Holiday Gift Ideas!

With the holidays upon us, I imagine many of us are still looking for gift inspiration to finish off their shopping list.  I know for me, there will be a couple of grab bags, a few parties to attend, co-workers, teachers, and of course, friends and family to keep in mind.  I’m always looking for fresh ideas.  I thought it’d be fun (and useful) to come up with some suggestions that may help a reader out, and perhaps out of a jam.

 

Food:

 

And, I don’t mean fruitcake!  LOL.  It should be special.  Is the person on your list a coffee or chocolate lover, maybe tea floats their boat?  Well, consider some specialty items they wouldn’t normally get for themselves.

·         Google the top ten chocolatiers in a city near you – I bet they even ship.  Think balsamic, pecan dark chocolate, or honey, saffron different.

 

·         Going the coffee or tea route, you can find some interesting blends and flavors, but just remember if the person is a Keurig owner, be sure to include K-Cup filter cup so they can appreciate the gift.

 

 

·         Did they tell you about a special treat they encountered while traveling, something they saw on the Food Network?  Cinnamon buns from Boston, Whoopie pies form PA, buckeye candy from Ohio? Just about anything can be ordered now.

 

·         Cookbooks – Don’t laugh, but if someone on your list has a favorite Food Network show, the host likely has a cookbook out.  I know this isn’t something I’d go buy for myself; you may have an amateur foodie who’d love the idea.

 

Desk:

 

Whether they work in an office, or perhaps they’re an author (eh-hem) who spends a great deal of time at a computer?  Brighten their day by giving them something unique and distinct.

 

·         One on my most favorite gifts I ever received was a Gary Allan mouse pad.  (I’m a huge fan!)  This gift touched me because not only did the person “know me”, but also went the extra mile by purposely seeking out this item and ordered it well in advance.

 

·         Special pens, beautifully designed post it pads, personalized notepads, or maybe a calendar.

 

Smartphone:

 

Now, I have an iPhone (I’m very much an iGirl), so I don’t know much about other smartphones, but I’m sure they all have accessories, too. 

 

·         For instance, I’d looove (must send this link to my husband) a wallet case.

 

·         Portable chargers (no outlets needed on the go), camera adapters, Bluetooth speakers (for home or office), docks...  The possibilities here are extensive.

 

·         There are items for golfers, runners, even a rolling robot – fun stuff.

 

Homemade/Personalized items:

 

If you’ve been gifted with a creative gene, put it to good use!  Or, raid Pinterest for ideas – LOL.

 

·         Raid a sister’s FB pics and put together a photobook for her.  Or, a personalized photo ornament.  (I’d only do this for someone very close to me, though.)

 

·         Homemade cookies in a jar, homemade jams, a hard plastic cup (you know the one with the screw top lids and hard straws) filled with colorful sharpies or colorful pens (Pentel makes some fabulous ones) for teachers... you get the idea.

 

·         I always wish I learned how to crochet or quilt, a couple of my other favorite gifts were homemade baby blankets, I think a scarf would be awesome, too.

 

Pretty stuff:

 

·         Speaking of scarves, they do make a nice gifts - especially now, thanks to social media, I'd finally know what to do with one.  LOL.

 

·         Maybe take the designer plastic cup idea and fill it with lip gloss.

 

·         Some women are very particular about jewelry, but something tasteful may delight someone on your list. Perhaps an Alex and Ani bracelet.  I just found and ordered a beautiful, dandelion terrarium lariat necklace on Etsy. (Notice my logo… it’s a dandelion – so it has meaning!)

 

 

·         Window prisms - crystal, and pretty.  If you can find one with a design that makes you think of the person, all the better. 

 

Miscellaneous:

 

·         Plants in a nice planter.  Not seasonal – they hardly ever survive the holidays.  Or, maybe an orchid.

 

·         Picture frames.

 

·         Nice throw blankets also make a cozy gift – add a couple of mugs and hot chocolate (make it good – like Ghirardelli!)

 

·         Wine – a GOOD wine!  Though, it’s probably a good idea if you know whether they prefer white or red.  You can even throw in wine glasses, a bottle opener (other than a standard one - most people already have at least that), a wine chiller for the table, and a stopper if you want to give a bigger gift.

 

·         Books!!  I’m not just saying this because I happen to be a writer, if you have a reader on the list, think books.

 

·         Gift cards – I know they seem impersonal, they have a bad rap.  But, if you know someone who makes a daily trip to Starbucks, they’d probably love a gift card (it gets expensive!).  Or, back to books, a gift card to the bookseller of choice goes along way.  Gift cards to a nice restaurants are also great idea, because it’s a treat.

 

I hope I’ve given you some ideas.  Share a gift idea below, or enter a comment, and I'll pick a winner on Sunday to receive the choice of Long Overdue or Her Everything!

 

Happy Holidays!