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	<title>Gifts and Cards</title>
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	<link>http://www.gifts-and-cards.com</link>
	<description>Connections are a Blessing</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:18:58 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>Selecting A Great Greeting Card For Every Occasion</title>
		<link>http://www.gifts-and-cards.com/2012/01/13/selecting-a-great-greeting-card-for-every-occasion/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gifts-and-cards.com/2012/01/13/selecting-a-great-greeting-card-for-every-occasion/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:18:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Deb Kay</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Relationships]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gifts-and-cards.com/?p=224</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Funny, but not too funny Once you get past the standard greeting cards, they begin to be a bit more specific to certain circumstances. Many people are unsure of what type of standard card to give. To solve this dilemma they tend to opt for a humorous card because they donaEuroTrademarkt want to be too [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Funny, but not too funny</p>
<p>Once you get past the standard greeting cards, they begin to be a bit more specific to certain circumstances. Many people are unsure of what type of standard card to give. To solve this dilemma they tend to opt for a humorous card because they donaEuroTrademarkt want to be too personal but still want to show that they care enough to be thinking about the occasion for that person. The choice that needs to be made is; what is humorous and what goes past the line in terms of taste? In a general sense, itaEuroTrademarks up to the giver but the greeting card manufacturers do have your back. The humorous cards that they manufacturer tend to be fairly specific in the greetings that they give. In other words, they try to structure the card greeting so that the recipient doesnaEuroTrademarkt take the greeting the wrong way. But, given that there are so many ways to take a greeting the wrong way the giver should err on the side of being bland, rather than trying to impose their sense of humor on the recipient.</p>
<p>Making use of technology</p>
<p>Those computer chips that have found their way into toasters and electric toothbrushes have now been finding their way into greeting cards. Several years ago a standard sound could be heard coming from greeting cards to get a point across, whether it was humorous or otherwise straight forward. TodayaEuroTrademarks greeting card marketing idea is to let the giver record a short message. For some this may be a bit of a stretch because you will need to have a certain amount of creativity and the willingness to hear your own voice coming back at you in front of a potential crowd. But for those that want to be aEurooecutting edgeaEuro these cards do get a response from the recipient and are generally crowd pleasers at group gatherings.</p>
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</script></div><p>Standard<br />
Greeting card manufacturers have been at their trade for quite some time. They have the research done and know what gets your emotions moving in a particular situation. If you have a need for a happy and fun card for a happy and fun occasion, they have probably got a cartoon or heartfelt card with happy writing and a happy slogan to go with it. These cards are the core greeting cards that the pharmacy isles are made up of. If you need a basic card for a particular circumstance, itaEuroTrademarks available. </p>
<p>It is the thought</p>
<p>When it comes right down to it, it is the thought that counts when you give a greeting card. All the silly sayings or sentiments in the world donaEuroTrademarkt add up to the idea that you gave up your time to pick a card out. In many ways, choosing a card that stays away from the statements on the front of the card in favor of a picture and a quick note says so much more then a typical card you just sort of picked up.</p>
<p>Blank picture card</p>
<p>The greeting card that has a nice picture on the front and is blank inside is the type of card that typically gets tacked onto a bulletin board or attached to the refrigerator. If the recipient has a particular hobby or activity that they enjoy these cards are generally a winner for them. You can leave a heartfelt message inside if you choose or just a quick note, but the image on the outside of the card as it is tacked up and remembered on a nearly daily basis will have legs in the thought that you gave to picking out the card.</p>
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		<title>Best Present for Golfers</title>
		<link>http://www.gifts-and-cards.com/2011/12/10/best-present-for-golfers/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gifts-and-cards.com/2011/12/10/best-present-for-golfers/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 10 Dec 2011 14:52:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Deb Kay</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Gifts and Cards]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gifts-and-cards.com/best-present-for-golfers/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Golfers rarely ever need an actual excuse to get a present, and besides there are so many great times that are all throughout the year that being armed with the best information on the top gifts for golfers is an essential need. You have to shop for birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, Valentine&#8217;s Day, Father&#8217;s Day, Mother&#8217;s [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Golfers rarely ever need an actual excuse to get a present, and besides there are so many great times that are all throughout the year that being armed with the best information on the top gifts for golfers is an essential need.  You have to shop for birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, Valentine&#8217;s Day, Father&#8217;s Day, Mother&#8217;s Day and several other holidays, so knowing what a golfer really wants to receive is an essential first step towards selecting the perfect present.</p>
<p>One of the most popular options can include a new golf bag.  These can be as simple or as elaborate as you want and can even be customized with a personalized message or even initials.  This allows you to really select the bag that you want and dream about for the perfect gift.  You also have a wide range of prices for bags available, this can really allow you to pick exactly what you can afford, without spending so much that you are overpaying for a bag.  Staying within a reasonable price range is very important and unless you take the time to shop around you may be finding yourself overpaying dramatically for a bag.</p>
<p>Another idea that tends to strike at the heart of golfers is to look into purchasing some golf balls that are customized.  These are usually quite reasonably priced and do not cost much at all.  However, one of the major drawbacks is you generally need to order these in advance as they do need to be printed ahead of time.  You can generally have these customized with your choice of phrases or even a name or initials.  This allows you to really customize their golfing experience and ensure that they have something truly personal to remember you with when they are playing golf.</p>
<p>One present that tends to be highly popular for golfers as well is a trunk organizer that is designed to hold all of their essential golf items, except the bag of course.  With places for your shoes, gloves, tees and everything else, that you would need for a game of golf this is the ultimate accessory that will fit neatly into the trunk keeping your favorite golfer organized.  As you can imagine this is one of those gifts that the neat person in your life would thoroughly enjoy.  If you look around, you can find these organizers in various shapes, colors and even sizes so that you can find the organizer that works best for your needs.  </p>
<p>The last gift that is highly popular with golfers is a golf range finder.  With these available in several different price ranges, this can be the ultimate companion for your favorite golfer.  You may be unaware of what they do, but your golfer certainly knows the benefits of these little treasures because they are quite helpful in helping select the best club for the particular green that you are playing.  If your favorite golfer usually does not play with a caddy, this can be the next best thing to help them improve their game without spending a fortune to actually hire a caddy for each game.</p>
<p>Picking out the perfect gift for a golfer may have seemed impossible before, but with these great selections you are sure to find the perfect gift for them no matter what the occasion is.  If you have some time to go looking around for some great gifts there are plenty of options to choose from that will allow you to give the ultimate in golf gifts.</p>
<p>Always just look around and ensure that you are purchasing your golf gift far enough in advance so that you do not have to worry about shipping problems.  This can ensure that you are able to have the presents that you want without the worries about items backordered or even complications in shipping times.  This will ensure that you have exactly what you want in plenty of time to have it customized and personalized if you choose ensuring that you have the best present for them.</p>
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		<title>Wedding Cake Topper Ideas</title>
		<link>http://www.gifts-and-cards.com/2011/08/22/wedding-cake-topper-ideas/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gifts-and-cards.com/2011/08/22/wedding-cake-topper-ideas/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Aug 2011 19:59:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Deb Kay</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Gifts and Cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wedding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wedding Cake Topper Ideas]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gifts-and-cards.com/?p=140</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Wedding Cake Topper Ideas &#160; There are many decisions you need to make for your upcoming wedding, aren&#8217;t there?  Let&#8217;s take a look at one of them, &#8220;what should go on top of my wedding cake?&#8221; in more detail so you can consider all your options before you make a decision. &#160; Do you want [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Wedding Cake Topper Ideas</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>There are many decisions you need to make for your upcoming wedding, aren&#8217;t there?  Let&#8217;s take a look at one of them, &#8220;what should go on top of my wedding cake?&#8221; in more detail so you can consider all your options before you make a decision.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>Do you want a cake topper that you can keep forever and ever?  Or would you rather have it be something less permanent?</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>What shape will your wedding cake be in?  Is it a traditional 3 tiers or something different?  You can have it custom made any way you want, including the cake topper.</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>Does your wedding have a theme?  If so, you&#8217;ll want your wedding cake topper to be an extension of that theme.</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>Are you a traditionalist?  Or do the two of you like to be different?</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>Do you want a topper that&#8217;s eco-friendly and can be eaten or composted (like flowers)?  Or a plastic molded token that can be saved as a fun memento of your special day?  Or would you rather have a crystal topper that would look great afterwards in your china hutch?</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Hopefully your head is not spinning with these questions as they are meant to help you narrow your focus on what you truly want.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Bride and Groom Cake Topper</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>You don&#8217;t have to have the original man in tux, woman in wedding gown topper unless that&#8217;s what you want.  The bride and groom can be in military gear, scuba gear, hiking gear, beachwear, or representing whatever your interests are.  You can have elegant or funny bride and groom toppers.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Flowing Flowers </strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Create a memorable topper with flowers.  The flowers can be whatever you want, in whatever color you want, and can trail down all tiers of the cake.  Make them edible flowers so no one has to fuss with removing them (unless you want to preserve them later).  If you go this route you should put someone in charge of making sure the flowers get from the florist to the cake decorator at the appropriate time.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Themed Topper</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>If you have a theme, you can easily find something to go on top of your cake.  For example, beautiful sea shells for a beach-themed wedding.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>In fact, there are wedding cake toppers for just about anything that interests you two &#8211; dolphins, frogs, bears, horses, trees, knights and damsels, rednecks (really!), Harley-Davidson motorcycles, golfers, The Simpsons, firefighters, cars, chariots, baseball, doves, butterflies, etc.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Crystal on Top</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>If your wedding is elegant, plan for an intricate crystal piece on top of your cake.  It can be the traditional bride and groom, monogrammed initials, swans, roses, lilies, bells, or hearts.  Some of the crystal pieces can be engraved on.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Take note that as your wedding day plans evolve, you might change your mind on your topper.  That&#8217;s perfectly okay as long as you pick out your new wedding cake topper in plenty of time for your cake decorator or caterer to implement the change.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>[wp-backlink-search] </p>
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		<title>Wedding Responsibilities of the Mother of the Groom</title>
		<link>http://www.gifts-and-cards.com/2011/08/22/wedding-responsibilities-of-the-mother-of-the-groom/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gifts-and-cards.com/2011/08/22/wedding-responsibilities-of-the-mother-of-the-groom/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Aug 2011 19:58:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Deb Kay</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Gifts and Cards]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gifts-and-cards.com/?p=138</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Wedding Responsibilities of the Mother of the Groom &#160; Commonly the Mother of the Groom is unsure what role she plays in the wedding of her son. Traditionally, there are several responsibilities you, as the Mother of the Groom, can fulfill and become an important part of the preliminary wedding preparations. &#160; Your first responsibility [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Wedding Responsibilities of the Mother of the Groom</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Commonly the Mother of the Groom is unsure what role she plays in the wedding of her son. Traditionally, there are several responsibilities you, as the Mother of the Groom, can fulfill and become an important part of the preliminary wedding preparations.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>Your first responsibility is to contact the bride&#8217;s family and introduce yourself to them, if you don&#8217;t already know them. This doesn&#8217;t have to be formal. Just a happy phone call will suffice. A dinner invitation at your home or one at a nice restaurant will be a welcome gesture of friendship.</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>If the bride&#8217;s parents live far away, making a dinner invitation impractical, some photos of the groom during parts of his life would be a nice gift to receive. Perhaps you could suggest that the bride&#8217;s mother exchange a few photos of her daughter&#8217;s life with you.</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>Your guest list has to be sent to the Mother of the Bride as soon as possible. It has to be accurate and include the correct zip codes. If you have been given guidelines for the number of guests you can invite, be sure to abide by them.</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>You are responsible for making reservations for your out-of-town guests. You can probably get suggestions for likely hotels or motels near the wedding site from the bride&#8217;s mother. As soon as you know who will be attending the wedding, you should make your reservations.</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>The rehearsal dinner is your responsibility. It doesn&#8217;t have to be fancy and catered. A simple backyard buffet or barbecue will do the job. You need to invite everyone involved in the wedding ceremony, including their spouse or significant other. If children are taking part in the wedding, their parents need an invitation also.</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>If you are going to attend the bridal shower, buy a gift and offer to assist the Mother of the Bride. If you cannot attend the shower, send your gift early enough to arrive for the party.</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>If your son wants to blend some family or ethnic traditions into his wedding day, help him choose them.</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>Since it is not considered good manners for the couple to solicit gifts, find out where they are registered and tell your family about it.</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Weddings are joyous occasions for all involved. The planning can take</p>
<p>months to accomplish and make the wedding day a glorious event for all involved. As the Mother of the Groom, you will have a special place in both the ceremony and at the reception. Offer to assist the Mother of the Bride in anyway you can. Otherwise, enjoy the start of a new family and dream of your future grandchildren.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		<title>The Six Worst Gift Ideas Ever</title>
		<link>http://www.gifts-and-cards.com/2011/08/22/the-six-worst-gift-ideas-ever/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gifts-and-cards.com/2011/08/22/the-six-worst-gift-ideas-ever/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Aug 2011 01:33:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Deb Kay</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Gifts and Cards]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gifts-and-cards.com/2011/08/22/the-six-worst-gift-ideas-ever/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[All of us have heard at one time or another seller or buyer beware &#8211; but in this case, the saying now becomes gifter beware. Many of us give with the best of intentions, but never realize that the gifts we are about to give are truly nightmares &#8211; or worse &#8211; in disguise. No [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>All of us have heard at one time or another seller or buyer beware &#8211; but in this case, the saying now becomes gifter beware. Many of us give with the best of intentions, but never realize that the gifts we are about to give are truly nightmares &#8211; or worse &#8211; in disguise. No one ever means to make such a mistake, but these do occur and we are here to help you avoid these mishaps. The following are the six worst gift ideas ever to cross our paths.</p>
<p>The first and biggest of the six worst gift ideas ever to give is the item that tries to give a subtle hint for what you consider a needed change in this person&#8217;s life. We think this is a polite way of doing it, but all in all we cause more pain and trouble than it is worth. Some examples of these types of gifts are things like books for losing weight, an audio book on helping someone with their memory, or even a book on finding the right guy or girl. For the recipient, all they experience is you calling them fat, stupid, and unable to meet good people for relationships. The gift causes pain and depression &#8211; the opposite of the intention you had for it.</p>
<p>The second of the six worst gift ideas ever given is giving something that shows how little, if any, thought you put into your gift. This happens more often than people like to admit to, and this is why it is number two on our list. Some examples of these gifts would be giving body jewelry to someone who doesn&#8217;t even have an ear pierced, an &#8216;I believe in Xenu&#8221; T-shirt for a Christian, or even a box of chocolates for a diabetic. If you truly don&#8217;t want to put your heart into giving gifts, then don&#8217;t even bother &#8211; those you call friends will appreciate it.</p>
<p>The third out of six worst gift ideas ever thought of would be the extremely large books often referred to as coffee table books. The typical thought when giving these books is that the large wrapped item will make the person so much more happy &#8211; but upon opening this tome of a book, almost always the person is anything but happy. Books can be a great gift, but remember that in this instance, regular sized or even pocket sized is better than extraordinarily huge.</p>
<p>Fourth of the six worst gift ideas ever attempted is giving a gift that the person has no way to exchange or even be able to give away. We all want the recipient to love our gifts, but we can&#8217;t get it right 100 percent of the time. So please, do not give a gift from a specialty shop that does not exist in the recipient&#8217;s part of the country unless you know for sure they want this item in question. If you don&#8217;t, the person has the potential to be quite angry and disappointed in you and your gift.</p>
<p>Of the six worst gift ideas ever to see the light of day, number five may appear harmless enough, but don&#8217;t allow it to fool you. We all forget a holiday or special occasion and find ourselves desperate to come up with a gift. We know we don&#8217;t have enough time to go out and purchase something, and making something is out of the question. So we look through what we own and give the special someone a gift we ourselves were given before, or even something we had bought for ourselves. The problem is the immense guilt you feel after the fact for doing so. Remember, even items that at first appear free to give away &#8211; there is always a cost.</p>
<p>Finally, the sixth worst gift idea ever is the one where you buy the item, actually wanting it for yourself, but you figure the recipient will not want it and will give it back to you. Please know this: this type of plan will always backfire on you, and is horrible to attempt in the first place! If you want the item, buy it for you &#8211; or you will be ending up buying two when you could have only bought it once.</p>
<p>Always remember the golden rule: Buy for others, then buy for you as well. You will both be happy!</p>
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		<title>Post Wedding Activities</title>
		<link>http://www.gifts-and-cards.com/2011/08/20/post-wedding-activities/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gifts-and-cards.com/2011/08/20/post-wedding-activities/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 20 Aug 2011 07:50:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Deb Kay</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Gifts and Cards]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gifts-and-cards.com/2011/08/20/post-wedding-activities/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[For many couples, the wedding is not over once the reception is. Depending on the location of the wedding and the couple&#8217;s relationship with their families, often there are other activities that follow the main event. One of the most obvious is a breakfast the day following the wedding. This is a time for everyone [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>For many couples, the wedding is not over once the reception is. Depending on the location of the wedding and the couple&#8217;s relationship with their families, often there are other activities that follow the main event.</p>
<p>One of the most obvious is a breakfast the day following the wedding. This is a time for everyone to touch base with each other, check in on how everyone did and perhaps share memories of the night before. This breakfast activity can be as simple or elaborate as you like. Some people like to have this breakfast at a relative&#8217;s house because that is friendly and familiar and more conducive to everyone hanging out and enjoying themselves. It can be potluck style or catered. You can also meet up at a restaurant.</p>
<p>Many families like to have the bride and groom open presents the day after the wedding. There are many who believe the bride and groom are required to open presents in the presence of family for good luck. In that case, building in the opening of presents is essential. This can be a simple gathering of friends and family or you can turn the present opening into an all-out activity, where each item is opened, demonstrated or displayed and discussed in great detail.</p>
<p>Opening gifts doesn&#8217;t have to a dry activity. You can add some silly fun. How about starting with the smallest and moving to the largest gifts? Or working in the reverse order? You might even create a game. Everyone has to guess what&#8217;s in each gift prior to its being opened. (Of course, people can&#8217;t guess on their on gifts.) Someone can be in charge of keeping a tally and whoever gets the most right, wins a small prize.</p>
<p>The women in the bride&#8217;s family might want to help her pack up her gown (or send it to the dry cleaners) and preserve her wedding bouquet. This can easily be done at home and the women (particularly those who are crafty) might want to get started on preserving the flowers as well.</p>
<p>In the crafty light, some brides might want to plan a scrapbook party for after the wedding. You won&#8217;t have photos back from the photographer, but you can scrapbook many other wedding events, such as pre-events like manicures, various parties and the candid photos take by wedding guests the night before. More than being focused on the photos, this activity gives the women a chance to reflect on the events of the wedding, laugh at all the fun ties and journal and preserve memories before some are lost. It will also help the bride feel as if she&#8217;s partly in control of all those photos before she leaves on her honeymoon and takes yet more photos.</p>
<p>If gifts were opened on this &#8220;day after the wedding&#8221;, crafty groups might want to make thank you cards. Choose a design long before the wedding, perhaps even making a prototype as well. Then have all the supplies on hand and give everyone good ideas about how the cards should be made. Even the men can get on this act, helping to fold the cards, perhaps handling any computer work and even getting their fingers on glue and scissors. Send the bride and groom off with these homemade cards so when they get back from their honeymoon, all they have to do is jot off a quick note.</p>
<p>Some brides and grooms plan activities the day fter the wedding that are designed to help everyone calm down, relax and unwind after what has likely been a busy weekend. In this light, you can plan a picnic at the park and bring along games to play. You might pack a football, a volleyball net or items to play baseball. You might bring along water guns or a dartboard. Whatever it is, the idea here is to have some fun and blow off steam. Make your own rules when playing the games. It really doesn&#8217;t matter. Today is about relaxing, unwinding and spending some quality time with friends and family before the special weekend is over.</p>
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		<title>Traditional Wholesale Wedding Gifts</title>
		<link>http://www.gifts-and-cards.com/2011/08/18/traditional-wholesale-wedding-gifts/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gifts-and-cards.com/2011/08/18/traditional-wholesale-wedding-gifts/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Aug 2011 23:05:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Deb Kay</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Gifts and Cards]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gifts-and-cards.com/2011/08/18/traditional-wholesale-wedding-gifts/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Summer inevitably brings the height of wedding season, and with it the need for wedding presents. There is big business in the gift registry industry, and there is no reason wholesale retailers can&#8217;t get in on the action! With the popular trend of wedding websites, even a small wholesale retailer could offer gift registry services [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Summer inevitably brings the height of wedding season, and with it the need for wedding presents. There is big business in the gift registry industry, and there is no reason wholesale retailers can&#8217;t get in on the action! With the popular trend of wedding websites, even a small wholesale retailer could offer gift registry services with or without a brick-and-mortar location. If the subject of traditional wedding gifts is baffling to you, here is a quick overview of traditional wedding gifts easily obtained at wholesale prices.</p>
<p>Wholesale Bedding</p>
<p>Let&#8217;s face it, those extra long twin sheets for the dorm bed just won&#8217;t lead to matrimonial bliss. Most couples about to wed have invested in a grown up bed with room for two. Affording extra sets of sheets might be a strain on the budget. High thread count wholesale sheet sets make great wedding gifts. If the color isn&#8217;t the perfect shade for the bride and groom, the wholesale sheets can easily transfer to a guest room bedding. However, if the wholesale sheets are of the highest thread count, the luxury will override any mismatch in color!</p>
<p>Wholesale sheet sets are not the only bedding items that are pricey in retail, but welcome wedding presents. Wholesale pillows, overstock comforters, and liquidated blankets work well as stock for customers with a wedding invitation in hand. The best wholesale bedding products will be shelf-pulls or company overstock, and still encased in the original packaging.</p>
<p>Wholesale Home Decorations</p>
<p>One fun activity for a new couple is decorating the shared living space. Friends and family members can help by providing the building blocks for this design. Wholesale home decorations, such as wholesale lamps, overstock wall art, and surplus rugs can offer the deepest discounts. An easy way to develop a room style is to start with one piece as a guideline. By selecting a neutral, or specifically tailored selection, a bargain priced lamp, wall hanging, or rug could easily be the focal point to base the rest of the design.</p>
<p>Wholesale Dining Pieces</p>
<p>A clear indication of maturity is moving up from paper plates and pizza boxes. Married couples have a need for shelf-pull dish sets, and other table setting items. Large discounts can be found on wholesale table linens, such as table cloths and napkins, and liquidated flatware. Make sure you stock at least a full six or eight person seating. Wedding guests will look to purchase complete sets of dining pieces, even if the items are offered at wholesale prices.</p>
<p>Wholesale Kitchen Products</p>
<p>The kitchen is the heart of a home. Great wedding gifts come again from sets of wholesale items. Wholesale cookware kits, with pots and pans, wholesale knife sets, and overstock or customer returned small appliances are all the rage. Why give the couple a retail priced blender, when a wholesale version is available for half the cost? Offer your customers the best variety in this category, and it won&#8217;t matter if an item is not on the official registry, if the price is right.</p>
<p>Wholesale wedding gifts make perfect sense for the discerning wedding patron. Wholesale wedding presents allow a customer to stretch the dollar, and purchase perhaps a nicer gift than what is affordable at retail prices. By providing wedding gift registry services on your website, or in store, you offer a wholesale solution to a costly growing problem. Consumer goods keep rising in price, and married couples are asking for more and more. With wholesale wedding gifts, everyone is happy. The customer spent less, the bride and groom receive a quality gift, and your cash register drawer is a little heavier.</p>
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		<title>Why to Shop Online</title>
		<link>http://www.gifts-and-cards.com/2011/07/14/why-to-shop-online/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gifts-and-cards.com/2011/07/14/why-to-shop-online/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 14 Jul 2011 13:14:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Deb Kay</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Gifts and Cards]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gifts-and-cards.com/2011/07/14/why-to-shop-online/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Billions of people love to shop online &#8211; and why not? It&#8217;s convenient, safe and usually cheaper. 1. It Saves Money: One can easily save up to 50% of money by shopping at online websites as they sell items at a discounted price compared to physical stores. Further, there are too many online websites offering [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Billions of people love to shop online &#8211; and why not? It&#8217;s convenient, safe and usually cheaper.</p>
<p>1. It Saves Money:<br />
One can easily save up to 50% of money by shopping at online websites as they sell items at a discounted price compared to physical stores. Further, there are too many online websites offering same range of products and the competition amongst them usually benefits customer.</p>
<p>2. It Saves Your Time.<br />
If you are a busy person and have little time for shopping, then online shopping is the best for you. Also, with online price comparison websites like Google product search (Froogle), Abebooks, E-bay et cetera, it has become very easy to compare prices offered by different shops.</p>
<p>3. It Saves Cost of Gas:<br />
Online shopping also saves the sky rocketing cost of Gas. The cost in gas alone would cover most shipping costs.</p>
<p>4. Your Money is Safe:<br />
Most of the online e commerce websites offer Google Checkout and Paypal as payment method. These are the most secure payment methods and it guarantees that your money is safe and that you will get the item you purchase. So, you can purchase items from less established e-commerce websites without any fear.</p>
<p>5. Ideal for Sending Gifts:<br />
Online webstores do ship orders directly to the recipient of a gift and hence saving your time, postage and gas cost. Some websites also offer the service to send anonymous gifts so that the recipient just keeps guessing about the sender of gift! Some websites also offer the option of getting items gift wrapped for small amount of extra money.</p>
<p>6. You can Pre-order Items:<br />
Items with high demand like Harry Potter series, go out of stock very quickly after they are released. Pre-ordering such items is another feature that most of the online stores offer. This way you can reserve a copy for yourself without being worried about the release date.</p>
<p>7. Items can be Returned<br />
Mostly, all e-commerce websites offer the facility of returning items if found to be defective or in-compatible. However, these websites usually put a time limit by which items must be returned in order to get full refund. Hence it is advised that you read the returns policy of a website before purchasing the item and if the item received is defective, the matter should be brought to the notice of seller website immediately.</p>
<p>8. Gift Certificates<br />
Online shops are the most appropriate place to buy gift certificates as these websites ship them to gift recipient for free and the recipient can but an item of their choice.</p>
<p>9. No Need to Carry Shopping Bags</p>
<p>With online shopping, you do not need to carry shopping bags and moving around from one shop to another and waiting in lines. Just order it online and the item will be delivered right at your door steps.</p>
<p>10. Rebates and Loyalty Bonuses</p>
<p>These days many websites are offering Loyalty Bonuses and Rebates to the loyal customers who keep coming back with their business. This adds to the savings you can make by shopping online.</p>
<p>All these points show the importance of online shopping, however, there are thousands and thousands of online e-commerce websites but only few are quality websites that offer huge discounts without compromising with the quality of service. Selecting right website is another important factor of online shopping and I will discuss about it in my next article.</p>
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		<title>Looking for a bridal shower gift idea?</title>
		<link>http://www.gifts-and-cards.com/2011/07/05/looking-for-a-bridal-shower-gift-idea/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gifts-and-cards.com/2011/07/05/looking-for-a-bridal-shower-gift-idea/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 05 Jul 2011 14:56:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Deb Kay</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Bridal Gifts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gifts-and-cards.com/?p=61</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Looking for a bridal shower gift idea? Have you considered a fun, unique gift basket filled with personalized merchandise? Theme gift baskets can be an exciting and budget conscious way to show the bride how much you care about her. Look no further than the following list, which outlines our top picks for unique bridal [...]]]></description>
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<p>Looking for a bridal shower gift idea? Have you considered a fun, unique gift basket filled with personalized merchandise? Theme gift baskets can be an exciting and budget conscious way to show the bride how much you care about her. Look no further than the following list, which outlines our top picks for unique bridal shower gift baskets.</p>
<p>1. Wedding day survival &#8220;kit&#8221;: there is no better way to ease away the bride&#8217;s wedding day jitters than by giving her this fun &#8220;kit&#8221; which contains a wedding planner, hair accessories, a miniature wedding dress sewing kit, and a bottle of lavender bubble bath to soothe away those wedding day worries. A survival kit is the perfect way to let the bride know that you&#8217;ll be there for her to help her get through the big day.</p>
<p>2. Personalized candy gift basket: if the bride has a sweet tooth, give her these tasty bridal shower gift baskets filled with fun personalized candy kisses, chocolates, and miniatures. Don&#8217;t forget to select a personalized saying that reflects the love between bride and groom. Add a pair of chocolate covered strawberries decorated to resemble the bride and groom for an even more delicious gift!</p>
<p>3. Home spa basket: sensual bath and &#8220;spa&#8221; treatments are just what the bride needs to get ready for her big day. This gift basket is stuffed with scented bubble baths, soaps, foot scrub, and luxurious massage lotions, as well as a miniature back massager, foot scrubber, pedicure kit, and lavender scented bath pillow.</p>
<p>4. Baking basket: if the bride loves to bake or wants to learn how, a baking basket is the perfect choice. Include a recipe book, an assortment of baking pans and cookie cutters. You can also throw in some pre-packaged muffin mixes for those times when baking from scratch is not an option!</p>
<p>5. Honeymoon survival basket: find out where the happy couple are going for their honeymoon, then pack up some travel necessities. Some possible items to include are: tote bag, sunscreen, tourbooks, travelling snacks, and travel games.</p>
<p>Remember to keep your gift basket contents family friendly, especially if the shower is going to include the family members of the bride or groom. You might think it&#8217;s funny, but the bride might not think the same way when she opens a package of flimsy lingerie in front of her mother or future mother-in-law. Trust me, I&#8217;ve been there!</p>
<p>To make your gift basket even more special, you can decorate it with ribbons and tissue that match the wedding colors chosen by the bride and groom.</p>
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<p>Bridal showers are notable moments for every bride-to-be. See us today for more creative tips on <a href="http://www.bridalshowerhq.com/" target="_new">wedding shower games</a> and <a href="http://www.bridalshowerhq.com/bridal_shower_invitations/" target="_new">free printable bridal shower invitations</a></p>
</div>
<p>Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Christopher_W_Smith">http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christopher_W_Smith</a></p>
</div>
<div>Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/753096</div>
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		<title>The Five Best Gifts to Give Your Family</title>
		<link>http://www.gifts-and-cards.com/2011/06/24/the-five-best-gifts-to-give-your-family/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gifts-and-cards.com/2011/06/24/the-five-best-gifts-to-give-your-family/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 24 Jun 2011 07:30:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Deb Kay</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Celebrations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gifts-and-cards.com/2011/06/24/the-five-best-gifts-to-give-your-family/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When we think of giving gifts, we usually think of things to buy for people. Yet if you think back on gifts you&#8217;ve been given, it might not be the material gifts you received that are foremost in your mind &#8211; it might be the kind of gifts that deeply touched your heart and soul. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When we think of giving gifts, we usually think of things to buy for people. Yet if you think back on gifts you&#8217;ve been given, it might not be the material gifts you received that are foremost in your mind &#8211; it might be the kind of gifts that deeply touched your heart and soul. It might be various ways, other than material things, that people expressed their love to you.</p>
<p>There are five gifts of love that we can give to our families that can make a huge difference in their lives.</p>
<p>THE GIFT OF CARING AND COMPASSION</p>
<p>We all yearn to feel cared for, yet many of us withhold caring and compassion for others. A profound gift we can give to our loved ones is to listen with our heart, to understand and accept rather than to judge, and to stay open to learning rather than to protect against being hurt.</p>
<p>Think about the last time someone actually listened to you and gave you understanding and acceptance. The feeling of being understood and accepted with caring and compassion is one of the best feelings in the world. Instead of focusing on getting this from others, why not focus on giving it to others? You might be surprised at how wonderful you feel in giving this gift to your family.</p>
<p>THE GIFT OF COURAGE</p>
<p>One of the best gifts we can give our loved ones is our own courage. This means being having the courage to stand in our truth, to be honest about what we want and don&#8217;t want, what we will do and won&#8217;t do, what is and what is not acceptable to us. It means having the courage to take good care of ourselves, even if others don&#8217;t like it. It means not succumbing to our controlling behaviors that come from fear: anger, withdrawal, compliance, resistance, but instead being honest and above-board about ourselves. It means being willing to face conflict rather than give ourselves up to avoid it.</p>
<p>When we have the courage to face conflict and tell the truth, we not only provide our family with a role model for courage, but we provide opportunities for our loved ones to step up to the plate in the face of our truth and learn to be courageous too.</p>
<p>THE GIFT OF SERVICE</p>
<p>We are on this planet to learn to love ourselves and each other, and to help each other. One of the best gifts we can give our family is to role model this by doing service. Helping others fills the heart and soul in ways that nothing else can. If children do not see their parents doing service and helping others, they may never learn the great joy and fulfillment that comes from giving. One of the best gifts we can give to our family is to provide ways of doing service.</p>
<p>THE GIFT OF CREATIVITY</p>
<p>All of us are born with various ways of expressing our creativity. Expressing creativity is a profound way of connecting with Spirit, since expressed creativity is a direct expression of Spirit. Providing your family with many ways of expressing their creativity is a great gift. Creativity can be expressed in so many ways &#8211; cooking, crafts, building things, music, art, movement, telling stories, writing, humor, photography and video &#8211; the possibilities are endless! Creative family projects are especially wonderful in creating family closeness.</p>
<p>THE GIFT OF LIGHTNESS OF BEING</p>
<p>Lightness of being &#8211; fun, joy, laughter, playfulness &#8211; is a great gift to give to others. Lightness of being is infectious &#8211; our laughter and playfulness can help others take life less seriously and &#8220;lighten up.&#8221;</p>
<p>Lightness of being is one the results of all the other gifts &#8211; of caring, courage, service and creativity. When we give these gifts, we feel a wonderful lightness within, the lightness that is the result of fully giving from the heart. Our own lightness of being can bring lightness into our whole family. Children love it when their parents are playful, funloving and joyful. Laughing together as a family is one of the most precious experiences in life.</p>
<p>We need to focus of giving these gifts each day, not just during a holiday season or special occasions. These gifts are far more important than any material thing we can buy for someone. In fact, we might not be so focused on material gifts if we frequently give the gift of love &#8211; of caring, compassion, courage, service, creativity, and lightness of being.</p>
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