Personalized Gifts for a Best Friend
When you're weary, feeling small,
When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all;
I'm on your side.
When times get rough
and friends just can't be found,
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.
Often when I listen to this Simon and Garfunkel classic, I think of my best friends, since it is times when I'm feeling low, that I know how lucky I am to have someone to comfort me, stand by my, see my dreams through my eyes, celebrate my victories and share my pain like their own. At times when you are feeling low, or when you need some sound advice, or even just need someone to hear you out, or when you are in a party mood and want to let your hair down and have a blast - no matter what, your best friend will always be there!
Best friends mean a lot to us, and there are several occasions when you can express your feelings and let them know how much they mean. Birthday, graduation, new job, first car, there are plenty of reasons to celebrate, often at times you don't even need an occasion to celebrate your friendship! Well as we know, best friends come in all shapes and sizes, listed below are a few options, which are categorized into seven types according to characteristic personality traits and / or hobbies. I'm sure you'll find one that just right for your buddy.
Personalization Gift Ideas for a Best Friend
The Foodie
Well if your friend is a true foodie, then you can create a personalized gourmet delight for him/her. Gourmet gifts like chocolates, wine bottles can all be personalized to make the gift extra special. Imagine the look in your friend's face when she/he gets a wine bottle personalized with her/his name and even a small message from you. Similarly you can also personalize their favorite candy bars, potato chips, cheese, roasted nuts and even cookies and pretzels. A personalized gourmet delight gift basket can include anything, some, or all items mentioned above. In case your friend is passionate about cooking, you can add cookbooks and kitchen appliances as well. To add the finishing touch to your gift you can get a personalized delicious chocolate cake to go with the gift basket. I'm sure you'll get a perfect 10 from your foodie friend!
The Sports Enthusiast
Well if your best friend just can't get enough of his/her daily sports dose, here is a gift idea that will be perfect! In case your friend plays a specific sport regularly you can get personalized sports equipment and accessories as a gift. For instance which golf-lover wouldn't go gaga over a pair of personalized golf clubs, in a personalized golf bag and golf cap and t-shirt? In case your buddy loves swimming, you can also arrange for swimming sprees at exotic locales and gift some personalized swimwear as well. In case your friend is a great fan of some particular team, then good tickets for a game might be the ultimate gift that she/he will truly appreciate. If she/he is into adventure sports you can also arrange for personal adventure sports lessons for your friend!
The Bookworm
Well if your best friend loves to read, read and read, then you got no choice but to hit the bookstore. But then, how can you personalize this gift? Well there are several ways. Firstly, if your friend enjoys a particular contemporary author, the getting a copy personally autographed by the author might be the best gift ever! In case that is not possible, you can always personalize a paperback or a hardbound edition with your friends' name. To make the gift more interesting you can have personalized bookmarks and bookends as add-ons to the books. Another interesting idea would be to create a personalized book with pictures of your friend and messages and poems put together. Remember that the key to finding the perfect gifts is making ordinary gifts special with extra efforts.
The Workaholic
Is your friend working double shifts? Is she/he the type who would rather work than do anything else at all? Well then it is tie you treated your workaholic friend to a refreshing break from work. Stress relief gifts are great for workaholics. In addition to this you can always get personalized tools for the workaholic friend. For example if your friend works on a computer, then a laptop, a personalized mouse or any other computer accessories can be a great gift. A personalized work bag (briefcase), personalized organizers, personalized alarm clocks might be some of the other gifts that will make your workaholic friend happy. Consider your friend's profession and give him/her tools that are pertinent to his/her job. In addition to this arranging for a refreshing break for a pleasant holiday or even a short spa treatment might be a great idea.
The Gizmo Geek
Well if the latest mobile phones or the coolest iPods are some of the things your friend will be amused about, then making your friend would be an expensive affair for sure! But if you have the big bucks, then there is no dearth of options in this category. Personalized iPod with the name engraved on it is the latest thing in music players. Sleek home theater systems, laptops, PDAs and mobile phones might be the next in line. Check which gadget your friend is eying and surprise her/him with your stylish and perfect gift!
The Fashion Diva (for girls)
You can give a bag of different items like an outfit, makeup, jewelry, beauty products and whatever else you know she will love. In case your friend is brand conscious then it's better to get the products of the brand she loves. Lip-gloss, lip colors, perfumes, jewelry, fashionable bags, clothes and scarves, suit your self and buy all the things that can be affordable to your pocket. Now roll these things into a gift basket and add a personalized card for her. Your fashion diva would already be glowing with happiness and showing off her million dollar smile!
The Movie Lover
Well in case your friend is a total movie-buff then you need a gift that is all about movies. Pick up the popular movies from the DVD store but again, don't forget to check which ones are already in your friend's collection and which ones she/he is craving for. Classic movies, and even television soaps are now available on DVDs, make sure you know your friend's favorites before you hit the DVD store. Also remember not to stick to movie and music DVDs and CDs alone, always have some interesting add-ons to your gift. In this case, try hunting for vintage movie posters, which are not only great collectibles, but the ultimate way for a movie buff to decorate his/her room. In addition to this, coffee table books related to movies can also be a great addition.
The Mushy
Well in case your friend is a very sentimental person who believes in valuing and cherishing relationships, then it is very unlikely that any of the above mentioned gifts would suit her/him. This is the type, which is extremely difficult to shop for. In fact, often shopping is the last solution when you are gift-hunting for such people. Personalized gift will take a whole new meaning here; it has to be a gift that is created by you exclusively for your friend. Gather a bunch of old photographs, get some beautiful art paper and create a memorable scrapbook with photographs, hand written messages and any other decorative ideas that you have. In case you are techno-savvy, create a personalized video, photograph slideshow, a song list of your friend's favorite songs and create a truly personalized CD that your friend can cherish forever.
When it comes to finding a perfect gift for your friend, always think with your heart and do not hesitate to shell out a few extra bucks. After all your best friend deserves the best gift.
