Spa Theme

For the friend who does too much and never takes a break, this is the perfect gift. I recommend adding a terry cloth toiletry bag or a monogrammed tote, a plush bathrobe, fuzzy slippers, candles, eye pillow, and face mask for the gift recipient's skin type. This may not seem affordable, but you'd be surprised how reasonable this gift set can be especially if you make the products from scratch. A simple bath treatment can be made out of milk powder and lavender flowers. A honey face mask or exfoliator can be made with honey, baking soda, and milk powder. A body oil, which can double as a massage oil, can be scented with lemon or lavender or whatever essential oil and grapeseed oil, an unscented base oil for a luxurious treat. Bath bombs fizz in the water and are luxurious treatments. LUSH sells them for about $5 a pop, but you can also make them yourself. The same go for candles. I'll be sure to include recipes in a later time.

Italian Theme Gift

This is a great gift for food lovers, chef's, travelers, or even couples. Include red wine, wineglasses, pasta (homemade preferably), a jar of homemade bolognese sauce, a bottle of extra-virgin olive oil, bruschetta, marinated artichokes, unscented candles (for consideration and to be on the safe side), and an Italian mixed CD. You can add more to this gift set, if you'd like, but I specifically chose the following because it covers drinks, appetizers, main dish, dessert, and entertainment. Some wonderful additions would be sundried tomatoes, canned tomatoes, cheese sticks, or Italian coffee.

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

As many of us get older, we start to appreciate simplicities in life. In such a materialistic society, undoubtedly there are more favorable gifts to receive than chocolate covered strawberries, but don't be so quick to dismiss such a yummy treat. In high school, something like this would never pass. But high school's over for me. I think just the gesture of giving and receiving gifts is appreciated. It's not a bad gift to give to someone who already has everything. When I first heard this, I thought it was nuts. But it makes sense. If someone has everything, adding to their exorbitant collection is more troublesome than anything. If you're still hesitant to give these to a close friend, consider it for co-workers or acquaintances. Admittedly, the price tag for mere strawberries and chocolates are overpriced for what it is. But all in all, an inexpensive gesture. If you gift it to someone with low expectations, it'll be a flattering treat. If you can't bring yourself to paying so much for what it's actually worth, you can actually make these on your own.

Gift Baskets and Care Packages

I know that they're a clique, and not everyone enjoys them. But there's a greater chance that your gift recipients will like what you get them if there's more than one gift. Besides, by taking the time to personalize a gift, you're more likely to find something your friends will like because of the extra consideration you put into it. Here are some ideas:

*Italian Dinner Theme
*Movie Lover Package
*Jams & Preserves
*Spa Girl or Guy
*Relaxation Kit
*Beauty Set
*Bookworm
*For the Green Thumb
*Exotic Salt Collection
*Craft Lover
*Art Student

The Value of Gift Consideration

My motivation for creating this gift giving blog is the ease I feel I offer others. I can be a difficult person. I'm direct, but I'm also demanding. Ironically, though, when it comes to gift giving, an overwhelming, burdensome task for most people, I find that I make it surprisingly easy. I have a lot of interests, yet my taste is selective. Nonetheless, I've never received a gift I disliked. My friends all agree that I'm easy to shop for, and they quickly find gifts for me. Unfortunately, I wasn't always able to reciprocate. When I was younger, I was a terrible gift giver. I've become much better now. I think if I had a little guidance when I was younger, my friends would've looked forward to my gifts.

Know Your Gift Recipients

In order to give an appropriate, thoughtful, and considerate gift, you have to know your gift recipient(s). Be realistic about who they are, what they enjoy, and what they need, not what you think they need or should have. In spite of how unavailable things seem to be, we live in a world of astounding choices. It can be overwhelming, at times. To refine the infinite selection to relevant choices is simple.

Consider designating a journal for gift matters. An inexpensive one from the Dollar Tree store will be adequate. I like alphabetizing the pages and adding my friends to the list. Before I even start considering what to get them, I take notes of who they are and what their interests are. For example, Jessica is/likes:

A fashion designer
Athletic
Parties
Mochas
the color purple
Her family
Snowboarding
Martial arts
Smallville

Of course, this list can be endless depending on how close you are the recipient. So the list should as much as possible be limited to relevant information. With that said, determining which facts are useful and which ones aren't can be hard to tell in the beginning. If your mind runs wild, embrace it. But after about ten things, review it to see if any gift ideas come to mind. I like doing this because it's a lot less overwhelming to tackle ten things than two pages worth. You don't want to develop a chronic habit of list making just for the hell of it. Keep in mind that there's a goal behind your actions. And remember this is supposed to be an inspiring experience, not add to your burden and confusion. Then I categorize two sections: gifts I'd like to give and then a second category that narrows down affordable choices. For example:

Jessica is/likes:

A fashion designer
Athletic
Parties
Mochas
the color purple
Her family
Snowboarding
Martial arts
Smallville

Gift Ideas:

Coffee maker
Membership to a ski resort
Gift certificate for a family portrait
A selection of luxurious fabrics in purple
Tickets to a fashion show
Box DVD set of Smallville

Based on the list I made above, I narrow down which choices are affordable. There's no point in having a generous list if everything on it is out of your price range. Try to have more than one choice available at the end because there's always a possibility that someone else buys the same thing or the item is out of stock. Hopefully, you can cross check with other friends to make sure no duplicates exist.

I also like creating a general guideline of what gifts to follow depending on your association to the recipient: new friend, coworker, neighbor, professor, etc. I'll dedicate another entry for those in the future.

Introductory Guide to Great Gift Giving

Gift giving can be a complicated and overwhelming task. But with a little guidance and abundant resources, it can be a fun experience. At the very least, you'll complete your shopping list without hesitation and concern. The effort may seem unnecessary and time-consuming, but a little brainstorming and consideration can go a long way. It's so helpful for me that I'm able to create a shopping list years in advance, although as I get older, sustaining that has become more difficult. It's still worth it, though.