Need gift ideas, please!

[deejai1922]

Since SCS is the largest group of creatively talented papercrafters I've found yet, I'm looking to you for some inspiration yet again. I have an acquaintance (son's baseball coach and family) who just bought a house in our neighborhood and another (Bunco group) who is leaving our neighborhood and moving to Germany for 3 years. I've been racking my brain trying to come up with small gifts to give each, one as a "welcome", the other as a "good-bye."

It just occured to me that the Target mailboxes I've been hoarding might make good containers, but now I need ideas for what to put in them. I won't be making any homemade edibles because I actually kinda like these people. ;) Keeping in mind that I don't know either well enough to know their tastes or what they like, can anyone offer some relatively inexpensive suggestions? Any help will be appreciated!

Thanks in advance,
Dawn in Alpharetta

[Schnauzermom]

Themed boxes? Movie night - a small gift card to a movie rental place, snack packs of microwave popcorn, milk duds, etc....

[hollylogic]

LOL, I just posted this little new neighbor gift on my blog this morning.

It uses the Sizzix milk carton die, but the idea is easily adaptable for milk carton templates you can find online.

HTH--and be sure to come back and show us what you end up doing!

[Bethshaya]

For the couple moving to Germany, you can decorate the mail boxes with sets of note cards that you make. This way they can stay in touch with their friends and family.

For the "new to the home" people, I like the movie night idea!

[deejai1922]

Thanks! I like the ideas so far. I was also thinking for the one moving to Germany I could add some little stuff for the plane ride there, like some gum, a small puzzle book, a deck of cards and maybe an eye mask (for a nap). What do you think??

[suni19]

Great ideas!! I think the mailboxes would be really cute and I'd probably throw in a fill items for the trip like you mention!!

[scrappinpurplefrog]

When I moved to Germany a friend of mine gave me a gift bag full of little presents for the plane ride with instructions not to open any of it until I was on the plane. Now, if you don't know these people that well, you may not want to be that surprising, especially in today's climate, but the gifts were wonderful. I don't know their situation, but we were in a hotel for seven weeks when we got here so they came in handy then too.

Some ideas:
purell or other hand sanitizer
Sanitizing wipes (wet ones or such)
puzzle books (it doesn't really matter what they like, when you're bored you need something)
chocolates
gum
hard candies
little special lotion (remember the 3 ounce rule)
lip balm
deck of cards
stationery
phone card for when they first get there
travel size sunblock

I'm sure I'll think of more.

[sharron246]

what about a pack of tea. biscuits and sugars, so all they need to do is boil the kettle when they arrive in their new home.