Gift guides seem to be the theme of the season (for obvious reasons) so I decided I’d jump on the bandwagon. My goal is not to come up with a specific list of items that are cool though, it is to come up with more general items that I actually know work. So, what do I know and understand? Girls. Girls between the ages of approximately 13 and 30. (What a good movie)
Somewhere along the way this has become a trifecta blog post – with input added from a few friends along the way. So stay prepared as Tory (co-brainstormer), Jamie (devil’s advocate), Kajal (insightful reviewer) & Alexis (insightful reviewer) send our recommendations your way. (If you have some time on your hand check out Jamie’s blog, where she doesn’t play devil’s advocate, but she writes some awesome posts about day to day life - Escaped from LA)
#1) a homemade or personalized card – there are so many holiday cards that you get that just have a signature or a one-liner on them that a personalized card in itself can be considered an awesome gift. It’s thoughtful, it took some time, it lasts forever.
A personalized card is an accompaniment (appropriate for birthdays etc as a standalone, but for the holidays it’s one of those things you send to people you don’t buy gifts for)
#2) pajama bottoms – I don’t think a girl can ever have too many pajama bottoms – they come in all different fun patterns and fabrics and they’re just so gosh darn comfortable. It’s also decently easy to guesstimate sizes, and most pajama pants have a drawstring anyway, so when in doubt, go too big.
PJ bottoms are definitely good for girls buying for each other and boyfriends, but not for work pals or acquaintances who you still need to buy for (and the boyfriends is a stretch because if they buy the wrong size…awkwarddddddd)
#3) cute socks – There are so many good options for cute socks. There’s professional cute (think argyle), there are fun patterns, toe socks, knee highs, thigh highs, holiday-oriented… so many good options. Also, you only vaguely need to know the persons size and a lot of time they’re one size fits all.
Cute socks – same rationale as #2, but you couldn’t buy it for work pals, etc (I’d go with gloves here.)
#4) expensive-ish nailpolish - You know that nailpolish you pass on in the stores all the time, the OPI, the Sally Hanson complete all in one, etc because you can’t justify spending that much when you can just go over to the NYC colors and get something for $2? That’s the nail polish I’m talking about. There are so many fun colors and you get to spoil the gift-reciever just a little bit.
I think this could be more appropriate if you made it a gift package with makeup brushes, a nailpolish, a mascara, and an eyeshadow.
#5) ornament - They make such cute ornaments in the world, you just have to find a good place to by them. You can by shoes and cups of coffee and musical instruments and kitchen things and pickles, etc, etc. There are ornaments rated G and ornaments rated PG13 and I’m sure there are some rated R. Just think of your audience, I’m sure you’ll find something. (which Jamie is right, I guess this only works for people who celebrate Christmas…)
What about our Jewish pals who don’t do Christmas? (and I personally would not like ornaments and I do celebrate Christmas)
#6) throw/blanket – I love throws. They’re soft, they’re comfortable, you can never have too many and they’re something that you wouldn’t normally buy yourself because you think, why should I spend the money on that? (But you really know you’d be so happy to have a new plush in your life)
I love this one. throws are the best. (However, Alexis brought up the point that throws might not be good for younger ladies)
#7) cute mugs and glassware - Everybody loves a good coffee/tea/hot chocolate mug. The key here is to get ones that aren’t TOO wintery so that you don’t feel weird using them all year. Feel free to fill them with candy or hot beverage mix.
Perfect for people who drink coffee in the am but for those who you know don’t drink coffee, consider the option of nalgene water bottle.
#8) scarves – Any kind of scarf, a winter scarf, a dress scarf. If you’re nervous about it, stick with a neutral color, but it’s always fun to have more accessories. They’re also useful no matter which part of the country you’re in. (That’s what I’ve found out in the 40 degree weather in Baton Rouge this week. So cold.)
Always a win, especially if they’re handmade and you can do this for as little as $3 and have a great product.
#9) picture in a frame – Tory pointed out that people just don’t do this anymore, and it’s a shame. It’s awesome to be able to look around your room and see your loved ones. People can use it on their desks at the office or at home.
Definitely depends on who you’re buying for and the level of closeness…work buddies, probably not.
Other items that almost made the cut – hand soaps, cookbooks, earrings & nice pens
We’ve also learned that I don’t account for work friends. Although I think that I’m just going to buy them gum because I keep stealing all of theirs.
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