Readers had so much fun with Ruly Ruth’s gift giving experiment post that my sister-in-law and guest blogger, Kristin Jolley, requested in a comment to join in the fun.  Per the old maxim, “Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it!”  Kristin’s wish wish was granted.  Below is my attempt to pick gifts for Kristin, who, in addition to being an incredible mom, also works full-time outside the home, and her honest reaction to them.  Will my gift-giving skills improve with practice?  Read on!

An inexpensive token gift from a coworker, neighbor or friend (~$15 or less)

	Winter weather is rough on hands. Almost every woman can use a creamy, sweet-smelling hand lotion at this time of year.	Kristin says: I would LOVE this as a gift. The dry cold here in Utah takes its toll on my hands… they are dry-dry-dry most of the year. I can’t get enough of great lotions and moisturizers.
	Pantyhose are one of the staple items of every working professional woman. They run and shred so easily that you need a good supply on hand at home and in your desk drawer. When you have an important meeting or formal event, there is nothing like a pair of brand new hose to give you extra confidence.	Kristin says: LOL – this made me laugh! I actually avoid pantyhose like the plague. Pantsuits (and knee-highs) are my best friends and, when necessary (church, weddings, funerals, etc.), I try to get away with tights (winter) or bare skin (summer).
	For the ultimate Jane Austen fan–a fictional story of intrigue about a woman searching for the true Jane Austen.	Kristin says: This is a GREAT gift idea for me… so much so that I already own it! I love to escape to the world (or spin-off) of Jane Austen. This is a fun one.
	An organizing tool for the car–an air-vent mounting bracket for your cell phone, GPS, iPod, etc.	Kristin says: At first I thought that I wouldn’t get much use out of a product like this, since I have a bluetooth headset for my cell phone with voice dialing, but on second consideration, I realized that I could really use this for my iPod! I don’t commute as far as I used to, but my son and I like to listen to fun music on the way to school, so we always have my iPod hooked up to our car’s stereo system. This would be a perfect addition for convenience.

A nice gift from a family member or close friend ($25-$50)

	A nice pair of leather gloves is a winter staple for the professional woman. It is often nice to have an extra pair to tuck into the pockets of each coat that you own or the glove compartment of your car so you never have to remember your gloves.	Kristin says: Another great pick for me, Anne. I asked for some “driving gloves” for Christmas last year and got… not QUITE what I wanted. This would be EXACTLY what I had in mind. Great choice.
	Some modern classical music to enlighten your commute to work or errands in the car.	Kristin says: While I do like John Williams (who doesn’t?!?), I don’t know how much I would listen to this, other than occasionally with my six-year-old in the car and that would be more for him than for me.
	For someone in the process of building a home, a book about the history of home design from author/humorist Bill Bryson. Since reading time is limited, an audiobook format to listen to in the car.	Kristin says: While this sounds really interesting — and very intellectual — I don’t know when I would feel inclined to listen to it. When I have down-time, I like to escape completely, not think some more. I think my husband would really enjoy it, though. He loves Bill Bryson!

A luxury gift ($60+)

	A designer purse is a fun fashion trend for the professional woman and allows you to show a little personality aside from the standard business attire. Coach makes a purse called “Kristin” and I couldn’t resist. This would be a good small purse to take to a working lunch or meeting.	Kristin says: Very, very cute, but not practical enough for me, unfortunately! 8 1/2″ x 7″? It would only be appropriate for special occasions and I hate to transfer bags. In my purse I constantly have 2+ sets of glasses, iPod, cell phone, bluetooth, two sets of keys, Kleenex, lipstick, business cards… and those are just the basics! Let’s not forget about the random crayons and toy cars that usually wind up in my bag as well. Oh, yeah, and my laptop. 🙂 I am more of a tote girl. This is the one I have had my eye on lately.
	Nearly every woman carries a lot of stress in the shoulders and neck. This stress is amplified in working women who may spend hours hunched over keyboards and monitors. This massager would be a great way to relax after a long day.	Kristin says: Um, this is AWESOME. I totally want one of these! As a workaholic and migraine sufferer, I think I NEED one. This sounds like heaven on earth. Excellent gift for me, definitely!
	A beautiful Scandinavian sweater that could be dressed up with slacks for the office or down with jeans for the weekend. A great way to stay warm and still look stylish!	Kristin says: Beautiful sweater, but not really my color. I am most comfortable in darker colors (black, grey) and prefer clothes that blend with those basic colors. I don’t know how often I would wear this, other than Christmas day.

My gift-giving score

I’m improving a little but not much. Of the 10 gifts I selected, Kristin liked 4 and 6 were either things she already owned or didn’t want. 40% success.

I give up! What would you buy for yourself?

“I have been thinking and thinking… I don’t know! Whenever I think about what I would really like, it keeps coming back to time. Can I ask for that as a gift? 🙂 I wish I had more time to spend with [my son], more time to read, more time to relax, more time to exercise, more time to think and BE. Right now I run around all day and just try to plow through everything as quickly as I can, usually sacrificing my time with [my son] and self-care.

Beyond that, I am so excited for our new house and have a million home furnishing ideas on my wish list. ;)”

Kristin

Through this whole gift-giving experiment, I find I am learning more about everyone by giving them fake gifts they give feedback on than giving them real gifts they all pretend to enjoy!

The gift of time! Yes! How simple! How true! If you could buy someone an extra hour in the day, an extra vacation day, a free week to do nothing but relax and get caught up on all the tasks that life requires, it would be a best seller year after year! Unfortunately, it is not for sale. “Can’t buy me love!” and “Can’t buy me time!” The best we can do is remember to appreciate each great moment as it happens and do our best to free ourselves of less important tasks or minimize tasks we don’t enjoy.

I hope you are enjoying these virtual gift giving experiments! In the next few days, I will attempt to present two from the male perspective.

Other virtual gift-giving posts: Ruly Ruth’s Holiday Gift Guide for Stylish, Sociable Women.