shower gift Wedding Gift

Berkeley Parents Network: Gifts for Weddings and Wedding Showers Berkeley Parents Network Home Members Post a Msg Reviews Advice Join BPN Help/FAQ What's New Search Gifts for Weddings and Wedding Showers Berkeley Parents Network Advice Holidays and Special Events Weddings Gifts Wedding Gift Suggestions What to give as a shower gift Wedding Gift Suggestions Help! I have a good friend getting married in TWO weeks and I need to find her a great wedding gift. Am thinking of a bread-making machine. Does anyone know of a good brand as well as a store that carries them? I bought one once from Bed and Bath (under $70!) but they don't seem to carry them anymore. Thanks! Naomi Recommendations for bread machines: http://parents.berkeley.edu/recommend/where2buy/breadmachine.html I can't provide advice about the breadmaking machine but would like to tell you that the one wedding gift we have found most useful over the years was a pair of binoculars (ours are Baush and Lomb and sport-size, not clunky with excellent optics). We've used them a lot at sporting events(baseball/football games) and on hikes. In recent years they have come in handy on walks with children, bird/animal watching at the house, at the beach, etc. By far we have used them more than the relish dishes, fine china or other various and sundry machines received(with possible exception of the rice cooker which we use a lot.) As you consider a gift for you friend think about the things they enjoy doing together--one friend of mine registered for camping gear. The happy couple received tent, "Sunshower" portable water bag/with shower attachment, camp stove and one of those small gas Weber barbeques (about $60) which doesn't require the charcoal and noxious lighter fluid, can be used at a moments notice, is also portable! Hope this helps...Good luck! Mary Have you considered giving your friend a wedding commemorative plate? As a "hobbyist" ceramic painter, I have done several of these for friends who have gotten married, and they love them. Jessica Abbott, who owns Brushstrokes Studio (a paint-it-yourself studio) in N. Berkeley (510-528-1360), will paint one for you if you don't feel confident enough to do one on your own (I think she charges about $75), and she can do just about any style you want. (She has some samples on the wall of the studio if you'd like to take a look.) Jessica will put the name of the couple and the wedding date on the plate for you, but I have also seen people put special messages on them. I think a handmade gift is wonderful, and your friend could enjoy it for years to come. Sarah Our favorite wedding gift (which we first received, and have given several times since) is a well-stocked picnic basket. Shops like Pier 1 and Cost Plus sell all sorts of baskets which you can fill with any number of goodies -- place settings, of course, but also acrylic wine glasses, a jelly jar with a votive inside, a checkered blanket or tablecloth, a CD of romantic or classical music, a bottle of champagne, cheeses, crackers, dried fruits... Especially if the couple are close friends, I prefer something creative and personal like this over picking from a registry. Loralee I recently remarried, and my husband and I had both been running householdsfor a while, so we weren't "starting from scratch" and already had mostof the basics. Here are some weddinggifts that we really liked and still enjoy after 3 years:a beautiful "throw" for the sofa, a serving platter forThanksgiving dinners, dinner for 2 at Bay Wolf restaurant, crystal wine glasses. What to give as a shower gift August 2003 I've been invited to a bridal shower and am lost as to what togive. I've looked on the web site which has recommended weddinggifts, but those are more for the couple, as opposed to thebride. In fact I've never been to a bridal shower before andalmost wonder if we're supposed to give ''racy'' gifts such aslingere -- I don't know the bride that well and don't feelcomfortable doing this. Are there other traditional orappropriate gifts to give at this occasion?Bobbie When in doubt, bath & body stuff from Body Time or the Body Shop is always a great gift. Another idea; a gift certificate to a nice restaurant for the happy couple (most places sell them). anon I received several (mostly white) pieces of lingerie at my engagement party several years ago- nothing too racy as they were gifts from my parents' friends. I had 2 showers- one with my future mother-in-law's friends and a co-ed one with our friends. At both of these showers, the gifts were not personal for the bride, but were mostly things we had registered for.Susan My sister threw me a surprise bridal shower and I got lots of fun racey (and some obscene)lingerie. One of my favorite gifts, however, was a set of 3 beautiful silk covered padded hangers - something I would never buy for myself, but I have enjoyed for almost 15 (!) years. I have also seen pretty soaps, skin creams and other ''pamper yourself'' gifts that everyone likes go over very well.showered I think it's fine to buy something off the registry for the bride. At my shower, I was up to my ears in lingerie that I only wore on the honeymoon, so I much appreciated the more useful, less racy gifts. Or if you want to get something just for the bride, you could get something not quite as sexy as lingerie, like a cozy but cute bathrobe or pajamas. Good luck! First, check the invitation. Most showers have ''themes'' to which the gifts ideally will relate (for example, ''travel'' or ''kitchen''). You may even have been ''assigned'' a letter of the alphabet with which the name of your gift should start or a time of day that your gift would be used. Second, are you sure this is a shower for the bride only, or is it for the couple? Among my friends, ''co-ed'' showers are now the norm, and typical gifts include books, movies, games, wine, and tools, along with the more traditional dishes and towels. Finally, remember that even though things like mixing bowls and picture frames are for the couple rather than for just the bride, they are normal bridal shower gifts because traditionally housekeeping, decorating and entertaining were the province of women only. Brides who are traditionally minded enough that their friends give them girls-only showers don't mind the implications of receiving a frying pan as a bridal shower gift, and usually prefer traditional housewares-type gifts. Lingerie is not the expected gift unless the shower has a stated theme of lingerie or ''personal'' items (which could also include bath products and the like). Something relatively inexpensive from the couple's registry -- kitchen utensils, napkin rings, casual candlesticks -- is appropriate. More creative possibilities exist, but in the absence of a theme and given than you don't actually know the bride very well, that's what I would suggest giving.Holly I am of the mind that the best gifts for brides-to-be are ones that a)encourage stress reduction and/or b) celebrate the fact that she is still an autonomous person who will bring her best to a marriage when she can maintain a clear sense of her own identity. Okay, so what does that look like in gift form? What I would have appreciated is a gift certificate for a massage or facial and/or a book on personal finance geared toward women, married or no. I don't know the titles of any off hand, but I know there are some out there. signed,not all that comfy in lingerie anyway Hi Bobbie.I like to give gifts to the bride that will benefit both bride and groom since this is a way of respecting their new union together. Also, men don't have these type of parties, so it's kind of sad if the guys don't get any gifts at all. You could give lingere if it is tasteful, and not trashy (and this will benefit the groom as well as the bride.) The best kind of gifts I think are for the home, particularly nice gifts they can use and show off when entertaining, and tell their friends that you were the one with such nice taste that gave them such and such.Hope this helps.Best Regards!Tiffany I have been to countless bridal showers (including my own), and it seems to me that just about anything goes. Some people stick to gifts from the wedding registry. Others do give lingerie, ''racy'' and not. But I think the nicest gifts are ones that are personal to the bride-to-be: candles, bath lotions and potions, gift certificates for a facial or massage, photo albums, camping gear, books--you name it. The only thing I'd steer clear of is giving cash! At the most recent bridal shower I attended, I gave the bride-to-be a gift certificate to a local bookstore; she is an avid reader and I knew she'd appreciate the chance to buy books for her beach-vacation honeymoon. Have fun and don't stress too much about it.once a blushing bride, now a tired mom how about bed & breakfast trays ($12 at Target) and some of your favorite breakfast recipes (breads, smoothies, etc.). Ask the hostess where the bride is registered. If she is registered, she hasvery good idea of what she wants for a gift and I think you should get her agift from her list, even if her tastes don't reflect yours. If she is notregistered, then you may want to get her a massage certificate. I know thatwhen I was a bride, I would have loved that! Lisa Some brides want lingerie as gifts, but don't get any if you're not comfortable with it! Bridal shower gifts are often more modest versions of wedding gifts. You could find out where the couple is registered from whomever is hosting the shower and choose something in your price range. If she's not registered or everything is out of your price range, simple home items -- think hostess gift -- are good bets. Picture frames are good shower gifts. If you want to get something just for the bride, you could get aromatherapy bath items since planning and preparing for a wedding is stressful though joyous, and I think everyone could use some pampering.-been to all types of bridal showers If the bride is registered, buy her something from the registery so you know you're getting her something the couple absolutely wants. It's tough to buy lingerie unless you really know her (size wise and raciness factored in!) Otherwise, I have gotten gift certificates for a massage, or any sort of spa treatment (manicure, pedicure, facial etc) because these are things anyone LOVES to receive. It also a great way to fit in time for themselves before their 'big' day! You can try Claremont, Nordstrom, LaBelle. If the cost is too much for a package, just give her a gift certificate that she can supplement; I'm sure she'll love/appreciate it. eileen Hi-Buy something that she will enjoy over the honeymoon. My hubby and I had a destintation wedding in Maui and one of my girlfriends bought me a nifty Hawaiian purse full of fun stuff: designer sunblock, sunglasses, evian spritz water, cheesy magzines, lip blam, scarf, aloe vera, etc. It was completely unique and I used everything. I am a bit of a penny-pincher so it was fun to get ''girlie'' stuff. :) Deniene Unless it's a themed shower, I typically give one of threepresents.... A ''breakfast'' basket... Muffin tins, a breakfast cookbook andmaybe a coffee pot Christmas Ornaments (obviously, for Christians) Baking trays, cookie cutters and a rolling pin. I sometimesinclude a good recipe for cookies. None of these are fabulously expensive, and they are alwayshappily received. anon I would not assume that the bride wants anything ''racy''...plus that's too intimate of an item. I would suggest PJ's from Macy's by ''French Jenny''. They're cute but not frompy. Also, http://www.flowerslippers.com/ sell super cute slippers that my attendants loved!!wfp The bride is almost certainly registered somewhere and the person who is organizing the shower should know where. I think the most traditional gifts are the kitchenware/cooking ones --the shower organizer should be able to point you in the direction of the gifts the bride would most welcomeanon I recently discovered what I think is a good bridal shower gift: cookbooks. I've been semi-seriously into cooking for 20+ years, and if there's one thing I know it's a good cookbook! FYI, my current favorites are ''The Best Recipe'' by the staff of Cooks' Ilustrated magazine, and the Bruce Aidells & Denis Kelly book on meat (I think it's something like ''The Complete Guide to Meat''). Both are really outstanding. The Cooks Illustrated folks take a scientific approach to recipe development: they read as many recipes as they can find, extract what seem to be the key variables, then experiment until they get something they think is the best. Aidells and Kelly not only give delicious recipes, but their stories of travels far and wide searching for great meals are lots of fun to read. Makes me almost feel sorry for vegetarians!Kathy She may have already registered for her wedding find out where and buy something off the registery- that way you know it's soemthing she wants. Or go for something simple like a nice leatherbound photo album for the wedding or shower. Film for the honeymoon. One fun thing to do is to make a bridal survival basket: you can keep it high brow or make it funny- it can include things you always need at the wedding- bobby pins, safety pins, extra pair of hose, hair spray, clear nail polish, lotion, aspirin, slippers for when those wedding shoes that were oh so cute don't feel so cute anymore, etc you get the picture. Just some thoughts. Have fun.Juliette As a recent bride, I loved getting gift certificates to local spas, for facials and manicures, etc. I think that even if the bride in question normally doesn't do these things, the first time is always fun! I was never into this, but once I did it, I understood why so many women love it. You can also get gift certificates to hot tub/sauna places (the one in Albany is nice) - this is something the couple can share. I also enjoyed getting gift certificates to nice restaurants. The memories from these occasions last as long, if not longer than, as any other ''tangible'' gift.anon Cookbooks are always welcome, as some are coffee table books in addition to being useful tools. I have really enjoyed the books by Nigella Lawson (Nigella Bites, Forever Summer, and How to Be a Domestic Goddess) as they are often doable, and accompanied by intersting stories about the food. Also books by Patricia Wells. I recently went to a bridal shower where the theme was ''Simplicity'' and asked us to bring the single most useful kitchen or other tool we had in our kitchen, along with a simple recipe. A NYT article proclaimed the 3 essentials of the kitchen as this: ''As the business of the vanity kitchen boomed, though, threesmall new tools - two tools and a mat, actually - werepicked up by cooks. You may own one or all of them: theMicroplane zester, the OXO vegetable peeler and the Silpatmat. None is particularly attractive. All are simple yetexceptional workhorses, and deserve to be regarded as newclassics of the modern kitchen - less flashy than theCuisinart, perhaps, but just as impossible to live without.Each has not only subtly and stealthily improved manycooks' lives, but changed what people cook as well. '' (June 4 NYT, A Hesser). Tongs, and an apple corer were also big hits at the bridal shower. I.e. useful, but perhaps esoteric items you would never buy for yourself. Email me if you'd like the full article. Good luck!ShahanaSimple but useful What you give at a shower can varry quite a bit. Some bridal showers have a theme and you buy gifts to go with the theme ie: lingere, kitchen, camping, etc. If it is a theme shower the hostess mentions that in the invitation. Otherwise, it depends on your relationship with the bride and your comfort level. Personally, I only have ever bought lingere for very close friends (room-mate, women I have known since childhood, if I had a sister... etc.) since size and style are hard to know for others. Other gift ideas: bubble bath/beads/lotions, candles and holders, hobby items (like cookie cutters and a jar if the bride or couple likes to bake). Cookbooks, kitchenware and linens are traditional gift items for a bridal shower. Also, you can purchase anything off the bridal registry for the shower as well. Rose Home | Reviews | Advice | Members | Post a Message Join BPN | Help | What's New | Search Please send questions and comments to Berkeley Parents Network . Last updated: Sep 14, 2003 © 1996-2005 Berkeley Parents Network The opinions and statements expressed on this website are those of parents who subscribe to the Berkeley Parents Network . Please see our Disclaimer for details.

College Gift

Guilford College - Gift Instruments Future Students Current Students Faculty & Staff Family & Friends Alumni Ways of Giving » Planned Giving » Gift Instruments GIFT INSTRUMENTS Bequest A clause in one's will by which property is left to a charitable institution such as Guilford College. This clause may provide for a specific amount, a percentage of the estate, or the residue of the estate after other specific bequests have been made. Charitable Remainder Trust A formal contract administered by a trustee, taking the form of either an annuity trust (fixed dollar return) or unitrust (fixed percentage of trust valued annually). These trusts may enable donors who own low-yield assets to make a gift and increase the cash flow return during their lifetimes. The donor may also receive a current income tax deduction, capital gains savings, and estate tax benefits. Charitable Gift Annuity An agreement created by an irrevocable transfer of money or property to Guilford College in exchange for a guaranteed income for life. The donor receives a current income tax deduction and may receive a portion of each annuity payment tax-free. Pooled Life Income Fund A pooled or common fund made up of contributions from numerous donors, commingled to minimize investment risk and maximize investment opportunities. Managed by Guilford College in much the same way as a mutual fund, it provides the donor with a source of income for life and a current income tax deduction. Life Insurance Gifts Life insurance policies may be given to Guilford College under arrangements such as: · gift of a paid-up policy · gift of a new or existing policy with Guilford College designated as owner and beneficiary · designation of Guilford College as partial or sole beneficiary (this method of giving may also be used to make planned gifts of Individual Retirement Accounts or other retirement plans) Gift of Residence or Farm with Life Estate A donor may give a farm or personal residence to Guilford College, retain lifetime use of the property, and secure substantial income and estate tax benefits. Lifetime use may be retained for one or two lives. Related Links Heritage Society Donor Testimonials Quick Links Academics @ Guilford 0) window.location=this.options[this.selectedIndex].value;" Academic Departments Academic Skills Center BannerWeb Certification Programs College Calendar Course Catalog Course Schedules First Year Program Guilford Writing Manual Library Study Abroad Programs What's Going On @ Guilford? 0) window.location=this.options[this.selectedIndex].value;" Art Gallery Athletics Campus Life Guilfordian Guilford Buzz Local Events and Activities News Services Where Can I Find Help? 0) window.location=this.options[this.selectedIndex].value;" Administration Admission Information Adult Programs Campus Ministry Campus Map Employment Opportunities Information Technology International Student Info Office of College Relations Office of Public Safety Student Services Ways of Giving Advancement E-mail: advancement@guilford.edu Phone: (336) 316-2178 About Guilford | Search | Site Map | Directories | BannerWeb | Lotus Notes | Policies | Help

Jewelry Gift Ideas Jewelry

Unique Jewelry Gift Ideas - FindGift.com Personalize FindGift.com! -- Login | Sign Up | List of Services Gift Ideas Gift Registry Gift Shops Gift Bookmarks Home | Help keyword search Gift Giving Made Easy! A free service dedicated to helping you find creative gift ideas! Home Categories Jewelry Unique Jewelry Refine Search for Jewelry Gift Ideas Jewelry Children's Jewelry Jewelry Boxes Anklets Bracelets Earrings Lockets Necklaces Pendants & Charms Pins and Brooches Rings Watches Jewelry Ensembles Gold White Gold Silver Gemstone Jewelry Beaded Jewelry Exotic Personalized Trendy Unique Any Price $0 - $10 $11 - $25 $26 - $50 $51 - $100 $101 - $200 $200+ Related Links Monthly Birthstone Table Use our Gift Wizard to customize your gift search Use our Gift Finder to find gift ideas customized to the likes/dislikes of the recipient. Engraved Photo Pendant Preserve your favorite photos on a gold charm in 14K, 18K or 21K www.photopendants.com Mother's Jewelry Sale! Find personalized jewelry for Mom, up to 70% off retail prices. www.limogesjewelry.com Viewing 1 - 10 of 1154 gift ideas found Thoreau Pendant from Isabella ($29.95) Henry David Thoreau's dynamic words help to remind us of why we are all here. live the life you have imagined. Questions? Contact Isabella . Add to Gift Bookmarks Add to Registry [ More Gifts from this store ] [ People Who Liked This Gift Also Liked ] [ Report Error ] 18" Celtic Knot Necklace with Garnet Teardrop from Flame, Foundry and Forge ($25.95) Pure Sterling Silver is crafted into this delightful Celtic Knot design. The natural faceted teardrop Garnet is securely held in a sterling silver setting. Order before 2:30 PM Mountain Standard Time weekdays and your items will ship the same day! (When paid by credit card.) Questions? Contact Flame, Foundry and Forge . Add to Gift Bookmarks Add to Registry [ More Gifts from this store ] [ People Who Liked This Gift Also Liked ] [ Report Error ] Bless This Woman Cuff Bracelet from Femail Creations ($79.00) She may be your Mom, your best friend, or the coworker who always goes the extra mile. She's the woman with purity of heart, showing selfless intention, sharing her vision and grace. We are proud of our products that are handcrafted in the USA. Questions? Contact Femail Creations . Add to Gift Bookmarks Add to Registry [ More Gifts from this store ] [ People Who Liked This Gift Also Liked ] [ Report Error ] Vanita' - Blue Murano Glass Crossover Ring Masini Gioielli from Forzieri, Italy ($179.00) Made in precious Murano Glass and tarnish proof Sterling Silver, this ring is part of the Vanita' line of Masini Gioielli, a symbol of quality since 1946. An 18K plate with the Masini logo is placed on one side. Premium Italian Gifts direct from Italy. $30 off on bags/wallets when buying $195 or more - visit our site for details. Questions? Contact Forzieri, Italy . Add to Gift Bookmarks Add to Registry [ More Gifts from this store ] [ People Who Liked This Gift Also Liked ] [ Report Error ] "You Were Once Wild Here. Don't Let Them Tame You" Bracelet from Isabella ($75.00) Let Isadora Duncan's words remind you to be yourself! This sterling silver bangle bracelet measures 2.5" in diameter. Sterling. Questions? Contact Isabella . Add to Gift Bookmarks Add to Registry [ More Gifts from this store ] [ People Who Liked This Gift Also Liked ] [ Report Error ] Sterling Silver Two-Tone Footprints Ring from Limoges Jewelry ($19.99) The Footprints Ring is inspired by the beloved poem and cast in solid STERLING SILVER and gilded in 14 KARAT GOLD to last a lifetime. Engraved with the message "It was then that I carried you...". Two FREE gifts! Free Shipping on all orders over $60! Questions? Contact Limoges Jewelry . Add to Gift Bookmarks Add to Registry [ More Gifts from this store ] [ People Who Liked This Gift Also Liked ] [ Report Error ] The Connection Necklace from ARCHITECTs Touch ($75.00) This sterling silver "Ogee" pendant is more than just a sensuous shape... Inspired by the Asian symbol for harmony, it symbolizes the connection between man and woman. Comes with a sterling silver snake chain. Overnight shipping available! Exclusively at ARCHITECTs Touch... Yahoo Top Service Award... Satisfaction Guaranteed! Questions? Contact ARCHITECTs Touch . Add to Gift Bookmarks Add to Registry [ More Gifts from this store ] [ People Who Liked This Gift Also Liked ] [ Report Error ] Sterling Silver Round Engraved Locket from Limoges Jewelry ($29.99) Beautifully engraved ornate design on the front,the back of the locket is polished and ready to engrave with a personalized message up to 25 letters and spaces. Locket is 1" in diameter and suspended from an 20" snake chain. Free Shipping on all orders over $60! Questions? Contact Limoges Jewelry . Add to Gift Bookmarks Add to Registry [ More Gifts from this store ] [ People Who Liked This Gift Also Liked ] [ Report Error ] 18 1/2" Sterling Celtic Knot Necklace with Drop Amethyst from Flame, Foundry and Forge ($29.95) Pure Sterling Silver is crafted into this delightful Celtic Knot design. The natural faceted teardrop Amethyst is securely held in a sterling silver setting. The 'drop' design really accentuates the Amethyst. Order before 2:30 PM Mountain Standard Time weekdays and your items will ship the same day! (When paid by credit card.) Questions? Contact Flame, Foundry and Forge . Add to Gift Bookmarks Add to Registry [ More Gifts from this store ] [ People Who Liked This Gift Also Liked ] [ Report Error ] Evil Eye Bracelet from Good Luck Boutique ($16.95) An attractive sterling silver bracelet with blue glass evil eye amulets. Worn to protect from the misfortune resulting from the envious gaze of others. Exceptional selection of lucky jewelry and gifts! Free shipping orders over $50! Free gift wrapping items over $15! Questions? Contact Good Luck Boutique . Add to Gift Bookmarks Add to Registry [ More Gifts from this store ] [ People Who Liked This Gift Also Liked ] [ Report Error ] Page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | viewing 1 - 10 of 1154 gift ideas found Bosses Day Oct 16, 2005 24 Shopping Days Left Bosses Day Gift Ideas Sweetest Day Oct 15 Halloween Oct 31 More Holidays Seasonal Gifts Wedding Gift Ideas Anniversary Gift Ideas Autumn Theme See this month's Top 20 Gift Ideas Gift Helpers » Anniversary Gifts » Flower Meanings » Monthly Flowers » Monthly Birthstones » Signs of the Zodiac » Additional Resources FindGift.com Newsletter Sign up to receive seasonal and unique gift ideas via email. 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Birthday Presents || Special

GDR Souvenirs - Birthday and Anniversary Presents Preface || Introduction || Official Gifts || Gifts to the Party Birthday Presents || Special Items || Site Map Information || Guestbook || Picture galerie Birthday and Anniversary Presents by Andreas Michaelis One might be forgiven for thinking that birthdays, even those that come in round figures, are essentially private or indeed contemplative occasions. Not so, if the birthday boy happens to be the head of a state or Party or is in some other way in the public eye. In that case, a birthday becomes a public event. The guests can no longer be hand-picked, nor the tidal wave of presents averted. Gifts made to GDR leaders, if they were of the right kind, tended to end up in the museum. They included both highly individual pieces and items off the mass production conveyor belts. These souvenirs sometimes commemorated significant social occasions, sometimes insignificant; some were presented by governments, some by ordinary working people; and, while some might be suited to the personality and office of a president, others were given in friendship or comradeship. Along with presents to mark birthdays or other occasions in the lives of the state and Party leaders, there are certain items that were presented by home or foreign givers on particular GDR anniversaries. Most of these, and the oldest too, were left by Wilhelm Pieck at his death. One remarkable for its origins was given to him in Moscow in December 1943: a desktop calendar handcrafted out of wood for the Communist leader by German prisoners of war in the Soviet Union. The red crayon inscription reads: Unity and peace to the German people - Wilhelm Pieck - From antifascist prisoners of war in USSR p.o.w. camp 158. Three presents given to Wilhelm Pieck in Soviet exile in 1936, on his sixtieth birthday, have survived. They were made by Soviet industries, using material from the current production line, and represent a kind of gift that seems to have appeared for the first time in the USSR in the 20s. These presents signalled a deliberate rejection of feudal or bourgeois traditions and a liberation from the material and artistic values of an old societal system then supposed defunct, and their meaning to the recipient lay purely in their symbolic function. Doubtless it would be going too far to suggest that there was an individual artistic style of expression peculiar to socialism as practised in the Communist bloc countries - but it remains true that this kind of characteristic symbolic gift was in evidence in almost every east European country till the late 1980s. The workers at the factory or plant in question would normally be identified as the givers of presents of this sort. Thus Wilhelm Pieck was given a ball-bearing mount by the workforce at the 1st State Ball-Bearing Works, a clock (inevitably) by the workforce at the 2nd State Clock Factory in Moscow and a smoker's set made of cogwheels by the Sergo Orjonikidse Machine Tools Works. In 1954 the workers at Zeulenroda furniture factory took Pieck by surprise when they remembered an anniversary he had probably forgotten himself: in 1894, the President, then an apprentice carpenter, had joined the German Woodworkers' Association, and his fellows in the craft were keen to mark his diamond jubilee as an active member of the trade union movement. On the side of the chest they made to celebrate the occasion is an image of Stalinallee (Stalin Avenue) in East Berlin, which East Germany touted as the premier socialist street in the capital of the GDR. Naturally the Communist bloc had another tradition, first practised in the Soviet Union: the naming of cities, factories, co-operatives, streets and public amenities after prominent Communist personalities, often when they were still alive. A danger was concealed in this kind of honour, however. If a personality fell out of favour, or was downgraded by his successors, the names all had to be changed. Thus cities, works and streets named after Stalin were renamed almost immediately after the 20th congress of the Soviet Communist Party in 1956, and Stalin memorials were toppled. Stalin was dropped from the leadership hall of fame. The boulevard once known as Stalin Avenue became Karl Marx Avenue, which it remains to this day (though the names of other leading Communists have been largely removed following the velvet revolution in eastern Europe). In 1946, for his seventieth birthday, Wilhelm Pieck, then leader of the German Communist Party in the Soviet zone of occupation, was given a number of china figurines and a metal sombrero by the Party's cell in Mexican exile. Rather more useful, no doubt, was a cigarette case embellished with portraits of Lenin and Stalin which he received from Soviet comrades for his seventy-fifth birthday. One motif that recurs insistently in the presents given to him on that birthday and his eightieth is the first of the GDR's five-year plans. It was launched in 1951 and declared over in 1955, ahead of schedule, the targets more than met. Even at that date, the propaganda that accompanied the beginnings of an East German planned economy could be grotesque, and the items that recollect this phase will doubtless tickle many now. It would only be fair, however, to bear in mind that in the first decade of the GDR's history the struggle to fulfil plans was accompanied by a genuine sense of a fresh start, a new and energetic departure - and in this respect it was finally a more honest thing than the ossified, dogmatic planned economy of the 70s and 80s,with its clichés and hot air. Slogans such as Peace - Reconstruction - Prosperity, or the five-year plan emblem together with its motto The key to our success, are eloquent not only of the political vocabulary favoured during the 50s but also of the hopes and longings of the East German people. Among the many activities mounted by the Freie Deutsche Jugend (Free German Youth) was the Wilhelm-Pieck-Campaign , intended to prompt greater effort by the country's young people and the working population in general, to mark the President's eightieth birthday. On this occasion, the apprentices at the Bitterfeld electrochemicals combine gave Pieck a stylish folder containing documents and statements concerning their FDJ group. At their deaths, Pieck and Grotewohl left several hundred folders of this kind, with enough material for a hefty tome, or a feature-length satirical programme. Elsewhere, workers in factories set a good example in cost-cutting. If honorific gifts were produced in series, a given item could be made at a fraction of the cost of an individually-crafted piece. The figure of a muscular miner in a combative attitude, an optimistic expression firmly on his face, was far and away the most frequently given present for Pieck's eightieth birthday. He received numerous gifts from comrades in the Federal Republic too. Most of them were little items with some local connection, such as a figure of Roland from Bremen , or one of Hamburg's typical Hummel figures . The GDR leadership's duties routinely included visits to factories. These visits served primarily to demonstrate the closeness of the state and Party leadership to the working classes. In 1953, Prime Minister Otto Grotewohl visited the Ernst Thälmann Polygraphics Works at Saalfeld. He may have been critical of the work being done by the graphic artists and designers there; at all events, for his sixtieth birthday the following year he was presented with an entire collection of draft designs for new product labels. In the 50s, in addition to the obligatory gift, a leader might be honoured by having a work team (at least) named after him. Long before he officially took over the reins of the state and Party, Walter Ulbricht was so popular that labour collectives bore his name as early as 1953. For his sixtieth birthday, one of his work teams presented him with a desktop set praising his endeavours on behalf of peace, unity, democracy and socialism. Ten years later, as chair of the GDR's Council of State, he received for the first time one of the traditional presents from the Soviet armed forces in Germany - generally bombastic and symbolically top-heavy affairs. That first gift was a model of a Soviet cosmonaut memorial. A present from the Soviet armed forces to Otto Grotewohl has survived too, a figure reaching for the stars and thus symbolizing humanity's unceasing striving after higher things - an allegory that recurs frequently in Communist and socialist iconography. The Honecker era, too, in due course provided the Deutsches Historisches Museum with a number of anniversary presents. The desk set given to Erich Honecker, on his sixtieth birthday, by Lieutenant Colonel Kurkotkin, commander in chief of the Soviet armed forces in Germany, and bearing a personal dedication, particularly intrigues all who see it. The martial character of the set was no doubt intended to convey that the SED First Secretary could count on the massed firepower of the Soviet Union behind him, and thus settle in to a quiet period in power. The composition - typical in approach, given its origin - does in fact include a number of useful items, regardless of its military character and offputting design: a radio, a thermometer in the TV mast, a calendar, and four ball-points disguised as missiles. Ten years later a Soviet-German joint-stock company, SDAG Wismut - which was the last company in East Germany to remain under partial Soviet administration and control (till 1990), because of the uranium it was mining - presented a conversation piece inspired by mining. The bismuth workers, honouring an established tradition, selected a particularly fine mineral sample. The musical box they built into the sample seems never to have been used. On the same occasion, Honecker was presented with a pick by the Senftenberg Brown Coal Combine. It was not to be the last he received in his lengthy career as head of state and Party. It was not only the leaders of state and Party that were given these heavily symbolic presents; the tradition was observed at every level of the state and Party hierarchy. Stasi boss Erich Mielke kept a trophy room, as it were, at his headquarters in Normannenstrasse. Numerous honorifics are now on display there, gifts to Mielke or the ministry on a variety of occasions. Some were passed on to the Stasi ministry's information centre, whence they were made over to the Museum für Deutsche Geschichte in 1990. There are the usual plaques and tapestries, but one of the Stasi ministers birthday presents was a rather unusual model of an electric oven. In the GDR, 7 October was a national holiday, an annual celebration of the establishment of the first German workers' and peasants' state, and the date was marked with a grand parade, a government ceremony, and countless local festivities around the country. And every five years, on jubilee occasions, the state and Party leadership celebrated in lavish style. Leaders from friendly countries, and representatives from around the world, would pay their respects to the GDR. Again, it is the presents made by the Soviet armed forces that are especially striking. The model of the Soviet memorial in Treptow Park, which symbolizes the liberation of Germany from fascism and stresses the role played by the Red Army, was a gift to mark the GDR's silverjubilee in 1974. The outsized helm presented to Honecker on the 35th anniversary by the Schwerin SED regional leaders alluded to the well-worn image of Erich Honecker as the great helmsman of state. The accompanying letter is a gem, sparkling with all the routine phrases that had become de rigueur among the Party leadership echelons. The regional first secretary thanks our dear comrade Erich Honecker for his outstanding personal contribution to the conception and realisation of policies designed to assure the happiness of the people and the safeguarding of peace, and asserts that the people of our region are paying tribute to these fine socialist politics by making greater endeavours than ever before, in every field of society. By the time of the 40th anniversary celebrations, however, a gloomy knowledge of imminent upheaval darkened the leaders' festivities - though surely none of them could suspect at the time that it was to be the GDR's very last birthday.

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