It’s important to make sure to say thank you, but at the holidays it’s especially important to go the mile to let people who make your world rock like your kid’s teacher, postal worker, hairstylist and the nice neighbor down the street.
After much feedback from service works and caretakers, I’ve learned a lot about what is right and what is wrong about gifting at the holidays.
Rules of gifting:
- No candles or lotion with fragrance
- No food
- Love things that are homemade like something you or your child has made.
- Doesn’t have to be expensive to be thoughtful!
- It’s all about the presentation.
NEIGHBOR/HOSTESS
Breakfast basket (More great basket ideas using baked goods from your grocery store!)
Cookies from Tiff’s Treats warm cookie delivery (Download Free Printable/Editable Chalkboard Labels from LifeYourWay.net )
TEACHERS
Amazon gift card template Amazon gift card template (link to printable)
Target gift card template (Target gift card template (link to printable)
MAILCARIER
All gifts must be under $20 rule (Per USPS)
Chick-Fil-A Calendar (Only $10 on sale right now) Millionaire candy (with printable)
HAIR STYLIST/SALON
Sanitizer (printable)
Merry & Sprite (printable)
DOGWALKER/LAWNMOWER/HANDYMAN
Gloves (printable)
Starbucks gift card
BABYSITTER
“Mistle Toes” nail kit
Cash card (how-to video fold dollar bill into a tree)
Rule on Tipping: You can either be a tipper each time for your services at 20% or a full-cost of service at one time.
Win $25 gift card from Bakery Because to make your own bakery-themed gift basket at your local grocery store and share your creation at #givebakery!
The Give Bakery Because it’s Gifting Made Delicious program encourages people to visit the bakery department of their local grocery store to find a variety of treats that can be gifted to all the special people in their lives. With simple creative packaging, a baked good can become a personalized (and delicious) gift. It’s simple, easy and affordable—no baking required!
Follow Autumn Reo {mamachallenge.com}’s board HOLIDAYS: Gift Ideas on Pinterest.
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My kids..followed by a LV wallet!
My very first Fendi handbag:)
My favorite gifts are the homemade ones my kids make for me. They come from the heart.
I think homemade treats always go over well. At least in my experience.
These are great idea. I think home made gifts are always the best for anyone.
This is a great idea. I think teachers are a big one that people forget too often. They really put up with a lot!
What fun ideas! I love the presentation of the gifts too.
I don’t know that I can pick just one – BUT – one of my sons gave me a Pug years ago. I was so excited. I don’t think his paws touched the ground for weeks. I carried him around like a baby. That dog gave me 14 years of joy. He’s been gone for several years now, but there is rarely a day that I don’t think about him.
OH, I meant to say THANK YOU for all the great printables…so THANK YOU!
These are excellent ideas. I had no clue that all gifts must be under $20 for mail carriers.
I do agree on thoughtfulness over expense. And, please do try to make things look nice. Just because it’s inexpensive doesn’t mean it has to look cheap,
My husband got me tickets for the Nutcracker Ballet one year & he went with me (which was awesome because he hates the ballet!).
my favorite gift was probably my own phone line. “Santa” gifted me it.
Thanks for the ideas. I always have such a hard time buying for the teachers.
I am so glad to see people remembering care givers and service people. They always get forgotten.
It can be hard to know what to buy. These are great gift ideas.
Oh what great gift ideas. Oh and thank you so much for the printables. I was actually stuck on one teacher gift because I normally do baked goodies but she is a health-nut, lol
My grandfathers watch was my favorite
Handmade gifts are a favorite of mine. Especially when kids make them!
It’s always a question what to get the people in your lives that work to ENHANCE your life. I always tend to go all out and end up spending a lot of money when all is said and done! These are all simple and inexpensive ideas to keep in mind this year 🙂
My favorite gift I’ve ever been given was our family trip to Florida back when I was 12!
These are great ideas. My husband is a dentist and came home with a gift card from a patient the other day. It was such a thoughtful gift!
What great ideas for the ones who help you out! I will remember these
Awesome gift ideas, this has surely helped me!
Oh what great idea’s! How fun to be on the news, I love gifts like this!
My favorite gift given was the gift of family…
These are great ideas, especially the reminder about no fragrances! I really do love this season of giving.
I made the mistake of gifting candles last year to a teacher who was allergic! I had no idea…oopsie!
Any homemade gifts..
My favorite gift besides my children and my engagement and wedding rings was a trip to Vermont my stepdad gave me years ago.
Coach purse!
My favorite gift I’ve ever been given was a handmade tea set.
My car was the best gift ever!
My favorite gift would have to be the diamond necklace my Bestfriend since high school bought me
Last year i was given a keurig coffee maker and i have used it almost every single day since!
favorite gift I gave is a gift basket of baby items
i think my kindle! it was very thoughtful and has proven to be very useful!
Wool socks- I like my feet to stay warm!
When I was a little girl I was absolutely terrible at keeping my room clean. One year about a week before Christmas I came into my room and everything was gone! I mean everything, furniture and all. My parents told me that they had gotten rid of all of my furniture to punish me for always having a messy room and I believed them. I thought I was going to have to keep living in a barren bedroom and I was sooo sad. Christmas came and my Christmas present that year was an entirely new bedroom set along with a vanity and stand up jewelry box. I was so happy and I loved everything SO much!! This was my favorite Christmas gift ever not only because they were amazing presents, but because it definitely taught me a lesson about keeping my bedroom clean!! Thank you for doing this amazing giveaway!!
The one that stands out the most was when I got a yellow Sony boombox in 6th grade! I was SO happy! I’ve had great gifts since, but that one was classic!
plane ticket
What a great list of ideas and tips. Appreciate you taking the time to write these up for us!
my favorite gift i got was a horse
The best gift I ever received was a trip to a small town with many used bookstores. My significant other knew I loved books!
My favorite Christmas present I ever received was a locket from my husband. In the locket were pictures of my 2 dogs, Dutch and Louie. I treasure the locket and I have the two dogs I treasure with me too everywhere I go!
my Apple TV this year 🙂
My favorite gift would have to be when I got my puppy Oz for my birthday. Second, was a trip to Hawaii for Christmas.
The best gift that I have ever received were my daughter and my son.
I’ve gotten many gifts over the years, but the best is the gift of my children 🙂
My husband saved all year to get me a the red kitchenaid mixer I have been wishing for since we got married 5 years ago. It was very sweet!!!
My engagement ring.
My husband made a Hope chest for me!
My daughter! She was born on Christmas day!
My favorite gift I’ve been given was my wooden bobble head chicken my hubby got me… so cute, so funny!!!
My favorite gift has been a framed photo of my family
When I was caregiver for my elderly late mother a nurse gave me the gift of a day of pampering at the salon!
For my 16th birthday, my mom flew my favorite cousin in from Florida and took us to a musical. It was great! Thank you!
a quilt handmade by my mother
My favorite gift would be the movie Curly Sue. I quit getting surprised from Santa because of my younger siblings and my mom surprised me with this movie.
I think my favorite gifts were the gifts that the kids made for me in school. They were always so proud giving me their gift.
Thank you!
My favorite was a giant (or so it seemed at the time!) stuffed hippo my sister made me when I was 7. She had felt eyelashes and a white lace skirt, and was about 3 feet long. I LOVED that things, and kept her on my bed with me every night for decades (including the dorms in college).
Concert tickets as a teen!
My favorite gift I was ever given was a very old book that my father used to read to me when I was a child. Years after he passed away, my grandmother found it and wrapped it up and gave it to me for Christmas one year. Of course I was in tears!! Thanks for the giveaway! 🙂
My favorite gift was the down comforter my husband gave me the first year we spent Christmas together as a couple; we still sleep under it!
One Xmas week I picked up a freezing small cat living in a parking lot, that week my last cat died of a prolonged illness. I called her Purl, she had a litter 5 weeks later. That was the best gift I ever was given.
my xbox 360
I just received a $250 from my boss at work for a Christmas bonus.
My engagement ring
A recent favorite was my ipad a couple of years ago
The North face puffy vest.
A basket full of office supplies. I am an office supply junkie and it was full of cool pens, notepads, stationary and all kinds of office supplies.
My favorite gift that I received was my Nook.
My best was a gift card to a local spa!
[email protected]
Thank you for hosting this great giveaway. My most favorite gift I’ve ever been given is the “Friends” tv show complete 10 season dvd set.
[email protected]
Electric blanket
Este videogame me ha mantenido un pco frio.