I've never been big on the idea of gift-giving for the sake of Valentine's Day -- call it an aversion to mandatory sappiness. But I've always been big on the idea of random gift-giving for no particular reason, other than that you appreciate the person being gifted.
So below is a collection of gift ideas for just about anyone, to be given for no good reason other than the hope that the items might brighten someone's day.
I recently read John Grogan's "Marley & Me" ($21.95, all major book sellers), a memoir of the author's life with Marley, his incorrigible but endlessly loyal Labrador retriever. It's a great book for any dog lover, and it practically guarantees an almost equal mix of laughter and tears from anyone who has ever loved a family pet.
I also recommend Nobel Laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez's "Love in the Time of Cholera" ($14.95, all major book sellers), an epic love story that is anything but an average romance novel. Supremely written, this is for anyone who just loves good literature.
For a chocolate lover, there are seemingly endless choices, but Hot Chocolate Xocolatl by Dagoba Organic Chocolate ($10.75 for 12 ounces at Julie Anne's, 10895 S. Eastern Ave., or online at www.dagobachocolates.com) evokes the traditional cacao drink of the Aztecs, with its mix of chocolate, cinnamon and a hint of chili.
Since receiving one as a Christmas gift last year, I've become fond of candles by Henri Bendel Home, available at Bath and Body Works. The candles come in a small travel size ($12 for a 4-ounce, approximately 20 hours of burning time) or large ($26 for a 10-ounce, approximately 60 hours of burning time) and are of such high quality that they fill a room with delicious aroma even when they aren't burning.
Games also are a great gift for just about anyone, male or female, young or old. One of my favorite games for breaking the ice between people who don't know each other at gatherings is Electronic Catch Phrase ($24.99, Target). An electronic version of the Catch Phrase card game, this game requires four or more players and an imaginative spirit in getting teammates to say a selected word.
For coffee lovers, a new blend or roast is always interesting, and Whole Foods Market (8855 W. Charleston Blvd.) has a coffee selection that brought a smile to my face on a recent Sunday afternoon.
The market has a section of huge barrels brimming over with beans from around the world in every roast a caffeine fiend could dream up. While you're there, Whole Foods Market also has an even more impressive selection of cheeses. And let's face it, nothing says "I love you," or even "Eh, you're OK" like a nice hunk of finely aged cheese.
As a final random gift suggestion, I offer up the old standby -- flowers. But do something a little creative with them, and don't just give flowers. Plants are our friends, too, and a week after the giving is done, a thriving potted plant is far more pleasant than a wilted pile of less than yummy-smelling flowers.
You can easily personalize an inexpensive plant, or even a few hand-selected blossoms with a vase or pot of your own choice (nurseries and Target have a huge selection of both plants and pots).
It's also fairly easy to find potted flowers, like orchids (saw them at Target, prices vary) that are interesting and easy on the eyes. If you do go the plant route, be sure you're gifting a plant-friendly person. A green, growing thing isn't exactly a gift when given to a person with allergies or the inability to nurture it.
Maria Phelan is a reporter for the Green Valley and Henderson Views. Retail information appropriate for mention can be sent to mphelan@viewnews.com.
Archived Editions| Advertising | Contact The Staff
