Need gift advice

Hi folks. I need your help with some gift advice.

A neighbor family is moving away. We don't know them *real* well, but well enough. Our girls are the same age and go to school together and play together. (DD is at their home right now!)

I'd like to get them a 'family' moving-away/farewell gift, but I'm at a loss!

The gift must be budget conscious. I'm not very crafty, and I'm working two jobs right now with a fair commute daily, so I don't really have time for something crafty, anyway.

Considering they're moving a fair distance (SW Wisconsin to Chicago, IL) I'm thinking that *my* obvious choice of a plant (lol!) wouldn't be appropriate - just one more thing to move.

Any ideas? All would be greatly appreciated! TIA

Nan,

I know it's not too personal, but how about a nice gift certificate to a store. They can buy something for their new home and remember that it came from you.

Donna

How about a travel kit? Get a small rubbermaid tub (can be used for storage later) put in a few bevarages, snacks, travel games, paper towels, wet wipes. ect.

I was thinking a re-usable shopping bag full of treats "for the road". This could be what ever you think might be good, wouldn't have to be expensive. Put a big bow on the bag!

You could take a photo of their current home and frame it and your family could write goodbye wishes on the mat. You could add a second (or alternative) photo of your family on your lawn waving goodbye to them and do the same with the mat. You could probably do this for under $10.



This message was edited May 10, 2008 8:19 PM

Are there any favorite local brands of products not available in Chicago? You could give them some of those in a gift bag to take along.

I also really like the gift-for-the-road idea if they are driving. Get the parents some ear plugs. That's what mine would have wanted for a road trip.

This message was edited May 11, 2008 2:18 PM

I like the photo ideas andidandi!

A moving kit, my mother gave me one when we moved and it was wonderful. In a rubbermaid tub I had a 3 pack of packing tape, a pack of markers, a pack of colored paper, when you move in the new house put a different color on every door, that way you can either tell the movers red room/blue room etc OR if you've packed yourself put a colored dot sticker on each box also had paper plates, cups, silverware etc along with fast food cards so that no need to worry about cooking those first few days. She also put in a local map for our area to several places she had printed off on the computer. I can't tell you how much easier the move was because of that 20.00 gift.

Oh, these are all FABULOUS ideas!

I'm going to have to think and choose!

I knew you all would come through on this quest for ideas!

Thanks much....keep 'em coming! (Ü)

I'd LOVE a gift certificate for a pizza place that would deliver to the new home.

T
Theresa

Another great idea!
That would be handy for one of the first nights in the new home, wouldn't it?!!!(Ü)

I really appreciate all these wonderful ideas, everyone....keep them coming if anyone has more!

You have gotten some really great ideas here!

Last spring my in-laws all gathered in California and we weren't able to make it but we wanted to do something really nice for everyone. How do you do something nice for 30 people all at once? What we did was get a gift cert for a food delivery service. This is how they work...they have 30+ restaurants that they deliver from (even have food from catering services and places that don't deliver, like McDonanld's). You call the service and tell them what you want, they place the orders, go pick up the food and deliver it all to your house. So everyone is happy and can have what they want to eat. I found the place we got the gift cert from on the internet. I just called them up and told them what I wanted to do and they took care of everything. It worked out really great. My DSILs didn't have to cook or worry about anything the entire time the family was visiting them. It was really nice to be able to do something to help even though we couldn't be there.

If you do decide to go with a plant you could always print them out a pic of it now and give it to them in a card then have it sent to their new home about a month from now. By then they'd be moved in and more settled. I'd like to suggest 'Remember Me' Hosta. It's a pretty Hosta...but it's name is perfect...and it also takes a special talent to kill a Hosta. LOL! Check out http://www.hostaguy.com/ for some great mail order Hostas.

Any gesture you make towards this family will be greatly appreciated, I'm sure. Sometimes it's not so much what someone actually does but more the idea that they took the time. The thought really is what counts here...I wish I had neighbors like you!

Personally, I like the moving box idea myself! Heck, I'd love one of those boxes of goodies and I'm not even moving!

These are *all*, really - great ideas, and I'm determined to choose from them.

I love the box(es) idea, too, and the food gift certificates (already asked DD if her friend has mentioned a favorite place to eat - no luck!) because I know when *we* last moved I would have loved to have take out, and especially have it delivered!

The photo idea is great - only thing is, they live WAY up on a winding uphill driveway and they'd really wonder what I was up to! (Ü) But the photo of us waving bye - might work!

The Hosta idea is really a good one, heathrjoy, because the father and I were discussing Hostas one day (he was working at the flower farm down the road - do any of you watch Martha Stewart and have you seen Phil, the 'forcing spring blooms' guy? He works there!)
Thanks, too, for the reminder of 'it's the thought that counts'....that is true, and I'm sure they'd be happy with anything...nice to hear, though!

I do have a little time, as they will finish the school year here.

I'm going to keep coming back to this thread to make my decision, and will let you know!

In the meantime....any new ideas also welcomed!

If the dad's a gardener, dig up some local soil and put it in a little jar. Decorate the lid with a ribbon and put a label on it as "A small piece of (Your Town)" Give him a piece of his current home soil to take with him, just as a decorative item.

Oh, Andi, when I read that I said "awwwww" right out loud. That's a really nice idea.

You know, a cute little plaque would be nice too...something that says something along the lines of "The road to a friend's house is never long". I always liked that one myself and it's so fitting here. If you can't find one at Wal-Mart then I'm sure there's a gift or garden store near you.

Actually, I just did a google search for "goodbye gifts" and came upon this...
http://www.findgift.com/Express-Yourself/Farewell/
I always end up at this site at Christmastime to find something for my DH (yeah, he's one of those impossible to buy for people)...anyway....there's always some good ideas there...lots than can be turned into something more personal. It'll give you some more ideas if nothing else.

This is such a fun idea...I'm wishing my neighbor would move so I could do this for her....LMBO! Just the one neighbor. Ok, I guess she's not THAT bad.

This may sound silly to some of you, but I just saw an address book on that site. You could get a nice addy book and write down the addy's of mutual friends, etc. I would love a gift like that, because I'm so bad at keeping track of those things. I actually have 3 address books...and do you think I can find any of them...or that any of them are up to date?

i vote for the bag of goodies and don't forget to add bottles of water.

I still haven't decided - these are all such great ideas!

They are finishing out the school year here, so I've got a few weeks to make up my mind.

There are a few I'm 'leaning towards', but will let my DD ultimately decide, as her and the neighbor girl are pretty good friends. She really liked the 'our family waving goodbye in front of our house' idea!

The address book is another great idea.

I want to thank you all again! (Ü)

I likd the idea about the picture, too. You could add having everyone add a personal note on the picture.

I had followed this post with so many good ideas and wondered what you decided to do Nan. How did they like it? I bet your daughter misses her friend too.

OMigosh, I'm sorry I forgot to update!

She chose the photo of the family waving goodbye in front of the house AND we got a Pizza Hut gift card.

Unfortunately the left the night of the last day of school, (I guess they were in a hurry to get outta here?!) so we had to mail it, and it took a long time to track down their address, as we didn't have their cell phone number. Didn't quite work out the way we had planned!

We did get a nice thank you card, stating that DD's friend was especially fond of the photo.

She does miss her friend. We live out in the country and there's no one out here for her to get together to play with....again.....they were only here about a year and a half.

Thanks again for all the great advice!!

Glad it worked out fairly well. What a great memory gift that will be, especially for the daughter. Those really personalized gifts that are either made (and I am NOT crafty at all) or tailored for the family are very special. Many of these ideas are inexpensive and thoughtful. Thanks for starting this thread Nan ;)

Nan maybe the igrls could be pen pals?

or email pals ;)

I suggested both!

I don't think they have internet, or at least they don't let their girls access it.

DD is 'gung-ho' to be pen pals, but getting her to sit down and write that letter is another story! (sigh)

I agree, this thread was FULL of great ideas. Now I have some 'food for thought' if needed in the future....so thanks again, everyone!