Gifts For A Friend Down On His Or Her Luck

Author: Greg Scott

2008-06-30 Word Count: 519 Category: Food & Beverage

Several days ago, I talked with a family friend who recently learned that his huge manufacturing company was closing his plant. He is actually more fortunate than most of the other people working for that company. He just reached the magic age at which he is eligible for early retirement, so he will continue to have a reliable (although much smaller) income. Those who did not reach that milestone will get a small severance package and be left to search for a job in that difficult market. That got me thinking about giving gifts for special occasions to those people who are experiencing difficult economic situations. I came up with a few suggestions that make more sense than a piece of home decor or a pair of ear rings. Here are some of them:

A basket of lovely, fruit is always a welcome and healthy gift. If you live near your gift recipient, you can find a lovely container and fill it with fruit that is in season in your region of the country, obtained at a farmers market, and then fill it out with a few exotic fruits picked up at your neighborhood specialty store. If your loved one is not close enough for a do-it-yourself present, you can arrange for any of a large range of beautiful fruit gift baskets to be delivered to the recipient's home. It will help them to reduce their food bill on their next trip to the super market.

A unique meal is another way to remember a special occasion or holiday. One alternative is to take the friend or family member to a popular local restaurant. If price is no object to you, be sure to recommend some of the pricier entrees on the menu, so that they know that they should feel free to order whatever they prefer. For example, you could say something like, "The crab legs are perfect here, but, if you don't like seafood, try the filet mignon." If they live too distant for that, you can actually find delicious, gourmet, chef-prepared meals online that arrive frozen and can be heated in almost no time. (I actually keep my freezer stocked with these.) Or you might send a gift certificate to a special place in their own city.

You might also consider a tasty dessert. Nobody should eat too many desserts, but in celebrating a birthday, anniversary or holiday, everyone deserves an opportunity to be a little self-infulgement. Bake cookies, if that is a skill of yours, and hand deliver or have them delivered. For something a little more special consider giving them a freshly baked pie or cheesecake. Whether you make it yourself or have others do the work for you doesn't matter. It will be appreciated and definitely enjoyed either way.

You'll notice that all my recommendationinvolve food. Somebody who is going through a difficult time may not want to accept charity, but nobody can reject a genuinely special gift. If it reduces the grocery bill for them by a bit, that's just a bonus.

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Greg Scott is a writer who is an aficionado of food! He especially recommends a turtle cheesecake as a perfect gift for any occasion. He also writes about jewelry and internet marketing.