Tag Archives: birthday

The Birthday Present Dilemma

The Birthday Present Dilemma

It’s always a little difficult to buy gifts for loved ones and friends. When people mean that much to you, having to decide what they will truly like is difficult. More often than not, gifts end up being useless, things that gather dust, and may have some sentimental value, but that’s diminished by the lack of usability. Whether it’s for Christmas, or Valentine’s say, an anniversary, a birthday it bears keeping a few tips in mind.

Think about the person

Often when looking at presents, something might catch your eye: a deluxe whiskey set, a certain brand of perfume. If you’re thinking of buying these things, you should think again and remember that you’re shopping for someone else, not yourself. A tip to remembering is to think of things they already own that they covet, what sort of taste they have, their personality and individual style.

Make sure it’s appropriate

It’s important to remember the relationship you have with the person and consider that as a factor when choosing a gift. For instance, you’d buy your mother something like flowers, household gifts or a nice book. On the other hand, for a significant other you can buy something more romantic, like candles or cosmetics and fragrances or even jewellery.

Money

Spending a lot may be a way to show someone that you really care about them, but spending too much can go down the wrong way. It may come across as trying too hard and make the other person feel challenged to spend just as much when buying you a gift. It also deprives you of spending time with your friends and doing the things that you want to do because you’ve spent it all on a present.

Don’t restrict yourself

Don’t think it has to be a certain size or shape. Be creative with your ideas and get something that you think will get the message you want to give across and will be appreciated by the person receiving it.

Remember to avoid gift cards. It’s a really easy way out and comes across as incredibly insincere and lazy. So if you want to show your care, it’s worth attempting to choose something. Don’t be afraid that it might not end up being what they will want. That way, even if it’s something that falls short of their expectations, it’s the thought that you put into it that will count.

Priyanka writes articles on behalf of many online agencies, as well as developing on page content for a variety of well-established websites. Her latest project involves writing articles on the subject of graduation gifts and gifts for boyfriend for the reputable online agency Evie Darling.

History of ‘Happy Birthday to You’

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It’s the song that everyone knows.  From the time we are babies clear until we are old, singing Happy Birthday is a tradition that sticks.  You’d think that it has been around for hundreds of years.  Surprisingly, it hasn’t. 

Fun Fact: ‘Happy Birthday To You’ is the most recognized song in the English language.

In 1893, sisters Patty and Mildred Hill sang a song to Patty’s Kindergarten class.  It was called “Good Morning to You.”  The lyrics went:

It was set to the tune of the song we know as ‘Happy Birthday.’  Patty and Mildred later published the song in a children’s music book.  The song was so popular with her students, they often sang it everywhere.  And eventually they sang it at birthday parties, but changing the lyrics to ‘Happy Birthday To You’. 

Fun Fact: Many believe the sisters copied an older song called ‘Happy Greeting To You’.  

The new song was officially published in 1918, but not by the sisters.  Instead, a book called Children’s Praise and Worship took credit. 

In 1935, ‘Happy Birthday’ was finally copyrighted by the Summy Company as a work for hire by Preston Ware Orem.  Why Orem received credit is unknown. 

In 1998, Time Warner Co. bought the company that held the copyright to the song.  And in 2005, it is estimated that Warner made $5000 a day in royalties.

Fun Fact: August sees the most birthday celebrations.  Oct. 5th is the most popular birth day.  And it makes sense; conception would have happened on New Year’s Eve.

With so many movies, television shows, birthday cards and countless others using the song, it racks up quite a bit in royalties.  Many people have challenged that it still holds a copyright though.  As it stands right now, in the U.S. the song will become public domain in 2030.  In Europe, it will happen earlier on Oct. 31, 2016.  This is because their copyrights last until the author dies plus an additional 70 years.  Patty Hill is credited as the author and she passed away in 1946.

Are you looking for an inventive way to advertise your business?  Consider sending out Customized Birthday Pencils.  You can include your company logo and information.  Your customers will be delighted to receive such a thoughtful gift on their special day.

 

Lisa Coronado is a web content writer for Promotional Pencils and writes specialty articles for Birthday Pencils.

Birth Year Wines : The Perfect Wine Gift

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Source: caseywest on Flickr.

By now, I think we all understand that wine makes for a fantastic gift. We’ve had several hundred years to establish this, after all. The height of good manners at a gathering is surely to come with a bottle of wine to share, and the gesture is accepted even if you’ve just picked up whatever was half-price on the supermarket shelves.

But beyond this good party etiquette, there are plenty of great times to offer wine as a present, or to offer wine-related gifts to someone who truly appreciates the wine serving ritual. Welcome a young relative to maturity with a bottle of wine rather than a beer, help a friend settle into a new home with a wine rack or celebrate a landmark in a marriage with a bottle of champagne. There are countless options and the right present can surprise and delight virtually anyone.

Good Years For Good People

Giving someone any old wine is usually fine, but if you really want to go the extra mile try to give the gift of a wine that means something to the person you’re buying for. You may give a wine that you want a friend to experience, or gift a wine which you know they like. But if you want to give somebody a truly impressive gift, buying a wine from a person’s birth year is truly impressive thing to do.

Of course, it’s impressive in part because it’s probably going to cost you quite a bit. The wine you purchase will be at least twenty years old, and if anything is worth keeping for longer than that, it usually runs into the tens of thousands of pounds! Of course, buying twenty years after a wine was originally grown gives you the luxury of being able to research which varieties enjoyed a ‘good year’, but this may push prices up!

Buying For Children (Well, For When They’re Adults Anyway)

Instead, many customarily buy birth-year wines for children that can then be stored and opened to celebrate when they come of age. Or perhaps they’ll just sell them on and enjoy the profits of a good year.

  • Of course, this is dependent on having adequate storage
  • Note that it isn’t actually possible to buy a ‘birth year wine’ in a child’s birth year. Most high quality wines are not bottled for up to two and a half years after the grapes that go into them are harvested. ‘En Primeur’ Campaigns do allow you to put down (less) money for a previous year’s harvest, and make a fine first birthday gift.
  • Even if you stick to obvious big name red wines like Port, Sauternes and Bordeaux, there’s a chance that the wine simply won’t last. Generally, these regions are the safest bets, but it may be worth seeing what wine experts have to say about the wine from time to time.
  • Though no substitute for twenty years of tasting, wine critics do quite accurately assess wines before they go on sale, so it should be easy to tell what’s going to be a fantastic buy.

The end result is more than worth it. A new adult’s first taste of alcohol should be of a quality alcohol, and the beauty of providing wine in this way is that it comes with a story, rather than simply providing a story of drunken binge drinking.

Jane Johnson is a wine-fuelled blogger working for Classic Wine Direct, a UK-based site where you can buy wine online.

50th Birthday Ideas in London

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London is a place made for special occasions and the city is a honey pot for those looking to celebrate in style. The UK capital is a hotbed for culture, food, entertainment and nightlife and is packed with great activities and sights to see at any time of day or night throughout the year, all of which help to make it the perfect destination for that special birthday.

They don’t come much more special than a half century and London is positively teeming with 50th birthday ideas. There is also a fantastic range of accommodation options to suit every budget which means 50th birthday ideas in London don’t have to break the bank, although of course there are plenty of opportunities to blow the budget for a luxurious birthday break as well.

Maybe that special someone approaching their 50th birthday would be enthralled by an evening being wined and dined before a show in the West End, dreams of catching world class sporting action at international areas, or would simply love to explore one of the world’s most vibrant and intriguing cities. Whatever his or her tastes, you won’t be short of 50th birthday ideas in London.

Here’s a few simple ones to get you started:

Catch a show

From long-running musicals, to avant-garde opera through to cutting edge independent drama, London is truly a world leader in theatre. Star names and renowned actors from across the globe flock to London to tread the boards in the West End – and the audiences flock to see them. But it’s not all about the glitz and glamour of London’s Theatreland, there is also a host of independent productions running every night in other venues across the city. Whatever your tastes, there is bound to be a show running to suit the occasion and you can combine it with drinks and dinner for a truly special night.

Dream of sporting glories

That sports-mad loved one in your life may be finally giving up on his or her dreams of a professional sporting glory as they approach their 50th birthday, but that doesn’t mean you can’t indulge them. In London you can go behind the scenes of some of the world’s most thrilling sporting arenas, giving you a unique glimpse into life as an international star. Behind-the-scenes tours are available at Wembley, Twickenham, Wimbledon and Lords, while the 2012 Olympic Village will be a must-see for years to come. With no less than five Premier League clubs in the capital, plus top level rugby union and rugby league teams, you may even be able to combine your 50th birthday weekend with a match ticket for the ultimate sporting thrill.

Dine out in style

Everyone likes to be spoiled on their birthday and if you’re looking for 50th birthday ideas for the foodie in your life then you won’t be disappointed in London. There are 53 Michelin-starred restaurants helping to make London a true culinary destination. But it’s not all about fine dining, there are plenty of delicious gastropubs, cute cafes and down-to-earth diners which would be perfect for hosting anything from a romantic meal for two right through to a raucous dinner party for groups of friends and family.

Or like to avoid the restaurants altogether yet still enjoy a celebration feast? Try making up the perfect picnic and take it to one of London’s famous parks. You can even get one made up for you by caterers for a truly decadent al fresco dining experience. Plus, with no table booking to worry about there’s no limit to the number of people you can invite to share in the 50th birthday dinner.

This article has been created by Activity Superstore.