Are you torn between the toaster oven and the coffee maker? Can’t find the happy couple on a registry anywhere? A wedding gift basket is a perfect choice for newlyweds. What could be more romantic than champagne and truffles in a honeymoon suite?



Some wedding gift baskets may contain keepsakes for the couple such as photo boxes, wine glasses, or other small items. Don’t limit your choice to selections advertised as wedding gift baskets, though. A large fruit basket, a gourmet basket full of crackers, cheeses, wine, and smoked meats, or a basket of chocolates and wine can all be fantastic selections that the couple will appreciate.

Some romantic ideas for wedding gift baskets include a gift basket with all the ingredients for an Italian dinner for two that the couple could make together, a picnic basket complete with dinnerware and a selection of gourmet treats, or a coffee gift basket full of flavored coffee and baked goods for a romantic honeymoon breakfast.

Wedding gift baskets are available in a variety of price ranges, as are most gift baskets. If you plan on giving a cash gift but feel awkward not having a present for the couple as well, a small gift basket can fill that role.

For weddings in a distant location that you aren’t able to attend, most online retailers can deliver your wedding gift basket. It is a nice way to let the couple know you are thinking of them on their special day, even if you can’t be there with them. Gift baskets are also great gifts for anniversaries, as well.

A wedding is a special day, and whether you choose a small, tasteful wedding gift basket to accompany a cash gift or a large gourmet selection, your gift is sure to stand out among the toaster ovens, blenders, and silverware.

About the Author: Bob Bassett is the owner of Unique Gift Baskets Online which offers a wide selection of gift baskets for any occasion including baby gift baskets, food gift baskets, wine and corporate gift baskets. http://www.uniquegiftbasketsonline.com

Source: www.isnare.com

When it comes to holiday greeting cards, to send or not to send is often the question. Once you have decided in the affirmative, you then have to determine who to include on your list, what kind of card to choose and how to address the envelope.



There are lots of reasons for sending those holiday cards. You might want to enhance your current business relationships, attract new customers, remind old clients that you exist or show appreciation to those who have faithfully supported you during the year. What is obviously a well-meaning gesture can actually offend the people you want to impress when it is not done properly.

The first place to start is with a good quality card to show that you value your clients and colleagues. Skimping on your selection can be interpreted in a number of ways. Your recipients might take it as a sign that business has not been good or that they aren’t worth a little extra investment on your part.

Make sure your list is up-to-date with correct names and current addresses. If you do this on a regular basis, it does not become a dreaded holiday chore. As you gain new clients and contacts throughout the year, take a few minutes to add them to your database and mark them for your greeting card group. This way you won’t overlook anyone or embarrass yourself by sending the card to the old address.

Sign each card personally. Even if you have preprinted information on the card such as your name - which is an impressive detail - you need to add your handwritten signature. The most elegant cards should still have your personal signature and a short handwritten message or greeting. Sound like a lot of trouble? If the business or the relationship is worth it, so is the extra effort. This is your chance to connect on a personal level with your clients and colleagues.

Take the time to handwrite the address as well. If you are ready to throw up your hands at this point and forget the whole project, then have someone else address the envelopes for you. Whatever you do, don’t use computer-generated labels. They are impersonal and make your holiday wishes look like a mass mailing. You may save time and even money, but lose a client or a business associate in the process.

You may mail your greeting to the home if you know the business person socially. Be sure to include the spouse’s name in this instance. The card is not sent to both husband and wife at the business address unless they both work there.

Whether you are addressing the envelope to an individual or a couple, titles should always be used. It’s “Mr. John Doe,” not “John Doe,” or “Mr. and Mrs. John Doe, rather that “John and Mary Doe.”

Be sensitive to the religious and cultural traditions of the people to whom you are sending your cards. Find out whether they observe Christmas, Hanukah or Kwanzaa and make sure your message is appropriate for each individual. If you decide to go with one card and a single message for all, choose a generic one that will not offend. “Season’s Greetings” and “Happy Holidays” are both safe bets.

Mail your greetings in time to arrive for the designated holiday. If you find yourself addressing the envelopes on Super Bowl Sunday, keep the cards until next year and send out a high-quality note thanking people for their business during the previous year instead. The best way to avoid the last minute greeting rush is to have all your envelopes addressed before Thanksgiving. Then during December you can leisurely write a short message - one or two lines are all that is necessary on each card, sign your name and have them in the mail with a minimum of hassle.

You now have all the time in the world for the shopping, baking, decorating and celebrating that accompany the holiday season.

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Additional Tips for Addressing Envelopes

If you are about to address your holiday greeting cards or the invitations to the company party and you are confused about the correct way to do it, you are not alone. There are situations that we have not had to consider before. There are more women with professional titles, increased numbers of women who retain their maiden name after marriage, and couples choosing alternative living arrangements. The simple act of addressing an envelope has become quite complicated. Here are a few tips to cover the majority of those demanding dilemmas.

Always write titles on the envelope. The card or invitation goes to “Mr. John Smith,” not “John Smith.” It is addressed to “Mr. and Mrs. John Smith,” instead of “John and Mary Smith.”

When you address a couple, use titles, rather than professional initials. It’s “Dr. and Mrs. John Smith,” not “John Smith, M.D. and Mrs. Smith.”

If both the husband and the wife are doctors, you write, “The Doctors Smith.” However, if they use different last names, you address the envelope to “Dr. John Smith and Dr. Mary Brown.” The husband’s name is placed first.

If the wife is a doctor and the husband is not, you send your invitation to “Mr. John Smith and Dr. Mary Smith.”

Try to get it all on one line. When the husband has an unusually long name, the wife’s title and name are indented and written on the second line:

The Honorable Jonathon Richardson Staniskowsky

and Mrs. Staniskowsky

When a couple is not married and share a mutual address, their names are written on separate lines alphabetically and not connected by the word “and.”

Ms. Mary Brown

Mr. John Smith

When the woman outranks her husband, her name is written first. It’s “Major Mary Smith and Lieutenant John Smith.”

Note: The man’s name is always written first unless the wife outranks him or if the couple is unmarried and her last name precedes his alphabetically. So much for “Ladies first.”

(c) 2004, Lydia Ramsey. All rights in all media reserved.

About the Author: Lydia Ramsey is a business etiquette expert, professional speaker, corporate trainer and author of MANNERS THAT SELL -ADDING THE POLISH THAT BUILDS PROFITS. She has been quoted or featured in The New York Times, Investors’ Business Daily, Entrepreneur, Inc., Real Simple and Woman’s Day. For more information about her programs, products and services, e-mail her at lydia@mannersthatsell.com or visit her web site http://www.mannersthatsell.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Many of us want to show our appreciation to those special service people in our life at holiday time via etiquette tipping. However, trying to figure out what we should tip them is sometimes puzzling. No one wants to be a cheapskate, but over tipping can put a dent in our budget. Then there’s trying to figure out who we should tip.



According to Peter Post, director of the Emily Post Institute and author of Essential Manners for Couples, “You tip the people who perform services for you year-round, who are there for you when you need them and whom you have a valuable relationship with.”

Etiquette tipping experts generally agree that cash is the best way to say thank you during the holidays. However, you don’t need to break the bank to show your generosity. “Forget about what you ought to do. Do what you can, and do it in the nicest way you possibly can,” advices Post.

To make planning your tipping budget easier, here’s a quick holiday tipping guide:

CHILD CARE

Babysitter – 1 evening’s pay and small gift from child

Au Pair – 1 week’s pay or a gift and small gift from child

Nanny – 1 week’s to 1 month’s pay and small gift from child

Daycare Providers - $20-$70 each and small gift from child

Child’s Teacher – Gift (but first check school’s gift giving policy)

Coaches/Tutors/Music Teachers/Ballet Instructors, etc. – A small gift from child

HOME/CAR CARE

Housekeeper – 1 week’s pay or more (depending on length of service)

Trash Collectors/Snowplow Driver - $15-$20 each

Parking Attendants - $10-$35 each or up to half a month’s parking bill for the group if they regularly provide extra service

Gardener - $20-$50 (tip your gardener in the fall if the last job is a fall clean up)

APARTMENT SERVICE

Doormen - $25-$100 each (those who provide the most service for you should get more than those who you barely see)

Superintendent/Custodian - $50-$300 (tip if there’s no doorman and service has been very good, tip less if you tip throughout the year)

Porters/Handymen - $10-$50 each

Elevator Operators - $15-$40 each

PERSONAL CARE

Hairdresser – Cost of 1 haircut (or $20-$100); also small gift if you’re a regular

Manicurist – Cost of 1 session (or $10-$50) and small gift

Personal Trainer – Cost of 1 session (or $25 to 1 week’s pay)

Massage Therapist – Cost of 1 session (or $50-$100)

PET CARE

Dog groomer – ¼ or ½ the cost of 1 session and small gift

Dog Walker/Sitter – Cost of 1-2 week’s pay (small gift optional)

DELIVERY SERVICES

U.S. Mail Carrier – Gifts under $20

UPS – Gifts $15 or under

FedEx – Gift with value of up to $25 (no cash)

Paper Carrier - $15-$25 for daily delivery ($5-$15 for weekend delivery)

About the Author: © Donna Monday. Find beautiful gemstone, wedding and engagement rings http://www.1-love-rings.com

Source: www.isnare.com

As a wedding consultant, I am asked questions about etiquette more than any other topic. Brides generally fit into two categories when it comes to etiquette: those who want to plan knowing that their actions will be socially acceptable to avoid any embarrassment, and those who aren’t concerned about etiquette because “it’s my wedding and I’ll do what I want, thank you very much.”



This article is intended for the latter bride. It is certainly nice to have the table set correctly, the appropriate person in the appropriate spot, etc. However, have you ever considered that other people’s feelings are at stake?

Not only can you avoid looking a little silly by overlooking simple etiquette, you can also be kind and considerate to those closest to you who are sharing in your special day. For example, I know of a bride who asked her sister-in-law to be in the bridal party, but not her brother. As I’m sure you can imagine, her brother was not only hurt but was placed in an awkward situation when asked by a guest why he wasn’t in the bridal party.

Weddings are stressful enough as it is. Unintentionally hurting a loved one causes tension and disappointment for many. You don’t want to start your new life by leaving your loved ones in the dust in your old life.

In my professional opinion, the best course of action to take concerning wedding etiquette is to either discuss your situation with a wedding consultant or read as much as possible on wedding etiquette. Once you are fully educated and well-informed on the topic of wedding etiquette, combine the part of the etiquette that makes sense to you with what you really want for your wedding. Oh, and don’t forget to ask the groom his opinion (that would be the proper thing to do, you know)!

Besides wedding consultants and books, there are several great websites that can assist you when determining the correct etiquette for your wedding. Some of these sites are http://www.bridalblog.info and http://www.theknot.com. Be sure to look for helpful information on these sites.

Another great avenue for wedding etiquette is to talk to an elderly person about his/her own wedding. Oftentimes, today’s society does not adhere to etiquette as much as was done in previous generations. Not only can you get some great information, you will probably brighten this person’s day. Showing interest in someone else’s life is another great etiquette tool to have in your bag.

Whatever you decide to do, always keep in mind that wedding etiquette is yours for the taking. It’s not something you have to put a deposit down on, taste, or fit onto someone’s schedule. It’s simply taking the time to let the people you invite to your wedding know that you care enough about them to take their feelings into consideration, even if it is your day. Pleasing your guests in any situation should be the goal of a hostess; pleasing your closest friends and family on your wedding day speaks highly of you and your groom.

Pepper Montero

About the Author: Pepper and her husband run a wedding coordination business in South Carolina. They have been coordinating weddings for the last two years. This article may be reprinted freely as long as all links remain active. http://www.bridalblog.info http://www.travelblogger.info http://www.TheWebLlama.com

Source: www.isnare.com

There are endless reasons in life to offer congratulations to yourself and to others. However, isn’t it true that most of the time we offer congratulations to everyone in much the same way? Regardless of the age, preferences or accomplishment of the person we are attempting to congratulate, we often do it in the same way: a boring card, a gift card to a general store that many people do not shop at, or, if they are lucky, a bouquet of fresh flowers. Congratulations is rarely if ever given in unique or creative ways.



When offering your congratulations to a person, the most important thing you can keep in mind is that person. It is amazing to me how many gifts are given or cards are written without one thought about the person receiving the gifts or cards. I am a firm believer that people are unique and hence that any kind of congratulations we give people should be unique to them as well. We need to learn to celebrate people and their special events in ways that show our love for their individuality and that reflect our unique relationship to them. So keep in mind your friend, family member or co-worker when you are thinking of a creative way to offer congratulations to them. Keep in mind their hobbies, tastes and favorite things when you are looking for a great way to say great job.

Another important thing to keep in mind when you are offering congratulations is the event or accomplishment that they have finished. Offering creative congratulations should look different for a teen graduating high school and for your dad who is retiring. That might sound obvious, but more people than you’d imagine are horrible when it comes to making a gift unique or to offering congratulations creatively. Think about ways to offer congratulations that are appropriate to the age as well.

I always try to keep the best gifts and the best ways that people have celebrated me in the back of my mind as I attempt to give gifts or congratulations to others. I remember some of the times and ways that I have felt most appreciated, and I attempt to help others feel appreciated as well.

So, the next time you can give congratulations to someone important in your life, do it well. Do it creatively and do it well. People are worth being celebrated and congratulated with the best we can give.

About the Author: Martin Stoleman loves to offer congratulations to people in his life by giving them concert tickets or rare copies of their favorite books. Find your own creative congratulations ideas at www.funcongratulations.info

Source: www.isnare.com