Finding the Perfect Gift

The next time you're out at the mall searching for that perfect birthday gift, here's what to do. Go to the illuminated display that has a diagram of the entire shopping center. Find the nearest exit on the map. Walk through that exit and go back to your car. While this method may seem a bit inconvenient, it will increase your chances of finding a unique and memorable gift.

You'll never find a unique birthday gift at the gift card kiosk at your local mall. A gift card may guarantee that the recipient will get just the thing he or she wants, but it will be quite apparent that not much thought was put into the gift acquisition process. How do you protect yourself from lazy gift-giver syndrome? It's as simple as using a little bit of imagination and creativity.

Gifts for Family and Friends

Finding the right gift for best friends, husbands and wives is often the most difficult. When you've known someone for quite a long time, it's not unusual to feel like you've already given them every kind of birthday gift possible. Try stepping back in time when looking for a birthday gift. Put together a package of the person's favorite movies and music and wrap it all up to look like a time capsule. Treat your spouse to dinner at a restaurant where you went on many dates, and follow it with a classic movie.

Don't view the task of finding a gift as a chore. Approach it as a challenge or a scavenger hunt. Do your searching at thrift stores and antique shops. The items you'll find here are more than just cool--they're often one of a kind. Imagine the surprise when the birthday boy or girl unwraps a cherished childhood toy or collectible.

Finding gifts for relatives can also be a challenging undertaking. If you have access to old family photos, take a favorite photo, have it enlarged and professionally framed. Many drugstores and discount stores have self-service photo centers where you can do the enlarging, cropping, and printing yourself. There are also businesses, local and nationwide, that specialize in scanning old slides and photographs onto CDs and DVDs. A digital photo album is much easier to store and view. The same digital transformation can be done to old home movies and videos.

Tasty Treats as Gifts

You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone on your gift list who wouldn't love a sumptuous treat to sweeten up his or her day. Companies such as Cookies Direct specialize in delivering delicious, homemade goodies directly to your recipient's door. Highlighted in Oprah Magazine for their delectable offerings, Cookies Direct offers several delicious varieties such as Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter and a special Cookie of the Month flavor. Whether your recipient is across town or across the country, you can make him or her feel very loved with a special, homemade cookie gift.

No matter what your budget or whom you're shopping for, cool birthday gifts are almost always in plain sight. The Internet is the best place to find these great gift treasures so skip the mall and keep surfing online.