I just finished writing Year of the Dog ! It had a massive plot hole that I had to fix which turned out to be more work than I expected. Here’s a snippet: “Hey, Auntie Nell.” He wrapped his arms around her, bussing her on the cheek and breathing in pikake flowers and shortbread cookies. And suddenly he was nine years old again, and her solid presence had made his chaotic world stable once more. “What are you doing here?” He usually took her to dinner on Wednesday nights, but today was Tuesday. The edges of her smile faltered a little before brightening right back up again. “What, I can’t visit my nephew?” She angled around him to enter his home. “Is this your new house? Looks lovely.” Which was a blatant lie, because the fixer-upper was barely livable, much less acceptable to a neat-freak like his aunt. She also left four matching pink and purple floral suitcases on the stoop behind her. Only then did Ashwin notice the cab driver standing slightly to the side of the walkway. “Can ...
Captain's Log, Stardate 12.04.2007
Well, it’s a necessary part of the holidays—holiday parties at work, Christmas gifts for coworkers and other industry professionals you interact with.
What do you give them?
Naturally, it can’t be too expensive. Nor can it be too inelegant in nature. Nor too intimate.
My friend gave scented candles, which is a nice gesture—especially since she gave them to some very nice ladies—but these days, too many people are allergic to scents. With professional gifts, it’s especially difficult because you might not be close enough to the recipient to know what they’re allergic to.
Cookies/cakes/brownies/fudge? What if they don’t like chocolate or they’re allergic to gluten?
I usually fall back on gift certificates, but even that’s hard sometimes because you’re not always sure if the shop/store you’re getting the gift certificate for is a place the recipient shops at.
I mean, this is such a dilemma. What do you get your coworker? Your boss? Your client?
I am lucky because I know most of the people I am gifting to this year like both coffee and chocolate. Captain Caffeine is roasting batches for me to give to people.
My close friends are getting knitted gifts because (a) they know me and don’t mind that my gifts are inexpensive, (b) they appreciate the time invested in making them something, (c) I know them well enough that I emailed them and gave them options to choose from. Easy, and everybody’s happy.
Do you guys have ideas for professional gifting?
Well, it’s a necessary part of the holidays—holiday parties at work, Christmas gifts for coworkers and other industry professionals you interact with.
What do you give them?
Naturally, it can’t be too expensive. Nor can it be too inelegant in nature. Nor too intimate.
My friend gave scented candles, which is a nice gesture—especially since she gave them to some very nice ladies—but these days, too many people are allergic to scents. With professional gifts, it’s especially difficult because you might not be close enough to the recipient to know what they’re allergic to.
Cookies/cakes/brownies/fudge? What if they don’t like chocolate or they’re allergic to gluten?
I usually fall back on gift certificates, but even that’s hard sometimes because you’re not always sure if the shop/store you’re getting the gift certificate for is a place the recipient shops at.
I mean, this is such a dilemma. What do you get your coworker? Your boss? Your client?
I am lucky because I know most of the people I am gifting to this year like both coffee and chocolate. Captain Caffeine is roasting batches for me to give to people.
My close friends are getting knitted gifts because (a) they know me and don’t mind that my gifts are inexpensive, (b) they appreciate the time invested in making them something, (c) I know them well enough that I emailed them and gave them options to choose from. Easy, and everybody’s happy.
Do you guys have ideas for professional gifting?
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