Curiosity is a sin

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Christmas is fast approaching and before you know it, you're stuck without having bought a single gift. And even if you have started Christmas gift hunting come the -ber months, doesn't mean you already have an idea what to get everyone. Christmas can be a nightmare depending on how you prepare for it and the best way to spend it is NOT braving the hassles of last minute shopping.

So to help you, here are some gift ideas you can use this coming gift-giving season.

For your dad

Dad’s, being guys, are ultimately not too vocal about what they want to get. They’ll probably be happy with whatever you throw their way. But still, this is not an excuse to just give him the first pair of socks or neck tie you see in the department store. They would be really touched if they know that you put some thought and effort into your gift.

For the gadget loving dad:
Dad’s love their gadgets. Buy him a new stereo, or speakers. A portable DVD player could work too. A point and shoot compact camera. Of if he already has a DSLR, buy him some accessories for those- some new lens, a handy tripod, a new case, etc. Think of what he normally splurges on and act on that.

Add to his collection:
Whether it is stamps or coins, golf balls, wine, mugs, CDs or DVDs, get him something that can be added to his collection.

For the metro dad:
A new belt, some comfy looking pants, a nice pair of shoes. Guys are harder to please in this department, so proceed with caution and only if you truly know your dad’s likes, his sense of style and his size. Otherwise, this might be on the list for the next garage sale.

For the cook in the kitchen:
Look for something that he will enjoy using while cooking. A new grille, a swanky apron, a chef’s hat perhaps? More of persona than usability, I think.

For the dad-on-the-go:
If you know your dad has a sport or hobby, that’s the easiest place to get ideas from. A golf fanatic? Get him some new clubs, some cool new balls, or some gloves. A bowling dad? Get him a custom-made ball. Into jogging? Get him a new watch with those heart meters and pedometers, a jacket or some new running shoes. But if your dad enjoys being a couch potato, don’t give him some more chips or beer. Look for something else.

For your mom

Don’t give your mom figurines or scented candles, they or hardly anyone loves receiving them- unless they specifically mentioned it. Rather, pay attention to her likes, dislikes, and hobbies. I’m pretty sure she would have mentioned something in passing (moms love object dropping in the hopes that you would buy her stuff- or at least my mom does…)

Here are some ideas you might want to consider:

If she loves cooking or if you notice that there are some small appliances/items that she could do with or be replaced with new ones in the kitchen-
Microwave/oven toasters are really cheap now. If yours have been in the family since you were born, you might want to replace it with a new one.
Knife set, the one with a wood container. Some say it’s bad luck to give sharp objects as presents, but I, personally, would be thrilled to receive one.
A great big block of wood for chopping, in other words a chopping board.
How about a set of spices for everyday and special occasion cooking?
Or those water-proofed containers in all imaginable sizes so she can store anything she wants from sugar to left-over pasta.

For the fashionista mom:
You can never go wrong with giving women shoes. Just make sure you know her size- not to mention her style.
Next to shoes are bags. Or why not one of those handy bag organizers?
Clothes are okay, too.
But I think, one of the best gifts would be to take her out to shopping yourself. You get to spend some quality time, and she gets to pick what she likes.

For the sporty or body-conscious mom:
Sign her up for a year membership in the local gym or some pilates/yoga classes.
Get her a full body treatment at a spa.
Facial treatments are also welcome.
You might also consider a trip to the salon along with a manicure and pedicure with foot spa.
If you know the brands she patronizes, buy her a new set of her facial creams/ moisturizers/ sunblock etc.

If in doubt, just ask her yourself. Chances are she already has something in mind that she would love to receive.

For your siblings

Siblings are fairly easy to get presents for, they don’t hold too much expectations and receive fairly anything with a smile, even if they do not particularly like what you got them. We’re talking about siblings you genuinely get along with, if you have a long-standing hatred of each other, suffice to say that you don’t need to get them anything.

As with any other person, go with what they like. If they like reading, give him/her books, or maybe a subscription to a magazine that they enjoy. If they like music, get them some new CDs or better yet a music player (read: IPOD). If they are fashion-savvy, get them some new trendy clothes or accessories.

For Friends/ for acquaintances/officemates

This falls under a category that means mass gifting, and can be applied to people you barely know but are expected to shop for.

Flipflops. They are fairly cheap to buy nowadays and come with a wide variety of designs. Since they are now accepted as common footwear, you can be sure they will use it. Just be sure to get their size.

Don’t get them picture frames or figurines, candles or any stuff that’s sole purpose is to be displayed. 9 out of ten, you can be sure they’ll be rewrapping it to be recycled as a gift to somebody else.

This also goes for soap, mugs, little bear keychains and organizers. Although there are those cute herbal soaps that’s very popular now. Natural organic soap is an idea.

Flash drive/thumb drive. There is a wide variety of designs available now for our humble thumb drive. Be adventurous and give them something shaped like a flower or an ipod or even toast bread. They’re dead useful and can double as a key chain/ cellphone thingamajig. They are also relatively cheap nowadays and you can probably spare giving away 1gb of storage to everyone you know without breaking the bank.

You can’t go wrong with body spray. The perfect miscellaneous gift for the faceless guy or girl in your list. Not too expensive too. 50-60% chance that they’ll use it, probably out of sheer curiosity. Although, I don’t recommend giving this to fashion forward people, as I’m sure they already have their own signature scent.

If nothing else and you are 2 hours away from that party and have nothing to give, go with food. Buy lots of bars of chocolate and wrap them with those fabric wrappers and tie with a bow. Classy and yummy. And seeing as almost everybody loves chocolate- this is a winner and even if they don’t, I’m sure they find some use for it. Some unassuming but not cheap candy is also good.

For that special someone:

Ahh..I saved the hardest for last. It’s a pain in the neck to get that perfect gift for that special someone but as the saying goes, “The best gift you can give someone is your time,” or that “LOVE is spelled T-I-M-E.”

Try to get some reservations at a restaurant you both enjoy, or better yet, cook a dinner for two at your place. Watch a movie in 3d in a theater with la-z-y boy seats. Go out for a concert. Go road tripping and food-trip along the way. Book a couples’ massage and just enjoy each other’s company. Or just buy/rent some DVDs/VCDs and have a movie marathon.

If you really want to give something that can be wrapped:

For ladies:
Jewelry, this also includes watches. Remember- don’t give a ring if you’re not really proposing. Stick to bracelets, necklaces and earrings.
Don’t give her clothes, unless they are underwear. It gives the impression that you don’t like how she dresses.
You can give her a new perfume/cologne. Even if it’s different from the usual she wears. Just be sure you like the scent you’re giving her.
Bake her something. Women love guys who can cook, much more guys that cook for her.
Give her something handmade. A handmade card, a scrapbook, a shirt with your own design printed on it, a drawing/painting/caricature of her or both of you. The combined effort and thought behind these kinds of gifts will sweep her off her feet. Plus points if you really did the handmade part, instead of just paying someone to do it for you.

For men:
Gadgets. It can be a gaming console or new digicam/accessories. Maybe new titles for his Xbox/PS3, or accessories for his car.
Men love their jackets. Get something with a team that they support or maybe from where they went to college.
They might not admit it, but men love shoes too- especially rubber ones. For running, for basketball, for football- whatever sport he’s into. Try to spy on what type he likes and what design he goes for.
Find out what CDs he’s missing and buy it for him. He might be used to downloading but nothing beats an original copy.
Give him something handmade, now you might think this is too cheesy, but actually men are creatures that need pampering and love. They might not say it, but they love to be treated like babies- just don’t do it in front of their friends. They will truly appreciate something that you made yourself, whatever it is. This is where “it’s the thought that counts” comes in (unless they’re not whole heartedly committed, then they will see this as too much and will promptly think you are invading in their space).

That's it for now, happy shopping!

~curious_girl

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