Thanksgiving has passed and it is just a hop, skip and a jump until Christmas.

In my world this translates to – it is time to shop, shop, shop! For some reason time seems to speed up during the holidays and for years now my goal has been to have all of my Christmas shopping done by Dec. 1. Sometimes the goal gets met. Sometimes you’ll find me lurking about on Christmas Eve – still in search of the perfect present.

Let’s hope this is year a Dec. 1 kind of year J

A few weeks ago in a special section of The Wilson Post, I wrote a story about finding great gifts for under $35. On some gifts, you may want to spend more – that is solely up to the gift giver. However, the great thing about Christmas gifts is that they do not have to be expensive – they only have to show thought and consideration. You want to give someone a present that is uniquely them.

Savannah Salerno, a hair and makeup artist at Looker’s Salon & Spa in Lebanon, said giving the gift of beauty services can make the ladies in your life “feel like a million bucks for less.” She recommended gift certificates for services such as professional makeup application, rock star blow outs and spray tanning as must have gifts for any woman.

“Around the holidays, everybody needs relaxation because they are going 90 miles an hour,” said the mother of two. “Coming in and getting a spray tan or getting your makeup done for a holiday party is something that most women don’t get to normally do because they are usually busy with work, kids and taking care of others. Everybody forgets about themselves – but when you take care of yourself it allows you to better care for the people around you.”

She added that having these services done also makes special events even more exciting. “People come in and have their makeup done and they say it makes them feel like a movie star. It makes the event you are going to extra special,” she said. Professional makeup application starts at $35 and spray tanning at Looker’s is only $30.

I love the idea of personalized and monogrammed gifts because they show tons of thought.                     

Watches, money clips and flasks are all great items that can be engraved for men. I recently found that Gigi’s Gifts & Jewelry in Lebanon does in-house engraving on these items; whereas a lot of other businesses have theirs sent out (which can take a couple weeks to get back). I have dropped items off at Gigi’s and picked them up in the same week.

A good friend of mine, Cathy Wair, is a Thirty-One Consultant. I have a Thirty-One monogrammed makeup bag that I adore (and a matching duffel bag). Both items were given to me as gifts and I have used them more than I ever imagined I would. Thirty-One makes totes, makeup bags, purses – you name it! The best part about it is that when traveling in a group, everyone knows that is Sabrina’s bag (you know… the one that says Sabrina on the side!!). For questions or ordering information, Cathy can be reached at 615-342-9550.

Even large companies like Coach are on the monogramming bandwagon, personalizing everything from iPhone covers to belts on their website www.coach.com.

Happy hunting!