I?m running short on time (still have 2 weeks) but I?m still not sure on what to get her. She?s turning 24, and I am already 24.
Background: We?ve been dating 5 months, but we?re really serious. Neither of us have much money. This will be the first birthday gift in the relationship (mine isn?t until November) so I have to go first! Crap! She is not materialistic, and won?t be impressed with a high dollar present. She has said that she doesn?t even want a present, she just wants to be with me. But we all know that that?s not true! But it was a nice thing to say. Also, even if I did get her a really expensive gift, it would be kind of awkward, because she?d feel bad about me spending so much, and then she?d feel obligated to spend a lot on me when my b-day rolls around. I?m willing to spend around $100.
My sister had this idea: buying a really nice picnic basket and picnic blanket at Pier1, filling it with kick ass food and a bottle of wine (we love wine, especially Pinot Noir), and taking her on a picnic for her birthday. I could couple that with a bouquet of flowers. Then she could keep the basket and blanket as gifts, but the true gift would be the thoughtfulness and effort it would require. I could buy fancy cheeses and bread and some really tasty food, and I could time it for dusk. I thought that was a pretty good idea, but would like your opinion. To all women dopers: would you like to receive this gift?
Ant other ideas? She?s an exercise science major, but since she does that every day I think I?d like to stay away from anything exercise related. Other than that, she loves crafts like soapmaking and candlemaking.
As a girl, I must say that your sister’s idea sounds wonderful. Keep in mind that if the weather doesn’t agree you can always have a nice picnic on a blanket in the living room.
maybe add a mix Tape or CD of really good romantic, instrumental, light jazz, or classical music, (Mood Music) and just bring a small battery operated Tape/CD player.
You really can’t go wrong with the picnic, especially if you can scope out a nice setting. If you want to get her something that she can keep, you could always get her a candle- or soap-making kit/supplies, maybe a nifty color or material she would like but hasn’t bothered to get yet.
I think the picnic is a wonderful idea! I’d love to receive such a gift. The key to good gift-buying is to select something the individual would enjoy, which requires paying attention to likes and dislikes. It sounds like you have, ** rhinostylee**, so I don’t think you’ll go wrong. Have a wonderful time!
I think the picnic idea is great. One thing you might want to consider is exactly what food/music/etc… to bring. If you can, try ot make it something that you know she likes, but she doesn’t know you knowthat she likes it. Girls seem to love it when a guy shows that he pays attention to them and their habits, and doesn’t have to be explicitly told things. You mentioned the wine she likes, and that’s a good start. Finding out her favorite dish might also be good (if it’s a picnic-able dish, that is.) And remember that if you can, to make it something that she won’t think is an obvious thing for youto get her. For instance, for my last ex’s christmas present, I got her a framed print of a Jack Vettriano painting called the Singing Butler. She had casually mentioned to me once or twice that her favorite painting was this one where a couple were in formal wear dancing in the beach with their maid and butler holding umbrellas. She didn’t even know the name, but I went out and found it and got it for her. I got some lovin’ that night, let me tell you!
(I actually also had this great idea that if I ever were to propose to her (not that we were ever close to that, but I like to think ahead), that I would buy her a red dress like in the photo, rent a tux, get two of my friends to dress up as a maid and butler, then go dance on the beach, afterwhich I would get down on one knee and pop her the question.)
Wow, the picnic basket is a great gift! I’ve been waiting for YEARS for boyfriends to come up with ideas like that.
If you didn’t want to spend so much money, I’d suggest putting together a package, perhaps relating to one of her crafts. For example you mentioned soap making. If you know that she likes to do it, but doesn’t own any of the stuff, a package consisting of a mold, a bar of melt & pour glycerine soap base, a tube of colorant, and a bottle of soap scent would give her everything that she needs to make that soap NOW.
In my book, the best presents were the ones that took a lot of thoughtful insight and some amount of difficulty (like going to 3 different stores) to amass, yet which didn’t necessarily cost much.
Thanks so much for your input! I’m sold on the picnic idea. I’ve been seraching online . . . cool picnic baskets are expensive! I’m going to shop around town before I buy one online.
I’ll post after the fact to let you all know how it goes.
Does anyone know where I can get an inexpensive picnic basket?
wow, that’s weird… i was sure i suggested earlier buying a bottle or two of essential oils in flower or herbal fragrances that she could use in her soap/candlemaking.
damn hamsters
check out craft-type places like Michael’s (also good for the essential oils), or cheap places like WalMart for wicker baskets or picnic baskets.
It might be cheaper to build your own picnic basket. Craft stores often have lots of baskets. Pier 1 has them as well, but will likely be more expensive. Cost Plus Warehouse (if there is one in your area) often has them, I don’t know how they are priced.
From there I’d head to Target and try to cash in on some end of summer sales on inexpensive picnic ware. Acrylic wine glasses are a very nice touch. Don’t forget the corkscrew, maybe you could get one that has a loop and you could attach it with a long fabric ribbon to the basket so it never gets lost. If I were making a picnic basket, I’d get:
4 Plastic plates (4 because future picnics may have more guests)
4 sets of cutlery (heavy duty brightly colored plastic stuff like what you’d find at a party store is great)
4 acrylic wine glasses
cutting board
bread knife
corkscrew
some salt & pepper shakers from the spice aisle.
2-3 matching dish towels (woven, not the terry kind) make for an inexpensive basket liner as well as an impromptu tablecloth.
As you can tell, I absolutely hate a picnic.
Don’t forget that since you’re planning a dusk picnic you’ll need mood lighting. Bring along a candle in a hurricane lantern.
Check the deli at the grocery store. One of the chains here has heart-shaped wicker picnic baskets that are pretty cheap if you buy some of their cheese & stuff to put in it. Don’t you have a chain in Omaha called Hinky Dinky or something like that? My cousin used to be their spokesmodel.
I think Hinky Dinkys have gone by the wayside! Not too long ago I remember some people talking, “Remember Hinky Dinky?”
So I called around last night and found that Pier 1’s baskets were 30% off! So I hustled to the store and picked up a really nice picnic basket for $42 (normally $60!) and it will work perfectly. It’s really nice! It holds 2 nice plates, 2 sets of silverware, a corkscrew (all these utensils are nice and shiny, quality metal). They all strap nicely into the lid when you open it. Inside has a nice red/white checkered linig, adapted to look more modern (not just plain squares, more of a plaid). Inside is a smaller basket that straps in a corner and holds 2 wine glasses. It will make a great gift.
So now I’m going to get a candle, maybe 2, a bottle of wine, bread, cheese, cutting board, knife.
One thing I can’t figure out . . . what food should I bring? Sanwiches? I can’t think of the perfect picnic food.
Nice idea with the picture. If you do it at dusk though you might be attacked by misquitos. I would do it in the late afternoon. But bring wine and music and you can sit there until later.
Bring a camera with a timer function. Take pictures the whole day and then put them in a frame and give them to her wrapped up a few days later, that way she can unwrap something. (if she’s creative then go to the library and take out a book on picture taking that explains how to create good composition in each picture. Or a fotography book on taking pictures of flowers or potraits and talk about what pictures she likes.)
As for food always pick out a theme. You can pick her favorite type of food, a country, a season. If you choose let’s say italian cuisine then get cheeses from italy, an italian wine, a jar of sun dried tomatoes, a fresh baguette, have a tray of roasted herbed vegetables like tomatoes, egggplants, squash and zucchini, a pasta salad. Plan a few courses with a different drink at each course. Compari as an appertif and amerreto as a digestif. (if you’re going to drink a lot have your sister on call to pick you up later so you can relax) seedless grapes and almond cookies for dessert.
Also bring props related to the theme. So a few postcards of italy or a guide book. You can bring italian music or whatever.
