Hey Gifty Girl!!

I need an idea for my sister who is 28.  She likes baking/candy making.  One thing that I’ve noticed is that if there is a new “Flavor” of something, she HAS to try it.  Be it the newest flavor of M&M’s or every scent of Bath and Body lotion.  She is also single and has already purchased many kitchen gadgets for herself….help me Gifty Girl!!!

Thanks!
Megan R., Utah

Dear Megan,

I’m excited to help you think of a gift for your sister!  Not knowing exactly what gadgets your sister has, I wanted to first give you some suggestions that aren’t candy specific.
Glam-Gift: First, I think you can’t go wrong with a super-cute apron like this one from www.flirtyaprons.com. The one I liked best is even on sale! (I think you should buy one for yourself too :) This way, no matter what she is whipping up in the kitchen, your sister can look fabulous.

Go-go Gift: This is where we will steer a little bit away (but not much) from the baking/candy making. How about a gift that will allow her to explore other types of cooking?  Sur La Table is a store “for cooks to shop,” and has a location near your sister in Salt Lake City, Utah as many other stores across the nation. They also have cooking classes, really cool cooking classes!  Give your sister the experience of trying out a new type of cooking, and maybe she’ll find something else to love in the kitchen. Make it even more fun and take a class with her!

There is another slightly less expensive cooking class near you in Utah at the Zermatt Resort. The resort has won the best in state for two years running and maybe you will find a course there that seems more interesting for your sister.

Thrifty Gift- When I read your letter one of the first things I thought of was the movie, “Julie and Julia.”  You can get the DVD for $9.99 here and I think you should definitely add Julia Child’s cookbook, and also the book on which the movie was based. Wouldn’t that be a fun gift to receive? Wrap it up and tie a wooden mixing spoon on top.

Guidance Gift- You described your sister as a baker/candy maker who likes to try new things. What about helping guide her into making her hobby into a side business?  Moo Cards make high quality business cards, for quite cheap.  I love, love, love the idea of getting her a set of 100 “mini” business cards. Let’s say a friend asks her to make some candies for a baby shower, and at the shower someone asks where the friend got them from. Voila! Whip out a few of the mini cards and people can have your sister’s information. Even if she doesn’t want to have a full fledged candy making business, who wouldn’t like a set of business cards? They have fun images you can choose from, and you can even do a variety of images. Go here to see some cute cooking designs. On the other side I would just put her name, phone number and email address. Even if she never hands them out, it will make her feel important. Along with this gift, why not add some cute candy boxes like this and maybe a candy gadget you know she needs?

I hope this gives you a good gift idea or at least a jumping off point for you to decide on something perfect for your “sweet” sister.

Happy Gifting!

The Gifty Girl