Often thinking what you might like will lead to a present another person will enjoy. You do want to take their tastes and needs into account, though - don't buy your lactose intolerant friend a big bar of chocolate!
Help them exercise their creativity. Provide them with clay, paints, fabric, glitter glue, sketchbooks, pens of magnificent and splendid color. Try Daniel Smith or the U. Bookstore for great selections.
A donation in their name to an appropriate charity. I like Heifer.org, Kids Need to Read, and Kiva.
For the power traveler perpetually on publicity tour, an Aerotray, a solar phone charger, a Tom Bihn bag, or a set of GoGear travel bottles.
Time. Either spend some time with them (take them out for lunch, dinner, to the zoo, up in a balloon, out for coffee and chat, on a cruise) or save them some time (sign them up for a delivery service, offer to baby-sit, help out with errands or household work). Or offer them proof-reading/copy-editing time.
Learning, via a gift certificate for my online classes. Right now through January 1st, 2014, mention this post on social media or in a blog (or spread the word some other way) and you’re entitled to a special deal. Buy two, get one free (one day workshops only) OR enroll in Writing F&SF or Advanced and get a free one day workshop.
Upcoming classes include the six week workshops Writing Fantasy & Science Fiction and Advanced Workshop and these one day workshops: Building an Online Presence for Writers, Character Building, Editing 101, First Pages Workshop, Flash Fiction Workshop, Literary Techniques for Genre Fiction, Moving Your Story from Idea to Finished Draft, and Podcasting 101. See here for dates.
