The Collectibles Store Blog

Wow! Turning 21 is a sure fire sign that the doors of adulthood are at last flung wide open and to celebrate the occasion friends and family usually organize all different types of parties and festivities.

Here are lots of fabulous tips for finding that perfect present. What’s the latest news in 21st birthday gifts? Shopping online has taken the retail market by storm especially as more people are getting into the swing of surfing the net for tremendous presents from the comfort of their own homes. There’s no need to traipse around shopping centers or queue up to finalize your purchase as online shopping is both convenient and the thrifty way to buy gifts.

Instead of opting for the same old gift ideas, take a virtual tour over the net for some great 21st birthday gifts that will bring a smile of happiness in even the most finicky birthday baby ! Alcohol is a sure shot favorite among 21 year olds and whether it is a bottle of Jonny Walker or a more exclusive vintage champagne, you can get it all online. You can even find the right accessories to go with the bottle like champagne glass flutes. You will be amazed by the wide range of alcoholic gifts available online – you can find gifts that are suitable for all kinds of budgets.

It’s a strange mix of the now responsible adult meets a license to unlimited hours of alcohol consumption and partying! The rule of thumb is as a 21 year old you can party as hard as like but the next day it’s back to university or work. But back to the partying for the moment; these fabulous 21st birthday gifts will most certainly turn a few heads.

If you want a gift that will be remembered even after the party is over, what about something more personalized – you can get bracelets and gold watches engraved with a customized message or the recipient’s name . For males, you can choose a sports watch. A nice silk necktie or elegant cufflinks will be practical and useful as well. For the academically inclined 21 year old, you can gift a personalized designer fountain pen. Other gift choices include books as unlike popular misconceptions about a dying reading habit, many 21 year olds actually love to read!

Funny or humorous 21st birthday gifts are another great idea especially for those gals or chaps that have everything already. You know the ones like your brother or girlfriend’s brother that’s done well at college, has a nice apartment, drives the stylish sports car and has the perfect life? A gag gift is perfect!

Or if you want to impress and have a little extra cash to splash; book a tandem sky-diving or shark-encounter for the two of you. Do something that you know he will not be able to resist. Place the tickets into a nice coffee mug or beer glass or better still slip them in between the covers of a 21st birthday album or frame for the photos of the big event! He will look at it fondly for a very long time indeed. Don’t forget the “awesome brother beanie bear” to commemorate the occasion. Same deal goes for the gal that has absolutely everything; why not treat her to a weekend away at a boot camp if she thrives on power-walking and discipline. Or make it a luxury day spa instead for some girly pampering..

Take extra care in even the gift wrapping ! You can either keep it somber and use their favorite color wrapping paper, or use humor and creativity and place it in a personalized coffee mug or beer glass. Or insert it into the flaps of a nice photo album or photo frame.

Ultimately you need to do something that the receiver will not be able to resist enjoying ! Give a gift that will be fondly remembered every time he or she thinks back about their 21^st birthday.

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An Easter basket is used to contain the Easter eggs and treats that the child will received or find during Easter. There are so many different kinds of Easter baskets for sale during the time of Easter that one would have a difficult time choosing which one to buy for their children due to the different styles and functions of each Easter basket available in stores. Some parents opt to make a personalized Easter basket for their children to be different from the ones sold in stores and also to save on the cost of buying one. 

Materials Use For Making A Personalized Easter Basket

The materials that one will use to make a personalized Easter basket will depend largely on how one intends to decorate or embellish the personalized Easter basket. Ideas of how to do embellish and decorate a personalized Easter basket will come upon the person as he or she looks at baskets at stores and in magazines. There are a lot of objects that can inspire a person on how to go about personalizing an Easter basket.

The most common materials that may be used to make a personalized Easter basket are ribbons, stickers, buttons and rhinestones. Other possible materials are feathers, cardboard and paint. Of course, a glue gun usually comes in handy for such arts and crafts projects. PVC glue may also work for such projects as well as adhesive tape. Scissors may also be needed to make a personalized Easter basket.

Ideas For A Personalized Easter Basket

If the personalized Easter basket is made of plastic, then it will be quite easy to stick colorful stickers unto it to make it more attractive and more in tune with the day. Stickers usually stick better on smooth surfaces, hence the need for plastic since wicker or paper baskets may be a bit difficult to stick to. Easter themed stickers work best for such a project. Feathers (real or the downy kind) can be used to create patterns on the personalized Easter basket. Other ideas for a kids Easter basket is to make ribbons and to glue them randomly on the basket with the glue gun. Ribbons tied to make a bow works well for this idea and they can be of different pastel colors.

Rhinestones can be added for a definite sparkle on the personalized Easter basket. Buttons in different ranges of light colors or paste colors when used to decorate a personalized Easter basket gives a beautiful look. These can be used to cover the entire basket or just to make random patterns on the basket’s sides.

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Giftbaskets are soooo last year!  Or is it last decade?  My fervent hope is that you’ll eventually come to the conclusion that both statements are wrong.  You see, I make my living by selling gift baskets (among other food gifts).  While I agree that it’s not quite the same as being a test pilot or a neurosurgeon, it’s an honest way to pay for tuition for my grandson.  Or at least it would be a good way to do so if more of you bought my products.

I can read your mind: “I’ll bet he never has a problem deciding what to give during the holidays; he just gives the same boring baskets year after year to everyone.”  I want to disabuse you of your smug attitude!  In fact, I face the same dilemmas that you face during any gift giving, decision making crisis.

I don’t give only baskets of joy to my loved ones.  However, even if I did, the choice would still not be easy.  At my store, we offer scores of fruit baskets, gourmet meals, wine gift baskets and far more than that, even.  (I know what you’re thinking right now, “Please, oh please, just tell me where this wonderful paradise is located so that I can go there to buy your most expensive offerings for everyone on my gift list!”  A little patience is called for on your part.)

Before you coerce me into giving away my store location, I want to share my own decision making strategy with you.

My first step is to decide on the appropriate category of gift from the many choices.  If Uncle Milton has his drinking problem under control for the first time in ten years, I should not even consider the wine baskets.  Instead, I think I’ll send him an assortment of gourmet cheeses and a fresh fruit basket.

Aunt Millie, on the other hand, is a great wine sipper.  Frankly, I don’t know if she really enjoys the wine, but she sure enjoys talking about it.  She thrills to have a new member of her audience so that she can explain what makes a good vintage year, the varieties of grapes that are used in her favorite blends and, especially, how much she paid for each bottle (as well as how much she paid for the carpeting you just ruined by spilling your glass).  She’ll get a simple wine gift basket, but I’m not going to spring for the champagne!

Everyone in our family, except me, says that my nephew Alfred finally made his girlfriend an honest woman.  I, on the other hand, never doubted his girlfriend’s honesty, but I have some reasons to suspect Alfred.  In any case, they finally got married.  To tell you the truth, even I agree that it’s about time.  Alfred spent the last eight years trying to decide if she was worth the cost of a diamond ring.  (I suspect that he eventually settled on crystal, which, considering Alfred, would be thought of as generous.)  Alfred always loves to receive cash as a gift.  There’s no way that I’m satisfying that desire.  His wife wouldn’t get a dime of it.  I’m sending them a delicious lobster dinner for two.  I figure it’s the only way to get that cheap guy’s new bride out of the kitchen for an evening.  (They honeymooned by visiting me!)

Second, I decide how much I’m willing to spend on these losers.

My grandson is getting the latest video game system.  Let’s face it; he is truly special.

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A few days ago, I talked with a family friend who recently learned that his huge manufacturing company was closing his plant. He is actually luckier than most of the people working for that company. He very recently reached the magic age at which he qualifies for early retirement, so he will continue to have a steady income. Those who did not reach that milestone of the specified number of years with the company will get a small severance package and be left to search for a job in that difficult market. That caused me to think about giving gifts for special occasions to those people who are finding themselves in tough situations. I came up with a few ideas that make more sense than a piece of home decor or a new tie. Here are some of them:

A gourmet fruit basket is healthy, beautiful, delicious and always enjoyed. If you live near your gift recipient, you can find a lovely basket or other attractive container and fill it with fruit that is in season in your region of the country, obtained at a farmers market, and fill it out with a few exotic fruits picked up at your local super market. If your loved one is farther away, you can arrange for any of a large range of beautiful fruit gift baskets to be delivered to the recipient’s home. It will help them to reduce their grocery bill on their next trip to the super market.

A special meal is another way to remember a birthday or holiday. One possibility might be to take the friend or family member to a popular local restaurant. If price is no object to you, be sure to recommend a couple of the more expensive entrees on the menu, so that your guests know that they should not worry about ordering what they want. For example, you might say something like, “The crab legs are wonderful here, but, if you don’t like seafood, try the tender and tasty filet mignon.” If they live too far away for that, you can actually find delicious, gourmet, chef-prepared meals online that arrive frozen and can be heated in almost no time. (I actually keep my freezer stocked with these.)

You might also consider a tasty dessert. No person should have too many desserts, but on a birthday, anniversary or holiday, everyone deserves an opportunity to indulge a sweet tooth. Bake cookies, if that is a skill of yours, and hand deliver or have them delivered. For something a little more special consider giving them a freshly baked pie or turtle cheesecake. Whether you make it yourself or have others do the work for you doesn’t matter. It will be appreciated and definitely enjoyed either way.

You’ll notice a common feature in these suggestions. They all involve food. Someone who is going through a difficult time may not want to accept charity, but nobody can reject a genuinely special gift. If it reduces the grocery bill by a bit, so much the better.

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New neighbors have finally arrived next door. We’re very excited to meet them. They look to be about our age and our kids are looking forward to playing with theirs. Close friendships develop quickly on our street so we’re certain our new neighbors will become our friends. What better way to greet these new neighbors than with a festive fruit bouquet?

Gourmet fruit baskets are the perfect memorable gift to give for his occasion. They exude friendliness. There are many variations of containers and the selection of different delicious fruits can be as creative as your imagination permits.

One of the simplest gift baskets would be a few red apples, a couple of green pears, and a bright yellow banana or two presented on a wooden cutting board. Add a bunch of red grapes and this lovely combination of color speaks for itself. Wrap pastel-colored cellophane around it and tie a bow to the handle of the board to finish.

A bigger fruit giftbasket could consist of a sturdy box, which can be used for storing other items later, filled with individually wrapped choices of ripe fruit. Just visualize juicy oranges, sweet plums, fragrant raspberries, and tangy grapefruit. The flavorful selection of these fruits stimulate any appetite.

Using a wicker basket is another way of presenting the fruit. Select a white or natural-colored basket. Healthy fruits of fragrant pineapple and distinctive coconut are surrounded by exotic kiwi. Add citrus selections of oranges, lemons and limes with aromatic bananas carefully positioned among them. This makes a fun, tropical fruit basket choice, which is appetizing, healthy, and eye-pleasing. Top it with a lime-green ribbon tied in a large bow.

Fruit baskets can be personalized, depending on your preference. We noticed a beautiful, wooden wine rack being moved into their home, so a bottle of wine could be added to the selections of fruit. In order to incorporate the fruit theme, a citrus peeler or a paring knife could be added, too. Hard tack or chocolate candies, or shortbread cookies, or even nut selections of almonds and walnuts would add an extra touch to the fruit basket gift, as well.

Fruit gift baskets can be given in a variety of containers filled with every kind of delicious fruit imaginable. No matter which container you select to hold the fruit and no matter which fruits you choose to fill the container, it is a colorful, flavorful, and healthy option. What a wonderful “Welcome to the Neighborhood” gift fruit baskets are!

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