by Todd Christian

Created on: December 01, 2007

They say it's the thought that counts when giving gifts, but a lot of us use that as an excuse to give just any borderline "impulse buy" - think desk mini golf game or tie rack. In truth, no thought went into either gift, unless your loved one is either a fanatic for miniature sports or one of the world's premier tie collectors.

It should mean that the gift need not be extravagant, flashy or wallet-busting as long as it's clearly from the heart and has some sort of personal meaning. If that task seems daunting, check out these three reasonably simple options that will make you look like Mr. (or Mrs.) Thoughtful.

1. If you have a digital camera or scanned photos on your computer, create an account at www.shutterfly.com, where you can create dazzling custom photo and memory books. Upload photos of yourself and the gift recipient, their family, etc. Once you have a nice selection of pictures, start a new photo or memory book. There are quite a few different layouts and styles, and all you need to do is drag the photos and drop them into the pre-made layout templates. You can choose backgrounds, enter both captions and full pages of text, and change the templates to include full-page pics or collages of more than 20 per page. You can create custom calendars, videos and other keepsakes as well.

2. As our loved ones retire and the younger generation gets busy with growing families and careers, we struggle to find time to share with them. If your schedule is at all flexible, one unique gift is a homemade "coupon book," with such offerings as "one dinner at our place," "two hours of one-on-one time" and "game night with the grandkids." Tell them that each must be redeemed 24 hours prior to the "favor." They'll either use it to share your company or stow it away in a safe place as a reminder that your time is theirs.

3. Retirees often have a difficult time adjusting to the immense amount of free time that they suddenly have on their hands. For those who constantly seem to be mired in boredom, buy a little excitement via a unique experience starting at just $50 at www.excitations.com. Experiences range from a Scottish falcon hunt - where your kilt-wearing guide hikes with you and sends a falcon out to hunt a "robo rabbit" - to an intensive, hands-on, three-day course in Formula One racing. There's even a great white shark dive for the truly fearless.

Learn more about this author, Todd Christian.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.