When do you send a present and what kind of gifts do you send?

 Birthdays

First of all, birthdays are never complete until you've sent happy birthday wishes. There are many websites where you can send a digital Ecard or a real postcard (like http://www.greetz.com/).

Today you can even personalize your card with your own text or photo and most of these websites even have a calandar so you can create a postcard in advance and make sure it arrives on the day of the birthday.  This can be convenient when you want to make sure you don't want to forget a birthday, you can simply send carts to every member of your family by creating them all in january for every birthday coming up that year.

Sending a gift for children, it depends on the age and gender. Parents often have a wish list, ask for a few items on that list and make sure you let the parents know which item you will buy to make sure they do not recieve an item twice. Remember to include batteries if your gift requires them, children always want to try their gift as soon as they open the box.

For children aged 1-3 clothes or (unbreakable) children tableware are always safe to give.

For adults, finding the right birthday gift can be difficult. Think of hobbies and interests of that person. If you are not convinced about what to purchase, you could request to the person you're buying for (or a close relative) to put together a wish list of birthday present ideas. Request to them to put many things on it, and then it will at the same time be a bit of a surprise. Of course, they may have been hinting at what they want for months and you missed it!

Clothes are at all times troublesome to buy in case they don't fit but they can also be excellent birthday present ideas for the fashion conscious. 

Christmas

Off course you can purchase the same kind of gift as you would buy for someone's birthday, however at Christmas you can also send special Christmas holiday gifts such as cookies and chocolate or gift baskets of local specialty foods. Most exclusive Christmas Hamper's can be found at Harrods , they vary in price from $20 to over $20.000 but many other online stores sell nice gift baskets during this season with a variety of (local) products.

One of the oldest traditions of Christmas is sending cards. They are a great way of giving a little Christmas cheer to far-away relatives. Like birthday cards you can send them by email or send a post card.  Season greetings by post are much more appreciated, especially by family members. Send them out by the end of the first week in December or the beginning of the second week.

Easter

Easter is a special occasion for sending chocolate gifts, especially chocolate Easter Eggs. Every online department store will have special offers during the Easter season.  Remember Easter is not a moment for cards and gifts like Christmas.

Weddings

When you receive an invitation for a wedding, most couples want you to select a wedding gift from their wedding registry list, either in a store or on the web.  

Unlike years past, today's couples want modern twists on the traditional wedding gifts, even though some of the most coveted gifts still hail from the kitchen, dinning, bedding, and bath departments. For deluxe bedding and bath, give them gifts that'll create a spa-like, hotel environment every morning when they wake up. Think about buying them a trio of gifts to create a theme: What about a set of super-soft pillows, a thick down blanket, and a pair of high thread-count hotel towels?

Many couples also use their wedding as an excuse to upgrade their kitchen with top-notch appliances. Give state-of-the-art kitchen gear, gadgets, and cookware that look as good on the counter as they do when in use.

Wedding Anniversary

Depending on the anniversary (5th, 10th, 50th) you can shop for a traditional gift, see for advice at http://www.anniversary.us.com/ or ask close relatives if the couple has any special wishes. Flowers, champagne  or a gift basket are always nice gifts for these occasions. 

House warming

People fresh off the move are still in shock as to how saddled down they are by their possessions, so this is not the time to give something large or furniture-like, which will only cause the recipient to imagine having to someday repack said item and lug it down several flights of stairs. Off course it depends whether newly weds, college freshmen or a retired couple just moved to a new place. Also remember that artwork is always kind of personal and tableware has to match with the items they already have. Most peope like plants and if they moved to a house with a garden you can choose between a houseplant or one for outdoors. Popular House warming gifts these days are (wine)glasses, (personalized) doormats and cutting boards.

Mother's day

Kitchen appliances and cleaning implements are not recommended; neither are fluffy slippers unless she's indicated she'd really like a pair. Flowers and candy are always popular for Mother's day, do not forget to add a card with a personal message! Something personal like a book, DVD or CD is always appreciated, just as a small piece of jewellery.

Father's day

What not to buy: Funny underwear, T-shirt, or tie or an expensive tech gadget which he will never use. A leather wallet, a nice shirt of some tools are a nice gift for this special day. A bottle of wine or Scotch is also appreciated (if he likes this off course).       

Graduations

Some people take these types of events more personally than others, you know who they are, so weigh your choices carefully; especially if you’re family. It may be worth it to send a gift, no matter what the rules are, to keep things kosher. Always send a card if you receive a graduation announcement or invitation.

There is a difference between a High School Graduation and a College Graduation. Money is always a practical gift idea for any graduate. For those going off to college there are living expenses, supplies, books and tuition that need paid. Gadgets, an engraved pen or a briefcase are also popular presents for these occasions.    

Valentine's day

To some people, Valentine's Day is the day you're supposed to buy flowers or candy for your loved one. But to others, Valentine's Day is about expressing your innermost feelings about that special someone. If you don’t quite know your date inside and out yet, flowers or candy are very popular but when you want to show your love you really should 'personalize' your gift. Jewellery is also a very popular gift on Valentines day, for someone you know just a few months and for couples who have a relationship for many years.

Last but not least, it's important to know when all these special days are. Here's a link with all Religious and Civil holidays around the world. For Family Birthdays and (your own) Wedding Anniversaries we recommend a calendar. If you forgot a special day, just visit our website for a special gift!