Thank You Gift Ideas?

[turtledazzle]

Hi shopping-savvy PSers!

Four friends of ours (two married couples) recently planned and hosted an engagement party for me and my FI. We''d like to get them a thank you gift, but are blanking on ideas. I''m thinking maybe about a $50 gift for each couple. We thought about getting them wine, but we always do that and I''d like to do something different. Maybe a gift basket? I don''t know ...

Any ideas? TIA!

 

[monarch64]

Congrats on your engagement, turtledazzle!

What about getting them tickets to a concert, show, etc.? Or if they are homeowners, gift cards to Home Depot might be nice. I like the idea of gift baskets, but do you have a theme or idea in mind? Hobbies, or activities they are involved in that you could incorporate into the gift basket, yanno?

 

[turtledazzle]

Date: 11/9/2006 3:23:15 PM
Author: monarch64
Congrats on your engagement, turtledazzle!

What about getting them tickets to a concert, show, etc.? Or if they are homeowners, gift cards to Home Depot might be nice. I like the idea of gift baskets, but do you have a theme or idea in mind? Hobbies, or activities they are involved in that you could incorporate into the gift basket, yanno?

Thanks for the reply, monarch!

Funny that you mention Home Depot gift cards, as that was my first idea and my FI vetoed it because he doesn''t like gift cards.

Tickets to a concert would be a nice gift, but I really would not know for sure that they would like the show and if they had other plans/out of town, etc. Plus, one of the couples has a baby so that might not work out well for them.

For the gift basket idea, I guess I was mostly thinking of food ~ but I wouldn''t know where to order one from. Any suggestions for quality food gift baskets?

 

[FireGoddess]

GC to a restaurant they like to eat at?

 

[nejarb]

Wine is always appreciated and always appropritate. If you were willing to spend more, a massage is always nice to recieve too as a thank you gift, and would be appropriate b/c you''re good friends w/ them. 1 more suggestion: a great book that you know they''ll like, but this requires a little more thought.

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 11/9/2006 4:01:24 PM
Author: FireGoddess
GC to a restaurant they like to eat at?

that's what I was thinking. Hubby and I love to get giftcards. It gives us a reason to go out to places we might not otherwise. turtle, i know you're local to me. maybe get them a gift card to Cafe Nona or some non chain type restaurant. My sister and her hubby also frequent Bosco's and I love the food there too.

ETA: turtle, we should try to meet up sometime. you can tell you fiance he can come too if he's worried

 

[FireGoddess]

I forgot to mention...if you do end up having your heart set on a gift basket, Harry and David have awesome ones.

www.harryanddavid.com

 

[turtledazzle]

Date: 11/9/2006 4:51:34 PM
Author: mrssalvo

Date: 11/9/2006 4:01:24 PM
Author: FireGoddess
GC to a restaurant they like to eat at?

that''s what I was thinking. Hubby and I love to get giftcards. It gives us a reason to go out to places we might not otherwise. turtle, i know you''re local to me. maybe get them a gift card to Cafe Nona or some non chain type restaurant. My sister and her hubby also frequent Bosco''s and I love the food there too.

ETA: turtle, we should try to meet up sometime. you can tell you fiance he can come too if he''s worried

I wish the FI weren''t against gift cards. I think he doesn''t like them because he''s likely to forget his has it and will never use it (or will lose it). But I do think most people would appreciate them. I''ll see if he''ll warm up to the idea of a restaurant gift card.

MrsS ~ Cafe Nona is great, and we like Bosco''s as well. Flaming Stone ... yum (and I''m a wine person!)

As for meeting up, that really would be great (especially if you''re able to keep that beautiful new setting -- fingers crossed for you on the resizing project! I''d love to see it in person.) We''ll have to see. I think FI wouldn''t be very happy to know that I''m posting fairly regularly now. But I have to stay active here ~ I''ve got a wedding band to pick out soon

And he knows I''m lusting for a pair of diamond studs some day

 

[turtledazzle]

Date: 11/9/2006 5:07:36 PM
Author: FireGoddess
I forgot to mention...if you do end up having your heart set on a gift basket, Harry and David have awesome ones.

www.harryanddavid.com

Thanks for the link! I''ll look up some gift baskets for back-ups in case FI really does not warm up to the restaurant gift card idea.

Y''all are great! Thanks!

 

[Tybee]

I''m always a fan of wine--- maybe wine and some wine accessory? We did that for some friends who hosted our party.
We got them all a nice bottle of wine and a vacuum wine saver thingy from Crate and Barrel

(I have never learned how to create a link, but here'' s the url)

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=210&f=19485&q=wine+vacuum&fromLocation=Search&DIMID=400001&SearchPage=1

 

[FireGoddess]

These guys also have great gift baskets...

http://winecountrygiftbaskets.com/

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 11/9/2006 6:45:32 PM
Author: FireGoddess
These guys also have great gift baskets...


http://winecountrygiftbaskets.com/

I have bought from them before (as thank yous for really good clients) and they are really nice. I was impressed. Plus it is always fun to get something mailed.

 

[monarch64]

Oh, since we''re on the topic of foodie gift baskets now, also check out www.ediblearrangements.com ! We ordered a box of chocolate covered fruit for our office manager recently and she was kind enough to share them with us--they were divine. I think it''s kind of like Harry & David''s as Firegoddess mentioned above. Yummo!

 

[turtledazzle]

You all are great! Thanks for all of the recommendations! Hmmmm, maybe I should do some Christmas shopping while I''m at it!

 

[FireGoddess]

I have always wanted to try those fruit arrangements Monarch! I will have to order one for myself sometime when I''m having a party!

 

[monarch64]

Date: 11/9/2006 8:27:57 PM
Author: FireGoddess
I have always wanted to try those fruit arrangements Monarch! I will have to order one for myself sometime when I''m having a party!

FG--I actually have "copied" one of their fruit skewer designs (someone else brought it to my home first for a party and I stole it from them, lol). The basket with the skewers of fruit pieces stuck into a head of lettuce goes over SO well at parties--it''s one of my favorite things to do either with work related things or social things--people just LOVE it. And it''s super easy...all you need is a cute basket, head of lettuce, bamboo skewers, and whatever fruit you want to incorporate. I think the DIY version is probably not that much cheaper than ordering one, when you factor in time and labor, but still, it''s fun to say you did it yourself!

 

[FireGoddess]

That''s a good idea Monarch! Did you omit apples or rub ''em with lemon juice before doing the arrangement?

 

[qtiekiki]

SIL brought over an edible arrangement once because her friend just opened one (I think it''s a franchise). I think it''s cute.

I had ordered chocolate covered strawberries from Shari''s Berries. It''s usually well-received.

 

[turtledazzle]

Hi all,

Thanks again for all of your suggestions. We ended up getting them some gift baskets from Wine Country Gift Baskets ~ they should be delivered next week.

 

[monarch64]

Date: 11/10/2006 1:27:59 PM
Author: FireGoddess
That''s a good idea Monarch! Did you omit apples or rub ''em with lemon juice before doing the arrangement?

I did omit the apples...

when I made it the last time I was pressed for time in the morning and threw it together pretty quickly. I think I just did two or three different colors of grapes, strawberries, blueberries, and pineapple chunks. The best part of those things is the crowd reaction--you definitely get lots of "oh''s and ah''s."

 

[FireGoddess]

I''m sure they''ll love the basket...I''ve sent them to many people, including my parents!