October Newsletter

Hello subscribers,

Myyfriend, Dawn, gave me this gorgeous plant this spring.

I consider it the perfect gift.Why is that? I'm a gardener anddit's a consumable becauseeit died during a frost.Thanks Dawn! She must know I don't like a gift I have to dust or find a permanent home for.

Would you like to make a change in the way you give and receive gifts? Would you like to give a gift that is thoughtful and creative?

Jill’s "Clutter-Free" gift suggestions for Christmas, Hanukkah, Birthdays, Hostesses, Anniversaries and other holidays.

Consumables

• Food-I once made my father-in-law (a widower) a freezer full of meals for a Christmas gift.
• A load of firewood
• Plants that aren’t meant to live very long
• Flowers
• Gift Certificate for Garden Centers
• Stamps-senior citizens especially like these
• Wine, beer, coffee

• Circus tickets
• Tickets to a concert, play, or sporting event
• Tickets to a dance performance
• Tuition for a class the person has mentioned

• Mini-golf gift certificate
• Movie passes
• Bowling passes
• Go-Cart passes
• Golf gift certificate
• Piano lessons
• Dance lessons, ect.

  Dining

• Gift Certificates
• A gourmet dinner prepared at the recipients home
• An IOU for a coffee or lunch date

  Charitable Gifts

• A donation to their favorite charity in their name
• Adopting a family and purchasing gifts in their name
• A Christmas or Thanksgiving food basket for a needy family, given in their name

• Fill a glass jar with slips of paper. Write your favorite memories on the slips of paper(ex.70th birthday, write 70 memories)
• Write things you love about a person on the slips of paper (I've done both of these for members of my family and they were thrilled)

Future Savings

• Savings bond
• Set up a money market fund or Edvest fund in a grandchild’s name for educational expenses

Services

• Oil change gift certificate
• Donating your service if you have an expertise to share
• A day of running their errands
• Grocery shopping for a month
• Yard work-my brother hires a service to rake my dad’s leaves. Dad loves this!
• A cleaning service-my niece asked for this last year and was thrilled to come home from a “Christmas with the relatives trip” and find her home sparkling clean. Even the blinds!
• Organization services gift certificate J
• Babysitting service
• Dog sitting or house sitting service
• A gift certificate for a spa, a pedicure, or a haircut Volunteer at school in honor of a teacher
• Offer to wash dishes for a month or give your children a week off of doing chores

Be creative! A group of gift givers could even put together a basket with several items.

Bring back the joy in gift giving and receiving. Start putting together your gift list and making some subtle suggestions to your loved ones.

Or, email me your creative ideas and I’ll post them on my Facebook fan page and give you credit.

Simply,

Jill