AA Gifts & Baskets Idea Blog

Archive for June, 2011

Sports nuts are a special breed. They live, sleep, and breathe their favorite teams. Nothing is too extreme when it comes to the sport they’re cheering for. So think like a sport fanatic and give a gift this year that he’ll really love.

Here are ten gift ideas to get you started thinking:

1.      Tickets to his Team’s Games: The best gift you can give a sportsman is tickets to his favorite season’s games. If you can swing season tickets, great. If not, plan a big day where he goes with you and his best buddies for a big game in person.

2.      Memorabilia of Old: Look on auction sites and at flea markets for memorabilia of his favorite team. You may be surprised at what you find. You might unearth a Super Bowl ring or a vintage jacket. It’s worth looking into.

3.      Team Colors: He’s probably already got t-shirts, caps, and every item ever made with his team’s logo. Why not surprise him and let him decorate an entire room of the house in his team’s colors? He will be utterly dumbfounded that he gets a whole room to decorate as a man cave.

4.      Bar Stools: Get him bar stools with his team’s logo on the seat. There are many companies from which you can purchase these on the Internet. They’re fun and whimsical, especially in his man cave.

5.      A Camp Experience: If you can swing it, send him off to a day at professional sports camp. Many teams offer the opportunity to train for a day with their favorite players. It’s a once in a lifetime experience he will never forget.

6.      Signed Items: Check out pawn shops, flea markets, and online for signed baseballs, jerseys, and other sports memorabilia. You’ll be sure to buy one thing he doesn’t already have.

7.      Baseball Cards: The baseball cards he traded as a kid are now worth big bucks. Try to find a card that he’s searching for online or get him a few from his favorite team that later may go up in value.

8.      Tailgating Merchandise: If he’s a sports lover, he must love tailgating. Buy him a few pieces of equipment to trick out his rig. You might get a portable grill or smoker, coolers, grilling tools, or even tables and chairs that fold for easy storage.

9.      Binoculars: If he doesn’t already have a set of first class binoculars, get him one. Today’s binoculars also come in night vision for those night games. And you can even get binoculars that have cameras built in so he can take shots of what he sees.

10.  A Huge TV: When it all comes down to it, the sports fan loves his TV. Surprise him with a High Definition LCD TV that’s equipped for 3D. 3D is about to be the wave of the future in TV viewing, so get him set up now. The bigger, the better when it comes to TVs, so get the best deal you can on the biggest TV you can.

It’s not really hard to buy for a sports fan. If you think like him, you’ll be sure to show up with the best birthday gift he has ever had. If you don't think you can swing something quite as expensive as the above ideas, you can always surprise him with a sports gift basket this year that he won’t soon forget.

Still on the hunt for gifts? Try this article on Father's Day Gadget Gift Ideas.

Chapter One of the Great Gatsby

Some men love to read and have a vast library. For them, a book is a gift of travel and suspense and otherworldly sensations. Others are more comfortable reading the Financial Times or Sports Illustrated than an actual novel. But if you are a man who would like to get more into reading the best books or a friend who wants to give a man book gifts, put these ten great books on your list.

1. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
2. 1984 by George Orwell
3. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
4. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
5. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
6. Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac
7. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
8. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
9. Ulysses by James Joyce
10. The Art of Warfare by Sun Tzu

Yes, some of these, if not all of these classics were on your English Literature reading list in high school or college. But that doesn’t mean that they’re just for students. They are for students of life. What makes each of these books great is an author who was ahead of his time.

Many of these titles star a fierce hero who overcomes adversity. But that’s not the draw here. It’s the writing style and the treatment of the subject matter. Each book on this list is written in a voice that only that particular author could have created.

In The Great Gatsby, for instance, the hero is a rich man named Jay Gatsby (yes, he was played by Robert Redford in the movie version). The story is set in the glory days of the 1920s when money was thrown around by those who had it. The story line is not what keeps readers coming back. Instead, it’s the way F. Scott Fitzgerald infuses his particular genius on the material. The narrator is not Gatsby, but Nick Hornby. His likeable and yet fragile narrator takes on a completely different voice than the voice of the man Gatsby himself. Books of this type do not come along every day and so it should be in any library of classics.

Great books abound. Of course, there are more than ten that should be included in every thinking man’s repertoire. But today’s authors also produce their own brand of greatness. The likes of Stephen King cannot be duplicated. His brand of writing has thrilled every reader who has ever experienced its spine tingling beauty.

For men who want to become readers, or the people who want to give them the great authors, there’s no shortage of amazing books out there. Browse online to sign up for book blog feeds and you will find that readers spring up with superb recommendations on what to read next.

If you're looking for baby book gifts for a little man, there are plenty of options out there, but you're likely going to want to look at Little Einstein book sets or Mickey Mouse instead. Now if you find yourself at a loss for the manly men of your life, look up the classics and staff picks at a book store or go online to a site like Amazon, Borders, or Barnes and Noble, and see which books rank in the tops. Of millions of books, only one book can be number one. Breeze on by and see what it is. Chances are, once you get it home and read it, you’ll have no trouble recognizing why it hit that top position and stayed there.

Related Articles:

1. Gifts for Book Lovers
2. Great Gifts for Grandparents

Tweens, kids who aren’t quite teenagers but aren’t still young grade-schoolers, have different tastes and likes than you might expect. If you’ve got an 8 to 12 year old on your gift list, consider these helpful tips when purchasing birthday gifts this year.

Go Electronic

If it has batteries or a plug, it will be a hit with the tween set. Kids in this age group love the newest electronic toys. Everything from Barbie as a video camera to the iPod Shuffle will get their attention. They’ll be thanking you all year long. If you don’t know which electronics are the latest versions, ask a salesperson in the electronics section of your favorite store. They can steer you towards the coolest gadgets and games so you won’t show up with a gift that’s considered old news.

Songs and More Songs

Many tweens have their own iPods or mp3 players. They will just love a gift card for downloading songs. You can purchase an iTunes gift card at stores like Target or Wal-Mart and even at some drug store chains. Just ask for an iTunes gift card and the salesperson will point you in the right direction. You’ll have a choice of how much you want to spend. The more you spend, the more songs your tween can download from the Internet into their music player. This is one gift idea that will definitely go over well.

Games Galore

Wii is the current cool video game system. Xbox runs a close second. If you have a tween with one of these systems (ask his mom or dad if you’re not sure which one he has), a game he can play on it is the perfect gift. Just beware, however, that tastes change all the time. Most video games can’t be returned unless they are defective, so don’t purchase a title you’re unsure of as your recipient will not be able to exchange it if he doesn’t like it or already has it. Instead, ask Mom and Dad which game is on his most wanted list. If you’re at all uncertain, go with a gift certificate to a mega store where your tween can select his or her own game. You might write a note saying, “Gramma hopes you buy yourself a Wii game that you really love.”

Tweens are a finicky bunch. They still like to play with dolls and action figures, but they also have more sophisticated (and expensive!) tastes. You can really surprise a tween with the gift of music or a video game or player. Just do some fact checking before making any purchase. You want to know the exact names of gaming systems your tween has as not every game is compatible with every model. Yes, it can get confusing. But it’s better to go into the store with a firm written list that you’ve double checked so that you are certain to buy the exact item you need.

Tweens may not show their love of your present, but be sure that they are jumping for joy inside. They’ll be showing their new games off to their friends on the bus and they’ll be the most popular kids at recess when everyone bends over their shoulders to get a glimpse of the newest handheld wonder.

More Helpful Articles:

• Birthday Party Ideas for Girls - Ages 8 to 12
• Birthday Gift Ideas For The Person Who Has Everything
• How To Plan A Birthday Party on a Budget

When it comes time to give a gift for your friend or relative’s wedding, what should you do? Should you give cash? How much? Should you give a wedding gift from a certain place? How’s a person to know what’s appropriate these days?

Here are some tips to get you started so you can feel comfortable giving a wedding gift that will be just perfect.

The Registry

Time was when every happy couple registered for everything they needed for their home at one store. These days couples register at a number of different stores or not at all. The way to find out if your couple has a bridal registry is to ask one of the parents or someone in the bridal party. They’ll know where and if the couple is registered. Once you find out that they are registered, you can visit the store online and type in either the bride’s or groom’s last name where it indicates on the “Bridal Registry” portion of the site. Whatever the couple has chosen as their wish list will appear and be available for you to buy. You can either buy it there online or print the registry out and head to the store to get it in person. Pick out as many items as your budget allows. You don’t have to buy just one item. Often a few smaller items will allow the couple to get more of what they need and want.

The Cash Option

If you would just rather give cash, there are some guidelines. How much you give should depend on if you are a single or a married couple. If you’re going stag, you can give $100 and that’s a really nice gift. If you’re a couple, you should give double that. But don’t just stuff a couple of crumpled bills in an envelope. Make a special trip to the bank and ask for some new bills that are fresh and crisp. Put those inside a nice wedding card. You could also write a check. That’s a good idea if you’re worried about your gift getting lost or stolen. Many people think you’re supposed to give a gift that covers the cost of your dinner. While that has become urban legend, it’s not really a good basis for your gift giving. How would you know what your dinner cost? Weddings can range from the casual barbecue to the formal sit-down dinner. No matter what kind of wedding you are invited to, you still want to give a generous gift.

Go Non-Traditional

Of course, there are non-traditional gifts you could give like gift certificates to the bride and groom’s favorite stores. Those are much appreciated. Just be sure to package your gift card up nicely in a small box or gift basket with a bow so it’s presented well. Another option is gifting them with a weekend trip away or tickets to a show or other live event. Be as creative as you like.

As for when to present your gift…

If you’re giving a bulky or bigger gift, send it on ahead to the bride’s parents’ house so they don’t have to lug it from the reception. If you’re giving cash or checks, bring them to the wedding and hand them to the bride or groom in person.

Are you a wedding guest? Find more pointers here:

• How to Make a Wedding and Honeymoon Gift Basket
• Congratulations Card Message Ideas
• 5 Unique Wedding Gift Ideas
• What is the Appropriate Amount of Cash to Give as a Wedding Gift?
• Don't be a Bad Guest - What Not to Wear to the Wedding
• Dressing for Wedding Season