Birthday Comments

The Fun and Delight of Birthday Candles by Scott Goodman

Birthday candles appeared once the very practical side of candles disappeared. No longer used to bring light to people’s homes, candles were given other roles. The birthday custom of decorating the cake with candles counting the number of years was not present two hundred years ago; it is actually of a very recent date. Birthday candles are an important accessory for any party that celebrates some ones anniversary, children usually love them but there is no age limit. Some adults really enjoy blowing them out and make a wish.

Birthday candle types

A burning candle always brings a ray of joy to any party and a warm feeling of happiness. The blowing off tradition is a very spread custom present in many cultures and countries, it is almost a general fact to see birthday candles on party cakes. Some say that candles will bring light and joy to the celebrated person who will blow all birthday candles at once. Research has shown that such candles were used for the first time by the Greeks who lit candles on the ceremonial cakes made especially for Goddess Artemis. Though is not a Christian habit, this custom was later accepted by most Christians.

Some of the best birthday candles are made by the Germans who are famous for the variety of decorative items that can be used as ornaments on a cake. There are several types of birthday candles; the age candles are usually used on birthdays, the number of candles placed on the cake stand for the number of years of the celebrated person, if it is too large a number and you can’t actually place 40 candles on a cake because you risk to ruin the cake, a number birthday candle can be used.

Other types of candles are party candles and character birthday candles. Party candles are especially used at carnivals, and they come in a variety of colors, sizes and shapes. Character birthday candles are preferred by kids who usually love to see their favorite cartoon or story character on their birthday cake. It is both innovative and fun.

How about trick birthday candles?

The funny thing with this kind of birthday candles is that when you blow them they re-light themselves, they are a big surprise not just for children, but for grown-ups too, you can really make a funny joke if you play the trick on someone close to you. The thing that makes the fire come back is that the wick contains magnesium that can re-light it several times.

Scott Goodman writes about many different subjects. For more information and articles about Candles please visit Candle Flame News.

Article Source: ArticlesArticles.Net

Ideas On What You Might Do For Your Grandmothers Birthday by Victor Epand

OK…I’ve got the idea, but I hope you’re the creative type! What a fun idea! I am guessing that your Grandma enjoys Elvis…I hope so, anyhow!

OK, for an invitation, I’d make a simple round shape out of black construction paper. (And then fashion it to look like a record album). I’d glue that onto either a plain invitation or make your own invitations & glue the “record” onto the front. Inside, I’d make a “story” type of invitation using Elvis song names. I will list many for you to consider/try working into the invite. Your RSVP line could be: “Make Me Know It”(and then have R.S.V.P. in parenthesis).

Here goes my best, quick & lame attempt to show you what the heck I’m talking about. I’d either underline or put in quotes the song titles. The most fun part about this is to NOT tell anyone other than the essential party planners that there will be an Elvis impersonator at the party…Keep them guessing!

Since (grandma’s name) is “Always on My Mind”, and “I Believe” she loves the “Night Life”, you are invited to join our surprise celebration of her 80th Birthday. “Are You Lonesome Tonight”…If so, come and catch the “Fever”, and get “All Shook Up”. Share in making new “Memories”! “C’mon everybody”, “Don’t Be Cruel”, “Help Me” throw a “Fairytale” of a party for(Grandma’s name)! “I’m Counting on you” (”Do you know who I am”) to bring my party planning to a “Happy Ending”. “A Little Less Conversation” & a little more R.S.V.P.-ing “Make Me Know It”…

And then follow with party info, date, time & place!

If you are in a private or secluded area of the restaurant, you could do a slide show to some music. Photos are really easy to scan these days and burn to a disc. Use someones’ laptop and rent a screen and Proximal projector (AV equipment rentals are very reasonable for one night. Maybe, $75 for both). Bring a CD player and download a few songs (and burn to a CD)that would match your grandmother’s personality. Most slide shows should not be longer than 6 mintues length. Ask you relatives to volunteer a few photos so several different decades of her life and extended family is covered.

If the slide show is not your cup of tea, you could do a “roast” of your grandmother. Pick your funniest relatives and have them do a short essay they can each read to roast your grandmother. Probably 3 to 5 “roasters” would be enough.

Toast by generations… Have 3 or four generations of people give a toast to your grandmother ’s birthday and what it has meant to them to have her in there life.

Create a memory book (scrap book) that can be given to your grandmother during dinner. Contact your family members and have them submit pictures and short stories of their most memorable times with your grandmother. The same can be done with everyone writing a thank you note for the things she has done or ways she has influenced them in their lives. Combine all the notes in one keep sake book for your grandmother to take home from the dinner.

Ask the restaurant if they have an easel you can barrow for the evening. Get a poster size piece of particle board and cover with black felt or flannel. Take a picture of your grandmother and have it blown up 8X10 or 11X14. Glue the picture to poster board. Cut the picture in to puzzle pieces (like 5 or 6 pieces). Put some Velcro on the back of each puzzle piece. Again, ask 5 or 6 people to make a toast or say something nice about your grandmother and what she has meant to them. After they are through, have them put the puzzle piece on the easel. When the last person makes their toast and puts their puzzle piece on the easel, there is a complete picture of your grandmother on the board. Another idea might be to do the same, but a picture of all the grandchildren.

Finally, you could by a scrap book and a Polaroid camera. Also purchase the little stickers that hold the corners of the photo on to the pages of the scrap book. Assign one of your high school age attendees to take a Polaroid picture of everyone that is attending the dinner. Have the guest put their picture in the scrap book and write a note to your grandmother next to their photo. Be sure to buy a scrap book large enough to hold all of the guests. Same goes for film and photo corner stickers. Also, black scrapbooks with silver or gold pens for writing look very nice when complete.

Victor Epand is an expert commentator at http://www.CustomDesignPostcards.com. Visit us when you need to make custom designed holiday, gift, and invitation cards, as well as business cards and brochures. We are the only design utility that lets you download the print-ready images!

Article Source: ArticlesArticles.Net

Birthday invitation - Some Fun Ideas for Adults’ Parties by Stephen Turner

Every adult likes to get an invitation to a birthday party, and adults like to throw them too. Themed parties, fancy dress parties, black tie affairs and milestone parties are all fun. Here are a few birthday invitation and birthday party ideas that you might like to use for your birthday party or a friend’s party to give it extra spice, novelty and excitement.

Birthday Invitation Ideas

There are plenty of opportunities for a little fun at the birthday honouree’s expense when sending out birthday invitations. First you have to offer to do the invitations on behalf of the honouree. Then the fun can begin. A photo of the honouree at school, or dressed in suspect fashion for a night out, or posing on the beach. They can all form the basis for great birthday invitations. And of course, if you have the computer know-how, photographs can be touched up and altered using programs like Photoshop. Ask around to see if you know anyone who might be able to help with the high tech stuff. Otherwise, there is always the teacher’s favourite, cut and paste!

Memories

A good idea for surprise parties is to compile a photo album of old photographs which can be presented as a special birthday present at the party. This will take a bit of organisation in advance. A nice idea is to have guests write some comments under the photographs, the more humorous the better. Or you can go one further and have each guest design a page of the book. In this way, each page will be different, which makes for a vibrant and fun gift. Some people put in photos, others write poems, others songs, and some attach bits of memorabilia. These are just a few ideas that you can give the guests in advance if they are unsure what to do with their page.

Milestone Years: 40, 50, 60, 70 etc

Milestone Birthdays can be great fun. An idea that works well as a semi surprise party is to offer to prepare the birthday invitation on behalf of the birthday honouree, and then to send out invitations made up like an obituary. Use a black and white picture of the birthday boy or girl in their younger years. Make the obituary as funny and warm as you can, but take great liberties with factual information, and have the deceased die in as ridiculous a manner as possible, but have the death in some way fitting with the person’s interests. A golfer dies on the golf course, attacked by squirrels on the 18th green. You get the idea. Then you can have each guest write their own obituary for the deceased, which can be read out at dinner. You can have pall bearers for the cake, a 21 cap gun salute, guests could be primed to wear black arm bands or black party hats, and any other funny idea you can think of. The key is that the surprises keep coming all through the party.

A Themed Party

Themed parties are not just for kids. Adults love them too, so you could arrange one based around a special interest. As with all themed parties, every aspect of the party from the birthday invitations, the decor, the guests’ mode of dress, should reflect the theme. You can give prizes for costumes, and have all sorts of associated games. The old favourites like musical chairs can work as well for adults as for kids. So get in touch with the big kid in you and hold a great birthday party!

© Stephen Turner 2006. Stephen has set up http://www.invitationbirthday.co.uk. You’ll find birthday invitation information, ideas, articles and links. This article may be reproduced provided that this ‘author resource box’ paragraph is displayed below the article.

Article Source: ArticlesArticles.Net

Ukulele Tab: Learn To Play Happy Birthday To You by Peter Edvinsson

An ukulele can be used to play chords when you sing but you can also play melodies. It’s fun and quite easy to learn melodies on your uke with ukulele tab. Let’s learn to play Happy Birthday To You!

As many people know “Happy Birthday to You” is a song which is sung to celebrate a person’s birth. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, “Happy Birthday to You” is the most popular song in the English language.

Here is the most common lyrics. “Peter” is to be replaced by the name of the celebrating person.

Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday dear “Peter”,
Happy birthday to you.

I use my own form of ukulele tab for articles like this to be sure that the tabs are readable on article sites. The more common ukulele tab staff notation can be found on my site with ukulele tabs and free sheet music.

The string with the highest pitch is usually an A and is called the first string. The first string is the string nearest your feet when you play your uke.

The first notes in the song are on the third string.

The first number indicates the fret. The second number after the slash tells you which string to play. Here is the first line of lyrics and the ukulele tab:

Happy birthday to you,

0/3 0/3 2/3 0/3 1/2 0/2

0/3 indicates that you play the third string with your right hand thumb for example without pressing down any left hand finger. It is called to play on the open third string.

This type of ukulele tab doesn’t indicate the length of the notes. I guess you hear that the first two notes are short and the last note long.

Let’s play the next line:

Happy birthday to you,

0/3 0/3 2/3 0/3 3/2 1/2

3/2 means that you press down a left hand finger on the third fret of the second string. I haven’t told you anything about which left hand finger to press down on the frets on your ukulele.

You can use your first finger for all the notes but a more professional approach is to play the notes on the first fret with your first finger, the notes on the second fret with your long finger and the notes on your third fret with your ring finger.

Maybe it’s difficult at first but with practice it will be easier for you to find the right notes. You don’t even have to look at your fingers to find the right fret if you get accustomed to this way of playing.

The next line comes now:

Happy birthday dear “Peter”,

0/3 0/3 3/1 0/1 1/2 0/2 2/3

You know what the ukulele tab above tells you by now.

The last line comes here:

Happy birthday to you.

1/1 1/1 0/1 1/2 3/2 1/2

Now you can play Happy Birthday To You on your ukulele and you are prepared for the next birthday party!

Actually you can play this melody with the use of the above ukulele tab notation on a guitar also. The first three strings are tuned the same way but not in the same pitch.

The ukulele tab notation I have used is good for finding the notes but I recommend you to learn the melody by heart so you can play it anytime and anywhere!

Peter Edvinsson is a musician, composer and music teacher. Visit his site Capotasto Music and download your free sheet music and ukulele tab at http://www.capotastomusic.com

Article Source: ArticlesArticles.Net

What To Buy A Child On His Or Her Birthday by Sandra Stammberger

Children need to get just the right gifts each year for their birthdays. It is a hard thing to do, choose a gift for a child but you can do it, especially with a little help from the internet. Online you can find all of the best gifts for all ages and pay less for them too. If you are expected to buy a gift for a baby or a young child you will be bale to get one in no time flat when you shop online.

Some of the best toys for kids are the ones that grow with them. These include ride on toys and many other great options. Many of these kinds of start out as activity centers and then become toys that the child can push, like a walker. Some have two stages while others have three. It is amazing what they have come up with when it comes to children’s toys. These are always a big hit and your money is never wasted because it can take years for a child to grow out of these types of learn as you grow toys.

Little girls love to get toys like Barbie’s and princess castles and figurines. Even little crowns are available at most toy stores. No little girl should be without a crown, and you can get it and make her day this year! Almost all of the toy stores online have these little gifts.

When it comes to getting toys for boys tings are just as easy. There are plenty of great action figures out there to choose form, just ask the parents what cartoons he watches and go from there. You may even want to consider getting him some toy cars these too are always a big hit.

Birthdays are big days for the kids and they deserve to enjoy them. Just remember that getting the best toy does not always mean getting the most expensive one.

S. Stammberger is editor of Kids Kids.
Free parenting tips on children’s behavior, activities for children and parenting resources for families and professionals.

Article Source: ArticlesArticles.Net

Look no Further For Birthday Gifts For Her by John Smith

Do you feel as though Birthday Gifts for Her have almost been a nightmare to choose in the past? Well, fear no more as, among a wide range of fabulous, indulgent gift ideas here are just a few for you to tempt the lovely lady in your life.

A novel and completely unique Birthday gift for her is a Name a Star Gift Box that lets you name a star after that special someone. Imagine having a unique star named just after you? She’s going to love it and you, and it’ll never go away. The Name a Star Gift is presented in a sleek metal gift box and contains everything you need to dedicate a star to that special someone, including a personalised certificate with your chosen star name. The Name a Star gift box contains everything the recipient needs to register their name with the Intergalactic Star Database for a gift that truly lasts a lifetime, including a sleek steel presentation box, the name a star introduction letter, a personalised certificate with star name, star co-ordinates certificate, facts about her named star’s position, a guide to star astronomy starter pack, a night sky book, a star chart and planisphere to locate her actual star. Only a small number of stars in our sky actually have names allocated to them; the majority are nameless and are distinguished by their catalogue number only, so this birthday gift for her entitles her to name a unique star on the Intergalactic Star Database. Once the chosen star name is registered, the name of her star will be stored on the database for eternity. See the stars shine in her eyes with this heavenly gift!

Or, should your special lady be more at home in the garden than up in the air with the stars, what about a Name a Rose Gift Box as a memorable birthday gift for her? It’s the ultimate dedication - naming a rose with this unique romantic gift. It’s your chance to show your loved one just how special they are by naming a unique pack of rose seeds after them so that they can grow into a beautiful rose bush to cherish forever. Roses are one of the most popular garden shrubs, as well as the most popular and commonly sold florists’ flowers. In addition to their great economic importance as a florist’s crop, roses are also of great value to the perfume industry. Many thousands of rose hybrids and cultivars have been bred and selected for garden use. Twentieth-century rose breeders generally emphasized size and colour, producing large, attractive blooms with little or no scent. Many wild and “old-fashioned” roses, by contrast, have a strong sweet scent. Naming her rose is easy - just follow the simple instructions included within the sleek metal gift box. The Name a Rose Gift Box is an especially romantic example of personal birthday gifts for her, and the set includes everything needed to commemorate your love: a sleek presentation box, an introductory letter, the rose registration card, a unique pack of seeds with corresponding database number, details how to grow and care for your rose booklet (including tips from planting to bush care), A3 double sided beautiful rose calendar poster, and finally, a history of the rose information card. As birthday gifts for her go, there won’t be any thorny issues over this one, will there?

An especially popular birthday gift for her idea is the Photographic Portrait Gift Pack that capture the moment forever. It’s unique & very personal, and is relaxed and informal, representing the spontaneity and life of modern families. This really is a fantastic birthday gifts for her, which enables a moment to be captured forever. Now, how many other gifts can you say that about? Any subject can be photographed, from the tiniest of newborn babies to all generations of the family. The relaxed photo session will last up to twenty minutes, during which time the photographer will use a selection of backgrounds and props, along with the latest lighting styles to create a series of images. Your lovely lady is welcome to bring along any items that she wishes to be included in the portrait, baby’s favourite teddy, for example. The popular birthday gift for her portrait entitles her to a photo session and an 8×10 colour portrait of her choice. She can preview her image the same day as photographed, at which time she can select the poses required for her portraits included with the Portrait offer, and purchase additional prints as required. The finished portrait order will be mailed to her home address. The lucky lady will need approximately forty-five minutes for their appointment. And she is allowed to have a maximum of between four and twelve other family members in the studio for the portrait.

Capture that moment forever in a Birthday Gifts for Her that she can treasure and keep…

To explore our range of BirthdayGifts for Her further, please visit our website at http://www.gettingpersonal.co.uk.

Article Source: The Smiling Planet

How to Find Exciting and Original Birthday Gifts For Him by John Smith

Struggling to find perfect birthday gifts for him? Sick and tired of the same old, same old? Would be a stainless steel hip flask engraved with your special message? Imagine - his own uniquely personalised Hip Flask! This stunning gift can be engraved with your message of up to fifty characters for a truly personal present. The hip flask has a capacity of four ounces and features a secure screw top cap. It’s an original and thoughtful gift, ideal for husbands, partners, brothers or boyfriends! A hip flask is a thin flask for holding a distilled beverage; its size and shape are suited to a trouser pocket. The hip flask is popular as commemorative item, often being engraved.

The Modern Drunkard Magazine describes the engraved flask as the best present one can give “and it better have something in it”. The engravings may be short quotes, the recipient’s initials, toasts or signs of friendship. The engraving may also be a date for a memorable occasion. The hip flask began to appear in the form recognised today in the eighteenth century, initially used by members of the gentry. However, less compact versions had been in production for several centuries. Notably, in the middle ages, there are several accounts of gutted fruit being used to store liquor.

During the eighteenth century, women boarding docked British warships would smuggle gin into the ship via makeshift flasks, created from pig’s bladders and hidden inside their petticoats. Following the act of prohibition in 1920s America, the state of Indiana banned the sale of cocktail shakers and hip flasks. Antique hip flasks, particularly those made of silver, are now sought-after collector’s items.

The hip flask appears frequently in comedy, in part because it allows drinking in inappropriate situations where a bottle would not be found. In the Royal Air Force, “hip-flask” is used as code for a revolver. A novel yet historic birthday gift for him, is it not?

Alternatively, send the man’s man on a 4×4 Extreme course at Silverstone, and give him a day of extreme off-roading and a day he’ll never forget! There is no vehicle on earth to match the extraordinary power of the Defender; it will do whatever you ask of it - and more. Silverstone’s challenging purpose-built, off-road course combines steep gradients, big drops and deep water, demanding his full attention as he navigates a tricky obstacle course. It may be slower than walking pace at times, but precision handling and rock solid nerves are definitely required. He will begin his experience with an in car safety briefing, accompanied by a demonstration lap from the instructor. Then it’s into the driving seat as he puts his new-found skills to the test. He may also bring two passengers to ride with him in the car, so the birthday gift for him gets to be witnesses by friends and or family as well! What a unique and fun gift to give!

For an outdoor adventure that will simply make him laugh his socks off, tell your man to hang on for a thrill ride in a Powerboat Zapcat Blast. When he arrives to participate in his birthday gift, he will be given a safety briefing and kitted out with a drysuit and boots. The action begins by a speedy trip out of the bay by the RIB. Then it is on to the main event - the Zapcat. These twin hulled light weight catamarans, designed originally for surf rescue, are now redesigned for short course offshore powerboat racing. All of the Zapcats are the race ready versions, capable of pulling in excess of 2G in a turn; with a power to weight ratio of 340 bhp per tonne, the acceleration is explosive so get him to hang on tight! The total experience lasts approximately three hours and the experience provides him with almost two hours out on the water on a 10.5m 225HP RIB and a Zapcat. Surely a birthday gift for him to beat all birthday gifts?

Last but not least, give him a great opportunity to try out an exhilarating sport - Clay Shooting. What starts out as an addictive hobby quickly becomes a competitive sport. It’s not surprising that clay pigeon shooting is one of the country’s fastest growing sports. If your man has never shot before, this activity gives him an introduction to the sport of formal clay shooting. If he already shoots, the hour will be based around his requirements and will be tailor-made by the Chief instructor, so that he can use the time effectively to brush up on his techniques.

Now don’t say you never know what to give him as a birthday gift, as we’ve proven that there are just so many Gifts and activities for him to experience and enjoy. Go ahead; put a huge smile on his face.

To explore our range of Birthday Gifts further, please visit our website at http://www.gettingpersonal.co.uk.

Article Source: The Smiling Planet

Flowers as Birthday Gifts by Amy Nutt

How often have you struggled to find that perfect birthday gift only to end up buying something trivial and boring? It happens to the best of us and is particularly likely to occur if you are looking last minute for a gift. Flowers are the perfect way to go when you need something that is meaningful.

There are plenty of reasons to give flowers as a birthday gift. Here are just a few:

• Flowers are beautiful and can be chosen to fit the recipient. Even guys will enjoy receiving a more masculine potted flowering plant.

• You can always find flowers, even last minute.

• There are online florists who will allow you to order online for delivery in another state or even country.

• Flowers go with everything. You can pair a bouquet of flowers with a box of chocolates for a romantic gift, tickets to a soccer game for a sports fanatic, or with a stuffed animal as a cute gift for a child.

• Most people don`t think to give flowers as a birthday gift, so chances are, your present will be quite unique.

But just picking up the nearest bunch of flowers isn`t a good way to make your gift meaningful. You want to choose the right flowers for the occasion and this can take a little bit of time and research, though it`s still possible to do it last minute.

Things to Consider When Choosing Flowers

Preferred flowers: Do you know what the favorite flower of the recipient is? Rather than buying generic roses, you`ll find your gift is far more appreciated when you bring a bunch of gerber daisies . . . the birthday girl`s favorites!

Secret messages: Did you know that in Victorian times, flowers were used to send messages? Each flower has a specific meaning and together, they can be used to form a secret, one-of-a-kind message. For example, baby`s breathe means “festivity”, gardenias mean “joy”, and orange blossoms stand for “fertility”. By combining select flowers and providing a key, you can give a very special birthday message.

Long-lasting: If you really aren`t sure which flowers to choose, consider going with longer lasting flowers like daisies, mums or carnations which will stay fresh and lovely for several days to a week. That way the recipient can enjoy them for a long time.

Accessories: There`s no reason to stop with just the flowers. To make your birthday gift truly special, present them in a way that will thrill the recipient. An example would be forget-me-nots in a teacup for someone who enjoys a tea party, a handpainted vase in their favorite colors with their favorite flowers inside, or perhaps a potted plant along with a trowel for planting it in the garden.

Gender: Women aren’t the only ones who enjoy receiving flowers, but for men, you will have to be more selective. Obviously a bunch of roses won`t be the ideal birthday gift for a particularly macho man. Men might prefer something a little more masculine, like a flowering branch or a plant that has plenty of greenery. But don`t overlook flowers as a gift for a male friend . . . over 60% of men say they would like to receive flowers. Combine it with a bottle of celebratory champagne and you`ve got yourself the perfect birthday gift.

Flowers offer true value as a gift, particularly if you personalize them to fit the personality of the person you`ll be giving them to. Don’t fret about flowers not being a suitable gift, they really are one of the best.

Florist located in Toronto offering bouquets and arrangements for any occasion. Including birthday flowers, wedding, mother’s day and sympathy flowers.

Article Source: The Smiling Planet

18th Birthdays: How’d You Celebrate Yours? by John Smith

While some societies have momentous coming of age ceremonies (boys in Papua New Guinea wear a conical hat draped in leaves which reach to below the waist), we in Britain stick to the tried and tested routine of opening 18th birthday gifts in the morning, then spending the day in the pub getting merry.

But while that’s fun, it’s hardly original and many of us do that every weekend, birthday or no birthday. If you want to be a bit more creative, there are all sorts of ideas for celebration themes which are entertaining, and they don’t have to feel like a kid’s party. Here are just a few ideas, along with some suggestions for suitably themed 18th birthday gifts.

A country theme: There are a couple of ways to do this. One is the classic of picking a country and getting everyone to wear appropriate clothing and eat themed food and drink. For example, a Japanese theme could see guests dressed as sumo wrestlers and geisha girls, eating sushi and drinking sake.

Another twist is to do a global theme where every guest comes as a different country. You can even award prizes for whoever manages to wear the most different items relating to their chosen country. And to make things fun, challenge everyone to find 18th birthday Gifts that relate to the country.

A celebrity theme: OK, so you might have been to quite a few parties where guests dress up as famous people, but there are other ways to do it. One is to limit it to celebrities and public figures from the year the birthday guest was born. Another is that everyone has to pick a famous person with the same first name as the birthday guest.

A Krypton Factor theme: Anyone receiving 18th birthday gifts in the next couple of years should still remember this classic show hosted by Gordon Burns. You can adapt it into a day-long event with your own twists, and either make it a contest for everyone, or just a challenge for the person celebrating their birthday.

The mental agility, observation, intelligence and general knowledge rounds will probably be best during the evening when a few drinks will make them more challenging.

That leaves the co-ordination and physical ability rounds for the day time. If you don’t have a flight simulator in your back garden, you could always pick one of the many flight-related ‘experience day gifts’ on the market as one of the 18th birthday gifts.

A football theme: If the birthday boy or girl is football crazy, you could arrange a kick-about, go to a game, wear replica shirts or hold a soccer-based quiz. The beauty of this theme is there are dozens of suitable 18th birthday gifts based around football, so that’s one less thing to worry about.

A tube station theme: Challenge guests to find a costume that relates to one of the London Underground stations. This might seem hard, but there are plenty of possibilities. You could come dressed as Paddington (Bear), Victoria (Queen or Victoria), All Saints or Grange Hill - or if you’re really stuck, just sling on a West Ham shirt. If you live in London, you can make the birthday guest go on a station-based treasure hunt before they get all of their 18th birthday gifts.

An £18 theme: Guests have to come in as stylish, fashionable and trendy a costume as they can put together. The only catch is that their entire outfit from head to toe, including underwear and shoes has to cost less than £18. It will challenge their creativity, and it leaves everyone a bit more cash for those all-important 18th birthday gifts.

A casino theme: This has plenty of possibilities. You can serve Vegas-style cocktails, hold a buffet (though it’s unlikely to be all you can eat), and play a variety of games, whether for cash, drinks or just forfeits for the losers. The dress code is up to you: you can theme it with the black and red of roulette, or go the whole hog with evening dresses and dinner suits and don’t forget that cufflinks make classy 18th birthday gifts.

A golf theme: This can be as simple as a night out dressed in polo shirts and plus-fours or something more elaborate. We don’t recommend visiting 18 watering holes, but an 18-round quiz could make the day memorable particularly if each round is about a year in the birthday guest’s life. Lessons with a pro make great 18th Birthday gifts for golf-lovers.

A party themed around the year of birth: For those getting 18th birthday Gifts in 2008, this gives you the chance to celebrate 1990 with a German-themed party to celebrate the country’s re-unification, or a Russian-themed event to mark the Soviet Union’s collapse.

To explore our range of 18th Birthday Gifts further, please visit our website at http://www.gettingpersonal.co.uk.

Article Source: The Smiling Planet

21st Birthday Gifts Fit For Celebrities by John Smith

Singers, sports stars, actors and other celebrities just seem to be getting younger and younger. These days if you haven’t made it to the big time before you turn 21, you might feel over the hill. Those who do hit the big time can earn so much money and live the high life that it must be tough to pick 21st birthday gifts for them well, tough unless you read our guide to what to get them.

Stars who’ll be getting 21st birthday gifts in 2008:

Hilary Duff (28 September): The Lizzie McGuire actress is now embarking on a singing career. She won’t need a recording studio session bought for her, but if she wants to aim for the retro market, perhaps she’d like a 21st Birthday Classic Years CD & Greeting Card - a CD of songs from the year she was born, 1987.

Chanelle Hayes (11 November): The Big Brother contestant clearly wanted to be a celebrity, but she’s not appeared on many magazine covers lately. Perhaps her friends could console her by including a delux glamour makeover session among her 21st birthday gifts.

Dougie Poynter (30 November): The McFly singer got to number one with Star Girl. For one of his 21st birthday gifts, you could immortalise him by naming a star in his honour with a Name a Star Gift Box.

Stars who’ll be getting 21st birthday gifts in 2009:

Glyn Wise (9 January): The Big Brother runner-up won our hearts when he celebrated cooking an egg for the very first time. His off-the-wall personality makes him the ideal recipient for a you’re a good egg - scream canvas a unique edition of the famous Scream painting that’s been the victim of an egging. Either that, or he might still appreciate an Egg Cup & Timer.

Rihanna (20 February): The singer was number one for 12 weeks with Umbrella, so she’d have nothing to fear from outdoor experience day gifts such as a paintballing for two experience day or a Microlighting Flight Experience Day Gift Pack.

Kathryn Blair (2 March): Her dad Tony had to give back his ministerial red boxes when the family left Downing Street, but he could always buy her a Large Red Beaded Heart - Keepsake Box of her own for treasured keepsakes.

Haley Joel Osment (10 April): The actor saw dead people in The Sixth Sense, so he might do well in real life on a ghost hunting experience.

Micha Richards (24 June): Unfortunately the youngest ever defender to play for England missed out on Euro 2008 along with the rest of the squad. But he’ll still be hoping for World Cup glory in a couple of years and in the meantime he can always dream with his very own Personalised Football Commentary - You’re A Legend.

Sam and Amanda Merchant (26 June): Big Brother’s first ever identical twins loved all things pink. With rumours they’ve made a million from product endorsements, they probably won’t be impressed by expensive 21st birthday Gifts, but you could always help them prepare for a jetsetting lifestyle with a pair of pink Bon Voyage Passport Covers.

Stars who’ll be getting 21st birthday gifts in 2010:

Jake Lloyd (5 March): The Phantom Menace may not have been everyone’s cup of tea, but the boy who played Anakin Skywalker could wash away the bad reviews with a Luke Pondwalker rubber duck.

Peaches Geldolf (16 March): The socialite’s dad didn’t like Mondays, but every day of the week is memorable with a personalised calendar and you wouldn’t need Peaches’s reported £250,000 a year to afford one.

Theo Walcott (16 March): The Emirates stadium has become a second home for the Arsenal staff, but now he can grow his own mini Arsenal pitch using the same grass seed formula as the real thing- with a Grow your own Arsenal Pitch kit.

Hayden Panettiere (21 June): In Heroes she played Claire Bennett, a girl who could heal herself. In real life she’s sure to get cuts and grazes like the rest of us but at least she can make light of it with a box of novelty plasters.

Stars who’ll be getting 21st birthday gifts in 2011:

Emma Watson (15 April): Sadly the woman who played Hermione doesn’t have real-life magic powers (as far as we know!) But she can still amaze her friends with a Little Box of Wizard Tricks.

Princess Eugenie (23 March): With a name like that, you probably have to grow up with a sense of humour. If that’s the case, the princess could see the funny side of a ‘Genie in a Bottle’ bottle stopper. Who knows what she’d pick for her three wishes though.

Stars who’ll be getting 21st birthday gifts in 2012:

Jamie Lynn Spears (4 April): As Britney’s younger sibling, she might appreciate a ’sisters’-themed gift like a fancy photo frame for a snap of the pair.

Stars who’ll be getting 21st birthday gifts in 2013:

Freddie Highmore (14 February): As Freddie played the title role in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, he’d be ideal for a chocolate-themed present. There are dozens of suitable 21st birthday gifts to choose from, ranging from luxury hampers to chocolate-themed murder mystery party kits - A Death by Chocolate - Murder Mystery Game maybe.

To explore our range of 21st Birthday Gifts further, please visit our website at http://www.gettingpersonal.co.uk.

Article Source: The Smiling Planet