1st Birthday Gift Ideas

Sometimes you can connect gifts to the theme of your party. My dog, Lulu Flynn, loves to throw parties for her puppy pals. Her new book, The Ultimate Dog Party is chalk full of doggy delights giving you everything you need to know about throwing the ultimate dog party. Lulu Flynn is spilling all of her best party secrets from her favorite "snickerpoodle" cookies, to invitations, to the guest list, to exciting party activities. Lulu has excellent taste, and guides readers on the path to the pinnacle of pooch parties. She muses about dog party etiquette and "faux paws" so you don't forget a thing.The Ultimate Dog Party by Lulu Flynn will be available in November 2009 at The Limited and online at www.thelimited.com.

Gift certificates are an easy direction to go when you are out of ideas on gift giving. If you aren't careful though, they can come across as impersonal so they should be thoughtful and tailored to the recipient's likes, hobbies, and day to day activities. Here are a few ideas:iTunes Gift CardAmazonHSNFavorite hair salonPhysical trainer MasseuseAstrologer

Liebrary is THE new party game designed by actresses Daryl Hannah and Hilary Shepard. The game accommodates 3 to 6 players, and is recommended for ages 12 and up.  Players listen to the title and synopsis of a real book, then write down what could be the first line to that book. You earn points for each player who believes that yours is the real first line. Liebrary is available at www.barnesandnoble.com.

OXO Containers are so practical and they make your kitchen look great because they are modern and clean. Airtight, stackable, and space-efficient, these containers make it easy to keep dry food fresh and organized.

Colette Baron-Reid offers a great selection of oracle cards for around $10. They are beautiful card decks that are easy to use and filled with valuable information.

I love anything that can be monogrammed or engraved and everyone enjoys receiving a gift that can be uniquely their own, so personalized gifts are always a great choice to go with. The Elegant SettingThe Elegant Setting in South Hampton offers amazing products. They have an unbelievable assortment of home items, including stationary, bags, pillows, napkins, dishes, and towels.Last Christmas, I gave friends and family embroidered linen cocktail napkins from The Elegant Setting. This is something people might not buy themselves, but it's something everyone needs. Not only are they chic, but they can be displayed elegantly on top your table.C by MeC by Me invites adults and children to explore their imaginative minds and channel their inner fashion designer. C by Me allows customers to customize their own garments with their own "creative box" complete with all the tools every good designer needs to customize their private label. Retail prices range from $15 and up, depending on how creative you want to be.Personalized Playing CardsNeiman Marcus has a great holiday catalogue. One gift they have, that I love, are personalized playing cards that are available in fun prints, like Zebra and Paisley, and are priced at $35.00.Personalized SoapValsey and Me offers a variety of beautiful handcrafted paper maché boxes filled with 10 individual soap chips. Each is hand-cut using the finest natural ingredients with 5 unique scents to choose from. The soaps can be wrapped and then personalized with your name or a special phrase.Personalized Photo CardsCVS lets you create great personalized items with photos from your family album.  Create cards with a holiday theme and attach them to gifts for a personal touch.  Cards start as low as $1.99 each. Also check out their other exciting products for personalized photo gifts.MugsMouse padsCalendarsPillow shamsPuzzlesKey ChainsPlatesPet bowlsCoastersTrivets

Thibiant Beverly Hills products are wonderful gifts to give! Bubble bath or body wash is a favorite choice of mine.  Afterall, sometimes all a girl needs is a soothing bubble bath and a glass of wine to come down from a stressful day. The scents are so lovely that they will linger on your skin.

You can never go wrong with the right food and wine.Give Cupcakes:For someone not into gourmet foods or wine, present him or her with cupcakes! CRUMBS is one of my favorite bake shops. Their decadent cakes will make anyone's mouth water. CRUMBS has such a wide variety of flavors that anyone can find one they like. An alternative to ordering a box of these delicious cupcakes is "CRUMBS Bake Shop in a Box" kit. It includes 15 recipe cards, decorating stencils and measuring spoons. The book is available on Amazon.com for $16.99

When it comes to gift giving, personalization is key. I am completely obsessed with photos. You will always see me with a camera, taking pictures and capturing my little man's sweetest moments. I love to make scrapbooks and photo books. My latest obsession is blurb.com, a design program that allows you to make your own photo book out of all of your favorite pictures! It makes a great gift for family members. Blurb is extremely user friendly and the pictures are easy to load and you can do the design yourself.

You can never have enough great books! The best part is there's one out there for everyone, so try picking up a book from one of the genres that your friend or family member enjoys most.Best sellersFashion booksHow-To booksArt booksBiographiesCraft BooksCook BooksChildren's