the would-be writers guild

Let me start out with a disclaimer: I am not qualified to have a Gift Guide. Nobody has been beating down my door to ask what I think would make great gifts. I don’t have my own talk show or magazine. I did not major in Gift Guides. My only qualification to do this is that I buy Christmas gifts and I pay a small monthly fee for my website and frequently like to pretend that this is my own talk show and/or magazine.

However, my real motivation in creating a Gift Guide is a hope that YOU will ALSO create a Gift Guide on your blog and I can come and steal all of your great ideas. (Hey, at least I’m honest!) Because here’s the deal—I trust your opinion more than Random Editor or TV Producer. And if we all flood the blogwaves with great gift ideas, this could potentially be the BEST (RETAIL) CHRISTMAS EVER, so much that they will make a Lifetime made-for-TV movie about it.

One other small note—this is not a list of the Latest & Greatest, but rather a list of Tried & True. This is stuff that I have that I think is great. Make your list however you want—that’s your talk show, er, blog.

Eyeshadow Potion, $16

FOR: Anyone who wears eyeshadow
WHY: I guess I have sweaty eyelids? I used to put eyeshadow on in the morning only to have it completely disappear/disintegrate before the afternoon. I’ve been using this stuff for more than a year and it works wonders—the eyeshadow I put on my eyes in the morning is still there when I go to bed. In fact, it’s still there the next afternoon when I have neglected to shower or wash my face.
FIND IT: Here.

Versace Woman Perfume, $35

FOR: Her
WHY: It smells great. I have very picky standards for perfumes and I love this. The Sephora site describes the smell as, “An intensely sophisticated bouquet featuring the Padparadscha Lotus, the ritual flower of oriental ceremonies, then the fruity tones of plum and raspberry, blue cedar of Lebanon, musk, amber, and inoke wood.” I have no idea what any of those things are.
FIND IT: Here.

Bare Escentuals Starter Kit, $60

FOR: Her
WHY: It goes on light, smooth, and makes skin look flawless. And, it STAYS ON ALL DAY! I haven’t tried other brands, so I can only recommend this one.
FIND IT: Here.

Cute Jacket, $14.80

FOR: Daughter, sister, wife, friend
WHY: I love a gift that seems like it should cost a lot more than it does. This is a great example. I have this jacket and wear it often.
FIND IT: Here.

Scarf, $6.80

FOR: Daughter, sister, wife, friend
WHY: Scarf = compliments. I believe I’ve talked about this before…
FIND IT: Here or almost anywhere.

Boots, $89

FOR: Her
WHY: One of the things I love most about these boots is that my feet didn’t hurt after wearing them the first few days. They are a great color and I love the little tie on the back of the calf that can be adjusted to accommodate those of us with thicker calves.
FIND IT: Here.

Bath & Body Works Lip Glosses, $5

FOR: Stocking stuffers and friends
WHY: If you happen to be one of the three people on earth who doesn’t have one of these in your purse, then continue reading. These are part lipgloss, part breathmint, part lipstick, and all wonderful.
FIND A VARIETY: Here or at the mall.

Lemon Verbena Countertop Spray, $5

FOR: A fantastic gift under $5!
WHY: I love this stuff. And I’ve loved it for a long time. It smells AMAZING and leaves your countertop or anything you clean with it shiny and sparkly. I have, on more than one occasion, thought about drinking it with a straw.
FIND IT: Here and some retail locations.

Sheet Spray, $20

FOR: Anybody who gets excited about stuff that smells REALLY good.
WHY: I bought a bottle of this right before our move. I wanted a little bit of luxury when we were camping out in our empty house for two weeks and sleeping on an air mattress. At $20, this seems a little splurgy, but come on, it’s Christmas!
FIND IT: Here and some retail locations.

Vacuum Beads, $16

FOR: The person who has everything and enjoys good smells.
WHY: Put 20 of these little beads inside your vacuum bag before you replace it. As you vacuum, your house starts smelling super yummy. I bought this for my mom and she raved about it so much, I bought myself some, too!
FIND IT: Here and some retail locations.

Costco Sheets, $60

FOR: Him or her
WHY: I’m not the first to sing the praises of these sheets, but I’ll join in the chorus. They are so soft and smooth, there is never a need to spend more on nice sheets.
FIND IT: Here, at Costco.

Guy’s J.Crew Hoodie, $39.99

FOR: Him
WHY: Because this hoodie is so soft and amazing, he will want to wear it every day and you will want to tackle him.
FIND IT: Here.

Power Washer, $169

FOR: Him
WHY: Because guys like to wash stuff, powerfully. I guess. I don’t really understand the appeal, but when I gave it to Ryan, he fell at my feet at wept.
FIND IT: Here.

Wasabi & Soy Almonds, $3

FOR: His stocking
WHY: They are YUMMY! Not too hot, not too salty, perfectly capable of being devoured in one sitting.
FIND IT: At the grocery store.

Poppy Necklace, $18

FOR: Her
WHY: DeDe surprised me with this necklace a couple of years ago. I wear it all the time and (much like The Scarf) I get complimented by random strangers. It goes with a surprising amount of my closet.
FIND IT: Here along with lots of other cool stuff.

Leapster, $50

FOR: Little boys and girls
WHY: It’s like giving your kid a gameboy that’s good for his brain. Max takes his with him almost every time we get in the car.
FIND IT: Here and lots of other places.

Nintendo DS, $129

FOR: Tweens or teens
WHY: Christian got one the first year these came out. (His looks like a dinosaur compared.) Anyway, he has gotten more use out of this toy than almost any other. Years later, he still plays with it several times per week. Plus, games are getting cheaper now.
FIND IT: Here and lots of other places.

Writing Down the Bones, $12

FOR: Anybody who has any interest in writing.
WHY: It’s the best book I’ve read on writing. Ever. Period. The end.
FIND IT: Here.

Billy Collins Live Reading, $14

FOR: Your literary friends or family members.
WHY: Billy Collins is my favorite poet. Ever. Period. The end. And he has a great reading voice. So, you have this great reading voice reading these great poems and—BAM!—you have a great gift!
FIND IT: Here, or on iTunes.

Good Poems, $12

FOR: Anybody who has ever read a poem and liked it. (Dr. Suess and Shel Silverstein count)
WHY: Garrison Keillor (whom I also love) has compiled this group of poems that don’t give you a migraine, they just give you joy.
FIND IT: Here or in most bookstores.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid, $11

FOR: Tween reader, even a reluctant one
WHY: I have a hard time finding fiction that Christian will read and enjoy. He prefers to spend his time reading sports media guides cover to cover. Eight times. Per month. This book, however, is a BIG exception. It is truly funny.
FIND IT: Here and in bookstores.

Drake & Josh on DVD, $29

FOR: Tweens (and occasional weird moms)
WHY: The list of things Christian and Max and I equally enjoy doing together is getting smaller, but we LOVE to watch this Nickelodeon show together. I think it’s hilarious.
FIND IT: Here.

OK, that’s all I have for now. Now, go on and make your own guide. I’m waiting…..