The One About GIfts Given to Ladies

from here.

Christmas morning in my house used to involve my little sister waking up at the butt-crack of dawn (this is no exaggeration, sometimes it was before the dawn part actually happened) and annoying everyone else until they decided it was an appropriate time to 'rise-n-shine.'

Now we wake up a little bit later and unwrap gifts more slowly (Santa wraps now) so it's more fun and so much more important that you give something you think the gift-receiver will actually like. We're not 5-years-old anymore.

I've come up with (what I think) is a very good idea for my little sister, which I promise to tell y'all about after she unwraps it...but until then, here are some other fun things I was thinking about.

The obvious: every girl loves a manicure/pedicure, and they're simple to swing by and pick up during your lunch break or on the drive home from work. It would be even more fun, to put two in one package and let your mom or sister take a guest (and if you're lucky - she'll choose you).

Another fun gift would be a beautiful throw wrapped up with a favorite movie, specifically if you're a member of my family - we're constantly fighting over the one good blanket in the den.

I saw these on Etsy and immediately thought it would be a great idea for parents (mom or dad). This isn't a "run out and pick it up" option - but if you're already starting to think about next year, this would be such a fun thing for mom to unwrap on Christmas morning.

I saw these on Blueprint Bliss (via Deliciously Organized) and thought they would be so cute for a mom (or sister) who's running a tight ship. Both my mom and my sister are constantly busy.

Fun jewelry is always an option, so check out J.Crew, Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, Banana Republic and those cute boutiques in your neighborhood.

Things for the house are always a good idea. My mom is probably one of the least formal people you're bound to meet - but in Pier1 the other day she commented how pretty the silver-leafed chargers were (which I now can't find on the internet), and you can find them in almost any price range. I even saw some at World Market yesterday for $2.99 a piece.

If you live in my little sister's dream world, then you might just think a quick trip to NYC would be the perfect gift, and it would...but that's only if you're working on a much larger budget than I am! I always think the most fun presents are the ones that involve DOING something, rather than wearing something, or installing batteries of any kind.

And if you're mom - then her all-time favorite present she's ever received is this piece of paper, cut into a circle, that says "I'm Thumbody Special." It's hung on our tree by a piece of red yarn and you can't even see the thumbprint anymore. I'm pretty sure my sister gave it to her. So if you're 5-years-old, or trying to make something for a 5-year-old to give as a gift...that's a pretty safe bet.