Groovy Gifts . . . . Scooters, Pottery Wine Goblets, etc.

In our last post, we considered the dilemma of buying a gift for the person who has everything. Now let’s move on to another tricky problem in the arena of gift buying - how to come up with romantic birthday gift ideas. Because it’s probably fair to say that we all face this dilemma more frequently than we care to admit: how do we find something that sends a romantic message to the one (or ones) that we love on the occasion of their birthday, something that is within our budget, obtainable in practice and not just theory, and seen as both romantic and desirable by the intended recipient? For example, it might be incredibly romantic to take your girlfriend or boyfriend to dinner at a fancy restaurant overlooking the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge - but if he or she lives in Europe and has no passport, or lives in the USA and refuses to fly, or you’re in Atlanta with very little money available, then that romantic idea is neither “doable” in practice nor is it within your budget.

However much we love someone, inevitably there comes a time when coming up with something original and romantic is a problem. So to help you out, let’s start with some general thoughts and tips and then move on to specific gift ideas. And there are three key factors for you to take into account before you decide on any type of gift - none of them secret or revolutionary, but all of them essential to keep in mind when you’re preparing a list of gift ideas:

• How much should you spend? Clearly your budget is of prime importance and sadly, for most of us, likely to be the main limiting factor. So there’s no point in planning a getaway to the South of France if your credit cards are maxed out and the most you have is $100! And if you are lucky enough to have a large and almost limitless budget, spending too much can send just as inappropriate message as spending too little. So set yourself a budget that is both within your financial reach yet not too high to cause any sort of embarrassment to the recipient.

• How long before the birthday of the person you’re buying for? If you’ve left it too late, some ideas may be out of reach. For example, if your boyfriend would just love to have a weekend opportunity to drive the two of you around in a Corvette and you phone the hire company just a day or two in advance, they may be unable to help you. Or if there’s a great new show on stage in your local city, leaving it too late may mean that only the back of the theater (less desirable) tickets are available, taking all of the gloss off that particular option.

• What type of personality are you buying for? You obviously want to match the gift you buy to the intended recipient’s preferences and personal style. So a weekend getaway hiking or climbing might be great for the outdoor and athletic types, but would totally miss the mark for a couch potato who hates exercise. A secluded weekend at a quiet beach getaway would be fine for the type of person who needs and values rest and relaxation, but totally wrong for the individual who thrives on noisy nights out at crowded night clubs.

Taking all of that general stuff into account, give some thought to these ideas when you’re next looking for that perfect romantic birthday gift:

1. A surprise weekend getaway. It could be New York, Miami or just somewhere your partner has always wanted to visit. Check with travel agents for last minute bargains if timing is an issue.
2. A romantic piece of jewelry. What says “romance” better than heart jewelry, so how about a silver heart locket containing a photo of the two of you?
3. A picnic in the local park. Gather some favorite snack foods and a bottle of wine plus glasses, take a blanket and check the weather forecast!
4. A cruise that takes in one or more exotic islands. Choose the one that offers all of the on-board extras and pampering that your partner loves.
5. A dinner for two at his or her favorite restaurant. Arrange to have some memento (such as a bunch of flowers or a piece of jewelry) picked out in advance and delivered by you to the restaurant, then presented on your behalf by the restaurant staff during the meal.
6. A photo of the two of you together. Schedule a sitting at the local photographers.
7. A scrapbook containing recollections and mementos from some of your most romantic times together - for example, where and when you met, great nights out and vacations you have treasured.

These are just a few ideas that may not match your circumstances and budget - but use them as a start point and, together with the principles above, you should be able to create some new romantic birthday ideas for that special person in your life.

Have you ever been stuck for a gift idea for the person who seems to have everything?  Or are you looking for an unusual wedding or anniversary present?

One gift idea that I know I would appreciate is a set of pottery wine goblets.  Sure, I have in my wine glass rack some really nice wine glasses and champagne flutes and margarita glasses – but there is something really special about pottery wine goblets and that makes them high on my list of desirable gifts.

There are a lot of different styles and types of pottery wine goblets available.  Some have pottery stems and bases with a glass bowl attached while others are hand thrown so making each one unique and special.  My personal preference is for the latter.  There are also lots of different colors and patterns available.

Unlike glass wine glasses, pottery wine goblets conjure up many images in my mind.  I can picture a huge farmhouse table spread with superb fresh foods, fruits, bread, cheese and wine with different generations of Italian or French families getting together for an alfresco meal on a balmy Mediterranean evening.  The adults talking and laughing while the children play under the trees and the dogs lie nearby hoping to pick up any scraps that are dropped from the table.

Another image that comes to mind is of the Middle Ages in England and the rustic tables simply set and the everyday people enjoying drinking their mead from pottery goblets.  On the other hand the tables of the aristocracy would be lavishly arrayed with silver or gold platters and serving dishes and gold or silver wine goblets.

Nowadays, the majority of wine glasses on the market are made of glass and there are lots of different sizes and designs to choose from.  There are hand painted sets, lead crystal sets or just cheap and cheerful sets.  Many wine aficionados prefer glass as they think that because of the thinness of the glass and the fact that it is clear it doesn’t detract from the flavor and the color. And nothing sets off a beautiful laid table (spotless white table linen, beautiful silverware, and bone china dinnerware) for a special meal like sparkling glassware.

But the next time you’re stuck for an idea for a unique present for someone you love or respect (or when you just want to treat yourself to a high-class addition to your dining and entertaining tableware), why not think about investing some of your money in pottery wine goblets?