Unique Gift Ideas for Your Beloved Grandparents

Our grandparents (or older parents) have been with us since the beginning – they baked us cookies, bought us those special holiday gifts and made us feel special. There’s never a wrong time to make them know that they’re on your mind with a thoughtful (and useful) present. Of course it can be somewhat challenging, as their health status and personal taste may be vastly different than yours. Below are some ideas to help you out. Remember, it’s okay to be cheesy with your ideas, as it truly is the thought that counts; I’m sure that Mac and Cheese art you created decades ago is still around the house somewhere.

Gifts that will make their lives a little easier

Massage Pillow

Need to relieve stress? A massage pillow can provide that for your grandparents. It can provide stress relief from watching their grandchildren, cleaning, and cooking. This would even be a great idea for anyone with kids.

Alert System

If you have parents that are older than 65, have a history of falls, or has a disease that creates risks for them, an alert system is a necessary gift. Our parents still seek to be independent, and that is something that we want for them as well. This is a tool to making that a reality. At home medical alert systems, like ones found here, monitor your parents for falls via a light device they can discretely wear. The true gift that will come from this purchase is peace of mind for both you and your grandparents.

Lazy Susan

How does this rotating, circular surface like these help older adults? The kitchen is a common place for injuries for seniors, and many falls occur when individuals are forced to stretch for “out of the way” goods. Placing this in easily accessible shelves will allow your grandparents to easily access a whole host of supplies without being forced to reach deep or dig about.

Gifts that will bring joy to their lives

Membership to a Local Museum

It’s a safe bet that most grandparents love museums and spending time with their family. A good way to combine these two things is to buy them a family membership to a local museum or institute. This provides your parents with a go-to activity for babysitting your kids, or something to do on a rainy afternoon.

Digital Picture Frame

If you are giving a gift to someone who is a little more tech-savvy, or you’re willing to set this up yourself, go ahead and buy them a gift that keeps on giving. Digital frames constantly change pictures, providing endless warm memories. Fill the frame like this with photographs of you, your kids, and the happier moments.

A Trip to the Spa

Don’t think Grandpa would like being pampered? Though he may be iffy upon first receiving the gift certificate, he’ll be happily purring after being treated to a massage and soak in the steam room. Allow the recipients to feel like royalty and perhaps take him or her out to dinner afterwards.
When looking for your next gift, put any of these on your list; the point of any present is to make someone feel truly valued, and all of these items will send the clear message that you cherish your relationship with your grandparents.

Lovely Gift Ideas for Truck Drivers and Owners

Here are some of the Best Gift Ideas for Truckers

If you know a trucker, you know that their job is one of the most taxing and challenging. Truckers spend days at a time away from their loved ones, so why not give them a reminder that you care about them by giving them a gift that will make their lives on the road easier? Here are some of the best gift ideas for truck drivers- even though the holidays are past, they will appreciate knowing that you care.

Cooler or Mini-Refrigerator

Ever eat at a truck stop? Did you feel healthy afterwards? Probably not- so not one but two of the gifts on this list involve helping your truck driving friend cook their own healthy meals right in their truck cab. Get them a cooler or mini fridge to store the food, and a…

Slow Cooker

..to help them cook it! Slow cookers are remarkably versatile, and both 12 volt slow cookers and mini fridges can easily plug into the truck cab’s power supply, making healthy eating much easier.

Slow Cooker

Coffee Pot

Truckers work long hours transporting goods across the country. Keep them alert and awake with the gift of a 12 volt coffee pot. In addition to providing truckers with their morning coffee, a trucker making their own coffee can save a lot of money every month by skipping expensive restaurants and coffee shops.

Fire Extinguisher

Nearly every truck driving company requires truckers to carry fire extinguishers in their cab, but fire extinguishers need to be replaced after a few years. If you suspect that your truck driving friend has an old or empty fire extinguisher in their cab, surprise them with a simple gift that can save their lives in an emergency.

GPS

Nobody likes getting lost, especially truckers, whose livelihood depends on them getting their cargo to the place it needs to go as quickly as possible. A modern GPS system is much easier to use in a truck cab than an old-fashioned map or atlas, and can easily be updated to include current road conditions, which can save a trucker hours of time.

Sunglasses

Truckers have to drive in all conditions, and one of the most difficult can be driving into a sunrise or sunset. The sun’s rays can blind a driver, causing an accident. A pair of good sunglasses can make it easier for the trucker in your life to stay safe on sunny days.

Wooden Tire Thumper

This may sound like a strange gift idea, but a sturdy wooden tire thumper can come in handy in more ways than one. Most trucks have 18 wheels, so keeping track of the air in the tires is very important. A flat tire could spell disaster for a trucker, and the wooden tire thumper tells the trucker right away if a tire needs air added to it or not. Also, the tire thumper can be used as a self-defense tool in an emergency!

Darren Davis is truck driver and writer from Tucson, Arizona. He enjoys writing about trucking as well as his travels across the United States, and recommends DSW Drivers for all of your transportation needs.

Finding the Perfect Gift for Your Partner

These days, there are endless gifts to choose from for your partner, online and offline: from funk clothing to wacky joke gifts -- you can really find anything you want out there.

But you know what is very hard to find as a gift for your partner? Art.

Most art out there is either too expensive or too cheesy. And almost NONE of it is designed for a couple. It's generic paintings that make you feel like you are your grandparents.

Recently, however, a new breed of websites has been born: websites selling art designed for a couple and as a gift for your partner. Something that is meaningful for you two, that represents you two as a couple -- that is beautiful and unique and you can hang on your wall and look at it every day and remember your love!

Our favorite such website is... Art for Lovers: Wedding and Anniversary Art Gifts for Couples.

The concept is quite interesting. Rather than sell expensive art or cheap reprints, and rather than sell generic art for everyone... what if, you could get original art prints, at a reasonable price -- of art aimed only at couples!

And even better: what if you could inscribe a message on it, or have a section of it where it could be signed by, say, all the attendees of a wedding?

What's interesting about this is that, it ties into a few trends that are making everything cooler and better:

* The trend to give more creative gifts

* The trend to have signing boards at events

* The trend to incorporate art and design into more aspects of your life, and your special events.

This last trend is particularly interesting and noteworthy. Our ancestors, for thousands of years, lived in a universe of scarcity: barely enough food, and only a tiny elite could afford luxuries like, traveling more than a few miles from where you were born.

But in today's new universe -- for all of our complaints and challenges -- is an era of luxury as compared to the thousands of years of known history that proceeded it.

And we see that represented in our newfold interest in decorating our homes and our special events. Today, more than just something that "looks good", we want something "personal" and meaningful for us.

And art -- unique art for you -- goes to the depths of the human experience. 

But here's the best part: if you give art as a gift, then, every time the couple or your partner looks at the art on the wall, they will think of you! It's okay if your gift satisfies just a touch of egoism, as well. All gifts do, to varying degrees, so we may as well acknowledge it! The key here, is that the couple loves it, of course.

Cool Christmas Gifts For Cyclists

With Christmas fast approaching, it's never too early to start pulling the perfect gift ideas together for friends and family. If you know someone who is passionate about cycling, then consider getting a bike-related present, which they'll really love. There are tons of ideas to choose from. Here are some of the best.

Shoe Covers

http://www.pearlizumi.com/publish/content/pi_2010/us/en/index/products/men/ride/accessories/2.-productCode-14381105.html

Cycling in wet, wintry weather can often mean your feet are left feeling damp and cold. A really practical gift for cyclists this Christmas is a pair of neoprene shoe covers, which protect your tootsies from even the harshest of elements.

The Good Mountain Biking Guide

Cycling isn't just about getting fit, it's also about taking in the spectacular scenery en-route. Every cycling enthusiast should own a copy of The Good Mountain Biking Guide book, as it details 500 of the best mountain biking areas in England and Wales.

http://www.goodmtb.co.uk/

Cycling Jacket

Anyone keen on cycling will soon tell you that a decent jacket is a firm must-have for keeping you warm and dry in the cooler months. This stylish, high-quality jacket made with a multiple panel thermo-stretch material for a great fit would make a perfect present this Christmas.

http://www.probikekit.co.uk/sports-clothing/pbk-elite-winter-cycling-jacket/10749545.html

Cycle Storage Solutions

An interesting and unique Christmas gift idea for any cycling enthusiast would be a product that allows easy storage of a bike, mounted horizontally or vertically against a wall. It's great for those with limited space at home, and the products are colourful, funky and durable.

http://www.cycloc.com/cycloc-features.html

Multitool

It's inevitable that at some point a bike will require maintenance. If this happens during the middle of a cycling session, then a really compact and practical tool will be a godsend for any cyclist needing to get their bike up and on the road again.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/sks-ct-worx-multitool/rp-prod25841

Wind Trainer

If you can't get out on your bike, then practising at home with a Wind Trainer can get you in shape and increase fitness levels in-between biking sessions. It gives you a great workout, allowing you to shift gears like on a normal bike. The vortex blade design enables you to generate progressive resistance.

http://www.paligap.cc/product.php?id=174&productname=CycleOps-Wind-Trainer

Cycling Holiday

For a really special Christmas treat consider getting a loved one a cycling holiday. There are lots of companies that specialise in cycling holidays, so pick out a route and destination that you think your cycling buddy would relish the challenge of experiencing.

http://www.cyclingholidays.org/tours/index.php

Cycling Mug

No cycling enthusiast should have to drink their tea from any ordinary mug. Buy your cycling friend a mug this Christmas that symbolises their passion. This great ceramic mug in vivid stripes and cyclist images will bring a smile to any cyclist's face.

http://www.cafepress.co.uk/mf/40157921/world-champ-stripes_mugs?productId=443197239

Water Bottle

Staying hydrated is essential when embarking on any cycling expedition. There's no better way to do this with a fun, durable and compact water bottle that fits easily into your bike holder.

http://www.cafepress.co.uk/+born_to_cycle_stainless_water_bottle_10l,559189654

Smartphone Bike Mount

This really handy cycle handlebar mount with waterproof case allows you to store your smartphone on the front of your bike, so you can see it when you're cycling. It's ideal if you are using your phone to get directions.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/smartphone-bike-holder

This article was written by Amy from 50 Cycles. A media graduate with a passion for cycling, she now helps to manage their blog and writes about a wide range of cycling related topics and issues.

3 Sweet Gift Ideas for Bridesmaids

Are you looking for a little inspiration for what to buy your bridesmaids as a ‘thank you’ for their part in your celebrations? Though there are plenty of options out there, it can be quite tricky to make a decision. You’ll want to find something that is just as special as they are, and it can be overwhelming once you realise just how many choices are out there. Here, we take a look at three winning gift ideas for your bridesmaids.

A beautiful bracelet

A piece of jewellery is the most traditional option, and sometimes the oldest ideas are the best! The right item will be treasured for many years to come, and will serve as a special reminder of the big day that they played a part in. If you’re looking for something super stylish with a contemporary feel, go for the Little Heart Bracelet by Astley Clarke. It’s understated and elegant, yet those who know a thing or two about the finer things in life will recognise the brand as a luxury name offering the very best in jewellery design. Of course, the delicate heart charm very much channels the essence of the wedding day, and complements any personal style. 

A relaxing spa day experience 

The run up to a wedding can be a very stressful time, and the bridesmaids often play a pivotal role in ensuring that everything goes according to plan. It makes sense that they’ll be feeling the pressure, so why not treat them to a spa break? It’s something to look forward to after the big day, and most women live being pampered. Spas in your local area will offer a range of deals, though packages often include a couple of treatments, access to the facilities, and even a meal and a few drinks. All they have to do is turn up with their swimwear and put their feet up!

A chocolate workshop

When all the fun of the big day is over what better to look forward to then a tasty treat! Indulge the girls by treating them to a chocolate making day! Probably the closest thing to visiting Willy Wonkas Chocolate factory, chocolate workshops are a fun way for the girls to get together and learn about the history of everyone’s favorite treat from an experienced chocolatier. Sample chocolate fountains and make your own truffle fillings dipped in Belgian chocolate. Workshops are a fun relaxed way to spend a day, especially with friends as at the end you can compare who has made the best chocolate!

It can be a difficult decision to make, though you really can’t go too far wrong when you choose one of these fabulous gifts for your bridesmaids. They’re sure to be delighted when they open the box at your reception celebration!

Are you currently on the lookout for gifts for your bridesmaids? Will any of these choices be on your list?