I used to think GIFT CARDS were lazy. Hostess gifts, teacher gifts, thank you gifts had to be special, unique, and, gosh darn it, thoughtful.
That was then. This is now. And "now" is alarmingly busy. Suddenly gift cards aren't lazy, they're essential! Yes, they can be boring and seemingly a last minute slap dash attempt at a present, but they don't have to be.
Here's a SIMPLE way to turn ordinary gift card gifting into something unique, special, and pretty darn thoughtful:
1. Choose a gift card for a product or service you know the recipient would appreciate.
2. Determine the denomination. Totally up to you and depends upon a variety of circumstances.
3. Think up a caption. We bought the kids' teachers gift cards for a popular Mexican restaurant near the school, so our "hook" was, "Thank you MUCHO for a great year!"
4. Take a photo(s) to support your caption.
5. Create a greeting card. We did ours at Wal-Mart online, but there are lots of different places that do this. Our cards were ready for in-store pick up within one hour. They're good quality and come with an envelope. Cost: $2.00 per card, which ends up being about the same as buying a generic card and a gift bag.
6. Put your caption on the front cover, type a short a message on the inside of the card, and send off for printing.
7. Handwrite an additional personal message inside the card, insert the gift card, and that's it!
This entire process from initial idea to gift delivery took less than 30 minutes. Nobody said thoughtful couldn't be quick and easy.
OTHER HOOK IDEAS? (Feel free to add your ideas to the comments. I'd love to read/steal them!)
Coffee Gift Card: "Thank you! You've BEAN a great friend." (Photo of you holding onto a cup of java or sniffing a bag of coffee beans) or "You put a smile on my mug." (Photo of you with a big stupid grin.)
Spa Gift Card: "Thanks for putting up with me this year." (Photo of your child in a robe with cucumber slices on his/her eyes.)
Movie Gift Card: "I'm ready for my close up, Mr. Demille." (Photo of you or your child with their face shmushed right up close to the camera lens.)
Liquor Store Gift Card: "Thank you for lifting my spirits. It's my turn to lift yours." (Photo of you raising a wine glass in a toast. Lampshade hat optional.)
*This is not a sponsored post. I paid for the restaurant gift cards and the greeting cards with my own pesos. :)
Looking for some more creative DIY ideas? Check out these 5 Nifty Ways to Store Your Kids’ Art and these DIY Instagram Coasters.
From league play to impromptu matches in my living room, my kids are obsessed with Canada’s number one sport. With the World Cup in full swing, the entire planet has been whipped into a “football” frenzy. Why not try to capture some of this enthusiasm by hosting a neighbourhood soccer party?
Here are some simple tips for throwing your own SOCCER SHINDIG:
Invite players from your soccer team, friends from school and soccer enthusiasts from the neighbourhood. Organize a parents vs. kids game or kids vs. kids with parent refs and cheering squad. Make sure teams are evenly matched for friendly competition.
Rent a local field for an inexpensive hour of play (contact your city hall) or use a big back yard or local park.
Keep adult eyes and ears open for safety and sportsmanship. Nothing spoils a game more than blood, sweat and tears. Oh wait, sweat is actually encouraged.
Ask players to bring their own recognizable water bottle to keep on the sidelines for hydration (see above re: sweat).
Use pinnies, different coloured t-shirts (World Cup team colours), or ribbons to identify teams.
Continue the fun off the field with a backyard potluck BBQ. Show videotaped highlights of your neighbourhood game (or a World Cup match) on the big screen!
Ole, ole ole ole, ole...ole...
Have you read this yet? The Soccer Mom How Ginger Got Her Groove Back by Ginger Hartman Or this? I LOVE Soccer Saturdays Really, I do! by Sandy Pedrogao
There's a reason 'dada' rhymes with 'haha.' It's because fathers are funny. At least, they think they are. My dad believes he's hysterical. I don't have the heart to tell him his jokes are painful. Thankfully he usually butchers the punchline by mixing it up with the ending of a completely different joke or by losing the plot altogether. And THAT my friends, is hilarious.
Speaking of hilarious, here are some "dad" themed jokes for you to share this FATHER'S Day.
Warning: The term hilarious has been used loosely. Consider these groaners a little dad payback for subjecting you to his awful jokes over the years. And don't forget about those hideous black socks and sandals. Revenge is sweet...
TEN COMPLETELY CORNY DAD JOKES:
1. What did the daddy buffalo say to his boy when he dropped him off at school? Bison.
2. How do you make your dad's handkerchief dance? Put your boogie in it.
3. Did you hear about the dad who slept like a log last night? He woke up in the fireplace.
4. My dad walked into a bar with a chunk of asphalt under his arm and said, "I'll have a drink and take one for the road."
5. Dad: "Sometimes I wake up grumpy. Sometimes I let her sleep."
6. My dad bought a fake Christmas tree, and the guy behind the counter said, "Are you going to put it up yourself?" My dad said, "Don't be disgusting. I'm going to put it in the living room."
7. My dad is so generous that he gave away all of his old batteries, free of charge.
8. What do you call your dad when he falls through the ice? A popsicle.
9. Why did the dad dump ground beef on his head? He wanted a meatier shower.
10. What did the psychiatrist say when the dad walked into the office wearing a suit made of plastic wrap? I can clearly see you're nuts.
Also dad related: The Best Advice Our Dads Gave Us and Father's Day Fail
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