I'm not a perfectionist, but when I comes to gift giving, I like to really get it right. When Catherine asked me to put together my top five gifts, I tried to think about the most frequent categories/ individuals/situations I need a gifts for around the holidays.

I hope this list helps you spend more time with a fat glass of wine around the fire with friends and less time fighting for the last parking spot at the mall. In the cold and rain. And your heater's broken.

1. The Meet the Parents/ Housewarming/ VIP Hostess Gift

The gift scenario: You are going to visit your boyfriend. And meet his parents. And his entire family. And the frightful idea of a "food gift basket" is already causing you to lose sleep.
The answer? Kistler Chardonnay. Yeah, that's right, Chardonnay.
A friend introduced me to this last weekend in New York. Trust me, I had my doubts. The words crazy, delicious and Chardonnay generally do not belong in the same sentence. Until now.
It's pricey, but trust me, it'll be the punch NO ONE saw coming. The initial skepticism will work in your favor, as you will go from being the "girl who brought the crappy bottle of chard" to House Guest Goddess... all without using cellophane.

2. The Give-Back Girlfriend Gift


(Click pics for deets)
The gift scenario: You need girlfriend gifts. You've done the angel tree for the last five years. Not that that's a bad thing, but you want to mix it up.
The answer? The Obligato necklace from Diana Warner Studio.
For $50.00, your girlfriends get a feminine, delicate handmade necklace to wear and 10 Africans get clean drinking water for a year.
Awesome.
3. The White Elephant Gift

The gift scenario: Your friend is throwing a white elephant gift exchange party. You don't have time to troll the aisles of creepy, old department stores hoping to discover that ridiculous treasure. And your gift also has to kill.
The answer? Customsnuggie.com.
Endless possibilities. Endlessly hilarious.
4. The Stocking Stuffer Gift

The gift scenario: You need a few small gifts for stocking stuffing.
The answer? Magazine subscriptions.
Nothing beats curling up on the sofa with a new magazine after a 4-hour holiday brunch. I'm a total magazine junkie, and the best thing about getting a magazine subscription is knowing you'll be getting to replicate this scene every month for the next year. The 4-hour brunch is optional, but recommended.
5. The O-M-G-Oh-No-You- Did-nt-Santa! Gift

The gift scenario: You don't know what to buy me for Christmas.
The answer? Now you know.
xoxo