Birthday Gift of Fresh Flowers and Fruits Basket

A combination of flowers and fruits as a gift may seem very conventional and common of all birthday gift ideas. But, the truth is something else altogether. Most of the times, we do not go for such birthday gifts because of the fear of it not being a good enough choice for a gift.

The difference lies in the presentation of this gift idea. A well decorated and beautifully assembled gift basket of fresh fruits and flowers makes for a classically beautiful birthday gift.

On personal occasions such as a birthday or anniversary or wedding or maybe Mother's Day, Father's Day, it is essential that the gift is according to the choice and nature of the recipient.

Thus, while gifting (when you wish to send birthday gifts) someone fresh blossoms and fruits, the type of fruits, whether seasonal or exotic, the flowers and even so the presentation of the gift basket depends on this very factor.

7 Special Gift Ideas for Mother's Day

One relationship which is always with us is the one we share with our mothers. They are our guiding force and are responsible for making us who we are. Mothers also shape our lives and our personalities and crediting them for the same is something one should do at every opportunity.

We might have our own individualistic approach in paying tribute to these amazing people in our lives. Some such ideas on Mother's Day gifts are discussed here.

Outdoor Umbrellas and/or Backyard or Garden Seating

Cookbook and Dinner Table Gift Set

Her Favourite DVD/Music Collection

Home Gardens for Her on Mother's Day

Kitchen and Bedroom Decor for Mother

Coffee and Tea Gift Baskets

Designer Hand Bags for Mother

Mother's Day 2010 is the perfect occasion to celebrate our mothers love. These gifts are just the right accompaniment when expressing our best wishes for our mom.

Ideas on Mother's Day Gifts

Mothers Day is an occasion that anyone and everyone can relate to. People across regions, religions, castes, cultures, genders and financial status understand the meaning and relevance of motherhood. Thus, there could not be a more universal celebration than this one.

Any and every Mother's Day party or Mother's Day get-to-gether is incomplete without the ritual of giving gifts. Thus, Mother's Day gift ideas include from the more generic present of Mother's Day Flowers, Chocolates for Mother and Mother's Day Cakes to the customizable Gift Baskets/Hampers.

When it comes to making your mother look beautiful and appreciated, the Mother's Day gifts of apparels and accessories works best. So, Saree's and Suits for Mother, Kurtis/Kurtas, Handbags and Watches for Mother are all great presents for Mother's Day.

Adorable Gifts for a First Mother on Mother's Day

Welcoming motherhood is one of the most beautiful new beginnings for any woman. It is one of the most memorable periods in not only a mother but in the family's life as well. There are many ways of adding to the happiness and love of a new mother. Some such adorable Mother's Day ideas are,

Pamper Her on This Day – Arrange for her to visit a parlour coupled with a morning at the spa would be a treat that she would always remember you for.

Her Favourite Music and Movies – Gift her something she can treasure for a long time to come and reminisce with pleasure, a collection of movies and music she loves.

Clothes for Her and the Baby – These conventional gifts are sure to please this new mother for she would love the thoughtfulness behind this gesture of matching or complementary clothes.

Pendants and Bracelets for Her and the Baby – One very sweet and adorable of all Mother's Day gifts is delicate yet artistically designed Pendants and Bracelets both for the mum and her baby.

Paintings as a Mother's Day Gift Idea

Now, 'painting' is a very wide term used for many kinds of art forms which might make the choice of your art form seem difficult at first. Even so, the basic concept behind a painting never changes, that is of colour and application of feelings through colour, so choose well and please your special someone, your mother with this gift on Mother's Day.

If you are feeling creative lately, you can pour out your emotions in the form of art work of paintings. And, even if you are not feeling extra creative or anything, remember it is always the thought behind a gift that defines its beauty.

When going gift shopping for your mom, be very thoughtful of her tastes and style in decoratives. Does she appreciate art and if so then what is her favourite style in paintings? It takes a very keen and artistic eye to choose art. You can even consider some one's opinion when it comes to Mother's Day gifts of which you have little or no knowledge.

There are many forms of paintings available as a gift option. Palm Leaf, Wooden Framed, Mughal Paintings, Silk, Marble and Madhubani Paintings are just a few among the many painting styles available for you to choose from for any and every occasion.

Organising A Mother's Day Party

Mother's Day is just round the corner. And, you have started planning for that ideal celebration already. Other than the basic parameters, namely your and your mothers' style and preferences, the next relevant deciding factor in your choice of celebration is the number and the nature of invitees.

An organised celebration is always a good idea if your invitees are many in number. Once you start writing down the list of people coming to Mother's Day party and somewhere you realise that the occasion can turn into a huge gathering of people. Then, a better idea is to turn your Mother's Day celebration into a themed party.

The theme can be anything till the time it is something which can be implemented without a lot of complications. The end result should be as per your visualisation of the theme. The party can be based on the basis of a place like a beach party, poolside party, riverside, desert themed party or it can be based on one or many colour combinations or maybe some period in history or future. You can even base your Mother's Day festivities around an event or on famous personalities.

Gift Your Mom Diamonds This Mothers Day

When it comes to jewelry as a gift idea, diamonds win hands down in terms of popularity among other gems. These are, by far, the most coveted and loved of all jewels. A woman wearing one or more diamonds is prouder about the fact that she is wearing a stone more precious than any other.

Be it bracelets, personalised birthstone jewelry, watches, pendants, rings, necklaces or earrings, the presence of a diamond adds life and elegance to Mother's Day gifts. Then, even the size and number does not matter as much. Even a smaller diamond present on the gift (gift for mother, gift for her, mother's day jewelry) is a good enough expression of your love for this special lady in your life..

One of the basic aspects about diamonds is that even though these come in a wide variety but can be easily differentiated on the basis of four main characteristics.

Clarity represents the purity of a diamond.

Colour describes the amount of colour the diamond contains. The more commonly bought diamonds are colourless to yellow with slight tints of yellow, gray or brown

Cut refers to the proportions, finish, symmetry, and polish of the diamond. Artistically cut diamonds are more expensive than roughly cut diamonds.

Carat is the unit of weight of a diamond. So, 2 half-carat diamonds taken together will not cost as much as 1 one-carat diamond, as the one-carat stone is rarer.

These should be kept in mind before buying diamond jewelry for her (jewelry for mother) on Mother's Day.

Mother's Day Celebrations in India

Even though giving respect and acknowledging mothers and motherhood is not new to the Indian ideology. But, the concept of Mother's Day or a day dedicated to mothers is something which is very new in India. Most countries including US, Australia, Canada and India celebrate Mothers Day on the second Sunday of May.

Globalisation, has given the recognition to this festival in India. Introduced as a card and gift giving day (for mothers) in the metropolitan cities, Mother's Day is now fast spreading its wings to a wider audience as well. Indians have dedicated this one day in the calender to all mothers and to the selfless spirit that is omnipresent in every mother-child bond.

Everyone tries, in their own special and individual way to make this day special for their mothers. There are various community level programs held in India, with respect to this day. Mother's Day flowers and cards are the favourite among all tokens of love for mothers. It is a day to pamper and make mothers feel special with Mother's Day gifts. Like people across the world, Indians too reflect upon and express gratitude for the immense love and support of their mothers in giving them an identity of their own.

A Gift of Love, Mother's Day Gift Baskets

Mother's Day should be the day for showering our mothers with all the love and affection. It is the time when we wish to pamper her with loads of gifts. This is easily done with so many gift shopping options available in the market these days.

In fact, once you have decided to give Mother's Day gifts which are more than one in number, you do not need go shopping for all the presents one by one as there are several attractive Gift Baskets for mothers available in any gift store around you. Most of these Mothers Day Gift Hampers and Mothers Day Gift Baskets are designed and assembled to suit the occasion and recipient.

The gift baskets can even be customised as per your needs and preferences. At our end, it is important to keep in mind your mothers choice in Mother's Day gifts. Think on what kind of gift hamper your mother is going to appreciate more. It would not be a nice idea to gift her a chocolate Mother's Day Gift Hamper when she is not very much fond of chocolates.

A Memorable Mother's Day Celebration

Mothers Day provides us all with an opportunity to make our mothers feel special and loved. In fact one need not go far when it comes to celebrating this day for mothers. Mother's Day celebrations can be made memorable with just a little effort.

Organising Mother's Day festivities need not be extensive and detailed. Simple, fun activities can add a lot of value to your celebrations. Mother's Day games are a very good idea for a joyful Mothers Day. Outdoor sports, board games, bowling, family video games and jigsaw puzzles, the choice depends on the participants interest and involvement.

Mothers Day can also be made special with a visit or small day trip to a beautiful garden, botanical or wildlife park or a riverside excursion. Another really exciting idea for family time on Mother's Day is a holding a small brunch or an evening tea party for your mother and people close to her.

Taking her to a Theater, Concert, Performance or going sightseeing, shopping with her are also interesting ways to bond with your mother. These small excursions will ensure ample time spent on Mother's Day celebrations at home coupled with an outing of a couple of hours, leading to a wholesome experience for your mom on this day.

Some Inexpensive Homemade Mother's Day Gifts

Crafts may either be presented as Mother's Day gifts or utilised as a decorative for a Mother's Day celebration. If you are looking forward to making some interesting crafts for your mother, you can find some ideas here.

Mother's Day Scrapbook – These are the perfect solution for a thoughtful Mother's Day gift idea. One can use pictures, thoughts in the form of words, poems, letters, messages and also present the scrapbook with as much ornamentation as possible.

Mothers Day Collage – A collage is a photo story book. The size and scale of the collage though depends on your resources and the extent of effort you are willing to put in such Mother's Day gifts.

Picture Frames for Mom – One can construct a Mother's Day picture frame using many materials wooden twigs, foam, plastic.

Diary for Mother – Anything and everything you have wanted to say over the years should be presented in the form of a diary to your mum. You can even gift her a self decorated diary which she can fill with her thoughts and ideas.

Necklaces/Bracelets/Pendants/Key chain – Beads, glass, white metal, plastic, thread, there are many items that can go in making a handmade, inexpensive yet priceless jewelry on Mother's Day.

Flower Wreath/Flowers in a flower Basket – There could not be a simpler gift than these Mother's Day crafts for your mom. All you need is handpicked flowers and some imagination in terms of presentation of colours and variety of these fragrant gifts (Mother's Day flowers).

Writing a Card for Your Mother on Mother's Day

Mother's Day is coming and you have started preparing for it already. After all we all want it to be an extra special occasion for our mothers.

Every other preparation is going on as planned, but writing a Mother's Day card is troubling you. How to express everything you are feeling in just a few lines or words? To begin with, one has to remember when writing any kind of message is that it should come straight from your heart. Then, whether you are writing a message, a note, poem or even a song or story, it does not matter. What matters is the honesty of your feelings. If it is a heartfelt message then the end result of your effort has to be beautiful, there is no two ways about it. The language, the presentation can do with some work after you are done with the write-up. The corrections though, should not change the overall meaning of your message.

If you are making a traditional homemade card and are willing to put in that extra bit of creative effort, there are many ways this can be done. A card can be decorated and made more presentable with just a little creativity. Glitter, colour pencils, water and oil colours, highlights can be used to add colour and shine to your card. Also, paper, cloth, card stock, buttons, threads and other add ons can be used to make your card look prettier.

A scrapbook, a diary or a collage are all forms of cards, if we look at a card in terms of Mother's Day gifts or Mother's Day presents or as a means of expressing ourselves. Either ways, cards can be as elaborately done or as simple as a single message on a card procured when doing gift shopping.

Baisakhi Customs and Traditions

Baisakhi is celebrated with energy and verve during the harvest season in mid April every year. It is a festival of the Sikh community of India and across the world. Although the term Baisakhi comes from Vaisakhi which has been derived from the word Vaishakh, a month of the Hindu calender. Indians of other regions and cultures too celebrate a harvest festival but they call it Vaisakhi. The basis of the two occasions, though, differs. Here are the various traditions and customs of Baisakhi.

Gurdwara Rituals
People of Sikh faith wake up early in the morning on Baisakhi day and visit gurdwaras to attend special prayer meetings. At the gurdwara, Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of Sikhs is taken out ceremoniously and given a bath with milk and water and placed on its throne. The book is then read out to the followers gathered in the gurdwara.

After chanting of the sacred verses, amrit or holy nectar is prepared in an iron vessel and distributed amongst all gathered. Devotees sip amrit five times with a vow to work for the brotherhood, the Khalsa Panth, after which kirtans are sung by the people gathered.

At noon, after the Baisakhi ardas, the Karah Prasad or sweetened semolina is offered to the guru for his blessings. It is then distributed to the congregation. The ceremony culminates with a special guru-ka-langar or the community lunch.

Baisakhi Processions
Processions are held in which Guru Granth Sahib is taken out in a procession. At the head of the procession are the Panj Piaras (symbolize the journey made by the five fearless devotees from their homes to Anandpur, to be baptised by Guru Gobind Singh). The procession moves through the city to be welcomed by citizens and members of social and cultural societies. Colourful bhangra and gidda dance and mock duels are performed during Baisakhi processions.

Men wear the headgear (bana) of Guru Nanak and also of Guru Gobind Singh. In their discourse at the end of the ceremony, Sikh religious leaders express the need to promote charity by people of all ages.

Other Festivities
"Jatta aai Baisakhi". Baisakhi is New Year’s for the large farming community of Punjab and Haryana. It is also the time to harvest the rabi crop. Buying and wearing new clothes, singing and dancing to festive tunes are all a part of Baisakhi celebrations. In rural areas of Punjab, Baisakhi fairs are organised where many recreational activities are held among which wrestling bouts are a major attraction.

Baisakhi – The Harvest Festival – An Introduction

Baisakhi or Vaisakhi is an ancient harvest festival, a Sikh religious festival of Punjab.

Punjab here refers to the region that is defined by five waters or rivers and falls in India and Pakistan. These five waters are Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej and Beas. Here Punjab refers to a cultural demarcation, the reference to Punjab is not geographical.

The term Vaisakhi is a direct association with the Vaishakha period of April and May. This festival falls on the first day of the Baisakh month of the solar Nanakshahi calender which correlates to April 14 of the Gregorian calender.

Baisakhi is, foremost, a celebration of the Sikh new year. One of the most important Sikh holidays, this festival also commemorates laying the foundation of the Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib in 1699 by the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh.

Other Variations of The Festival
India, being an agrarian society has many parallel festive occasions with a similar basis. So, Baisakhi is celebrated as the beginning of a new solar year not only in Punjab but in many other places of India (with similar or different names) like Kerala, Orissa, West Bengal and in Nepal too. The Baisakhi festival also finds many regional variations in other Indian states namely Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Assam, Tripura, Tamil Nadu and across the borders as well (Pakistan and Sri Lanka).

Mother's Day Celebrations – An Introduction

Mother's Day is celebrated in over 46 countries across the globe. And, even though the exact date of the celebrations might differ, the feelings behind the occasion remain the same.

This is one occasion which has both personal and the society's emotions associated with it. In many countries special prayer services are held in churches in honour of mothers. Since Mother's Day is observed as a holiday in many countries, people organise community Mother's Day celebrations. In several schools, celebrations of Mothers Day include various activities like games, skits, songs and plays to honour all mothers.

Children, in general, love to treat and pamper their mothers on this day. This involves taking over her responsibilities and home duties for the day. They also present her with special Mother's Day cards and make handmade gifts or arrange for Mother's Day gifts to show their respect and affection for their mother.

Cakes, cookies and pies are the favourite dishes prepared on the occasion of Mothers Day. Some consider having dinner at home with the family as an ideal way of celebrating Mothers Day, others go out for that special meal with family. People staying away from their families spend the day with their mothers, grandmothers or the mother figure most important in their lives.

It Is Good Friday

Good Friday 2010 is on Friday, 2nd April. Also known as Good Friday of the Lord's Passion, Holy Friday, Great Friday, Good Friday is the Friday in the holy week right before Easter Sunday. This Christian festival is observed as the day on which Jesus was crucified and when he died. His resurrection three days later is celebrated on Easter Day.

Christian churches celebrate Good Friday with an evening service in which Christ’s death is remembered with solemn hymns, prayers of thanksgiving and a message centered on Christ's suffering for the sake of humanity and observance of the Lord's Supper.

Christians spend this holiday in fasting, prayer, repentance and meditation on the agony and suffering of Christ on the cross. Good Friday commemorates not just history but the sacrifice of Christ and his resurrection is the central basis of the Christian faith.

Some Very Special Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Mothers are one of the most selfless and giving of all. They are the basic foundation on which all our relationships prosper. The least that we can do is celebrate their presence and contribution in making us who we are.

If you cherish your mother's simplicity and wisdom more than anything else, then you should choose Mother's Day gifts for her keeping this in mind.

Day Trip with Your Mother
Find about some locations that are close and accessible and which she might love. From natural parks, amusement parks to trips to historically, culturally relevant places or popular destinations, head out to places which can be covered in a span of a day.

Books for Your Mom on Mother's Day
A book lover or just interested in absorbing different thoughts through the written word or maybe inclined towards ideas that inspire or fiction/non-fiction written by famous and influential people in history. All these point towards a person who is passionate about reading. Well, if you know something like this about your mother then your choice of Mother's Day gifts has to be a collection of good books.

Tickets to Her Favourite Event
So, your mother loves going to culturally relevant places. Her interest lies in being constantly updated about events and happenings in the city or town. You can arrange for Mother's Day celebration for her that includes a visit to her favourite event, be it related to art, music, shopping, fashion, ancient heritage, travel and so on.