I don’t know about you, but it always seems that gift giving for the Holidays becomes, I dunno, blah? There is always the sweaters and clothing items, a few toys for the kids, a piece of jewelry for the ladies, a tool from TJ Maxx for the guys (here’s a hint, don’t buy tools at a clothing store), so I went on a search of some unique ideas for some really great gifts. What I like to give the most is a gift that’s memorable, one that someone will talk about for years to come. Those type of gifts are hard to come by but I’ve found four that made the cut:
You can give
- an experience
- a plan
- a meal
- a company
Give an Xperience
No, that’s not a typo, there actually is a company called Xperience Days*. What they offer is guaranteed to be unique! Yes, there are some pretty pricey options, such as Air Combat Dogfights, Hot Air Balloon rides, helicopter rides over your favorite city, and bi-plane rides, but there’s also cooking classes, dinner cruises, 800 horsepower dragster rides, and trips to a soothing spa. If you’re on a budget like me, there are also 10 pages of experience (I mean Xperience) gifts available for less than $100.
Whatever you choose to give, if you send them on an Xperience*, they’ll be talking about it for years to come. When’s the last time someone raved about a sweater for 5 years?
For the record, I’m not much for heights, so I’ll take the NASCAR ride at Michigan International Speedway or sailing in Boston Harbor for two!
Give a Plan
I already mentioned how impressed I am with the Mvelopes* system of budgeting. Have you had the chance to check out their video tour? Mvelopes Personal is the leading online personal spending management system that allows you to easily view and control your finances anytime, anywhere. With online and mobile access, all your spending information is always at your fingertips, but did you ever think, “I could give this as a gift?” Maybe you have a son or daughter that’s struggling with a budget, maybe your sister or brother needs help getting control of finances and knowing where their income is evaporating. Whoever it is, they can benefit from knowing where their money is going and Mvelopes can help them get and stay on track.
Give the gift of Food
You can’t go wrong with food … unless it’s something they don’t like! Don’t risk giving those liverworst and pine nut cookies to someone who won’t appreciate them, give them a Restaurant.com* gift certificate. At this site, you can buy $25 gift certificates for only $10 … sometimes less! There are a few restrictions and minimums depending on the restaurant, but keep in mind you’re buying a dollar for only 40 cents.
Better yet, give the gift that keeps on giving and give your loved ones a Dinner of the Month Club on Restaurant.com.* You can give a 3, 6 or 12 month plan for savings of 60 percent or more!
NOTE: FOR A LIMITED TIME
80% off Savings on Dinner of the Month Club Purchase. Code SANTA. 12/16/08 thru 12/22/08. Three months of Dinner of the Month Club now costs only $6.
And, and, and …
80% off Savings on $25 Gift Certificates. $2 when you use code SANTA. Valid only 12/16/08 thru 12/22/08. That means you get a $25 gift certificate for only $2!
Give a Company
OneShare.com* sells REAL stock certificates; framed, in approximately 100 of America’s favorites companies. Because their company list is pretty extensive, they have a stock for everybody. Some of their best selling stock certificates are: Disney, Dreamworks, Harley-Davidson, Wal-Mart, GM, Tiffany, Microsoft, & Coke.
All too often, our money today is just digital blips on a computer screen, but with OneShare.com, that stock takes on a whole new meaning because it’s now something you can touch. These make excellent gifts for children and grandchildren!
There you have it, four pretty unique gift ideas. And none of them will be returned because the receiver couldn’t wear it, or it was in some crazy metric size that didn’t fit anything!
photo credit: MontageMan
[tags]Christmas, gifts, unique gifts, fun, experience, budget, restaurant, food, stock, stock certificate, plan, dragster, NASCAR[/tags]
*Affiliate link
{ 2 comments }
What was it that Dan Kennedy says? Something like: Most older people want one of three things: Not to feel ripped off, to feel unique and something else. I guess if you incorporate those into how you give the gifts (like not being cheap) you’re onto something good, especially if we’re talking parents and inlaws.
In this economy give the gift of a Plan a business plan. Help a friend by helping them start their own company. We recently gave a friend this gift, they were delighted!
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