With Christmas about to tap us on the shoulder (again!), it seemed appropriate to write a guide about one of my favorite topics--gift giving!  Why do I love gift giving?  Because when done correctly and executed flawlessly, giving the right gift to someone who truly is elated to receive it, is as much fun as receiving a great gift yourself.   For most people, finding the right gift is a daunting task, so much so, that we avoid it all together or put it off until the last minute, which destroys any hope of finding the best and most "AWE-provoking" gift.  Remember, if you fail to prepare for your gift selection, prepare to fail as a great gift-giver.

How many times have you received a gift where faking your excitement could have landed you an Academy Award Nomination....then as soon as the giver was out the door, you were contemplating how to return the item without a receipt and without anyone finding out?  More than likely, alot of those unwanted gifts ended up in the back of the closet or worse yet, in the trash.  I  know you don't want to be on either end of that scenario, so READ ON!

Great gift giving is not rocket science, it just takes some creative thinking. With todays modern technology, the click of a mouse and your gift will be delivered to your door without you ever stepping out of your houseshoes.   

Let's start with basic gift giving 101 and progress from there.  By basic I mean the tried and true, old reliable stand by gifts.  These gifts are not likely to get any standing ovations but yet would suffice in a pinch or beat nothing at all.  For instance, for either sex,  perfume/cologne is always an easy option.  Other examples would be a tie for a man and flowers for a woman.  I think over the years with many gift giving occasions throughout the year, these items lose their charm quickly.  In my  mind, flowers, should be an appetizer before the main gift entree.  A prelude to the grand finale.  Also basic, would be movies, books, and clothing items.  I do consider clothing a difficult gift to buy for pretty much anyone because most of us are pretty picky about our threads.  This is probably a better one to pass on unless it is something really classic, a sure thing, like a leather jacket or trendy overcoat.  Because clothing is so difficult most people opt for gift certificates.  Now this is a safe option but also highly impersonal.  I would suggest them for teenagers because it just makes sense, they probably won't like what mom or dad picks anyway.  One exception to that rule would be the designer jeans offered by BlingYourJeans, featuring celebrity signatures with proceeds going to charity, how can you go wrong there?   

Let's progress from novice to intermediate gift-giving.  This is where you must begin to think beyond the basics.  Ask yourself what interests the recipient has that you could find an appropriate gift for and fill a void.  Do they collect anything?  For the younger set, starting a collection of some sort is a great idea.  When I was a child, my grandma started a bell collection for me and to this day I have bells with special memories from several trips I took and people who gave them to me over the years.  Friends of mine also collected things like thimbles, spoons, Precious Moments, sports figurines, etc..  A collection is something they can always have and build on through the years, a genuine keepsake.

Beyond collections, what are their hobbies and how do they spend their free time?  Cooking has become huge in the last few years and most people would appreciate a great cookbook or quality cooking utensils, pans, or bakeware.  If they have all those items, try a new direction in cooking, like a wok or fondue set.  Say they love to eat, but not so much cook, how about a gourmet food basket?  Most people have a favorite drink, for coffee lovers a deluxe coffee machine with timer or an espresso machine is sure to please.  Not a caffeine addict, how about some fancy wine or martinti glasses?  With that, add a bottle of their favorite mixer to make drinks.  This personalizes it to their taste.  Wrap it up in a big bow with beautiful paper, presentation is very important.  For any occassion, you can now customize wine labels to suit your special event or occassion.  Great idea for retirements and anniversaries.

For the sports fanatic, there are endless options from jerseys to event tickets and sports trivia games.  If they play themselves, equipment and accessories is an option.  For the fitness buff, the opportunities are limitless, consider:  fitness bands, fitness ball, fitness log, ipod, Sports Brain, heart rate monitor, fitness step, light weights, etc..  Even the most advanced fitness buff has not purchased every gadget. 

Any special interest these days has a publication for its devotees.  So regardless of the interest, there is a magazine you could buy them a subscription for that they will enjoy.  There are magazines for everything from dog-lovers to Crocheting and everything in between and its a gift they will receive all year long. 

Moving right along, we are in the electronic age and many of us, including myself, are still a little gun shy.  We have not totally convinced ourselves to jump on this bandwagon, it just seems a little, well, alot, intimidating.  A turn table just seems so much more user friendly than say an MP3 player.  If your recipient has not yet explored these high-tech options for the above menitoned reasons, now is the time to give them a shuv and buy them the latest digital camera, camcorder, or a satellite radio.  Along with that, promise them ongoing tutoring until they are up and running (in writing!).

Now its time to tackle the most challenging gift purchase for the male group--the wife or girlfriend.  If nothing has tripped your trigger yet, you may have to go with an all time favorite of most women, jewelry, and I don't mean the cheap stuff.  This still will require thinking, does she like bracelets, rings, or necklaces?  What does she wear daily?  Would a casual or more dressy piece work for her?  What would enhance what she already has?  A diamond pendant to go with diamond earrings?  The Tiffany necklace seems to be a favorite among many.  Personalizing the jewelry with engraving is another option or buying charms to suit her interests.  Somehow including her childrens' birthstones and, or initials always seems to be a mom favorite. Dog tags with photos imprinted on them are also a unique idea.  Check out a new and popular jewelry line, What's In Your Heart and Soul jewelry at my store, Charming Discoveries, with charm necklaces and watches.  The key here is quality, you are not gonna be able to buy a nice piece of jewelry for less than fifty bucks.  Remember, she's worth it!  Other great mom gifts while we are on the topic, is anything that helps organize her busy life. Because moms are short on time and rarely appreciated as much as they should be, spa products and services including luxurious lotions, bath salts, body products, and services are a sure winner.  Combine it with a hand written coupon or love note to make it extra special, "Good for one night of Me Pampering YOU!"  or "One night of ZERO responsibilities, you DESERVE it!"  Hand writing a note just makes it so much more meaningful and appreciated, like you really put some thought into it.

Now for advanced gift giving, we progress to the person who has everything, what the heck do you get them?  This includes the wealthy and the acting-wealthy, they either have everything they want or can buy it when they see something they want.  This is where you have to really get that brain power flowin' and think outside the box.  Do they have an old cherished photo?  Most people have several, have it cleaned up, enlarged, and framed, or better yet, have it reproduced as an oil painting.  Have their favorite poem or quote calligraphied for them and framed.  Another highly personalized idea is to collect photos (lots of them, all ages and times)and video clips, and make or have made a tribute DVD.  Everyone loves things about themselves.  Interview significant people in their life, past and present, and add it in among photos and video clips, set to meaningful songs.  This is a gift that they will cherish forever.  It can compare with nothing storebought.  It may take some time and planning but the finished product will be worth every bit of effort.  Most wealthy have it-all types also have a cherished vehicle in their garage, it might be a Harley or a Porsche, but whatever it is a metal sign that reads:  Harley Parking Only or Porsche Parking Only, is sure to amuse.  The signs come in a variety of options including occupations such as Engineer Drive or Police Officer Drive.  These are just fun gifts and people like them because they are personal.     

Another important thing to consider with gift giving is that most people will splurge on themselves last so a splurge item is always appreciated.  What is a splurge item... quality, high thread count sheets, awesome comfortable pillows, down comforters, luxurious robes, decadent chocolates, and  gourmet food.  Bring it on!

In summary, I hope I gave you some gift-giving ideas that were unusual and unique.  Some key points to remember is that you get what you pay for so be prepared to buck up if you want to give a decent gift.  Secondly, make sure you take as much time in the presentation as you did in the selection, taking some extra time here can make a huge difference in the over-all feel.  Think great wrapping paper, big bows, hand-written notes,  color coordinating, and correct timing.   Personalizing the gift in any way is always a PLUS.  So go the extra mile and make it a GRAND experience for you, the gift giver, and the recipient.

Most the items mentioned in this guide can be found through ebay searches. Happy Gift-Giving Season!