When you have someone on your gift-giving list that has closet shelves stocked fuller than a department store or a tool shed stuffed with every gadget under the sun, what's left to get this person? Do you end the struggle of finding that perfect gift by selecting something practical that ends up never to be seen again?

Things like malls, catalogs, and Internet shopping have made it easy for us as a society to fulfill our practical needs with items whenever we choose to buy them. This very convenience makes it harder to buy presents because everyone already has everything they need!

Most people want to witness a reaction of utter joy when someone opens their gift. They want to see that broad smile blossom on the person's face as she genuinely enjoys the treat you placed in her hands. We search over and again for that unique gift that will do just that. We comb the aisles of every department store and novelty shop to find such a gift, and still, we come up empty-handed.

We want something that will reward this person with our love, friendship, appreciation, or a combination of all three. We want to shower this person with a gift that shows we truly put our thoughts and efforts into selecting it.

There is one such gift that allows for that and more - a caricature.

A caricature is a fun way to express someone's individuality. It can be drawn 'portrait style' which is a cartoon type version of the person, as well as the more common style that exaggerates someone's distinctive features. Each drawing can be further personalized by adding details that are significant to them, such as a favorite sport, hobby, or even restaurant or store.

When faced with the impossible task of selecting a unique gift that will hold special meaning and value, a caricature can be your solution. Here are a few things to consider:

A CARICATURE IS A UNIQUE GIFT THAT A PERSON CAN'T FIND IN A STORE

The main thing to keep in mind when thinking up ideas for a distinctive gift is that to be truly 'unique', it should be one-of-a-kind. What this means is that you shouldn't be able to go to a store anywhere in the world to find this same item. A caricature is a piece of art, one that is not mass-produced.

A CARICATURE CAPTURES A PERSON'S SPIRIT

Each of us has a special hobby, skill, and/or talent that can pull us out of bed early in the morning or keep us up late into the night. For some, it's that softball game that is played at ten o'clock at night. For others, it's that yoga class that only runs at five a.m.

The thing that these activities have in common is that they are our life-source. They compel us to act and they make our hearts dance with that extra peppy beat. A caricature can magically touch upon these special traits, highlighting a person's spirit forever.

A CARICATURE CAN BE PRACTICAL, BUT WITH A PERSONAL TWIST

If you like the idea of giving a gift that can be both practical and valued, a caricature can hit upon both of these. Caricatures can capture a person's personality and be placed on many different items, such as:

"coffee mugs
" clocks
"t-shirts
" sport balls (baseballs, footballs, hockey pucks, etc.)
"stationery

Although these items in themselves aren't unique, it is what a caricature can add to them that gives them that one-of-a-kind gift with meaning.

A CARICATURE HAS TIMELESS APPEAL

A caricature is a piece of art that can be so irresistible to look at that a person will undoubtedly admire it with a chuckle time and again. It is one of those gifts that will be remembered and cherished forever. And the person will most definitely never forget that you were the one who gave it to him!

A CARICATURE CAPTURES MEMORABLE IMAGES

Everyone has quirks and special interests. Gift-giving is the perfect time to put your knowledge of that person to work, and can make your caricature personal and unique. Perhaps your spouse likes to overfeed your cats every morning, or your sister can't resist a local shopping mall, or your co-worker's office looks like a tornado has rearranged his desk. A caricature is a fun gift that can capture that memory, making light of it and cementing it into place forever.

HOW TO GET A CARICATURE MADE

If you are struggling with where to start, make a list that highlights the following about your gift recipient:

" Biggest personality quirk
" Special talent, skill, or hobby
" A special shared memory
" Most prized possession

Now with this list, hire someone to interpret and create the most dominant feature, or a combination of them, that you'd like to capture. Most important is to find someone who will take the time to go back and forth with you during the creation process; someone who will work with you to help create the most unique, true-to-life gift.

If your ultimate goal is to select a gift that will hold special meaning and be a reflection of a person's spirit and personality, then a caricature will be the perfect gift solution for you. It is a gift that is both fun and rewarding to give. After all, that is what gift-giving is all about!