A few days ago, I talked with a family friend who recently learned that his huge manufacturing company was closing his plant. He is actually more fortunate than most of the other people working there. He very recently reached the age at which he qualifies for early retirement, so he will continue to have a reliable (although much smaller) income. Those who did not reach that milestone will get a small package and be left to search for a job in that difficult market. That caused me to think about giving gifts for special occasions to those people who are experiencing difficult economic situations. I came up with a few suggestions that make more sense than a piece of home decor or a pair of ear rings. Here are some of them:

A basket of lovely, fresh fruit is always a welcome and healthy gift. If you live near your gift recipient, you can find a lovely container and fill it with fruit that is in season in your locale, obtained at a farmers market, and then fill it out with a few exotic fruits picked up at your local super market. If your loved one is farther away, you can arrange for any of a range of beautiful fruit gift baskets to be sent to the person's home. It will help reduce their grocery bill on their next trip to the grocery store.

A unique meal is another way to remember a special occasion. One possibility is to take the friend to a popular local restaurant. If price is no object to you, be sure to suggest some of the pricier entrees on the menu, so that your guests know that they should feel free to order what they want. For example, you might say something such as, "The crab legs are perfect here, but, if you don't like seafood, try the tender and tasty filet mignon." If they live too far away for that, you can actually find delicious, gourmet, chef-prepared meals online that arrive frozen and can be heated in almost no time. Or you might send a restaurant gift certificate to a special place in their own city.

You might also consider a tasty sweet. Nobody should indluge in too many desserts, but for a birthday, anniversary or holiday, everyone deserves an opportunity to indulge a sweet tooth. Bake cookies, if that is a skill of yours, and hand deliver or ship them. For something a little more special consider giving them a tasty pie or cheesecake. Whether you make it yourself or have others do the work for you doesn't matter. It will be appreciated and definitely enjoyed either way.

You'll notice You may observe that all my recommendationinvolve food. Somebody who is going through a tough time may not want to accept charity, but nobody can reject a genuinely special gift. If it reduces the grocery bill by a bit, so much the better.






The author is published in print and online and loves to write about (and eat) delicious food presents for any occasion. One of his favorites is a chocolate cheesecake.