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Pick-Your-Own Farm Experience

Princess Diana - August 2, 2016 - $20 or Less, Experiences, Food & Drinks, Kids

What’s even better than a farmer’s market for fresh produce and a fresh experience?

Pick-your-own farms! You’ll get the freshest, most flavorful fruits and vegetables for less money.

Even better, it’s a memorable and delicious way to spend time with friends and loved ones.

My husband and I took our toddler son to pick blackberries for the first time this summer. (It was my first time too!)

We enjoyed hunting for juicy, ripe blackberries among the blackberry bushes and filling up our pint-sized berry baskets.

Balloon Room Surprise

Princess Diana - July 26, 2016 - $20 or Less, Anniversary, Birthday, Business, Congratulations, Experiences

Balloons turn adults into little kids again, especially when they appear in an unexpected place like the office!

Turning someone’s work space, whether it’s their office or cubicle, into a playroom of colorful balloons is a great way to surprise someone for their birthday, work anniversary, or to congratulate them on an achievement.

Giving someone a Balloon Room Surprise could mean blowing up enough balloons to cover their floor and their desk, or it could mean filling the entire room with balloons all the way to the ceiling!

For a thoughtful twist to the Balloon Room Surprise, hide a gift among the balloons for them to find!

Card & Gift From Child’s Favorite Disney Character

Princess Diana - July 19, 2016 - Birthday, Christmas, Kids

One of the biggest joys of parenting is the opportunity to inject a sense of wonder and excitement into your kids’ childhood. It’s why we get up in the middle of the night to set out presents from Santa and to tuck money under the pillow in exchange for a tooth.

This thoughtful gift idea is a creative way to add a sense of magic and mystery to a young child’s birthday or Christmas gift experience!

Almost every child has a favorite Disney character or animated character they just adore. My son is obsessed with Mickey Mouse and his clubhouse friends.

Queen Darlene remembered this and for my son’s birthday she gave him a card and a gift from Mickey Mouse and Friends. She made the birthday card herself and signed it “Mickey.”

Personalized Beach Towels

Princess Diana - July 12, 2016 - Birthday, Christmas, Kids, Wedding

Some childhood gifts are so good you will still use them as an adult.

In grade school, I received a pink beach towel with my name embroidered on it from my aunt and uncle.

Each time I went to the public swimming pool, I enjoyed laying out my personalized beach towel happy with the thought that no one would ever mistake my towel for theirs.

A Useful Gift That Lasts

Almost 20 years later, I still use that same beach towel. Let me point out that I don’t even own another beach or swim item from my childhood. Just this one custom beach towel.

I will admit it’s no longer pink though due to a washing machine accident. It’s more of a cream color these days but my embroidered name looks as great as ever and the towel itself is in great shape!

Indoor Snowball Fights Any Time of Year

Princess Diana - July 5, 2016 - $20 or Less, Birthday, Business, Christmas, Gifts for Him, Kids

No longer does it have to be winter for everyone to enjoy a free-for-all snowball fight. Because someone invented indoor snowballs!

Indoor Snowballs actually feel and squish like real snowballs even though they’re soft and dry!

Kids, adults, the whole family will enjoy getting into an indoor snowball fight. Minus the cold, wet mess of course. No one ever liked that part anyway.

Here are ways to use indoor snowballs to add a ton of unexpected fun and laughter to any occasion. You might even get a little workout from all that throwing!

Gift for All Ages

Everyone from toddlers, kids, teenagers and adults will get a kick out of indoor snowballs! They make a fantastic gift for all ages at any time of year. Oooh, think how perfect these would be for a Frozen themed party!

Celebrate Obscure Holidays

Princess Diana - July 1, 2016 - $20 or Less, Business

Do you ever need a reason to celebrate? I’ve got hundreds of them for you.

Almost 365 reasons really because there exists an obscure holiday on almost every day of the year. How is this a thoughtful gift idea?

Because people will love you for turning an ordinary day into an unexpected celebration!

If you work in an office, you’ll be giving your co-workers an opportunity to take a break from staring at their computers to have a little bit of excitement and variety.

Take this scenario. It’s a typical Monday at the office. You surprise everyone with s’mores because it’s National S’mores Day! Your co-workers enjoy eating their delicious snack, and it makes them feel like a kid again thanks to you!

Bosses, supervisors and managers can use obscure holidays related to food (think Sundae Day and Pie Day!) to show some love to their employees.

On Popcorn Day, you could give your friends, family members or co-workers flavored popcorn. Oreo Popcorn is my favorite and it’s easy to make!

You could also place an unpopped bag of popcorn on your co-workers’ desks with a small note about it being National Popcorn Day. They’ll appreciate the snack and the fact that you thought of them, making it a thoughtful gift!

Here is a list of some obscure holidays that would be fun to celebrate. View a more comprehensive list.

“If I Could, I Would …” Wishful Thinking Gift

Princess Diana - June 21, 2016 - $20 or Less, Birthday, Christmas

WARNING: This present should not be given by itself.

My husband and I are huge fans of the TV show Game of Thrones. We have two young kids so watching the show together after the kids are in bed is our precious “us time.”

I like to joke that I’m like Daenerys Targaryen. She’s the Mother of Dragons. Well, I’m the Mother of Dragen. My oldest son was born in 2012, the Year of the Dragon, so I named him Aiden Dragen Jaeger.

For my husband’s birthday this year, I wanted to give him some things related to Game of Thrones. I finally decided on a t-shirt that features Hodor’s only quote.

“HODOR”
– Hodor

I purchased the Game of Thrones theme song and secretly added it as the sound he hears when his alarm goes off in the morning. I wanted him to begin every day in an epic way.

I also paired my gifts with an “If I Could, I Would…” Wishful Thinking Gift, something you would give if you had all the money in the world.

Happy 4th of July Photo Greeting Cards

Princess Diana - June 14, 2016 - $20 or Less, Family, Kids

Kids grow up so fast. Their appearance changes even faster which is why us parents love to take a gazillion photos. We don’t want to forget how they looked today because they may look different tomorrow.

Think about how your friends and family feel when they only receive photos of your kiddo(s) at Christmas time. It’s torture having to wait an entire year to see how they’ve grown!

When my son was born, I started sending photo greeting cards to my family and friends for Christmas and for Independence Day. That way they get an updated photo of Aiden every six months.

It’s also a fun surprise for everyone since no one expects to receive a Happy 4th of July card in the mail! I always get great feedback.

A Gift for Mimi, Nana or Gigi | Grandmother Gift

Princess Diana - June 9, 2016 - $20 or Less, Birthday, Christmas, Mother's Day

A lot of grandmothers want to be called something other than “Grandma.”

Sometimes she picks the nickname herself, and other times the first grandchild comes up with the name.

Whether it’s Mimi, Nana, Gigi or another name, the nickname or term of endearment a grandchild calls his or her grandmother is extremely special.

Her nickname is music to her ears.

My son calls his grandmother “Mimi.” While on vacation, we picked her up a gift – a cute wooden sign that reads, “They call me Mimi because I’m too cool to be Grandma.”

It’s the first thing she owns with her nickname “Mimi,” and she proudly displays the sign in her living room.

You can find similar signs on Etsy.com, and many stores on the website will gladly make custom signs with your choice of saying, colors and font.

Like grandmothers, many grandfathers have nicknames too so this gift idea can be used for them as well. For example, my son calls his grandfather “Pappy” and his great-grandfather “Papaw.”

What happens at Grandma’s stays at Grandma’s…

Pay It Forward Baby Shower

Princess Diana - May 31, 2016 - Baby Shower

With your first baby, you feel like you need every baby gear that exists. You’ll register for anything that could make your life and baby’s life easier. Baby wipe warmer. Check!

As you prepare for your second baby’s arrival, you may realize you don’t need many baby items, especially if you’re having your second boy or second girl. You may not even need diapers if you cloth diapered your first child.

You may opt for a baby sprinkle, a smaller version of a baby shower, or decide you don’t need even that.

But what if a friend, family or co-worker insists on throwing you a baby shower to celebrate your second (or third or fourth) baby’s arrival and you’re not in need of baby items?

The answer is a Pay It Forward Baby Shower.

This type of baby shower honors you and your baby but the gifts people bring benefit an expectant mother in need.

The baby gifts could be donated to a low-income mom, a single mom, a teen mom, or a local non-profit organization dedicated to providing babies with life’s basic necessities.