Nov 26 2008
Gift Ideas for Co-Workers, Neighbors and Service Workers
Every year we have a few people in our lives that we want to show our appreciation for, however it can be difficult choosing the right gift.
Here are some ideas we have used in the past and will probably use again this year.
- A “Movie Night” gift bag is great for neighbors or friends. Pick up a $5 gift certificate from Blockbuster or a movie that you are confident they have not seen. Add a bag of microwave popcorn, 2 liter of soda and 2 boxes of movie size candy from the Dollar Store. You could always include a dry cookie mix too. Tuck all of these things in a Christmas bag with a Card and you have just given them a gift the whole family will enjoy.
- Bath & Body gifts are great for females. There are several items that sell for around $5. I would suggest hand lotion or hand sanitizer, vanilla is the safest choice. Add a candy cane and a Christmas card to this item. It is just a little something to say, “I thought of you”.
- Tea and Coffee are very popular drinks for most people. However, what is really nice is to receive a gift of the higher quality teas. Tazo is a popular brand of Tea with a variety of choices. Barnie’s Coffee sells small bags of ground coffee in stores and online for around $2.50. The best choice is one that is their Barnie’s Blend rather than a flavored coffee like hazelnut or mint. You can always go with a Gift Certificate from Dunkin donuts or Starbucks. Again, throw in a Christmas card and a candy cane to show your appreciation.
- There are quite a few “Gifts in a Jar” type of ideas. Instead of making a mix for someone to use, it has been better to make a candy jar. You can buy a few jars, and about 5 different packages of chocolates or candies. I like to go with the best brands: Ghiradelli, Hershey’s and Godiva. Pick up some Kisses wrapped in red and green, and/or mini variety of Hershey candy bars too. Divide the amount of candy in each bag between all the jars equally then put the candy in the jars. Put the lids on and tie a Christmas Ribbon around the top tying a candy cane to the lid. With a Christmas card, this is something most everyone would enjoy. There are plenty of sugar free candies out there too!
- If your friends are the camping or outdoorsy type, make a basket for them to enjoy by a campfire. Smores- 1 box graham crackers, 4 Hershey’s
Candy
Bars, and a bag of marshmallows. Attach your Christmas card to the bag of goodies. - If you know your friends or neighbors are going on a trip- make them a travel care basket. Put in a pack of cards, 2 activity books like suduko and word puzzles, a magazine to read, a couple of travel snacks packs like cookies or crackers. Don’t forget to throw in a pack or two of gum for any ear popping on a plane. If they have young children you may want to wrap a couple inexpensive toys that they could open on the trip (toy car, polly pocket doll, color book with crayons).
