(by 18 people)
Whether it's the cost factor, the relationship factor, or plain old insecurity, a lot of people get very nervous about giving gifts, no matter the occassion. There are two main philosophies when it comes to gift giving: give something a person wants and give something a person needs. (Of course, if you can get something someone needs and wants, that's the best of both worlds).
What to Give When You Don't Know What to Give
The Old Standbys
By the way, I steer away from bottles of wine and lottery tickets, the wine because you never know who either has a problem with liquor (they don't drink or can't drink) and the lottery tickets because how would you feel if they won $300,000?
Either way, the key with this type of gift is to include the gift receipt . . . just in case.
What Einstein Told His Barber: More Scientific Answers to Everyday Questions
Most small sized books with a quirky title fit the bill for this type of gift.
Amazon Price: $11.16 (as of 10/07/2008)
For Someone Who Doesn't Have a Lot of Time
of for someone who doesn't have a lot of money
Ayurvedic Spa Treatments
Actually, this is just a book, but go to SpaWish.com or SpaFinder.com and really make someone's day by getting him or her a gift certificate that is good for spas all over the country. And yes, this really is a good gift for a man as well as a woman.
Amazon Price: (as of 10/07/2008)
Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House
This is by far the best book on housekeeping that I have ever come across and it makes a good gift in and of itself, but it is in this list to represent you going out and buying a Spring Cleaning at your local Merry Maids (or other comparable service) for someone. Make sure that the business you hire is bonded.
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 10/07/2008)
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For Someone Who Likes to Write
My favorite gift to give a writer is a glass blown pen that can be dipped in ink and written with. It is beautiful and very elegant. These pens are nice to write with or good just for displaying. You may also want to pick up a matching ink well.
Another good gift (credit to Kristine in New York for suggesting it) is a magazine subscription to a literary magazine. There are two many magazines to mention and it is going to depend on what kind of writing your gift receiver likes and what you think he or she is going to do with the gift (wants to know what is out there in order to publish, etc.). Try googling "literary magazine" and one other word that describes your person and you have something to go on.
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For Someone Who Likes to Cook
MIU Stainless-Steel Professional Mandoline Slicer
My mom highly recommends this kitchen gadget with the funny name of mandoline. It makes slicing everything from carrots to potatoes a snap.
Amazon Price: $83.95 (as of 10/07/2008)
Salter 11-Pound Square Stainless-Steel Digital Kitchen Scale
I only learned this recently, but those who know swear by it: recipes come out twice as good if you weigh the ingredients instead of measuring them by volume - it's simply more accurate. This is especially true for baking.
Amazon Price: $42.19 (as of 10/07/2008)
Metrokane Rabbit Wine Opener Gift Set, Silver
I know this isn't really a kitchen gadget, but everyone I know who has a rabbit wine opener swears by it.
Amazon Price: $40.49 (as of 10/07/2008)
Mix and Match
- For the disorganized, try a filing cabinet.
- For the really disorganized, hire a professional organizer to come in and do the grunt work.
- For the t.v.-aholic, get a book with information about what happens behind the scenes of one of his/her favorite shows. Better yet, see if you can arrange a visit to the studio.
- To be continued . . . .
For Someone Who Likes to (or Has to) Travel
- Airplane Chair Covers
- What they say: Add style, comfort and value to airline travel! PlaneSheetsTM are an innovative and practical way to personalize your travel space. These cozy, machine-washable fabric seat covers fit securely over the headrest, allowing easy seat belt access. Great designer prints and plush fabrics to choose from. For the traveler wishing to simplify, PlaneSheetsTM also offers an inexpensive, recyclable product that may either be disposed of after the flight or washed and reused, if desired. Add flair to flying with PlaneSheets
What I say: You may look geeky, but at least you won't have to worry about plane cooties. - Magellen's Travel Supplies
- There are all sorts of traveling goodies here, separated into two dozen categories, including a section just for gifts. I especially like the "First Class Sleeper" which is an inflatable half bed to make flying coach comfortable (I may have to get that for myself because if it works, it would be well worth the $30).
- Bose's Noise Cancelling Headphones
- C-NET, which for my money is probably the best reviewing site online, gave the QC2 headphones an 8/10 - the best out of any of the noice cancelling headphones. You are looking at a hefty price tag, but travelers swear by them.
- FLIGHT 001
- There is another page that helps you pick out gifts at this just-for-travelers shop, but this link will take you to their exclusive "expandables" page, which features bags and other things that zip into themselves. Very cool space saver.
For Someone who Likes to Watch Birds
Steiner 8x30 Safari Binocular
Amazon Price: Too low to display (as of 10/07/2008)
List Price: $299.00
Used Price:
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M-51 ENGINEERS FIELD BAG - Colors Available
Amazon Price: (as of 10/07/2008)
List Price:
Used Price:
Late for the Sky Bird -Opoly
Amazon Price: $25.00 (as of 10/07/2008)
List Price: $24.99
Used Price:
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For Those Who Like Quirky, Fun, Superfluous, or Just Plain Stupid Gifts
- Wonderfully Wacky
- Mistletoe that tells you to get a room, Kiss the Boo-Boo band-aids, motorized ice cream cones. They don't have it all, but what they do have is, well, wacky.
- Fitzsu Society
- This link takes you to Fitzu Society's specials page, but take some time to check out their whole site - it's a lot of fun. It's more unusual than wacky; more upscale than the other stores listed here. If you are in the L.A. area, you can go to their brick-and-mortar store.
- Exit9 Gift Emporium (in NYC)
- I wandered into Exit9 Gift Emporium about two years ago while roaming around Alphabet City and immediately fell in love. I can't categorize them except to say that their selection is varied and just cool. They say that their mission is to provide creative and inspirational gifts to a world that is quickly becoming a department store; that they comb the streets of faraway cities and dusty villages to bring you fantastic and exciting products. I can verify that.
- Gardens-in-a-Bag from WishingFish.com
- Choose from lavendar, parsley, basil, tomatoes, strawberries, pansies, and more. You really can grow them right from a bag.
- Moon Shine Trading Company.
- I know I may be the only person who thinks that honey makes a great gift, but I don't care. MSTC are makers of gourmet honey and honey products including fine varietal honeys, select nut butters, fabulous honey fruit spreads and honey in the straw. I think they're great.
For People Getting Married
or engaged
- The best thing to give newlyweds is cash to use for their honeymoon - just make sure they are going to open the envelopes before they go away. For fun, give them small bills to use as tips when they are away. For extra flair, get all the ones made into a pad, like a pad of paper so that they can actually peel off money as they go along.
- As uncreative as you might find it, the other good thing to give people who are getting married is something off of their registry. Yes it won't be a big surprise, but it will definitely be something they want because they are the ones who put it there.
Most places with registries will allow the couple to buy things that have not been purchased on their registry at a discount after their event has passed, so you might want to think about getting a gift certificate instead of an actual item to make your gift "go further."
. . . and Baby Makes Three
or more
The problem with shopping for babies is that everything for them is so cute I want to buy everything. Since that is not practical, I have made a few rules for myself.
Miracle Blanket - Green with Beige Trim
I first heard about this swaddling blanket by chance several years ago, but apparently it's made a big hit since then. I wish I had known about it when my nephew was colicky. Maybe my sister would have gotten more sleep!
Amazon Price: $37.48 (as of 10/07/2008)
From Head to Toe Board Book
My favorite Eric Carle book is A Very Hungry Caterpillar, but the only baby I know prefers this book, so I am going with From Head to Toe. When buying books for a baby, unless you are buying for a permanent collection, I suggest buying board books; they're made for sucking on, which is a favorite past time of the under one set.
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 10/07/2008)
Basic Patch Booties
Amazon Price: (as of 10/07/2008)
HABA Wooden Baby Toy - Piro
Amazon Price: $12.60 (as of 10/07/2008)
Country Oak Finish Wood Glider Rocker Rocking Chair w/Ottoman
Amazon Price: $234.53 (as of 10/07/2008)
Music for Your Teenager
Two Suggestions
I just came up with this the other day, so it isn't a tried and true method, but give it a shot and let me know how it goes:
- Find the MySpace page of the teenager in question. (If you don't know it, click on the MySpace link above, click on the "Search" tab that is in between the browse and invite tabs on the bar directly under the MySpace logo. Go to "Find a Friend" and try to find your teen. You can use a name or an email address.)
- Each MySpace page has the option for a song to play when anyone accesses the page. Take note of the artist and song.
- Buy an album from that same artist. Make sure to get a gift receipt in case the giftee already has the CD.
- If all goes as planned, expect a stunned teenager with a newfound idea of how cool you are.
- Go to www.Pandora.com, an offshoot of the Music Genome Project.
- Type in the song you have found, or if they don't have a record of that, try the artist. Pandora will analyze it and come up with other artists and songs like the one you have entered.
- Pick an album from an artist that they subsequently play.
- If all goes well, prepared to have a shocked teenager who will have no idea how you were able to come up with something he or she actually likes.
Suggestion Two
Jessica in California wrote in to suggest buying a gift certificate at iTunes so that the music lover can download songs directly to his or her iPod. Before you do this, though, make sure that said person has an iPod.
The (High School) Graduate
who is off to college
- Roll of quarters for laundry and/or vending machines.
- Coffee warmer for when the cafeteria is closed and all you have is soup mix. Also for coffee.
- A digital camera.
- How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie
- Sweatshirt and other paraphernalia from new school. Extra points if you contact the school store and have it delivered to the student the first week of school.
Three's a Crowd . . . So Is Four
and five
Memories 3.5 gallon Tin
You'll get the most bang for your buck with any kind of popcorn tin. The traditional assortment is butter, chedder, and caramel popcorns, but some tins have up to seven compartments with different snack foods in them. Best of all, it lasts a long time with enough for a bunch of people.
Amazon Price: (as of 10/07/2008)
Tortuga Rum Cake Sampler - 6 Rum Cakes
I love samplers as a general rule. If someone doesn't like one rum cake, maybe he'll like a different rum cake. This particular set feeds 12 (six cakes).
Amazon Price: $27.95 (as of 10/07/2008)
For Someone Who is Jewish
or rather, for someone who likes Judaica
Bar Mitzvah, Bat Mitzvah, Baby naming, Bris, or even just a birthday. Here are some suggestions for what to buy. There are two types of Judaica - items that you only need a finite number of (like mezuzahs) and items that you can have a lot of (like menorahs, challah covers, kiddush cups, etc.).
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Now that Channukah is over, I am letting eBay pick the gifts. Let me know if eBay is not coming up with good products. Thanks!
With the second type, you know your recipient won't get stuck with something s/he can't use, but if you find something of the first type you think s/he will love, go for it. There's always redecorating.
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of a sort
Sometimes, all you really need to do is show up.
For a White Elephant Gift Exchange
or a Yankee Swap
For those of you who don't know, a "white elephant gift exchange is a popular party game played during the winter holiday season in the United States. The objective of the game is for guests of a party to each contribute one gift to the game, and ultimately each guest walks away with one gift from the game. Along the way is a random drawing to determine the order in which players get to unwrap gifts or 'steal' previously opened gifts." (from Wikipedia.com)
Gifts are generally capped in the $10-$15 range.
What you give is going to depend on what type of party you are going to. Is this a gathering of friends, who would appreciate an Action Figure Jesus doll (something I once received) or are you better off getting a $10 gift card to Blockbuster's paired with some microwave popcorn? Your call.
GrumpyOldLady wrote in to remind me that most people use "gifts" that are already at home that they don't want for a White Elephant gift exchange. (See comment in guest book below.) This is true in many cases, but it is not necessarily true for a Yankee Swap, which is almost exactly the same thing.
SET Game
I used to work in a toy store and was surprised at how well liked this Mensa-winning game is with both children and adults. Everyone I know who has played it has ended up buying it for someone else as a gift.
Amazon Price: $11.99 (as of 10/07/2008)
The Natural Knitter: How to Choose, Use, and Knit Natural Fibers from Alpaca to Yak
Amazon Price: $21.45 (as of 10/07/2008)
ALBERT EINSTEIN Action Figure
How could I resist? Accoutrements has a whole assortment of action figures that range from Edgar Allen Poe to Jane Austen to Crazy Cat Lady and beyond. It's a fun little gift that makes people laugh.
Amazon Price: $11.99 (as of 10/07/2008)
For the (Invisible) Men in Your Life
and Women
Don't confuse this with year-end tips for the doorman or nanny. They should get a lot more because they do a lot more and are serving far fewer people. Go with cash for these indispensable people in your life. Rates vary with location; ask around. A good article on cnn.com talks about this.
Try a box of specialty chocolates. Perhaps no one in his right mind would spend that much money for candy for himself, but it makes for a very classy gift. (Thanks to Michelle Slatalla of The New York Times for the suggestion.)
or
Showtime Gift Basket & Blockbuster Card
This is less sophisticated than the Popcorn for a Movie Gift Box above, but it comes with a Blockbuster card already included and the popcorn already popped.
Amazon Price: $26.45 (as of 10/07/2008)
Tell Me What You Want
What You Really, Really Want
or just drop a line
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HwangKO
Great Idea about giving rolls of quarters for laundry or vending machines for those off to college. My husband is in the business, and since there are now credit card vending machines available, perhaps we should also expand that list to include a debit card that they can run thru the machine of their choice lol.! Posted April 14, 2008 |
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sara08852
Lots of info, lots of great ideas. Posted October 10, 2007 |
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Peter111
Nice lens. I think a lovely gift is a gift basket. If you can make it yourself then you can add some extra personal touches to it. Posted September 11, 2007 |
A Word on ReGifting
If you get a gift that you don't want and can't return, what are you supposed to do with it? There aren't that many options, but regifting is one of them.
I am very much in favor of regifting when done with panache. Some people feel slighted when they receive a gift that you didn't shop for. I feel that if you see something you think someone would like, even if it is something that someone else gave to you.
Things for My 6-year-old Nephew
Straight From the Horse's Mouth (so to speak)
John, Paul, George & Ben (Bccb Blue Ribbon Picture Book Awards (Awards))
Amazon Price: $11.55 (as of 10/07/2008)
Little Einsteins: Musical Missions
Amazon Price: $11.99 (as of 10/07/2008)
Brain Quest Grade 1 (Brain Quest)
Amazon Price: $10.73 (as of 10/07/2008)
Leapster Arcade: Number Raiders
This is one of about eight Leapster things he would like. Leapster has educational toys, so you can't go too wrong.
Amazon Price: $17.31 (as of 10/07/2008)
Random Amazon Gifts that I am Thinking of Buying
and I will tell you for whom
QuarkXPress to InDesign: Face to Face
For Trin. She asked for it. Really.
Amazon Price: $23.09 (as of 10/07/2008)
Relaxman Relaxation Capsule
Okay, I'm not really going to get this, but only because I can't afford it. I am including it because this is the coolest thing I have seen in a long time and if you happen to have an extra $40,000 (plus shipping), you should look into getting one. I would.
Amazon Price: $39,995.00 (as of 10/07/2008)
ChipsAndGames Premium Set of 500 3-Tone Diamond Suited Poker Chips with 6 dealer buttons & More
For poker play. Yee haw!
Amazon Price: $179.99 (as of 10/07/2008)
