As I sit in my girlfriend, Jennifer's salon, donning a plastic cape, hair slathered with tingly chemicals, I'm overhearing her conversation with a client. She's admiring the single flower in a bud vase at Jennifer's station. She's asking if it's from her garden. {Jennifer has an amazingly brilliant green thumb} Jennifer laughs and whispers, "It's artificial! It was a gift." The lady was taken aback and said it was beautiful anyway. I chuckled to myself because I brought that flower to Jennifer earlier this year. I'd heard of some sad news she got and wanted to make her smile. Not every situation requires a big pricey bouquet of filler flowers that are just going to be thrown out in a week. Usually, you just want to let someone know that you care about them and what they're going through.
There are so many alternatives to the traditional congratulatory bouquet of flowers or bereavement house plant it'll make your head spin! How many stuffed animals wearing a graduation cap does your 18 year old niece need?
Of course, every situation calls for a different type of expression of your friendship, sympathy or love. Why not make a more personal gesture? Here are some suggestions...
{New Baby}
LL Bean offers Boat and Tote bags that can be personalized. Any seasoned parent knows that new Moms carry lots of stuff everywhere they go. As soon as the baby has been named, I place my order and include the child's name embroidered beautifully on the front. {using my LL Bean card to receive free monogramming and shipping, of course!} The bags come in tons of colors. Depending on how much I want to spend on this gift, I'll pick up a bathingsuit and towel that match the color scheme and place them inside the bag and wrap it up prettily {or handsomely}. Who doesn't love baby bathing suits? They are quite possibly the cutest thing next to the new born baby itself!
http://www.llbean.com
{Graduation}
Money is always a big hit with recent graduates. But why not make it more interesting? If they're going away to college or moving, go on line and check out the area where they'll be spending the next few years. Chances are, it's a new place they aren't familiar with. Print up a list of local {cheap} coffee shops, eateries and markets. Put cash, gift cards or checks inside a wallet or decorative envelope and place them in a gift bag.
{Sympathy}
We can all agree on one thing, funeral flowers are incredibly pricey. Once the funeral is over, the family usually doesn't see your gift again. While this isn't the purpose of the gesture, here's an idea I use every time in place of bereavement flowers. 
There's a fantastic company called The Trees Remember. They plant a tree in designated U.S. National Forests in honor of your loved one. "The trees are planted where they are needed most to once again create a verdant and balanced environment."
The family is sent a beautiful certificate and a tree pendant as a keepsake.
http://thetreesremember.com
{Wedding}
Each and every wedding is different as is every couple. Some are young and just starting out and they need everything. Maybe they registered for all the items they would like to have in their new home, maybe they could use cash for their honeymoon, or maybe they have been together for what seems like forever and already have a home filled with all of their favorite things. You know your friends and family better than anyone and can decide how best to honer the bride and groom. If you're stumped, here's idea I have yet to use but I think it's so fun!
This company, Artificer Woodworks, creates a beautiful engraved wooden box that holds three bottles of wine. Each of the three compartments are labeled with "Open on Your 1st, 5th and 10th Anniversary". The inside of each lid can be personalized and filled with wines you provide. This allows you to chose wines that mean something to the happy couple. Maybe you will select wines that you know they enjoy, those from a region that is special to them or local varieties. I love this idea because it is completely personalized. The couple will know how much care you put into this special gift.
https://artificerwoodworks.com/wineforawedding/classic-trio
No matter what the occasion is, there are tons of alternatives out there. All that really matters is that you are thinking about the recipient.And that realistic looking single flower in the bud vase, I got that at Marshall's!
You Can Do It!
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