LOL, Melati--I WISH!!! We'll probably have to make that direction a whole *nuther plan*--maybe next-year's anniversary! Dave--thank you so much, too!! I'm definitely going to have to have 'a plan'!! Now, tell me this *you guys* with the extensive collections you already have--what in the world do I bring you, that you DO NOT ALREADY HAVE??? I'm getting nervous!!! My 'picken's are such 'small potatoes' compared with anyone you've suggested visiting, including yourselves!! LOL btw--do NOT fear--I would NEVER ask you for a piece of your hosta! I only tease on the forum, with such boldness, (and with those I've already 'traded' with) but in 'real life' I'd be horrified to do that!! Just not the way I wuz brought up--southern roots, ya know--well, maybe you don't but trust me--they're still in 'there'!!! :o) And, if I go over a certain one you have--I AM NOT hinting for you to bring out the shovel, okay? I'm just enthusiastic about ANYTHING I see that I think is awesome, admirable, or beautiful, and for the life-of-me, I cannot refrain from letting my appreciation be known!!! :o/ So--DO NOT--DO NOT let my enthusiasm make you squirm nor compelled to dig up a perfectly beautiful clump, destroying it's symmetry for the rest of the season, JUST to give me a piece of it, cause I'm excited by it's maturity and beauty!!! Seriously--I will, undoubtedly, LOVE them ALL!!! And, I can wait to get whatever it is I may be 'blown away' about, someday--but--I may be taking copious notes, if you don't mind!! ;o)

We're planning a closet -- typical hall closet size -- that'll have a lock instead of a doorknob; thus, it'll be accessible only to me and my husband. This closet'll have shelves top to bottom, and maybe basket type shelves on the inside of the door for bows, ribbons and so forth. The closet will serve a couple purposes: - gun safe - purchased-ahead gifts - gift wrap - a small amount of cash that we keep on hand As for buying ahead, I do pretty well with it. It's rare that I buy something that just sits around forever and ends up at Goodwill. When I wrap things, I just do basic wrap and use a sticky note to remind me what the item is. I add the bow at the last minute so that I can stack boxes without messing up th wrappers. I like the idea of putting your gift wrap items near the dining room. Practical and efficient.

I gave both of my kids a grad party when they graduated from HS. Both were essentially the same. Sunday afternoon around 2 pm. Lots (LOTS) of munchies - chips, dips, veggies, cookies, brownies, cheese, that sort of thing. No activities were planned. I invited my close friends, and they invited their friends. I served wine for the adults, cokes for the kids. Everyone sat around munching & schmoozing and a good time was had by all. Simple. For gifts, I recommend things that have to do with the college they will be going to (for those who are going). T-shirt, sweat shirt, rug for dorm room, blanket, etc, with college logo. If they are going away to another city, books with information on that city. Mostly my kids got checks for gifts, but a few people gave them what I just named above and they liked those gifts a lot.

Ok. I guess I'm outvoted :) I think of the "service industry" as like people like merry maids or something. Like my cleaning lady in our FL house, she comes and cleans and leaves, cleaning houses is her only job, and we don't really chat. This is a much friendlier relationship. No one I know who has household help in our area gives them an annual cash bonus. Everyone does gifts, which are sometimes cash and sometimes other things. When we've done cash gifts in the past, the gifts have been equal to around a week's salary though... So I guess you could call it a bonus... Edited to add- I like what kswl did with the carpet cleaning, giving something that was something useful, but also more personal than just handing off an envelope of cash. I wish I could think of something like that... This post was edited by beaglesdoitbetter on Tue, Dec 9, 14 at 21:45