Best Friend Gifts

The idea of finding gifts for a friend does not have to be a difficult task. It can be rather fun if you take a moment and discover a few things first.

Take some time to really think about the relationship you have with your friend.

Then, go back and review all the experiences that are most memorable to you that occurred within the friendship.

Finally, find something that will tie you both into that memorable experience.

Consider a handmade or homemade gift for that extra personal touch.

If you're successful at these few things, then you're on your way to finding the best friend gifts for a dear friend, close relative or any sort of meaningful relationship.

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I have a friend who has a natural talent for selecting the right gift for anyone on any occasion.

I am not sure how she does it, but I have become so reliant on her over the years that whenever I am in a position to need a memorable gift for a friend, she is the first call I make.

If you don't have access to anyone like this, ask around and see if anyone you know has a friend with this valuable ability for finding the right gift.

If you simply cannot find a person who has the "gift" of choosing the perfect item. try some of the following techniques.

These helpful tips will aid you in finding just the right gift for a friend.

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This is going to require a bit of thought on your part. Get someplace quiet, where you will not be disturbed, and think about all the times you have experienced certain situations, dealt with problems, laughed at a movie, sang a song together, talked, etc.

Of all those times, which are the most memorable to you? What was going on around you when you experienced these memorable times together?

Perhaps your relationship is based more on words than experiences. What has this person said in a difficult time that helped you or made you think of them in a favorable light?

Maybe they have given you some solid words of wisdom by which you have changed your life.

A gift for a friend could be in response to someone who has helped you grow or become a better person.

The main thing is to determine what type of relationship you have with a person and what gifts might be appropriate. Take care when assessing the friendship - you don't want to send the wrong message. For example, gifts for a friend should not be misconstrued as romantic if there is no romance in the relationship.

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If you can find some common experience, situation or words that connect you with your friend, you will be well on your way to finding a great gift for a friend.

In my own experience, I absolutely love anything that has to do with horses. Years ago, after my own horse had to be put down, a good friend heard of the tragedy and sent me a personalized gift with the name of my horse inscribed into it. Let me tell you, there is a close relationship between horse and owner. If you have ever owned a horse, you know what I'm talking about. That gift will always remind me of the wonderful experience of owning that horse, and of my friend who went out of their way to let me know how much they did indeed care.

I know of one mother who inscribed a line from a favorite movie that she frequently viewed with her daughter. This quote from the movie was engraved very inconspicuously on the back of a tiny iPod given as a gift one Christmas.

Over the years, the daughter has moved through several generations of iPods selling the previous older version of each when buying a newer model - except one. Even though it is several years old and hardly compatible with today's technology, she keeps that special iPod in her jewelry box. It is not just an iPod, it's a touchstone for their relationship - and the best of all gifts for a friend!

Tap into the history of the friendship and find some common memorable times, situations, events, people or words that create a strong connection between you and your friend, memorialize that with some tangible item, maybe even add an inscription and you've got the makings of a truly memorable gift.

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I remember when I was growing up, we would visit our grandmother's house every few years. My grandparents lived in a noter part of the country so we rarely spent time with them. When we did visit, we were always welcomed with wonderful cooking and the warmest hospitality.

They didn't have much but my grandparents knew how to make us feel welcome. From helping Grandma select eggs from their farm's henhouse to Grandpa's captivating stories, they made us feel like special guests.

I think handmade and homemade gifts for a friend are special because they require you to pour some of who you are into the gift. As giver of the gift, you place your unique talents into a gift - they become part of the gift.

If you ever want to see this type of gift-giving in it's purest form, just watch a child make and present a drawing or some other thing they have created with their own hands.

The best thing about homemade and handmade gifts is they are truly unique - just like your friendship.

One last tip on handmade or homemade gifts for friends: if you just don't have the ability to create something, try looking online at places like Zazzle.com or CafePress.com. On these websites, you can create your own unique gifts and personalized items.

I know one girl who created just two T-shirts with the imprinted phrase "uber-schnazzzzy!" She sent one shirt to her friend and kept the other.

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As I have said previously, the best quotes on friendship are made within the friendship. If there isn't really anything like that form your friendship, take a look at these popular friendship quotes…

• There comes a point in your life when you realize who really matters, who never did and who always will. (Unknown)
• Never explain yourself. Your friends don't need it and you enemies won't believe it. (Belgicia Howell)
• A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words. (Unknown)
• A true friend sees the first tear, catches the second and stops the third. (Angelique)
• Friends listen to what you say. Best friends listen to what you don't say.
• I believe in angels, the kind that heaven sends. I'm surrounded by angels and I call them my best friends. (Pamela Daranjo)
• Friends are like stars, they come and go, but the ones that stay are the ones that glow. (Roxy Quicksilver)
• Maybe I can't stop the downpour, but I will always, always join you for a walk in the rain. (Unknown)
• A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you today just the way you are. (Unknown)
• People say best friends are hard to find - that's because the best is already mine. (Unknown)

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