Persons wishing to try something unusual may wish to celebrate Christmas twice per year. Why not? Christmas is such a glorious holiday anyway. After all there are Christmas in July sales events: So why not take advantage of the situation and host your own Christmas in July celebration.
However, the key to the entire celebration is that Christmas in July differ in how it is presented, than Christmas in December. It is July so Rudolph is best depicted as wearing sunshades and if you are a half-way good illustrator, have the famous reindeer lounging beside the pool with a nice cold ice tea. In fact, get out your best inspired Christmas glasses complete with holly design and serve up some of the nice cold sweet brew. This is a particularly good idea if you have an outside pool. Find all your Christmas glasses and pitcher, if you have it, and provide your thirsty family or friends with Christmas in July ice tea.
Generally, during Christmas too, we think of roasting marshmallows. You can still provide your crew with marshmallows; however, take the retro approach and sprinkle the tiny variety into cubed Jello after the main course if finished. Hot dogs will have to suffice as a replacement for traditional holiday ham.
Gifts can be exchanged with the family just as they are at Christmas. However, in order to keep costs lower since Christmas in July is still the cousin to the true Christmas event, you may wish to initiate a gift exchange. Naturally, a price minimum needs to be set - and stockings are permitted if you also wish to include some fun non-expensive items. The whole idea behind Christmas in July is to bond with members of the immediate family and, well. . . .have fun.
The entire idea is to get everyone to participate in an activity that brings lots of good will and cheer. Why should this type of fun be relegated to only one time of the year? If you can pick up items at Christmas for your July event, all the better. Items of purchase may include fun Santa caps and other Christmas props. Of course you don't want to give the event the same dynamic as you do during the regular holiday season. However, you do need to incorporate enough of the traditional Christmas to stay within the parameters of the Christmas in July theme.
Gift Giving: Classical Compositions
It can't be over-emphasized, there are a great number of people who prefer classical music. Visit one of your favorite high-line booksellers and you'll hear it graciously being played over the store's music system. In these establishments they have places to enjoy a coffee as well as seating arrangements throughout the store where you can think about whether the book you're considering is worth the purchase. All the while, the classic music plays on as you peruse the book.
Many people would probably like this theme to continue while driving in their car or once they get home. Who doesn't mind having a nice cup of tea and snuggling up to a good book while an audio accompaniment of Chopin or Beethoven plays in the background? It is the bookshop effect all over again.
If you know your friend to be a high-end traditionalist of the truest form, then you are well-advised to purchase him or her music categorized as classical. Many people find it is relaxing and helps them unwind; and your friend will appreciate your stylish good taste. There is nothing more beneficial than listening to classical music while sipping a glass of wine or relaxing in front of a warming fire. It makes the home environment feel all the more secure.
When selecting classical music, choose the composers the traditional music buffs most prefer including Mozart, Chopin, and Beethoven. Sometimes you can even find them in a collection. However, generally they are listed or merchandised separately. You can go on-line and search for a specific composer and acquire music accordingly, or look them up at many mass retailers. If you are not familiar with classical music, you may wish to purchase the music yourself in order to make certain it is something you believe the recipient will enjoy. The suggestion is made due to the fact some classical composer's music sound a bit funereal and some recipient's may not appreciate this tone.
Classical compositions are appreciated by many persons however the individual might not go out and purchase music of this nature on a whim; therefore, this brand of music is a good gift-giving item. Items that are appreciated by the user; but which would rarely be purchased by the recipient fit this category. Therefore, if you know someone who likes music and all kinds of music, you may wish to add classical compositions to the list of music categories for future gift giving purchase.
Colorful Reminders
It may be said some of the best gifts come from the heart: however, have you considered the fact that many of the most ideal gifts come from the mind? Individuals wishing to give their children the gifts of thought, education, and self-discipline will do well to create their own unique colorful flashcards.
Not every educational item needs to originate from a commercial source; although, it is extremely important you teach your children accordant to structured learning formats. How else is he or she going to learn proper self-discipline? What is being referred to here is creating the accompanying learning devices in order to make structured learning all the more fun and enjoyable.
One way to achieve it is by way of setting up your own unique and colorful flashcards. This technique can also be employed with use of text you purchase, in addition to a formalized school routine. If you want to teach your child another language, for example, you can do so by working with them and if you are a fairly good illustrator, draw a picture of the item on a three-by five card or larger. In fact, if you can attain some poster board and are able to construct flashcards that are bigger than three by five cards all the better.
On scale, make your cards more like elephant flash cards. In example, your cards could be around five by seven in size. Again, use colorful poster board or some other type of sturdy material and make them easy to read. Also make certain you supply the answer on the back and write small when writing it down. You can also get your older children involved in the process of constructing the large size flashcards. After all, one way to learn the subject matter is to learn by doing. This can be done in the same manner as when you perform cookie making or cookie cutouts during Christmas season. You can create elephant size flashcards with respect to a whole host of subjects. The idea is to use your imagination as well as instilling a disciplined approach to learning.
In fact, two primary areas of focus that need to be learned early if a child is to succeed all through life in his or her studies are: a) Self-discipline; and b) Creativity. There are many free spirits and there are many well-disciplined persons, however, the blending of the two characteristics is what makes the person viable in his or her work. Something as simple and colorful as Elephant flashcards can provide this ideology in the back of your child's mind for life.
Gift Giving: Cook's Delight
There is probably nothing more enjoyable than giving a gift to an exceptionally good cook, or a person who really likes to make the best use of a kitchen. Why is this so? Well if you live with the cook, by supplying them with tremendously good recipes and kitchen gadgetry, you reap the benefits of their talent as well.
There was a trend established not so long ago where huge, thick cookbooks were en vogue. According to national publications people were into buying nice fat recipe books. As such, the recipe book is not at all a bad idea in the way of a gift for the cook in your kitchen. In other words, if you know an individual who collects recipes or enjoys a certain cooking style or even is open to all kinds of cooking, the recipe book may be your answer as to a great gift-giving solution.
First off, when selecting a book, make certain you choose a book that is full of the type of dishes you'll enjoy. In example, if you like Dutch style cooking, purchase a Dutch recipe book is the ideal gift. Many German-style cooks like the Dutch-style recipe books. But keep in mind Germans have historically been very good at using every part of the animal when preparing meat. If you basically like meat and are open-minded as to eating things like pickled pig’s feet and pork hocks then the German Style cookbook is a good gift giving option. The pork hock has a nice layer of fat on it and if you like the fat in hams, you'll be crazy about the fat in pork hocks. Again, the Germans know how to make it taste good. Normally this meat is served with sauerkraut.
If you have a cook in your family who is inspired by the dishes of childhood, then you might want to search out thrift and charity shops for cookbooks dating back to the era. There are just so many venues for cookbooks, you are sure to find one that is out of the ordinary. If your cook is a retro woman in the kitchen, you might want to throw in a vintage apron from the charity shop. Whatever your situation, cookbooks are fun items to purchase for individuals who have good cooks as well as aspiring cooks in their household.
Gift Giving: Crazy about Westerns
Many persons who enjoy reading all kinds of books may never think about Westerns. However, once you introduce someone to the old western paperbacks, you will have them hooked. In the interim, you can throw in some old style Western comic books.
Many persons, who in the past have watched the old westerns on television, were introduced to cowboys and Indians riding on dusty trails as well as the cavalry racing across barren landscapes. Who can resist the dusty cattle towns along with the herds of cattle seemingly not knowing about their eventual fate? Fortunately, the old western movies showed a lot of steering and herding and did not really show the cattle meeting their fate.
Who can resist the old time western novel with its cowboy-for-life complete with beans, a camp fire, old tin cup and plate? The place to find great cowboy classics are at many of the used book resellers. Wrap up your present with a bright red or yellow bandanna just in case the dusty novels stir up some sentiment. In keeping with the western theme, you might also want to include some western prints. If you can find some old posters with some of the old time film stars such as Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, all the better. The people who come from the Baby Boom generation will be familiar with Roy and Dale.
If you know your recipient likes western wear and western-themed items, and additionally likes to read you may have come up with the perfect gift idea. It's time to head down to the used book emporium, dust off some of those old western paperbacks, and give them a home.
Make sure you pick westerns you'd pick for yourself and that look interesting. Don't just march in the shop and grab a handful. You always want to put some thought into your gift-giving, regardless of the price point. If you don't opt for using the bandanna to wrap your westerns, then wrap each western in an individual box using different colors and styles of wrap and bows.
Gift Giving: Expand your Horizons with Education
Many individuals interested in a certain trade or learning a new skill would certainly make use of the opportunity of a course about it. However, community colleges may prove to be too costly for them, or the times of the school's schedule may not suit them. However there is an alternative to all of this and you can provide it.
The good old-fashioned correspondence school still exists and with this option the person can a) Work on the assignments within the boundaries of his or her own schedule; and b) The correspondence school generally offers a low down-payment with monthly payment plans. The down payment is normally around the ten to twenty dollar mark and payments are around forty to forty-five U.S. dollars. This means even the most frugal person can generally afford such an education and what is even better, the student can dictate when and where study is conducted. This can be the ideal option for a busy mom or dad or any other person wishing to learn a new skill or trade.
Plus keep in mind, different employers, for the same trades or jobs, have various requirements. Many employers are only concerned, regardless where you went to school, that you can do the tasks assigned to the position. Some have more extensive requirements; however, even if you met every requirement of every employer, you still are not going to consider a position with each and every company.
A person whose children have grown is also an ideal recipient of such a gift. Many times they do not want to put out the financial outlay of what it would cost to attain a degree. Further, at this stage of their life they may be more interested in a specific niche type of job such as bookkeeping, drafting, medical coding, or paralegal work. There are virtual, as well as brick and mortar opportunities available. And the entire course, normally ends up costing less than one-thousand dollars—plus the course is entirely structured which helps the recipient to better acquire and retain the knowledge. Such courses are presented in modules, and there is enough information presented to allow the student to reasonably learn the new subject-matter.
So if you have someone in your household who wishes to improve their occupational or avocational life, you may consider giving them the gift of education. Once they start earning an income at it, they won't forget your thoughtfulness as to the investment.
Gift Giving: Fabergé-Styled Eggs
People wishing to purchase a decorative item for the person who seems to have everything may wish to consider the uniqueness of the Fabergé-styled egg. Faberge-styled items are true original collectibles and those eggs are enormously expensive. When you are looking up eggs relative to Fabergé, you'll want to use the keywords Fabergé-styled eggs. The replicas are still amazingly beautiful and still a fairly expensive, though not as much as the originals or course.
One individual who had a number of the true collectibles was Malcolm Forbes. Forbes had collected quite a number by the time he passed away. Fabergé eggs, or the real deals have fetched as much as $15,000 to $18,000—an enormous price for many of us. The Fabergé-styled (replica) egg is still considered a collectible, but distinguished from the original just as a knock-off designer purse is different than a designer original. You'll find Fabergé-styled eggs or replicas ranging in price between eighty to one hundred fifty dollars on average. The adornment on the egg is still quite exquisite and the colors gorgeous. There are even Fabergé-styled eggs in the Fleur de Lis pattern.
There is such an abundance of great gift ideas relative to Fabergé-styled collectibles. The eggs are absolutely beautiful decorative items. The Fabergé egg itself enjoys a past of glorious royal history: this legacy is carried forth in the design and style of the replica egg. Again, it must be noted, the replica, although still a collectible, is not similar (in price) to the true collectible which is purchased at a very high volume dollar amount.
Still, the replicas are collectibles and similar in collectible aspect as if you were to purchase Hamilton Limited Edition items. There are all kinds of themes and affordable price points for the average investor. And you can do as the emperor of the original Imperial Fabergé did for his wife, many centuries past, and purchase a Fabergé-style collectible, each year, for either the recipient's birthday or other annual special occasion. Also, there are pendants of Fabergé-styled eggs priced around $180.00.
Conclusively, if you wish to provide a collectible to your spouse for either her birthday, or ideally on your wedding anniversary, you'll pay approximately $79.95 to around $150.00. Inside the exquisite egg it is suggested you add a nice jewelry item such as a necklace or ring. Make certain the jewelry matches the refinement presented by the egg.
Gift Giving: Fifties Date Night
Many people appreciate gifts that do not require wrapping or packaging. For instance, providing the individual with a good old-fashioned night out on the town could be appreciated. One suggestion is a fifties date night. Or the date does not even need to occur at night. It can be an all day affair wherein you visit certain a restaurant and recreational center.
This isn't to say you ask your girl to dress up in a poodle skirt or tie her hair back in a pony tail;