Pick-Me-Up Ideas for Friends

Yesterday, I talked about remembering birthdays of those we love.

It doesn’t just have to be a friend’s birthday for us to send or give a little pick-me-up.

Here are a couple of of my favorite ideas: Most are taken from the very first book I wrote with friends Trish Smith & Kelly Hovermale Homespun Gifts From the Heart (now out of print)

~To a far away friend, send a “Thinking of You” card with a hand-written sentiment and a package of Forget-Me-Not flower seeds tucked inside.

~To a nearby friend, kidnap her kids for the day so she can be alone or get some work done–her choice. Or, show up with a few laundry baskets. Kidnap her dirty laundry. Take it home. Wash, dry, fold & return.

~Give a tea cup devotional. Simply purchase a good devotional book like this or this or this.

Next, place on top of it a tea cup and saucer (new or from a resale or antique store). In the cup place a few bags of tea.

Tie it all up with a large square of pretty tulle (netting) and secure with some wide ribbon fastened in a big bow. Slip an antique teaspoon in the knot of the bow.

~ Make a beautiful feet basket. Grab a basket, line it with a fluffy hand towel and place in it items for a pedicure: a pumice stone, foot soak, mint foot lotion, a pedicure foot brush, a few shades of nail polish, and a bottle of clear polish too.

Add in a favorite treat or bag of tea of flavored hot cocoa or maybe a relaxing cd. A few foil-wrapped chocolates wouldn’t hurt either. :-)

Hand-write (or whip up on the computer if you are good at that sort of thing) a tag that says “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news”ย  Romans 10:15

The last time I made one of these, I bought everything at the local dollar store and used a basket from a garage sale. The entire gift cost less than $6.00!

Spread some cheer to a friend real soon. I’d love to hear any other ideas you may have too.

photo credit

13 Comments

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  3. Wonderful ideas.

    Laundry being “stolen” sounds like such a great idea. We don’t have a washer/dryer so my poor (but amazingly gracious) husband has to go to the laundry mat while I’m recovering from birth and taking care of the little ones.

    I was looking for ideas for a friend’s birthday and absolutely love the tea cup devotional idea; thank you!

    XO

  4. I was asked to write a letter of encouragement/appreciation for a friend’s husband who will be attending a leadership conference later this month. As I wrote what he means to my husband and me, I realized that this would bless anyone who received it. And it costs next to nothing – the price of a postage stamp. I created my own stationery online and wrote the letter. It blessed me probably even more than it will him. :)

  5. Great ideas. As a homeschool mom, I love the idea of someone taking my kids for a short. I do love being with them, but a break every now and then would be great! I totally agree with the first post from Barb Wall. Praying God will send me a friend like you! and that I’ll be that kind of friend to her as well!

    1. Michele—
      He will :-) Praying you find a nearby friend to swap kids sometimes. I did this every other week or so when my kids were small. Every other Thursday I took in my friends kids so she got a break. The next week we switched & I got the day off. It was our sanity saver!

  6. These are wonderful thanks for sharing. I used your suggestion about the book basket at Christmas. What a delight. Thanks again. Jean

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