Practical gifts are another great way to be thoughtful, and they work for anything from birthdays to dinner-party gifts.
The invention of the arts, and other things which serve the common use and convenience of life, is a gift of God by no means to be despised, and a faculty worthy of commendation.
Everywhere I look, there are ads marking Mother's Day. Mostly they conform to stereotype: flowers, jewelry, perfume. Not a lot of books. Not many computers. Few tools. Little that's useful.
I like gifts that provide a dual purpose.
There will be birthdays in the next twelve months; books keep well; they're easy to wrap: buy those books now. Buy replacements for any books looking raggedy on your shelves.
The best gifts are those we not only cherish but put to use.
I think deerskin work gloves are the answer to everything. You can give them to someone who gardens or someone who works outside. And you can give them to someone who grills; they're great for grilling. I wear them all the time, 24/7.
A smart mother suggests that her child bring an apple to his teacher; a smarter mother suggests that he bring a couple of aspirins.
