5 Unconventional Gifts for Any Special Occasion
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Christmas, birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day — year after year we celebrate these joyous occasions; however, these events are always accompanied with the looming question: “What should I get my son or daughter?” You may spend hours clicking through Amazon or aimlessly walk around the mall, only to end up wrapping another cookbook or bath-and-body set. Rather than default to just another go-to, use the following as inspiration for a more unconventional gift that’s outside the box.
Deep Cleaning
If your kids have a family, then they most likely live with a busy schedule and chaotic household. Chores gets pushed further and further back on the to-do list and the stress of maintaining the home intensifies. Give your child the great feeling of walking into a fresh, clean house with a house cleaning service gift card. When the professionals do the cleaning, your child can get out of the house and enjoy some quality family time. Intangible gifts are unique and often appreciated more than just another book or picture frame.
Home Protection
Nothing can feel more like an invasion of privacy and safety threat than a home invasion — and alarmingly, they’re quite common. In 2015, there were an estimated 7,993,631 property crimes and an estimated 1,579,527 burglaries, according to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program. Giving an alarm system and security camera installation to your family provides the priceless gift of safety and comfort for those who matter most. The most technologically advanced system will leave you and your loved ones with 24/7 assured peace of mind.
New Skill
Learning a new skill can be fun and functional (and not have anything to do with work). If your child has ever expressed interest in learning something new, help them get started with a gift. Here’s some inspiration:
- Cooking and baking classes (some culinary classes offer specialty sessions in barbecue, grilling, cake decorating or Paleo)
- Sewing, quilting, knitting or crocheting workshops to improve those homemaking skills
- Mixology classes for those who love to host a great party and serve up delicious cocktails
- Beginner’s DSLR camera to pursue a hobby in photography
- Buy a domain name if your child has ever thought about blogging
Getaway
Materialistic gifts like clothes or gadgets just add to the unnecessary clutter of our lives and homes. Researchers find that materialism is actually bad for the soul and emotional wellbeing. For this occasion, give the gift of an experience and memories, rather than contribute to the consumerism culture of getting more and more things. Explore ways in your city that your children can enjoy a hot air balloon ride, Broadway play, aquarium, sporting event, paint and wine class or stargaze through a telescope. Don’t forget to include the babysitting, so mom and dad can enjoy a day (or night) out alone.
Travel Gear
You may not have the budget to buy a vacation, but giving a collection of brand-new quality suitcases can help make traveling with your family more comfortable and easier. If your loved one is still carrying around worn-and-torn suitcases, this type of present is godsend — one of those: “I didn’t know I needed it until I got it.” This summer Consumer Reports released a luggage pros and cons buying guide that can help you find the right style, type and size of gear for the best price. Luggage may not be the sexiest gift, but it’s functional for those who are always on the go.
If you’re still looking for an unconventional gift, why not visit Gear Hungry today and read some great gift review guides for unconventional gifts like multi-tools & every day carry gifts to help you make a good choice.
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Newly middle-aged wife of 1, Mom of 3, Grandma of 2. A professional blogger who has lived in 3 places since losing her home to a house fire in October 2018 with her husband. Becky appreciates being self-employed which has allowed her to work from 'anywhere'. Life is better when you can laugh. As you can tell by her Facebook page where she keeps the humor memes going daily. Becky looks forward to the upcoming new year. It will be fun to see what 2020 holds.