While we might move in wide social circles and collect hundreds of acquaintances on online networking sites, the average woman belongs to a small, close knit group of friends. These are the girls with whom we talk unendingly, laugh uncontrollably and collectively lament the woes of work/men/money/shoes/all-of-the-above. They know us as well as we know them and, as a result, buying them presents is something of a nightmare. When it comes to my best friends, I know I’ve pretty much run out of ideas; I mean, there’s only so many times you can get someone a nice bottle of wine. Some of you out there must be in the same boat, so I’ve had a think and put together a list of 7 gifts to give your girlfriends.
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Instead of buying your best friend a basket of body lotions, book her into a snazzy spa for a luxurious treatment. Pick she’ll really appreciate: if she’s a bit of a ‘stress bunny,’ get a soothing full-body massage, for example, or if she struggles with short scrubby nails, buy her a set of professional gel overlays and a French manicure.
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Hunting through vintage shops is one of my favourite things; I love the idea that every piece on the shelf comes complete with its own special history. Have a look around your local second-time-round store; pay special attention to old-school accessories. A vintage ring, earrings or a beautiful bracelet each make a one-of-a-kind gift.
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Really, this is my own personal dream gift; I’m an absolute sucker for a gorgeous notebook. It isn’t just a practical tool – something to keep shopping lists in, or to jot down important names and dates. A notebook can be a journal, a study aid or even the beginnings of a novel; and there’s just something aesthetically fabulous about thick velvety pages and soft, authentic leather binding.
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Okay, this sounds pretty cheesy, but a friend of mine recently gave me my own personal two disk compilation. The track-list starts with songs the two of us loved in our early teens and goes all the way up the stuff we’re listening to at the moment. Basically, it’s something like an audio history of our lives; it’s touching and nostalgic, and I absolutely love it.
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It’s one thing to go to a patisserie and buy someone a box of macaroons, but it’s quite another to make them yourself from scratch. I firmly believe that everyone can bake: if you can read and follow instructions, you can make a cake. If you’re not someone who usually spends time in the kitchen then your gift will be all the more meaningful: a real labour of love.
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I think all women keep a running list of items they’d just love to splash out on, but which reason and a sense of responsibility place firmly out of reach. If she’s been drooling over a pair of pricy designer boots for a month, get together with the rest of your friends and find a way to buy them for her.
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Again, this one requires you to get together as a group and do some organising. While it might sound like an expensive option, a night away with the girls in a friend’s honour can actually work out to be a reasonable present. My advice: rent a cottage in a pretty holiday town for the night; bring bucket loads of snacks, party games and, of course, tasty wine; then simply batten down the hatches and have a fabulous time.
When it’s time to celebrate a close friend’s birthday, we naturally want to give presents that do justice to a strong, valuable relationship. Unfortunately, however, this can become something of an impossible task, especially if you’re charged with the responsibility of buying for someone you’ve bought for many times before. It’s difficult to keep your ideas fresh and original, and often we find ourselves surrendering, yet again, to the lure of scented candles and other, one-size-fits-all, standard items. Hopefully, though, this list of 7 gifts to give your girlfriends has helped to inspire you; do you have any suggestions to add to it?
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