Tag Archives: family

May6

Science Backed Ways To Give The Best Gifts

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Science Backed Ways To Give The Best Gifts

Choosing a gift that the recipient will truly love and appreciate can be no easy feat. Even if you know someone very well, it’s so easy to get it wrong and give them a gift that, sure, they’ll pretend to love, but which you just know they’re disappointed in. The good news is, is that it doesn’t have to be that way – science has come to the rescue.

Yes, scientists have looked into the art of gift giving and they have come up with some solid rules for giving gifts that will be really appreciated by anyone on any occasion. Read on to find out more:

Know the Person Well:

Okay, so this probably isn’t going to help you if you’re buying for a mere acquaintance but a psychologist at San Fransisco State University by the name of Ryan Howell says that really knowing the person you’re gifting to is the key to getting it right. This makes sense, because if you know that your friend is a fan of the kind of quirky gifts you find at Davson Sales or you know that your aunt loves the dresses at Macy’s, then you’ll be giving a great gift. Even better, it enables you to go with a meaningful gift that is highly personalized to them and is unique – how could they not love that?

Make a Donation:

Although this often seems like a way of wimping out or something that people will pretend to like, but are secretly disappointed about, science says differently. In research conducted by Harvard Business School, it was found that giving to charity makes people happier than buying stuff and giving more makes people happier still, so by making a charity donation in the giftee’s name, you both win.

Handmade:

Buying something brand new from the store can be a good move if you know for sure that the giftee wants whatever it is you’re buying, but if you don’t it can be a minefield. Will they like it? Do they already have it? Should I give them the receipt just in case? Luckily, you can easily avoid all of that, because a study conducted by the Journal of Marketing in 2015 found that people like to gift homemade items because they are more unique, thoughtful, and they are often more appreciated. The same is true of family heirlooms which are more valued and, thus, more appreciated even if they are not actually more expensive.

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A craft that you enjoy making is always a good idea!

Give Them an Experience:

Giving people an experience that they will remember forever as gifts, like the ones at If Only, typically, according to science, makes them happier than giving them objects that they may well be bored of in a month or two. So, if you’re stuck, think about whether they’d like tickets to the big football game, a skydiving experience, a spa break, or something similarly exciting that fits their personality. They’ll undoubtedly like it more than chocolates, beer, or flowers.

Even if you weren’t great at science in school, let the experts help you make the best of your gifting with the ideas above!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Apr28

Adorable Cuteness Overload Pt. 2

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Adorable Cuteness Overload Pt. 2

Hiii everyone! So you guys saw my dad’s surprise get well shrine for my mom yesterday – cute, right? Lol, well he added a new member to the sunshine crew and it was so funny that I just had to share it with you all:

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In case you were wondering, yes, that is a cut out head of a monkey sending his well wishes. Wait, what? Haha, I guess we got some magazines from one of the wildlife programs that we donate to, and we got two copies of the monkey edition. Since we had two of a kind, my dad decided that it was okay to cut up the cover to place with the gnome, dog, and flowers.

Naturally, my mom did not want this decapitated monkey picture hanging out on our kitchen table, so my dad retired him to his new location after only one short hour with the sunshine crew:

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I just really can’t even, and it was so funny in the “what the hell” type of way that it only felt necessary to share with each and every one of you. 😀

Does anyone else have weird mascots hanging out in their home? What is the weirdest thing that you or a friend owns? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr27

Adorable Cuteness Overload

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Adorable Cuteness Overload

Hi everyone!! So the other morning I wake up and my dad tells me “make sure you take a picture of what I did on the kitchen table”. So, in other words, I heard “make sure you put it on your blog”. Lol, my dad set up a little surprise shrine for my mom, who is going through some intense medical treatment, to wake up to:

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Before even stepping into the kitchen, I could smell the beautiful hyacinths from our front yard. My dad also included lovely daffodil sprigs in his tiny bouquet. Not only did he pick flowers special for my mom, but he upped the ante with a hello from a cute dog and “Dave The Gnome“, who he was gifted with by JANE herself.

I often write about how my mom will surprise me with fashion related gifts like accessories or clothing and it’s always such a delight. So, it was sweet to see my dad muster up a surprise of his own to help start my mom’s day with a smile. To spread the love even more, CHARLES told me to send the picture of his creation to my sister, too. So cute.

Later in the morning, I heard my mom tell my dad how much she liked her surprise and he replied with “Oh, yeah – I made it for Gem”. (My dog. Massive eye roll!!) The Adorable Cuteness Overload was nice while it lasted! 😀

How do you like to surprise your loved ones? What is the best surprise that you have received? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr23

How To Prepare Your Home For Guests

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How To Prepare Your Home For Guests

If you’re having friends or family staying at your house for a while, then you’re going to want to make sure that your home is in tip-top condition for when they arrive. As the host, this is your job, so it’s essential that you do all that you can to make your home a comfortable and welcoming space, so that your guests can have the best time possible on their trip. This often seems like a daunting task, but try not to get too overwhelmed. As difficult as it may seem, preparations for your guests can be split into four simple steps:

  1. Clean And Tidy Everywhere

If your house is dirty and untidy, then your guests aren’t going to feel comfortable staying there. Because of this, it’s vital that you get all of of your cleaning supplies together and tackle every single room in the house. You need to make sure to vacuum every room, wipe down all of the surfaces, clean the mirrors, and tidy away any clutter. Your house doesn’t need to look like a show home, but your guests shouldn’t have to step over junk as they walk around.

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Cleaning is not fun but it must be done!

  1. Sort Out Their Space

If you’re having guests staying with you, then you need to find somewhere for them to sleep. If you’ve got a spare room, you could turn this into a guest bedroom with the help of an interior design company, like World of Renovation. If you don’t, then you should consider alternative sleeping arrangements, like sofa beds and blow up mattresses. You might even want to consider giving up your own bedroom for your guests and taking the sofa yourself.

  1. Stock Up The Fridge

The last thing that you want is for your guests to go hungry while they’re staying with you, so make sure that your fridge and cupboards are stocked with plenty of snacks and other foods for when it’s meal time. You might want to go shopping with them when they arrive so that they can help you pick out some of their favorite things, but if you’d rather get it done beforehand, then make sure to ask about any allergies or dietary restrictions.

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 Talk about well stocked!

  1. Remember The Little Touches

Things like tidying your house and giving your guests somewhere to sleep are obvious, and because of this, it’s usually the little touches that mean the most and help your guests to feel welcome. Things like putting together a welcome pack of fancy toiletries can really make your guests smile and show them that you care. You could also make sure to buy their favorite foods and drinks, place some light reading near their bed, and put out a vase of flowers in their room. You don’t have to go overboard, because the smallest things can often bring a lot of joy.

Preparing your home for house guests might seem like a difficult and long-winded task, but it’s honestly not as daunting as you might think. All you need to do is follow the four simple steps above, and then you’ll be ready to welcome your guests with open arms and enjoy your time with them.

Apr21

Frugal Flowers

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Frugal Flowers

Hi everyone! One of the things that both my parents and myself love having around the house is fresh flowers. Whether they’re picked from our yard or selected at a farmer’s market or store, there is nothing like a huge bouquet sitting on the kitchen table to make you smile.

We never look to spend too much on satisfying our flower fascination, and my mom seriously took the cake with the last bouquet that she bought when it comes to saving money. She got four bunches of the flowers seen below for ONE DOLLAR at the store. You definitely can’t beat that!

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When it comes to the little odds and ends that make you smile, I always say:

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Whether it’s a dollar bouquet of flowers or that new color of lipstick that you’ve been dying for, a little pick me up certainly goes a long way!

How do you like to treat yoself? What is your favorite flower? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr19

Garden Gnome Gift

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Garden Gnome Gift

Howdy! For my mom’s birthday, my sister, Kristen, treated her with a gift card to All Fired Up, which is a paint your own pottery place. It was such a sweet and thoughtful gift and they went together to create some masterpieces a few weeks ago. During that time, it was also my dad’s birthday, and my mom decided to make him a present at All Fired Up to celebrate. It was so cute I could hardly stand it and my mom did much better than we all anticipated at painting the prezzie. Take a look:

As all of you know, my dad is an avid gardener. Not only that, but he loves garden decor, as well. Birdhouses, bird baths, bird feeders, decorative pots, garden gnomes – you name it! It makes for such an eclectic and beautiful space in our backyard and I always look forward to when everything begins to grow in the spring to fully showcase his craft. It also makes it super easy when searching for Father’s Day gift ideas as I can always get him something he will love.

Sweet JANE, knows her hubby well enough to know that he would love to have a new gnome to add to his collection and used her birthday gift to hand make him a birthday gift. Like I said, it was so cute I could hardly stand it. Unfortunately, the weather outside is so crummy that CHARLES doesn’t want to take the gnome out for a little jaunt just yet. So, a few mornings ago, I found the cheeky little guy poking out from one of my dad’s extra flower pots for safe keeping. Freaking adorable!

My mom used a gift to make a gift and not only did it turn out wonderfully, but it also inspired her to take a pottery class with Kristen. Talk about a gift that keeps on giving!

Who else enjoys painting or creating pottery? What do you use to decorate your garden? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr13

Mastering The Art Of Giving A Thoughtful Gift

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Gift buying can be very stressful, whether it’s for birthdays, Christmas, Easter, or the other hundreds of events that seem to take place each year. It’s not that you don’t want to give gifts to the people you love – it’s that choosing gifts for so many different occasions and so many different people can be exhausting and overwhelming. You don’t want to disappoint anybody, but it can often be hard to think of any good ideas. Obviously, your loved ones will say it’s the thought that counts, but that’s the problem – there are no “thoughts” in your head. Until you read this article, of course!

A day out:

One of the best gifts that you can give to a loved one is a day out together. Spending time together is a gift in itself, as cheesy as that might sound. Obviously, you shouldn’t say “I am the present” because that might seem a little as if you forgot to buy a present for the person in question (Plus, you don’t want to sound bigheaded!). But, a day out is certainly one of the most thoughtful gifts you can give somebody if you do it correctly. Think about that person’s favorite place in the world and take them there. If their favorite place is too far away – like a vacation destination in Europe, for example, fear not! Assemble a care package of gifts europe themed and it will spoil them with mementos and a reminder of their happy place.

A personalized gift:

Adding a customized touch to a present tells the person that you made or bought this thing especially for them. This will definitely make an impact on the person for whom you buy the gift, because it lets them know that you put some thought into the present. You could view here if you wanted to get a custom phone case for a friend. You could get a photo of the pair of you printed on it. You could even create a personalized piece of artwork for someone if you have creative ability. Of course, think about what they might like but think outside of the box too! A proud pet parent would love a Dog Mug with their four-legged friend’s picture on it. An exercise enthusiast could get great use out of a personalized duffle bag. As we’ve discussed throughout this article, a gift doesn’t have to be expensive – it just has to be thoughtful. A customized present definitely shows that you’ve put thought into it.

Food (candy and other treats usually work best):

If you’re really panicking about birthdays that are just around the corner, then food is always a safe bet. Everybody loves food of some kind, so just think about the preferences of the person in question and go wild. Whether it’s a Christmas gift, birthday gift, or even a baby shower gift, food is the type of present that works for any occasion you can imagine. Obviously, you’ll need to make sure it’s presented nicely; get some gift wrap, a bow, and perhaps a nice plate (depending on what it is, of course).

Food is a simple gift, but it’s one that is guaranteed to succeed if you know the person well. Of course, it should be an exciting piece of food – a few apples might not be very exciting unless they’re a fruit fanatic. If they’re a fan of sweet treats, however, then those always make the perfect gift. You could even bake your own treats for the person in question. The homemade touch adds some personal flavor to the gift. As mentioned in the previous point, personalized gifts are always very well received.

Drink related gifts also tend to be very well received. Perhaps you could do a smoothie kit with a blender and recipe book? Or maybe your giftee appreciates a drink or two over the weekend. If so, you could check out the Bourbon Boujee Buddy Bottle Bundle or a similar package gift with their favorite alcoholic beverage. The beauty of food and drink presents is that they are sure to be used and your giftee will think of you when they do so.

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Yummm!

A nostalgic gift:

If you really want to tug at somebody’s heartstrings, then you should opt for the nostalgic angle when you buy them a present. Show them that you not only remember the recent good times you’ve shared together but the good times you’ve shared over the years. Perhaps one of your parents has a birthday coming up. You could buy them a copy of a board game that you used to play together when you were little. Maybe it was lost somewhere along the line, so it’ll be a sweet gesture to give your parents a new version. Or maybe you could find some old photographs of you and your childhood friend – reminding them that you’ve always been close friends and you always will be.

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Board games provide hours of fun, too!

Concert tickets:

As you’ve probably gathered by now, the most thoughtful gifts are ones that show you know or care about the person in question. That’s why a concert ticket to see their favorite artist is such a great idea. It combines a few of the things we’ve discussed already. It could be a fun evening out for you and your buddy, but it’s also a thoughtful gift because it shows that you know them well. Plus, the joy of seeing their favorite musician will be a great gift in itself.

Gift buying can be stressful with all of the occasions to present presents for throughout the year. But if you put some thought into it, you’ll be just fine!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Apr9

Last Minute Gifts When You’re In A Bind

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Last Minute Gifts When You’re In A Bind

When life gets ahead of us thanks to a whirlwind schedule, gift purchasing can seem like the last thing on your mind. But, alas, birthdays and holidays still come and go, and gift buying is a necessary part of it. Whether you’re picking something up from a store or online shopping, last minute gift shopping isn’t always a bad thing – as long as you don’t make it glaringly obvious that you did, that is. Check out these tips for when you need to do the last minute gift hustle for your next get together:

Something Fast:

The first option to consider is one which is in place entirely for its speed. Amazon Prime Same Day delivery has started to cover a very wide range of products recently, opening the doors for those with phobias of the outside world to buy things without venturing out. And the best part of these services, is that you will often get your hands on the goods within hours of ordering them. This is perfect for when you have a bit of time at home before you need to present your gift. Of course, when it comes to Amazon, you can often choose to have items gift wrapped, too.

Something Personal:

There are plenty of personal gifts out there which you can give to someone and they will cherish it for a long time. That piece of jewelry or furniture they keep glancing at, for example, could be a great gift, and you don’t have to go and buy it. The odds are that you will own a good range of different items which could inherit heirloom status. Being passed down or across generations, items like these could stay with people you love for hundreds of years, and could even find themselves in the hands of great people down the line.

Avoiding The Physical:

When you’re in a rush, giving something physical may be a mistake. If they live too far away for you to visit, you will have to use the postal service to get their gift to them, and this could be a problem if you’re not careful. Avoiding this is simple, leaving you with loads of great options. For example, subscription services like Spotify, are becoming extremely popular. Giving you access to hundreds of gifts, looking down the digital route can be a great way to avoid missing the big day.

Professional Services:

Companies that are willing to bend over backwards to make you happy can be found everywhere. Professional services, like chocolate making and flower arrangement, are great when you’re looking for gifts for people you love. Companies like Camelback Flowershop have the skills and resources to be able to take and prepare custom orders to be delivered on the same day. Of course, this is based on location, and you will have to find a business close to you. Once you do, though, you will be able to start turning birthdays you miss or forget about into something very special. This sort of gift can be touching when you have it arrive for you.

Something Homemade:

Basing a gift on your hobbies is often a simple matter of putting yourself to work, and will only take a bit of effort once you get into it. Drawing, cooking, singing, and crafts are but a few examples of the choices you have here, giving you a huge range of different gift ideas to choose from. This is something that you will have to dedicate a lot of time to in the short window you have between remembering a birthday and seeing the person who is having it if you want to get it done in time. This will be hard to manage if you have a busy schedule to contend with, but the reaction of your loved one will be so worth it!

Printable Gifts:

If you own a printer, you have the makings for tons of easy gifts which most people will never try. Buying tickets to a musical performance, for example, will often give you the ability to print off the documents from home, rather than having to wait for them to come in the post. Using this sort of gift will give you the chance to choose something personal and well thought out, without having to have the time to spend on making it happen.

Last minute gift shopping can be totally stressful, so use this guide and breeze through your next occasion with ease!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Apr8

Happy Birthday, Sister!!

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Happy Birthday, Sister!!

Hello everyone and happy Sunday! Today is a wonderful, amazing, happy day because it is my beautiful big sister, Kristen’s, 26th birthday!! Kristen is literally my favorite person on the planet. She is so kind, so sweet, so funny, and so talented and I am lucky enough to be able to call her my sister and best friend. If it were up to me, and probably not to her, we would be doing everything together. So, needless to say, every minute that I get with her is very special.

I have so many fond memories with my sister. From her being my concert partner in crime to family vacations and movies and shopping, if it’s with her, then I enjoy it completely. Even just grabbing our favorite of Taco Bell and watching Netflix makes me beyond happy. Kristen is one of a kind and it makes me proud to brag about how cool she is constantly to anyone that will listen.

My best friend, my sister, and my literal everything turns 26 today. I’ve had 23 years with her and I can’t wait for a million more. Happy birthday, Kristen! ❤

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Apr6

Happy Birthday, Dad!

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Happy Birthday, Dad!

Hi everyone and TGIF! Today is a special day, because it’s my dad’s birthday!! My dad. The vacation planner extraordinaire, the man with the green thumb, and my favorite guy on the planet. One of my favorite daily activities is annoying my father, and knowing that deep down, despite my constant burping, singing, and dancing around is that he loves me like crazy. And I him, of course.

CHARLES is a really special guy and he has taught me all about enjoying the simple things in life. My dad is an amazing gardener and can seemingly make beautiful plants, flowers, and vegetables appear out of nothing. He also invests in his passion for wildlife watching every day by feeding the neighborhood birds and squirrels in our backyard. Watching my father tend to his craft daily is a constant reminder for me to take a step back and appreciate the beauty that surrounds my home that he created. Like I said, he’s a really special guy.

Although my dad doesn’t read my blog (As far as I know.), it wouldn’t be right to not wish him a happy birthday on lifewithlilred. So happy birthday, dad. I sure do love you! ❤

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