[Steppes] Manly Largesse...

[Morgan Cain (traveling around the Knowne Worlde)]

I was talking with a viscount of my acquaintance about the topic, and he
added a few comments and suggestions (for the original list, refer to my
posting of September 15th):

1)  Manly soaps .....

    He said this works except for royalty and such, who get far too many
candles and soaps to use in the rest of their lifetime.  Also be careful, as
some people are allergic to scents (his wife cannot tolerate florals).

2)  Notebooks.

    He liked this, especially covered or slipcovered (can cover an
inexpensive composition or spiral notebook) ones that look nice.

4)  Pouches, especially felted wool or leather, with flap pouches more
    popular than drawstring.

    He also suggested tapestry.  Strongly suggested they be at least big
enough to hold a chequebook, as most pouches are too small for this and
therefore useless.  I have one that was sized for a cellphone, and it's
quite useful.  He said the kind with a flap over the top is better than pull
string.

7)  Massages.  Again, hard to put into a largesse basket.

    He is a CMT and made up cards good for one hour each.  That fits in a
basket!

10)  Unguents to use on bruises.

    He said to be sure and list ingredients, same thing with soaps, bath
salts, etc.

ADDITIONS:

11)    Rings.  Someone gave him a safety pin full of copper rings in all
sizes, that he gave out as tokens.  I remember that in Grey Gargoyles we
gave rings as prizes for certain things at our annual event.

12)    Rattan.

13)    Salt cellars.  Also pepper holder.  These are too often missing at
feasts.

14)    Napkins, table runners or cloths.  I remember one time making an
emergency gift basket for TRM Merides, who came unexpectedly to an event,
and one thing we added was a length of black-and-white gingham, fringed on
the edges, as a table cloth, with four napkins, also fringed.

15)    Chests or boxes (use to hold other gifts instead of a basket).  He
said they can be excessive, but you can buy small carved ones at import
stores and put other things inside.  He also suggested Pier 1 and import
shops as sources of inexpensive gifts of all kinds.

                          ---= the little girl Morgan,
                                temporarily in Atlantia

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The male is a domestic animal which, if treated with firmness,
 can be trained to do most things."             ---= Jilly Cooper
"What is most beautiful in virile men is something feminine."
        ---= Susan Sontag (1933 - ), Against Interpretation, 1966