Looking for a Different Christmas Gift Idea?

[pierrelebel]

Every year we scratch our head trying to find something most people need, will use and enjoy.  This year we came up with something different: Personalized Wall Calendars.

We ordered ten calendars from Vistaprint, selecting different family photos for the cover and each month of the year.  With a little bit of work one can combine several photos into one, allowing for more family members to be shown.

for example: http://pierrelebel.com/pics/Calendrier/Octobre.jpg

http://pierrelebel.com/pics/Calendrier/cover.jpg

You can also enter each family member's birthday on their birthday date!  Available in English or French (we selected French).

The cost was reasonable ($100 for ten), production was good, quality excellent and service very speedy.

If you are looking for something different at a reasonable cost, that may be for you.

Any other ideas?

[vintagenorth]

Great idea Pierre! (And how nice to see some photos of you and your family!)

I've been busy all day baking pistachio-lemon loaves. Tomorrow I'm baking chocolate-pear loaves. These will be packaged up and given as gifts (along with my Toblerone shortbread cookies) to my post office workers, my mail lady and other people I deal with during the year.

Everyone loves baked goodies it seems!

[nan*55]

We received one of those from our daughter last year. Loved it!!!!!

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

Good idea Pierre. I keep forgetting how good Vistaprint is.

I was talking to some people about unique presents the other day and one person is getting a family DNA search done. I guess there are companies where you send off your DNA and they can tell you where in the world your most distant relatives came from and it can be very surprising. Another person is having their own personal Apps made. That's a bit out of my world so I just nodded and said "great idea".

[orca_bc]

I love personalized gifts - GREAT idea pierrelebel! One of my faves was a calendar made up of holiday photos with one of my BFFs - she surprised me with a number of pics that I didn't even know she took on our Hawaii trip - wonderful memories.

I am often touched by gifts to charities in my name - people who know me well, understand that I am heading to de-clutter my world (& start selling on eBay of course 😉

One of the BEST gifts last year, was a donation to plant a tree in my name; happy to have something that will leave a legacy & help 'green' our world.

[rafael.xavier]

Your carefully-thought gift may be just clutter to the other person and experiences are much more memorable and enjoyable than stuff. Few ideas:

A vacation or weekend getaway.

Spa getaway.

Air balloon or helicopter ride.

Outing in nice restaurant you normally don't go to.

Theater, concert, magic show, hockey or baseball match, etc.

Camping or skiing trip.

Private romantic dinner with real chef at your own home.

Zoo, golf club, bowling club membership.

Kayak rental voucher.

Deep sea fishing trip.

Scenic train ride.

Indoor skydiving.

...

But, don't gift your weight conscious loved ones a gym membership unless they ask for it. Don't give your wife a breast implant procedure voucher, that's more gift for you and it's hers to give.

[catsnewwife]

Our organization offers the "Adoption Option"...you can pick from a whole series of animal or bird catagories (Large Mammal, Large Rapter, Songbird etc) and we will send an "adoption certificate" and an 8x10 picture of the animal chosen to the people on your list. We have some members that give everyone on their list an adoption...each one is different and they are all patients in care or recently released critters. Everyone wins...no running around in crowded shopping malls, the money goes to a good cause and the giver gets a tax receipt. And really...don't we all have enough "stuff"?

My sister has been giving vistaprint calendars for a few years now...it has quickly become the present that we MOST look forward to!