Valentine’s Day is associated with romance, and it is one of the most popular days for gift-giving to loved ones.  Valentine’s Day has been celebrated in the United States since the 1700s, but its origins date back to Ancient Rome.  The timing of the day coincides with a pagan festival celebrating fertility as well as the time when people believed that birds started their Spring mating season.  St. Valentine himself is a mysterious figure, with several origin stories, all with a romantic theme.  The date itself was selected by Pope Gelasius in the 5th Century, two hundred years after the death of the saint, and it has always been associated with love and romance.

Choosing an Intentional Valentine’s Day Gift

In modern times, a Valentine’s gift to your loved one celebrates the romance of your relationship.  Given this opportunity, many go with the “traditional gift” of chocolates or flowers.  These are certainly promoted heavily as the go-to gift for the day.  While easy they are by no means your only option.  Why not give a more intentional gift — one that reflects thought and care for your loved one?

Having trouble coming up with a unique gift?  Here are some tips for shopping for your Valentine.

Notice the Colors Your Valentine Loves

Buy a gift that shows you noticed the finer details.  What colors does your Valentine wear?  Does your Valentine wear accessories like scarves or hats in this color?  Clothing or accessories in a favorite color will always be a winner.

Look Beyond the Obvious When Choosing Jewelry

Does she wear jewelry like necklaces, bracelets, earrings or rings?  Does he wear any jewelry?  Does she prefer silver or gold?  And does this jewelry come out for special occasions or the daily wear?  Notice the style of the jewelry — does she wear statement pieces or dainty/minimalist jewelry?  Jewelry comes in many styles and varieties, noticing these distinctions about your Valentine’s preferences can help pick a winning gift.

Alpaca Silver and Rose Quartz Necklace From Brazil

Listen for Clues About Preferences

Your Valentine may not give you specific clues about what she or he wants for the special day, but you can pick up clues about likes and dislikes.  Pay attention to comments about clothing, accessories, jewelry, music, books to see if you can get a sense of what will go over well when it comes to selecting a gift. 

Choose Gifts Based on What Brings Joy

If your Valentine has activities that bring joy, a gift that relates to the activity will be welcome.  Has she travelled recently?  Does he have a hobby like cooking or gardening?  Is your Valentine a collector?  Try selecting a gift that shows you pay attention and want to contribute to something that makes the recipient happy.

Reverse Painted Glass Jewelry Box From Peru

Why Intentional Gifts Make Valentine’s Day Memorable

All of these suggestions have one thing in common:  paying attention.  Try getting your Valentine an intentional gift — one that shows you took the time to carefully consider your loved one’s interests and preferences.  This will always have a greater impact than a generic present.  For this Valentine’s Day, consider making this effort and see how your Valentine reacts to your gift.

Now that you’ve got some clues on what to get, do you need some help with finding that perfect, unique gift for your Valentine?  Contact VirtuArte today and we can assist you select from an array of beautiful options.

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Can you believe we’re already through two-thirds of the month of June?  Where has the year gone?  For me, June is a month of many celebrations — my sister’s birthday, graduations, Father’s Day, and weddings are ones that come to mind right away. These moments are the perfect opportunity to think beyond the expected and explore unique gift ideas that make celebrations truly memorable.

Choosing the Easy Gift Versus the Thoughtful Gift

Like most people, when I was invited to a wedding, I would find out where the couple was registered, go to that store, pick an item from the registry, and have it shipped to the couple.  I often took the easy route and selected a place setting of their silverware or dinnerware.  I hardly put any thought into the gift and it showed.  I’m sure when the couple used my gift, they didn’t remember who gave it to them.

A VirtuArte Wedding Gifting Experience

Recently, Barbara, a VirtuArte customer, was going to a wedding and wanted to give her friends a gift from VirtuArte.  I asked her if she had looked at the wedding gift registry.  She told me they had asked for dishes, glasses, salad servers, serving bowls, and a wine decanter.  After hearing what the couple was requesting, I made the following suggestions:

Barbara made the selection.  I wrapped the gift, included the handwritten card about where the item came from, the artist, and how it was made, and shipped it to the bride and groom.  A few weeks later, Barbara called to tell me she had received a beautiful thank you note from the couple.  What stood out in the note was the couple told her whenever they used the serving plate, the couple would think of her and remember their wedding day.  This is exactly what you want a gift to do.

How to Choose a Unique Wedding Gift

If you find yourself in need of a wedding gift this month:

1. Take a look at the wedding registry
2. Select an item similar to what is being requested but is unique.  It can be handcrafted, have a story, or come from a place the couple visited.
3. Wrap it beautifully and include a handwritten card.  The gifting experience starts with how the gift is presented.
4. Ship the gift to the couple or take it to the wedding.

What’s a gift you’ve received from someone that really stands out?  That makes you remember the person who gave it to you every time you see it?  Thoughtful, unique gift ideas have that kind of lasting impact. Share a photo in the comments below or on the VirtuArte Facebook Page.  I can’t wait to see them!

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I was at a networking event and one of my vendors came up to me and gave me a gift.  It was a box of chocolate covered Oreo cookies with the VirtuArte logo on some of the cookies and her company logo on others.  The gift was not wrapped and it had a pre-printed card.  I thanked her for the gift.  As she walked away I thought to myself this person doesn’t know me.  If she did she would have known I don’t eat desserts or candy very often.  I also figured I was one of many clients to whom she had given the same gift.

Here are a couple of tips for giving a business gift:

Don’t give a gift just to give a gift. If you are going to give a client, colleague or employee a gift, give them something that has meaning to them and will be appreciated.

Get to know the person. Building on point #1.  In my post dated 14 November 2017 I give a list of questions to answer.  If you take the time to answer these questions for each of your gift recipients you will know what kind of gift to give each person.

This is a “thank you” gift, not a promotional gift. Don’t put your logo on the gift.  When was the last time you received a birthday gift with the name of the person who gave it to you engraved on it.  If you must have something on the gift that ties it to your company do something subtle, such as using ribbon in your company colors.

Wrap to “Wow.” In last week’s blog post I wrote about creating a gift giving experience.  Part of that experience is in the presentation of the gift.  Spend time wrapping the gift.  People receive gifts with their eyes.

Hand write a card. The reason for giving a gift is to express your appreciation for the business relationship you have with that person.  A pre-printed card doesn’t have the same effect on the recipient.

What is going to happen to the box of chocolate covered Oreo cookies?  I’m not going to eat these cookies.  Paul, my significant other, doesn’t like chocolate so he won’t eat them either.  I ended up giving the box to Paul to take to the office and his colleagues ate the cookies.

I know this isn’t what my vendor had in mind when she thought about giving me a “thank you” gift for my business.  However the truth is, this is what happens to a lot of “business gifts.”  The item is often put in a drawer or closet, given away or thrown away.  If you are going to spend the money on a gift, give something that will be displayed or used by your client.  Every time they use or look at it you will be thought of.

Copyright : Wavebreak Media Ltd

Before you give your next “thank you” gift, take the time to think about what will be meaningful to your recipient.

The post Business Gift Giving Tips To Make a Lasting Impression appeared first on VirtuArte.

Copyright : Ed Sweetman

Recap of the Intentional Gift Giving Process

My past few blog posts have given you a step-by-step process on how to become a more intentional Holiday gift giver and reduce the stress of Holiday gift shopping at the same time.  A quick recap:

• Step #1 — Make a list of all the people you are thinking about giving a gift to.
• Step #2 — Prioritize the names on your list.
• Step #3 — Answer the questions listed in the 14 November 2017 post for each person on your list.
• Step #4 — Decide what you are going to buy for each person before you start shopping.

If you haven’t completed these four steps I would recommend you spend some time going through each step.  When you start your actual shopping you will be focused, know exactly what you are looking for and know where to go to purchase each item.  You may spend more time at the beginning of the process, but you will spend a lot less time shopping.

Step #5 — Creating the Gifting Experience

Now that you have purchased all of your gifts, it is time for step #5 — creating a “gifting experience.”  You have spent the time finding that perfect gift for each person on your list; don’t ruin the gift by hastily wrapping it.  The gifting experience starts with a beautifully wrapped gift.  Presentation matters.  As John Ruhlin, author of Giftology, says, “wrap for wow.  People receive gifts with their eyes.”  A beautifully wrapped gift says “I value our relationship.”  If you feel you don’t wrap gifts well, then ask someone who does.  To impart more meaning to your gift, as well as a greater impact, add a handwritten note.

Copyright : milkos

Hand deliver or Ship?

The gift is now ready to be given.  The question is are you going to hand deliver the gift or are you going to ship it?  If you can, hand deliver the gift.  You are then part of the “gifting experience.”  You can see their reactions when you give them the beautifully wrapped gift, read the note and then open the gift itself.

Copyright : Vadim Guzhva

If you are going to ship the gift, be aware of the last date you can ship in order for it to be delivered before the Holiday.  This year Christmas Day is on a Monday, so that can complicate last minute shipping and delivery.  A late arriving gift does not make for a great “gifting experience.”

This Holiday Season be an intentional gift giver rather than an incidental gift giver.  There is still plenty of time to work the “intentional gift giver” process.  Remember when you are deliberate in thought and intentional in your gifting, you will see an incredible difference in the reactions you get.  Take the time to choose with an authentic care, and the real gift will be in the giving.

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