Gift ideas for girlfriends

Passanie

I need to get gifts for my two friends. I have no clue. I'm so over giving crap. I want it to be meaningful, but that just makes it ten times harder. I donated in their names one year and I don't think it was appreciated. Any suggestions? What are you getting your girlfriends?

hannikan

I honestly haven't given friends gifts in years. They get a Christmas card but that's it. It gets to be far too expensive for everyone and most of my friends have children now, too. Sorry I can't be more help and GL!

Rock-n-Voll

What kinds of hobbies/interests do they have?  That will help us give suggestions.

hersheykiss

I will be your girlfriend. I would love for someone to do a donation in my name instead of giving me stuff.

As far as gifts go, I am a big fan of gift baskets, either made or store bought ones. You could do a kitchen themed one if they like to cook, or an arts & crafts one, or wine & cheese.

Passanie

We all like to cook. We all like wine and going wine tasting together. They get pedicures a lot. One owns a home. The other is hot and heavy with a new guy.

EmmieB

your favorite vinegar, oil, wine, salt, fancy new kitchen gadget (the microplane herb mill...)

I just finished a really good cooking book: the kitchen counter cooking school by kathleen flinn. (I'm not rube in the kitchen and I learned things.) Maybe a cooking memoir set? A Homemade Life (molly wizenberg) the sharper your knife (kathleen flinn) and heat (roy buford) or something? 

Passanie

I did really like The Sharper Your Knife... already got them my favorite cooking utensils. Maybe some fancy olive oil?

hannikan

What's your budget?

sm23

Do they live near you? If so, maybe find a cooking class that you can all do together?

hannikan

Passanie:

I donated in their names one year and I don't think it was appreciated.

May I ask if you donated to a charity/cause close to the heart of the receivers or just something of importance to you? I ask because I think there's a really big difference. I would be thrilled if someone donated to cause/charity in my name that they knew was important to me. But if someone donated to something that was just important to them, to me it would be tacky and honestly thoughtless. This is why I was always against the idea of doing that instead of favors at weddings or guests giving to their pet charity/cause as a gift to a couple. It's not possible that everyone will be passionate about the same one cause/charity/issue. And even though probably not everyone will enjoy favors either, in this case, some people may actually be strongly opposed to giving to the cause/charity you choose. I know some people will disagree with me but I do feel it is presumptuous to impose your interests and/or values on others in this way. I don't think you would do that but I was just curious if that could explain why they were not thrilled with it.

wldktz10

Go to Anthropologie and buy them a charm necklace. You make your own and can pick out the necklace part and the charms. There's a ton of different ones so you can make it personalized and therefore it'll be more meaningful.