I am sure I can say, with some accuracy, that everybody has someone on their gift list that collects something; whether it be a particular Glass or China pattern, a favorite color or animal, or some memorabilia of a long past piece of history. Sometimes the collectors on ones gift list can be easy to shop for, especially if you live in the same house or share an interest. However others may not be quite so easy to choose for so I will attempt to gather some thoughts and suggestions that may help along the way.

Finding their Passion:
Collectors tend to gravitate towards more than one kind of collectible through their life. The first place I would begin when shopping for a collector is to talk to them about their collections. Next time you drop by their home try to get them talking about what they love and see which items ignite a passion within them. This should give you a good indication of what is currently at the top of their favorites list.

Avoiding Duplicates:
Whether your collector loved one chooses to acquire a specific set of something, or simply loves to collect a particular item the first thing we want to do is attempt to avoid duplicating an already owned piece. There are several possibilities in this department. If you have already struck up a conversation about the objects as suggested above and you have a good memory then it may be a good idea to ask outright just what they'd like to add to their collection next. If, like me, you suffer from a poor memory then having a pen and paper handy to take notes when they're not looking may also be a good idea. With the increased availability of the digital camera these days it may be possible for you to sneak a few photos while in your friend or relatives home. A few group shots of their collection will later help you hunt down a missing piece, just be sure that your images are close enough shots for later use or you may still inadvertently buy a duplicate. A Slightly less stalkerish approach would be to ask another friend or family member, someone that may be closer to the recipient or perhaps live in the same home. Getting a little help can often yield a much better result and therefore a delightful gift giving moment down the line.

So, once you have an idea of what your giftee wants or needs it's time to select the specific item. If your friend or relative needs a specific piece of a pattern you may find that there are a variety of pieces available for purchase, especially with the World Wide Web at your fingertips, but there are several things to still keep in mind at this point. Most patterns have harder to find pieces that may be over the budget of your loved one. You can be assured that if you manage to purchase one of these pieces they will be completely thrilled when they unwrap the new treasure, and if these pieces are over your budget also then consider clubbing together with other friends and relatives to buy a combined gift. Condition and price are also important points to remember at this stage of the game. While you may find the piece you're looking for immediately it will inevitably pay to shop around, and be sure to read the descriptions very closely to ensure you know about any flaws the piece may have. While some manufacturing flaws are common in some types of wares other items will scarcely ever contain flaws and they are considered damage. If you can google your subject to find out a little background information it may help in this regard, or ask someone else who may know more about the chosen item than yourself.

If your giftee tends to collect a certain type or color of item (for example Elephants or Purple Glass) you may find the range of options available to you to be vast in quantity and variety. Should this be the case I offer this one small anecdote and piece of advice. My best friend collects pigs, big ones, small one, glass, pottery, wood, stone you name it if it's a pig she has one. Over the years I've noticed that people will buy her just about any pig they happen to stumble across in their travels but that what really sparks interest are the unique and different, the unusual and hard to find or something that symbolizes your friendship. You're already one step ahead if you're looking in the Antique stores instead of the dollar stores, but remember. Don't stop at the first pig you find, saying no might lead you to the gift that says Yes!

Helen Gilbert
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