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Best Gift Giving Ideas For Your Loved Ones

With holiday shopping in full swing, it's time to create your lists, check them twice, and start your shopping. No matter who you're shopping for this season, and no matter how hard it is to shop for them—even if they already seem to have everything—this list is a good starting point to figuring out what to get everyone.

For Parents

Gifts for parents

Gone are the days of gifting picture frames and photos. Instead, give them a gift that keeps on giving with a digital picture frame. Many digital frames like Ceiva work together with an app so family members, including kids, and grandkids, can send new and updated photos. Every day your parents can see a new glimpse into the lives of their loved ones. This is a great gift particularly if your parents don't live nearby!

Honorable mentions: Restaurant gift cards, sibling family portrait, and personal scrapbooks.

For Brothers

Gifts for brothers

What guy doesn't love a fun T-shirt? Help him celebrate the weekends of his life with a quirky shirt with all sorts of sayings, like "sarcasm loading... please wait," or "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself... and spiders." If anything, you'll know it's something he'll use (and wear) again and again, if only when he runs out of clean clothes.

Honorable mentions: Star Wars gifts, anything sports-themed related to their favorite team, and a tool pen.

For Sisters

Gift for sister

While no woman would mind some new clothes or shoes, those require knowing her size. For a one-size-fits-all gift that's sure to please most women in your life, opt for something personalized that fits her personality, whether it be a personalized apron, mug or bracelet. Gifts for You Now is a great starting point to come up with an idea for your sister, no matter what her interests.

Honorable mentions: Spa gift card, and shower & bath gels.

For Significant Others

Gifts For Significant Others

When it comes to our significant others, we tend to lean toward the useful. But this holiday season, make your gift both useful and thoughtful by getting a customized cookbook through sites like Tastebook or Cookbook Create. Some sites have features where you can upload your own photos, showing off the results of your creations, and style it to fit your gift recipient's taste, both in terms of layout and what recipes you feature. Like to keep it simple? Include three-ingredient meals. For those who are more adventurous and skilled, offer some recipes from celebrity chefs. Either way, it'll be a gift that keeps on giving.

Honorable mentions: Multi-charging stations, robes, and a fabulous date day.

For Children

Gifts for children

Whether you're shopping for your own kids, a niece, nephew, or even a godchild, there are an incredible array of options, and what you give will really depend on the child. For ideas for kids that are not your own, ask the parents; they know their kids best and what new thing they're into lately. But for a gift that's hard to go wrong with, no matter what their age, get them a cute pair of slippers or pajamas.

Honorable mentions for young kids: Stuffed animals and educational toys.
For teens: Gift cards (so it's impossible to go wrong).

Elizabeth SanFilippo is a freelance writer, who enjoys trying new foods from all over the world. But her favorite city for culinary treats will always be Chicago. When not blogging about food, she's working part-time at a culinary vacation company, The International Kitchen, based in the Windy City, as well as repping Younique cosmetics and skincare products. Some of her writing can be found at Examiner.com.

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