Smile, there’s beer in this blog!

Yep, you read that right! This post is all about giving beer! Before you read on any further, I’m not telling you to go buy someone just any six pack of beer. This is more creative than that. I am telling you to go to your local liquor store and take advantage of the “Pick your Own 6 pack”! (PYO6P). I love doing this for friends and coworkers! You can literally hand pick six different and trendy beers for your friends/family to try.

This is a quick, easy and very practical gift – it’s not going to break anyone’s bank, typically runs between $8.99-$10.99. It can be perfect for a housewarming gift or a birthday gift! It’s also great when I don’t quite know the person I’m buying for. Example – You are tagging along to a party that you may not directly know the host. If you don’t want to show up empty handed, this idea could come in handy. A few years back I saw my brother give this as a gift – I can’t take credit for the idea but thanks bro!

Many stores offer the option to pick your own six pack. My most recent find was Binny’s Beverage Depot in Chicago. One word – WOW. If you haven’t been there before I highly suggest it. Huge selection and friendly staff – it’s basically the Rolls Royce of liquor stores if you ask me! (Disclaimer: I don’t frequent liquor stores very often, so I’m no expert). Aside from this place you can often find the PYO6P at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and Strack & Van Til.

Above is a PYO6P that I bought for a coworker. She’s an IPA gal so I picked out 6 IPAs.

Looking to go the extra mile on this gift? Add a 6 pack carrier to the mix. I’ve seen these all over the place in retail stores such as Target, TJ Maxx, and Marshalls!

Thanks for reading! If you haven’t heard, you can now find me on Instagram at erinlikestogift. You can also subscribe to my blog and get notified each time a new post is up. Have a great week friends! Feel free to comment below – I’d love feedback from you. See you next month!

The Best Gift of 2016

Hello friends!

Welcome to my very first blog post. I’m excited to announce this small project that has had my mind running with ideas for about a year now. It’s pretty simple, I LOVE giving gifts! This blog will be dedicated to ideas for giving gifts for all occasions, for all ages and for all budgets. I’ll also throw in a few things about etiquette/advice when it comes to things such as thank you cards, gift wrapping, etc.

I wouldn’t call myself an expert or pro at giving gifts. I’d just say I’m very thoughtful and creative. While this blog will grow with ideas that include both products and experience based gifts, don’t forget that time is truly the greatest gift of all.

Let’s move on to the best gift of 2016. The recipient of this gift was for a close friend and her family.  This gift idea came about in Spring of 2016 as I was watching my friend’s kids play outside of their Chicago, Illinois home. They are the biggest Cubs fans I know and had a “W” flag proudly flying on their porch (No bandwagon fans here!). I decided to snap some pictures of her kids playing. Later that evening, as I was looking at the pictures I came up with the idea of having someone sketch their home and including the “W” flag. Knowing how much my friend adored their Chicago home made it a done deal that it’d be an upcoming gift for her family!

Just before Thanksgiving, I found Geralyn of @doorbefore on Instagram. I sent her the pictures I took that summer and requested the “W” flag be added into her sketch. Within a few days she had sent me a rough draft and I couldn’t have been more happy. Check out the pictures of the house and the final sketch below.

Original Photo of the House

Photo from @doorbefore

My friend loved it to say the least (She may have also cried a little bit). Her thank you card to me said she doesn’t think I’ll ever be able to top it.  I’m not sure if I will be able to either! You may ask why is this the best gift I’ve ever given? In one word: Memories. The memories I have in the home I grew up in as a kid, the home I grew up in during my teen years, and even my home during college hold so many happy memories that I hold near and dear to my heart!

Check out more examples of Geralyns work on her Instagram page @doorbefore and for ordering and pricing, find her on Etsy at www.doorsbefore.com. She is currently in the middle of a move and isn’t taking custom home orders but has introduced other unique ways to share the love of your home. Don’t hesitate to reach out to her with questions!

I gave this present as a Christmas gift but it could work for almost any type of gift – Housewarming/Going Away, Birthdays, Anniversaries, Mothers/Fathers Day, etc. I would love to hear about the best gift you’ve ever given to someone! Comment below or email me at erinslikestogift@gmail.com. Questions about my blog or looking for a gift idea for a specific occasion? Don’t hesitate to reach out and I’ll do my best to send you some ideas.

Thanks for reading my very first post and I look forward to being a resource for you to find a perfect gift for your friends, coworkers, and family!