A shopping blog of cool gift ideas

It's officially the first day of summer, and it seems like the season is stacked with all sorts of celebrations. Fourth of July is just a couple of weeks away, and there are always a zillion weddings, graduation bashes, barbecues, baby showers, pool parties and more. Luckily, Philosophy has just come out with a line of gift sets that will suit your every warm-weather need (as if we didn't love Philosophy enough already).

The sets' themes run the gamut from thank you to congratulations to beach party. Which means you can show up wherever with the perfect gift in hand. My favorites are the Summer Skincare Rescue Pack (take it to make up for crashing at your pal's beach house all summer) and the Lip Gelato Trio (so appropriate for friends embarking on a European vacay—or, um, pretending to go on one). Wow, I love how these take all the guesswork out of summer gifting!

Summer Skincare Rescue Pack starting at $35.00
Lip Gelato Trio starting at $25.00

I understand that St. Patrick's Day isn't exactly a huge gifting holiday, but there's no reason you can't send flowers to your favorite Irish lass on March 17. After all, how could anyone turn down the beauty–not to mention good fortune–of a Green with Envy bouquet, filled with gorgeous chartreuse cymbidium orchids, accented with green carnations, mixed greenery and presented in a kiwi green vase? It's also a good flower choice to say "congratulations" or "good luck."

Green with Envy starting at $62.95

If you have a daughter or friend in a sorority here's an easy little gift she'll love–a roll-on perfume adorning her letters. You'll find every sorority on campus from Alpha Delta Pi to Zeta Tau Alpha so they're the perfect gift for the "Greek" girl on your list.

Send one to her in a care package or give it to her as a congratulations gift when she makes it through rush. Or you could save it for her birthday (if you're on a budget) or for her Christmas stocking. And if she's more of a lip gloss girl, you can choose one of those instead.

Sorority Floral Perfumes starting at $15

As someone who often runs from the office after work to a sushi dinner, a cocktail party or an evening at the theater, the last thing I want is a traditional laptop bag that screams “Laptop Bag!” I want something I won’t be embarrassed lugging out on the town or across the country on a business trips.

This stylish bag seriously fits my criteria: it looks like a handbag but has a removable padded case for a laptop and is loaded with all the essentials to keep things organized–like loops for my pens and zipper pockets for my lipstick! The Gina b Bella laptop bag would make an excellent birthday gift or a congratulations on a promotion or new job for the urban sophisticate who works hard, but plays harder.

Gina b Bella Bag starting at $278

Check out this cookie: it’s me!

My parents sent a bunch of these to me as a congratulations gift when Gifts.com won the People’s Voice Webby Award. They were a big hit around the office, and the quality of the image is impressive. Our picture here doesn’t really do it justice (no offense Dan T.!).

Corso’s Cookies can print anything on a cookie, as long as the image is in the correct format, so they’re a great way to celebrate all kinds of photo-worthy occasions like birthdays, retirements, and new babies.

Logo Cookie Gift Basket starting at $39.95