Gifts that Say "I Cherish You"

Regardless of whether you are shopping for a romantic partner or a dear friend, your mom or someone else who seems like family, and no matter whether the occasional is a birthday, a holiday or "just because", finding the absolute right gift can be nearly impossible. The presents that would work for 90% of the rest of the public just may not appeal to the person close to your heart. Or, even if they do, you may want to give so common a gift.

So why not lean outside the box? Consider something that appeals to a special aspect of that person or a side to him or her that you really enjoy but may not always express.

Consider some of these ideas, which you can tailor make to fit your particular budget as well as the specific preferences of your lucky gift recipient:

1. Is the person a charitable soul with a giving heart? Make a donation to an organization they hold dear or perhaps introduce them to a new one. For example, at www.heifer.org, you can make a gift of sheep, chickens, or other livestock and much-needed equipment to economically disadvantaged people throughout the word (but trust me, you don't have to worry about shipping the chickens yourself).

2. People adore the gift of your time. If they're a theater or music buff - even if you are not - get two tickets to an event they'd love and go with them. If your budget allows, add dinner or an after-dinner treat to the event. The same holds true for sports buffs, especially those who really wish you'd attend a game with them.

3. Is the recipient someone who rarely gets a home-cooked meal or may be pining for a favorite dish they never get to eat anymore? Invite them over and make their much-desired baked Alaska, four cheese lasagna, or corn chowder. They'll love your thoughtfulness.

4. Has the person been reminiscing forever about a fond childhood memory of horseback riding, sledding, or ice skating? Why not plan an afternoon of it and let them recapture their youth?

5. Is your favorite person so busy working or doing for others that he or she never gets time to start or tend a garden, paint a room, or finish tiling the bathroom? Volunteer to step in and do it for them.

6. Give them something wonderful they would never do for themselves: an afternoon at a spa, an hour's massage, a manicure or pedicure, a gift certificate for a dance class.

7. Create a scrapbook with entries that hold special memories for them: photographs from wonderful times, a copy of a newspaper from the day they were born, clippings from times his or her name may have appeared in print, and other great mementoes.

8. Offer to become the person's special personal assistant for the day: get lunch, chauffeur them around, run errands like shopping and picking up the dry cleaning. As a one-time event, this should neither be too taxing on you while still providing great fun - and a little rest and relaxation for them.