Design Crafters

To follow along with my post yesterday, I decided to help take the guesswork out of shopping for a lot of men, and list some neat gift ideas for women.  The key to buying a gift for a woman, is to understand who she is, and what she likes to do.  Purchase something meaningful, or something that will help make her life easier - however blenders and vacuums are not appropriate gifts.

Here are some of my top gift ideas:

• Spa gift certificate for a massage.  Almost every woman likes to be pampered, and if she doesn’t want a massage, she can exchange the certificate for a variety of other services.
• First class travel kit.  If the woman you love is always on the road, pick her up a luxury travel kit with a travel pillow, eye-mask, and hydrating skin care products.
• Beautiful laptop bag.  There are so many great options for this product, you are sure to find one that matches her personality.
• Flip Ultra USB Camcorder.  A fun gift that can be taken anywhere to record the good times together.
• Jewelry.  This gift is hard to get wrong, unless you are in a new relationship, or you don’t know the woman you are shopping for’s taste.  Either way, the key here is to pick out something special and unique.  It doesn’t have to be the most expensive piece in the store.
• iRobot Roomba Discovery Robotic Vacuum.  Ok, I know I said no vacuums, but this one doesn’t count.  It is a self-cleaning vacuum.  You set it on a timer, and it will clean your entire house.  I love mine!

The above ideas are great, and easy to buy for almost any woman, but here are a few of my not-so-generic ideas:

• Experiential Gift.  Take her on a hot air balloon ride, or up in a prop plane.  Do something exciting and new she has never done before.
• Wine Chiller Cabinet/Fridge.  If the woman you love loves wine, this could be a wonderful gift.  To up the wow factor, stock the fridge with a few bottles of her favorite wine or champagne to show her how much you love her.
• Gourmet Cooking Accessories. Rare spices, bamboo cutting boards, gourmet cooking pans, cookbook holder stands, induction burners - any of these are great ideas if your woman is a cullinare.

I hope these gift ideas helped.  Rememeber, the key to picking out any gift, is to do so with love, and thoughts of the person you are buying for.  The cards I recieve also mean a lot.  Pick out a card that is  and fits the woman you are giving it to.  It really is the thought that counts!

With the holidays approaching fast, stores are becoming more and more cluttered with holiday shoppers.  I am a certified shop-a-holic, but even this time of year makes me cringe a little.  Here are some of my “professional” shopping tips for this crazy season.

1. Set a budget, and stick to it!  Budgets are tight this year.  Help yourself manage by creating a list and placing a rough price amount by each person, and then when you go to the stores, use that list to help guide your purchases.

2. Don’t impulse buy.  Check the prices of items against their competitors – chances are you will find a good deal.

3. Hit the shops early or go out a little late.  The lightest crowds are in the early morning hours and the evening, after dinner. 

4. Finally, smile! It’s the holiday season…good cheer, friendliness, good will to others, etc.  Have a little patience when you are out and about.  It will make your day much less stressful.

Hopefully these tips will help your holiday shopping go a little smoother, and make the entire process a little more enjoyable for you.