Holiday Shopping Tips From Grace Lockwood

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Dec 14th 2009 at 8:01AM

As the days tick by, Christmas is nearly upon us and many are scrambling to finish their holiday shopping. Some lucky shoppers in New York City can find help in the form of Grace Lockwood, a service which offers personalized shopping for any occasion. Grace Lockwood is directed by personal shopper and designer Kristen Coates. Coates has worked with a multitude of clients and has handled personal shopping affairs for private clients for the last five years. She created Grace Lockwood to publicly offer vendors and products she has used for years privately, showcasing the most sought-after gifts. GraceLockwood.com includes an online shop where customers have the ability to purchase gift concepts comprised of hand-selected components in various themes such as "Welcome to New York", "Decadent Delivery" and "Personal Assistant." Gifts arrive to the recipients with the finest packaging and with free delivery in the Manhattan area. They can also ship anywhere in the world via telephone or email orders. Better yet all purchases made through the online store will result in a 10 percent donation to The Global Fund for Women through the holiday months.

We asked Kristen Coates for her thoughts on creating great themed gifts like the ones that she has created for Grace Lockwood. Themed gifts show a level of personal attention and don't necessarily have to be expensive. Coates has great ideas for making even items like gift cards seem personal and special. See her tips after the jump.

Shopping Tips From GraceLockwood.com:

Keep a digital or paper folder with clippings of items you like throughout the year. Closer to the holidays, revisit them for inspiration.

Create a list of people you need to shop for and an idea for them and one or two of their interests. If you're not sure, think about your relationship with the person. If you do not know what your assistant likes, concentrate on giving a gift that will show your appreciation for all their hard work. We highly recommend keeping this list somewhere it won't be found by prying recipients and where you will always have it with you like in the Notes section of your mobile.

Sometimes it is hardest to shop for those closest to us. Keep in mind, the closer the recipient, the more personal the gift should be. We tend to take extra measures to show there was real thought and effort put into the gift and presentation when the recipient is very close to the client. If you're going to give a spouse or good friend or close relative a gift card don't just put it in a greeting card. We suggest putting together coordinating items so the gift feels thought out. Perhaps instead of handing your wife a gift card for a day at the spa, tuck the card inside a luxurious spa bathrobe with products from the spa and maybe a hardcover art book that matches the theme.

We regularly dress up our otherwise ordinary gifts in gift baskets or gift pairings. Instead of just handing over a piece of carryon luggage, add a cashmere wrap, toiletries kit, travel candles and some magazines – the gift will go a lot further!

Once you have all of your items, take the time to make the gift look special. If you're not feeling particularly crafty, resort to the professionals and seek a gift wrapper. It's a fairly inexpensive service that puts the final touches on the gift you have already worked so hard to make special. We offer gift wrapping for $40/hour plus materials and usually can do a few gifts per hour depending on how extensive they are.

If you still fall short on your holiday list, consult with a personal shopper. Perhaps you don't need a full time shopper, but we tend to have lots of ideas and tips on making your holiday shopping a success. Our rates start at $300 per day for personal shopping and consulting.

Tags: gifts, grace lockwood, GraceLockwood, holiday shopping tips, HolidayShoppingTips, kristen coates, KristenCoates, personal shopping, PersonalShopping, shopping