Elegant Giving

Hiatus

2009-07-02T09:54:00.006+10:00

I apologise for stranding this blog so soon after I started it up. I gave birth to my little boy earlier than anticipated and I didn't have a chance to write and pre-schedule the posts I was planning. For the past four months we've been wandering around in a fog of colic-induced exhaustion.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope to be blogging again soon.

Nuddle and Steakbrand - Gifts of the Month

2009-01-16T18:00:00.002+11:00

Each month I'll be featuring a Gift of the Month. This month, however, has two gifts - one for the northern hemisphere and one for the southern hemisphere.

Nuddle Blanket

For those of you in the middle of chilly winter weather, the Nuddle Blanket will make an ideal gift. It is a cosy blanket that has a foot pocket so that your feet remain covered no matter how high you pull the blanket up around you. It also has hand openings so that you can have your hands out of the blanket to read a book, eat, or drink. A very simple idea, but very effective.

Steakbrand - Rare, Medium, and Well-Done Steak Branding Irons

Those of us enjoying lovely barbecue weather down south might be tempted by steak branding irons that you can use to indicate how a particular cut of meat has been cooked - rare, medium, or well-done. I think this is a great idea if you're having many guests over and each guest has a different meat cooking preference. Keep tabs of who gets what.

More Elegant Gift Ideas

Prepare Now for Next Year

2008-12-25T18:00:00.002+11:00

The average family will spend almost two percent of their annual income on Christmas presents, some more than that. Unfortunately, much of the money spent between Halloween and Christmas Eve will be put on credit cards.

This means that many families will be paying off their Christmas spending throughout the year and possibly into the next holiday buying season, which will end up costing more than a gift bought for cash.

To help you avoid the same situation, you may want to start thinking about next year now.

Start Planning Early

The best way to avoid putting holiday spending on a credit card is to start saving money beginning with the pay cheque after Christmas. Determine how much money you spent on everything – gifts, wrapping paper, meals, cards, postage, clothing, decorations – and then divide that amount by twelve. This will give you an idea of how much money you need to save each month in order to pay cash the next year.

Some banks and credit unions have Christmas Club Accounts available so you can put money aside each week, month, or pay period to help keep Christmas costs in check. You may want to open an account as soon as you can and leave the money there until next year. In most cases, besides the money you place in your Christmas Club Account, you may also earn interest on your deposit. It may not be much extra money, but it’s much better to earn interest than having to pay it.

PLR

Gift Ideas for Ladies
Gift Ideas for Men

The Gift of Lending a Hand

2008-12-24T18:00:00.001+11:00

Get involved with your neighbours. There are often many opportunities to help someone who lives near you. Senior adult neighbours often need help whether they live alone or not. New mothers and single mothers with small children could also usually do with a hand.

Get your whole family involved too. Men and women often have different skills to offer others, such as maintaining a car, changing a light bulb, washing windows, sewing, or ironing. Teenagers and older children can learn a lot from the gift of giving of their time and energy to help others.

Meals and Food

One of the most practical and often needed gifts is preparing a cooked meal for someone, or doing some grocery shopping for perishables such as bread and milk. Your neighbours may appreciate your help with this for many reasons: a couple who have just had a baby; an elderly or ill person; or a neighbour returning from an overseas trip. A teenager could help a neighbour prepare a meal, and probably learn a great deal from seeing how other people cook - particularly if your neighbour is of a different culture.

Housework

Your neighbour may be unable to cope with doing their own housework at some stage, and this could be a lovely gesture of helping each other out when one neighbour is battling. New mums would probably love it if you or members of your family came over to help with the housework.

Gardening

Elderly neighbours or single mothers may not be able to get out and mow their lawn as often as it needs it. A teenager could do this task whether the neighbour has a push or riding lawn mower. You can also help with weeding, edging, and trimming bushes.

Snow season

If you live in a heavy snowfall area, you may be able to help older friends and neighbours clear their driveway of snow. Single mothers, unless they have older children of their own, would also appreciate any teen providing the muscle for this job.

Babysitting

Any working parents would be glad for an opportunity to go out without their children. Baby-sitting is generally thought of as a teenage girl’s job, but if your teenage son likes children, why shouldn’t he be able to baby-sit? Most new mothers would jump at the chance to have someone keep an eye on a newborn while Mum takes a much-needed shower and nap.

Pet care

If your children love animals, they may want to help care for a neighbour's pets while they’re away. They may also be willing to go over and take the dog for a walk every day.

Spreading holiday cheer

Did you notice a neighbour who didn’t decorate for the holidays last year? Is it because they didn’t want to or because they couldn’t? Quite often older neighbours aren’t interested in celebrating because they’ve lost a loved one or their children don’t live nearby. Think about inviting your neighbour to spend part of the holidays with you and your family.

PLR

4 Tips to Ensure Your Gift is Remembered

2008-12-23T18:00:00.000+11:00

There is nothing more disappointing than putting a lot of thought and energy into a gift only to have it mislaid or the card lost. Here are some tips to ensure your gift will have the right effect and not be lost amongst other gifts.

Choose a convenient time to deliver your gift. Make sure there will be enough time for the recipient to accept the gift and acknowledge it with their full attention.

A gift is less likely to be remembered if it is the one shoved into already full arms when the person is distracted by something else.
Don't insist that the gift be opened immediately in front of you. Some people are uncomfortable doing so. Respect this, no matter how excited you are.

Wrap the card inside the gift wrap, especially for wedding gifts. Cards can so easily become detached.
Mention the details of the gift when you next meet. Catching out someone who has a bad memory for who gave them which gift does nothing to promote the abundant feeling the gift was intended to evoke. If they did forget, their gratitude at your subtle reminder will ensure it sticks in their memory after all.

A Donation Has Been Made in Your Name

2008-12-22T18:00:00.000+11:00

Is it a good idea to make a donation in lieu of a gift?

There are many differing opinions on this trend of combining charity and gift-giving. Generally, if a gift is expected, as for special events such as weddings, it is poor etiquette to organise a charitible donation instead of a gift without discussing the issue with the recipient. If a gift is not expected, though, a well-chosen and well-presented donation can be a pleasant gesture, but can still lead to disappointment if not handled with sensitivity.

However, a donation made in addition to a thoughtful gift is a far better option - as long as the charity you choose does not include elements that may contradict the recipient's own principles.

A donation may be an easy and obvious choice if the recipient already has a favourite charity that they have mentioned to you previously. Some charities offer gift certificates.

When presenting a donation, always include a personal card or note. Use nice stationery - just because you're giving to charity doesn't mean you can stick a label on a second-hand envelope. Good quality environmentally friendly stationery also makes a favourable impression, whether or not the charity is enviroment-related.

Present your donation together with your actual gift, or afterwards, but not beforehand.

In the event that you are making an unexpected donation when a gift is not anticipated, state clearly before presenting the details that you have made a donation on the other person's behalf.

Kiva.org
Acumen Fund

Combining Gift Purchases to Save Your Wallet

2008-12-17T18:00:00.000+11:00

Rather than each person giving gifts to every other member of your family, draw names so each person has fewer gifts to give - but with the potential of spending more effort on the particular gift they are responsible for. This is particularly helpful if you have a large family.

Or, instead of individual gifts, you could give a family gift. Within your own family, each individual could receive a larger gift (or gifts up to an agreed value) organised collectively by the other members. When giving to another family, your family can give one item that would suit the entire family.

You could also use this concept at work and with other friends and neighbours to whom you may be planning on giving a gift. Perhaps you can buy a family of movie lovers a book of certificates for a free movie every month at their favourite movie store.

Does someone on your list like going to museums? You can buy family memberships at museums for much less than you would spend on individual gifts. In many cases, a family membership will also allow you to use your ticket for reciprocating museums within a certain driving distance. This would give them free or reduced entry into other museums that are part of the program.

Another family-type gift you could give would be a membership to the local pool or recreation centre. Try to think of what it is that the people on your list enjoy and find something that could be for the whole family. It’s quite possible that a combined gift like these would reduce your gift spending dramatically.

PLR

Gift Ideas for Friends and Neighbours

2008-12-16T18:00:00.000+11:00

Friends

If you've been friends for a long time, you probably know enough about your friend and have spent enough time with them to know what they like. Think of the things they enjoy doing with you and you'll have an idea of items you can give as gifts.

You may have a hobby in common and they may borrow particular items while you're working on projects together. It may be time to buy your friend their own item. It may be a particular pair of specialised scissors or a tool they don't have. Of course, you may want to think about how they'll receive the gift; you don't want them to think that you're giving the gift because you don't want them to use yours anymore.

Maybe you want to buy a gift that will be for their entire family. Is there a water park or other amusement park that sells year-long passes? This would be one idea for a family gift. You may want to purchase a board game that your friends have been looking at. Board and card games can be played during family nights or while your family is visiting.

Neighbours

Unless you've spent a great amount of time with them, you may not have a really good idea of what to get your neighbour. That doesn't mean you can't give them a gift they'll appreciate. Think about what they like, the things you talk about, and things they've said to you. Surely you'll be able to find a gift idea in what you've heard them say.

Do they have flower gardens that they spend time in? Perhaps you can get them some new gardening tools. Do they enjoy watching birds? A new hummingbird feeder or bird bath may be appreciated.

A basket of fruit would probably be welcome. A basket of cookies may also be a good idea unless you know they're diabetic. Are they football fans? Try including snack foods that would be enjoyed during a football game. If they enjoy watching movies, consider giving them a box or basket with popcorn and certificates for free movies at a local movie rental business.

Another suggestion is to purchase a poinsettia to give them. However, if they have small children or animals, note that poinsettias are toxic - in fact many plants are potentially toxic or allergenic and may not be a good choice in these circumstances. In lieu of a poinsettia, why not give them a personalised ornament? Look for large, shatterproof ornaments for families with young children.
To avoid the holiday stress of shopping, consider shopping online as much as possible. Not only will you save on fuel because you won't be driving from store to store to find the perfect gift, you'll also be able to have things sent right to your front door. In many cases online stores will offer free shipping for a minimum purchase. If they don't offer it when you place your order, ask. You may be surprised.

As mentioned, gift cards and gift certificates are often good choices to give at Christmas. If you find a store that has items you know someone on your list will enjoy, but you can't decide which items to get, ask if they offer a gift card.

And finally, whatever it is you decide to give your friends and neighbours, be sure to include a personalised Christmas card. Let them know how much you think of them and that you're glad they're a part of your life. Share true warm wishes for the holidays.

PLR

Gift Ideas for Teens

2008-12-15T18:00:00.000+11:00

Sometimes it's difficult to know what to buy a pre-teen or teenager. Whether they're yours or the children of friends, teens aren't always easy to buy for. Times and teenagers change so quickly that gifts that might have been appreciated a few years ago might be looked on in disdain today.

Gift certificates, gift cards, or cash would be the best idea for this age group on your gift giving list. If you attempt to buy them music, they may not like the artist or may already have that particular album. The clothes you pick out may not be their personal style. At this age, tastes change almost as often as they change their clothes.

Listen to what they're saying for possible hints about what they would like to receive. Maybe their IPod is out-of-date; buy them a new and better one. If they complain because their favourite CD is worn out, find out which one it is and replace it. You may also need to become a detective of sorts to find out what they really want. Ask their friends for suggestions.

PLR

Gift Ideas for Children

2008-12-12T18:00:00.000+11:00

Younger Children

Children are usually quite easy to buy for. It seems that advertisers begin bombarding children with advertisements for the latest and greatest toys earlier each year. Because of the advertisements during their favourite TV shows, they've probably been telling you what they'd like to get for ages now.

Don't let advertisers make you feel inadequate if you don't buy your children everything they want for Christmas. Pick one or two toys your child has repeatedly said they want, and perhaps a few smaller gifts as stocking fillers if this is your tradition.

Older Children

Books, CDs, and DVDs are all good gift-giving ideas. You may also choose to give them clothing they've been asking for if they've reached this age. If you really don't know what to buy them, there's nothing wrong with giving them a gift certificate, gift card, or cash so they can buy what they like. If public transport is a problem, however, remember that they may need you to take them to the store to get what they want.

Giving a gift card may be a wise choice for a couple of reasons. You know they'll get what they want and they don't take up a lot of space in the shopping cart. They can be purchased in any amount, and they can get to open something on Christmas day. The best thing about gift cards is that if they may be able to get more for the same money since they can hit the after-Christmas sales and save quite a bit on some of the items on their list.

PLR

Gift Ideas for Your Loved One

2008-12-11T18:00:00.005+11:00

When considering ideas for gifts for your spouse or partner, think of what he or she enjoys and listen for hints of what they would like to get. For women it may be jewellery, a trip to a local day spa, or her favourite perfume. Men might like tools or gadgets, a book by their favourite author, or a CD by their favourite artist.

Clothing is usually a safe bet unless you choose a style and size that isn't correct. Many people have a favourite item of clothing or brand that fits perfectly - consider purchasing a second such item in a different colour.

You may want to think twice about buying clothing on spec unless your partner goes with to try something on prior to your buying it. If your spouse has told you they want a particular clothing item, a good bet would be to purchase a gift card that can be used to pick up exactly what they want.

If you really want to impress your spouse, consider planning a weekend getaway for just the two of you. Ask grandparents to baby sit, reserve a room at a local bed and breakfast, and then give your loved one a written invitation as your gift to open on Christmas day.

Does your partner have a favourite hobby? Purchase things that can be used for the hobby – yarn and needles for knitting or crocheting, craftwork supplies for those who like to keep a scrapbook or make craft items, a router and drill bits for a spouse who enjoys woodworking. Pay attention to any hints they drop (consciously or subconsciously) about new hobbies they'd like to try, and look for starter kits or books for beginners.

PLR

Gift ideas for men
Gift ideas for women

Handmade Gift Ideas

2008-12-10T18:00:00.001+11:00

Crocheting or knitting

Scarves, hats, gloves, and mittens are good gifts to make using this craft. If you start soon enough, you may also be able to crochet an afghan or sweater. These would be much appreciated due to the colder weather.

Scrapbooking

Perhaps your family and friends would like a small scrapbook of pictures and journal entries of your family and the recipients. Scrapbooks are a great way to share photographs and heart-felt thoughts about the people in the pictures. You wouldn't have to create a large scrapbook to give as gifts. You could create smaller scrapbooks that commemorate a certain event or holiday from the year.

Woodworking

This craft would most likely be used to create larger gifts. Of course, if you have a lathe and use it quite often, you may choose to make gifts like wooden candle holders, pens, or small bowls. If you're really interested in woodworking, you may make recipe boxes, jewellery boxes, or something else along those lines.

Beading

Necklaces, bracelets, key chains, and earrings can all be made by various methods of beading. Look online to find patterns or create your own patterns.

Painting

Take some time to paint a picture that would fit in the recipient's home. Maybe it could be a picture to remind them of summer trips you shared when you were younger. Use your imagination and what you know about the person the gift is for to determine the best subject matter.

There is such a variety of crafts that would make excellent gifts, and you never know what might become a favourite hobby until you give it a try. Try to find something that you can do and enjoy. You'll have a much better chance of actually completing the gifts you want to make and won't have to run out the week before Christmas to find gifts to give.

PLR

Try these books for help with handmade gifts:

The Perfect Basket: Make Your Own Special Occasion Baskets

Last-Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts

Closely Knit: Handmade Gifts For The Ones You Love

Make Your Own Gifts

2008-12-09T18:00:00.002+11:00

You don’t have to spend two weeks' income at Christmas on gifts. There are ways that you can still participate in gift giving without breaking your budget. Making some of your own gifts will help you stay within your budget.

Making gifts

By making gifts for those on your Christmas list, you’ll be giving something much more important than the gift itself: the gift of your time, which is more precious than a new X-Box or another tie. Making gifts shows that you’ve given serious thought to what you wanted to give and you took the time out of your busy schedule to create something just for the person the gift is intended for.

Why not encourage other members of your family to make gifts to give one another?

Children love to make gifts and give them. This is a great opportunity to help them think about each person they’re making a gift for, decide upon the gift, and enjoy the concept of giving of themselves. They will be more excited on Christmas morning to give a handmade gift to someone they love than they would handing out gifts that didn’t take much thought or effort on their part.

If you're having problems coming up with ideas for handmade gifts, you can head to the library to find books on nearly any craft. There are also books on woodcraft projects, knitting, crocheting, cross stitching, making soap, and many others. Out of all of the books at the library you will be able to find something to help you make your own gifts.

Spend some time looking on the Internet to find handmade gift ideas. Go to your favourite search engine and look for “handmade Christmas gifts”. You may be surprised to find the number of web pages that have handmade gifts and instructions on how to make them.

Tomorrow's post will look at a few popular crafts to try.

PLR

Try these books for more gift ideas:

Simply Handmade: 365 Easy Gifts & Decorations You Can Make (Crafts)

or

365 Easy Projects for Every Occasion (Simply Handmade)

Environmentally Friendly Holiday Giving

2008-12-08T18:00:00.002+11:00

When you think about all the peripherals that go with gift giving - the giftwrap, cards or gift tags, ribbon, manufacturer's packaging (both of the gift and of the giftwrap, cards, tags, ribbon) - you suddenly realise how much wastage our gestures of generosity can create.

Squidoo Lensmaster Evelyn Saenz has put together an excellent lens on Inexpensive Eco-Friendly Christmas ideas. Consider passing on family toys, or making your own giftwrap, cards, and tree ornaments.

Lensmaster CleanerLife has found some unique Eco-Friendly Christmas Gifts, Presents and Decorations, that not only feature recycle items that would often find their way into the landfill, but also provide income to artists and crafters in countries like Guatemala, Honduras, and Haiti.

Lensmaster AJ2008's lens is on the Twelve Days of a Green & Ethical Christmas, which raises awareness of the environmental and ethical footprint of our gifts and festivities, and has some good suggestions for alternatives.

For more help going green these holidays, try these books:
Green Christmas : How to Have a Joyous, Eco-Friendly Holiday Season or
How To Wrap Gifts the Eco-Friendly Way : Mitigate Some of the Effects of Plastic Packaging and Commercial Gift-Wrap

6 Tips to Ensure Your Gift is Perfect

2008-12-04T18:00:00.001+11:00

Have you ever been embarrassed because you gave someone a completely inappropriate gift? Maybe you forgot that the person house-sitting for you was a vegan when you picked up a leather keychain as a souvenir thank you gift.

If you really want your gift to make an impression, you need to make a real effort, putting thought and care into your choice. But purchasing the gift is not where the effort ends - don't let the ideal gift be trivialised by the way that you present it.

More tips to presenting the perfect gift:

Make your purchase with plenty of time to spare. Allow for the eventuality of having to return the gift and reorder.

If you are able to hand-deliver your gift yourself, have it sent to you.
Check the gift carefully for any damage.

Wrap the gift yourself. See below for a variety of boxes, bags, and other easy gift wrapping options.

If you cannot give the gift on the day itself, make the delivery early rather than late.

Write the card from your heart. Mention why you chose the gift you did.

Browse these pages for gift ideas:

Gifts for the ladies in your life

Gifts for the men in your life

The Gift of Preparation

2008-12-03T06:00:00.005+11:00

Even though the current holiday season hasn’t arrived, you may already be dreading the fact that you’ll spend too much money and that it will be placed on credit cards. Many families will be paying off their Christmas spending throughout the year and possibly into the next holiday buying season, which will actually end up costing them more than had they paid for the gifts with cash.

It's Not Too Late to Prepare a Holiday Spending Budget

How can you avoid being a holiday spending statistic? Start with deciding how much you can afford to spend, what you intend to buy (or have still to purchase), and how you intend to pay for it.

Make a list of everyone you would like to give a gift to. Of course there will be your immediate family, but what about your children’s teachers? Do you plan to give a gift to your mail carrier? What about your hairdresser? Will they receive a gift, too?

Write down everyone you can think of for whom you may be required to guy a gift and then decide now how much you will spend on each person. The total will give you a good idea of how much money you’ll be spending on gifts.

Next decide on other things you’ll need to buy, such as wrapping paper, Christmas cards, postage to mail the cards, inside and outside decorations, including the tree, and any new clothing you expect to buy. Will you travel during the holidays? If so, include those anticipated amounts in your list. Do you host the Christmas meal or a Christmas party? Those items would be included on your expense list, too.

Take a good hard look at the list you’ve created and the estimated amounts you think you’ll spend. If the amount is shocking, you may need to either pare down your list – remove some people from your gift list or decide to spend less on each one – or eliminate something else to bring your spending down to a reasonable amount.

Most importantly, once you have determined what your spending budget is for the holidays, do your utmost to avoid going over that amount. If at all possible, you would like to remain under budget rather than over it.

Avoid using a credit card to pay for Christmas purchases, unless you have the well-established discipline of paying your credit card off in full before the due date. Instead use cash or a debit card. This will help you avoid paying high interest rates for Christmas purchases long after the season has passed.
PLR

Gift Ideas for Ladies
Gift Ideas for Men

Giving Away an Education

2008-12-01T18:00:00.001+11:00

An Alternative MBA to be exact. Seth Godin, self-made millionaire and entrepreneurial creator of Yoyodyne, ChangeThis, and Squidoo, is offering a free six month working-tutorial to a select group of ambitious and charismatic people. Following the programme, successful candidates may be given an internship or an employment opportunity at Squidoo. All students receive a letter of reference and a certificate.

Applicants must be able to live in the New York area for the six months of the programme. Deadline for applications is 14 December 2008.

Here's his proposed agenda:

One hour a day of class/dialogue
Four hours a day of working on Godin's projects
Three hours a day of working on your personal project
Five hours a day of "living, noticing, doing, and connecting"

Godin says: "The program I'd like to do is not an internship. You don't get paid, you don't do scut work, you are not on your own. This is guided quest, one that delivers value to you (from the learning and the doing) and to me (from the teaching and from the work you'll produce.)"

All details are available on Godin's Alternative MBA lens.

Seth Godin's latest book is Tribes : We Need You to Lead Us

What Does Your Gift Say About You?

2008-11-28T06:00:00.000+11:00

A gift reflects on both the giver and the recipient. Think carefully about the type of person you're buying for. Take their tastes and personality into consideration. But don't be afraid to give a gift that stretches just outside their comfort zone - the most memorable gifts are those that open us up to new ideas.

Spending too much on a gift is almost as inconsiderate as spending too little. The gift should be a comfortable experience, not one that invites guilt or obligation, or causes resentment.

Elegance celebrates value over wealth and quality over excess. Elegance is understated; not advertised. It is apparent in the closer inspection, the detail of the gift, the craftsmanship, and the quality of materials.

Elegance never embarrasses. It's never inappropriate, though it might touch the boundaries enough to stimulate new conversations and new experiences. Elegance is understanding and respectful, courteous and charming, classy and charismatic.

Elegant Gift Ideas

10 Tips for Making a Holiday Gift Wish List

2008-11-26T18:00:00.002+11:00

How do you feel about wish lists? Do you resent the concept because you feel that your loved ones should put more effort into coming up with brilliant ideas themselves, rather than relying on you to tell them what to get? Are you shy about making one because you don't feel worthy of asking for a specific gift? Do you battle to think of things to add to your list because you're having to compile it at the last minute?

A wish list is a small gift in itself; it's a gift of time-saving and ease of mind that you give to the person who wants to give you something you will value.

If your list consists of things you think you "should" ask for (in other words, things you think the person would probably get you anyway if you didn't make the list) you're not doing anybody any favours.

Here are some more tips for drawing up a wish list for Christmas or other holidays, or your birthday.

Keep your list handy throughout the year and add ideas whenever you think of them or see something you would like. Delete items when you receive them so that you always have an up-to-date list to hand to someone.

List items that you can't justify spending money on for yourself, but that you want or need.

Alternatively, ask for a contribution towards an item that you would like to save up for. It may be too expensive for one person to purchase, but together several family members could arrange a joint gift.

What do you stop and look at every time you enter a particular store? Perhaps you love the displays of colourful pens and stationery, or maybe you have to resist the chocolate. Ideas for stocking fillers can be difficult to come up with, so adding all sorts of small items to your list can really help. Someone who can't afford a big gift might decide to get you a good selection of little gifts. Has a new product caught your eye, but you don't want to spend the money to try it out? It might make a great gift.

What do you need for your home? Is there an item that you wouldn't mind having dozens of? Think of practical things like tea towels, guest towels, and bed linen, or tools and gadgets that you never seem to have to hand when you need them.

Are you still hanging onto an old and daggy item because it is still in working order? Ask for a new one, an upgrade, or a more fashionable version. Then donate the old one to someone who needs it.

Do you need to do some organising, filing, or tidying up? Having nice storage boxes, holders, folders, dividers, and cateloguing items can make this job much more pleasant, but might not be items you're prepared to pay for yourself.

What do you do for entertainment? Do you love movies? Music? Books? Dining out? Horseriding? Ask for vouchers, specific titles, or a membership option, or ask a loved one to take you to a specific event or activity. What have you always wanted to do or try?

Do you have a hobby or collection that the giver can add to? Be specific about tools, special products, holders, or specific pieces that you need. If you're thinking of starting something new, ask for some beginner's items.

Browse online stores for items you want or need. List the sites or the brick and mortar equivalent to help the giver out.

Still stuck for ideas for your wishlist? Browse through these gift ideas for items you like - and email the page as a suggestion...
Gift lists for ladies
Gift lists for men

Kiva - Give the Gift of Self-Sufficiency

2008-11-24T18:00:00.000+11:00

Kiva.org is a unique and clever way to help others who are less fortunate than we are. Instead of handing over your hard-earned cash to yet another charity, where you might not have any knowledge of exactly what your donation is being used for, or whether it is actually reaching the people you thought you were helping, Kiva has taken a different approach.

Kiva is not a charity; it is a business loan. The minimum loan amount is US$25. You can browse through a list of entrepreneurs from developing countries such as Cambodia, Nigeria, Peru, and Pakistan. The entrepreneurs requesting loans from Kiva are doing so to either start a small business, improve or expand an existing small business, or purchase stock for their business. Choose the person who resonates with you.

Together with several other lenders, your $25 goes towards the loan capital that the entrepreneur has applied for. Once the capital has been raised (which usually takes less than a day due to the growing popularity of Kiva), the loan is dispersed by a Kiva-vetted microlender who operates in that country.

Here I do recommend that you check the interest rate that each microlender is charging their entrepreneur. Some charge less than 10%; personally I consider an interest rate above 30% to be excessive, especially since so much of the cost association is covered by the Kiva concept. However, these microlenders are also running a business, and may be small entrepreneurs themselves, therefore they do need to turn some sort of profit to survive.

The beauty of Kiva, though, is seen at the end of the loan term, when the entrepreneur has repaid their loan. The $25 you lent to this first entrepreneur is returned to you, and now you can re-loan the same money to another entrepreneur with another business to build up. This is the concept that thrills me. Over and over again, the same money is helping people who are using it to build businesses that support them and their families. The repayment rate is extremely high at Kiva. The default rate as at 21 November 2008 is only 1.24%.

But that's beside the point - if you were donating this money, you wouldn't expect to get it back. You also wouldn't have a chance to give it to someone else once the first person no longer needed it. So, this holiday season, give up $25 to put into a Kiva account (for yourself, or on behalf of a loved one), and enjoy choosing the entrepreneurs to lend that money to over and over again.

Elegant, classy, sophisticated gift ideas