Valentine’s Day can be a great chance to show the people in our lives that we care about them. Whether it’s your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife, taking a night out of the normal schedule and doing something special is a nice way to celebrate your relationship. However, it can be difficult to know what kind of date to plan, especially if you have been with someone for enough time that you have tried many different types of dates. Here are some ideas for a change up on an ordinary date – but ones that still doesn’t require too much expense or advance planning.

Learn something new together. Many couples have had a great experience taking a dance class together. There are so many different types of couples’ dances: swing, ballroom, salsa, and country line, to name a few. Any type of dance allows you to spend time close to your partner. Plus, there are bound to be some laughs along the way as you make a misstep or two. Many dance classes will require you to attend for a number of weeks, but some are single-night sessions. Another option, especially if you are planning a trip to another country, is to begin to learn some words or phrases in a new language together.

Outdoor Activities. Although much of the United States will usually be rather chilly in February, if you happen to be somewhere warm, outdoor activities can make a great date. Rent bikes (if you don’t own them) and go for a ride. Or you can find a nearby park and plan a hike together. If you don’t want too much physical exertion, an outdoor picnic can also be a great date activity. Even if you are in an area that is cold in February, there is still some fun to be had outdoors. Ice skating and even skiing, if you are near a slope, makes a fun day outside. Plus, when it’s cold out, it can be even better to come back into the warmth with some hot cocoa.

Try a new cultural or entertainment option. Obviously, movies (both in home and at the local theater) are a wonderful date stand-by. If you’re looking for something special and different, however, there are many other arts and entertainment performances to consider attending. You could visit a local museum, many of which will have a free or reduced price admission during certain times. Another option is attending an orchestra performance or stage play if you don’t normally seek these out. If you’re looking for something lighter, find a stand-up comedy night in your area or live music in a style that you don’t normally see. Even if the show doesn’t turn out to be something you both love, you will have something interesting to talk about when the performance is finished.

Find food and drinks outside a restaurant. Securing a reservation at a nice restaurant around Valentine’s Day can be very difficult. Plus, you may have already gone the fancy dinner route in previous years. As an alternative, consider a cooking class at a local market, university, or restaurant. The classes are often pretty easy to follow and usually come with an example of the dish at the end. Another way to expand your dating options is to attend a wine tasting. Even if you don’t know much about wines, you can learn some useful tips to figure out what you do and don’t like to drink.

Spend your date at home. While it is important to go out and spend some time with your partner, some situations make that more difficult. Whether it is due to having young children or just wanting to spend less money, an at-home date night can still be a lot of fun. You can splurge a little on some delicious food. Maybe throw yourself a “surf and turf” night with some gourmet steak and lobsters. Or decide on a TV series that you both have wanted to see and begin watching the first few episodes on your date. If you like it, it can become an easy ongoing event you can plan at home. If you have other friends who also don’t want to have a traditional Valentine’s Day date, you can plan a game night with a few other couples.

There are countless other great options for a special date on Valentine’s Day. Try to be imaginative and plan something unique and  don’t forget that we have a great selection of Engraved Valentine’s Day Gifts that will make him or her smile.

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Since the late 1980s, the third Monday of January has been observed in the United States in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. King is one of the most important forces in the civil rights movement and one of the key figures in the political landscape of the 1950s and 60s. Although he was assassinated in 1968, his influence has lasted for decades and can still be felt today. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C. opened to the public on August 22, 2011, joining the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site in Atlanta among the many memorials and honors established to King. Although King’s life was full of important speeches and brave decisions, these are a few of the most enduring moments of King’s life.

Montgomery Bus Boycott

In 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white person in accordance with the segregation laws in Montgomery, Alabama. African-American leaders decided that the time was right to challenge these segregation laws. With organization from E.D. Nixon, the president of the local NAACP, a group began a boycott of the bus system in Montgomery. King was chosen to lead the boycott, which lasted for over a year until a government law, and eventually a Supreme Court decision, made bus segregation illegal. During his time leading the boycott, King’s home was bombed, though he was not harmed.

“Letter from Birmingham Jail”

King and his organization, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, helped plan non-violent disobedience in Birmingham, Alabama to protest the segregation and racial inequalities occurring in the city. The brutal response by police made news worldwide. For his part in the protest, King was arrested. While in jail, on April 16^th 1963, King wrote an open letter, in which he explained the motivation of the protesters. One of the most famous lines from the highly-regarded letter is “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

March on Washington/ “I Have a Dream”

In August 28, 1963, King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference combined with a number of other important civil rights groups to organize a massive march on Washington, D.C. to raise awareness and demand changes to the country’s laws. Specifically, they wanted to end segregation in schools, outlaw racial discrimination, and receive protection from police retribution. Known officially as the “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom,” the protest included between 200,000 and 300,000 people. It was also the site for King’s most famous speech – and one of the most famous speeches in American history. The “I Have a Dream” speech, delivered at the Lincoln Memorial, galvanized civil rights advocates and lead to important laws being enacted, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Nobel Peace Prize

In 1964, King became the youngest person to ever win the Nobel Peace Prize. He was only thirty-five, but he had already become the face of the civil rights movement. A key to King’s success was his use of non-violent protests, an approach inspired by Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi. The bravery of the protesters who endured savage treatment from police and others slowly won over many of the whites in the United States who had been undecided about civil rights. King’s promotion of non-violent resistance was also a major factor in his being awarded the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize.

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It seems like everyone has a different favorite when it comes to holiday songs. If you spend some time shopping during December, there is a pretty good chance that you may hear it at some point, too, since retailers make effective use of Christmas and holiday music to put people into the buying mood. However, wouldn’t it be nice to have a final answer if you want to know the most popular holiday songs? Well, it turns out that ASCAP, the songwriting organization also known as The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, keeps track of the most-played holiday songs in theUnited States.

The most recently published list of holiday song popularity was last December, and it tracked how many times songs were played during the Fall 2010 holiday season, using statistics from more than 2,500 radio stations across the U.S. The most popular song? It may surprise you to find out that the clear winner was “Sleigh Ride,” which was played 43,168 times during that period. This was almost 5,000 more than the #2 finisher, “Winter Wonderland,” which still had a whopping 38,415 plays across the country in the 2010 holiday season.  The top five spots for 2010 were rounded out by “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” (#3 – 32,616 plays), “Jingle Bell Rock” (#4 – 31,020), and “White Christmas” (#5 – 26,929).

With holiday songs that are mostly decades old, it might seem like the same songs would be the most popular every year, but that’s not totally the case. In 2005, ASCAP released the most played holiday songs of the first five years of the new millennium, and the results were quite different from the 2010 list. On that list, the number one spot was held by “The Christmas Song” (often known by its familiar phrase “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire”). Songs #2 and #3 were also not on the 2010 list: “Santa Clause is Coming to Town” (#2) and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (#3). The last two spots on the list of most popular holidays songs from 2000-2005 did have crossover from the most recent list. “Winter Wonderland” was #4 and “White Christmas” was #5.

So how did the list change when the results of the entire first decade of the 2000s were tallied? It is not too surprising that four of the top five songs for the whole decade appeared in the top five of the first half of the decade. The one song that was not in the 2005 list was “Sleigh Ride” (coming in at #3 for the decade), so clearly this carol has been very popular for the last five years. The most popular holiday song, in terms of radio plays, for the 2000s was “Winter Wonderland.” This is pretty amazing, in one sense, because it is also one of the oldest modern holiday songs, having been written in 1934. The one song to drop from the top five of the first half of the 2000s, “White Christmas,” was still very popular, being the sixth most played holiday song of the first decade of the 21^st century.

ASCAP also keeps track of the most popular holiday song on different formats, so if you’re curious of the most popular holiday song in 2010 on Urban radio (“Let It Snow), Country (“Jingle Bell Rock”), or Latin (“Feliz Navidad”), you can find a list tracking those results. So the answer to a seemingly simple question of what is the most popular holiday song actually depends on a lot of factors like year, region, and style of music. Obviously, there are also many different versions of popular holiday songs, performed by dozens of different singers over the years, though all of those versions count in the tallies on these lists. For more information, and to see the songs beyond the top five on these different lists, visit www.ascap.com and search for “holiday songs.”

Do you think that there should be different songs at the top of the lists? Please let us know in the comments what are your favorite Christmas and holiday songs.  Happy holidays from all of us here at: Silver Mine Gifts

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Thanksgiving presents a special time of the year for us to be with our family and loved ones. It’s a great time to enjoy a large meal and companionship. What separates Thanksgiving from any other special family meals, though, is that Thanksgiving is our national celebration of autumn, giving us a chance to outfit our homes with the feel of fall. However, Thanksgiving decorating does not have to be a costly process with endless store-bought knickknacks. It is actually quite easy to develop a wonderful Thanksgiving look on a budget. Also, why spend and spend on decorations when that money can be used towards the meal – or even holiday shopping! Here are some tips for enhancing your home this November.

Use nature After all, Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrating the bounty of nature, so why not use the natural gifts all around us. If they are seasonal in your area, gather some twigs, pinecones and fallen leaves for decorating (children will also enjoy helping with this!). You may need to dry and flatten the leaves. To do this, put them between paper towels underneath a stack of books or other flat heavy object. Also, consider using unshelled nuts like acorns or walnuts. Even if you don’t live in an area where there are fallen leaves or pinecones, these items will be less expensive on their own than if you buy a pre-made decoration at the department store.

Pumpkins and gourds If you have leftover pumpkins from Halloween that have not been cut or painted, they can also be reused as Thanksgiving decorations, especially when displayed with leaves and fall symbols. Gourds of various sizes will be available at many stores at this time of year, and they are another great fall decoration. If they seem too expensive at the supermarket, consider going to a produce stand or farmer’s market if there is one nearby, where you may be able to get many decorative gourds and pumpkins for low prices. You may find that they have some groceries you need for the big meal!

Pick autumn colors You do not need to be an interior designer to pick out a decorating scheme for your house for Thanksgiving. Concentrate on earthy fall tones like gold, green, brown, dark red and orange. Go to a craft store and purchase some fabric in a few of these colors. You can cut this into place settings or just drape it in spots around your home. Also consider using ribbon in one of these colors, perhaps in a contrasting color as an accent. Don’t forget to decorate more than just the Thanksgiving table. You’d be surprised how far some orange and brown fabric underneath a bowl of nuts and leaves will go towards creating a festive environment.

Fire is your friend Thanksgiving comes in late fall, where in much of the U.S. the weather has started to turn cool and the days are getting shorter. A decorating solution to both of these conditions is to use fire. If you have a fireplace, consider cleaning and lighting it for Thanksgiving. Even if you don’t have a fireplace (or if it’s too big of a job to get it ready), light a number of candles around your home. The combination of the low lighting and subtle heat will give your home a cozy feel. You may also want use candles scented in autumn smells to add to the feel. Don’t have too many competing scents, though – with scented candles, a little goes a long way.

Homemade centerpiece Of course, the key to any Thanksgiving holiday is the dinner table, and the center of any Thanksgiving table is a centerpiece. Although there are many lovely centerpieces to be bought, you can also make a beautiful and cost-conscious centerpiece on your own. Consider a glass vase with some fall flowers. Also, use some of the natural items you have gathered like leaves, nuts and twigs. You can assemble them with a hot glue gun, but it may work just as well with the items arranged in a large glass bowl. Aim for a few contrasting textures and colors in your centerpiece.

These are just a few of the suggestions for creating charming and budget-friendly decorations for Thanksgiving. Go with what matches your personality and what suits your schedule. Mostly, have fun with it. If you have other ideas for Thanksgiving decorating, please share them in the comments.

God Bless you and have a happy Thanksgiving from all of us here at Silver Mine Gifts.

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November 11th marks Veterans Day in the United States. Originally established in 1926 as “Armistice Day” in order to celebrate the end of World War I, and honor those who fought in the conflict, the name was changed after subsequent wars such as World War II and the Korean War. In 1954, President Eisenhower signed a law that officially changed Armistice Day to Veterans Day, a national holiday to honor those Americans who have fought in any war. Although Veterans Day has also in modern time become associated with sales events in retail stores, its original role – to commemorate those who have sacrificed to defend the United States – still remains its fundamental role.

On the occasion when we reflect on those who have served in wars, it is also worth discussing the powerful memorials that also commemorate those wars. All of these are located in the Washington, D.C. area and would add to any historical trip to the nation’s capital.

Vietnam Memorial – Perhaps the most famous war memorial, officially called the “Vietnam Veterans Memorial,” this site receives around 3 million visitors each year. It is composed of three sections, which were completed at different times. The Memorial Wall, completed in 1982 houses the names of 58,195 Americans killed during the conflict, was designed by a student named Maya Lin, only 21 when her entry was chosen. The second section is the Three Soldiers statue, designed by Frederick Hart and completed in 1984. The final addition was the Women’s Memorial, designed by Glenda Goodacre and finished in 1993, which is dedicated to the nurses and other female service personnel who served during the Vietnam conflict.

National World War II Memorial - A relatively new memorial, dedicated to the veterans and civilians who served in World War II, this structure was unveiled in 2004. Located between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, the WWII Memorial contains 58 pillars, one for each U.S. state at the time of the war and the other American territories, such as Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands, that contributed to the war effort. In the middle is a plaza with a large pool and fountain. There are also two arches, each 43 feet high, at the ends of the plaza. One arch is dedicated to the Pacific phase of the war and the other to the Atlantic. The site receives over 4 million visitors each year.

Korean War Memorial - This memorial, finished in 1994, is located in the West Potomac Park in Washington, D.C. The structure features reflective walls that house over 2,000 photographic images from the war. There are also 19 statues of soldiers from all four branches of the military interspersed in the memorials. A short wall features a United Nations section that displays the names of all of the nations that contributed to the war. Finally, there is a Pool of Remembrance that lists pertinent statistics about the war, such as the 54, 246 Americans and 628,833 U.N. soldiers killed in action.

Arlington National Cemetery - The oldest of the memorials here, the national cemetery in Virginia was first established in 1864, following the American Civil War. There are buried soldiers from every American war in Arlington, including Afghanistan and Iraq. The site also houses a number of memorials, including the Tombs of the Unknowns (first called “The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier”), the Nurses Memorial and the eternal flame at the grave of President Kennedy. The Arlington National Cemetery Amphitheater frequently hosts state funerals and other war commemorations.

All of us at Silver Mine Gifts would like to thank all of our Veterans and their families who have served our country with honor and dignity, God Bless You.

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In the United States, October 10^th  2011 will be celebrated as Columbus Day, a national holiday where many businesses, government offices and schools are closed. The day commemorates the arrival of Christopher Columbus inNorth America on October 12, 1492. The holiday is also celebrated as Día de la Raza in many Latin American countries and as Fiesta Nacional in Spain, the country that supported Columbus in his quest to the “New World.” However, there are many groups that feel that it is improper to support this holiday because of there was already a native population living there.

For most of the history of the Americas and especially since the formation of the United States, there have been celebrations of Columbus’ landing.  Although the holiday didn’t become an official holiday until the 1930s, the arrival of the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Mariahas long been heralded in the United States, popularized by the children’s rhyme, “In fourteen hundred ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue….” For those of European heritage, this was an important moment in history. Without Columbus, the early pilgrims may have not traveled across the ocean, the original colonies of England may have not been settled, and the United States would not have formed as it had (Although, it is probably safe to assume that if Columbus had not arrived in North America, eventually an European explorer would).

Furthermore, Columbus Day has evolved throughout its history into a big celebration of Italian-American culture and heritage (although Columbus sailed for Spain, he was born in Genoa, Italy). Many cities and towns around the nation hold Columbus Day parades that double as Italian-American festivals.  And the holiday has also held special significance for Catholics, such the Knights of Columbus group, since the explorer himself was catholic.

The holiday has come under increasing scrutiny over the past few decades, however, as many feel the holiday portrays a biased view of history and culture. The historical notion that Columbus “discovered” the Americas is flawed, some say, since there were already indigenous people living there. Many feel that the idea that Europeans brought culture and civilization to “savage” American Indians is a racist idea that belittles the society and customs that had already been established. Although the relationship between native peoples and explorers/settlers is very complicated, and it would be simplistic to ascribe one scenario to all of the interactions, there has unquestionably been widespread exploitation of Native Americans by settlers.

Also, some critics feel that Columbus’ arrival in the American continents lead, in many ways, to the violent conquering and frequent slaughter of the American Indian population. There is some evidence that suggests that Columbus was motivated by greed and power, viewing harsh enslavement of the indigenous peoples as a necessary step towards his ends.  In light of documents that question Columbus’ moral character, many groups feel it is not fitting to honor the man in spite of the many positives that resulted from his landing.  Some surprising groups have joined the cause of challenging the holiday. The National Council of Churches has stated that Christians should not celebrate the holiday.

So what is your opinion?  Should Columbus Day continue to be celebrated as a holiday?  Why?  Should it be changed?  If you think it should be altered, how so?

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Constitution Day September 17th 2011

The United States Constitution is one of the most significant and influential political documents in history. It set up the basis for the laws of the country, the branches of government and the means of a representational election. In honor of this significant achievement, September 17th is observed as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day (September 17, 1787 was the date of the signing of the Constitution). However, as enduring and powerful as this document was, there have been significant changes and additions to the Constitution throughout history. The first ten amendments, called the Bill of Rights, were some of the most basic and pervasive freedoms. These were ratified in 1789, only two years after the original Constitution, and are considered by many to be a part of the original Constitution. However, there have also been seventeen additional amendments since the original Bill of Rights. Below are five of the most important amendments:

1. 13th Amendment – The Abolition of Slavery At a time when the United States was still trying to end the Civil War, Congress passed the 13th amendment, prohibiting slavery and involuntary servitude. It was ratified by the end of the same year, after the close of the war. This amendment reinforced the Emancipation Proclamation, which has already ended slavery in the confederacy in 1862. Even though the official amendment occurred almost a century after the Declaration of Independence, the end of slavery is still one of the most important moments in U.S. history.

2. 19th Amendment – Women’s Suffrage Women did not secure the right to vote until the 19th Amendment, enacted in 1920. It may be surprising to realize that for a majority of its existence, the United States did not allow women to vote. The suffrage movement for women had been established for decades, since at least the mid-19th century. However, it was the industrial revolution, which saw more women in the workforce, and World War I, which necessitated even more women taking jobs, that finally made President Woodrow Wilson and Congress decide to support the cause. It should be noted that many other countries around the world had not established women’s suffrage until the early 20th century, as well.

3. 22nd Amendment – Limits President to Two Terms This amendment was a direct response to Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was elected to the Presidency four times, starting in 1932. Although there were no laws preventing this many terms, no president had ever served more than two terms (and only once had a president ran for a third). FDR ran, and was elected, for a third and fourth term as he tried to guide the nation out of the Great Depression and then eventually lead it during World War II. However, with the country’s roots in independence and the obvious problems of dictatorship occurring in European nations, many U.S. citizens and politicians thought that a president should never lead for more than eight years.

4. 26th Amendment – Changes the Legal Voting Age to 18 Due to changing feelings about the government, especially during the Vietnam War, a quick groundswell lead to this amendment. Prior to the passage of this amendment in 1971, the minimum age of voting was 21. However, as the role of the United States in Vietnam became increasingly polarizing, many felt it was unfair to ask young men, at 18 and 19-years-old, to risk their lives in an unpopular war when they were unable to choose their governmental leaders. Another significant factor in the passage of this amendment was the killing of four college student war protestors at Kent State University in 1970.

5. 18th/21st Amendments – Establishment and End of Prohibition The case of Prohibition is the only time a Constitutional amendment has been passed to repeal another amendment. When the 18th Amendment was passed in 1919, it was lead by temperance advocates who thought that Prohibition would lessen drunkenness and crime. However, in many ways, quite the opposite happened during Prohibition, which lasted until 1933. Speakeasies became commonplace in major cities and the Mafia, which usually supplied their alcohol, became much more pervasive and powerful. Furthermore, outlawing the sale and consumption of alcohol hardly stopped people from drinking – it only made them find new places to do it. With the passage of the 21st Amendment, the nation decided to admit the original change had failed and once again allowed drinking.

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In Remembrance of 9/11

As this year marks the tenth anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks, we would like to take this opportunity to offer our thoughts to those who lost family or friends on that day. 9/11 has changed the United States and the world in so many ways, but it has had an even more profound impact on those personally affected by this tragic day. Our deepest sympathies and prayers go to those people who have had their lives forever changed.

Also, we would like to offer sincere thanks to all of the police, firefighters, medical personnel and others who put their lives at risk on that fateful day – and continue to make that sacrifice each and every day to help and save others. Furthermore, special appreciation goes to the brave men and women of the military, counter-terrorism, and intelligence forces who work so hard and diligently, often at great peril to themselves, to ensure our safety. The entire nation owes them all a great deal of gratitude.

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Grandparents Deserve Special Recognition

In addition to parents, many of us owe a special debt of gratitude to our grandparents. Grandparents play a special role in our upbringing. For some, they are primary caretakers who care for children because the parents are not present or working full-time. While for many others, grandparents play an important supporting role in our lives: taking children shopping or visiting on holidays and special trips. However, many grandparents and senior citizens become lost in the shuffle when it comes to special appreciation gestures like Mother’s and Father’s Day.

National Grandparents Day, held on the Sunday after Labor Day in the United States, is an effort to recognize the contributions of grandparents, especially as they become older. Grandparents may not see their grandchildren as much as they get older, but they still enjoy the companionship. The official flower of National Grandparents Day is the Forget-Me-Not, which is poignant since it is very important to not forget about grandparents, especially as they become less self-reliant.

One of the other goals of National Grandparents Day is to learn from the wisdom of our elders. Grandparents have lived through many joyous and challenging experiences. This depth of experience gives them perspective on our challenges. There is also a great deal to learn from those have experienced periods of history that we never can. Learning from our grandparents can be a great way to learn about our own family and national histories.

It’s important to spend the time with grandparents and to also make them feel appreciated. Here are a few simple ideas for adults or children to engage with your grandparents, whether you speak to them frequently or not.

1) Ask them about their lives. The more we talk to our grandparents, the more we would be surprised to find out what their lives have been like. They weren’t always grandparents, after all!
2) Try to learn about your family history. If you do not already have a family tree, try to consult with your grandparent(s) and learn about the ancestors you may not know – find out who they were, where they lived, what they did in their lives.
3) Find a way to express your love and appreciation to your grandparent. Similar to how we show our feelings to our parents, often the simplest and most sincere expressions of feelings are much better than an expensive presents.
4) If a grandparent is in a nursing home or in ill health, visit them. No matter what age, everyone likes companionship. Sometimes senior citizens unfortunately become ignored in our society. But it’s important to make them feel loved, especially if they do not often see the rest of their family.
5) If your grandparents are no longer living, take a few moments to remember them. Think of a fond memory or funny story they told you. Reminisce about an enjoyable day or special holiday you spent with them. Those who are no longer with us can still have a profound effect on us through our memories.

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Our customers give us some of the best ideas for our products.  This came from one of them who bought a blank liquor decanter tag and had us do some special engraving.  Thank you Emily.  Here is a copy of her recent comments from our testimonial system.   My office ordered a custom-engraved decanter label for my boss as part of a retirement gift. Given that he had been with our organization for almost 50 years, and as a Federal agency we could only rely on personal donations to cover our costs, we needed a decanter label that would be beautiful, elegant, and not too expensive. Silver Mine delivered a stunning personalized product on a very short deadline, and provided excellent customer service over the phone to assuage our worries that the gift might not arrive on time. Thanks for helping make our farewell such a success, Silver Mine!

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