Here are some ideas I've used in the past...

-- When a friend has a baby, I sometimes buy and collect a bunch of newspapers and magazines that are dated on the birthday, birthweek or birthmonth. You can present them anytime -- doing so a year or several years after the kid's birth might be coolest, because by then it would be pretty time-consuming for anyone else to duplicate that gift, scouring eBay or elsewhere for old Newsweeks, New York Times, TV Guides, etc.

-- If a friend was born in, say, 1965, you could look for things on eBay or Half.com from that year. These could be tied to their interests, such as movies, catalogs (of tools, clothes, car parts, Sears, etc.)

-- I bet David G. has already done this many times, but others may not realize that there's a nifty big world of board and card games out there -- giving a few new games to some people might work well. And article of possible interest: http://www.fool.com/news/foth/2002/foth021125.htm and a FAQ: http://boards.fool.com/Message.asp?mid=21774386

-- If someone grew up far away, you might find for them something from their hometown or home country. So maybe a "University of Helsinki" t-shirt for someone from Finland (ideally someone who attended U. H., if there is such a place). Or postcards from/of Syria or South Dakota, if someone is from there.

-- For my nieces, I recently bought several dozen Disney movies in a few lots on eBay. So they went from no movie collection for the young kids to a sizable one.

-- You might find out what a friend's favorite movie is, and buy them a DVD of it -- ideally one that has a bunch of good extra stuff on it, like commentaries. Some friends might enjoy DVDs of favorite TV shows -- you can now buy entire seasons of shows in single packages. (Who wouldn't enjoy a DVD set of the Simpsons? Okay, maybe one or two people...)

-- If a friend has a favorite author or book, you might scout around for an autographed copy of it or anything autographed by the writer.

-- If you're a good cook, you might give coupons for meals cooked by you.

-- You might give gift certificates to fancy restaurants to people who normally don't go to such places, as it might be a special treat for them.

-- You can take some photos (or even one photo) and have them/it printed on some mugs or made into a calendar or poster for a friend or loved one. If it's a friend from college, for example, perhaps a photo of a group of friends.

-- If you live near where a loved one grew up or lived for a while, you might send them a photo of their old house, or a sweatshirt from their old high school or something like that. Something they can't get easily from where they are. Perhaps some local specialty food.

-- I gave my nieces a blueberry bush for their birthday -- so they can have the fun of planting it, watching it grow, and (I hope) eventually snacking from it.

-- At various sites online, you can buy lots of nostalgia, such as candies that were commonly enjoyed in the 1950s or 1960s.

-- You might give someone a fig tree or lemon tree or something like that, if they seem like the right kind of recipient for it.

-- If you know of something luxurious and nifty, you might give it to others. I myself discovered high-thread-count sheets a few years back and think a gift of a 400 or 600 thread count sheet set might be nice for some people. (Ideally Egyptian cotton, too.)

-- Things like gourmet chocolates can be ordered online. Someone I know once sent my sister lots of gourmet ice creams -- in odd flavors, like lavender (which I didn't really like). Here are some gourmet mail order places: http://www.daisybaxter.com/food.htm

-- If you want to send something edible that's less fancy but still wonderful, try See's candies: www.sees.com.

-- You can always send flowers. This outfit is a bit pricey but I have drooled over many things in their catalogs: http://www.calyxandcorolla.com/calyx.storefront

-- If someone loves aviation, you might be able to buy them a ride in a small or old airplane. If someone is going somewhere interesting, you could buy them an extra splurge for their trip, such as a helicopter ride around the city, or a hot air balloon ride.

-- Gift certificates are always nice. If someone likes to fish, maybe get one from a sporting outfit. If someone gardens, from a gardening website. I gather that many people would appreciate gift certificates for massages or to spas.

-- Going out to the movies is very expensive these days -- you might give someone a gift certificate or set of movie passes, so that they can enjoy some movies without spending an arm or leg.

-- Think of someone's profession. I bought this nifty poster for a friend who does plumbing: https://www.amstdmedia.com/merchandise/

-- Then there are always odd little things one runs across now and then. Save them for gift-giving time. Like these stuffed microbes: http://www.giantmicrobes.com. For coffee lovers, coffee jewelry: http://www.javajewels.com (this last item was recommended to me on my discussion board)

-- Finally, consider offering your time. This is often most appreciated by people. Perhaps some skills you have, too. If your friend has bad vision, you might offer to read to him for an hour once a month. If you are good at fixing cars, you might offer to give a friend's vehicle a thorough check up. If you're a good gardener, you might help someone else in their garden.

-- A final note is that I read somewhere, and it does ring true, that experiences are more memorable than things. So consider giving experiences whenever possible.

Well, I'll make myself stop now. I look forward to any other ideas!

Selena