Gift-Giving: Ideas, Challenges & Solutions

In business for more than ten years, owners Ken and Michele Gietz offer clients hands-on, expert advice to simplify the gift-giving process with a personalized approach. They ask individual clients to answer a series of questions about the gift recipient and quickly present three to five choices based on their profile. This unique, customized service keeps clients coming back.

Clients of this alternative toy store are from all walks of life. Parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, college students and 'tweeners, cultural visitors and vacationers, conference attendees and campers, have all discovered what's "in-store."

Following are a few gift-giving challenges met by Where'd You Get That!?:

Over-the-Hill
"My brother Jack is turning fifty. It's payback time for what he did to me on my fortieth birthday – and, by the way, he's in therapy!" Where'd You Get That!? sent this client on her merry way with the Old-Age Combat Hat, a video of significant events that happened the year he was born, a T-shirt that says 'Geezer, Formerly Known as Studmuffin', and finger puppets of Sigmund Freud and his famed couch of analysis.

Intelligent Toys
"It's my niece's fifth birthday. She loves to mix up ‘science' stuff in the kitchen. Our family will be spending a semester in France and her grandmother is teaching her French." Where'd You Get That!? suggested the award-winning Chemistry Wiz book and kit for children 5 and up – written for budding scientists using the playthings of childhood to teach central concepts of chemistry. We also recommended a Little Language Doll – an irresistible 20-inch, soft-bodied doll who speaks basic French words and phrases that interest children.

An Obsession with Words
"My mom is a crossword puzzle fanatic and loves word games." Bethump'd With Words was our number-one pick for this wordaholic – a terrific board game for those who love to play with the origin of words. We also recommended Quiddler, My Word and Quickword – all very popular word games at our Community Game Nights.

Baby Opus
"My sister is expecting her first child..." Our client was delighted with the Symphony in Motion crib mobile that plays Mozart and Brahms selections as high-contrast geometric shapes twirl around, while others gently slide down bars. This mesmerizing mobile seems to work on antsy adults who shop in our store, too! Our client also chose an ultra-soft baby blanket with an attached plush giraffe head and matching musical giraffe whose charming head moves to the music.

The Young and the Curious
"My nephew is a sports-active nine year-old who loves open-ended building and is interested in electronics." Where'd You Get That!? suggested Design Your Own Basketball Kit which uses a paint-injection technique – "Totally cool!" as reviewed by our local kids. We also recommended the Solar-Powered Car Kit from Klutz, The Inventors Handbook: Robots – a terrific book and kit that explores the science of robots and includes specialized equipment for building your own small robot – and ZomeTool, a unique building system that allows you to build structures within structures using plastic rods and balls, so you can even create molecular models.

Boyfriend Blues
"She's turning 21 and just broke up with her boyfriend. We want to cheer her up!" said a group of friends on our local college campus. The Where'd You Get That!? staff snapped to attention, eager to help. We suggested the awesome birthday cake hat complete with velour candles, Women Are From Venus, Men are From Hell book, Me and My Bad Girls photo album – shaped like a black purse to remember the evening – and, of course, a luxurious feather boa to set the party mood.

On the Road Again
"I've got a five-, seven- and nine-year-old to entertain in the car when we visit my daughter at camp. Any travel toy suggestions or camp gifts we could bring?" Rubber Neckers, Are We There Yet? and The Klutz Travel Book – enough car entertainment for two whole weeks! For the happy camper, this lively family purchased the Camp Friends Autograph Pillowcase, Autograph Dog, a 4x6 Camp Photo Album with Fun Photo Stickers, Ouija, the fortune telling card game, Pass the Pigs – the classic, hysterically funny game complete with plastic pigs, a glow-in-the-dark Hoberman Sphere and a neoprene Frisbee – perfect for freestyle in the swimming hole!

Corporate Gifts

Where'd You Get That!? is at your service for corporate holiday gifts and incentives – whether it is recognizing an employee, celebrating an office birthday or thanking your best clients. For information on this program, please email info@wygt.com and let us know your needs. We will put together an appropriate gift and contact you with ideas and price estimates. If you are close by we can bring suggestions to your office. Let us entertain you!

Gift Certificates

A Where'd You Get That!? gift certificate always makes the perfect gift. Certificates can be accompanied by a hand-written enclosure with your personal greeting. To order gift certificates or if you have any questions about them, please contact us.