Thanks  to Trey Ryder for asking his e-newsletter subscribers again this year for suggestions on holiday gifts. If you are interested in reading Trey’s 28-page compilation of the e-mail responses he received, click here.

Last year I condensed those suggestions, and you can read my “Holiday Gift Ideas” post of last December for ideas for your gift giving. I won’t repeat many of the good suggestions that are contained in last year’s post; but a list of new and/or interesting ones and variations on those suggestions follows:

  • Make a charitable donation to a client’s favorite charity; or donate a specific item, e.g., a goat ($75) to a poor family in Haiti or Malawi through World Vision; or a bedkit ($30 Canadian – a bedkit consists of a mat or mattress, pillow, sheet, blanket, mosquito net (if applicable), clothes outfit, towel and school supplies) through Sleeping Children Around the World
  • Purchase a client’s product(s) to give to other clients (and let each know that);
  • “Gift-of-the-Month” basket (fruit, nuts, wine, etc.) – a gift that keeps on giving throughout the year;
  • Adopt a barrel of wine  ($695) – provides 8 cases of wine over 4 years – then you (or a client) get to keep the barrel with your name on it (you can even visit your barrel in the meantime – now there’s a “top” vacation idea for ya, if there ever was one) at Woodbury Vineyards in Western New York (you’ll have to call 716-679-9463 to order a brochure)
  • Free consultation with a non-competing lawyer (who will offer a free consultation with you to his/her clients), or other professionals;
  • Gift certificate for a hybrid golf club made to the client’s specs;
  • Don’t require a December fee payment (hmmmmm…ouch) until the following month;
  • Give a top client a copy of Harv Eker’s book “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind” AND his 3-day weekend seminar ($1275);
  • Soap and spa products from a non-profit, The Enterprising Kitchen, which provides jobs and support services for women; and
  • Finally, a couple of humorous gift sites specifically for lawyers – LawTunes and The Billable Hour.

Remember to look at last year’s post for other ideas.

Happy Shopping!