As winter approaches, people are more likely to stay indoors, intimidated by the bitter cold and snow. This being said, DVDs are a perfect way to spend a night in. Thanks to On Demand, movies are now instantly available to us with just the click of a button, leaving a TV series on DVD as the perfect gift to give or receive. With a series, not only will you get hours and hours of entertainment versus the usual hour and a half movie, but once you know what type of shows your friend or family members likes, you can be assured that they will love what you get them. Even if they have a television show that they watch constantly, chances are they haven’t seen it from the beginning, making the first few seasons perfect to get. There are also the shows that you can never watch too many times like Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond, and one of my personal favorites, Friends. 

For the more creative person, giving a work of art is a great gift that can truly show time and thought. Depending on your family and friends taste there is a style for everyone whether it be modern, pop art or still life. Pop art is perfect for someone with a more eclectic style while a still life will fit in with any traditional décor. Photography or portraits of their favorite place to travel or time period are a great way to show extra thought and gain an automatic spot above the fireplace. This can also be a great present for people of all ages whether it be children or seniors. If a piece of art is a little out of your budget a poster that is matted and placed in a frame will achieve a similar look and will open you up to even more options. Art can also serve as a great conversation piece so try to pick a work with a story behind it or that represents something meaningful to the person you are giving it to. 

When you are looking for a smaller gift to give someone to simply say thank you or to add to another present you have plenty of options. For the more creative type, a pack of Angel cards is perfect. They come in a pack of 72 small cards each with its own illustration and inspirational word on it such as creativity or passion. My aunt gave them to me years ago and they are perfect to place in a small dish. Each morning I choose one and I now hate starting my day without it. It is also great to place on a coffee table or on a small shell in your kitchen to share with friends and guests as little words of wisdom. If this seems a little out of your friend’s element, a candle is a great addition or simple present to add. While it may seem a little cliché, a small thing of gourmet chocolates is great. A lot of stores offer chocolate formed in different shapes too that is easy to select based on your friend or the occasion. 

With football season right around the corner it is the perfect time to take advantage of every guys pure obsession with the game. Give your guy, or girl, a jersey from their favorite team. Even if they already have quite the collection, I have learned from the past that there is never such a thing as too many. If you are looking for something a little different just stock him up for the game. A mini beer keg for example is hard to resist by most men. Heineken makes small ones that your guy is sure to want to show off to the rest of his friends. If actual football tickets aren’t an option why not make him feel as if he is at the game anyway with a wide screen or HD television. If you are on a tighter budget and willing to be more creative, a gift basket filled with a football, homemade salsa, their favorite beer and other similar items will also do the trick. 

If you are ever looking for a simple gift to just say thank you or congratulations, it is hard to go wrong with sweets. The chain bakery Crumbs, arises as the ultimate answer. They offer decedent cupcakes and other treats that are sure to make your mouth water. It allows you to give cupcakes in a more upscale and elegant way. And I must say they are worth the price! They offer an endless supply cupcake flavors including my personal favorite, chocolate mint, also referred to as ‘the grasshopper’- so don’t be afraid to get creative. For a present to say congratulations on a graduation or new promotion, a short inspirational book is great. For instance, my sister gave me the book, “Dream” after I graduated and to this day I still find myself flipping through it. The infamous book, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” by Dr. Seuss is another book that every household should own. 

An easy gift to give that will not run out fast is a magazine subscription. While personable, the present still doesn’t require you to know a whole lot about the person. If you are giving a gift to someone who is pregnant or recently had a child, a parenting magazine is perfect. They offer great tips that are sure to come in handy for anxious first time parents. They often also offer fun and creative projects to do at home. Good House Keeping is another great magazine that most women can’t resist. Subscriptions are a great idea for guys too. Simply select a magazine around their general interests such as Sports Illustrated or ESPN. Even if your guy isn’t into sports, a car or electronic magazine will generally do the trick. No matter what their interest are there is always a magazine geared towards their hobbies, even if they happen to be tattoos and robots. A twelve month subscription is not only inexpensive but will be used and will serve as a constant reminder of your gift. 

Any gift that you give says a lot about how well you know a person. When coming up with a present try to think about is happening in the person’s life. For instance if you’re giving a gift for someone entering college the Vera Bradley laptop cases and card and key holders are perfect and almost a necessity. With tons of patterns to choose from there is something for everyone and they are pieces that are sure to be used and loved. Going away to school can also intimidating and being so far away can bring about some definite home sickness.  A great way to combat this is with a photo album filled with pictures of friends and family. Or even if you know someone traveling abroad a camera or journal make great gifts to capture all of those memories. If the person is under 26 they also offer great discounts on train passes that run throughout Europe. It allows you to travel endlessly and explore the countries you would not be able to otherwise experience on a limited budget. 

Continuing the theme of presents for men would not be complete without mentioning golf. Growing up in a family dominated by men I know from experience that a week is often not complete without a day of golfing. One of the best parts about this is that it opens up an endless list of golf related gifts that are sure to impress. Maybe the one article of clothing that actually excites men would have to be golf shirts. With an endless selection of colors and brands its almost impossible to go wrong with one. If this has been your go to gift for years there are tons of easy ways to spice it up. While I am not such a fan of them myself, all of my male friends are in love with reef’s new golf flip-flops. The bottom is lined with reef’s own version of grass complete with a rubber golf ball acting as a heel cushion. It even includes a small pencil and tee that slides into the straps, which I must admit is pretty awesome. Another great idea that I’m sure would bring to life most guys fantasies is a golf putting return mat that would fit right in their home or office. After all what man hasn’t longed to be able to play golf during his lunch break? 

There are also many different brands and qualities.  If you are looking for a perfect gift and the comfort of knowing that you got the RIGHT thing, go with Fender amplifiers.  For both the electric guitar, acoustic electric, or the bass electric guitar, Fender distributes the highest quality and most durable amplifiers.  So even if someone you know has a guitar, do they have the right amp?

Grace: This is a great gift idea!  You are right that so many musicians have a suitable instrument but not the right system to make it come out sounding its best.  People who play acoustic guitars that are not amplified do not have to worry about this problem, but if you do need amplification, it is a problem.  $2000 Gibsons sound terrible on a $60 25 watt amp.