As a teen, Rachel C. Weingarten loved lemonade. You could say it was her signature flavor. So when she was 15, packing for summer camp, her best friend gave her 31 packs of lemon-flavored gum, one for each day of camp.
The gum was so hard to find and my friend gift-wrapped each pack, says Weingarten recalling this testament to the powers of girl gifts.
A woman may be devastated that her husband gives her an ugly piece of expensive jewelry. But a girlfriend can get you the perfect pair of costume earrings, says Weingarten, a consumer trends expert and president of GTK Marketing Group, New York.
Honoring your women friends with a specially chosen gift is a pleasurable part of the holiday shopping experience.
A girlfriend gift is spontaneous, not obligatory as family gifts are. They can cost as much or as little as you care to spend. In fact, a movie pass for two, so your friend can take you along, is just as welcome as an extravagant bauble.
The important thing is that you re giving thought to what will make your female friends happy, says Weingarten.
The difference between girlfriends and the other people in a woman s life is that girlfriends get each other in ways that the family or spouse doesn t, according to Weingarten, author of Hello Gorgeous! (Collectors Press Inc,
If you need inspiration, here are some ideas for that pal who doesn t roll her eyes when you kvetch for the 10th time about your boss or who takes your calls at 1 a.m. Suggested retail prices are given when known.
An exotic new flavor of soap
Yuzu, a distinctive and refreshing Asian citrus fruit, was first introduced into food condiments. Now the same addictive accent is working its way into body
Special touch: a thick washcloth or set of washcloths. Or look for yuzu vinegar and other products in gourmet or natural food stores to tuck into the package.
Best friend handbag
Acknowledge that there may be another best friend in your friend s life: the one with four legs. The Passion Paris pet carrier from Sherpa Pet is a soft-sided bag designed to carry small pets in comfort and safety on board a plane. It s approved by nine major airlines, the ASPCA and the Humane Society.k The bag sells for about $100 at pet chain stores.
Special touch: a ride to the airport the next time she and Fluffy are headed out of town.
Personal pedicure
If your friend loves pedicures but can t squeeze in time for an appointment, the Artemis Woman Heel Smoother, designed to remove dead skin around the heels, is the next best thing. The smoother, which comes with a jar of foot butter to soften skin, sells for $29.99 in mass-market stores.
Special touch: Include one or more bottles of nail polish and set a date for a pedicure party.
Power of the pen
Diminutive gel ink rolling ball pens, like Pilot Pen s G2 Mini, fit in the smallest purse and with a choice of eight fashionable colors, such as turquoise, hot pink and purple with matching ink, coordinate with a gal s wardrobe. A set of three sells for $4.99 in mass retail stores.
Special touch: Order personalized note pads to go with the pens.
Lavender potpourri, candles or room fragrance
Some women claim that lavender, a calming scent, helps ease the discomfort of night sweats during menopausal years. That s not scientifically proven, but the scent sprayed on sheets and pillowcases is lulling. Crabtree & Evelyn Lavender Linen Mist is $15 in Crabtree & Evelyn shops.
Special touch: a bouquet of dried lavender.
Angel-themed jewelry
Tell your best friend what an angel she really is. Angel-adorned necklaces, bracelets and pins are everywhere this season. For example, a Venetian Glass Christmas Angel necklace from Dreams of Italy is made of gold foil glass beads, Swarovski crystals and a choice of gold or silver wire and retails for $45.
Special touch: Include a guidebook to Italy and maybe some brochures for a girlfriend s trip.
A foolproof wine bottle opener
Ensure that your girlfriend is always able to open a bottle of wine with the effortless grace of a sommelier. Oster s Inspire Wine Opener, a black and stainless steel cordless sits in its own recharging base so it s always ready to go. The bottle opener has a suggested price of $19.99 at mass merchandise stores.
Special touch: A bottle of your friend s favorite wine.
Tea for two, or three, or more
Revive the civilized tradition of afternoon tea. The Numi Tea s flowering teas unfurl beautiful flowers when immersed in hot water to steep. Flavors include Starlight Rose, Emerald Sun, Flower Jewel and Midnight Peony. The Bamboo Gift Set of 12 flowering bundles in a wood tea chest sells for $49.95 in many natural food supermarkets.
Special touch. A glass teapot to show off the blossoms.
A box of chocolate truffles
Women know chocolate cures disappointment, aggravation and even heartbreak, and the more luscious the chocolate, the sooner the pain vanishes. Lindor Chocolate Truffles, big-bite, big-flavor truffles coated in either milk or dark chocolate come in a 12-count package from Lindt for $3.29.
Special touch: Sign your buddy up for a monthly truffle care package that you deliver and share.
Contact manager
A business-card holder is a chic way to save those all-important business cards. The Container Store offers one the size of a journal, covered in a selection of fabrics, for $9.99.
Special touch: Offer to help your friend choose the appropriate words for her own business cards. As a bonus, volunteer to get the cards printed.
Cocktail know-how
If you ve ever watched Sex in the City, you know what the women love to do no, the other thing get together for cocktails. If your friend enjoys entertaining but isn t a whiz at the bar, Cocktails by Jenn, a line of naturally flavored vodka martinis, is a stylish substitute. The cocktails, sold in liquor stores, come in a package of four bottles. You can choose one flavor or a mixture that includes one each of cosmopolitan, lemon drop, blue lagoon and appletini for $14.99.
Special touch: a set of four Martini glasses.
Font Resize
