March is a great month, not only is it one of the heaviest snow months in Colorado, it is St. Patrick’s Day (green beer, corned beef, boiled potatoes and cabbage . . . yum!!!). The first day of spring, and it is the heaviest birthday month for our family . . . it’s like having Christmas all over again! We will celebrate many birthdays this month. My fathers was on the 6th, a soon to be nephew and his twin shares that day too, my twin brother and I are on the 10th and a distant cousin, my daughter and my Uncle’s on the 14th, and last but not least – my husbands is on the 28th. Not to mention a few friends who have birthdays this month. and some close friends who celebrate their wedding anniversary on St Patrick’s day. Whew!!!
It is always a challenge to try to figure out what to get everyone each year for their birthdays. This year I have decided to get everyone gift cards. If possible I will email them a gift card, but unfortunately not all emailed gift cards will let you use them in the stores and are mostly for only catalog or on-line orders. I sent Applebee’s gift cards to my two nieces this year, so they could celebrate with some of their friends. Applebee’s has a great website that you can also select a card to include along with your mailed gift card, at an extra cost. I was impressed with their card choices on-line and thought that they all were very nice.
http://www.applebees.com/GiftCardLanding.aspx
My brother, daughter and son in-law all prefer Amazon.com for a gift choice. I usually email them a gift card. Which helps save some time and money. Some gift cards even charge extra for mailing the card. In the future I think I will have each of them start a wish list with Amazon (and any other website) . This way I can access their wish lists on-line and at least I will feel more like I picked something out for them, and it will still be a bit of a surprize when they get it in the mail. Since we pay a flat yearly shipping fee with Amazon, some items offer free 2 day shipping which helps if I forgot someones birthday (oh yeah, been there, done that!), and this way they won’t have to use some of their gift certificate money towards their shipping.
Myself, I basically enjoy Starbucks, restaurants, salon and spa gift cards, and I prefer these over gifts. I also have a friend that we usually celebrate each others birthday by going to brunch or lunch and a movie. As far as gifts go, over the years I have been blessed with many lovely knickknacks and miscellaneous gifts from coworkers, friends and family. After 58 years I am running out of room!*laughs* Also, my decor in my home has changed from Hand Me Downs, to Garage Sale Bohemian, to Contemporary Comfort, to County Garden, to Victorian Garden, and to what I now like to call Modern Zen. With Modern Zen you need natural, Eco-friendly, clean lines and very little clutter. I am still working on the de-cluttering!
One thing I have learned is that when I get something from someone or buy something new, I need to give something away. I just started this a few years ago and it especially helps when you purchase new clothes, shoes or handbags. It is a slow process, because I have many things stored in the basement (with the spiders)*laughs*, that need good homes. Somethings are very difficult to give away because of a memory or emotional attachment. But I have found that if I think about it long and hard, I can usually give it away. Hoping that it will bring joy to someone new. Last year I took a car load full of my country decor items and donated them to the St. Vrain Valley Credit Union’ s charity garage sale for Breast Cancer. There was something very rewarding about giving the things that I once loved to a good cause. I also felt a great sense of relief from getting rid of some of the clutter from the basement, unfortunately in made a very small dent in the clutter!
Cindy, an ex-coworker had a great idea for celebrating her special 50th birthday, and I would like to pass this along. This is a great idea for those who really don’t want any gifts, but still want to make their friends happy that they got them something. She requested no gifts, but instead, for her friends and family she asked them to donate to a charity, church, senior center, school, hospital, food bank, do something to help the environment, or to help someone in need by using the number 50. $50, 50 times, 50 minutes, 50 hours, 50 food items, 50 articles of clothing, etc. She then asked for an email, note or card telling her what you chose to do in honor of her birthday. Part of the fun of this was trying to be creative with what you chose to do. Being newly green, I decided to donate $50 dollars worth of reusable aluminium bottles that I purchased from Gaiam to give to coworkers, friends and family, in order to help reduce their plastic water bottle waste. I also gave one to the birthday girl. I thought this was a wonderful idea and I felt good about doing something to help the environment. My 60th will be in a couple of years and I think I will ask the same from my friends and family, but maybe with a green theme in mind.
Happy Birthday, Happy Anniversary and Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all my March friends and family.
“Although I may not be the greenest crayon in the box, at least I am trying!”
Vickie Jo Higgins – Coloring Me Green
