Every year, in addition to the list of friends and family you want to buy a gift for, are people that you have to buy a gift for. The need can be situational – -you are spending a few days with your roommate’s family and don’t want to come empty handed. Or, the need can be professional – -what do you give your boss? How about the person you’ve just started dating? The dilemma is, what is a gift to give someone that is not too personal, but at the same time, shows you’ve given the gift some thought?
After hours of circling the mall looking for the perfect present, I’ve finally come up with a list of gift items that I can draw from whenever I need to bring a present. The good thing about this list is, I can keep an eye out during the year for these items, and buy them when they go on sale. Although they are meant to be given out during the holidays, I’ve found myself on more than one occasion raiding my “Christmas stash” for birthday presents for co-workers, hostess gifts for dinner parties I’m invited to, thank you presents, etc. While these aren’t necessarily the perfect gift, they will be an appropriate gift, and, sometimes, that’s good enough.
1. Notecards with envelopes. What I like about this gift is that you can choose to be as frugal or as extravagant as you want, and you can even personalize it. Crane makes a nice set for less than fifteen dollars, while a box from a high end stationer like Tiffany or Hermes can cost over $50 dollars. I usually pick a folded notecard with a colored border in a neutral shade like light gray or navy. If I have someone specifically in mind, I’ll select a set with their initial.
2. Kiehls skin care products. I have given Kiehls for everything from baby showers to graduation gifts. This is a traditional, well-known line that women swear by, and the packaging is neutral enough that men can bring these products to the gym. You can also spend as much, or as little as you want. Just pick a few items (their body lotions and face care lines are practically cult items) and the folks at Kiehls will wrap it in a gift box free of charge. Even better, they’ll probably throw in a few samples in the box as well.
3. A coffeetable book. These big, oversized books are always well received Holiday gifts, regardless of whether the person intends to read the book, or merely use it as decoration. I’ve found the most interesting ones at museum bookstores. A book commemorating a well-known artist with generous illustrations of their work, is something that can be given to anyone regardless of their age, gender, profession, etc. If you know in advance who you are going to give it to, you can personalize it by choosing the topic based on their hobbies, interests or culture. Prices for these books can vary from $75 and up in museum bookstores, to as little as $20 in the discount sale racks at the local chain store.
4. A potted orchid. Elegant, minimalist, exotic and beautiful…what more could you ask for in a gift? Look for healthy plants; those with firm green leaves and healthy roots planted firmly in the pot. In large cities, I would go to the wholesale flower mart, where I can save as much as 40% over going to the neighborhood florist. During the Christmas season, the markup is even more.
5. A distinctive portfolio. We all use those yellow notepads – -why not carry them in something nice? Surprisingly, the people who seemed the most enthusiastic about getting these as gifts were the ones you would least expect, i.e., the stay-at-home moms and those who don’t work in a corporate environment. I think it’s because this is not something they would buy for themselves, but find really useful when attending school or community meetings. Coach makes an absolutely beautiful one in leather for around $200, but there are many other options for a fraction of that price. Art supply, or stationary stores sell these in striking patterns and textures. The place NOT to buy them? The office supply mega chain store. Remember, you want something nice. If the only options are the portfolio’s in fake leather with a suspiciously shiny finish – -then please, move on.
6. Earphones, or ear pods. For those of you (and I’ll admit, I used to think the same way until very recently) who think that such a gift falls into the socks-from-Aunt-Martha category, I have one word: Ipod. With the proliferation of Ipods and MP3 players, ear pods are a very necessary component, and like umbrellas, are easily lost and frequently need to be replaced. A look through any electronics accessories department will show how many options there are. The new high end ones from Sony can cost as much as $100. For under $30, Nike makes ear pods that stay in place during a workout. I’ve even seen earphones at various dollar stores in the area – -perfect Chirstmas stocking stuffers for teens.
7. Limited distillation Tequila. A younger and fresher gift idea than simply buying a bottle of wine, tequila is experiencing a resurgence, and has gone a long way from the stuff mixed into the fruity margaritas served at Mexican chain restaurants. These days, tequilas can be as unique and distinctive as beers from micro-breweries. There are tequila blancos, golds, reposados and anejos, with price ranges from $20 – $130 for a 750ml bottle. As a general rule of thumb, the quality goes up with price, but you should always buy a product listed as 100% agave.
8. Commuter mugs. I bring my own tea everywhere: in the car driving to work, in a soccer field watching my kids play. A still-warm drink after forty five minutes is something I would gladly pay a lot of money for. At the last minute, you can always pick up something from the gift shelf at Starbucks ($10) or you can go high tech and get the mugs from Hammacher Schlemer, Braun or Sharper Image.
9. Stadium blanket. These are the blankets that have a nylon cover on one side so they can be placed on the ground. You can purchase these at any outdoor supply store. LL Bean makes a nice one, in a variety of colors. These fold up nicely and make a “hefty” gift package. This is a good, neutral, gift to give to a man, and, like anything that assumes they spend a lot of time outdoors, is one will inspire them to say they “needed something like this”.
10. Photo frames. When gift giving to people you don’t know very well, a general rule of thumb is, the simpler, the better. Avoid anything cutesy, or anything that has words written on it, as in, “Friends are Forever”, or “On this day I wed my best friend…” A plain, silver frame goes with any decor, is tasteful and low key. Meeting the people who might be your future inlaws? Spend a little more and get your gift from a high end department store like Neiman Marcus or Barney’s.
It’s always hard to give gifts, especially to someone you don’t know very well. But remember, you are not one of the Magi. The gift is supposed to simply be a token, a simple and tangible way of appreciating someone’s presence in your life.
