I’ve always loved giving gifts. The summer is a gift-giving holiday every other week–Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, birthdays and in just FIVE days my 12th wedding anniversary! Can you believe I’ve been married for 12 years? I must have been 10 when I got married.
Anyway, today I was thinking about a gift for my husband. And (don’t tell him), I haven’t thought of anything yet. So, to get my creative gift giving juices flowing, I thought I’d review the last few gifts I’ve given this summer. Ready? Here it is {rubbing hands together} The Top Ten {And Only} Gifts I’ve Given To Random Loved Ones This Summer
1. Car Detail.
My husband works from his truck. He’s on the road all the time. So his truck is kinda…dirty. I gave him a gift card for a series of car washes for Christmas. He still hasn’t used them yet because he wanted the truck detailed first (note: insight into my husband!) Well, a few days before Father’s Day I got my daily Groupon email. And what was the deal? 50-something% off of a car detail PLUS it was a mobile company so they come to your dirty vehicle! How great is that?! (And, no. He hasn’t used it yet.)
{PS. Do you Groupon? Because it is AWESOME. Local companies offer AMAZING deals that are only available for 24 hours. I honestly look forward to the Groupon email every day to see what deal I might get. Today was about cupcakes! If you sign up via my link then I get some Groupon-cash. That would be a very nice gift to me. Just sayin’.}
2. Audio Books.
You know I am enamored with audio books. I’ve mentioned a few times about ChristianAudio.com–every month they have a free audio book. Plus, a lot of their books are only around $8. For Father’s Day I gave Stuff Christians Like by Jonathan Acuff to my brother, Red by Ted Dekker to my dad and a parenting book to my husband. (If you only knew how completely apropos those choices were to the men in my life!)
3. Spices.
I was honored to be a part of a wedding this month. One of my friends from church got married and I got to pray during the ceremony. It was a beautiful wedding and a beautiful ceremony—and oh-my-good-lord what a beautiful bride she was! So, I’ve been racking my brain (yes, I got her a gift after the fact!) for a fun wedding present. I found a cool store on etsy (Cook Outside the Box) that sells interesting spices. I bought a pack of Indian spices (my friend is Indian) and am coupling them with some fun kitchen items. I’m pretty proud of that one.
Doh! Anita, I hope you aren’t reading this! I just got them in the mail today!
4. Sleepy Gift
Jill and I were room mates in the Dominican Republic. Well, actually, they had us in separate rooms. But we told them to save their money and make us room mates. And I’m so glad we did! Anywhoo-before I knew how great of a roomie Jill would be, I sent her a little Aren’t-you-glad-we’re-gonna-hang-out-in-the-same-room-for-a-whole-week gift. I found a fun sleeping mask (with some chickies on it) on etsy, then added some pink earplugs and…was there something else, Jill? Of course when Jill saw it she said, “Are you trying to tell me something? Do you snore?”
This was a special gift to some of my Mom’s Panel friends. If you saw Disney’s UP you know how sweet of a gift this is. (I also gave one to my husband…*sigh*.)
6. Puppet
Remember Lydia’s Puppet Party? Well, we tried to get a puppet for her, too. I saw Puppet Planet at a children’s ministry conference once and remembered how funky her puppets were. I sent emails, she left messages but for whatever reason it’s taken us like 7 months to get the puppet order together. She’s in the middle of making it now and soon we’ll have a puppet something like this for Lydia:
7. Charm
Do you have a James Avery near you? James Avery is my favorite jewelry store. Almost everything comes in sterling and gold. Most of it is designed with some meaning or story behind it. When my sister-in-law turned 16 we bought her a charm bracelet from James Avery. Throughtout the years we’ve bought other charms to add to the bracelet–usually a charm with some special meaning for an event or accomplishment in her life. Well, she graduated from college in May and we bought her an owl charm from James Avery.
Why an owl? Because her school mascot is an owl! And since they are kinda trendy right now, it was a very timely and cute gift! And hey–don’t owls represent being wise?!
8. The Hole In Our Gospel by Richard Stearns
Clearly I should be getting commission for talking about this book. It’s just so good I think everyone should read it. Or listen to it. My (other) sister-in-law turned 21 this week and I knew she’d love this book. It’s right up her alley—she volunteers with a ministry downtown that helps prostitutes and others affected by sex-trafficking. Yes. There is sex-trafficking in Atlanta, Georgia.
9. Personalized Hand Stamped Necklace
Oops! This is supposed to be a secret for someone! I’ll just leave it at this—if you need a sweet gift visit Beki at The Rusted Chain.
10. Kindle
Oh. Wait. That’s the gift *I* want to receive!
:: :: ::
Do you have a Top Ten list to share? It doesn’t have to be about gifts–it can be your favorite food, your best tips on housecleaning or even your Top Ten pictures from last week. Whatever you want—as long as it’s family friendly and highly entertaining!
Just WRITE a Top Ten post on your blog. LINK back to me and this post. PASTE your url below. Then start LOVING on and visitng the rest of the particpants. It’s fun!
For specific rules and a cute Top Ten {Tuesday} button visit my Top Ten {Tuesday} page!
Oh, I love this post…esp with all the Christmas in July carnivals coming up!
Ok – can I tell you some stuff? I know Jon Acuff – I went to college with him. I’m so proud… I LOVE James Avery. LOVE. The best jewelry EVER! And how in the world did you find the grape soda pin? So precious! Fabulous personal gifts! love them! Hope you find something as special for your hubby! Happy 12 years!!!
so does your husband not read your blog?
🙂
That grape soda pin is such a good idea! I watched up again the other day, and by golly if I didn’t tear up at the same exact point when I did the first time!
And giveaway. I forgot to mention my giveaway in Mr. Linky. Lovely gift ideas. I love Etsy.
And I love how “puppets” made the list … naturally!!
I love the soda pin! Have a great week!
I love the spice idea! And I love James Avery, but never thought of it as a gift for anyone but me! 😉
LOVE the grape soda pin! What a fantastic idea. And I loved UP. One of my favorite movies by far.
I also LOVE audio books. I’ll have to check out the ChristianAudio.com. Especially if there’s a free audiobook involved. I usually just check them out of the library, upload them to iTunes on my laptop and them create a playlist on my iPod.
going to get that book – seem to be hearing about it a lot! have you read the Prodigal God? worth checking out…it’s one I should get a commish on!
What fun ideas! I absolutely love gift ideas that are personal and take into account the individual. Doesn’t it make you feel amazing when someone gives you a little something and you can TELL they really thought about you? Great post!
Great ideas!!!!! Thanks for sharing!!
All of these Top Tens look like so much fun this week! I can’t wait to read through them all. 😀
I love giving spices as a gift too!! And I just did a review of a car wash, and the guy said they have pick up service. I thought – how AWESOME – I could just arrange to have my husband’s car picked up while he was at work, and when he got in it at the end of the day he would hop into a nice, clean car.
I’m a horrible gift-giver–thank you for the suggestions!
Those are some super gift ideas. I love to find neat things and put them together to make my own gift basket or pack. I did a list but due to a fussy child, didn’t get it posted until after midnight so I didn’t link up. Hopefully next week will be better.
PS The spices are AMAZING. I think they may become a gift-giving staple for me too! (And maybe a gift to myself….) 🙂
And I have officially requested “A Hole in Our Gospel” from my library. Check.
I liked all 10 ways of givig gifts with a personal touch of emotions. It really has useful tips of unique gifts ideas.
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