Category "Catch All"

April Fools’ Day Pranks

Queen Darlene - March 27, 2019 - Catch All, Food & Drinks

April Fools’ Day is so much fun and it doesn’t matter whether you are in on the prank or the recipient of the joke!

I remember my very first office prank in the 1970s. I left a message for my boss to call Mr. Lyon. Secretly, the number was to the Oklahoma City Zoo.

When my boss called the number, he heard a recording of Mr. Lyon saying “April Fools!” We both got a kick out of it but by today’s standards seems kind of lame.

Today’s pranks are so much more elaborate.

For example, completely aluminum foil an entire office–the desk, computer, keyboard, phone, calculator, pictures, chair, bookcase, pens, pencils, everything! Or cover an entire car with sticky notes!

Affirmators! | Funny, Uplifting Affirmation Cards

Princess Diana - July 5, 2018 - $20 or Less, Catch All, Gifts for Me

Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.

I call BS! That sentence is one of the biggest lies told to children.

Negative words can tear someone apart, especially if they’re in the form of negative self-talk. We’ve all been guilty of that.

Affirmations Boost Self-Esteem & Well-Being

On the flip side, positive words and uplifting messages can boost a person’s self-esteem and and well-being.

Positive affirmations are powerful statements that are spoken aloud in order to encourage and uplift the person speaking them.

They can inspire people to overcome the negative thoughts holding them back so they feel empowered to make positive changes in their lives.

Affirmation cards are a deck of cards containing positive affirmations. They’re small but powerful, and they make for a thoughtful gift.

Mattress Topper for a Goodnight’s ZZZ

Queen Darlene - August 18, 2016 - Birthday, Catch All, Christmas, Gifts for Me

Know someone in the market for a new mattress but who doesn’t want to spend a lot of money? I have great news! Try a mattress topper!

The mattress industry’s rule of thumb is to purchase a new mattress every seven years.

WOW! I remember my grandparents and parents kept theirs for 25+ years. The springs had to be pushing through before they considered a new mattress.

If memory foam mattress pads and toppers existed back then, I would have purchased one for them! Continue Reading

Welcome Home! | Yard Decorations

Princess Diana - November 10, 2015 - Birthday, Catch All, Congratulations, Military/Veterans

When my co-worker’s husband, Mark, returned home from deployment in the Middle East, she breathed such a sigh of relief. Sandra and her son, Kyle, had been praying for his safe return every night. As an Air Force pilot, Mark encountered some intense moments.

welcome-back-home-yard-lawn-sign-decorations

Say “Welcome Home!” in a visual way with yard decorations.

To express their overwhelming joy to see him home, Sandra and Kyle welcomed back Mark in patriotic style!

They surprised him by decorating their front yard with red, white and blue balloons and a custom yard sign that said, “Welcome Home Mark.”

Several of their neighbors also joined in by displaying their American flag in honor of his return.

Sometimes words aren’t enough to express how we feel. Sandra and Kyle used yard decorations to say “Welcome Home!” in a very VISUAL way that made a big impression on Mark and the entire neighborhood.

We’re Celebrating a Milestone!

Princess Diana - October 7, 2015 - Catch All

We’re so excited to announce that we’ve published our 250th blog post!

Since several of our articles contain multiple thoughtful gift ideas means www.SunburstGifts.org now offers 250+ thoughtful gift ideas for anyone to use. It’s all in one place and easily searchable by gift category and keyword.

Now that we’re gearing up for the holidays, we hope you’ll share our website with your friends and family to help them come up with the perfect gifts for their loved ones.

If you’re not aware, Sunburst Gifts has a Pinterest page where you can pin your favorite gift ideas. We also have a Facebook page where you can easily share and comment on the gifts we post.

Queen Darlene and Princess Diana wish you the least stressful holiday season you’ve ever experienced, and we hope our gift ideas can get you to your happy place! Cheers!

A Heartfelt Thank You Letter to My 5th Grade Mentor

Princess Diana - June 23, 2015 - $20 or Less, Catch All, Teacher Gifts

Completely by chance, I found out a friend from high school worked with my 5th grade mentor, Mr. Brownlee.

I haven’t seen or talked to Mr. Brownlee in more than 20 years, but I’ve thought about him many times since then. Through him, I learned an important life lesson that always stuck with me.

Let me first explain how I got to know Mr. Brownlee. A few students from each of the 5th grade classes at my elementary were selected to be a part of a leadership group that everyone simply called “Mr. Brownlee’s Group.”

Each month, we met Mr. Brownlee in our school library to talk about a wide variety of different topics. He always brought a special guest so we could learn from people from all walks of life.

Shopping for a Friend in Crisis

Queen Darlene - June 18, 2015 - Catch All, Get Well

What do you do when a friend or relative is experiencing a life changing event? How do you help when you are hundreds of miles away?

Phone calls are helpful to let them know you are thinking of them, praying for them, or to ask the question “What can I do for you?” The answer is usually “Thank you, but there’s nothing you can do.”

Many of us can’t accept that answer. But what can we do?

My friend’s husband has been in the hospital for several months since having surgery that left him paralyzed. His focus is to walk again.

Sharon visits Dale at the hospital every day after work, and things have taken a toll on her physically. She lost weight to the point that her clothes don’t fit anymore, but she has zero time to shop. All of her free time is spent helping Dale get better.

That’s when it occurred to me how I could help Sharon. I could shop for her!

Top 5 Gift Ideas Blowing Up on Pinterest

Princess Diana - May 17, 2015 - Catch All

The Pinterest votes are in! Drum roll please…

We’re so excited to share our Top 5 most repinned thoughtful gift ideas on Pinterest! Any of these popular gifts will make someone in your life feel very special. Happy gifting!

1) Easy Peasy Birthday Money Box

2) 18 Things I Wish I Had Known at 18

3) Lottery Ticket Bouquet

4) Jesus Candy Cane Poem

5) Random Acts of Kindness for Your Own or Someone Else’s Birthday

pay it forward popcorn taped to Redbox machine

Pay It Forward Idea – Tape a package of microwaveable popcorn to a Redbox machine along with a note!

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Grandparents Day for a Child Without One

Queen Darlene - March 12, 2015 - $20 or Less, Catch All, Experiences, Kids

My friend, Jody, told me her son, Austin, was crying because he no longer had any living grandparents to take to Grandparents Day at school. He lost his grandfather earlier in the year.

grandparent's-day-gift-idea-sunburst-gifts

“Grandmother” & “Grandson”

I have known Austin since the day he was born and could not stand it that he was heartbroken. I told Jody to have him call me. I would go as his grandparent. When Austin called, I asked him, “Do you want a young grandmother or an old one?”

In my mid-forties at the time, I prepared to be a young grandmother but as luck would have it, he asked for “old!”

I told him, “Old is what you want, old is what you will get!” Continue Reading

A Solution to a Problem | Always a Thoughtful Gift

Princess Diana - February 3, 2015 - $20 or Less, Birthday, Catch All, Christmas, Housewarming

One of the best ways to come up with a thoughtful gift is to find a solution to someone’s problem.

All you have to do is listen closely. Do they complain that something is difficult? Takes too long? Too expensive? Doesn’t work right?

All of these statements are clues to a problem, annoyance or hassle in their life. If you can come up with a solution, you’ve found yourself a thoughtful gift!

Let me give you a simple example.