’Tis the Season

The holiday season is upon us and is often the best time to SHOW someone your appreciation. A gift that reflects your gratitude and highlights your thoughtfulness can be difficult to find. Nevertheless, these items will give anyone on your list something to smile about–from the inside out.

Face to Face
Meeting Old Saint Nick is a childhood dream for

many, and this Christmas ornament, “Good Little Girl” (www.annieleearts.com; $10), captures that wishful moment vividly. Well known for her realistic and sometimes humorous portrayals of contemporary and historical black family life, African American painter and decorative artist Annie Lee brings a youthful touch to the holiday season.

A Thousand Words
Transform a treasured photo into a high-quality portrait (www.por
traits.org;

starting at $159).
Located in Barcelona, Spain, the Genuine European Portraits Company has artists use a mixed artisitic technique like projection-inspired lithography to hand sketch images. Delivered with a signed certificate of authenticity, this gift is sure to be the focal point of anyone’s wall.

Make Your Move
Even great leaders seek the guidance of others. In Bishop T.D. Jakes’ book

Reposition Yourself: Living Life Without Limits (Atria; $24), he shares his insights on how to fully take charge of every aspect of life. Encouraging readers to be the very best managers of all the financial, relational, and spiritual gifts, talents, and opportunities entrusted to them, strategies include facing your own indifference and utilizing your legacy to build bridges.

Worth the Weight
Positive reinforcement is an excellent tool to let someone know just how influential they truly are regardless of their position or role. Engraved with the quote, “Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it…” this molded resin stone (www.successories.com; $15.99) is a functional reminder that a person’s work is a direct reflection of his or her character.