Gifting the Girls

Before ringing his christmas belles to announce he's Santa sans pareil this year, the knowledgeable gentleman will be pretty particular in the presents of each particular pretty. The golden yule calls for recognition of each playmate's individuality, for the gift that's uniquely hers. Even if present company includes a wide range of deserving recipients and shopping time is limited, you can still find the favor that fits and reap holiday dividends all through the year.

Start by reshuffling the black book to yield a breakdown by type. For instance: the life of the ultrafeminine, long-fingernailed sophisticate is dedicated to being "in." Your gift should be, too.

The career-happy rising young girl executive is tailored to brisk efficiency and tempered by an addiction to success; the clue to gifting her is the status symbol.

The sportswoman's interest in the great outdoors is reflected in the studied carelessness of her clothes, coiffure and attitude. Spectator or participant she's a nature girl, and your gift should support this role.

The vibrant, enthusiastic perennial child-woman is a well of laughter and fun; this good-humor girl will enjoy the frivolous gift.

The articulate, opinionated intellectual who is ardently political and prefers the Bolshoi to golf, may be a bit snobbish; bear this in mind when selecting her cadeau de Noël.

Once you've categorized the ladies in your yule log, you're well on the way to selecting the correct Christmas cumshaw — the gift that cries out that only you know the real her. But before plunging headlong into the Christmastide, think for a moment how well you know each pretty paramour, and how well you want to know her.

If the ink is still wet in your address book, an inexpensive token associated with the way you met would be appropriate. If cocktail chatter concerned a favorite musician, a waxing by him would wear well; if you spoke of Africa, a small, museum-produced objet would suit; if you spoke of travel, select the best guidebook you can find.

If you're always glad to see her but aren't carrying the torch, the less-personal gift may be desirable because of its high platonic content; costume jewelry, books, records, hand luggage, handkerchiefs and travel clocks all fall into this category.

If you plan presentation at a private weekend retreat, the yuletide yardstick calls for something more personal: furs, jewels, and important wardrobe items such as the custom-tailored suit or the fur-trimmed parka fill the need here. In this same group fall lingerie and negligees — but only if you've lingered negligently.

If her apartment is no larger than a converted Victorian bathroom, don't burden her with a wide-skirt quilted hostess gown when you can select an offbeat-print shift which is practical and chic. Anything sartorial should be considered in terms of its upkeep; that which must be hustled off to the deaners after each wearing would be taboo for many girls. In fact, no gift should add to the expense column of her budget. Unless she has boldly hinted her eagerness to own a dog, cat or parakeet, skip it; harmless furry creatures have a habit of transforming into monsters of responsibility and expense. Also anathema is anything even remotely suggesting she could improve her appearance. In this category fall electric razors, soap, glamor courses and exercise equipment.

In furniture and furnishings, be guided by what she already owns and avoid superimposing your own taste on hers. A Calder mobile or a Jackson Pollock original would be perfect if Herman Miller and Knoll Associates are responsible for her furniture, but would disappoint if her decor was Louis XVI.

Don't buy a diamond ring, no matter what the size, unless you mean to become engaged; give a jeweled pin instead. And don't make the fatal error of being influenced by size alone; the finest of its kind makes the lasting gift — no matter how small. She'll much more appreciate a simple gold lapel pin from Cartier or Tiffany than the most glittering piece of junk jewelry. The big-name jewelers have learned this marketing lesson, and their gift bars now offer less expensive items — packaged with the same elegance as their best jewelry.

If your girl is very rich in her own right, don't try to compete with her wealth — a moderately priced but imaginative gift from a name store would be more effective in this case than a more expensive item from a lower-level emporium.

While we're listing don'ts, remember that she may have some obvious personal ones which could embarrass if you ignored them. These include: no earrings if her coif covers the ears; no bug or animal jewelry until you're sure about her attitude toward a bug or animal; no classical records or cultural tomes if her interests run to pop vocalists and fashion magazines.

Personalized gifts add the necessary element of uniqueness; monogrammed initials, for instance, can turn perfectly ordinary stationery into a really thoughtful and appreciated present. You can add the personal touch in many ways: try a custom handbag to match her favorite suit or coat, a set of luxury coat hangers padded in the decor of her pad, or a favorite print (a favorite of hers, not yours) framed to complement her apartment color scheme. If there's a book which has special meaning for the two of you, have a copy bound in leather.

Remember that custom-tailored gifts must be ordered early. Monogramming can usually be done in less than a week, and during the holidays most stores set up for three-day service. Initials are always acceptable, but there are other ways to use engraving effectively: nicknames, the date you met, the first words of a significant message, notes of your favorite song, or your telephone number on a sterling-silver desk pad. For variety, try his-and-hers brandy snifters, a written message on a lighter, or a verse of favorite poetry on a crystal cigarette box. The gifts that can be personalized are endless: cocktail shakers and glasses, sterling bookmarks, gold car keys, handkerchiefs, place mats, hand mirrors, brushes, combs, scarves, letter openers, compacts, blouses, desk sets, photo albums, passport cases, portfolios, tea services.

Make sure your yule log includes street addresses as well as names: you may stumble on an unexpected find which can be gift-wrapped and sent directly. Bring your own pen, and carry your personal card to include in the gift package.

Because you're not alone in your shopping, many top stores offer male-oriented shopping services. Here consultants will go over your list, accompany you through the store, and help you make your selections. Usually charming and knowledgeable, these girls are quite prepared to cope with the man who announces "Here's my list — twenty gifts — I only have an hour." Many stores have separate areas for men only where you will be surrounded with suitable gifts, invited to relax and have a cocktail while a skilled "sales friend" reviews your list and discreetly inquires about the girls in question. Specialty shops often have a men-only night before Christmas, where a showing of lingerie and similar items will give you a chance to visualize various articles on varying figures. In most cities you can find professional shopping services in the classified phone book. Make a telephone appointment and, for a fee, a consultant will go over your list, suggest items, shop for you, even have the packages wrapped and delivered.

If you shop yourself, pay special attention to department-store sections which cater to women's particular interests. These shops-within-a-store usually consist of: the boutique shop — small items collected from far-flung craftsmen; the gourmet shop — tinned, glassed and packaged food to suit the most exotic taste; the bar shop — decanters, glassware, swizzlers and all the other bar accessories; and the perfume bar, providing all the name brands and some special holiday packages as well.

To protect yourself from the perennial last-minute oversight and to avoid being embarrassed by the unexpected girl-friend with the unexpected present, buy a few extra all-purpose gifts (handsomely gift-wrapped, of course), such as a glass paperweight, a Florentine-leather jewel box, or perhaps a set of handkerchiefs. Failing these you can still save the day with perfume — eminently available, usually found on the ground floor near the door, always in pocket-size packages.

If you planned all along to give her perfume, your best bet is to use a simple compliment to get the name of her brand. "What a provocative scent — what is it?" will provoke an automatic answer, and you'll be able to respond in kind, choosing perfume, cologne, toilet water, or a combination. If you weren't farsighted enough to learn her favorite, here's a general guide: heavy musk perfume, sweetly clinging and possibly Oriental, suits the sophisticate; for the career girl, spicy or citrus fragrances are more appropriate; the outdoor type will go for woodsy or ferny scents, while the delicate dainty will prefer light, multi-floral fragrances.

You're well on the way to the perfect present if whatever you give her is beautifully wrapped. Virtually all department stores have a special gift-wrapping service which transcends mere bow-tying. Skilled hands will here transform even a modest box of handkerchiefs into a gala gift. You can leave the aesthetics of the job to the wrapper, but once again, it's more effective to impart the personal touch: remember her favorite color combinations (from her attire or apartment decor) and request that these be used for that extra subliminal touch.

If you're still unable to envisage the particular gift for the particular girl, here are some specific suggestions. As a gift of garb, fur is always the most flattering and the most appreciated. The classics of sable, mink and chinchilla come in many forms (from coats, to muffs, to stoles, to collars) and prices. Also check the casual coats and jackets in offbeat furs. Depending on the girl, consider a hooded wildcat jacket, a short coat in yellow borrego (South American lamb), or a boldly marked black-and-white pony middy blouse, collared in black sable. Furs can look great and not cost a fortune: irresistible to most women would be a black- or red-fox barrel muff with matching toque — seventy-two inches of red-fox boa to trail down the aisle of a theater; a three-cornered scarf of natural Nigerian serval cat to wear in Western style; or a triangular leopard scarf trimmed in black velvet.

If she glories in gadgetry there's an infinite variety — ranging from clam openers to glass shirred-egg covers. Try an electric pencil sharpener, an indoor putting green, or a traveler's Scrabble set with magnetized letters. From the specialty shop you can get her imported poultry or kitchen shears, a gold-colored rolling pin, or a wine rack. For the stay-at-home videophile, a compact 16-inch TV or a remote-control TV switch. Beware, however, the gadget that's too gadgety for simple feminine mastery.

For the classicist, there's a new version of an old breakfast favorite, a Florentine grid which recreates the humble waffle in Cellini arabesques. If you and your playmate have had a disagreement — personal, intellectual, or political — send a bronze hand of Buddha in the classic gesture of peace (it's an ancient statuary fragment reproduced at a reasonable price); if she is the best of breed and already has everything worth having, try a tiny circular bedroom rug — of sable; and, for the shutterbug, an extra slide-storage box with a request for a private screening. If she harks back to the good old days, gift her with sticks of sealing wax and a handled monogram seal for letters, or a pressed flower arrangement in an old daguerreotype frame. Conversation pieces range from a cast-iron kitchen matchbox to a set of Christmas candles — one for each of the twelve days. If she has a craving for making entrances: a chin-high stack of moth-ball-size pearls. For the girl who is always ten minutes late — you can select timepieces ranging from an oversize belt clock to a tiny alarm-clock lapel pin. Decorative items you might choose: an alabaster apothecary jar, for cigarettes or candy; a bamboo Regency tub to hold wine; a lacquer chest for blankets or liquor; a gold-and-silver checkers set; and French desk accessories fashioned from old bookbindings, ormolu and end papers.

If the girls on your list ski, the stores are bursting with clothes for slope and lodge; you might consider a parka of natural Patagonian fox. Is there a horsewoman on your list? Seek out a variation of the working cowboy's jacket, waist length, in gold-sueded cowhide, lined with fleece. Also check the umbrella world: for sheer, opulent elegance, you can find a model with sterling-silver handle tipped with a giant emerald (fake, of course); thoughtful and stylish is the umbrella with matching scarf.

Endless varieties of food — ranging from the Fruit-of-the-Month to a personally selected larder of gourmet provender — make ideal gifts. A window-sill garden of herbs (chives, basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme and cherry tomatoes, in individual pots) will challenge a creative cook and flatter an ordinary one. For a personal touch, give a file of recipes to relish — including a selection of your own favorite meals, and recipes from restaurants where you've both enjoyed the spécialité. To make a good cook better and a better one best, try an oaken electric ice-cream freezer or a fireside plug-in corn popper. Glassware also makes a charming and effective gift: try a set of specialty glasses — brandy, Delmonico and Pilsner to start. Still in the accessories area, try an asparagus steamer, hand-finished chopping board, or the latest corkscrew for the stubbornest bottle (this you will package with a favorite wine, of course).

By sending the extreme you can offer a unique gift. Buy her gloves, but make it a collection in every shade of brown from caramel through taupe. Buy her silk scarves — three dozen of them pushed into a leather box which opens in a cascade of color. Buy her the largest Mexican glass bowl and fill it with a salad of garden-colored cashmere sweaters; buy her a painting — the smallest miniature you can find, or a famous print in the largest size available. Buy her a tiny candelabrum with a set of candles, an enormous bottle of champagne, or five-dozen chrysanthemums.

By themselves, gift certificates are unimaginative and cold — but all this changes with a bit of flair. A gift certificate for something from a creative jeweler can be sent with an empty jewel box and the note "M. Buccellatti is waiting for your call." Make your arrangements privately with the designer as to price and billing.

Women constantly hint of their pleasures — just listen to her small talk and you'll find directions. If she chatters about sports, her apartment, her cat, her love of jazz, the theater, chances are these are important to her and any gift related to them will please her.

Be very careful about the practical gift — it may be a disappointment. Interestingly enough, one girl's practical item may be another's conversation piece. Never ask her directly what she wants — you'll only cause a negative reaction complicated by her not knowing the amount you want to spend; you'll also eliminate the important element of surprise.

Save the one special gift for the one special girl for a Christmas Eve presentation. Now that you've filled all the other stockings, you can nestle at hearthside for a long winter's nip with the chosen one, content with the knowledge that in a world where it's better to give than to receive, you have given the best.