How to Ensure a Sincere Thank You

How to Ensure a Sincere Thank You - New York Times

My strict guidelines unfortunately also eliminate some of my own favorite items like, say, tiny bars of papaya-scented soap from Pre de Provence ($1.89 each, from theFrenchyBee.com)

Ms. Ortiz y Pino’s no-fail gift? She goes to Heifer International’s site at catalog.heifer.org to buy livestock for a hungry family (a sheep costs $120, a heifer $500).

an unusual vase made from 21 glass test tubes that are hooked together by metal holders ($225 from Quelobjet.com).

The best gifts?

Two that sprang to Dr. Rucker’s mind came from her sons. “I didn’t have a clock for my office, so when he was in Europe my younger son got me a miniature clock encased in a crystal globe and I was absolutely delighted,” she said. “And my older boy is getting my husband and me tickets to see a play when we’re in London.”

I suppose it’s possible someone wouldn’t like theater tickets.

Or a clock shaped like a globe. Or a vase made of interlocking test tubes. Or salted caramels.

But if so, don’t be paranoid. Find an online liquor store that will ship to the recipient’s state, and then just send a bottle of the Corralejo Reposado tequila that Marissa recommends. It’s $24.99 for 750 milliliters at Missionliquor.com (ships tequila only within California); $41.10 at Beerliquors.com (ships to many states and overseas); and $80 at Sendwine.com (pricey, but ships to all states).