As the wedding season approches, couples make preparations for their newlywed lives and homes. Many look beyond conventional china, crystal and souvenirs for gifts they’re going to use often in their new houses. Following trends in fashion, a wide variety of informal, practical and helpful gifts are well-suited to today’s purposeful lifestyles. Weird and useful gifts for pretty much every way of living and class can be handily ordered on the internet. Kitchen Necessities : Lillian Vernon’s stainless steel tools to handle chores from slicing and cutting to cooking and serving, then go into the dishwasher.

Set of three knives and a ceramic sharpener $70.

Out of doors Sports : Recreational Kit , Inc ( REI ), pair of sleeping bags with opposite zip configurations that zip together. The prize-winning Half Dome And three-season back packing tent $159 all at. Home Accessories : Normal Cambridge mantle clock with roman numbers $129 at CrateBarrel. The Earthwise Clock, a John Duke design, shows the movement of the earth re the passage of time showing both solar time and clock ( universal ) time. Common-or-garden Dining : Hand-painted earthenware with creamy, ivory finish, absolutely glazed for sturdiness, and simple care, microwave and dishwasher safe. 32-piece service for 8 $110 at Lillian Vernon,. Reed & Barton Crescendo pattern immaculate flatware66-piece service for 12 at $140 Ross-Simons.