The Right Gift

Have you ever been standing in a department store, struggling at the last minute to find the perfect gift (well A gift) for your best friend?  "Does she like perfume, powder, a sweater.....no wait, how about cute panties or PJ's (oooops, much more than I wanted to spend).  What about a bracelet or earrings (are her ears pierced?  I don't KNOW!!!)"

And that is just on the first floor of your department store at the Mall.  First rule---the department store at the Mall is absolutely the worst place in the world to find the perfect gift for your best friend.  Don't waste your time running from store to store, only to get stuck in the card shop for an hour, laughing and reading....just one more I promise!.....the cards that are perfect-----for everyone but her.

Go ahead and buy every single card you love-----and put them right beside your desk, (which is already stocked with your stationery, stamps and a printout of your Christmas card list).  Your desk calendar should be right nearby, marked in RED INK with the birthday of every single person you love's name.  Please don't let Facebook remind you on that day of those special people!!!  Sure, I'm guilty of just pressing "1" in order to post "Happy Birthday" to those friends whose birthdays slipped through the cracks, and that's OK, every once in a while.  But you are here to find The Right Gift!

Now, back to your best friend.  Take a deep breath and think about what you love about her.  Is she funny, outspoken, a great listener?  Does she love to garden, to run, to be outside?  Or is she a homebody who loves nothing more than to enjoy a great book, or cook a delicious meal for her family?  Is she interested in architecture, great art, the symphony or musical theater?  What would she do if she could do absolutely anything for a day?

My favorite gifts to give and to receive are based on what you love about your friend that makes her special to you.  And all it takes is your imagination and budget that you decide on before you go shopping. Let's say you know that Ina Garten has a new cookbook out and your friend adores her, but would never buy that for herself.  Or if you aren't exactly sure what books she has read lately, the Alabama Booksmith has smart, well-read people who can either help you find that perfect book for her, or help her find a book with your gift certificate.

Dorothy McDaniel's Flower Market always has unique containers for your flower-arranging friend.  My favorite shop for flowers and greenery that can serve as a centerpiece now, and planted later is Collier's Nursery.  They can help you find a container and plants that either you can arrange, or if you give them enough lead time, they can fix for you.

These are all tangible gifts you can find and buy. But my VERY favorite gifts are gifts of time that my friends give because they love to be with me.  More about that next time!