The mad rush is on! With only a short time left until Christmas, it’s time to get shopping. I really love the autumn months and I try to just focus on one holiday and season at a time. But now that November is here, it’s time to focus on the Christmas season. And shopping for gifts is one of the most time-consuming parts of this season. I always want the gifts I give to be a perfect fit for the individual, so I procrastinate. Sometimes I will pass up a good gift idea trying to find that “perfect” gift. Let’s face it, there are no perfect gifts.  A better option would be to spend a little time thinking about what’s meaningful to your friends and then pick a gift that reflects their interests.

With that in mind, I have created some gift lists with ideas based on specific interests.

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Gift Ideas for the Gardener:

• A garden journal is a great place to gather thoughts on last year’s plants and hopes for next year’s garden.
• Hand-held garden tools. You can never have enough clippers.
• Garden gloves, multiple pairs in bright colors.
• Garden containers such as pots and baskets.
• Birdhouses and bird feeders.
• Personal care items like moisturizing lotion and lip balm to care for those dry gardening hands and chapped lips.
• Splurge on one really nice item like a new birdbath.

Gift Ideas for the Cook:

• New potholders and dish towels to replace the ones that are falling apart.
• A shiny new colander in a bright enamel color.
• A variety of herbs and spices. Most of us continue to use the old ones, but they lose flavor after a year. Restock someone’s spice rack.
• A new set of serving utensils.
• A new set of mixing bowls or a vintage set if your friend collects Pyrex or other containers.
• Storage containers filled with edible goodies. It’s nice to include some kind of homemade goodies such as bread, cookies, or candy.

Gift Ideas for the Book Lover:

• The latest book by a favorite author that your friend enjoys.
• A stack of vintage books in a certain theme such as gardening, wildlife, or recipes.
• A nice book light for those night owls who read late into the evening.
• Book covers and personalized labels. Include a small note tablet to keep track of books on loan.
• A journal for the new year.
• Include a gift card to your local bookstore or Amazon so your friend can pick out her own book choice.

Gift Ideas for the Crafter:

• Buy a stack of crafting papers in many colors and patterns. Add in a new pair of scissors.
• Fill a quart size mason jar or two with supplies such as gift tags, ribbons, or buttons.
• Buy small amounts of coordinating fabrics. Include a book on ideas for using the fabric in craft projects.
• A new tool such as a cutting mat or knitting needles and holder.
• A storage container to hold supplies such as paintbrushes, colored pencils, stamps, and pads.
• Purchase an online class for your friend on a topic they’re interested in.

Miscellaneous Gift Ideas:

• Give the gift of time together. Chose a fun activity that you can do together and make a day of it. For example, go to a flea market or antique shopping. Plan on buying lunch or coffee while you’re out.
• Give a magazine subscription for year-long enjoyment.
• Does your friend have a hobby? Find an item that will enhance her special collection or activity.
• What about teaching your friend a skill? Has she always wanted to learn to knit or bake a pie?  Give her an item for that skill and include time spent learning the skill.  For example, give her a rolling pin and a pie plate. Attach a note explaining that the gift comes with a pie crust making session.

I hope that my list of gifts will give you some ideas to get started shopping.    So let the shopping begin.