more great gifts ideas. These items can be wrapped and you can buy ready printed stickers and write the name of your surprise guests on the stickers out of their sight at a corner of the party venue.

Check out some of the great home made gifts ideas at these websites. They are really fun and enjoyable to make!

Budgeting

Tip No 1: I do my "research" by window shopping and online "window" shopping, taking note of the various items' prices and do a list of items according to three categories I listed above. (Note: I watch out for the sales advertisements in the major newspaper like an eagle especially during the annual sale period. Once I spotted the items I wanted on sale, I just head to that particular shop and buy those items, period. No window shopping and no friends to accompany me so that I won't end up buying more than I wanted).

Tip No 2:Do factor in the hidden costs like taxes, mailing, transportation, labor and shipping.

Tip No 3: Add another 3% to 5% to the total budget for "incidentals"

Lastly, remember, it is the gift from the heart that counts, you don't have to burn a big hole in your bank account to buy gifts. The reciever will remember your thoughtfulness and sincerity through the gifts.

New ideas for gifts, the non-traditional way

Idea No 1: Why not gather your family and friends and go on a United Nations trip to a Third World country and volunteer using your skills and talents to help those in poverty? There are many missions to these countries that need teachers, doctors, technicians or just your hands to rebuild their homes by painting, distributing food and so on.

Idea No 2: Why not host a Christmas party and ask all your friends not to bring any gifts, instead pass the hat around and give the money to a charity?

Idea No 3: Why not host a Christmas party inviting all your friends and family members at a Children's home or Hospice or at a Local hospital and cheer the folks there?

Idea No 4: Why not gather a few friends and family and start practising singing Christmas carols early in September and spend the entire week prior to Christmas, carolling at all the local hospitals or prison near your area? The smiles and happiness you bring, its priceless!

(I fondly remember one year a few of my church friends and I went Christmas carolling at a few local hospitals. I invited a new colleague along. I was so overwhelmed by the warm and welcome by the hospital staff and patients. My new colleague and I became good friends. One critically ill patient's wife came from the ward crying, she said that she saw her comatose husband had tears rolling down his eyes when he heard the Christmas carols. It was really heart warming and Christmas had a new meaning from that day - truly sharing love, joy and peace).

All these ideas will need some good budgeting, for more great Christmas party ideas check out some of the websites online.

Imagine all the happy faces and the laughter of children opening lovely wrapped gifts. To capture the spirit of the Christmas holidays give gifts that's unique or hand make them with love and care so that the gift is truly special.

If you absolutely has no choice (due to unforseen circumstances) but to buy your Christmas gifts last minute, you can consider purchasing gift certificates. They are available online or at the stores. However, gift certificates should be the last reort especially for immediate family and close friends.

Christmas time is here, what joy it is to give and to recieve Christmas gifts with love from the heart.

Have a Merry Christmas!

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