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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.

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giftresearch About the Office Meet our staff Newsletter Archive Giving to the College Gift Options Make a Gift Corporate Relations U of I Foundation (off site) Alumni EAA EAA Board Distinguished Alumni Student Medalists Calendar Update Us SAGE U of I Alumni Association (off site) Calendars and Events College Alumni Calendar University Alumni Calendar Resources and Links College of Education Site map Find People Feedback Office of Development and Alumni Relations Suite 38, Education Building, 1310 S. 6th St., Champaign, IL 61820 Champaign, IL 61820 (217) 244-7228 phone (217) 333-5847 fax ed-alumni@uiuc.edu friends and alumni >> giftresearch Gifts for Every Intention The world of philanthropy is full of wonderful individuals who, like you, want to invest in the future of the organizations they truly value. But, it can be a little confusing, with so many options and so many terms. Use the information below to give you a better idea of what form your gift might take to best reflect your intentions. Use these links to skip directly to the section you want to see, or scroll down the page to read about all of these options. Annual Funds Endowed Funds Current Use Gifts Deferred Gifts Annual Funds Annual funds are current-use financial resources used to support priority programs not covered through state funding. Many donors choose to designate their annual gifts to the College's Fund for Excellence. The Dean of the College annually determines the priorities for this fund. In recent years it has supported our minority student recruitment efforts, enriched student leadership programs, and enhanced technology training for student and faculty. Annual fund dollars can also be designated to the William Chandler Bagley Scholars Program. Entirely funded through private gifts, this program enables us to provide merit-based scholarships and fellowships to some of our most talented students. During 2002-2003 academic year, 37 students directly benefited from this program. Wherever you designate your annual fund gift, you can be assured that your donation is going directly to support the research, teaching and service missions of the College of Education. With no minimum gift, this is a great way to begin your investing in the College of Education. Endowed Funds Endowed funds are gifts large enough to generate yearly income. The principal remains intact through investment and only the interest is used. Endowed funds are attractive because they guarantee that financial resources will be available for years to come. Generally, endowed funds are named in recognition of the donor or donors. The size of the donation to establish a permanently endowed fund is determined by the purpose of the gift (i.e. scholarship, professorship, etc...) as well as by current financial market considerations. To learn more about creating an endowed fund you can visit the University of Illinois Foundation web site or contact one of the College gift officers. Current Use Gifts Current use gifts can be put to use by the College immediately upon receipt from the donor. Examples might include a newly endowed scholarship, a one-time gift to purchase new computers for one of our departments, or a donation to one of our Annual Funds. When you hear the words current use, it basically means a gift that can be put into immediate action. Deferred Gifts Deferred gifts are ones that are designed to be put to use at a future time. While these gift agreements may be made at any time, the execution schedule of the donation is the result of careful planning that integrates the donor's charitable gift into his or her overall financial, tax, and estate planning objectives in order to maximize the benefits for both the donor and the College. Examples of deferred gifts might include an estate bequest. Maintained by Chris Harris 244-8335 last updated 11/15/2004 feedback form

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Personalized and unique gifts at Things Remembered Special Occasions Wedding Business Store Locator Cart Account () Search Advanced Search Recipient Him Her The Couple Babies & Children Family Teacher/Coach American Heroes Occasion Holiday Birthday Anniversary Religious New Baby/Christening Housewarming Back to School Graduation Specialty Shops Our Best Gifts Popular Collections NFL Shop Clocks Frames Popular Brands Bulova® Cross® Swarovski® Zippo® Movado® Colibri® Sensa® Waterford® Waterman® Danbury® Reflections® Speidel® Stewart & Avery® Sheaffer® Aurora® More Ways To Shop Gift Categories Sale Price Need Help? Customer Service Frequently Asked Questions How to Order Shipping Costs & Schedules What is Personalization? Privacy & Security Shopping Services Rewards Club Request a Catalog Email Sign Up iRemembered Gift Announcement Site Map 100% Satisfaction Guarantee Easy Returns About Things Remembered Company Info Become an Affiliate Contact Us Employment toll free: 1-866-902-4438 Things Remembered is the right place to find a personalized gift for any occasion you're celebrating including weddings , anniversaries , birthdays , or business recognition . Personalized gifts for your reception and bridal party Our Wedding Gift Store features personalized bridesmaids and groomsmen gifts, favors , flutes & server sets , and everything in between to complete your wedding day. Our Bridesmaid and Groomsman Gift-Giving articles will help you to find the perfect gift. Personalized corporate gifts to recognize success Our Business Gift Store offers many ways to recognize success and a job well done. Our collection of unique awards & trophies , writing gift sets , desk collections , and leather accessories will help show your appreciation and will be treasured for years to come. "Fall" into our new line of men's gifts . New season, new looks, new gifts for her to match her everyday style. Save up to 25% off on all jewelry for women and children . Personalize Your Wedding Sweepstakes . Sign up to receive email updates, sales alerts, and special offers from Things Remembered. Site Map | Customer Service | Contact Us | Store Locator | Company Info | Employment | My Account © 2005 Things Remembered. All rights reserved. Privacy

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birthday present." He wouldn't

My Best Birthday Present - Timothy Leary My Best Birthday Present I haven't celebratedmy birthday in decades. Sure, when you're a kid it's exciting to add ayear to your age, have your parents gather your friends, blow out the candles,and get presents, but today I turn 49 and the last thing on earth I feellike doing is celebrating, much less blowing out a fire. Nothing very specialabout November 10th other than it is the day that Stanley found Livingston.Okay, I wouldn't mind a present or two, but that's more a matter of actuallyneeding stuff than thinking I deserve any sort of reward just for havingsurvived another year. I've always felt it was a wee bit egomaniacal tothrow yourself a big birthday party. Nothing wrong with celebrating others,but when it comes to celebrating yourself, it shouldn't be in public. Fifteen years ago todayit was also my birthday and, as normal, I was doing what I always do, whatI still do, what I'm doing right now, writing at my computer, with absolutelyno plans for the day. When you don't have a plan, there's nothing to deviatefrom. You can do whatever you want without fear of failure because howcan you fail when you don't have any goal in mind? Whatever happens, happens,and it's good or bad on its own terms. The higher you get your hopes up,the further you have to fall, so I never count on anything. If somethingbad happens, too bad. If something good happens, it's a gift. There was a knock atthe door. I opened it and there was Timothy Leary who said "Hi, I'm yourbirthday present." He wouldn't explain how or why this came to be, or whoin particular was bestowing him upon me. He was simply there, and he wouldhang out for at least an hour. All he would tell me was that he was toldI was someone he should meet. Whenever you meet someonefamous in a personal situation, it's hard to know how to behave, particularlyif they're enormous media stars. After all, you've spent hours gazing atthem, thinking about them, perhaps days or weeks staring at their image.Imagine the hundreds of hours you've spent with certain stars broadcastregularly into your living room. They feel like a friend, like you actuallyknow them. They're not and you don't, but it's a hard feeling to shakewhen they're standing right in front of you, coming into your house, sittingon your sofa, checking the place out while waiting for you to bring thema drink. No matter how many memories you have of them, they have none ofyou. To them, you are a total stranger. Treat them like a fan would andyou risk becoming part of their teeming crowd of lookie loos. Treat themlike you don't know who they are and they could get insulted. No way tomake a friend. Friendships deserve an even playing field, so it's hardto think of yourself as the friend of a celebrity until they know as muchabout you as you know about them. Which is why celebrities are SO interestedwhen you interrupt them somewhere in public and tell them about your uncleSid's gall bladder operation. I wanted to be friendswith Timothy Leary so he had a hell of a lot of catching up to do becausehe knew nothing about me and I knew a lot about him, or at least I thoughtI did. I shifted into show-and-tell mode, whipping out a book of Polaroidsfor him to peruse. He enjoyed my madness immensely and I proceeded to tellhim something I'm sure he heard a million times. My life was profoundlychanged by his research into psychedelia, combined with reading Tom Wolfe's"The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test," the Beatles, and meeting a guy namedMario in 1970 who claimed to be the husband of the actual Alice that ArloGuthrie sang about but who supported his acting habit by selling acid atLee Strasberg's studio where I happened to be studying at the time. But I digress. Thefirst and foremost influence that Timothy Leary had upon me was my art,which simply didn't exist. Before my first acid trip, I wasn't an artist.I had never played guitar, had certainly never created any impressionism,and hadn't written a single word other than school assignments. Maybe Iwould have discovered these talents on my own, but if my Polaroids remindyou of acid flashbacks, welcome to the club. On acid, what I do to my Polaroids,you can do to reality. Move it around a little. Make big things look small,small things look big, marvel at the infinite depths you're capable ofperceiving, as though reality were a 3D comic book and for the first timeyou were looking at it with the red-and-blue glasses. Pre-acid, I was onlyinterested in being an actor, moving to New York to study with Lee Strasberg,and getting in a Broadway play. On acid, I actually attempted to give aperformance from Spoon River Anthology in front of the man himself, a performancehe declared "interesting," a performance that convinced me that actingwas a very strange profession. While personally communicating with theinfinite miracles of the universe, I had a very hard time convincing myselfthat the most important thing I could be doing was pretending to be a fictionalcharacter while reciting dialogue written by a writer I'd never met. Post-acidI walked home from the Village to my boarding house at 39th and Park, pickedup my roommate's guitar and started playing. It wasn't long before I wasa better guitar player than actor, and I ended up composing music for severaloff-Broadway shows. Way off Broadway. The Company Theater at La Cienegaand Pico in Los Angeles to be precise. Other acid trips wereless eventful and I stopped taking it, but not before playing with my firstSX-70 Polaroid camera and discovering I didn't need acid to change realityto my own specifications. We talked and talked.He wasn't a drug addled guru and I wasn't an acid burnout. He was extremelyintelligent. My vision of Leary had been fogged by his media image, andI had forgotten that he was a Harvard professor. Luckily, some others forgottoo and that's how he escaped from prison. The most amazing story he toldme was this one... When he was bustedby the Feds for possession of one single joint of pot and sentenced to20 years in a Federal penitentiary, the prison officials did what theyalways did with new prisoners, they gave him a psychological test to determinewhether he would go to a minimum or maximum security prison. He passedthe test with flying colors and was sent to minimum security where he promptlyescaped. What the officials didn't know was that Leary himself wrote thepsychological test for the Federal prison system when still at Harvard,so he knew exactly what answers to give. After a couple hours,my birthday present had to leave, but in his new life as Hollywood gadflyI kept running into him over the years at video shows and art galleries.I'm glad he lived long enough to experience the Internet, and if you haven'tseen his site, it's still up at http://leary.com/ and well worth a peek. Excuse me, there'sthe door. Emulsional Problems