Gift Giving (part 4 of 4 - Donations)

Our final gift giving suggestion is a DONATION in their name to a charity that would mean something to them personally (for help coosing a charity, try: Charity Navigator, Give.org charity reviews, and Guidestar), such as:

• an animal charity


• the local animal shelter
• wildlife conservation organizations
• pet welfare organizations
• animal welfare organizations
• hunting and fishing conservation group 
• zoos
• aquariums
• an environmental charity
• environmental conservation and protection
• parks
• nature centers
• an international non-governmental organization


• international development
• disaster relief
• humanitarian
• peace
• human rights
• conservation
• child sponsorship organizations
• a health charity

• blood/plasma
• specific diseases and disorders
• medical services and treatment
• medical research
• patient and family support charities
• a service charity
• The Boys and Girls Club
• The Salvation Army
• Y.M.C.A.
• local homeless shelter
• battered women's shelter
• sexual abuse shelter
• an education charity

• their own classroom
• private or public schools
• universities and colleges
• scholarship and financial aid services
• school reform
• experimental education
• support for students, teachers, and parents
• an arts or culture charity

• museums
• art galleries
• performing arts
• libraries
• historical societies
• genealogical societies
• public broadcasting and media
• religious charity

Gift Giving (part 3 of 4 - Websites with unique gifts)

I will add to this, so please check back.

Websites with unique gifts:

• Ten Thousand Villages - fair trade retailer
• Plan Toys - sustainable toys
• Heirloom Wooden Toys - wooden toys
• Hazel Village - stuffed toys
• My Birthday Chronicle - news from the day you were born
• ThingCHARGER - a charger for all your gadgets that keeps your outlets free
• 
  

Gift Giving (part 2 of 4 - Consumable Gifts or Imagination Stimulating Gifts)

Another idea is to make gifts CONSUMABLE or at least gifts that stimulate the imagination:

• clothes/shoes (ask what they need)
• art supplies (a color medium and paper such as watercolors and watercolor paper, fingerpaints and finger paint paper, etc.)
• school supplies
• healthy snacks (nuts, dried fruit)
• high quality books
• gardening supplies, live plants, plant a tree
• subscriptions to:

• educational magazines
• audio stories http://www.sparklestories.com
• monthly kits in the mail
• snacks in the mail
• handmade gifts that are useable (beauty products, clothes, toys, etc.)
• a creative idea book and the supplies to create the things in the books, such as:  Fairy Houses and a box filled with things like sticks, rocks, pinecones, twine, sea shells, pottery, tiny plants, etc. - related: Moss Terrarium
• Gift baskets/boxes with a theme:

• spa day at home
• all about the roses
• teddy bears
• baseball
• let's learn about wines together
• a picnic for 2

Gift Giving (part 1 of 4 - Experiences)

I recently came across the concept of giving the gift of an experience rather than buying another dust collector, ugly Christmas sweater, more plastic toys, or other things that no one needs.  Most of these are aimed at children, but most would be great for adults as well.  Keep in mind, that if the gift is for someone in another family, that it shouldn't cost the family to take the gift recipient to these places, so consider the cost of the parent, siblings, date, and/or a best friend.  Think about the person's interests or something they have wished that they could do and then think of something TO DO that is related to that interest.  Here is a list of ideas for giving an Experience as a gift (realizing that everywhere has different places to go and things to do, so these are general suggestions):

• MEMBERSHIP, SEASON TICKETS, or ADMISSION to:

• butterfly garden
• zoo
• circus
• aquarium
• amusement park
• science center
• planetarium
• museum
• indoor play center
• botanical garden
• the movies
• live theater
• concert
• roller skating
• ice skating
• bowling
• ice show
• water park
• petting zoo
• horseback riding
• factory tours
• city tours
• nature parks, caves, caverns
• hot air balloon ride
• sky diving
• glider ride
• helicopter ride

• MEAL or treat at their favorite:
• restaurant
• bakery
• ice cream shop
• candy store

• GIFT CARD for:
• art lessons
• craft making
• music lessons
• swim lessons
• dance class
• gymnastics class
• karate class
• photography class
• ceramics class
• scuba/surfing/skiing/skateboarding lessons
• flying lessons
• apps
• music
• ebooks
• audiobooks
• massage
• manicure/pedicure

• ACTIVITY with you (make a homemade coupon) such as:
• decorate cookies
• fingerpainting
• manicure/pedicure
• baking/cooking
• movie rental
• board game date
• picnic
• hiking
• camping
• a trip to the park
• fruit picking

• Savings bond or money to put in college account

• Summer Camp or other retreat

• Extras for their birthday party
  
• pinata
• bouncy house
• karaoke machine
• an entertainer
• DJ
• live band/singer
• magician
• balloon animal maker
• photographer

No more of this: