Unusual Gifts
August 7, 2009
You guys are getting a bonus two posts this week, due to the technical difficulties yesterday with posting. We are hoping to have this resolved by next week. I enjoy posting on Thursdays, and think you like it too. 
So! I was waking up to another gorgeously cloudy *sarcasm* summer day in the Bay Area, when I thought of the unusual gifts I’ve both given and received in the last, oh, 15 years or so. And just remembering them made me first giggle, then snicker, then outright laugh at some of the antics that have happened in my life. So I thought we should talk about that, and see if we can’t keep up the wacky gift-giving.
Example time-
I have sewn up a gift inside a pillow, necessitating the pillow be ripped open to reveal its prize.
I once put a gift inside a balloon filled with sparkly confetti, but my gift-receiver burst the balloon inside my house, so that sort of backfired. ;P
I also once hid a gift inside a bag of flour, then took him to the park, and made him open the whole bag to get to it. 
themed gifts are always fun. Get someone a gift basket of all asian, all pan-pacific, all german items.
Same thing with color. Has anyone ever gotten you 6 or 7 items, all in blood red? I have been on the receiving end, and its AWESOME.
My niece was moving to a new town, and starting college. She didn’t have much money, and I didn’t want to give her cash, as it tends to evaporate. So I checked around, and found the hippest places to get a slice of pizza, purchase books, listen to local music concerts, buy a CD, and get some clothes. So I called each local business, explained what I was doing, and they all really got into the present. I purchased gift certificates from each of them, and had them mailed to me, wherein I put them all in a wallet, inside a backpack, and sent it to her with a note. She was thrilled!
A friend of mine helped me on a sewing project once with tools and machines I didn’t have access to, so in exchange, I volunteered to organize one of her completely-piled-6 ft high-rooms for one full day. It was amazing spending all day with her, doing something I’m really good at, and both of us not spending any money on each other.
washing someone’s feet. This is a wonderful healing experience, and a bonding one.
Just today, someone is taking my camping gear ahead to the site, setting up my tent for me, all because I’ve had a terrible time lately, and he and his wife want to do something nice for me. Isn’t that the sweetest thing?
My mom once hung a banner on my high school that was 75 FEET LONG, just to say Happy Birthday to me on my 17th, so I would see it first thing when I arrived. Got up at the crack of doom to go secretly sneak out of the house and everything.
I know of several others, but can’t think of them at the moment. What unusual gifts have you given/received? How did it affect you? When you are stumped for a gift for someone, where do you get your inspiration?
Photos-
http://j-walkblog.com/old/images/bonesocsx.jpg
http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/funny-pictures-cat-blinds-tail-present.jpg
Share and Enjoy:
Mum on Wed, 12th Aug 2009 11:53 am
Awwwww……you remembered.
I gave you LIFE itself, but you remember the birthday banner!
Well, actually, I planned it that way.
MishPen on Sat, 22nd Aug 2009 4:20 am
I once spent a year collecting strawberry everything for a friend obsessed with the fruit. I found strawberry lotion, creams, candies, toys, perfumes, etc and even wrapped a pint of strawberry ice cream in foil and presented all of this to her on her birthday at school (we were in high school.) She carried it around all day and had to explain to everyone that not only was it her birthday, but that she loved strawberries! We recently reconnected after many years, and she still remember it. It was so much fun to do this for her!