'Tis the Season

Ah, spring. The flowers are blooming, capris are coming out of storage, and our mailbox is overflowing -- with announcements and invitations.

Yes, 'tis the season for graduations and weddings. These events, of course, are fun to celebrate, but the added expense (literally of both time and money) demands I stop and make a plan. Otherwise, I'm going to end up overspending and rushing at the last minute to throw something together. And so...

Graduation: It happens every year. Like clockwork. May or June. So, rather than scrambling at the last minute, I'm going to stamp a pile of cards. (You can also buy cute packages of them at Walmart.) Recently I bought a cool dandelion stamp. It's a mature dandelion with some of the "fluff" still in a ball at the top of the stem, and some of the seeds flying off into the wind. Think about it. It's a perfect symbol for the graduate. They've learned what they've learned for twelve years, and now they're "blowing" out into the world. Typically a graduate enjoys $$$ over a gift, so a card and a check is our standard gift for most graduates. Usually, because of the amount of annoucements we receive, we give $10. If it's a relative or someone special, we'll give more.

Weddings: Although wedding registries are widely available and very appreciated by those who are stuck wondering what the couple could use, I think it's much easier to give a really great cookbook. Every bride needs a cookbook, so I've stocked up on a few classics. I bought reversable toile wrapping paper (google it if you don't know what 'toile' is) in black/white and red/white, and I'm stamping a pile of matching cards. Besides being a great gift, cookbooks are easy to wrap. No need to find a box or gift bag.

As you can tell by my blogs so far, I'm always trying to simplify and save when I can. Maybe you have some great wedding and graduation gift ideas. I'd love to hear them!