No matter how much we love our girlfriends, we hate how impossible they are to buy for. Luckily, these special little somethings work with a $45 gift exchange spending limit.

The Shopaholic
Thunder in our Hearts Tote ($20)
Because she wears her heart over her shoulder.

The Student
Vancouver Art Gallery Membership ($45) Because she’s always on the verge of an art attack.

The Entrepreneur
Lamy Fountain Pen ($41 at Avalon Stationery) Because she’ll need a lucky pen to sign those gigantic cheques.

The Holiday Enthusiast
Crystal Ornament ($30 at Tiffany) Because no one loves this time of year as much as she does.

The Explorer
Field Notes Booklets ($15 at Vancouver Special) Because she can’t keep hand-written notes on her Blackberry. —Kelsey Dundon

They are always there for you when you need them and you know they deserve the best. Here's our gift guide for the amazing women in your life:

For your Mom…
The cover shawl by JAC. This 100% wool shawl has snaps at the front and back so it can be worn in several different ways. We love that it is versatile and tres chic. $265 from Jacqueline Conoir. 164 W. Fifth Ave., Vancouver, 604 688 5222, www.jacquelineconoir.com

For your Mother-in-Law…
The cashmere throw from Restoration Hardware. It is super luxurious, 555 gram, you can’t make any sizing mistakes, and no one, not even a mother-in-law, can be disappointed by cashmere. $249 from Restoration Hardware, 2555 Granville St., Vancouver, 604-731-3918, www.restorationhardware.com

For your Grandma…
The horn magnifier. If her eyes aren’t as good as they used to be, this magnifying glass will mean reading the newspaper is an informative and stylish activity. $49.99 from The Cross. 1198 Homer St, Vancouver, 604-689-2900, www.thecrossdesign.com

For your Auntie…
Philosophy’s Peace on Earth Duo. You can’t ever go wrong with a fancy shower gel and body lotion, especially one in a pretty package. $26 from Beauty Mark. 1268 Pacific Blvd., Vancouver,  604-642-2294, www.beautymark.ca

For your Sister...
The yellow cedar pendant from Local Grain. We love that this is organic wood, eco- friendly, and local. Oh yes, and it is beautiful, too. $35 from the Local E pop up store. 235 Cambie St., Vancouver, www.localevancouver.com

For your Girlfriend...
Miro Flower cocktail napkins from Diane Von Furstenberg. These cotton napkins feature a pretty floral pattern and here’s hoping she’ll invite you for cocktails soon. Set of 4, $32.99 from The Bay. 674 Granville St., Vancouver, 604- 681-6211, www.thebay.com —Alexandra Suhner Isenberg

Shopping for men can be a daunting task. But fear not: we have six amazing Father’s Day options for every type of amazing dad.

Stylish Dad
GQ called Alexander Olch “the man who makes a perfect tie,” and we agree. Nothing fancy schmancy here—just a perfect light summer tie for our perfect man.
Alexander Olch Chambray Necktie, $150 at LARK, 2315 Main St., Vancouver, 604-870-5275, www.lark.me

Outdoorsy Dad
Outdoorsy dads may be familiar with Cordura fabric, one of the most durable on the market today. This daypack by Epperson Mountaineering combines practicality with stylish leather detailing to make outdoor wear look incredibly dash.
Epperson Mountaineering Daypack, $205 at Inventory Stockroom, 45 Powell St., Vancouver, 604-568-5889, www.inventorymagazine.com

Handy Dad
It’s time to ditch that old crummy hardware store apron for a more sartorially appropriate one. Union Wood Co’s vintage canvas aprons feature fine, and manly, detailing like the hand cut leather straps and vintage brass hardware. Plus, they look great on the guys over at Meat & Bread, where they double as cooking aprons. Add a personal touch by getting the leather straps monogrammed for an additional $20 (order before Friday!). Union Wood Co. Work Aprons, $90 at The Old Faithful, 320 W. Cordova St., Vancouver, 778-327-9376, www.oldfaithfulshop.com

Kilt-clad Dad
A bottle of the world's most coveted brand of Single Malt Scotch Whiskey, Highland Park, is always a welcome gift for the bon vivant dad. We like the 15-year-old version, which is aromatic, smokey and described as "rich and mature." Well, there's still time for that. $95 at these BCLC locations.

Foodie Dad
Want to make him a real pistol in the kitchen? A Smoking Gun can help him create his dream smoked dishes. Soups, meats, fruits… sit back and watch the magic happen. Smoking Gun, $145 at Williams Sonoma, 2903 Granville St., Vancouver, 778-330-2581, www.williams-sonoma.ca

Music Dad
This powerful and sleek Tivoli radio will fill his office with his favourite music. iPod compatible, of course! Tivoli #10, $250 at Design House, 851 Homer St, Vancouver, 604-681-2800, www.designhouse.ca

—AG & SB

Whether shopping for a new mom up to her elbows in diapers or a seasoned vet who's seen every type of tantrum, here's a list of gifts that are sure to give her a Mother's Day thrill.

Named after his former-model mother, Michael Kors' Joan Bag is a stylish and practical carryall perfect for day-to-day wear, evenings out and travel. Kors' has said this bag is, "a tribute to all mothers" so don't leave yours out of the fashion loop. $350 at Michael Kors Pacific Centre and Oakridge Centre, www.michaelkors.com —MT

Mom has always been stylin’. So what better way to give her a trip down memory lane than with My Mom, Style Icon? Chronicling decades of the most stylish matriarchs, Piper Weiss’ newly released book is a treat for vintage lovers too. $15.85 at Amazon.ca —KD

Get mom off her feet for once with a mani-pedi (better yet, join her!). Wrap up the GC with a bottle of Bourjois Paris nail laquer in Rose Lounge, the very same polish Kate Middleton wore on her wedding day. Who's feeling like a princess now? $10 at Shoppers Drug Mart, 3277 Cambie St., Vancouver, www.shoppersdrugmart.com —SB

Want to make up for being a messy teenager? Gift her a bottle of Bergamont & Grapefruit dish soap from Aspen Clean, along with a note promising to do the chores for an entire month (and then hire a cleaning service to deliver on that promise). $9 at www.aspenclean.com —SB

Whether you’re satisfyingly single or contentedly coupled-up this Valentine’s Day, these gifts go either way. Herewith, five special things from steal to splurge that don’t wilt like roses:

Fanny Brawne needn’t be the only one to feel John Keats’ heat. With Love Letters from the Everyman’s Library, we can too. Within is a post office’s worth of mad-about-you mail penned by other well-known wordsmiths. $12.40 at Amazon.ca

Smell and memory are inextricably linked, so make a sweet and spicy impression with an all-natural signature perfume by Vancouver perfumer Ayala Moriel. Have yours in a mini bottle, beautiful French flacon or pretty pendant. $48-$150 at www.ayalamoriel.com

In Victorian times, keys were signifiers of guardianship, knowledge and liberation, and what do you know, that’s the key to our heart. Pyrrha boasts a variety cast in reclaimed silver from real vintage keys (and even a medieval one). $128-$275 at www.pyrrha.com/shop

Whether you’re hot or just bothered, a duotone alpaca throw from 18 Karat, dark grey on one side, red on the other, amends to your mood and keeps you cuddled and bundled. $375 at 18 Karat, 3039 Granville St., Vancouver, 604-742-1880, www.eighteenkarat.com

A dip-dyed Agent Provocateur floor-length silk Barbetta kimono that morphs from black to crimson, with shades of aubergine in the middle, makes lounging around luxurious. You’ll feel loved up even when home alone watching The Bachelor. $2,195 (in store Tuesday), Agent Provocateur, 1020 Alberni St., Vancouver, 604-688-2712, www.agentprovocateur.com

Can’t bring yourself to fight the crowds at the eleventh hour? Here are five last minute gifting tips that don’t require a trip to the mall:

1. Give away a good book you own. Make a simple, personalized dust jacket for it with paper and anything crafty you have around the house.

2. Buy tickets online to a concert in the new year (something to look forward to), then create a YouTube playlist of that band’s music videos and live performances and email it to them to tip them off to your plan. Check www.tourfilter.com/vancouver for listings.

3. Bake a batch of your favourite cookies and put them in a plain Chinese food take-out box (many dollar stores sell them) or another nice container you already have. Write up a clever fortune for 2011 and hide it at the bottom of the box.

4. Giving money may seem tacky, but it’s all how you frame it, literally. Place a $20, $50 or $100 dollar bill in a small picture frame you’re not using and title your DIY artwork, “For Emergencies Only.”

5. Book them a little post-holiday pampering by phone. We don’t know anyone who wouldn’t like a massage after Boxing Day sales.

Whether pops is bookish, a biker or both, there’s a present (from $25 to splurge) to show him you think he’s tops. Herewith, Vitamin Daily Vancouver’s five fab gifts for Father’s Day.

One good dad deserves another, so give yours fictional favourite Atticus Finch with the new 50th anniversary edition of Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird and inscribe the inside page with love. $17.82 at Chapters, www.chapter.indigo.ca

Whether he wishes he could play in the majors or is content just watching the Vancouver Canadians, a 19th-century-inspired, hand-stitched Lemon Ball baseball is an assured home run. $45 at Mr. Lee’s, 109 E. Broadway, Vancouver, 604-568-7103, www.mrleesgeneralstore.com

He doesn’t need to be a sailor to sport a sailor shirt—Picasso, among other greats, lived in them. Bring him aboard the renewed stripe hype in one by National Anthem that’s made in Vancouver. $80 (in white or navy) at Inventory Stockroom, 45 Powell St., Vancouver, 604-568-5889, stockroom.inventorymagazine.com

If he refuses to ask for directions, a TomTom portable GPS navigation device with downloadable celebrity voices like Homer Simpson, Darth Vader or Knight Rider’s KITT should do the trick. $140-$280 at www.tomtom.com

Get him biking to work and reminiscing about his boyhood with a Raleigh road bike like the “OneWay” or “Sojourn” that comes outfitted with an aged, honey-hued leather seat. $730-$1,287 at The Bike Doctor, 137 W. Broadway, Vancouver, 604-873-2453, www.thebikedr.com

Say good riddance to the recession and splurge on mom—isn’t that what tax returns are for?

Foodie Mom
Leonard Cohen once said, “Once you’ve seen Paris, there’s no going back to the farm.” Or Kitsilano for that matter. Give Mom a Gallic gift from Fabrics de France, like a bottle of wine wrapped in a Parisian tea towel, or a French tablecloth shrouding a good Tomme or Camembert from Les Amis du Fromage (on the same block). From $20. Fabrics de France, 1738 W. Second Ave., Vancouver, 604-737-0502, www.fabricsdefrance.com

Glamour Mom
And if you can’t take her to Normandy, get her a timeless pair of espadrilles by Le Pont St Michel in the colours of the French flag ($105 at Misch, 2960 Granville St., Vancouver, 604-731-1017, www.misch.ca) and a wide brimmed hat from Goorin Bros., 1188 Hamilton St., Vancouver, 604-683-1895, www.goorin.com

Classic Mom
Remember, gifts you give mom may become yours one day, so choose wisely. Like this vintage-look sterling silver frame from Birks ($395, pictured 698 W. Hastings St., Vancouver, 604-669-3333, www.birks.com), or beautiful French ceramics by Astier de Villatte (from $50) at The Cross Décor & Design, 1198 Homer St., Vancouver, 604-689-2900, thecrossdesign.com

New Mom
Gwyneth Paltrow says she never takes off her gold tag necklaces engraved with her kids names ($270 to order at  www.chloeinstyle.com), or give her a necklace made from an antique baby spoon by Vancouver’s Anna de Courcy ($300) from Misch, 2960 Granville St., Vancouver, 604-731-1017, www.misch.ca. Hang them on The Icelet jewellery tree from Umbra so they never get tangled. $24.95 (pictured) at Room In Order, 1055 Davie St., Vancouver, 604-684-8884, www.roominorder.com

Culture Mom
For her beach read, we suggest the tongue-in-cheek Life’s Too Short To Fold Fitted Sheets by Lisa Quinn ($22.95) or Stuff Every Woman Should Know by Alanna Kalb ($9.95), both from Raincoast Books or, let's face it, Oprah by Kitty Kelley ($17.50) at Amazon.ca and the new DVD  It’s Complicated with Meryl Streep.

Homey Mom
Enforce relaxation with The Cross’s new house candles ($20) in Harmony and Unity (The Cross Décor & Design, 1198 Homer St., Vancouver 604-689-2900, thecrossdesign.com), and French mint tea and a modern teapot ($50) and Kusmi spearmint French tea ($22) at Homewerx, 1053 Davie St., Vancouver, 604-682-2204, www.homewerx.ca

Yummy Mummy
A treat from Agent Provocateur won’t go unnoticed. By anyone. Think cream silk corsets for this spring’s lingerie trend ($650, pictured, 1020 Alberni St. Vancouver, 604-688-2712, www.agentprovocateur.com). In case she feels underdressed, add a Michael Kors purse ($375) with the new DSquared2 oversized sunglasses ($450) for that Almost Famous look. At Holt Renfrew, 737 Dunsmuir St., Vancouver, 604-681-3121, www.holtrenfrew.com