Gift ideas for someone Ive only met once?
Considering you’ve only just met this person, I’m going to assume you’re trying to keep it to somewhere around $20 and inoffensive. People are offended by damned near everything, so that narrows it down quite a bit. Here’s some that come to mind (you’ll notice a trend, here): Book store gift certificate — if it’s to a big chain, even people who don’t read much can find trinkets to buy. Toy store gift certificate — even people who don’t want toys and have no children occasionally have to buy gifts. Music store gift certificate — hard to go wrong, here. Even hardcore RIAA objectors can spend money on indie labels. A hat — it’s winter, and even if it’s never worn, it’s a memorable and unusual gift. Sock store gift certificate — it’s a bit riskier, but in my experience a pretty good number of women in that age group enjoy a cool, decorative pair of socks. At least those of my acquaintance do.
To answer the questions about why I’m getting her a gift, it’s partly along the lines of this thought: Because aclevername is a polite person, and if you’re invited to a Birthday party its rude to turn up without a gift? I’m not entirely sure of the etiquette, but I figure better safe than sorry. Plus, while I’ve only met this person once before, it was also at a party she hosted at her home, provided lots of booze, food and sleeping area for. I expect it will be the same this time. I’d like to show appreciation for her hospitality. I doubt she’s expecting anything. I have a hunch that this invite is one more way of drawing me in to a new group of friends, of saying they’d like to get to know me better. In the end, the gift will end up being something small, but I’d like to have one. I have taken the other side and gone to a situation like this with just a card and a Happy Birthday and ended up feeling like an ass.
Having been in your shoes before, I vote for sweet-but-not-too-clever. I like the journal idea, and can suggest a decorative bookmark, too (Coach sells a nice one with room for a photo for $18). DVDs strike me as a bit too personal, although they are an easy grab-n-go. I stopped buying picture frames as gifts a long time ago. My wife has some creatively inclined friends who send terrific thinking-of-you gifts: funny cards, pretty notepads with sentiments on them, cute small hanging pieces of art. Go into an artsy stationery store and find something fun.
