Gift Ideas

We’ve talked about some general ideas for gifting, which are helpful guideposts along the road for giving to someone less familiar. But what about those clients and staff who have been around for years? In these circumstances, one may know just enough about a person and their likes and dislikes to make the process more complicated. Here are some gift suggestions for those occasions:

The Athlete

Is there an employee who uses his or her lunch breaks for exercise? Are they frequently talking about their run times? Sporty staff and clients may appreciate a gift that could help optimize their exercise time. For example, fitness trackers have become hugely popular in the last few years. Newer models can monitor everything from distance covered to heart rate, while keeping track of GPS location. Gift cards to sports stores are also a good idea. Running shoes should be replaced every 300-500 miles. Athletic clothing eventually wears out. Gift cards can provide a client or employee the opportunity to make some much needed additions to their training wardrobe, without needing to supply a list of sizes and preferences.

The Bibliophile

Avid readers are relatively easy to shop for. Provided they genuinely enjoy reading, new books are always welcome. This can be something as simple as Steve Jobs’ biography or an early edition printing of a book by a favorite classical author. Ideally, if one is going to give books as gifts, it would help to know what particular genre of books the reader prefers. However, when in doubt, there are many books that can be described as crowd-pleasers. The staff at a local bookstore may also be able to provide some guidance in this area.

The Foodie

Food lovers are often gadget lovers as well. For those culinary experts, a new toy for their kitchen will surely impress. While many people are fans of kitchen knives, avoid being lulled into giving them as cooks can be fiercely loyal to a brand. Instead, opt for something like a iPad Chef Sleeve; a clear plastic sleeve that covers and iPad, keeping it safe from spills while retaining its functionality. Another good option is a pizza stone. Homemade gourmet pizza has become extremely popular in the last few years, and a pizza stone ensures a perfect crust. Gift cards to a favorite restaurant are also a good option for the food lover. However, if that seems too impersonal, consider a gourmet food gift. Dozens of companies carry an assortment of these gifts, from an assortment of sauces to flavored salts, think more in terms of food accessories than actual food. They will last longer and allow the recipient to enjoy them more than once. Sometimes just a little bit of personal information on a gift recipient is all that is needed to provide a genuinely good gift.