What should I get for a baby shower gift?

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Brisly N

One of my good friends just had a baby girl and we are having the baby shower soon. What should I get her and the baby?? Anyone have any interesting and creative ideas?? Thanks!

Answer
some things i loved that i didn't get:
a couple 'swaddle me's and a 'snuzzler' by kiddopotamus; i know babies r us has them for ten bucks a piece
depends really on your price range....check her registry too...
skip hop makes great diaper bags
if she has a changing table, get her a prince lionheart hang on diaper depot and wipes warmer to match; i dont' care what others say, ours works great, wipes are warm still when they get to baby's bottom and they do seem to appreciate it, esp as nbs
a baby bjorn with lumbar support; my dd is 8 mos old and loves hers and will still sleep in it if she gets tired, so it must be comfortable
if shes formula feeding, a 'dr brown's formula pitcher'; there is no shaking involved, so no foam or bubbles to put gas in baby's belly and u can make a whole day's worth at one time....
a boppy with a couple cotton covers, the soft ones don't fit as well for some reason....they can be used for feeding, resting tired arms when holding a baby, when baby gets older, to help him sit up, and for him to lean over for tummy time...they are great!
i love my diaper genie 2; ppl complain that they smell, but ours never has and my dd is on two solid meals a day as well as her milk...we use the dg for poopies only so sometimes there are some in there for a while and they still don't stink; refills are only five dollars at walmart....
she will probably get a ton of clothes and blankets, socks and such
a great thing! nobody thinks of, bc i figured it out myself....a lingerie bag for washing socks, hand mitts and other small things to keep from getting lost in the wash...
a pack of soothie brand passys, funny looking, but all a lot of babies will take including mine and they have no parts to break and are easy to clean....
if u know her well enough to know about her dig cam, get her a big memory card for all her pics....
some sleepsacks for when baby is older...
diapers if you know what kind she likes....they are always a good choice
i love my primo euro baby bathtub....it is marvelous!!!
a lamaze brand baby mirror with the wedge instead of the little frame stands....hard for baby to knock over and covered in high contrast colors, my dd used to play with the wedge by itself as well as with the mirror
the mirror to go in the car so she can see baby from her rearview mirror
a 'mosquito' or 'weather' mesh cover to go over infant carrier; it's easy to see through, take on and off, and strangers can't just walk up and touch baby, and THEY WILL, who knows why, but they do!
if u get the bathtub, or a bathtub, fill it with bath stuff..towels, washclothes, baby soap, lotion, hairbrush, comb, health kit with thermometer, nasal bulb, clippers, etc...baby toys for tub, toy holder for tub side...etc...
buy her some baby board books to read to her baby and in an few mos, baby will be trying to turn pages for mom, and they can take a lot of slobber
bibs, a variety, some cutesy for going out, some with waterproof backing, some of the thick terry cloth that pull over the head, i love bumpkins for feeding, etc....and you could buy a sippy cup or two, some soft small infant spoons and bowls, etc...
just pick a theme and go with it would be fun....there is sooo much
oh, and my dd is almost 9 mos and she still LOVES her womb bear, it plays a heartbeat with blood pulsing sound, brus has all this stuff and walmart has some of it.....maybe some baby einstein or other cd lullabies and a small cd player for baby's room, buy some classical music...etc..
i know it's a book , but i love these things...also
'what to expect the first year' was a very helpful book for me and my hub and it's a great reference when you have a question.................
buy her some nice rounded baby hangers and some with clips to keep outfits together....i needed so many of those it was unbelievable...
don't buy any clothes bigger than 0/3 bc depending on size and shape of baby they may not fit in the right season; my gal was 7, 6; but long and lean, so she wore nb and 0/3 forever; she had a lot of 3/6 outfits that were too cold to wear by the time she fit in them
a gift card to the store she is registered or a nearby baby store is also great, bc she can get whatever she still needs after the shower
my dd loved her bouncy seat, but has gotten a lot more mileage out of her rainforest jumperoo; she still bounces in it like a wild monkey and she's still on the lowest settting (she is petite though), but she loves that thing to death...ok, i will stop now..if you have any questions email me....i love to shop, can you tell?

What are some good ideas for a baby shower?

Hannah

I am looking for some good food recipes, games, punch recipes, party favors, decorating ideas, etc. for a girl baby shower. Any easy, fun ideas you have would be awesome! Also, i am making an invitation for my sister's shower on facebook but what should i write for the details?

Answer
How are we supposed to tell you too much thing, there's so many options!!! Don't you have any theme in mind or a color that will be most used in the baby shower!? this would help to answer better your question.
So, I will suggest to you an easy, yet chic and girly theme "Tea Party":

Invitations:
You can go simple. Something like:
"A baby is brewing! Please join us for a tea party baby shower honoring
(Mother-to-be name) followed by date, time, address, rsvp, store where's registered gift list (if there is one.)

Decorations:
Hang pastel streamers and balloons (or tissue pompoms) from the ceiling. It can be shades of pink, blue, green, yellow.
Use lace tablecloths and teapots with flowers in them can be used as centerpieces.
Stack some old books around or on the table and even place a few teapots on them.
A cool idea is using a mismatched tea set with vintage look.

Game:
Find a bunch of great old rhymes, the guest who finish the most number of verses win a prize.

Food:
Cupcakes, chocolate dipped fruits, finger sandwiches, tea cookies and an assortment of teas, but serve a punch as a cold drink. For example:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/luscious-slush-punch/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=punch&e8=Quick+Search&event10=1&e7=Home+Page
There's no need to have a cake, but if you want one, a teapot-shaped cake would be a cute idea.

Favors:
teabags with labeled with informations like baby's name, date and birth year or just "thank you".

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What are some great Mother's Day gift ideas on a college student's budget?

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Q. I'm a twenty year-old college student, and I wanted to get something unique for mom this Mother's Day. However, I probably couldn't spend more than 50-60 dollars on a gift (and that's a maximum!)

Do you have any good gift ideas on such a budget?

Answer
I agree with the answer above. A new picture of you, in a nice, tasteful frame, maybe with a hand written dedication.

Any ideas for an 80th birthday party celebration?

Dave R

I need help on gift ideas, and unique decorating, etc. It's my mom's birthday and we have rented a room at a resturant. What do you thonk of pictures of my mom during different satges - little girl, teen, wedding, etc? Thanks for all answers.

Answer
a picture board is a great idea- I did one for my moms 60th party and she had a great time showing off her pics to everyone! Go get one of those tri-fold display boards and put tons of pics of her throughout the years on it- or you can make a slide show and play it on someones laptop computer- whichever works better for you. For decorating I just used my moms favorite colors- pink, purple, and silver accents- we had fake flower petals scattered down the center of the tables and a set of pretty candles next to a vase of lillies. I also found small travel candles for 50 cents and had one of those at each table setting as a party favor for the guests. We had balloon arrangements all over the room and hung streamers and some birthday banners too. I had also found on Ebay a book all about the year she was born and we had that on the picture table so people could look through that also and I found a Life magazine from th week she was born on there too (I gave that as a gift to her and she loved it).
so as far as decorations- go with something that you think she would like, maybe vases of her favorite flowers all over, or make it a theme relating to her favorite hobby and decorate along those lines (gardening, bingo, quilting- whatever!) This is a good time also to get some family pictures taken so make sure to gather up the whole group before people start to leave to get some good family shots.

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How could I surprise my husband for our 1st yr anniversary?

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Melinda

My husband and I have been together since Dec. 24th 2008. We recently got married on Feb. 14th 2011. I have 4 children , ages 16,14,13,12 that he loves dearly, of my own. I dont really know what to do or give him since I have always been a single mother. Any ideas on the perfect gift for the pefect man are accepted. Thank you.

Answer
Beg him to stick his penis in your anus.

What should I get for my teacher for Christmas?

Emma Matth

I don't know what to get my teacher for Christmas. My Christmas break starts on Saturday (Dec.17.2011) and so I need to get an idea in the next hour. Please something, inexpensive, and something men would like. Please no bathroom/kitchen gifts. Thanks.

Answer
My personal slant would be to not buy a mug (because everyone always winds up with so many more mugs than we could ever use) or anything related to teaching (because all teachers always get teaching items every year and how much of this stuff can you use or appreciate).

I do think that gift cards are nice - especially ones to Starbucks or to a bookstore, or like the other answer, one to a shop reflecting his/her hobbies or pets.

Merry Christmas!

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Can someone give me an estimate to how much tickets would be for a vikings game?

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Sara

I'm trying to come up with gift ideas for my dad and wondering if someone can tell me around how much a nfl game ticket would be for 2013 i tried looking it up but couldn't find anything.

Answer
About $75.00/ticket

Christmas Gift Ideas for Newly Engaged Couple?

Miss Olivi

A close family member got engaged this year. What are some good Christmas gift ideas? Should I get them a joint gift or separate ones? The wedding is next year (in 2013) so they're going to have bridal showers, etc. and I know they'll get tons of house things and wedding gifts.

I do know that some family members haven't been taking their engagement very seriously (mainly just due to age), so I'd like to get them something that says I'm supportive of their marriage, etc.

Any ideas?

Answer
You could try to get them a wedding planning book/magazine, no one usually buys them for a couple.

I'd say other than that get them a gift voucher at a nice restaurant so they can go out together, make sure to attach a card congratulating them and offering support.

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Any ideas for inexpensive homemade gifts for family and friends?

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river85715

This Christmas will have to be an inexpensive Christmas for me when it comes to giving gifts to my family and friends. I have been trying to think of gifts that I can make myself without spending a lot of money. My main goal is to make something that people will really like, either for practical use or pure enjoyment. I am at my wits end for ideas. Does anyone out there have any homemade gift ideas for men and women? Can you share some of your ideas that have been real successful? All serious replies are appreciated. Thanks for your time everyone.

Answer
Baked goods are liked by everyone. You could make up a couple of batches of cookies, get cute plates at the dollar store, wrap in colored cellophane, tie with a colored ribbon and a candy cane and you have nice gifts for your family and friends, without too much expense.

What are some good omiyage gifts to give a host family?

Q. I am going to japan in june/july for 11 days i am going to stay with a host family which may or may not have kids of any age so even though it isn't a long trip i want to bring enough to make a good impression. i'm looking for gift ideas for men, women, teens, children, and people i meet. I live in CA near San Francisco and and have already heard about touristy things like magnets and post cards. i'm look for creative things that would be fun for someone to get

Answer
Dude, Japanese people in my experience love their merchandise. You live in an iconic area so I'm sure you can get something reflective of where you live. Caps,shirts(can be dangerous as you don't know their size), calenders or even images of where you live. You could try some 49ers merchandise. Japanese also love icons of the world so maybe a model of the golden gate bridge may be ideal or a snow globe of it.
I'm going to stay at a host family too and from Australia. Bringing boomerangs, koala pushes and wombat in a can(it's just a stuffed wombat in soup can, just bringing some Aussie humor).

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What are your valentines gift ideas for your husbands?

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Nicole

Time is ticking and I can not think of a creative gift idea for my husband!! I have searched and searched and can't find anything! Do any of you have any cute creative ideas on what your doing for your man?? If you do, please share!!!

Answer
I sent my bf a photo mosaic.
I use all of our photos and the picture we like as the cell photos to make a large picture.
He said it's sweet and creative.

What are your valentines gift ideas for your husbands?

Nicole

Time is ticking and I can not think of a creative gift idea for my husband!! I have searched and searched and can't find anything! Do any of you have any cute creative ideas on what your doing for your man?? If you do, please share!!!

Answer
how about a pair of matching good luck charms for both of you?

http://www.lovekeyring.com

Tell them that they are your best friend. BFF

"a best friend is like a four leaf clover, hard to find, lucky to have " Sarah Jessica Parker - sex in the city.

http://www.bestfriendcharmsnow.com

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What are some good omiyage gifts to give a host family?

best gift ideas women image

Q. I am going to japan in june/july for 11 days i am going to stay with a host family which may or may not have kids of any age so even though it isn't a long trip i want to bring enough to make a good impression. i'm looking for gift ideas for men, women, teens, children, and people i meet. I live in CA near San Francisco and and have already heard about touristy things like magnets and post cards. i'm look for creative things that would be fun for someone to get

Answer
Dude, Japanese people in my experience love their merchandise. You live in an iconic area so I'm sure you can get something reflective of where you live. Caps,shirts(can be dangerous as you don't know their size), calenders or even images of where you live. You could try some 49ers merchandise. Japanese also love icons of the world so maybe a model of the golden gate bridge may be ideal or a snow globe of it.
I'm going to stay at a host family too and from Australia. Bringing boomerangs, koala pushes and wombat in a can(it's just a stuffed wombat in soup can, just bringing some Aussie humor).

What are some gift ideas for meeting my girlfriend's parents for first time?

SeanB

I am meeting my girlfriend's parents for the first time in under two weeks. I'm not a 'youngin', so I have been down this road before, but 20+ years ago.

What are other gift ideas beyond wine and flowers? For further refinement, we are meeting for dinner in a restaurant.

Answer
Hey I think you can get them something practical yet personal. For the mom, you can get her a nice pair of gloves. I recommend you check out KinaRosa on Etsy ( http://www.etsy.com/shop/kinarosa ) These gloves are handmade, very high quality. They are unique yet affordable. My mom loves the gloves. I am sure it'll be a great gift for your girlfriend's mom since it's winter time. If you are not sure what color to buy, go for black, chocolate brown or burgundy red. They are safe colors that every woman loves.

For the dad, do you know what he likes? I think it's always good to go for more practical gifts for men. If he like cigars, you can buy him a nice box of cigars. If he like coffee, get him some good coffee beans. If you really don't know what he likes, you can get him a nice pen. My dad likes pens from Cross. They are not too expensive, but they are good pens.

Hope this helps. Good luck with your gift searching!

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What are some good gift ideas to give my boyfriend for our 2nd anniversary?

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bluerose5

Okay, so our 2nd anniversary is July 1st, and I'm having trouble thinking of gift ideas. He's 16 and I'm 19 and we aren't going to kiss or anything until we get married so anything like sex is out of the question. Also it can't be too big cuz I don't know how much he'll be spending on me.
Last year I got us bff necklaces becuz we were bffs first. But now I need a new idea. Thanx!

Answer
A special gift has to be totally unique so am thinking a nice handcrafted wooden accessory box. I gave my boyfriend a MarqART accessory box for his birthday a few months ago and he says he doesn't know how he managed before that. He now keeps all his stuff in it .. like coin collection, keys, mobile, etc and says he hasn't lost anything in a while .. earlier he was constantly looking for stuff.

Sticking with the traditional wedding anniversary gift ideas, what are some good ideas for the first year?

Kaitlyn

My husband and I will be celebrating our one year wedding anniversary in a week. I want to stick with the traditional gift ideas and the first year is paper. Any good ideas of paper gifts for the 1st yr married?

Answer
A handwritten letter professing your love to him along with a wonderful dinner or plan a trip somewhere romantic. If your'e on a budget, I suggest the letter and make sure the paper is not college ruled! Must keep it classy and romantic.

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How can I make Christmas special for my boyfriend?

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Caleigh

My boyfriend and I have been dating long distance for around a year now. He is planning to come up to visit me for his Christmas break from college. Christmas with his family has always made him sad because something tends to go wrong, so I want to make this Christmas really special for him. I was hoping I could get some ideas on how to make this Christmas awesome and hopefully change his mind about the holidays. Gift ideas are also appreciated.

Answer
Show up naked with just a christmas bow tied around you. That should make his Christmas memory a happy one. . .

What is the proper way to ask what she wants for her birthday?

footballhe

What is the proper way to go about asking a woman I have just recently started dating what she wants for her birthday? We have only been dating for a month or two, and it's a long distance relationship. Should I just ask her what she would like or should I go with something she is interested in. She really like hockey so I was thinking about getting her a hockey jersey of her favorite player, or maybe a jersey from our college's hockey team. It's not gift ideas, just what would be proper for a birthday gift in a new relationship

Answer
i think you already have the right idea

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What can i get a girl i like for christmas?

best gift ideas for 9 yr old girl image

Kevin

Weve known each other since 9th grad in high school, were both 20 now. We always liked each other as friends but always wonder the thought of actually dating. She has a 2 yr old toddler from another guy which is fine to me im not shallow. Anyway is there any ideas on what i can get her/ and her son for christmas? Like if anyone suggests gift cards where would be a good place for a mom or just something for her an something seperate for the son. Thanks alot.

Answer
you could get her a department store gift certifc, so she can buy some nice clothes. you can get her a restaurant certificate for her and her little toddler. yes, gift card seems very nice, just wrap it in a nice sweet little box. :-) and maybe u can put a nice little card in there.

and then maybe for the toddler u can get a sweater or a nice little pair of pants.

merry christmas :-)
good luck ;-)

What would a 13 yr. old girl like for Christmas?

Rotten

A woman at work had her husband just abandon her and her two children, ages 9 and 13. A couple of us are buying gifts for the kids... I have some ideas for the 9 yr. old boy, but what do 13 year old girls like these days? I have absolutely no information about her other than her age, and don't want to ask the mother what the little girl would like, for fear that she'd be embarrassed about her situation...we're not really supposed to even know about the husband leaving! Help!!

Answer
What lovely work mates you are so thoughtful.

Thinking of a list don't expect you to be buying them all just some ideas:-

Hair products
perfume
make-up
necklace/chain
watch
clothes
bath products
smelly's
socks
slippers
nightwear

I think she a bit old for high school musical stuff

Just some things my 13yr got on her list for Christmas


Hope my friend would be like you lot if anything happened to my marriage

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Anyone think of any good gift ideas for the father to be?

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C

I know this isn't a pregnancy question, but I was hoping the ladies in this category could give me some ideas. I've already gotten my husband most of his Christmas presents, but I would like to give himself special since we are expecting our first child, a baby boy in January.

Does anyone have any ideas for a good gift idea for a father to be?

Answer
My boyfriend surprised me with a want fo a digital picture frame. We are expecting our 3rd child (boy), I'm 32 weeks. I think this would be a great gift for a father to be. He can put new pictures on there as the baby grows. They are pretty expensive but I think would be a great gift he can take to work & leave on his desk (if he has one).
You could get him an engraved keychain that says something simple but sweet on it, that he could carry around with him.

Does anyone know of any cute ideas for a valentines day presents I could make my boyfriend?

Jamee

We don't have a lot of money to spend on a Valentines Day presents, So we agreed to make each other something but all I can come up with is gifts a girl would like not a guy lol. I have looked on Pinterest but the gift ideas are mainly thing to do for ladies not guys. Hopefully someone can help!

Answer
Buy some red velvet cake mix and heart shaped cake pan, get some white frosting. Make the cake and your can by some of that frosting in a can (preferably red) and write "be mine" or something cute like that like those little heart shaped candies. That's a cute and delicious present.

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Planning for a big wedding in the future, any suggestions?

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CallmeVee

Hey everyone, for the record, I am a lesbian and I'd appreciate it if only OPEN MINDED people answer my question.
I'm about to be 24 next month, and my girlfriend is 25. We love each other very much and I've always been the type to plan ahead. I have a ton of reasons on why I do it.
Any how, my girlfriend wants a big wedding and so do I. Today I asked her what kind of ring she'd like, she said a platinum diamond ring. I looked at some online and it made me want to marry her tomorrow. lol Very beautiful. To sum this all up, we're not traditional people, I don't want my dad walking me down the isle, I also don't want our fathers paying for the wedding seeing that it will be two women getting married so it's not like, "So is your dad paying or mine?" and I doubt either of us will be wearing white. The reason I don't want them to pay is because she's going to be MY wife, which means I'm supposed to give her what she wants and give her the wedding she dreams about.
I plan on moving out the state for a higher paying job, just for a little while so I can save up thousands of dollars.
Now she and I have only talked so much about the wedding in the future, but I think of it everyday because I want to get started on saving now! I'm sure I'm gonna buy her a ring that's around 1 to 3 thousand dollars. Just like every woman, we want our wedding to be beautiful. What would be a good price range for a big beautiful wedding?

and FYI, no my girl is not a gold digger, nor is she money hungry. She's a true definition of Independent. She does everything on her own, she does SO-MUCH for everyone and doesn't like for anyone to do anything for her, not even me! So it'd be a blessing to give her the wedding she wants. We're high school sweethearts and I just want her to be happy.
Can you ladies (and gents) please give me some advice? I'd really appreciate it.

Answer
Firstly , from what I read & see the majority of couples getting married these days do pay for their own wedding.( at least in western cultures) So what you are considering is NOT unusual there.
AS to having your father walking you down the aisle- That is entirely your choice as well. Having him ''escort '' you down the aisle does not mean that he has ""to give you away"" during the ceremony.
I have been to weddings where the bride walked alone, with her mother, both parents, child, father & stepfather together or in tandem. with the groom & even with the ex husband :-) . Also I have seen stories where both parties have been escorted down the aisle by their parents.
When each of my nephews got married they included the wording "" Who brings this man to this marriage"" as part of the ceremony as well as "" Who brings this woman"" : notice the words were NOT ** who gives**

You can have a big wedding as in numbers without necessarily spending BIG $$$$. Having said this though you need to be creative, ask for / accept help from family & friends. Someone may be very artistic & would be delighted to make your invitations as a gift to you. Another person make be a great cake maker & thrilled to make your cake.

Think outside the square in regards to your outfits ; look at all sorts , not just ones called wedding dresses etc. I saw a picture of a magnificent citrus green dress recently.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1209407_10151871310189516_1132350750_n.jpg

What you both need to do is to sit down & work out an affordable budget for you & plan around that.
No -one else can tell you what a beautiful wedding is - as everyone has their own ideas about that.
Before you start sending out invitations to everyone you know - just so you have BIG numbers- stop & think about who is important in your life. Do you interact with ABC on a regular basis? would you ask DEF to your place to dinner? How long is it since you have seen Great Aunt Jo? Have these people been a significant part of your lives in recent years.Only ask the people who you really want to be with you to share your day, regardless of whether that only turns out to be 30 people or if it is 100.

Also consider do you want your celebration to be a relaxed event or something more formal.
How much would you like to actually interact with you guests on the day. The more people you have attending the harder that is to do.
Assume that everyone you invite will attend . Yes there will be some who for whatever reason wont be able to make it . BUT you don't invite 100 people when you can really only afford to cater for 80 & hope that at least 20 will say they cant come.
You may well decide that a relaxed cocktail party type of event will give you more of a chance to mingle than if you had a formal sit down dinner.
Have a look at the following site for some ideas:-

offbeatbride.com

http://offbeatbride.com/2013/09/seattle-burlesque-wedding
http://offbeatbride.com/filed/real-weddings/global
http://offbeatbride.com/2013/08/massachusetts-camp-wedding
http://offbeatbride.com/2013/07/georgia-games-wedding


I have included some links to some specific pages , just for you to see quickly how diverse weddings can be,
Look through the archives section as well.

Keep in mind that your wedding should be a reflection of who you & your partner are - NOT someone else's idea of what a wedding should be.

The things I have said here are what I would say to my own kids - all of whom are now adults.

Also in regards to rings - don't just look at the $$$ for the ring ; look first at styles that your partner likes & something that she is going to be happy wearing. If you find something that she absolutely loves & it is only $500 , then that is what you get. There may be one sitting beside it that is priced at $5000- but she does not like it - so forget that one. The $$$ value is not important .

I hope that I have given you some things to think about & GOOD LUCK with your plans.

1year wedding anniversary in British Columbia?

mom

So my husband and I just got married this past July, and we had a small weekend for ourselves, and we are really wanting to have a really good 1 year anniversary, and were thinking of going to British Columbia since we live in Portland Oregon. The thing is that neither of us know anything about B.C and would love to know some places that are very beautiful, have some fun things to do, and good food.

We love the outdoors, exploring, trying new things, new food, we like the city too, but if you recommend a city, I would love for it to be a city with a glorious view. We're very open people! What should we do? =D We have 10 months to save up!

Thank you!

Answer
First, congratulations. I hope you have many more years of planning anniversaries!

The traditional wedding gift for a 1st year anniversary is "paper", and the modern gift is usually "clocks" according to Hallmark's chart of anniversary gift ideas. Keeping that in mind, I would tend to be the traditionalist and a "paper" idea would be tickets (by plane or by train) to British Columbia, if that's what you are considering.

The area is one of Canada's great natural beauties, whether it's riding a cruise ship or ferry up the coast, taking a train through the Rockies, touring a redwood forest, or relaxing at a hotel in Vancouver and enjoying local cuisine.

From a weather perspective, you won't find it much of a difference in July in southern BC compared to Oregon.

Culture wise, Canadians are typically very friendly, the cities are all very safe, even after dark. Although you can still be a victim of crime if you are not paying attention to your surroundings. Just because Canadians don't have the gun culture that is prevalent in USA does not mean that there are no muggers, pickpockets, con-artists, and angry drunks around. It's just really rare.

I don't know how much you are considering spending on this trip to Canada, but here are a couple of ideas.

1) Consider taking the train to Vancouver. The Amtrak Cascades train leaves Portland daily and passes north through Tacoma, Seattle, Bellingham, and finally across the border into Canada for its final stop in Vancouver, BC. The 2013 pricing shows a round trip ticket will cost you between $150-200 per person. It saves you a long drive, and lets you relax and just enjoy the experience. In Vancouver, the public transit is safe and convenient, so you would not need a car (saves on parking), or you could always rent one if you wanted to head out to the countryside and visit the redwood forest, or take a trip to an Okanagan Valley vineyard.

2) Once in Vancouver (BC), you can book a trip on the Rocky Mountaineer tourist train. It's a bit expensive per person, but takes you through some of Canada's most breathtaking scenery. I hear that there is also now the Coastal Passage train that starts in Seattle and ends in Banff, Alberta.
http://www.rockymountaineer.com/en_CA/routes_and_packages/canadian_rocky/circle_rail_packages

I think you will enjoy your visit, and I hope you choose to join us. In case you do, take a look at the HelloBC website below. It may offer you some ideas as to what you can do up in Canada and in the BC area in general.

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