Patent Publication Number: US-2005126059-A1

Title: Method of creating a gift assemblage

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      A person contemplating giving a gift is often faced with the difficult choice of giving a gift certificate, thereby providing the recipient with a great deal of freedom in gift claiming, or giving a specific item chosen by the giver. The gift giver may feel that every time the recipient views the specific item chosen by the giver he or she will remember the moment when it was received from the giver. A memory association of this sort is less likely to be formed with items obtained by way of a gift certificate or gift card. The memory association may be counted on to remind the recipient of the generosity of the giver, leading to warm feelings of appreciation. This is, of course, unless the recipient did not particularly like the gift received. In that event, the recipient may well feel a mild resentment of the fact that the giver did not permit the recipient to choose his or her own gift by providing a gift certificate or card.  
      One way to avoid the dilemma described above, budget permitting, is to give both a gift card and a definite gift. If the two are somehow tied together, it is more likely that the recipient will form an association between the items received by way of the gift card, the moment of receiving the gift and the giver&#39;s generosity. Unfortunately, finding an elegant way to tie together a physical gift with a gift certificate is not necessarily easy. Transparent tape provides a brute force approach, but may present a rather “tacky” look. What is needed is a simple and elegant method of assembling a physical gift and a gift card, designed to make a positive and lasting impression on a gift recipient.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In a first separate aspect, the present invention is a method of creating a gift assemblage using a gift item that includes a longitudinal portion and a hanging gift envelope. The gift envelope is decorated in a manner that is thematically related to the gift item and includes an envelope portion and a hanger portion, attached to the envelope portion, the hanger portion defining a through-hole through which the longitudinal portion may be placed. To practice the method, the longitudinal portion is placed through the through-hole.  
      In a second separate aspect, the present invention is a method of facilitating the assembling of a gift assemblage. In the method, a selection of gift items, each including a longitudinal portion is made available along with a selection of hanging gift envelopes. Each hanging gift envelope has an envelope portion and a hanger portion, attached to the envelope portion, the hanger portion defining a through-hole through which the longitudinal portion may be placed. In addition, a selection gift cards, each sized to fit inside the gift envelopes, is provided. Additionally, at least some of the hanging gift envelopes are thematically related to some of the gift items.  
      The foregoing and other objectives, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment(s), taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a gift assemblage featuring wine, according to the present invention.  
       FIG. 2A  is a front view of the hanging gift envelope of the gift assemblage of  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 2B  is a rear view of the hanging gift envelope of  FIG. 2A .  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a gift assemblage featuring a potted plant, according to the present invention.  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a gift assemblage featuring a bouquet of flowers, according to the present invention.  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a gift assemblage featuring a candy cane, according to the present invention.  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a gift assemblage featuring a trowel, according to the present invention.  
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a gift assemblage featuring a fishing pole, according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)  
      Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , in a preferred method of practicing the present invention, a gift assemblage  10  is created in which a bottle of wine  12  is adorned with a hanging gift envelope  14 , placed about a neck  16  of the bottle  12 . More specifically a hanger portion  18  is placed about the bottle neck  16 . An envelope portion  20  contains a gift card  22 , which may be good toward the purchase of further wine and/or cheese, to go with the wine. Envelope portion is decorated with wine related imagery  24 , while advantage is taken of the natural arch-shape of the hanger portion  18 , by emblazoning it with the image of an arch.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , plant material such as a potted plant  30  or a floral bouquet  32  may be used as the central item of the gift assemblage. In this instance hanging envelope  14  is hung from a plant leaf or stem. The gift card  22  may be good for the purchase of further plants or flowers. Also, the potted plant  30  hanging envelope  14  incorporates a gardener&#39;s tool holder design in which the hanger  18  is decorated as the tool holder strap. The envelope  14  for the bouquet  32  shows a flower theme, with the hanger  18  incorporating the natural arc of a flower&#39;s petals, as its design.  
      Referring to  FIG. 5 , a Santa Claus theme hanging envelope is placed on a candy cane  36 .  FIG. 6  shows an envelope  14 , just like the envelope of  FIG. 3 , this time associated with a trowel  38 .  FIG. 7  shows a fishing pole  39  and an envelope  14  having a fisherman&#39;s basket design, with the hanger  18  being decorated as the handle of the fisherman&#39;s basket.  
      The terms and expressions that have been employed in the foregoing specification are used as terms of description and not of limitation. There is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof; it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow.