Easy and Inexpensive Hostess Gifts
In days gone by,it was considered impolite to go to someone's house for dinner or a party and not take a small gift for the hostess (or the host!). The gift didn't have to be anything "special" or very expensive, just something that said "Thank you" to your hostess. It can be very easy, and not at all expensive, to renew that happy custom. And speaking from personal experience, it is so much fun to watch her face when you hand her a little gift! Keep Gift Items on HandIt is relatively simple to keep a few things on hand that make nice little gifts. You don't need to spend a fortune either---and here's how you do it:Buy trial-sized items! You can find hand lotions, small bottles of spray perfume, bars of moisturizing soap, etc.
I've even found very small bottles and tubes of bath gel, body lotion, and after-bath spray all in the same scent---these make a perfect hostess gift set!Look for 2-for, 3-for, and 4-for sales! I watch for sales and coupons, especially BOGO (Buy One, Get One) or sales that offer a one-price-for-several items. Look for anything in the "Health and Beauty" category: nail files, bathtub "puffs," fancy soaps, scented sprays, and lotions. Another idea would be looking for sales of scented candles and other small decorative or universally useful items. Walgreens, Eckerd's, and CVS drug stores are great for their sales and coupons, especially right before and after a holiday.Shop in "dollar" stores! Bargain stores or "dollar" stores are great places to find things like small wicker baskets, votive candle holders, and really inexpensive wrapping paper, gift bags, and bows and ribbons.Keep your eyes open! Anytime I'm in a store like Wal-Mart, Kmart, Target, or even the local grocery market, I watch for sales of "things"---anything that would make a nice little "something" to wrap up as a gift.Keep Wrapping Paper and Ribbons on HandThink "tissue paper" and "curl ribbon"! I keep plenty of tissue paper, in a variety or colors and patterns, on hand. It is very inexpensive and makes for an easy way to wrap just a tube of lotion or a bottle of scented spray because you can "twist" the ends together and then tie with a ribbon.
It is also a good idea to have at least one type of Birthday wrapping paper, as well---for those impromptu Birthday parties, or if you suddenly remember that it's your next-door neighbor's (or your boss's!) birthday. I have just about every color of curl ribbon on hand, as well (you know, the kind that you can "curl" by pulling it across the flat edge of a scissor blade). Any gift can be made to look very festive, especially if you use several colors of curl ribbon that compliment the color of the tissue paper, or match the color of the gift item! I recently put together a small gift set of lavender scented bath items, all of which were purple-colored, and wrapped in silver tissue paper tied with purple and silver curl ribbon. It was very attractive and no one would have known that it probably cost me less than $5.Put the gift in a basket or bag! Any gift, no matter how small (even a single votive candle in a 50-cent plain glass votive holder) can look like a million dollars---if you "present" it nicely. I like to put small items in a little wicker basket or a plain-colored gift bag that is stuffed with tissue paper that I've put through a shredder (you can buy really inexpensive paper shredders, I've seen them for less than $10).
Remember to color-coordinate the wrapping paper and the gift item!Be Creative! Think "Fun"!A hostess gift can be anything, put in anything, wrapped in anything! Think outside the box---or rather think INSIDE the...bucket, shoebox, plastic container, empty oatmeal container, etc. Don't limit yourself---or the gift!We recently spent a weekend at the beach with friends. For a hostess gift, I bought a small tube of Aloe gel, a tube of Aloe bath gel, and a little pump bottle of "After Tan" body lotion. I went to a "dollar" store and bought a plastic bucket and a shovel (the kind that kids use to play in the sand). I tissue-wrapped the few little times, shredded beige tissue paper to make "sand" to put in the bucket, nestled the wrapped items in the shredded paper, stuck in the shovel, ran several streamers of curl ribbon that matched the color of the bucket through the handle of the bucket---and I had a perfect "Weekend at the Beach" hostess gift! I spent less than $8 and my girlfriend laughed and thoroughly enjoyed digging into her bucket and searching for the little presents in the tissue paper sand!For a friend who is very culinary-minded, I found a package of different-sized wooden spoons on sale for $1 and added to that a small spice jar of cinnamon and a bag of brown sugar, and I plopped everything in an empty Quaker's Oatmeal container (after emptying and wiping out with a damp paper towel).
I printed out a recipe for Oatmeal Raisin Cookies on an index card and punched a hole in one side. After looping several turns of blue and red curl ribbons around the container, I strung the recipe card through one end of ribbon, tied it off, and then curled all the ends of the ribbons. She was delighted with her special hostess gift. Cost? About $6.If you need a gift for your host, you can apply all these same ideas---just with a man in mind! Surprisingly, men can be appreciative of nail files, clippers, fold-up comb, a lint brush, etc. For a host who is sports-minded, get a tube of BENGAY and wrap it in an ACE bandage!Remember: It's Not the Gift, It's the Thought That Counts!Giving a gift that comes from the heart---and not from the wallet---is what your hostess will appreciate the most.
Take the time to select individual items, instead of buying pre-packaged "sets." It doesn't have to be anything fancy, it doesn't have to be anything expensive---all you need are a few little items, put them together with a little bit of thought, and you have a delightful hostess gift!.
Jan K., The Proofer is freelance proofreader and copyeditor. Visit http://www.janktheproofer.com for more information. Visit Jan K., the Proofer?s sister sites: Mom?s Break at http://www.MomsBreak.com for free printable projects and crafts. Jan?s Dough at http://www.jansdough.com for free printable recipes for Sourdough Bread and more. For free content articles, visit http://freecontent.janktheproofer.com. Article © Copyright 2005. All rights reserved.jkproof@bellsouth.netSurprising Clues He's Cheating on You
So you think that your man is cheating on you but you don't want to make the mistake of accusing him if you are wrong? Here are some clues that he might be sneaking around:1) He doesn't want you to see his cell phone or pager. 2) He has several calls, especially at night, that he has to leave the room to take.3) He forgets to put on his wedding band, claims that it doesn't fit him or professes to have lost it.4)He accidently comes home with part of his clothing inside out.5) There is lipstick or perfume clinging to his clothing and he doesn't work in a cosmetics' factory.6) He mixes up his stories. One minute he was working late and the next he was out to dinner with a client.7) He doesn't meet your eyes when he tells you where he's been.8) He gets defensive when you ask questions.9) He suddenly is more generous with gifts, flowers etc...These are just a few possible signs of a possible cheat..
Caterina Christakos is a published author and dating coach. To learn how to seduce your... Surprising Clues He's Cheating on You
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Tips on Shopping For Men's Colognes and Perfumes As
With the huge variety of fragrances, colognes and perfumes available, it is understandable that men will find it confusing and difficult to choose their personal perfume. It is easy to get lost in the myriad of scents and smells that some pick the wrong perfume that does not compliment their personality and taste. There are many different kinds of scents, oils and essences being advertised which makes choosing one, very challenging. Finding the right perfume that compliments and enhances your personality is important. You don't want a perfume that simply smells good but a scent that becomes uniquely you ? irresistible, alluring and attractive.
There are many things a man should consider when choosing a personal perfume. These simple pointers are just to guide you in making the right decision.When choosing a perfume, go for one which appeals to you and makes you feel great. Think of what kind of smell you find most attractive. Is it the woody and aromatic smell of spices? Then...
Tips on Shopping For Men's Colognes and Perfumes As
Perfume > Tips on Shopping For Men's Colognes and Perfumes As
Aromatherapy Favorites: Patchouli Essential Oil
Patchouli's History and UsesAh, Patchouli oil - people seem to love it or hate it. This well know essential oil has a somewhat deserved reputation as the scent of the Hippy generation (according to one source, it's use began as a mask for the odor of a particularly cherished herb), though it's traditional use dates back hundreds, perhaps thousands of years. Today, Patchouli oil has a well-deserved reputation in aromatherapy, with it's deep, musky, and sweet odor, and Earth and Fire balancing energy. It is an exotic aroma that can forever leave an imprint on the olfactory memory.Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin) is a perennial herb native to Southeast Asia, growing wild in Sumatra and Java at elevations between 3,000 and 6,000 feet ? though it's cultivation is more pervasive in lower tropical jungles. This bushy plant grows to the height of 3 feet, having a strong stem and soft, hairy leaves.
For essential oil production, the plant is cut two or three times per year, with the...
Aromatherapy Favorites: Patchouli Essential Oil
Perfume > Aromatherapy Favorites: Patchouli Essential Oil
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