Generally you should plan to tip your steward three dollars per person and plan to do it every day. Your waitress or waiter should also be tipped three dollars. Remember to tip the bus boy as well, that is usually about half of what you would tip the wait staff. Often times however, the wait staff tips out the bussing staff from the tips they accumulate.

On most luxury world cruise ships (http://www.amttravel.com/cruise-lines/luxury-world-cruises.html) you are not required to tip the ma

The ‘dead weight’ of bad gifts

However, despite all this mass buying of things, the huge surge in sales at Christmas time actually leads to what economists call a ‘deadweight loss’. What this means is that the overall difference between what present givers spent on Christmas gifts, and what the gift receivers would have paid for the same things, is a negative number (economists calculate that in 2001 Christmas resulted in a $4 billion deadweight loss in the U.S. alone). To put it more simply, most Christmas gifts are not as welcome as they should be!

Clutter & mess

Along with the fact that a person might not really want the carefully chosen Christmas gift being given to them, there tends to be a cost for upkeep and storage of the item – and its contribution to clutter around the household ends up being a further nuisance to the receiver.

Excess wastage

If presents end up in the dustbin then this contributes to damage to the environment. Due to the sheer scale of gift-giving at Christmas, the environmental impact is significant. Bad Christmas gifts are a burden to society.

The art of gift-giving

But it doesn’t have to be this way! While none of us needs more bland cellophaned baskets of synthetic bath bombs and bodywashes, bags of tat destined for the landfill, there really is an art to gift-giving.

It is possible to give presents which will truly be valued by your loved ones. Once you have the knack of giving the right Christmas gifts to your friends and family, you can start making a positive contribution to the spirit of giving at Christmas!

Take your time

A mad rush around the shops on December 24 may suit your hectic lifestyle, but the likelihood of finding truly ideal Christmas gifts that way is slim. Instead, in the months leading up to Christmas, take a note of the interests and hobbies your friends and family are indulging in, and consider activities they might enjoy but which they haven’t yet discovered for themselves.

Join forces

What gifts would help them achieve their goals, appreciate their hobbies or simply enhance their lives from day to day? Perhaps there is a Christmas gift which would benefit them, but which is too expensive for you to pay for. Could you join up with other members of their family or friends and pay for the item together?

Be original

If you are absolutely certain that giving the same present to a particular loved one every year will make them happy, go ahead. But most people like to be surprised once in a while! If you can find an original Christmas gift that suits a person’s character in some way then it will be a more exciting present to receive.

Useful or beautiful

Finally, take inspiration from 19th century British craftsman, designer and poet William Morris, who said: ‘Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful’. Ask this question of each Christmas gift purchase you are about to make. If it is neither useful nor beautiful, go and put it back on the shelf!

Sadie Smith writes for The Handpicked Collection, a website and catalogue featuring a selection of unique Christmas gifts.

The bride and her family make the bulk of all wedding decisions and purchases. They take care of so many details and complicated planning. One of the few things that the groom must do, and do without a hitch, is select and purchase the groomsmen gifts.

What are groomsmen gifts? I know. You’re new to all this wedding stuff. Groomsmen gifts are basically thank you gifts to your best man, groomsmen and ushers, you know, the guys that wear the tuxedos too in your wedding. It’s only proper to thank your guys for participating in your wedding with a gift.

Typically a groomsmen gift is an engraved gift. Personalization shows you took a little extra time and put in a bit of thought to make the gift special and meaningful to the recipient. Engraving also can turn a modest gift into a cherished keepsake as it is the thought that counts and not how much money you spend.

It’s a smart idea to order groomsmen gifts at least 2 months in advance of your wedding date. You want to give yourself a little wiggle room if the items you want are special order and take a little time to come in from the vendor. Engraving takes about a week usually as well. Shipping via UPS ground can take a week if you are shipping from one coast to the other. Planning ahead and not waiting until the last minute will save you expedite/rush fees and additional shipping expenses.

When you receive your groomsmen gifts (most grooms order these online nowadays to save money), be sure to look them over and make sure the engraving is accurate. Engravers are human and occasionally will make a typo. Best to find out right away instead of the day you’re handing out your gifts!

A good time to hand out the groomsmen gifts is the rehearsal dinner. All the guys will be there. This will most likely be the last night you’ll see everyone together before the wedding. Perfect time to distribute the groomsmen gifts. This way you won’t have to worry about it on your wedding day.

If you are giving out flasks for groomsmen gifts, a better time is right at the start of the bachelor party. The bachelor party is usually before the rehearsal dinner. Only the most foolish of grooms would have the bachelor party the night before the wedding. Think about how awful you’ll look in your wedding pictures if you’re a mess and all hung over! Again, please plan ahead on this one and use common sense. Get the bachelor party done at least one to two weeks before the wedding so that your sweet bride-to-be does not have to worry about you.

Gunther Gifts Inc. is a great online source for groomsmen gifts such as flasks, Zippo lighters, pub signs, beer mugs, pocket knives such as Gerber and Buck, wallets, pocket watches, baseball bats and so much more cool, affordable groomsmen gift ideas.

Oh, you could think about a lot of reasons that you aren’t being bombarded by babes battling for your affections. Perhaps the ladies in question are not inclined toward the opposite sex, or perhaps they’re just plain nuts. But maybe - just maybe - before you pass judgment on them, you should take a quick look in the mirror.

Back in the days before the Slobbification of America took place, men would pack very different attire in their summer vacation valises than what they’d pack for a business trip. Gone would be the blue or gray flannel suit, Oxford-cloth shirts, and wingtips. Instead, the suitcase would contain blazers, Madras shirts, a white dinner jacket, and slacks - including the de rigueur white flannel variety.

Today, the summer suitcase can be much lighter, thanks to a number of cunning, if vile, innovations in the way of men’s attire. However, most of these creations are not worn well by the vast majority of men, who appear dumpy, cheap, and shoddy in them.

First and foremost among the vacation clothing that one should never, ever wear is the tank top. I don’t know exactly why these are called tank tops - perhaps this is what people driving heavy, hot metal tanks during World War II wore, because driving a tank can be a hot, sweaty business. Maybe they’re called tank tops because people who wear them look like the bulging part of water tanks. Or perhaps - and I believe this to be the most likely - they’re called tank tops because one would only really choose to wear such a garment if one was tanked.

By tanked, lest there be any mistake, I mean totally wasted drunk.

When women think of tank tops, they don’t think of NBA stars and guys in the Olympics. No. What women think of when they see a guy in a tank top is Tony Soprano lumbering down the driveway in that ratty old bathrobe to pick up the paper. Or of his nephew Christopher snorting a line of cocaine. If she’s not familiar with the Sopranos, then you can pretty much guess that she’s thinking about that well-known tank top-wearing athlete - Richard Simmons.

A tank top brings out all the worst in the body of any man who is not working out at least six hours a day. ‘Nuff said.

Another Generic Beer in the Great Big Urinal of Bad Fashion is that old staple, the Hawaiian shirt. This statement must be prefaced with the assertion that Hawaiian shirts are acceptable - if you’re in Hawaii. Otherwise, this garment brings to mind the old guys who really, really like Jimmy Buffett, Larry from Three’s Company, and once again, Tony Soprano.

Let’s just cut to the chase - anything that Tony Soprano would wear is not going to be a good choice. So add to your list of no-no’s velour jogging suits, which were another popular item apparel in Tony’s well-padded closet.

I totally understand that Tony Soprano appeared to get a lot of women on that show. To put to rest any confusion on your part, let me reiterate that the Sopranos was a TV show. All of the women won by Tony Soprano were actresses, bound by their contracts to appear to have tender feelings for him. In his case, clothes did not make the man.

Okay, okay, okay. So pack a few tank tops if you must, and even throw in some rubber flip-flops. However, err on the side of class and good taste and pack at least one good suit or jacket and tie, some well-tailored shirts, some stylish ties, and a few pairs of unique designer silver cufflinks.

Cufflinks are an excellent choice of accessory for a guy trying to start a conversation - and maybe more - with the lady of his choice. Because they are unfailingly stylish and proper, said lady will be more likely to sit and chat over a glass of wine - or a big-ass pina colada - with you than if you happened to be wearing a tank top and a pair of elastic-waist shorts.

They also come in many styles, so you’ll find a pair appropriate to whatever locale you happen to be visiting. If you’re in Florida, choose a pair of alligator links, or turtles for the Galapagos, or sharks for Australia. If you’re on a golf trip, pick a pair of cufflinks fashioned like golf balls, or if you’re in Paris, choose some tiny silver Eiffel Tower cufflinks.

The fact is that the number of styles available is really limitless, so expand your horizons - and your chances - by picking up a few pairs, and see how far it gets you.

Whether your interests are in silver, gold, artistic, sports, or other theme-related cufflinks we’ve got you covered. Cufflink Aficionado carries a broad range of men’s cufflinks designed to meet each connoisseur’s individual style and interest. Our selection of mens cuff links are sure to top off that perfect look.

Essentially, gifting programs work the way that putting a dollar in chain letter and adding your name to the bottom of a list does. At it’s most basic, you send a certain amount of communication to to people that you know or have contact information for and request that they send you money. Then, they in turn send out letters requesting the same. It plays on the fact that each person only has to send in a very small amount and that they will soon be rewarded for a very small amount of effort.

The issue with these programs is that they are not really businesses at all, nor are they a reliable way to make money. You will find that the people who you are hoping involve will decline, and then not only is the contribution they were to have made lost, but so is any revenue that came from the people below them. Gifting programs, while they can be quite widespread and can generate an impressive amount of money, will invariably collapse on themselves.

One of the popular aspects of the gifting programs is the fact that it hints towards generosity and generosity that will be rewarded at that. The fact is, the closer you are to the origination of the program, the more likely it is that you will get something out of it. There is often no way to tell how far it has progressed by the time it gets to you, and there is nothing that says that any of the people you contact will respond at all.

Some companies now use complicated software so no one can cheat anyone, the money goes straight to the company. But according to MLM Law, they might not be able to do this. Before I joined any gifting club, I would ask the owner if I could visit his office and speak with him first, especially if I depended to use gifting to allow myself to earn a full-time income.

The issue is that gifting programs are so simple to understand that they often draw people who would otherwise never touch anything like network marketing. There is no convoluted or complex compensation program, but chances are, there will be no compensation at all! Many people never even seen their initial low investment back in programs like these. However, I’ve personally met a few

A gifting program is a difficult proposition at best, and an illegal one at worst. Usually they are easy to identify, and you’ll find that it is always better to give them a wide berth.

Learn more about Brian Garvin and Jeff West at Internet Marketing Review Kings and MLM Review Kings today. Use this article freely but please leave Resource Box intact.

When it comes to the pizza delivery driver how much to tip is determined by a number of different factors. The absolute golden rule to remember though is that you should always tip the pizza delivery driver. They are providing you an invaluable service and deserve to be remunerated accordingly.

Why Tip The Driver?

Pizza delivery drivers have a demanding job. Not only do they have to locate homes all over the city, usually at night, but do so in a timely fashion.

They deal with winter driving conditions, pouring rain, traffic and a list of other in-store duties. They use their own vehicles (not company cars as a lot of people assume) and have to pay for maintenance and commercial insurance.

In the course of a regular delivery they expend a lot of energy and time finding your house or apartment. Many houses do not have visible numbers, especially at night, and in a lot of cities parking is non-existent forcing the driver to walk with your order no matter what the weather conditions. Apartment buildings can be a maze and sometimes pets are a hazard to unsuspecting delivery drivers.

While you only see the driver for a few minutes at your door they have spent a significant amount of time and energy to deliver your pizza to you.

On top of this pizza delivery drivers are in danger of being robbed every time they leave the store. In the U.S. in particular, the government considers pizza delivery a hazardous occupation. This is due to statistics that show pizza delivery drivers are third on the list for being murdered at work after police officers and taxi drivers.

For all this work the companies that employ drivers pay most minimum wage. Drivers, just like restaurant servers, rely on tips to earn a decent living.

How Much To Tip?

Tipping amounts vary slightly depending on the region. For a place like Ajax, Toronto you would expect to tip approximately the same as for restaurant servers:

• 12-15% is the general rule.

• 20% or more should be given for extraordinary service.

• 10% or less for poor quality service.

• No tip for rude behavior or extremely bad service.

• For orders less than $20 a $3 minimum tip should apply.

• For orders more than $50 a 10% minimum should apply.

• During foul or extreme weather it is considerate to tip a little more. You don’t want to go outside so think about how the driver feels. They have to deal with excessive heat, snow, freezing rain, windstorms etc.

• If you live a long way from the store you should also tip a little more. One or two dollars extra being the average. This is the polite thing to do when you know it will take the driver at least 20-30 minutes to reach your home.

In the end please remember that delivery drivers work hard to provide you with an invaluable service. Most of us order pizza when the weather is bad, usually at night and on the weekend. It is a great convenience and a service we would not have if it weren’t for the delivery drivers.

Pizza Pizza, est. 1967, has over 300 locations, including Pizza Pizza Ajax, Ontario

Although some invitation etiquette is based only on tradition, many of the following guidelines are also used because they are simply the polite way of doing things. It is always best to use your discretion to determine what is best for you; however, it is equally important to remember that weddings are typically all about creating an overall impression of propriety. Even if you’re going down the contemporary and modern road, tradition can go a long way in putting your guests at ease and making them feel like an important part of your wedding.

What to Put in the Invitation

Most brides and grooms should use their entire names on the invitation, including the first, middle, and last name. Nicknames and initials should be avoided wherever possible.

Spell out all the words on your contemporary wedding invitation, including times, dates, addresses, and even years. The exception to this is if you are working with names that are followed by numbers (such as “Harold the third”). In this instance, use Roman numerals.

When applicable, use insertions (the thin, tissue-like paper that goes inside the pages of an invitation). Although these aren’t really needed to blot ink, as they were historically called upon to do, most people enjoy the elegance of the gesture.

Refrain from indicating where you are registered. If someone really wants to know, they can always ask someone in the wedding party.

How to Address and Send Envelopes

Make sure you include (and Guest) when inviting a single adult to your wedding. Few people enjoy attending such a romantic event alone, so it will be appreciated if you encourage your guests to bring a friend or date.

If you are inviting couples with different last names (for example, Mr. John Jones and Mrs. Jane Smith), the male should be listed first. For same gender pairs, go in alphabetical order by last name.

If more than one non-familial adult live in the same house (for example, roommates who share an apartment but are in no way related or dating), it’s proper to send each person their own invitation.

Double check all addresses before you put them on paper. Blotted or crossed out errors are the quickest way to make your contemporary wedding invitations look tacky.

Self-address and stamp the envelopes used for responses. Not only is it polite, but you’ll probably get more people who RSVP.

Send your contemporary wedding invitations out six to eight weeks in advance. In the busy seasons, this will help people to plan accordingly – especially if they are traveling from another location.

There is No Wrong Way to Do Things

The level to which you adhere to traditional wedding invitation etiquette depends primarily on how formal you want your event to be. For example, a ceremony composed of a small gathering of intimate friends and family members on the beach certainly doesn’t require the same kind of formal etiquette that a 300-person catered affair would.

At the same time, a wedding is still a wedding, and most people are familiar with certain types of etiquette and formality. It is always best to err on the side of tradition, even when sending out your decidedly contemporary wedding invitations.

Andy West is a writer for Kardella Kreations, which offers many unique styles of invitations including contemporary wedding invitations.

There are undoubtedly times that a T-shirt and a pair of jeans is the right thing to wear – a sporting event, walking the dog, or building a superhighway. This is also the right thing to wear for most rock-and-roll concerts, panhandling, and pumping gas.

But let’s face it, folks – there are many more events in life than these, and part of being a real, live, grown-up man in this country is knowing what to wear to a number of different places.

A jacket and tie used to be so de rigueur at restaurants that dining rooms of all complexions kept a few in the coat check room to ensure that if some rube who didn’t know better wandered in dressed improperly, he could be kitted up enough to decently eat his steak with the other diners. While this dress code does not exist in most restaurants today, it only makes sense that if you are headed for a place nice enough to have a menu that is not illustrated with photographs and “fun facts,” you should dress appropriately.

Every man should have at least one good suit, even if your job and social calendar never require you to wear one. If an opportunity opens up in your office for you to speak at a conference, attend an important meeting, or have dinner with the boss and his wife, you are going to need a suit. Furthermore, if you live a normal life, you’ll need a suit for weddings, funerals, christenings, and other such events.

If you don’t need a number of suits and you don’t plan on buying one every year, buy the best suit you can possibly afford in a gray or blue wool and two fine cotton shirts. It goes without saying that the suits and the shirts should fit you impeccably. It also goes without saying that the shirts must, absolutely must, have long sleeves. Along with your suit, you should buy a good black belt and a pair of black shoes. Remember when buying shoes that costs count – cheap shoes always, always, always look cheap. Also remember when buying shoes that lace-ups are generally going to be dressier than loafers and are less likely to go out of style than most styles of slip-ons.

Certainly ties are a very quick and easy way to give a plain blue or gray suit a number of new looks. Blue suits can look great with ties that are predominantly red, green, yellow, orange, burgundy, or a contrasting but complementary shade of blue. Gray suits pair well with ties that are predominantly red, blue, silver, black, and even some shades of olive. A white shirt is the perfect plain canvas to make a tie in just about any color pop. However, you can coordinate a pale blue shirt with a red, yellow, or navy tie, or pair a pink shirt with a burgundy or navy tie.

If you choose to don a striped or checked shirt, match the tie to the most prevalent color. Most men’s patterned dress shirts pair a color with a neutral – for instance, a pink-and-white stripe or a blue check. Ignore the white and match the tie to the color. Also – a plaid shirt is never meant to be paired with a tie. Think about how often Pa Ingalls or Grizzly Adams wore a tie…almost never. Why, you ask? Because plaid shirts don’t go with ties!

Another way to step up your style is to add a pair of cufflinks. Cufflinks are worn with shirts that have French cuffs, and are always classic and eternally stylish in a way that button-cuffed shirts just simply can’t be. If you don’t have the need for a lot of different styles, pick something timeless such as a pair of silver engraved oval cufflinks, or even something squares in gold or silver. This classic jewelry will be in vogue for your lifetime, and are an excellent investment.

You could also pick up a pair of cufflinks that will shout to the world your penchant for your hobbies, favorite sports teams, cool gadgets such as levels and compasses, or your favorite animal. Themed cufflinks are always a bog hit. This is one area where you can pretty much go wild without stepping off the ledge into bad taste, so show your quirky side and know that you’re still going to be one stylin’ dude.

Whether your interests are in silver, gold, artistic, sports, or other theme-related cufflinks we’ve got you covered. Cufflink Aficionado carries a broad range of unique mens cuff links designed to meet each connoisseur’s individual style and interest. Our selection of men’s designer cufflinks are sure to top off that perfect look.

Sitting so near to the face, men’s ties have the power to make a huge statement about the wearer’s character. Bow ties out of context, for example, can have an unintentionally comic undertone, whilst oversized men’s ties can evoke an oversized ego.

However, a man who takes the trouble to put on the perfect silk tie, handmade and correct for the outfit and occasion, will give a lasting impression of style and sophistication which is well worth the extra cost. Here are some pointers on how to get it right with men’s ties.

Length:

Make sure your tie is the right length. Most shop bought ties are 55/56 inches. Men’s ties are the correct length if they just about reach the belt buckle, which is generally 58 inches, although taller men may require even longer ties.

Texture:

It’s very important to choose a tie made of high quality material, natural fibres are always best, whether silk, cashmere or wool. However, silk ties don’t go with every kind of suit, so be sure that the texture of the tie complements the texture of the suit. Like generally goes with like although there are exceptions, for example a woolen flannel suit looks very chic with satin ties, a complete contrast and opposite.

Pattern:

When deciding on a pattern, there are a number of things to take into account with men’s ties. Firstly, take care not to clash with the pattern on the shirt or jacket. The tie should complement, but not compete with, the rest of the clothing. For example, if you go with a striped tie, don’t wear a similarly striped shirt or you could be mistaken for an optical illusion. Face shape is also important - men with angular faces suit striped ties, whilst round-faced men will look better in spot or neat printed ties. Nobody should ever wear a novelty tie.

Colour:

Blue in general is a particularly flattering colour for men, including navy, medium or sky blue. Blue ties go best with blue or white shirts and blue or grey suits. When choosing a colour you should take the season into account as well. In winter, for example, wines, green or brown hues are good options and in spring and summer lilac or pink can are a dashing alternative.

Handmade Ties:

Making a top-quality handmade tie is a tricky business, and leads to a more expensive product. But really good handmade ties should last for years and will always create a stylish focal point for a formal suit. Along with other benefits, a good quality handmade tie should be made from generous blocks of silk allowing a deeper fold at the back of the tie, giving the tie a more luxurious feel and enabling it to be hand slipped more securely.

David Sanderson buys all of his silk ties from Drakes, the largest independent producer of handmade ties in England. Drakes exports men’s ties and other accessories all over the world to the very finest stores, both high fashion and traditional.

Liberal United States

When you deal with fellow Americans, you will notice that business cards are treated liberally. You can just shove them in your pocket or wallet, without even glancing at them! However, if you wish to make a better impression, you can follow certain things.

- You should whip out your business card holder and hand out your business cards only when the other person requests you or if you are engaged in a business discussion.

- You have to refrain from asking a higher-ranked person’s card unless that person asks for your card first or if you were introduced by a third party.

- You have to respect someone’s card much as you want your card to be respected by the other person. You have to read and study the card, even for just a moment. Wait until you can dispose of it discreetly, if you wish to do so.

Tradition-Bound China

When in China, or in Japan for that matter, you should carry double-sided business cards at all times. One side should have English-language information while the other side has Chinese-language (or Japanese-language) information. You are well advised to consult reputable translation companies to ensure that your cards meet local cultural standards.

Your double-sided cards are necessary because it would be strange and clumsy to have two separate business card holders with you at all times!

When exchanging business cards, always remember these pointers to show your respect:

- You have to give and receive business cards with both hands outstretched.

- You have to either hold the card for some time or place the cards on the table. You have to avoid immediately putting the cards inside your business card holders lest you be seen as ill-mannered.

- You have to present the cards according to status, with higher-ranking personalities given your first priority in handing out your card. Do your research first before going to a meeting.

- You have to avoid too much white in your business card holders and business cards. White is the color of mourning; you will do better with red cards.

Big in Japan

Like the Chinese, Japanese treat business cards with respect. You will be well advised to avoid typical American brashness in this area if you wish to seal the deal. You should also hand out double-sided business cards in Japan. Here are a few more pointers:

- When you receive and give business cards, you have to do so with both hands and slightly bow while doing it.

- Like in China, make sure that you present the card with its Japanese side showing up so that the recipient can read it immediately, without need of turning the card around.

- You have to study the cards, make a mental note of the names, and then you can put away in your business card holders. Or better yet, lay all the cards on the table so that you can distinguish who’s who, especially during a first meeting.

Just remember all these and you will be fine in both Asian and American environments.

When in Asia, do as the Asians do. Impress them with your engraved business card holders and treat them to a night in town courtesy of your engraved money clip. Always make sure that you have plenty of business card holders with you. Visit ExecutiveGiftShoppe.com now!