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If you plan ahead a little, you can target getting just that perfect gift for someone special in your life. And here are some tips to help you with your planning.

Choosing Products and / or Services

Gifts can be divided up into two main groups: products and services. A service gift would be something along the lines of a certificate for house cleaning, yard maintenance, carpet cleaning, baby sitting or errands and grocery shopping. And products generally fall into two categories: perishable and non-perishables. Issues to note here with regards to giving service certificates or products follow.

Service Certificate Tips

- Unless the actual *doer* of the service is a family member or friend, the certificate generally comes with an expiration date to keep up with the economy, availability and pricing for business purposes. So you*d need to watch the timing here so that it does not conflict with the recipient's plans.

Make sure the service is offered in the location of the recipient, and not just where you are (unless it is one in the same, of course).

- See if the certificate is transferable just in case the recipient cannot use it and would like to trade it or give it away. The reason for non-use could be simply that time was going to expire, and it would be a shame for your gift to go to waste.

Ask about a nice greeting card when purchasing certificates. Some companies include free ones to place your certificate inside and use for mailing.

Product Buying Tips

-When possible, purchase a gift certificate for products so that the recipient can choose the perfect gift on the own * and have a fun shopping experience.

When giving a personalized gift, do ask for correct spellings of names and nicknames; otherwise purchase the gift with an engraving certificate so that the recipient can have the correct spellings done.

-When giving perishable items, beware hot seasons for sending items like chocolate and flowers. Shippers need to send them via quicker delivery times when temperatures are over 70-degrees Fahrenheit or pack goods like chocolate in dry ice, which means more money in shipping and handling costs.

-Regardless of what you give, be it a service certificate or product, remember this: Many times people get caught up in their festive environment * and hectic times with newborns, and forget to thank givers. So don*t take it personally and do follow up with a call and / or visit.

Thank you!