search results for
travel
Photo by Jasmine Carter from Pexels
If you know a couple that have just got engaged or you are invited to a shower or an upcoming wedding, you might be wondering what gift you can give them to help celebrate the milestone. Even though on their birthdays or Christmas you get them each a special gift, because it’s a couple gift and the start of their lives together, it needs to be that bit more magical.
But it can be hard to find the perfect gift that you know they’ll love. So to give you some inspiration, here are 15 wonderful ideas you can use – no matter what your preferences or your budget!
- A ‘Wedding Fund’ Box
As the couple is now engaged and planning a life in the future together, it’s likely that they will want to start to save for their dream wedding. Which is why it’s a fabulous idea to get them a ‘wedding fund’ box. These stylish and practical gifts are the perfect gift, allowing them to put dollar notes or whatever money they want into it throughout the years.
Then, when it comes time to finalizing all the details, they will have the money within easy reach! There are a variety of options available online – from money boxes that are ideal for Disney fans to more subtle ones for the more minimalist couple.
- A Wedding Planner
Not an actual person (although you could technically gift them a physical wedding planner if you want to!) this book is not only a wonderful gift, but very useful leading up to the wedding day. It can also be kept as a memory of the milestone for many years to come!
You could even customize the book to include the brides and grooms names if you wanted to add an extra special touch to it.
- A Weekend Away
Although this is probably only suitable if you’re close to the couple, that doesn’t mean that it won’t go down a treat! To give them some time away just the two of them after this event, this gift will be one that they cherish forever.
No matter whether you book accomodation and travel separately to a romantic destination or a more affordable package, there’s plenty of options out there for you to choose from.
- Champagne Glasses
To toast this fabulous occasion a great gift is champagne glasses. To mark the date of their engagement, you could even opt for a personalized version – but the choice is up to you!
Whatever style glasses you opt for, they are bound to have the happy couple grinning ear to ear when they open them. And to accompany them, you could purchase some prosecco or champagne!
- A Photobook
If you have known the couple for several years, you could gather together photos of them and all the adventures that they have been on and put them all together in a photobook.
Complete with a heartfelt message, this is a gift that’s sentimental. And it’s also one that’s more budget-friendly, as you can easily create the whole book by yourself – all you need is a blank scrapbook and printed pictures!
- A House Plant
A fabulous engagement gift idea for the modern couple is a houseplant. Whether you opt for a traditional snake plant, yukka or a chinese money plant (find guidance on the chinese money plant care here), the couple will love the quirkiness of the idea!
Something that they can keep in their home for years, they are available from a variety of online florists and can be delivered straight to their door!
- Engraved Cheese Board
Who doesn’t love cheese? A practical and extraordinary engagement gift is an engraved cheese board. Something that they will proudly display in their home and bring out when guests come to visit, you can pair it with cheese cutting utensils or a bottle of delicious red wine.
Available in various sizes and styles, a cheese board is an item that every couple will love to have.
- Countdown Sign
Even though they’ve only just gotten engaged, that doesn’t mean that wedding bells aren’t ringing in the near future! To get them in the spirit, a countdown sign is just the ticket.
And when they’ve planned their wedding and have a date, they can use it to get the festivities started! There are so many variations of this gift idea, from chalkboards, to movable blocks and signs with an erasable white board to choose from.
- Treasured Location Poster
No matter where they got engaged – whether it was on a romantic weekend away or doing an activity they love, you can commemorate this occasion through a poster that displays the exact location. A gift that’s not only special not but will be fondly admired in the future, it’s a keepsake that they will undeniably appreciate.
- Candles
Candles aren’t just great gifts at christmas – they are also a wonderful engagement gift too! When they are in a jar that’s got the date or the couple’s names on, it’s something that they can keep and reuse throughout the years. Plus, it will make their home feel cosy and welcome while giving off a beautiful scent!
- A Personalized Cushion
Another great gift and addition to their living room/bedroom would be a personalized cushion! You can be as creative or as subtle as you want with this
gift – and it’s one that you know they will make use of!
- A Gift Experience
If you want to treat them to an experience that they will never forget but you don’t have the budget for a full weekend away, why not opt for a gift experience instead?
No matter whether you choose a magical hot air balloon ride, a delicious wine tasting, a delicious food tour or another type of experience, the couple will love the thought that you put into this gift. Also, because there are so many different experience days on offer across the world, you’ll be able to find the perfect one for the couple in question.
- Vow Journals
If you’re looking for a gift that will knock it out of the park, then vow journals are the gift for you. Something that the couple will love to use on their special day if they plan to recite their own vows, they typically come in both ‘his’ and ‘hers’.
- Personalized Photo Frame
If the happy couple captured their engagement on camera, then they will need a frame to put the special photo in! This is where a personalized photo frame comes into play. Similarly to the other personalized gift ideas on this list, you could put their engagement date, their names and any other special details onto it!
- Unique Love Story Print
Another gift for if you’re very close to the couple is a print that details all of their unique special events on – ending with their engagement. From holidays they took together, to the date that they purchased their first home, it’s a gift that will act as a beautiful memory for them.
Final Thoughts
So, there you go! Those are 15 extraordinary gift ideas for those looking for inspiration. Wonderful gifts that the happy couple will love to open and cherish throughout the years ahead of them, it’s a way of commemorating the special memory ahead of their big day.
No matter what gift you opt for, it’s bound to go down a treat! So don’t worry, even if you don’t have the biggest budget, it doesn’t mean you aren’t able to get a gift that’s magical and truly special to them.
If you feel like you’re not really in control of your mental health and you’re not sure how to improve things, your feelings of insecurity are understandable. We all feel like things are overwhelming us from time to time. But there are plenty of ways to improve and work on your mental health if that’s something you’re really serious about doing. Here are some ways to better your mental health today.
Aim to Get a Good Night’s Sleep Each Night
One of the best things you do for your mental health is try to get a good night’s sleep each and every night. You’ll face the day in better shape and be less irritable when you have a full night of sleep behind you. If your sleep patterns are irregular and you get less than 7 hours a night, this is something you need to work on for the sake of your mental health.
Take Time to Laugh and Love
For the good of your long-term and short-term health, you should always find the time to laugh and love. Yoru days can’t be filled with work and tasks you don’t want to be dealing with. If you want to achieve positive outcomes in your mental health, you also need to foster positive relationships with others and find time to laugh and feel good about things. That’s what makes us happy as human beings.
Harness the Power of Creative Expression
Unleashing your creative side and making something out of can be hugely satisfying. All kinds of studies have found that creative expression can help to create more positive mental health outcomes. So if you don’t often give yourself the chance to be creative, that’s something you should look to change. And the great thing about it is that creativity can take any form.
Find Healthy Ways to Relieve Your Feelings of Stress and Anxiety
It’s important to be able to overcome those feelings of stress and anxiety. Otherwise, those feelings will simply overwhelm you and your mental health will suffer as a result. You can use things like CBD from ghost bubba to calm and relax yourself. You can also try things like meditation, breathing exercises and things like that when you need to relax yourself and calm your anxiety.
Take Regular Digital Detoxes
These days, we’re all addicted to our devices. But from time to time, it pays off to digitally detox. Take some time away from technology and gadgets and do something old-fashioned. Talk to friends, walk through the woods or take a bike ride. Being away from technology from extended periods really can benefit our mental health.
We all owe it to ourselves to work on our mental health and to continually improve things. With the help of the tips above, there’s no reason why you can’t take your mental health in the right direction. And every aspect of your life will improve when you take the time to work on your mental health in this way.
Photo by Josh Sorenson from Pexels
It’s a dream for many to own a vacation property. A place where you can relax and retreat to when you’re away, it’s your own little haven away from home. However, before purchasing a vacation home, no matter where it’s located in the world, there are certain advantages and downsides you should consider.
A way of ensuring that you’re ready for the investment, you’ll be in the best position possible. To help guide you, here is a list of the top pros and cons associated with purchasing a vacation home.
Let’s start with the pros:
Your Own Home to Enjoy
As mentioned above, by investing in a vacation home you’ll have your own private spot to enjoy. No longer will you be battling for the sun lounger or having to get up at a certain time to have breakfast. Now you’ll have a place in which you decide the rules.
No matter what time of the year you want to visit, the only barrier you’ll have to face is the flights or whatever transport you’ll need to take. Cutting the costs in the long term, this flexibility is very appealing.
You Can Use it as a Second Income
When you’re not using your vacation home, why not rent it out so that you can get an extra income? Helping to offset the cost of a mortgage and ensuring that it’s being made use of throughout the year, it’s a valuable asset to have.
Of course, before jumping into this, it’s vital that you’ve researched into the property market in that area, the legalities of this and are certain that the people who will be renting it are trustworthy.
You Can Benefit From Tax Deductions
A huge benefit that you can reap is tax deductions. Applied to your mortgage and any interest it’s accrued on it, it’s a big thing to consider if you’re looking to rent it out for up to two weeks a year. Deducted from your gross income, it’s a plus point that many owners will find to be invaluable.
It’s Convenient
By having a vacation home, it’s incredibly convenient for the next time you want to travel. Within this home, you can store clothes and other items you typically require when you’re away. This makes the packing situation a lot less stress the next time you want to go on vacation there.
Now onto the cons:
You’ll Need to Guarantee it Gets the Maintenance it Requires
As the property owner, you’ll need to ensure that it is maintained properly throughout the year. Whether this involves having someone to come in and clean it or repair any issues that need fixing, it’s a big burden to bear on top of your current home.
Extra costs that not everyone considers at the start of the process, it’s a responsibility that will last for the entire ownership of the property.
It’s Likely to Be Far Away
Now, this isn’t always the case. But if you’re thinking of purchasing a vacation home that’s further afield, you’ll have to think about the likeliness of you making full use of it throughout the year. For example, if it’s in a location that’s more than a couple of hours flight away, then the chances are that you’ll only be able to visit on average, twice a year.
This point puts into perspective how much you’re paying for the property versus how much you can actually use it.
A Lack of Flexibility
Even if you currently love the location you’re looking to purchase the vacation in, over time, there’s a chance that you might want to travel somewhere else. And while this is of course possible while owning the home, you might want to take full advantage of it each time you go away.
Making you feel tied to one place, it’s not the ideal option for avid travelers that love to explore new places each time.
The Cost
Following on from the above, perhaps the key reason why people are put off by vacation homes is because of the cost. Not only do you have to pay out for a deposit, but you’ll need to consider how much the mortgage or loan you’ve taken out will cost you each month, any taxes, maintenance, etc.
These costs could make it feel like it’s more affordable to stay in a hotel here and there rather than have a second property that you need to pay for each month. To determine whether it’s attainable from the start, it’s therefore a good idea to use the best home loan calculator available and budget how much your outgoings will be.
Have you heard of Stoney Clover Lane? It is the cutest line of lifestyle and travel accessories to help you stay organized on the go…The company was started by two sisters, Kendall and Libby, who love to “keep things lighthearted and labeled” and offer an assortment of decorative patches, inspired by their love of travel, sports, and beauty, to personalize your own Stoney Clover item for yourself, or for creating gifts to celebrate friendships and milestones. They have also recently collaborated with Love Shake Fancy and are selling fabulous floral, totes, travel bags, and cosmetic bags. The newest Stoney Clover store just opened in East Hampton where my friend’s uber-stylish daughter, Claudia just started working. She sent me some photos of the store and all the great items they are carrying…I cannot wait to go visit. If you are in the EH area stop by and tell Claudia that I sent you..In the meanwhile, check out the Stoney Clover website…it is so hard to choose!! Everything is perfection!!
Are you itching to see the world again?
While many of us have been taking the time to look back over the many different destinations we’ve been able to visit, including those that we hope to visit in the future, the majority of us are, in fact, locked down to one location. Travelers have been far from immune to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. In fact, it has forced most of us to stay sheltered in place. Many people are wondering the same thing: when will it all end? Perhaps slightly less importantly: when can we all get back to traveling?
When will the airports open again?
One of the things to bear in mind is that, while most of us will not be able to travel for some time yet, it doesn’t mean that no-one is able to travel, period. In fact, many airports are still open and some people are flying during the pandemic. Right now, however, these flights are only reserved for essential travel, such as people who are stuck overseas and need to get home, travel for medical needs or to care for others in your family, and so on.
Where and when can we go?
To put it simply, there is no set date as to when all airports are going to open their gates to travel once again. Not only is it likely to change depending on infection and recovery rates, but it will also change from country to country. Most countries are, right now, closed for tourism. Some might be open to citizens and residents, with aims to open to foreign nationals later. If you’re looking to fly during coronavirus, then be sure to check sites that will update you on the travel restrictions facing both your country and the country you’re planning to head to in the future. Above all else, exercise caution as best as possible.
Will travel change post-lockdown?
Even when things “go back to normal,” one should anticipate that what we mean by normal is likely to change to some extent. We don’t even know if airports will be open at all this summer, but some of the changes to travel we can expect will include changes in those airports. This will exclude more detailed screening measures, a need to prove immunization (once it’s available), and more strict cleanliness rules on flights, as well. The costs of travel may, however, experience a slight drop, however. A lot of airlines will be looking to recoup losses experienced as a result of the lockdown, which may mean lowering prices to help get more people in seats. However, the increased demand for travel after lockdown might even out with that to some degree.
Some countries are starting to show signs of recovery and are even looking into opening their borders again. However, even if that’s the case, some travel restrictions may apply for some time and we don’t know how permanent any return to normality will be. Until then, local car travel is a better option to keep you and your family safe and to continue to stop the spread.
I have been receiving many requests for Summer road trip ideas….SOOOOO….The city of Chicago, located on Lake Michigan in Illinois, is known for its skyscrapers, architecture, museums, and a never-ending list of things to do. It was recently put on the list of future megacities in the world, with its growing population to exceed 10 million inhabitants. While you can visit and see the classic spots such as the Bean, seeing a few of the classic sites as well as partaking in some local events is a great way to get to know and explore the city. With great weather and plenty of outdoor activities, summer is a great time to visit Chicago! Since many summer vacations are being canceled now is a great time to take a road trip, whether you are looking at a school or just wanting to get away for a few days. Or, put it on your bucket list to visit next summer!!! Here are a few reasons why you should visit Chicago:
Take a tour of the city and see the public art
The city is full of historic buildings, culinary spots that are worth spending some time at, and viewpoints that you can learn about along with so much more in a tour of the city. Along the way, you’ll find public art all throughout the city, from train station walls, to sidewalks, to lakefront sites. You’ll also see while the city is often referred to as a concrete jungle, there is over 8,000 acres of green spaces throughout Chicago!
If you want to get city views from the water, take a tour of the city on a ‘dining’ cruise.
The many rooftop bars and restaurants
Since safe outdoor dining is recommended….Rooftop bars and restaurants in Chicago are a must. With the incredible skyline and summer weather, a drink or meal with a view is a popular thing to do for locals and visitors alike. Many restaurants offer the opportunity to dine al fresco, but there is something special about rooftop dining! A couple of favorites are the Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel’s Raised Bar and LH Rooftop.
The beaches
Chicago has lakefront beaches that you can stop of at for beach days, gorgeous views, and some water sports. A few of the best beaches to visit in Chicago are: North Avenue Beach, Leone Beach Park, Foster Beach, and Belmond Harbor Dog Beach.
Run through sprinklers
With all there to see and do in the city, you’ll want a place to cool down in that summer heat! You can run through the sprinklers at Crown Fountain in Millennium Park. You can also head to one of the many Chicago Park District water playgrounds, such as the Archer Water Playground or Austin Water Playground if you are traveling with kids.
Have you been to Chicago? What do you recommend seeing while in the city?