advice on gifting

kic90army · Post by **kic90army** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 11:31 am

so im planing to gift homemade candles but i need ideas on colors and scents so please email me at [email protected] with your ideas. thanks a bunch,
Kim

phil · Post by **phil** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 12:00 pm

Just curious - have you had them out in the heat?

Post by **AntiM** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 2:41 pm

mylarry makes homemade candles and gifts them at our regionals; he has all shapes and sizes of molds, all kinds of scents and colors. However, these candles do not go to the playa, they melt in the heat. Sure, we store them in a cooler, but once out in the heat, they melt. Even when he uses high heat resistant materials, i.e. adds sterine, they get soft and then slump. Plus they attract dust and people do dumb things like, oh, light them in their tents. Bad idea in a tent city. Also, candles MOOP when the wax melts. Plus they're a pain to carry around as most candles can't take being knocked about. Oh, and if you think glass containers are the answer, um, no, glass breaks.

Candles as gifts, nice, but not at B-Man.

Barbie · Post by **Barbie** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 2:58 pm

I go to the thrift stores for my costumes...when I find something that would be great on the playa-BUT I would'nt wear it...I buy it anyway and gift it to someone (most of the time a virgin) I have found the most perfect stuff for people!!!! You should see their EYES light up when you give them an oufit or a scarf or you have the perfect thing to match their outfit... and if you do it all year it doesn't end up costing you alot right before the BURN ( when your trying to buy ticket,booze,glow sticks etc)

kic90army · Post by **kic90army** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 4:10 pm

well what are other gifting ideas

Ron · Post by **Ron** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 4:17 pm

Booze and food are both very popular. As are home made jewelry of all kinds, bracelets, necklaces, anklets, arm bands, and so on. Especially stuff that either works the year, theme, or theme camp into the design.

But don't forget the non-material kinds of gifts. Do some kind of performance, work in a kissing booth, give hugs, spray folk with water, or whatever. Think about yourself and how you want folk to remember you and gift accordingly.

Ron

Toolmaker · Post by **Toolmaker** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 4:30 pm

Italian Ices or Ice Cream.. it was soo fucking rad to get an italian ice handed to me on the 3 oclock plaza after saying hi to Jelly and crew. It was especially cool to have a different person gift me an otter pop after sweatin my ass of in the porta potty the next day.

I prefer to gift two types of things.. the cheap yet useful stuff for everyone and some equally practical yet much nicer stuff to a few folks that are exceptional. Things like multitools, pocket knives, zippo lighters, etc are good and never turn into moop.

Post by **mdmf007** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 7:19 pm

We were able to give out 100 gallons of smuggled Cuban Rum, and fresh mint in the form of Mojitos in give away Pyrex beakers. The pyrex was new and never used for semen experiments or something wierd. I just happen to get 2500 of the 1/3 liter beakers. worked perfect for 10 cents each. We even screened them in our shop with the BM logo.I imagine many will see service in kitchens as measuring cups as they have the scales on the sides.

Next year - 2008. I was thinking of a Mongolian Grill type of feed. I could care less what the state says about serving food. I envision towing out all of the vegetables on a table in stainless bowls, right from our refridgerator pre chopped and ready to go. Sauces in big squirt jugs for cleanliness. I woud have to use paper bowls fo cleanliness as it all ends up on the grill, and cant have people throwing it in a coffee cup, dirty dish then on a mutual grill. fire up the big slab of steel grill till its hot, and start cooking.

MMMMM I love my mongolian grill, and I think I am going to tweak it as best I can to make it playa friendly.

Any thoughts?

later

Kinetik V · Post by **Kinetik V** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 8:08 pm

One thought for ya...post some pics of that grill and what you do to get it ready for the playa. This sounds like a good project...and a great tasting one to boot.

PatfromOre · Post by **PatfromOre** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 8:24 am

I brought a couple boxes of ice cream sandwiches and gifted them out on Friday around 11:00, when it was hotter then hell. Everybody liked them.

My wife had green bandanas that she printed with"Burning Man 2007" and handed them out during one of the dust storms , peeps sure were thankfull to get them.

emotion_sickness · Post by **emotion_sickness** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 4:07 pm

i made vegan california rolls for me and my campmates, made so much in fact that after feeding them all i wandered up and down the street, feeding the neighbors and passers by. Some people seemed amazed that you could make that kind of dish on the playa, but it was actually really simple and relatively cheap too!

i also gifted tarot readings, i dont think one can get a more personal gift than that!

i gave other gifts too, my time and help setting up camp structures, water, booze, and little items that i had brought with me that i thought someone else could get more use out of than i would.

but i still had a feeling in the back of my head that i didn't give enough...next year i'm definitely going to do some volunteering!

Token · Post by **Token** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 5:25 pm

mmmmm vegan sashimi. Wild caught or farm raised?

Post by **mdmf007** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 5:32 pm

There was one fella with a hot noodle cart - the same type you see on the street. He rolls around serving ramen noodles with all sorts of fixings.

Filled me up at 0200 and was a great gift.

wedeliver · Post by **wedeliver** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 8:55 pm

Don't forget the best gift of them all... yourself..... thats what makes Black Rock City roll.... you....

emotion_sickness · Post by **emotion_sickness** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 4:09 pm

Token wrote:mmmmm vegan sashimi. Wild caught or farm raised?

neither actually, i had brought some smoked organic farm-raised (i guess) salmon to put in it but the heat really did a number on it and i didn't think it would be safe to eat so it was just carrots, avocado, celery, and some other veges rolled up in them...all organic, which i was proud of myself for remembering!

erri2000 · Post by **erri2000** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 4:26 pm

wedeliver wrote:Don't forget the best gift of them all... yourself..... thats what makes Black Rock City roll.... you....

I agree 100%

I brought things that I "thought" others would want in 2007, but man was I wrong.

This year I am doing just that. There is no greater gift than to participate.

If you don't you participate you end up with 50,000 people starring at each other in the desert. And that is still kind of fun, but I heard it can be better if everyone participates.

I am bringing some special things for special people, but for most, I hope you enjoy the show. 2008 is gonna ROCK!

capjbadger · Post by **capjbadger** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 4:38 pm

Coolest "gift" that stuck with me was wandering back to my dome late one night my first year and running into a lady that had a tray of hot grilled cheese sandwiches who handed me one.

"ok, this is cool." nom nom nom

Made my trip right there.

Badger

emotion_sickness · Post by **emotion_sickness** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 4:47 pm

capjbadger wrote:Coolest "gift" that stuck with me was wandering back to my dome late one night my first year and running into a lady that had a tray of hot grilled cheese sandwiches who handed me one.

"ok, this is cool." nom nom nom

Made my trip right there.

Badger

haha yeah they made one of my nights too last year!! i was wandering back to camp weary from dancin my ass off, stopped in some random dome to listen to some chill acoustic music and rest awhile, and someone hands me one...i swear it was the best grilled cheese i've ever had!

erri2000 · Post by **erri2000** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 4:59 pm

Truly the greatest of all the toasted sandwiches is the Grilled Cheese.

BitterDan · Post by **BitterDan** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 5:03 pm

I will continue to bring my hand-made pendants every year. Of course, I only bring about 100 of them so you'd have to have made an impression anyway. The other gift our camp usually gives is an entertainment venue with live music and DJ's. We might actually gang up with moonshine tavern this year instead of having our usual neighborhood venue.

mereth · Post by **mereth** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 5:06 pm

Ahh, the eternal question: mild cheddar, swiss or mozzarella?

wedeliver · Post by **wedeliver** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 5:32 pm

The coolest gift I got was a kiss.

erri2000 · Post by **erri2000** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 5:41 pm

mereth wrote:Ahh, the eternal question: mild cheddar, swiss or mozzarella?

Can't we have all three! I LOVE CHEESE!

Cheese glorious cheese, oh how I love you!

erri2000 · Post by **erri2000** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 5:41 pm

wedeliver wrote:The coolest gift I got was a kiss.

Those where rare last year.

BitterDan · Post by **BitterDan** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 5:57 pm

Yeah, nobody kissed me. Then again, I am repugnant.

erri2000 · Post by **erri2000** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 6:06 pm

BitterDan wrote:Yeah, nobody kissed me. Then again, I am repugnant.

What make you think you are repugnant? I did not meet one repugnant person out there? All I see if a bottle of sweet tasty moonshine.

BitterDan · Post by **BitterDan** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 6:34 pm

nah I'm not repugnant. I was just playin.

Post by **mdmf007** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 8:00 pm

Was just thinking -

Another gift I really appreciate are the art cars, and kinetic sculptures.

kicks ass

erri2000 · Post by **erri2000** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 8:32 pm

mdmf007 wrote:Was just thinking -

Another gift I really appreciate are the art cars, and kinetic sculptures.

kicks ass

Even the Air Horn car? I have a love/hate relationship with that thing.

Which one was your favorite?

Post by **mdmf007** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 4:27 pm

Might Mouse - your right.
Shold have said I love MOST art cars - theres always an axception!.