‘Tis harder to give than to receive

What should you bring to that New Year?s Eve gathering? What about a hostess gift for that dinner party in February? What?s good for a co-worker?s birthday? There is a multitude of options and a growing list of gift-giving holidays, events and occasions. What?s a would-be shopper to do?
First of all, there are some mainstays to keep in the mix. Items customized with business logos or personalized with the recipient?s name, gourmet treats and Colorado products are all popular.
Think handmade candy from the Berthoud Candy Shop, a jar of savory salsa made by Roberto?s in Fort Collins or a pound of 100 percent certified organic, Colorado-roasted coffee from Kind Coffee in Estes Park.
Gift baskets stuffed with a variety of goodies are great when you?re unsure of exact tastes. Colorado products are popular basket-stuffers, said Louise Creager of Aspen Canyon Gift Baskets. Salsas, specialty foods such as elk jerky or bison sausage, cheeses and chocolates have a special cachet when they?re made in Colorado.
According to gifting trendmeister Pam Danziger of Unity Marketing, store gift certificates will be among the top gifts this year. Danziger, author of ?Why People Buy Things They Don?t Need,? regularly takes the pulse of the gifting industry and the trends that drive it through surveys and studies.
?An increasingly popular gifting alternative this year will be store gift certificates,? Danziger said. ?Last year about 53 percent of gifters gave a store gift certificate, while 63 percent this year say they are very or somewhat likely to choose this gift.?
Retailers ? warming up to this profitable gift idea ? are dressing up gift certificates and gift cards with token items like chocolates, Danziger said.
Gifts of experience ? sports tickets, a day at the spa or restaurant certificates ? are coming into their own, according to Danziger.
On the wane in popularity are home furnishings such as gifts. After several years in a cocooning trend, consumers are moving on and looking to shed the clutter that collected while they focused on homemaking and home decorating.
Danziger said items like baskets and storage containers that help to organize clutter or luxury items such as stationery and photo albums reflect that change. Seasonal decorations, aromatherapy items and art and wall decorations should remain strong gift choices as well.
Still, with the events of 9-11 still in mind, some are staying home more, cooking more and entertaining at home more. Those are all gift cues, said Eileen Heusinkveld, owner of A Taste of Class. People are focused on sentimentality, she said.
Pottery, wineglass charms, cookie plates, ?anything that has something special to say on it,? is popular now, she said. Heusinkveld offers kitchen and cooking supplies, cooking instruction and gift baskets from her Loveland shop.

rendezvous

10 suggestions for giving gifts:

1. Food. Who doesn?t eat? Let it be something adventurous like onion and roasted garlic jam, suggests Eileen Heusinkveld, owner of A Taste of Class. ?People are trying new and different things.?
2. A nice bottle of wine or a fancy liqueur. Do a little research, perhaps a Colorado wine?
3. Tickets to a sporting or entertainment event. Choices abound in Northern Colorado. Consider tickets to a Colorado Eagles hockey game, Colorado Chill basketball game, or an event involving Colorado State University or University of Northern Colorado teams. How about movie or restaurant certificates? Give the gift of a night out, and, if you?re feeling especially generous, offer to watch the kids, as well.
4. Food. A number of confectioners ply their trade in Northern Colorado. Give a sweet gift from Sunny Jims, Stephanie?s Chocolates or Vern?s Toffee. Or, if you?re inclined, give a homemade gift from your kitchen. A batch of brownies or some tasty cookies tucked into a reusable container is always a memorable gift.
5. Personalized writing papers or note pads. There?s a convenient elegance to having stationary already imprinted with your name and address. Ditto, note pads.
6. A theme basket. Pack a gourmet picnic of special cheeses and sausages. Do a breakfast basket, a southwestern-themed basket, a sports basket.
7. Again, food. Heusinkveld suggests tucking a flavored cooking or dipping oil packaged in a fancy bottle into a wine bag for a gift with a bit of a twist.
8. Scented stuff. Non-burning, scented products such as potpourri and scented sprays are still hot, according to Pam Danziger, author of ?Why People Buy Things They Don?t Need.? Interest in candles has waned because of concerns about indoor pollution, petroleum-based waxes and safety. If you must give a candle, she says, choose soy-based alternatives or traditional beeswax candles.
9. Give the gift of giving. Make a charitable donation in the recipient?s name. Look for something that reflects the person?s interests or pet issues.
10. Seasonal and holiday decorative items. According to Danziger consumers continue to purchase more seasonal decorations for Christmas and other holidays. Flags, banners, wreaths and collectable ornaments. ?I love getting and I give a lot of seasonal things,? Heusinkveld said. ?Every year when it comes out there are memories associated.?

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