‘Tis The Season For Specialty Gift Giving

Dec 21
20:17

2009

Kimberly Green

Kimberly Green

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Thanks to the explosion of specialty gift shops in the last few years, shoppers are able to get everything from mineral makeup to super hot chipotle hot sauce at their local mall or online. With the season of giving upon us, people now have many new options when trying to find the perfect gift.

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There’s an old saying that goes “it’s better to give then receive”. While the true merits of that statement can be can debated until the cows come home (getting gifts does kinda rock),‘Tis The Season For Specialty Gift Giving Articles it’s true that during the holiday seasons there is a special feeling that goes along with giving someone the perfect gift.

Thanks to the fact that specialty products have been big business in recent years (both specialty shops and chain stores now feature everything from mineral makeup to a wide variety of flavored hot sauces), you now have plenty more “specialized” options when trying to find said perfect gift. Because of the shear variety of these products, it’s worth taking a quick look at some of the more popular options available this holiday season.

One of the biggest gift industries to pop up in the last few years is specialized foods that offer fresh ingredients and quality you can’t get in more mainstream products. May it be different salsa, or meats, or a variety of cheeses, there are plenty of gift options to match the palate of the receiver. The most popular of the specialty food craze may be the different varieties of independent hot sauces that have taken the marketplace by storm in recent years. Everything from super hot chipotle sauces to fruity mango flavors have been flying off the shelves, and Christmas is their hottest (no pun intended) time of year. Another specialty gift that has been increasingly popular the last few years has been designer candles and candle holders. Besides specialty shops like Yankee Candles, mega chain stores like Target and Wal-Mart offer aisles of candles of every imaginable sizes and scent. Surprisingly, one of the best places to find candles and accessories may be the “build-it-yourself” mecca of IKEA. Here you can get candle holders of all sizes (don’t worry, you don’t have to build them yourself) and a pack of 36 tea candles for around $4. You can even choose from a variety of scents such as pumpkin, lavender and green apple. Just don’t eatthem, no matter how amazing they smell.

One of the hardest demographics to shop for is 13-17 years old teenagers. In that world, trends last minutes, not weeks. What was hot three months ago is now so passé that you’ll get the stare of death if you purchase them the wrong item for the holidays. For this demographic, I heavily suggest some type of gift card to a specialty shop. For boys, any name brand clothing store specializing in “skateboard” inspired clothing is a pretty “hip” bet. Or for those who are into music maybe a local independent record shop or a big chain like Best Buy. For girls, try Hot Topic, Claires, Forever 21 or Abercrombie and Fitch. Also, someplace like Target or Wal-Mart aren’t terrible ideas since they have recently begun to carry “hip” brands featuring artists like the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus.

Of course, the best present comes from the heart, so use it when trying to think of what to get a friend or family member. If you have any doubt a gift card might be your best option. Because, c’mon, who doesn’t like to go shopping with money already in their pocket.