I have walked through a countless number of stores searching for a Mother's Day gift and I always see the same things. A nice blouse, a trinket for the kitchen, or perhaps a bottle of perfume (do they all smell the same to you too, or is it just me?). After three stores I am tired and frustration begins to set in.
At this point I am asking myself serious questions. Is it ok to get that great "one" gift that Mom loved a few years ago, but maybe in a slightly different style or shape? Will she like it as much and does she really need another? This is the jigsaw puzzle that was my life and I tend to think that I am not alone. Last year I tried something new.
If you read my article "A Little Something Special Goes a Long Way", you will learn that I have a great deal of "gift giving" experience. I have wowed clients time and time again with personalized gift baskets that I found online and I attribute the thoughtful uniqueness of my furnishings as sustaining me through one of the toughest times, if not the toughest time, in the hotel industry's history. A thought occurred to me last year that was one of those things that was right there in front of my face and I did not see it for several years before it smacked me right between the eyes.
Could I get the same type of reaction from Mom on Mother's Day if I show up with a personalized gift basket in hand? Would she talk about the contents for months to come? I gave it a shot and sure enough, it was a HUGE hit! She absolutely loved it! Suddenly the 14k gold Star of David that I gave her a few years back faded into the past. I was now her number one son (of three). In all seriousness, it was a huge success and it brought truth to the saying that sometimes the answers to questions sometime lie within the simplest of solutions.
As a result of my success, I have spent hours searching for personalized items that I have used to wow clients and my Mom, and I have brought them to you via virtual space. I hope that you will find one of my hand picked items to meet your Mother's Day gift needs. From my tiny brain to your computer screen! Good luck in your search and remember that the special day is Sunday, May 8th.
Eric Gans http://www.hospitablegifts.com
AP - President-elect Barack Obama intends to name Timothy Geithner, president of the New York Federal Reserve, as his treasury secretary to confront the nation's intense economic turmoil, senior Democratic officials said Friday.
AP - While President-elect Barack Obama publicly sidelined himself during congressional debate over an auto industry bailout this week, he and his top aides quietly prodded congressional leaders to find a solution to rescue struggling automakers.
AP - Gov. Dave Heineman signed into law Friday a bill adding a 30-day age limit to a safe-haven law that allowed 35 children including teenagers as old as 17 to be abandoned at state hospitals. The law, approved hours earlier by the Legislature in a 45-3 vote, goes into effect Saturday, and makes Nebraska the 14th state with a 30-day age cap. It had been the only state with a safe-haven law without an age limit.
AP - Germany is dropping its pursuit of a ban on Scientology after finding insufficient evidence of illegal activity, security officials said Friday.
AP - Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday he would like to add significant U.S. forces to the war in Afghanistan before national elections scheduled for next year, and that grim depictions of backsliding in the seven-year-old war are "far too pessimistic."
AP - Archaeologists have unearthed an elaborately decorated 1,800-year-old chariot sheathed in bronze at an ancient Thracian tomb in southeastern Bulgaria, the head of the excavation said Friday. "The lavishly ornamented four-wheel chariot dates back to the end of the second century A.D.," Veselin Ignatov told The Associated Press in a telephone interview from the site, near the southeastern village of Karanovo.
AP - The New York Knicks traded Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford in separate deals Friday, parting with their two top scorers to free up coveted salary-cap space for the summer of 2010. Crawford was sent to Golden State for forward Al Harrington. Hours later, Randolph was shipped to the Los Angeles Clippers along with reserve guard Mardy Collins for Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas.
Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama on Friday moved toward nominating Timothy Geithner as Treasury secretary and charging the respected head of the New York Federal Reserve with helping pull the United States out of an economic nosedive.
Reuters - Citigroup Inc has begun talks with the U.S. government as its plummeting share price raises doubts about the bank's ability to survive, a person familiar with the matter said.
Reuters - Detroit automakers began work on turnaround plans demanded by Congress in return for $25 billion in aid as General Motors Corp said it would cut production more and give up two of its controversial corporate jets.
Reuters - U.S. stocks stormed higher in a late rally on Friday to cap another volatile week as investors welcomed reports that President-elect Barack Obama has chosen his point person to combat the U.S. economic crisis, instilling confidence about the administration's ability to take action.
Reuters - The Pentagon is considering a plan to send more than 20,000 troops to Afghanistan over the next 12 to 18 months to help safeguard elections and quell rising Taliban violence, officials said on Friday.
Reuters - U.S. President George W. Bush held talks on ending North Korea's nuclear program with Chinese leader Hu Jintao on Friday, the first in a series of meetings U.S. officials hope will lead to a renewal of six-party talks by early December.
Reuters - Internet search giant Google Inc is known for hosting the most extravagant holiday parties in Silicon Valley, often drawing crowds of over 10,000 and prompting some employees to post ads for party dates on classifieds Website Craigslist.
AFP - The economic team of US president-elect Barack Obama came into view as fears mounted on the global financial crisis and more mass job cuts loomed worldwide.
AFP - US President George W. Bush began Friday his last scheduled foreign trip, meeting the leader of increasingly important China ahead of a summit aimed at containing a spiraling financial crisis.
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