I have been trying to think of what I’m going give the special people in my life for Christmas. I absolutely love shopping for gifts and I put a lot of thought into who the person is and what they would like. The best gift I can receive is seeing their happy faces as they open their gifts – it’s my absolute best.

I don’t always know what to buy people… not because I can’t think of anything, but because I know that I could go mad and get them a few hundred things and having to choose is difficult for me.

I thought I would compile a list of things that can be adapted to your list and perhaps inspire you in the shopping for the people in your life.

1.) Books – Find out if they love fiction or non fiction. I’m more of a fiction person and recipe book person. Give me a crime thriller… a good “who dunnit” or a great recipe book and I’m super happy. Even beautiful journals are great to receive.

2.) Pamper products. There is nothing better than receiving something to pamper yourself. If you know their favourite flavour it’s even better. We don’t always buy ourselves perfume or body butter, so when it’s received, it’s lovely. The same applies for guys and even more so with them. Guys certainly don’t buy their own products, so if it’s bought for them they’ll appreciate. You’ll also know if your man is the type who will use the products or not 😉

3.) Gadgets – this is great for girls and guys and can range from outdoor to indoor, like GPS systems,  headphones, ghd’s, cameras, iPods, camping gear and so forth. They can be pricy though, so make sure you have a budget.

4.) Music – It’s the universal language. A really thoughtful gift could be to make your own compilation CD with all their favourite songs. Create the CD cover too with photos. It’s personal and special.

5.) You can never go wrong with a pair of shoes for a woman. I don’t know one woman who would not be impressed. Just make sure you know their size. (Keep the receipt in case they don’t fit.) Don’t discount a beautiful wallet, handbag or clutch bag either. It is always appreciated.

6.) Creating a gift… like the CD, a photo book, photo frames with special memories, baked goodies displayed in a gorgeous way, such as in mason jars with ribbons around.These gifts really show the love and effort put into a gift and are normally the most sentimental.

7.) Jewelry pieces – and this doesn’t have to be expensive. There are so many beautiful jewelry places that have costume jewelry that look stunning and can transform an outfit. Earrings, bangles, necklaces and statement rings are always special. The same applies for men. Sexy leather bracelets are a fave and some men really pull it off well. Slap Watches are also a really affordable and fun gift. See here

8.) Beautiful decor pieces for the home, like candles or vases, modern ornaments and so on. If you know they collect certain things, why not help add to their collection.

9.) Decide to rather donate to charity. We really do have everything we need and everything we should be grateful for. We don’t really need more in our lives, so why not buy pet food and give it to an animal shelter or buy toys and stationary and donate to an orphanage or childrens shelter. You can also donate your time by visiting the different charities and helping them out in cleaning or painting or whatever else is needed. This is probably the BEST gift you could ever give.

At the end of the day … It’s important that you give for the right reasons and give from your heart. It’s not about the biggest or most expensive gifts. The best gifts are the most sentimental ones.

Happy Shopping or Creating.