- Start with a list: Who are you shopping for? Think a little bit about their likes and dislikes, their daily lives right now, the past you have shared with them, and any impending future plans of note. If you might be shopping for clothing, shoes or jewelry, know their sizes and style preferences. Also know the cell phone numbers of their good friends, just in case you get stuck.
- Do a little detective work to figure out where she already likes to shop...this will make your life easier and greatly improve your chances of picking an appropriate gift. If you discover she is a devoted Talbot's shopper, for example, you probably won't want to waste your time in Forever 21. Or visa-versa.
- Resist the hype. Just because something has been advertised on TV or has a beautiful display does not mean it will be a great gift. Just because something is on sale or you have a 50% off coupon does not mean it will be a great gift. A great gift is something you think your giftee will be happy to receive and enjoy using. Retailers don't necessarily share your same values, so don't let them push you around.
- Feel free to ask sales clerks for help, and be prepared to give them clues about your giftee's size, age, habits and/or preferences, and be aware that these clerks are probably super-busy. This time of year you may encounter employees who are temps without a lot of experience (or, in some cases, brains), so it is perfectly acceptable to turn to kindly fellow shoppers for advice.
- If you find a perfect gift that is in a shrink-wrapped basket, it is not a perfect gift, no matter what the nice saleslady says. Move on.
- Think about what your giftee already owns, but don't buy something she already has. If she has a red wallet and a red coat, she probably likes red. Work from there. You can buy something else that's red (like a cosmetics bag or a sweater), or something that complements red (like a plaid scarf or red and gold earrings -- if she wears earrings and likes gold).
- Avoid the obvious. If she has been collecting turtle figurines for 20 years, another turtle statue isn't going to rock her world (unless it's one she has been coveting). Or if she is an avid tennis player and already has all the tennis gear she could ever want or need, don't go there. Find another place to focus.
- Gift cards can be nice, as long as (a) they are not the only gift you are giving (a card alone isn't very exciting) and (b) they are from places she would want to visit (a store where she likes to shop or a spa she would enjoy). But please don't just stick a card in an envelope! Put a gift card in a pretty box, or disguise it as another gift, or make it part of a treasure hunt, or include a related add-on (a scarf, a book, a laptop case, flowers, a bottle of wine...whatever fits).
- Sentimental gifts can be big hits, especially when they come from a non-shopper (who automatically tends to get extra bonus points for a great gift). Is there a song or movie she loved when you first met? Buy a CD or DVD. Did you have a great date somewhere special? Make a gift certificate to go there again. Can you repair or replace something she once treasured? Go for it.
- No matter how much time she spends complaining about her appearance, do not buy any kind of self-improvement gift for Christmas. Trust me. A spa day or a massage is OK, but a diet book is not. And don't even go near that jar of fancy European anti-cellulite cream or the Rogaine for Women gift set.
- Always ask for a gift receipt, and keep your receipts...just in case.
- As you are walking down the mall or through a busy store, please do not stop in the middle of the aisle to look around, no matter how disoriented you are. This is the equivalent of slamming on the brakes while driving your car in the fast lane. Pull over, get your bearings, and no one will get hurt.
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