A shopping blog of cool gift ideas

We just introduced a brand new gift that is super easy to give and even easier for the lucky recipient to love–the Gifts.com Gift Card! It's the most flexible, e-mailable gift certificate you can give. You buy and personalize the card from Gifts.com and then the recipient visits our site to decide where to spend it. He or she chooses a merchant from 100+ options, gets a gift card for that particular store and then it's time to shop. If it's too hard to choose one merchant, the dollar amount can be split up to redeem multiple gift cards.

And there's no shortage of merchant options from dining to fashion to entertainment including Bloomingdale's, Gap, California Pizza Kitchen, J. Crew, Barnes & Noble, Panera Bread, AMC Theaters, Signature Days, Regal Entertainment Group, Ticketmaster…and I could go on and on, but you get the idea, right? 

Even as an experienced Gift Guru, I still have trouble choosing gifts from time to time–it's tough to know exactly what every friend, family member and coworker will love. But the Gifts.com Gift Card takes all the guessing out of gifting. It's a great option for every occasion like birthdays, Boss's Day and Christmas. And since you can e-mail this card, it's the perfect solution for last minute gifting.

Gifts.com Gift Card starting at $25

TGIF. You've got your paycheck in hand and we've got a few ideas on how to blow it—on family and friends, of course. But feel free to treat yourself, too. Nothing wrong with a little self-gifting.

For the weekend kickoff: Cocktail flavored lip glosses in flavors like Mojito, Pina Colada and Flirtini. 

For your cold coworker: A heating blanket that plugs into her USB port to beat Arctic office temperatures. (via Paper Clippy)

For the Halloween hostess: A set of pumpkin placecard holders.

For the tween trendanista: A sweet and simple felt butterfly ring. (via Outblush)

For your little girl: An organic softies fairy doll. It's eco-friendly, safe and absolutely adorable. (via Droolicious)

For your boss: A pocket wine guide and a bottle of his or her favorite on Boss's Day.

Q: I thought you weren't supposed to buy gifts for your superiors, so what should I do for Boss's Day?

A: In general, you're right. But because this day singles out your boss, it's okay to give a gift. That said, you should choose your gift carefully. You don't want to appear like the gift is your way of begging for brownie points, so don't buy anything too expensive, too personal or too unique. If your gift becomes water cooler gossip, you're in trouble! Before you buy, think about how you'd react if you heard about another coworker buying the gift for your boss.

You gift doesn't have to cost you your paycheck (or anywhere close) but it should be high quality and thoughtful. Consider office items like a beautiful perpetual calendar or a unique paperweight. Or give a gift card for dining out or shopping. But if you know more about your boss's personal interests you could be more creative whether he or she is a sports fan or a gadget guru. 

There's always safety in numbers, so check with your coworkers to see if they want to go in together to get a gift from the whole team. That way you know your gift won't be singled out. Whatever you do, buy soon, Boss's Day is October 16!

If you have another gift etiquette question, email us at askagiftguru@gifts.com or post in a comment below.

This time of year, a Pumpkin 'N Posies flower arrangement is a treat that does the trick for wishing a happy birthday, Boss's Day, congratulations, speedy recovery, or housewarming! You really can't go wrong with flowers, but if you show special care in choosing a seasonal arrangement like this autumnal Pumpkin 'N Posies mix of flowers, you can really earn extra brownie points. Or maybe I should call them cookie points, since the flowers are delivered in an amber glass cookie jar that makes a great decoration once the flowers fade!

Pumpkin 'N Posies starting at $39.99