Since I started this site, people have said, “Love the ideas–but can you PLEASE just do it for me? Can I just buy and ship directly?” The answer is finally, “Yes you can.”

Why so long?

If you’re wondering what took me so long. The answer is to that is I’m a mom, first and foremost. And I want to be an involved mom. Ramping up the business to create gift card vignettes that I am proud to present takes time and effort. Hard to do when you’re sitting at Little League games and teaching FAME at school. Gotta keep the priorities straight people.

Can I order now?

Yes. My local friends can drop by to shop in my workshop. My online friends will have to wait a few more days. Maybe you won’t get it in time for Christmas, but rest assured you’ll be able to order great birthday gift cards vignettes and perfect holiday presents in 2012. Look at that–my New Year’s Resolution is already made and in the works.

Whatya got?

Check out my facebook page for latest pix.

I love the idea of giving an Ancestry.com Gift Membership this holiday season. I started doing genealogy about a year ago. And though I don’t have much time to devote to the activity, I feel compelled to nurture my family tree whenever I can.

Who would enjoy this gift?

Give an Ancestry.com Gift Membership to:

• An Individual. Great idea for someone interested in family, in need of a new hobby, or who likes to use the computer.
• A Teenager. Kids are better at computers than adults, and genealogy can be interesting and addictive. It’s better than video games! An activity like this could bring the whole family together.
• A Family. This would make a great family gift from you or from your entire family. (“From our extended family to yours”)
• Blended Family. All of our families are blended in one way or another. Start researching the family tree and see how alike we all are.
• Newlyweds. What a fun way for the new couple to merge tree branches and start a family tree of their own.
• New Parents. Researching our family tree took on new meaning when I put my children at the beginning. This would make a great baby shower gift.
• Someone in Mourning. Researching family lines might help him deal with the future by connecting to the past.

This gift would also be a wonderful sentiment on Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, or Grandparents Day.

Make the Gift Membership Fun

My ideas for making a genealogy gift membership more personal:

• Christmas Tree. Attach the gift membership to a mini-Christmas tree. Tie it on with a bow or make it into an ornament.
• Tree for the yard. Attach the gift membership to a tree that is ready to plant. They can grow both trees at the same time.
• Garden tools. They can use both tools for cultivating.
• Seed packet. Smaller than a tree, easier to mail. Deliver a gift membership for growing a family tree plus seeds to grow a real tree or plant.
• Family picture. Doing genealogy is about connecting families and finding out who you are. Deliver a gift membership with a picture of your family or their family. Or find a picture frame that says, “Family.” (I’ve seen several).
• Miracle Grow. Using Ancestry.com is like putting Miracle Grow in your garden. With the tools on this site, growing your family has never been faster, easier, or produced better results.
• Book on Genealogy. Deliver the membership with a book or a list of websites to help the recipient get started.
• Time. Volunteer to help with the effort. Doing genealogy together is like solving a mystery or putting together a puzzle. You’ll have fun as a team.

Through a series of events this past year, family has become increasingly important to me. And not just my own family. I’m compelled to bridge the gap with my in-laws, step relations, and distant relatives. We may not see each other daily. but we are all part of the same family tree. Ancestry.com is helping me see that–both literally and figuratively.

We just added the “GCG Quick-file” to our home page. Click it and find dozens of ideas for delivering personal gift cards based on the recipient’s interests.

Walking the Walk

A couple of weeks ago, I felt the familiar holiday panic of realizing how much I needed to do and how little time and energy I had left. Rather than invoke super powers or stress for weeks, I decided to simplify instead. I pulled out my Cozi iphone app and started reorganizing my life. Primarily, I scratched traditional gifts off the list and replaced all of them with gift cards.

Next Step

After I bought the gift cards, I came up with ideas for personalizing each. This afternoon, the kids and I will sit down to make handmade gift card holders. These will be attached to framed family photos we took a few months ago. And next week, when the kids are out of school, we’ll bake homemade cookies and treats to go with each present.

Joy to My World

I haven’t felt this good about Christmas in years. And it’s all because the time I would have spent waiting in lines, looking for parking, and agonizing over sizes and styles has been freed up, allowing me to savor the season instead of rushing through it. Instead of feeling overwhelmed this time of year, I’m actually enjoying it.

Though my focus in gift card giving is to help you pick out the right card and deliver it with a personal touch, I can’t help but pay tribute to the scrappers of this world who have turned gift card giving into an art form–literally! Here are just a few I recently discovered:

• Practical Scrappers 

• A Necessary Creativity

• Rainy Day Creations

Search on “gift card holder scrapbook” or go through these blogs and start checking links to find for a crazy amount of creative ways to combine a gift card with the gift of time and talent. Goodness…I wish I had time to make some of these! Happy crafting scrappers–may you continue to deliver gift cards with such style!

Jamba Juice is doing it right this holiday season. At participating locations, you can buy a $25 gift card and get a free smoothie. If you’re a Jamba Juice regular, buy the gift card for yourself and start slurping! If you’re going to give a Jamba Juice gift card, then this next offer is even better.

Gift with Purchase

As Kevin B at the San Ramon Jamba Juice explains, for $15, you get a 22 oz. Tumbler and a $5 Jamba Juice gift card. I love ths promotion because it follows my 5 Steps to Better Gift Card Giving. The gift card can be used at a variety of locations, is in a usable amount ($5 is plenty for Jamba Juice), and the recipient gets to “open something.” This would make a great gift for teachers, office staff, and others you want to give a small token to this holiday season.

Add a Personal Scoop

Make it even more personal by putting a list of your favorite smoothies or the “secret Jamba Juice menu” inside the tumbler. Have fun with it.

With Thanksgiving next week, my thoughts are turned to hosting the family festivities. Yes, it’s a little bit of work, but I love it. We’re lucky to have a house big enough to hold everybody, family nearby who want to visit, and willing hands that make the work light.

Thanksgiving

I’m thankful for a mom who still wants to cook Thanksgiving dinner (complete with homemade dinner rolls) but kindly does it in my kitchen. I’m thankful for my husband who wants a deep fried turkey bad enough to cook it himself. (If you’re counting, that’s two turkeys.) I’m thankful for kids and cousins who love to play together. I’m thankful for step-daughters who call their Dad on this day and stop by if they can. I’m thankful for our little granddaughter who reset everybody’s priorities and I’m thankful for willing donors who may help her get better. I’m thankful for the annual Turkey Bowl football game and I’m even more thankful for the ice packs and Advil that are in high demand after it’s over. Though we have our share of hardships and trials, our collective bounty is full.

A Gift for the Hostess

All I ask of my house guests is that you put the toilet seat down and don’t judge my cooking. But if you can’t possibly visit someone empty-handed, check out these ideas on gift cards for the hostess.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving,

Shelley