Holidays
A Guy’s Guide to Gift Giving, a.k.a The Guide to Delighting the Wonderful Women in Your Life
By
Oct 27, 2007, 19:28

(ARA) - Right about now, most men are faced with the classic shopping quandary: What gift will delight the special woman in my life? Closets and drawers, shelves and storage bins are already filled to overflowing. Stuff she’s got, but time, not.

Time to kick back and take it easy for a few days or even a few hours; time for pampering. Between home and work, email and cell phones, women struggle with an endless list of household and child-rearing chores.

It’s no surprise that they feel there’s never enough “me” time. This year the answer is simple for every guy seeking the ideal gift – a ticket to pamper-land in the form of a gift card for a relaxing bed-and-breakfast getaway will be her favorite gift this holiday season.

The hottest new trend in retailing, gift cards are a guy’s dream gift and a lady’s delight. Archstone Consulting’s 2007 Holiday Gift Card Survey examined the shopping habits of more than 1,000 Web users, finding that gift card purchases are expected to increase 25 percent over 2006.

During the 2007 holiday season, $35 billion in gift card sales are predicted, with the average American family spending $184 on gift cards. According to the survey, men spend on average 32 percent more than women on gift cards and 90 percent of the highest per gift card expenditures ($200-pkus per card) are purchased by men.

Starting in 2004, gift cards replaced apparel as the gift purchase of choice, with approximately two-thirds of consumers purchasing at least one of them. So men, out with the sexy nightie and in with the plastic. Your lady wants a say in her gift this year and chances are, she’ll choose to be pampered.

Guys, gift cards are the easiest way to give luxurious indulgence with the least amount of energy. For the women on your list - including wives/girlfriends, mothers, sisters, and daughters - who have everything but time to relax, the gift of a getaway is a pampering gift card from your favorite getaway location.

For the gift of a relaxing B&B escape, one idea is The Getaway Gift Card from BedandBreakfast.com, welcomed at nearly 4000 B&Bs in the United States and Canada and conveniently sold in $50 and $100 denominations in thousands of Costco, Wal-Mart, CVS, and Rite Aid stores. Stuck on ideas for the perfect present?

Wrap your gift of getaway in a new travel cosmetic case, enclosed handsome carry-on suitcase, and you have a gift that’s sure to thrill. Another idea – pick up a wicker basket, and fill it with a bottle of wine or sparkling cider, two champagne flutes, a small box of fine chocolates, and a gift card, setting a romantic mood before you even leave home.

If you’d rather do your shopping online, just go to www.BedandBreakfast.com where you can buy and instantly print a customized B&B gift card, complete with your personalized message and choice of design. You can even upload a photo of you and your lucky lady right onto your BedandBreakfast.com gift card.

Best of all, BedandBreakfast.com gift cards have no fees, expiration or blackout dates, and shipping is always free. Order from your own computer and in less than five minutes you have a gift that’s sure to bring a smile and a kiss or maybe even two. For a fancier touch, call 800-GO-B-AND-B, and gift cards can be sent from BedandBreakfast.com in foil-lined envelopes with a free 64-page directory, a $5.95 value. And guess what? She won’t be the only lucky one. She’ll surely want to take you along, so you get to enjoy your gift together!

A “pamper-me” gift card will be the hottest gift this holiday season. While you’re at it, couldn’t you use some pampering too? Buy the gift of getaway for her and get a little pampering for you too.

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