If so, have you thought about how you are planning to reward all their hard work and effort?

Well, you could go for the traditional meal out or cash, but what about something that little bit different? We’ve come up with some more interesting ideas to help you celebrate their exam success in real style.

Find out what they like

Before you do anything you need to make sure that your gift won’t end up in the bottom of a drawer somewhere.

Think about their hobbies and interests, musical tastes, sporting favourites. If it’s a young relative that you don’t know very well, ask their friends or family to find out their interests.

Gifts for All A Level and GCSE Students

Just remember, gifts don’t have to cost a fortune to be loved. With a little thought and effort, it’s possible to find low-cost gifts that will be worth the world to those who receive them.

For starters try these ideas:

• Do something with them. Instead of giving them a Robbie Williams CD or a football shirt, for instance, get concert or match tickets. You can either give them the pair or keep one for yourself and spend some quality time together
• They’ve put a lot of hard work into passing their exams so why not get them something that will last, for instance a beautiful photo album, jewellery or special watch
• Alternatively, choose something frivolous that they would never buy themselves but will love you for doing so – a pair of the most gorgeous but impractical shoes or a handbag could work for a girl

For Those Leaving Home

• Board games like Trivial Pursuit, Twister, Taboo, and Pictionary can make great gifts for students going away to college
• With practical gifts like crockery, saucepans, duvet covers and cooking books for students who need to cook on a budget, you can save them loads of money and you know your gift will be well-used
• Likewise, picture frames, desk lights etc are useful for personalising their room and helping them feel at home more quickly
• Finally, what about creating a food hamper of their favourite food - tins of soup, pasta, rice, cereal, soft drinks, and of course, chocolate bars!

… Or celebrate their A Level and GCSE results with a gift from Big Fat Balloons!

They may be turning into young adults, but there’s nothing like an old fashioned surprise to make them smile…

• Walking Animal Balloons make everyone laugh – and as they are sent by post, they are a great idea if you unable to celebrate with them in person. It’s impossible not to smile when you open the box and see a tortoise or a chicken suddenly poke its head out, just try! And the giggles then come freely as the corgi or cow, or whatever it is, then starts to walks behind them
• Our Rainbow Congratulations Balloon (pictured here) is one most popular celebratory balloons for students. It can be ordered as one balloon or a 3 balloons bouquet, and is great for putting in the window to show off!
• Finally, our cute Goober Graduation Bear is perfect for those wishing to go to University

For more gift ideas check out our congratulations balloons, teddy bears and chocolates.

To help surprise them with a gift that will show you care, we have introduced a range of new graduation balloons.

All our balloon gifts are sent already inflated with helium and carefully wrapped in a large candy stripe box lined with tissue paper for maximum impact.

Perfect to help them celebrate in style!

The new balloons include:

• Mrs Smarty Pants Graduation balloon (pictured here) and Mr Smarty Pants Graduation - two tongue in cheek balloons to make sure the new graduate keeps his or her feet firmly on the ground
• Graduate balloon gift - a colourful graduation balloon with a silver background and a modern design
• Graduation celebration balloon - a more traditional design with a black background

It might also be worthwhile stocking up on a few “generic gifts” such as wine or scented candles for emergencies or last minute invitations.

If you plan ahead, you will not only enjoy stress free gift buying but you will also most certainly save money - you will be able to shop during the sales or spot bargain gifts all year around rather than spending extra on last minute gifts.

For more on great gift giving visit our Gift Guide and check out our article “Get Organised and Start Enjoying Shopping for Presents“

What is the best gift you have ever received?

Probably my bed – gorgeous iron bed that’s very luxurious and decorative. Given to me by my boyfriend (now husband), and such a great gift because I use it every day and still love it!

What is the worst present you have received?

An alarm clock, given to me by a different boyfriend. It was just so boring and unromantic. In fact I had a tantrum and threw it in the duck pond (I was only 17 at the time!).

Who is the most difficult person you have to buy for? Why?

My father as he’s not particularly materialistic. He likes chocolates and play station games but that gets a bit samey after a bit.

Do you enjoy buying gifts?

I like spotting things and keeping them for someone as I know they’ll like them when their birthday comes around.

What is your top gift buying tip?

Sometimes thought and time is appreciated as much as money spent. I once gave a friend a “welcome to your thirties pack” I had made up – big knickers, anti-cellulite cream, anti-wrinkle cream and at the bottom of the box her real present. She thought that was really funny and still tells everyone about it today. Also my daughter put together a little box of notes saying things like “I love your hair” and “You’re the best mum”, and gave it to me for Christmas. It made me cry and realise that people just want to be told they’re loved and appreciated as much as anything else.

What are your favourite gift web sites?

Amazon, as many of my friends and family love books and www.frenchsoaps.co.uk

About Paula

Paula runs www.doyourownpr.com a web site focussing on PR which shows businesses how they can get press coverage for their business and attract new customers through media endorsement.

Forget novelty socks - it’s time to get the kids to use their imagination to create something a little more unique and spoil Dad without breaking the bank.

1. Allow him to enjoy a long, uninterrupted lie-in (it might be harder with small children as they will be excited)
2. Bring him his favourite breakfast in bed – the children can help prepare him a breakfast made with love. Remember to bring Dad the morning papers too
3. Wash his car – maybe while he enjoys a peaceful breakfast
4. Make your own card and write all the things you like about Dad (or what you like to do with him) and add plenty of drawings. Older children could write a poem.
5. Make your own “The Best Dad in the World” certificate. You could even frame it and add a picture of the kids
6. Agree to be on best behaviour – spend the whole day without arguing or fighting, be quiet when asked etc…
7. Do something together as a family – picnic, walk, visit the park or anything you like to do as a family
8. Ask Dad what he would like to do - after all it’s his special day!

For more gift ideas visit our Father’s Day Gifts page or our Gift Guide on the Big Fat Balloons web site. You can also check out our post on Solving The Father’s Day Gift Problem.

We have some brand new Father’s Day balloons in stock, including the Happy Dad’s Day balloon pictured here. You might also want to check out our new Disney Cars “You’re a Winner Dad” Balloon, our square shaped “Love You Grandpa” balloon and our new Father’s Day balloon and chocolates gift pack. I hope you – and more importantly your Dad - enjoy them.

The first Christmas that we were together my husband gave me what I thought was an empty box wrapped up. However, there was a note inside saying ‘book time off work for 24 and 25 February’. I had no idea where he was planning to take me and it wasn’t until we arrived at Manchester Airport that he told me we were flying to Paris for the weekend. It was a fantastic gift – exciting and romantic.

However, 12 years later – having been married for the last 8 and now with 2 children in tow - I’m still waiting for a repeat of this romantic gesture. He just doesn’t seem to take the hint these days!

Who is the most difficult person you have to buy for?

I always find buying presents for the men in my life really difficult. Trying to find gifts that are unusual but will also be appreciated isn’t easy.

Usually I can find something for my husband and my Dad, but my brother is an absolute nightmare. He’s a professional footballer and just about has everything he needs. My gift budget doesn’t stretch to the designer clothes he wears and he’s not really into gadgets or electronics. I usually end up buying something really boring like toiletries or asking for a list of ideas from my sister-in-law.

Do you enjoy buying gifts?

Yes and no.

If I have plenty of time and plenty of ideas I love browsing the stores and coming out with lots of gifts. However, there’s nothing worse than racing around the shops when you’re running out of time and can’t find anything to buy in your price range. This is when I usually find myself buying really poor presents that will end up gathering dust in somebody’s cupboard somewhere.

When I’m short of time I much prefer to shop online - you don’t end up with aching feet at the end of the day!

What is your top gift buying tip?

When you come up with an idea for the perfect gift for a friend or relative, write the idea down or buy it there and then. You’ll find that you’re much more organised when it comes to Christmas or birthdays.

I have to admit that I’m terrible at taking my own advice, though. The number of times I think of a great gift for someone, but by the time their birthday or Christmas comes around I’ve completely forgotten what it was and end up struggling for ideas again.

Biography

Offering copywriting services and Public Relations (PR) consultancy services CopyWrite was established in 2001 by Jeanette Dyson.

Working with business to business and business to consumer organisations, CopyWrite supplies words and text for brochures, websites, newsletters… in fact anything that demands professionally written words that sell, inform, entertain or educate.

With a background in PR , Jeanette is one of those strange people who actually enjoys hiding away in a room with a computer and just writing.

“There’s a bit more to the work than just sitting and writing. Liaising with journalists, working out communication strategies and working on the right messages are all part of my daily working life. But I have to admit, I do enjoy having a few hours spare to do nothing but write. It can be quite therapeutic,” said Jeanette.

The great art of giving consists in this: the gift should cost very little and yet be greatly coveted, so that it may be the more highly appreciated. Baltasar Gracian

You must give some time to your fellow men. Even if it’s a little thing, do something for others - something for which you get no pay but the privilege of doing it. Albert Schweitzer, French philosopher & physician (1875 - 1965)

The excellence of a gift lies in its appropriateness rather than in its value. Charles Dudley Warner, ‘Eleventh Study,’ Backlog Studies, 1873

There is no benefit in the gifts of a bad man. Euripides (484 BC - 406 BC), Medea, 431 B.C.