Ralph Lauren Zebra Print Shawl: $299.99

This luxurious silk scarf is a bit of a splurge, but perfect when wanting to rock the Zebra print in a trendy, chic way and will work well as a staple in any wardrobe.

Sequin Medium Zebra Enamel Bangle: $28.00

If you think your gift recipient would want to incorporate the zebra trend in more of a subtle way, having it on a beautiful and quality piece of jewelry, like this bangle, is the way to go.

A.J. Morgan “Versailles” Sunglasses: $24.00

Any fashionista would be happy to receive a pair of these cat’s-eye shaped sunnies with this year’s hottest pattern trend.

Rafe New York Tote Extra Large Tote: $95.00 

A slouchy every day tote is taken to the next level with the bold zebra print and the pop of neon leather trim. She will be able to carry her every day essentials and do it with style.

Check out some more of my favorite Zebra gifts here.

Would you wear something with a zebra print on it? Let us know with a comment below! 

If you want to read up some more on the Zebra trend, here are a few links.

Lifestyle Mirror: MODERN ZEBRA

Style.com: Tired Of Leopard Print? Try Out Fall’s Zebra Stripes

The Fashion Spot: Get the Animal Print Trend on the British High Street 

See all of our trend reports to stay up on what’s hot and how to gift it!

The Gift:

For devout Catholics, religious-based wedding gifts are quite popular like crucifixes and bibles.

That’s great, but you’re not religious and you feel weird getting a religious gift, right? In that case, a softer purchase of angel candle holders or etched vases are great options.

If that’s still too much, find out if they have a registry. You can look them up using our easy wedding registry finder. If it’s on their registry, it’s fair game.

And, when all else fails, you can write a check. But don’t give cash! Envelopes get lost in the shuffle and a check is a lot less expensive to replace.

Rules:

Time is of the essence!

These ceremonies can go on for a long time, like more than an hour, so be prepared to sit for a while. Bring a cardigan or jacket in case you get cold and save yourself some discomfort by taking a potty break before the ceremony!

Mind your manners!

Because the ceremony is being performed in the church, a sense of reverence must be maintained due to the presence of Jesus in the Tabernacle. So, though this probably goes without saying, chewing gum, talking on cell phones, texting, and anything else thought to be irreverent is forbidden.

Don’t get up to receive communion at the mass!

Another thing to be aware of when you attend a mass is that Catholics ask those who don’t have the same beliefs to refrain from receiving Communion. It’s not that Catholics want to offend people, but they hold their beliefs in communion sacred. Communion is when everyone gets up to receive the body and blood of Christ (wine and bread).

Don’t throw rice!

Remember how it used to be a thing to throw rice at Catholic weddings? Well, leave your rice at home because that tradition is no more. It has gone by the wayside for several reasons. Guests have gotten rice in their eyes and ears, causing injuries, and people have slipped and fallen on rice on the church steps. But bubbles and other fun, Eco friendly confetti might be passed out for guests to toss in a photo.

There you have it! It’s your easy guide to surviving a Catholic wedding with savoir faire. I hope that you feel better about being a guest and can have some fun now. Remember that weddings are celebrations after all.

Stay tuned for more wedding guest etiquette.

And, if you want to go rogue and buy a wedding gift without consulting their registry or their traditions…see all of our favorite wedding gifts!

Most important for guy’s new rooms? Food! Whether for all-nighters or chilling with friends, guys will love having a mini-fridge in their rooms to fill with sodas and snacks. I like the Supercool Fridge from PBteen. It comes in a myriad of color choices and has helpful shelves to keep drinks and food organized (and easier to reach).

To go along with the new mini-fridge, give the only appliance your teen grad will ever want: a soft pretzel maker. At under $30 this cool Soft Pretzel Maker is easy to use and can make either two really big pretzels or six smaller ones for when he has friends over! His dorm will be the hit of the hall with this nifty gadget!

On the more practical end, PBteen makes amazing Bedding Bundles. Made to fit the extra-long twin beds in dorms, this classic plaid set comes with sheets, a duvet cover, pillowcases and duvet and pillow inserts. In short, that’s everything he needs to make the perfect comfy bed, even if it’s all in a messy jumble when he’s not using it.

For the wild guy, spruce up his room with Red Cup Party Lights. The twelve foot string of lights will add a party vibe to his space. If you want to help create an even more memorable room, I like Urban Outfitters Shark Head Sculpture. It looks really fun and doubles as a wall-hook for the inevitable piles of clothing that will gather on his dorm floor.

Lastly, help keep his bathroom space somewhat organized with the Reclaimed Wood Towel Shelf. It has a really nice vintage look, but allows him to toss in all his bathroom products (however messy that might be) and shut the doors so no one can see.

Shop my complete list of dorm gifts for teen guys and happy graduation to all the grads out there from the team here at Gifts.com!

Cliche 1: Grooming Products

Getting dad cologne or some grooming “product” is not such a bad idea. However, ask yourself first, “does dad wear cologne?” and/or “does he like or would he be up for trying some skin care product?” If a quick “no” is the answer to either of these, you’re better off going to Plan B gifts for your dad.

If your dad is up for it, here are two great options. The Leading Man Fragrance Sampler lets dad try five different, scents in sample sizes. Included in the set, there is a gift voucher for dad to go to a Sephora store and receive a free larger version of his favorite fragrance.

If you want to go with a single product, check out Adrenaline Junkie facial scrub by Billy Jealousy. The best way to describe the refreshing pepperminty gel, is it’s like a morning cup of coffee for his face. Dad will love it.

Cliche 2: A Classic Neck Tie

Maybe the biggest cliché gift for dad is a tie. But ties aren’t bad gift…bad ties are bad gifts! Here’s a gift tip that may seem obvious, if dad does not wear a tie, then let’s hold off getting him one for Father’s Day. If he wears a tie, the remixed version is the pocket square. Not many accessories can update and refresh dad’s look better than the versatile pocket square. These are a few stand outs that I know he’d love…and use!

Cliche 3: Photo Gift

Photo gifts are another Father’s Day staple. Again, there’s nothing inherently bad about creating a gift from a photo, but when executed poorly, the present can go over like a lead balloon. Snapbox is a service I just came across offering a great solution to make a super looking photo gift. The affordable, framed SnapBox prints start at around $10 and max out around $30. The prints are made on stretched canvas and housed in a matte black, 100% wood frame. The process is simple from either a computer or a mobile device. Here’s one I just made!

Cliche 4: Gadget Gift

Electronics and gadgets have been go-to Father’s Day gifts forever. But often they are too gimmicky and could probably now available in app form on a phone he already has. Here’s a totally fun gadget that he (and entire family) will love. Kohler’s Moxie Showerhead is a showerhead that has a magnetically attached (removable) Bluetooth enabled speaker. Just pair a mobile device and get the shower party started. While starting the day rocking out to his favorite play list is a good idea, busting out dance moves in the shower is probably not.

Cliche 5: Coffee Mug

Lastly, if (and that’s a big IF) he’s a coffee drinker, steer away from the clichéd “Dad” type coffee mug. This year get him a KeepCup.  This reusable cup is sized to be used at his local coffee shop as well as at home. One-use cups are wasteful, but a custom designed KeepCup for dad is a colorful “green” gift he can really use. Gift tip: add a gift card into the KeepCup from his favorite/local coffee shop.

Voila – cliche-free Father’s Day!

Check out all dad related blog posts for more Father’s Day gift guides.

Or, see all of my Top Father’s Day Gifts and start shopping!

Graduation gift etiquette can be completely confusing. Between kindergarten graduation, high school graduation, and college degrees, graduation is a potential gift giving mine field. When are you expected to give a gift and when is it OK not to? With all of our purse strings as tight as they can be, you need to know the hard and fast rules to help you smoothly navigate graduation season.

Basically, there are only 2 essential rules for when you DO give graduation gifts:

1. Always send a card if you receive a graduation announcement or invitation. You do not have to put cash in the card. You can still send a gift or bring one with you to the event.

2. If you do attend the graduation ceremony or graduation party, you must bring a gift.

 And, a quick explanation of when you DON’T give graduation gifts:

1. If you are invited and don’t attend, don’t worry about sending a gift.

2. If you receive a graduation announcement you are not required to send a gift.

3. If you aren’t invited to the graduation ceremony or graduation party you don’t have to send a gift.

That being said… rules shmools! Rules are made to be broken and the same holds true for graduation.

When considering what to do for the graduates in your life remember that they need all the support and guidance they can get right now. If you can, you should send them a little something to commemorate their efforts and encourage a bright future.

Some people take these types of events more personally than others, you know who they are, so weigh your choices carefully; especially if you’re family. It may be worth it to send a gift, no matter what the rules are, to keep things kosher.

So, now you need to figure out what to give. I wrote a post a few weeks ago on how much to spend on graduation gifts that should help you out. And, you can see all of our favorite graduation gift ideas too.

Vintage graduate artwork stamps (above image)

* this post was originally published on May 7th, 2012.  Due to its popularity, a few updates were made and we re-posted it! Let us know if we can answer any other graduation gift related questions in a future post!

We were faced with a really tough decision because you all created such beautiful and very dreamy Pinterest boards. Thank you for making it so much fun to look through them all. We whittled it down to our favorite few and then voted at the office to pick the very best of the over 100 entries that we got!

And now, ladies and gentleman, the winner of the 2013 Mother’s Day Dream Contest, who takes home the prize of $500 dollars and a lifetime of bragging rights, is…drum roll please…

Mary Carmen-Bukhari

Congratulations Mary!!!!

Your super stylish and fabulous Pinterest board truly brought to life your Mother’s Day Dream vision! Thank you for spreading the Mommy dreams and congratulations on your win!

You can check out the winning board here: http://pinterest.com/marycarmanb/mothers-day-dream-board/

We would like to thank each and every single one of our contestants who took the time to create their Mother’s Day Dream boards, we know so much effort and creativity was put into them and we thank you!

Mother’s Day is a special time for all of us here at Gifts.com and we really appreciated seeing what all of the Moms out there really do want for their special day. This day is all about these very important ladies in our lives and by creating your Mother’s Day Dream boards you gave us some very important insight into what gifts Mom’s really would like to receive. Make sure to share your boards with your families, and who knows? Maybe, you will receive the perfect Mother’s Day Dream after all! Have your Mother’s Day Dream boards serve as a subtle hint!

If you think your inspiration board isn’t enough for your family to get the hint, send your loved ones our way and have them search through our Mother’s Day gift ideas, and we’ll make sure you get the beautiful Mother’s Day gift you deserve.

Don’t miss your chance to tell your mom you love her today! She gave birth to us, raised us, and put up with all the trouble we caused. We owe her a little something today, don’t you think?

Tell us a favorite story about your mom to help us celebrate these amazing women!

Happy Mother’s Day from the Gifts.com Gift Gurus!

Prepare any one of these tasty cocktails for your Mom, your Mommy friends, or even one for your Mommy self and declare tonight a Mom inspired Happy Hour! You can also add some extra cheer this Sunday and serve any one (or all!) of these cocktails for a Mother’s Day brunch.

If you’re still stumped or scrambling for a gift for Mom, make sure to see our Last Minute Mother’s Day Gifts guaranteed to make it on time for the big day!

Let the celebrations begin…

Mom Patrol 

Patron XO Cafe Dark Cocoa 1 oz.

Almond Milk (or similar) 0.75 oz.

Espresso 1 oz.

Grenadine 0.5 oz.

Lemon peel for garnish

Cocoa nibs for garnish

Pour all ingredients into a shaker. Shake vigorously. Strain over ice in a Collins glass. Garnish with lemon peel and cocoa nibs.

Mommy Dearest!

Patron XO Cafe Dark Cocoa 2 oz.

Patron Citronge Liqueur 0.5 oz.

Pyrat Rum 0.5 oz.

Shake with ice. Strain into a sugar-rimmed martini glass.

Mother’s Little Helper

Patron XO Cafe Dark Cocoa 1.5 oz.

Patron XO Cafe 1.5 oz.

Espresso 1 oz.

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Mommy Elixir 

Patron XO Cafe Dark Cocoa 2 oz.

White Crème de Menthe 0.5 oz.

Cream 1 oz.

Fresh mint for garnish

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with fresh mint.

Mom’s Black Stiletto

Patron XO Cafe Dark Cocoa 2 oz.

Irish whiskey 1/2 oz.

Hot coffee 2 oz.

Heavy cream for garnish

Maraschino cherry for garnish

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a champagne glass. Garnish with heavy cream and a maraschino cherry.

Mother’s Day is the day we say “thank you mom, for everything you do!” From doing the laundry to taking care of us when we we’re sick, she was there for us when we needed her most! The best way to thank her is to show how much you care by sending her a bouquet of flowers that will make her smile and know she is appreciated!

One of my favorite things about bouquets is that they are also the perfect Last Minute Mother’s Day gift and they always look and smell so amazing! So, here are 7 of my favorite bouquets to help brighten your mom’s day.

You Give Me Butterflies $59:

Show your mom you care with butterflies and unconditional love. She is your mom and you wouldn’t be the person you are without her!

Bright Spring Blooms $49:

Is sure to brighten her day with a bouquet of yellow and orange roses with rice flowers and ruscus!

Lavish Roses $59:

Indulge your mom with opulent blooms, this bouquet is lush with white roses accented by lovely pink snap dragons and pink and purple spray roses!

Beauty and Grace $69:

Give mom something that will instantly make her smile! The Beauty and Grace Bouquet is filled with red lilies, pink tulips, pink snapdragons, and eucalyptus! Your mom will love the soothing fragrance of this beautiful mélange.

Fields of Europe Romance $59:

This arrangement will make mom’s heart sing!  It’s filled with gorgeous red and pink roses, lilies, and gerbera daisies.

Purple Dendrobium Orchids $39:

Sophisticated and elegant, these bright purple looking butterflies will make any mom realize how much you really love her! The long lasting orchids are the perfect gift for the mom who likes tropical flair.

Two Dozen Red Roses $40:

Last but not least is the traditional red rose bouquet! Send mom these to show her how much you love her. Nothing is more classic than red roses. They’re perfect for your classic mom.

Get more Mother’s Day Gift Advice from the Gift Rap blog.

See all of Gifts.com’s Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

Name: Bialetti Mini Express Espresso Machine

Why mom will love it:

She can brew her own perfect shot of espresso at home. No more trips to the coffee shop for the little indulgence of fine Italian espresso.  She can get herself a little bit of energy in the afternoon without having to brew a whole pot of coffee and enjoy the rich flavor that you can only get from this machine. This is a top notch machine made by the world’s leading espresso machine maker, Bialetti. She can just fill the water tank and pop a capsule of perfectly packed espresso in a variety of roasts into the top of the machine.  All mom needs to complete her latte, is some steamed milk.

We got a sample to test out in the office and the espresso cups went lightning fast. We have a single cup coffee and tea machine also and I have to say that people were drawn to the espresso. They said that it was a better flavor than regular coffee and that it was a quick shot of energy.  I will definitely be ordering more espresso capsules for us to use here at the office.

How much is it:

$150

 Where can I get it:

Get one for Mom here: http://www.gifts.com/search/product/bialetti-mini-express-espresso-machine?prodID=561823