Let’s not over think this one. Most women love to shop. Giving her a gift card is like handing her a wad of cash and the keys to the mall. So don’t worry that gift carding is impersonal. She’ll love it. If you want to ease any nagging thoughts in your mind that she’ll be offended by the gesture, dress the gift card up a bit with one of these suggestions:

Gift card to the craft store with a sweet sticker

• Shop ‘til You Drop. A serious shopping trip requires money (insert gift card), a list to keep track of what you’re looking for, bottled water to stay hydrated, and some chocolate to fuel up if the expedition runs long. Bundle all those necessities into a shopping care package and add a “Shop ‘til you Drop” note.
• Girls Night Out. Pick a restaurant gift card and couple it with the theme of the cuisine. For an Italian restaurant, attach the gift card to a small bottle of olive oil and write, “Chow Baby” (pun intended) on the card. Mexican restaurant? Partner the gift card with a container of (or just the recipe for) your homemade salsa. For dessert, attach an ice cream parlor gift card to an ice cream scoop or a jar of her favorite topping.


Recipes to go with a cooking store or grocery gift card.

• Chick Flick. Well a girls gotta have popcorn! And maybe some candy as well. If you’re giving your gal a gift card to the theater, you might want to throw in a travel pack of tissues as well. Nothing like a good cry at the movies. (Am I the only one who enjoys this?) There are plenty of tear jerkers you can rent on DVD as well. Give her a list of weepers (Stepmom, About a Boy, Steel Magnolias, Love Actually), microwave popcorn, and a box of tissues. Then let me know when the movie starts.
• Feet Retreat. You can’t go wrong with the gift of pampering. Get a gift card to a spa or nail salon and use raffia to attach it to a special soap, essential oil, or scented candle. Or attach the card to a nice bottled water or magazine that she never has time to read.
• Game On! Here’s a winning game plan for the sporty girl in your life. Pair an athletic gift card to an inexpensive fitness item like a new pair of dry weave socks, some no-slip hair bands, or a fun reusable water bottle. I’m obsessed with tennis and the so-darn-cute tennis outfits. But I’d appreciate a gift card attached to a new can of tennis balls more than a floater at the net ripe for a slam.


A gift card to the movies plus free babysitting.

• Craft Night. My little sister Brooke enjoys a craft night once a month with all her girlfriends. I bet she’d love some new craft supplies. But what do you get a girl who has her own craft room? Best to let her decide. Get your crafty girlfriend a gift card to the craft store and attach it one of a hundred creative staples like tacky glue, a sponge brush, a new stencil, or a fun scrapbook embellishment.
• Chef Special. To make a gourmet gal happier than a pig in a blanket, get her a gift card to a cooking store and attach it to a brightly colored silicone spatula, a basting brush, a flavored oil, or a new spice she can experiment in the kitchen with. You could even attach a cooking gift card to something as simple as fresh vegetables from the garden. She’s sure to relish the thoughtfulness as much as the gift card itself.


We whisk you a Merry Christmas (or Whisking you a Happy Birthday!)

• Decorating Diva. I get nervous picking out décor for friends who have stylish homes and designer instincts. Rather than risk getting something that doesn’t go with the house, I’d buy a gift card to a home goods store and pair it with a small item that goes with everything—like a candle, a reed diffuser, or a bowl of fresh lemons. (I see citrus on home makeover shows all the time!)

There are so many gift cards available. I think half the fun of gift carding is picking out a card and then figuring out how to personalize it. With girlfriends, I think it’s particularly important that the whole gift carding package shows you know her passions and interests, you know how she loves to (or would like to) spend her time, and you’re hoping she’ll use the gift card in a way that makes her feel special. Us girls are sentimental that way.

If you have an idea of your own, please share it with me.