5 Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas She’ll Love

(Family Features) Finding the perfect Valentine’s Day gift has been a challenge for ages. Whether your relationship is new or has withstood the test of time, it’s the perfect time to remind her that she plays an important role in your life.

It turns out all that worry may be for nothing. A survey by PANDORA Jewelry found 65 percent of women agree that they receive the gift they want when they drop hints. This year, make the gift-giving process seamless by watching for hints, reading between the lines and considering one of these sure-to-please gift ideas.

Put a sparkle in her eye. According to the survey, the majority of women consider jewelry to be the most covetable gift, yet 77 percent normally receive flowers or chocolates. Read between the lines and give her a desirable gift, like pieces from the PANDORA Jewelry Valentine’s Day collection. From stacking rings to gorgeous pendants, the Lock Your Promise and Explosion of Love collections are full of high-quality, hand-crafted, stylish pieces that nearly any woman would be thrilled to receive this year.

It’s the thought that counts – really. Most women agree that a thoughtful gift, not the most expensive one, is a winner. Something that shows you really know her can send a strong message. For example, if you decide to give flowers, instead of defaulting to the usual dozen red roses, think about her favorite bloom, or choose a flower that may have special meaning in her life.

Make time the treasure. A busy pace of life means that there’s rarely enough time to spend together without distractions. A gift doesn’t have to be a physical object, but rather an experience you can share together. Plan a date night away from home, enroll in a class to learn a new hobby together or make a point to simply enjoy each other’s company.

Simple and sentimental. Even if sappy isn’t your standard MO, Valentine’s Day is the perfect occasion to get a little sentimental. Give a copy of the movie from your first date, or revisit a restaurant that holds special meaning in your relationship. Make it meaningful and you’ll see how a simple idea can earn a big response.

When in doubt, ask. If you’re out of ideas or inspiration, ask your beloved what she’d enjoy most. That’s not to say you must forgo the element of surprise. Remember that just because she suggests jewelry doesn’t mean she knows exactly what you’ll choose.

Find more tips for Valentine’s Day gift ideas at Pandora.net.

SOURCE:
PANDORA

4 Ways to Survive Holiday Gifting

(Family Features) While the holidays might be the most wonderful time of the year for children, the gifting season can quickly spiral out of control for unprepared shoppers.

These four tips can help you conquer holiday gifting like a pro:

Get organized. The secret to conquering the holiday season is having a plan. Take 10-15 minutes to update your calendar with all your holiday parties, family engagements, secret Santa exchanges or any other gifting commitments. Make sure to include dates, locations, times and even specifics, like themes, if they’re available. If you have multiple holiday events, you might even color-coordinate your planner for an easy visual reminder. Sync your events across all smart devices for an easy glance at the touch of a button.

Find your go-to gifts. As an adult, deciphering what kind of gifts a child wants in this digital age can be tricky. Some classics like brick toys are still a hit with kids of all ages. Studies show that 60 percent of children love playing with brick toys and more than half of parents love that their kids do, according to Mattel Global Consumer Insights. Try product lines like Mega Construx and Mega Bloks, which combine the fun of brick toys with popular franchises to create exciting products for kids. Find more holiday gift ideas at shop.mattel.com.

Wrap gifts early. Now that you have your plan in place, save time by purchasing all the gifts you will need for the holidays and wrapping them at one time. Prevent the stress of a last-minute gift wrap run by pre-wrapping gifts and simply labeling them with removable sticky notes.   

Build a gifting closet. Once you have your gifts wrapped and ready to go, consider using an old crate or storage container and turning it into a “gifting closet.” Insert dividers to separate the gifts by age range and set aside your treasure trove in an easy-to-reach storage area. You can even use this closet year-round for birthdays and other gifting events. On the day of the party, simply open your gifting closet, grab a gift for the right age and head out the door.

Another option to save time and money this holiday season is to enter for the chance to win a gifting closet with $1,500 worth of MEGA products to help you conquer the gifting season. To enter the sweepstakes, post an original holiday photo to Instagram or Twitter with a short caption that includes why the entrant likes to give or receive construction toys as gifts. For full details, visit rules.prizelogic.com/MegaSocialSweeps.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

SOURCE:
MEGA

Honor Dads and Cheer Grads

Inspiration for the perfect presents

(Family Features) With the end of the school year and summer fast approaching, gifting occasions are plentiful. Some events – graduations and Father’s Day, in particular – can be a challenge when it comes to finding the perfect present.

Resist the temptation to throw some cash or a gift card in an envelope and instead peruse these ideas for inspiration for gifts that your dad or new graduate will actually use and appreciate.

Find more gift ideas for dads and grads at officedepot.com.

 

Gifts for Dads

Upgrade the Man Cave
Keep dad’s space cool with smart home technology that can control features such as temperature, lighting and music volume. Many devices and apps allow for themed settings, so dad can instantaneously turn up the lights and sound to catch the game on his big screen, or relax while taking a leisurely weekend nap.

Gadgets Galore
If dad still works on a desktop, help him upgrade his outdated tech toys. Go in on a big present with your siblings and splurge on dad with a top-selling 2-in-1 laptop, such as a Dell Inspiron 13, which is available at Office Depot and OfficeMax locations. The stores offer a broad assortment of tablets and laptops to get him going with the latest in portable technology.

Out of This World
If you love playing video games with your dad, take it to the next level this Father’s Day with a virtual reality headset that gives new meaning to getting into the game. These devices allow for 360 degree immersive viewing of more than 400 virtual reality apps available for Android and iOS devices, as well as many popular video content providers.

Tech for Every Day
So much of people’s lives revolve around technology, and dads are no exception. Help him stay up-to-date with simple yet convenient and effective options for his smartphone like rechargeable power banks, cellphone cases, screen protectors and charging accessories. For a less tech-savvy dad, start small with an option like Bluetooth headphones.

Share Memories
A new digital camera is the perfect way to let dad capture every moment together with the family. If he as an ample photo library just waiting to be shared, create a work of art with a personalized canvas print he can proudly display in his office or favorite room in the house.

 

Goodies for Grads

Show Some Spirit
Graduating doesn’t have to mean leaving everything about college behind. Let your grad proudly represent his or her alma mater with university-branded items for their desk at the office or at home. With an assortment of spirited options, Office Depot offers everything from USB drives and mouse pads to planners and notebooks.

Planning Ahead
Starting a new job means taking on new responsibilities and learning the ropes at a new company. Help your graduate stay ahead of the learning curve and on top of important meetings with a smart, new planner that makes organizing that extra-busy schedule a cinch.

Photos on the Go
If your grad is an avid photographer or even just enjoys the occasional commemorative photo with the family, consider a gift that gives him or her the ability to immediately enjoy personal artwork. While looking at photography on a phone can be fun, a device like the HP Sprocket Wireless Photo Printer, which can fit in a pocket, gives the option to print a 2-by-3-inch photo in as little as 40 seconds so favorite photos don’t get lost in cyberspace.

Sign Up for Success
Today’s students probably spent most of their college years tapping keys to take notes and complete important tasks. While those habits will transition well to the corporate world, there are still plenty of reasons to have some quality pens available. Whether jotting quick notes while on a call or signing important documents, the job is more enjoyable with a high-quality pen in hand.

Take Initiative
When starting a new job, a newbie needs to show just how much he or she is engaged in the work. Give them the opportunity to showcase value by documenting brainstorms, meeting notes and important deadlines in a discbound leather notebook, such as the TUL Note-taking system. Bonus: you can even pick out the paper inserts that best fit his or her personal style.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images (father and son on graduation day)

SOURCE:
Office Depot

Thoughtful Gifts

The secret to easy gift-giving

(Family Features) When gift-giving has you stumped, turn to what you know: the characteristics and interests that make your recipient unique. A thoughtful gift that shows you recognize and care about the qualities that make your loved one or friend special is a sure winner every time.

For the Adventurer
Trying to match the thrills an adventurer finds in his/her outrageous pursuits can be a challenge, but a certificate toward a thrilling experience may just fit the bill. Whizzing through a zip line course or taking the plunge with a sky diving simulator are two ways to feed the need for adrenaline. With more and more cities adding these pseudo-extreme adventures to their local attraction lists, you can easily find an adrenaline-inducing activity that will excite your loved one. Tuck a gift certificate for the experience into a brochure, and if you find yourself intrigued, make the certificate amount good for an adventure for two.

For the Creative One
For many, adult coloring has become a fun individual or group activity and a creative way to de-stress during the hectic holiday season. As most artists know, the tools you use to create a masterpiece make all the difference, so why not arm your loved ones with the quality tools they need to bring their artwork to life? Help them take their coloring to the next level with the Prismacolor Adult Coloring Kit. Featuring a variety of coloring tools, including professional artist-quality soft core colored pencils, an illustration marker, a premier kneaded eraser, sharpener and a whimsical coloring booklet, this kit has everything adult colorists need. The colored pencils deliver a smooth application, superior blendability, subtle gradation and rich color saturation that will make their coloring pop.

For the Techie
Whether they’re waiting in line at 5 a.m. for the latest gadget release or scoping out the newest trends in tech, finding presents to gift your tech-obsessed friends and family is no easy feat. To determine the type of gift that suits them best, think about other activities they enjoy. For avid runners and fitness buffs, consider a personalized fitness activity tracker or smart watch. On the hunt for a gift for the music lover in your life? Maybe a portable speaker or pair of new headphones would catch their eye. If all else fails, a gift certificate to their favorite store is always a good option.

When it comes to giving meaningful gifts, focus on personal traits and you’ll quickly transform an empty list into one filled with possibilities for making this holiday season joyful and bright.

Family passing out gifts image courtesy of Getty Images.

SOURCE:
Prismacolor