Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Registering for birthday gifts is simply about greed

I just received an invitation to a child's 1-year-old birthday party. While I was pleased to be invited, on the invitation it advised he is registered at a well-known toy store.Am I missing something?I can understand for weddings, but for birthdays it just seems tacky to me. (Especially for a 1-year-old who really has no idea of what is going on, and will probably be just as happy playing with the wrapping paper and box as what's inside.) Is this the new age yuppie era?

GENTLE READER: No, it was the succeeding Gimme era that thought of farming out its shopping lists. Miss Manners supposes that the child's parents, in choosing items that they might otherwise want to buy him, are thinking of his education: They are teaching him that if you want something, tell others to buy it for you.DEAR MISS MANNERS: I'm getting married soon and have begun receiving gifts via mail or parcel delivery.

I will write proper thank-you notes, but we won't get back from the honeymoon until (in some cases) more than a month after receiving the gift.I've been sending emails to people to thank them, mostly to let them know their gift or check arrived, but I also will send handwritten thank-yous.Am I going overboard? What's the accepted interval before one should expect a thank-you? I don't want people to think me rude for not thanking them, but I don't want them to think me rude for using email, either. I also don't want them to think their gift was misrouted.

Monday, August 27, 2012

Dads short-changed on gifts this Father's Day

AUSTRALIANS are predicted to spend less than half on dad this Father's Day as they did on mum for Mother's Day.IBISWorld research predicts the average Australian will spend $28.26 on their father this Sunday, compared with the $60 they spent on their mothers in May.IBISWorld analyst Craig Shulman said mothers and fathers are looking to gain different things out of their respective days.

IBISWorld predicts total Father's Day spending will be relatively flat, rising 1.9 per cent from 2011 to hit $659.9 million.The bulk of spending ($165 million) will go to cafes and restaurants, up 5.1 per cent from last year.IBISWorld general manager Karen Dobie said: "When it comes to Father's Day, a quaint cafe, a family friendly restaurant or even pub grub is considered adequate, while dads – and children – often want to treat Mum to something more luxurious."

Victoria Beckham gifts Jessica Ennis one of her dresses!IBISWorld predicts Australians will spend $87.1 million on electronics, up 2.4 per cent from last year, and $69.3 million on gift cards, which is the fastest growing category up 7.6 per cent."Gift cards are always an easy option in terms of purchasing a gift, it essentially takes the idea about what gift you should get out of the hands of the purchaser." Mr Shulman said.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Victoria Beckham gifts Jessica Ennis one of her dresses!

There's been a lot of social media love going on between London 2012 Olympic hero, Jessica Ennis, and fashion designer / occasional Spice Girl, Victoria Beckham. This is all down to the filming of a recent episode of the Jonathan Ross show for ITV, where his sofa was jam packed full of the most sought after people in showbiz right now including Jessica Ennis herself, Kelly Brook, Usain Bolt, Tom Daley, Rita Ora and Colin Farrell.

Where does VB come in I hear you ask? Well, she kindly sent Jessica one of her new season designs to wear for the occasion. How nice!This SmartLab Kit lets kids eight and up build a mini working speaker dock for an iPod, iTouch, or MP3 player. Pre-printed foldable paper housing and circuit board. No tools required.

A unique kit to teach kids basic electronics while creating a usable gadget!Great stocking stuffer. It comes with a full-sized charge and Sync Cable small enough to clip onto your belt or keychain. Available in both iPod/iPhone and Micro & Mini USB models. This new models are made from rugged aluminum to withstand wear and tear on the run better.

Monday, August 20, 2012

Thank you and goodbye

That is what Maria Pollicina would like to say to Inner West locals who have stuck with her for the past nine years and allowed her small business to thrive.After nine years at Jeanelle Women's Clothing store in Five Dock she is moving on but not without lifelong friends and new found patience."I would just like to say thank you for their ongoing and loyal support and without them shops like us, small local businesses, wouldn't be able to survive." Ms Pollicina said.

Coming from the banking sector Ms Pollicina had taken over the business nine years ago.The store has been there for more than 65 years."I think every lady that has lived in Drummoyne has walked in here at one stage or another."She said Five Dock was a "wonderful town village" and in order to maintain that, the community needed to continue to support their local retailers.

Thanks to you, speaker might be ready to unload gravy train.Taking over the business is Angela Benvenuti who also owns Adora-belle Gifts around the corner."It's a new challenge. I have had the gift store for a year and I know a lot of people in the area now which helps," Ms Benvenuti said.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Thanks to you, speaker might be ready to unload gravy train

Before you fall over in a dead faint, let me remind you that politicians are crafty sorts. They excel at saying one thing and doing another — "another" being whatever is in their self-interest. That is why we need to wait and see if the speaker really means it and if the General Assembly really does it.The speaker told the Atlanta newspapers that voters "spoke on the issue" in the recent primary voting and that he is "committed from the House side to making sure we have some real, serious ethics reform." Admittedly, I am a product of public schools but "real" and "serious" say to me that what we have had to this point has been neither real nor serious.

That is where you come in. You have been very determined to make sure our legislators understood your unhappiness with their cavalier attitude toward ethics reform and every time they trotted out the term "gimmick," that only made you madder. It seems the shade is going up for our intrepid public servants and they are beginning to realize that you just might shorten their political careers if they don't listen to you instead of marching to the speaker's tune.

You have shared with me your letters to your representatives on the topic of ethic reforms as well as the replies you received in return. I found their responses fall into three general categories: (a) The "bug letter" that says nothing except to thank you for writing and ignores the frustrations you express; (b) a lecture and/or whine about how little they get paid to do their very difficult job and how much they learn while they (and their spouses) eat at some fancy restaurant, courtesy of a lizard-loafered lobbyist; or (c) no response at all.

Monday, August 13, 2012

No thanks

I am perplexed. I was taught by my mom to "always write a thank you note or express verbal thanks to the giver" whenever I received a gift — for birthday, Christmas, birth of baby, wedding or shower, etc. All my friends are now married and have grown-up children, so the gifts I'm taking are for grandchildren of friends, wedding/baby showers for younger women at church who are acquaintances or dinner for church women who are homebound due to illness or pregnancy.

After giving 50 or 60 gifts like this, I could count on my right hand the number of times I've been thanked either by card, phone or verbally. All of them were women above 50. Send Flowers to Delhi and avail Discount from Delhi Online Gifts.Although I give because I want to, I'm just wondering if an entire generation from 16 to 40 years of age has missed a "courtesy lesson" of simply saying "thanks," or have I missed out on a revolution in appropriate manners?

You haven't missed anything, and yes, all of us should be offering thanks for gifts we receive. I'm good at the verbal part and am genuinely thankful to dear friends for their thoughtfulness in giving gifts. However, in recent years, I have not been as good at the written notes part, although I'm working on it. I always want to take my time to write the perfect note. Then time slips away.The age group you mentioned is extremely busy — whether they have school activities or are juggling children and a career, a lot competes for their attention. Although that is not an excuse, it may offer an explanation.


Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Send Flowers to Delhi and avail Discount from Delhi Online Gifts

Delhi Online Gifts has been serving its customers for 2 years now and helping send flowers to Delhi. On the completion of 2 years of its establishment, Delhi Online Gifts announced a cash back discount of 5% on all the orders to send flowers to Delhi. The customers can avail the discount by mentioning coupon code "DAUG001" in special instructions. While talking about the cash back offer, the executive of the Delhi Online Gifts said "This is a Thank You offer for the response we got from our customers"

Delhi Online Gifts deals in Flowers for all occasions but specialized in making its customers happy. In last two years, Flower Arrangement and Flower Delivery experts have satisfied thousands of its customers by delivering innovative, fresh, beautiful and fragrant floral arrangements on time all across Delhi and NCR.

The customer services team at Delhi Online Gifts is dedicated to the customer satisfaction of its customers and always ready to help with any order, whether it is about ordering a dozen of red roses for saying "I Love You" or ordering a special arrangement for a special occasion for someone very special.During August, Delhi Online Gifts team helped thousands of customers convey best wishes on Rakhi and Friendship Day, who placed online order to deliver flowers to Delhi. Due to the overwhelmed response it got from its customers, the portal decided to offer 5% cash back discount on all the flowers orders.




Monday, August 6, 2012

Send Flowers to Delhi and avail Discount from Delhi Online Gifts

Delhi Online Gifts has been serving its customers for 2 years now and helping send flowers to Delhi. On the completion of 2 years of its establishment, Delhi Online Gifts announced a cash back discount of 5% on all the orders to send flowers to Delhi. The customers can avail the discount by mentioning coupon code "DAUG001" in special instructions. While talking about the cash back offer, the executive of the Delhi Online Gifts said "This is a Thank You offer for the response we got from our customers"

Delhi Online Gifts deals in Flowers for all occasions but specialized in making its customers happy. In last two years, Flower Arrangement and Flower Delivery experts have satisfied thousands of its customers by delivering innovative, fresh, beautiful and fragrant floral arrangements on time all across Delhi and NCR.Honor your host with great gifts.

The customer services team at Delhi Online Gifts is dedicated to the customer satisfaction of its customers and always ready to help with any order, whether it is about ordering a dozen of red roses for saying "I Love You" or ordering a special arrangement for a special occasion for someone very special.During August, Delhi Online Gifts team helped thousands of customers convey best wishes on Rakhi and Friendship Day, who placed online order to deliver flowers to Delhi.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Honor your host with great gifts

If someone is kind enough to share their home with you — especially if it's a fabulous house just steps from the beach — a thank-you gift is definitely in order! If you're short on cash, never fear. A heartfelt gift doesn't have to break the bank.Does the house have a sunny room that could use a dash of color? A glass sun catcher is a window ornament that will subtly liven up any room. Philadelphia glassblower extraordinaire Jim Loewer makes my favorite sun catchers. Sunlight enters the bullseye pattern of the handmade glass, casting a warm, colorful light around the room. The sun catchers are hand-blown, so each one has its own unique beauty.

Wine is always a fun, useful gift to give. Why not pair a lovely bottle or two with a practical carrying bag? Simply Bags makes an insulated Double Wine Cooler ($25.99) that includes a cheese spreader, cutting board and corkscrew. The cooler is great for picnicking on the beach or in the park. With its simple, unisex style, it's an ideal pick for both men and women. The bag can also be monogrammed for a personalized touch!

People who love to have guests love to entertain, right? Totally Bamboo's Puzzle Party Platters are made from bamboo (surprise!) and can interlock or be used individually. Your host can set up an hors d'oeuvres display that is several feet long or place the puzzle piece—shaped trays around the room. Guests can also use the platters individually, as there is an easy-to-hold handle and a notch to serve as a wineglass holder.