Q1: For Mother’s Day, (or grads, or weddings coming up), how can you pick a special gift that they know was chosen just for them?
Well usually that is the intention of a gift, however with the availability of gift shoppers, impulse internet buying and even re-gifting, nothing says special more than having the item personalized or monogrammed. You no longer have to just use initials or names as you can now choose any words (I love you Mom) and even images (a bird, flower).
Personalizing indicates too that you had to do your homework just to find a place that monograms and choose something that you were fairly certain was just for them. Also, These days everyone seems to be of wearing just about every designer name on their clothes, why not their own?
Q2: People might think of bathrobes or towels, but what else is out there that can be personalized?
You’d be surprised at all the hard & soft things you can get monogrammed or engraved: teddy bears, wine glasses, shopping bags, candle snuffers, blankets, frames and more. The shops I’m mentioning today are gift shops so you can get many ideas, even if you don’t want to write on them.
Q3: Okay these sound like possible options, so where can we go?
Monogrammes Plus has a showroom is full of lots of things you can personalize by embroidered monogramming: bathrobes, cosmetic bags, aprons, teddy bears, T-shirts, windbreakers, caps, towels, cushions, or something you bring that you’ve bought elsewhere.
Phone: 514-695-8647
At Plaque Impact, their engravings show a great sense of humor on all sorts of cool things:, desk fans (You’re fantastic or I’m your fan ), vases, crumb sweepers (Thanks being there to help pick up the pieces), salt and pepper shakers (You’re a mover and a shaker), clocks, banks, guest books, etc. Lettering can be done in Russian, Hungarian, Vietnamese, Hebrew and Yiddish, and ask about the hatch style of inscriptions which is very elegant. There are also plaques, awards, trophies, pens, name plates, lamination, framing, and family trees. Bring in objects bought elsewhere, as they can personalize different materials like a golf club, bat or hockey stick or sculpture.
Location: 5795 Victoria Ave. at Bourret St.
Phone: 514-344-9959.Hours: Mon -Wed 10:15 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Thursday 10:15 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Friday 10:15 a.m. to 2 p.m.
www.plaqueimpact.com
Creations Personelles is a national chain with more than 120 locations which specialize in engraving, glass etching, embroidery and key cutting. However, in Montreal they have shrunk to only two locations, both in the Fairview Pointe Claire mall. The personalized gifts ($.70 per letter) include frames, hip flasks, mugs, ID bracelets, wine glasses, pewter ware, golf towels, blankets, albums and knives.
Location: 6801 Transcanadienne at St-Jean Blvd., in Fairview Pointe Claire.
Phone: 514-695-3636.
Hours: Monday to Friday (holiday season hours) 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
www.thingsengraved.ca
Q4: Are there any negative implications of giving monogrammed gifts?
You’d have to be somewhat confident that the person wants the gift as there’s no returning this sort of item. If it is to be worn or used outside the house, the recipient would have to be comfortable having initials or their name exposed.
It not a good idea for children as it is unsafe to announce a child’s name to the strangers they might come across. A stranger might use the child’s name making him think that person knows him.