What do you get for the man who has everything?
October 31, 2008 by Annabella · 2 Comments
Annabella is Buyagift’s own resident gift guru. Drawing on her own vast experience of giving and receiving presents she answers questions from readers on how to choose the perfect present for the right person, navigating the modern manners minefield that can make choosing gifts so difficult, and anything else under the sun.
Please send questions to annabella@buyagift.co.uk and indicate how you would like your letter to be signed, preferably including a location.
Dear Annabella
I have a real problem this year with Christmas gifts for my husband – he’s a man with everything and cars don’t really do it for him.
I got him a flying lesson one Christmas and he enjoyed that, but he never says what he likes so it makes it even harder for me, he is a guitarist in a band if that helps any.
Gosh I am in trouble if I don’t think fast, so I thought I would ask your good self!
Thanks for your time, Julie
P.S. We live near Manchester
Dear Julie,
Men can be so hard to buy Christmas gifts for can’t they? Especially ones with an artistic temperament. Mr Annabella was most infuriating during the months he spent painting – I called this time his ‘blue period’, mainly because he refused to wear anything other than jeans.
As a man who has it all your husband is truly in an enviable position, perhaps he may feel a sense of self worth in giving something back by recieving one of our splendid Oxfam Unwrapped charity gifts? These gifts help people to gain healtier and longer lives, all without interrupting his band practice. An important thing for musicians, goodness does my grandson get agitated if you interrupt him playing the flute.
Conveniently, with Oxfam Unwrapped it doesn’t matter that you neglected to provide a price range for your husband’s christmas gift, as their charity gifts range from £20 to £125 so I am sure there will be one to suit.
Do let me know which you choose, personally I like the look of Protect the Forest, brings back memories of pleasant family walks in the woods of a Sunday afternoon.
Best, Annabella.
New Oxfam Unwrapped WWF Charity Gifts for christmas
October 31, 2008 by charlotte · Leave a Comment
With characteristic great timing Oxfam have unleashed a brand new selection of charity gifts perfect for Christmas presents! If you’ve got a friend who seems to have it all and are stuck for a gift idea then look no further, Oxfam Unwrapped charity gifts make a difference to the world’s poorest people and are a totally unique take on the traditional Christmas present.
From donkeys to grain sheds, emergency communications to camels, Oxfam Unwrapped initatives help put an end to poverty for good – you won’t find a worthier gift!
UPDATE: Unfortunately we no longer offer Oxfam Unwrapped presents – we now have a selection of Adopt an Animal gifts that directly benefit the valuable work of the WWF. You can choose to Adopt a Polar Bear, Adopt a Tiger, Adopt a Dolphin or a number of other endangered species
A surprise 70th birthday gift for Ella
October 29, 2008 by Annabella · Leave a Comment
Annabella is Buyagift’s own resident gift guru. Drawing on her own vast experience of giving and receiving presents she answers questions from readers on how to choose the perfect present for the right person, navigating the modern manners minefield that can make choosing gifts so difficult, and anything else under the sun.
Please send questions to annabella@buyagift.co.uk and indicate how you would like your letter to be signed, preferably including a location.
Dear Annabella
My mother-in-law Ella is having her 70th birthday in November, and I would like to do a This-Is-Your-Life kind of thing for her as a surprise birthday gift.
Just wondered if you could give me any pointers as how you would go about this.
I am soon going to do the 4×4 experience for my 50th birthday present through buyagift.
Kind Regards, Hugh Steel
Dear Mr Steel,
You are to be commended for considering your mother-in-law’s 70th birthday gift so intently. Not all children-in-law possess your level of insight; last year Mr Annabella and I were given a his-and-hers flannel slipper and dressing gown combo.
The Antipodeans call a collection of life stories and memorabilia a Glory Box, and yours should take the form of a small trunk or crafty collage book containing paraphernalia pertaining to her life.
Contact Ella’s friends and family and ask them to record their recollections, perhaps on a nice sheet of floral paper, in a drawing or poem.I suggest you complete this thoughtful gift with a Personalised Newspaper from her year of birth, or a My House History Portfolio.
Surprise Ella with her ideal family day out, whether this happens to be a trip on the Orient Express steam train spent pondering the decades of yesteryear whilst the english countryside slips by, or indulging in a delicious Afternoon Tea at a charming Country House hotel.
When Ella is comfortably settled and on her second cup of Earl Grey tea, present her with the glory box for a tremendous trip down memory lane.
I do hope you enjoyed your 50th birthday present, perhaps post a customer review and let me know how you got on.
Best, Annabella
What makes an Activity Day?
October 22, 2008 by Max · Leave a Comment
An activity day consists of no less than four fundamental facets.
Steps one and two are managing not to spend half the day lying on the sofa and the other half of the day making a fry-up. Step three is making your way to the, for instance, indoor Sky diving place. Step four is enjoying yourself.
Avoiding dull Christmas gifts
October 22, 2008 by charlotte · Leave a Comment
Hear ye, hear ye, purchasing terrible Christmas gifts is punishable by several pairs of sensible socks this year, now that the Buyagift blog is offering handy advice on the subject.
Here are our five top tips for avoiding bad, bad gift ideas this Christmas and being confident that what you’ve purchased for your nearest and dearest will be gratefully received.
- Christmas presents are meant to be fun, not useful. That means steering clear of anything with the word ‘antibacterial’ on the label or that purports to be basic home-ware – A six pack of glasses is NOT a good Christmas gift.
- When it comes to choosing Christmas presents for dad, if you find yourself naturally gravitating towards a hardware store for yet another hammer to add to his collection stop, think “fun” and check out our selection of Christmas Presents for him instead (a Lamborghini Thrill Driving Day or Tour of Twickenham for Two won’t have him accidentally making holes in electrical wires whilst knocking in picture hooks).
- Just because it’s 3 for 2 on plastic action figures doesn’t mean you can give the spare one to Aunty Jane as a Christmas gift. Cease wrapping the Teenage Mutant Hero Turtle this instant and purchase her a Pamper Day for Two before its too late to save your reputation.
- There is now no acceptable excuse for getting grandma more of that over-perfumed soap – grandmas want to spend time with you so take her for an afternoon tea at Harrods and listen to her fascinating stories about being in the Land Army.
- Even if you really want to see a particular horror movie DON’T buy it as a Christmas present for someone who gets scared easily just so you can ask to borrow it and be guaranteed an affirmative response. Mental scarring is not an acceptable byproduct of your present. Go here and check out a much more plesant selection of Christmas gift ideas instead.
Manchester United Gift Experience
October 22, 2008 by charlotte · Leave a Comment
Was Rooney on-side? Was Berbatov off-side? Well, it’s all over now and whatever you think of the goals, the referee and the assistant refs…
“Thanks for all your help and patience”…
October 7, 2008 by charlotte · Leave a Comment
I’d just like to say a big thank you for all your help and patience. I have now booked the Silverstone Single Seater experience and you have a really happy customer. Thank you once again and I will spread your good name around all my friends.
Regards,
Tracy Robinson
“I was very impressed with buyagift customer service”
October 7, 2008 by charlotte · Leave a Comment
I will most definitely use the buyagift service again, I was very impressed as my order turned up the very next day,
Tracey King
“Thank you Lorna for your fantastic customer service”
October 7, 2008 by charlotte · Leave a Comment
Oh my god Lorna, you are just fantastic! Thank you for the brilliant customer service, can’t thank you enough. If I was there I would kiss you.
The things I have ordered are gifts for our Christmas Draw here at the Royal Air Force for Sergeants Mess and you guys are making it such a great experience for me with your fab customer service let alone the people who will win the prizes.
Thank you Thank you Thank you.
Love and hugs from
Yogi xxx
“Thank you for two fantastic days out this year”…
October 1, 2008 by charlotte · Leave a Comment
I just wanted to send a quick note to say a big “thank you” for what turned out to be a fantastic 40th birthday gift for my husband! I purchased him a “Ferrari Thrill Experience”, which he used at Rockingham.
He had an absolutely brilliant time, it was a pleasure to see him having such a great time! At the end of the drive, we bought him a photograph of him driving the car, so he can always remember the day….I wish now that I had also purchased the DVD of the drive, as he is gloating on the fact that Barry, his instructor, said what a good driver he was!!
