Two Roads Diverged in a Wood: Gifts for a New Direction
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Many of our memorable Mileposts occur when we set off in a new direction: we choose the road less traveled.
Once we step out, we’re in new territory. Everything is about to change. We can’t go back.
It’s thrilling and terrifying in equal parts.
The most obvious life event in this category is a wedding. It’s also true of starting a new job or company, purchasing a new house, or bringing a baby into your family.
For the most part, we gather as much information as possible before we begin a new stage in our journey. We’re nervous, but reasonably confident.
After we take that first step, we’ll realize that we’re in way over our heads. We don’t know what we don’t know. We’ll panic and flounder. We’ll probably experience spectacular failure. And enjoy sweet successes, too.
But that’s all ahead of us.
The Milepost moment marks the transition point when we’re looking forward with giddy optimism. The friends that are a few steps ahead of us in their own journeys are going to approach these Mileposts with a mixture of humor and wisdom.
They wish us luck.
Across history and cultures, transitional Mileposts are associated with symbolic gifts, tangible expressions of intangible sentiments. I can’t help but notice that gifts of luck are offered at the Mileposts where we aren’t as open to advice. It isn’t exactly because we think we know it all; it just marks a moment where we don’t yet have any experience to apply the advice to.
Luck is very much appreciated.
It’s why we give the cobalt stand mixer to the newly married couple that has not yet, to anyone’s knowledge, demonstrated any interest whatsoever in baking. Good luck with that! The giver knows that it’s only a matter of time before the couple will realize that baking can be therapeutic and healthy, and they’ll pull out the instructions. In the meanwhile, it’s going to look fabulous on their counter, assuming they have counter space to spare.
The Romans presented good luck tokens before a battle. The modern-day equivalent is the swag bag given to athletes before a competition. Most bags predictably include the event t-shirt, a water bottle, and granola bars. Perhaps a gift specific to the sport is added, such as a chalk bag at a climbing comp.
My favorite comp gifts are the unexpected surprises. Once, my daughter received a yoga mat, paired with yoga classes offered during the event; the coordinators were deliberate about crafting the swag bags to communicate care to the athletes.
My favorite comp gifts are the unexpected surprises. Once, my daughter received a yoga mat, paired with yoga classes offered during the event; the coordinators were deliberate about crafting the swag bags to communicate care to the athletes.
Lucky gifts come in all shapes and sizes. We’ve figured out how to express luck with practicality, by putting a modern twist on the traditional symbols: horseshoes, four-leaf clovers, bluebirds, bamboo.
For example, after closing on a new home, our real estate agent gave us a personalized embosser set (for our new address) and a letter opener with a horseshoe on its handle. It was her custom to give each of her clients this housewarming gift.
Any step in a new direction is cause for celebration. As leaders or loved ones, we want to show up and be intentional about supporting the journey.
Sometimes, the path ahead might get a little rough. Regardless of what happens, the gift expresses our support. We believe it’s going to work out. We’re right there with them.
It’s going to make all the difference.
Are you ready to inspire community, camaraderie, and connection?
Let us help you create a Milepost Moment!
Invoice & Payment:
You should receive an invoice within 24 hours of the project start date with your Gift Concierge. Most orders will require a nonrefundable deposit of up to 50% of your order in advance of your ship date. Once the gift has been selected and finalized, the balance of the order cost will be invoiced and will include shipping as a separate line item. For credit card or ACH payments, the Customer Portal can be used to pay your invoice directly. In some cases, we can issue a direct invoice, should the customer organization require this. Note that volume orders will be assessed a 3% fee for credit card processing, which can be avoided by paying via ACH.
Addresses, Returns & Cancellations:
Please note that we are unable to reship gifts that are sent back to our fulfillment center due to the nature of our gift products. As such, all addresses in your order form are considered final. Once your order has been submitted to our fulfillment center, there will be a $50 fee to change or remove any addresses. Though we are happy to accommodate address changes in this way, please note that this will result in your full order being pulled from the queue and may result in a later shipping date. This ensures a seamless and on-time gifting process for all clients. (Tip: Ensure floor and suite numbers are included, especially for packages going to offices or universities. This is typically the primary reason for returns.) We cannot honor any cancellation requests once the gifts have shipped. Any requests to cancel an order that has already been submitted to our fulfillment center is subject to a $50 cancellation fee + the price of custom goods procured.
Timeline:
For custom or unique orders, our Gift Concierge team will work with you to meet deadlines and provide accurate and transparent information on order gift shipping times.
Shipping:
We ship all gifts from our fulfillment center, located in the Detroit area. Estimated shipping times for the continental U.S. are: Midwest: 1-3 days, Northeast: 2-4 days, South: 2-4 days, West: 2-5 days, based on exact shipping address. Although we do our very best to package and ship your gifts with great care and consideration, we can not control delays or issues with lost shipments caused by carriers such as FedEx or USPS. If you experience any other issues with gift delivery, please email CustomerService@MilepostGifts.com or visit your customer portal.
Shipping costs are always billed separately for each customer order and will be included in the final customer invoice.
Tracking:
Once your gifts have shipped, you will receive an email with tracking information for your entire order.
Questions?
Reach out to our team so we can ensure you have a smooth and delightful order experience. Contact your Gift Concierge member directly or our Support team at CustomerService@MilepostGifts.com to assist you.
