Gift-giving is a big deal for me.
While of course it's fun to receive, I get very excited about the process of defining a gift idea, choosing a model, and wrapping my special selection for a loved one to enjoy.
Few people are like that, but I actually get a lot of joy out of making someone else's day.
Usually, they're not expecting something like I'd choose - they're thinking more along the lines of something more common.
So I hope get "bonus points" for my originality! This year I really wanted to shake up my approach even further.
I pored over magazines and scoured the web as well as tapped into a bunch of friends.
I wanted to know what was the best gift that they'd received, and why.
Then I used some of what I learned to make my own selections.
Here's what I've chosen: Professional flat irons: Every woman I know loves a good flat iron.
She just may not be able to afford a good one or know the difference between models.
She may not know what she's out.
So I put back on my research hat and discovered a designer model that I can afford.
To take the fun theme even further, I gave them out two weeks before my best friends' birthday just to catch her off guard.
Cat trees: Sounds weird, eh? Well if your giftee is a cat lover and owns one or more, then cat trees are completely a wonderful idea.
Their price corresponds pretty closely with their height, so if you find a couple of small or medium sized cat trees you'll find them pretty affordable.
Not only are cat trees good for the owner (your friend) because it gives them a form of "cat-tertainment," but they help the animals stay in good shape and in good mental health.