It's always a problem finding a really special gift for your girlfriend ,partner or wife. Although you know her know her pretty well, it still seems that finding that special present with that extra "wow!" factor is just as elusive as ever. She loves scents and finds perfumes fascinating, but a trip to the department store for me was a terrifying thought. I've known about personal perfumes, it seems that all the celebrities have them these days, but the cost of the perfumer consultation and those daunting perfume counters just put me off. Trawling through the perfume sites and there are hundreds of them, there is one that allows you to design your own fragrance just by filling in my girl's personality and life style details. The site creates a fragrance easily and inexpensively and it's fun to do too. It is like so many things a computer program but it really is very easy to use and when you are done a description of the fragrance you have just designed is presented on the screen! There are plenty of sizes to choose from and the company will put her name on the bottle of her personal scent. Just as if that wasn't enough they have a special section on their website so that her fragrance comes with the bottle labelled not just with her name, but her photo too! You can use a photo from your cell phone, a digital camera or a web cam is fine too. All the instructions are on the website and perfume orders are despatched from the UK in two working days to be delivered in the USA in just a week. I haven't given it to her yet. I'm waiting for the right moment but I know she will be ecstatic with her present and I can't wait to be well rewarded! Oh yes the name of the site, sorry I can t remember just Google in create fragrance and I am sure it will be there. Last time I looked I do remember it was number one!
They always seem to like what you end up giving them, but it can be a struggle, can't it - particularly when they say they need nothing? How would you like a suggestion? In fact, how would you like a suggestion that won't cost you a penny?
If your elderly parents are the sort who have everything, I have the perfect idea for you: Give them your undivided attention! (i.e., Give them your time without interruption, and without attitude.)
Before you start coming up with excuses for why that won't work and how they won't like it, just listen for a minute. How much of your valuable time would you guess you devote to sharing yourself with your aging parents? And, how much of that time do you imagine you focus specifically on that parent - their needs, their issues, their enjoyment - as opposed to what YOU have scheduled to do next . . or whatever it is that's on YOUR mind?
Do you really think your elderly parent doesn't notice how distracted you are when you visit? Do you think it doesn't matter to them?
Sure, they're probably grateful for any time you have to give - particularly if you've made a practice of letting them know how demanding your schedule is and how much this visit is interfering with other - "more important" - matters. (Nothing like laying a guilt trip on an old person!)
The point is: I'm willing to bet that the one thing your parents would love to get from you more than anything else, and the one thing they least expect you to give them, is the gift of yourself . . . the gift of YOUR undivided attention.
Of course! It's probably the scarcest thing on the planet! And the fact that it's so rare makes it even more valuable. Who else has ever gotten it - intentionally? No one?! (Now, I could be way off base here. But if you're as busy as most adult children of aging parents, I'm probably right on target.)
So, what do you say? Come on. You have the the next 365.25 days to parse it out. How tough can it be?! And since I don't want to completely co-opt your gift, I'll let you decide just how large a gift you want it to be.
Just think for a moment of all the ways you can spend time with them. The possibilities for the list are outrageous! Consider:
1. The books you could read - together;
2. The family secrets you could unravel - together;
3. The places you could go - together;
4. The trouble you could get into - together;
5. The legacy you could help them discover - together;
6. The dreams you could dream - together;
7. The letting go you could accomplish - together;
8. The re-connecting you could do - together.
That's just a start. After all, the list is yours - not mine. But, do you see the possibilities?
Now, I don't know what your relationship is with your aging parents. It may be wonderful. It may be downright awful. In either case, I'm going to step way out here on a very thin limb and suggest that you could take a giant leap in making it better with this one gift: The gift of yourself - your time and your undivided attention.
By the way, this will also end up being a gift to yourself with time. One day your parents will be gone. Will you be one of those children who only then realizes how much more you wish you'd done for them while they were here?!
Go for it my friend . . . unless, of course, you have something better in mind.
Both Frederick King Parker Parker & Gail Mcconnon are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Frederick King Parker Parker has sinced written about articles on various topics from Gifts for loved ones, Perfumes and About Branding. Fred Parker is CEO of fragrance for you Limited, at . a company based in Kettering UK which offers personalized fragrances for Individua. Frederick King Parker Parker's top article generates over 1900 views. to your Favourites.
Gail Mcconnon has sinced written about articles on various topics from Family, self improvement and motivation and Aging. An expert on "letting go in aging," helps midlife adults clear out the emotional baggage that interferes in their rela. Gail Mcconnon's top article generates over 2400 views. to your Favourites.