Most of us have enough candles, stationery and earrings (okay, I take that back, you can never have too much jewelry). So when it comes to your best girlfriends, consider giving her a gift that you can either share with one another or will allow her to relax on her own!
Massage/Mani-Pedi
Instead of the normal massage gift certificate, consider booking a spa day (or half day) for both of you. That way you can chat to your heart’s content and both go home feeling refreshed and gossiped out!
Standing Lunch/Dinner Date
Women often feel they’re too pressed for time to have an after work drink or dinner with a girlfriend. But if you schedule it in advance, she’s less likely to back out at the last minute. Plan for once a month or every six weeks. That’s often enough that you’ll feel in tune with your friend, but not so often that it feels like a scheduling burden.
A few of my girlfriends at 2011 RWA conference: Jacqueline Delecki, Tracey Devlyn, Jo Anne Banker, Adrienne Giordano and yours truly with blond hair
Girlfriends’ Getaway
I’m sure we all wish we had the cash to treat our best buds to an extravagant long weekend or week at the spa. Few of us have that luxury, however. But you could get your friends together, have everyone commit to one weekend a year and then serve as the planning point person for this year’s getaway. Cruises can often be inexpensive. Sometimes it’s enough to go an hour away and stay in a moderate hotel. As long as someone else is doing the cooking and laundry, it’s a vacation!
Surprise Visit
Have a girlfriend who lives hours, or even a continent, away? Make plans with her local friends for a special celebration (decade birthdays are a great reason!) where you make a surprise visit. A friend of mine hopped on a plane to Thailand to visit an old friend and, as you can imagine, her presence elicited many tears and hugs!
A book by one of your favorite authors
Take a look through your keeper shelf and either pass on or buy your friend a copy of something you loved, even if…especially if…the book is outside her normal genre. You never know who you might turn on to an entirely new reading experience.
A few of my suggestions:
Romantic historical thriller – A Lady’s Revenge by Tracey Devlyn
Romantic suspense – Relentless Pursuit by Adrienne Giordano
Small town, sweet romantic suspense – Sweet Tea and Secrets by Nancy Naigle
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This is National Cookie Day (and Cookie Cutter Week). I know there are tons of cookie and recipe exchanges going on during the holiday season, but feel free to share your favorite here on Brain Candy. Do you and your family bake specific cookies during this time of year? Two of our favorites are Chocolate Crinkle Cookies and Mocha Almond Biscotti!
