Shopping for gifts is rarely an easy task, and the business is made significantly more difficult if you are purchasing something for a special occasion. Inexpensive wedding favors and cost-effective anniversary presents and affordable engagement gifts are not common items and you will need to be fairly creative if you are planning to get something suitable on a tight budget.

To begin with, it is important that you personalize your gift on an important occasion. It is not, for example, acceptable to buy bubble bath for your best friend on the day of her wedding.

Instead, put a little thought into the gift. If the couple is having a large party to celebrate their anniversary, wedding or engagement, then you may find that there is a present registry. This list of items should range from inexpensive to more costly gifts and there will invariably be an option that suits your budget. (more...)

When you get into your twenties the people around you who you have grown up with, start to really grow up. It is during this decade of our lives that we finish studying and begin to work. We move out of our parent's home into our own. We buy our own houses, we fall in love.

And somewhere during all of this some of your friends and maybe even you will find someone to love and get engaged. It is so wonderful to have so much love floating around. But of course this is a reason to celebrate, and nothing says celebration like a party.

With every step of your married life there are occasions to celebrate, from the engagement to the wedding and then of course the yearly anniversaries. With all these parties and celebrations, why not use glowsticks. (more...)

It seems as if our expectations of love and relationships have been altered somehow by all the Hollywood romantic comedies and sitcoms that we all watch. They all seem to follow the same pattern – you find someone, you fall in love with them and then there is a problem, one of you cheat or leave the country, then you are apart but longing for each other and then in the end you are reunited.

The reality is that being able to find someone compatible is something that doesn't really happen that often and when it does you hold on for as long as you can. The Hollywood romance doesn't convey anything real it just tugs on the heart strings.

But when we are lucky enough to find someone who we are compatible with and who we do love, then we take the next step which is to get married. Even marriage these days isn't a sure thing, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't celebrate every moment you are together. (more...)

Everyone loves the thrill of the engagement. Families call each other, congratulations are passed around, and future in-laws get to know each other and begin to form bonds. The engagement is followed up by the wedding, where gifts of all kinds are showered on the bride and groom.

A recent study was published as part of a joint project between the American Bridal Association and the London Retailers Association. While the study investigated a host of topics, one of those topics looked at was the subject of gifts. Retailers want to carry those gifts that will have the most lasting value, which in turn, they theorized, would grow ever-popular to give as wedding gifts. Jewelry was, not surprisingly, the #1 answer. But once you remove the top tier of gifts from family and the intimate partner, the true retail results emerge. Holding the #3 spot were wedding Christmas ornaments that in some way celebrate the couples' union. Reasons cited include: heart-felt sentiment, evokes emotion of that special day, lasting value (non-consumable), and becomes family heirloom.

There are ornaments that specifically celebrate the wedding of 2 people, and then there are also "our first Christmas ornament" gifts. Both are similar, but the latter has less to do with the actual ceremony, and is more oriented to the togetherness enjoyed by the couple up through and on Christmas day. (more...)

Weddings, engagement parties and anniversaries are very exciting events. Such events call for huge celebrations, which include food, drinks and gift giving.

The perfect gift will be something different for every couple. For me, it might be a canvas made from our wedding photo . For you, it might be cash to help you with a down payment on your first home. Invitations to such events will often indicate the couples' preference of gift. There may be a gift registry set up too - these are great because you can choose from a variety of gifts in different price points and make sure you don't buy a duplicate gift.

If there is no indication in the invitation on what to buy the couple, you might have to be a bit creative. You could ask around - talk to their family members, friends and co-workers - to see what they need. If they are starting a new life together as a married couple they will probably need a lot of household furnishings and appliances such as a blender, toaster and iron. Many couples simply prefer cash because they can spend the money as they wish, but some families see this as tacky and impersonal. Before giving a gift of cash, it is imperative that you check on whether this is an appropriate gift or not. (more...)