Bridesmaid Gifts: 50 Inspiring Ideas

Who says bridesmaid gifts have to be generic objects with zero sex appeal? Charm your chums with keepsakes that challenge tradition -- your maids deserve much more than the usual key chain or faux strand of pearls. While shopping, keep each individual maid in mind, choosing imaginative and stylish gifts that come from the heart. From crafty and tasty to just plain indulgent, here are 50 unique ideas to inspire you.

Entertain Her

• Set of videos themed around a favorite actor, director, or film era

• Tickets to a musical or dinner theater

• Magazine subscriptions

• Computer games

• First-edition favorite novel

• Gift certificates to a local video store or movie theater

• Cute, purse-size camera

• Movie-themed gift basket

• Tickets to a sporting event

• Tiffany playing cards

Lavish Affection

• Silk pajamas

• Asian-inspired robe

• Personalized stationery

• Gift certificate to a great boutique

• Monogrammed set of bath towels

• Designer purse or note cards

• Gift certificate to a luxury spa

• Designer makeup bag

• Beauty gift package

Do It Yourself

(be careful here, make sure your maid will appreciate as much as you do)

• Jewelry

• Candles

• Whimsical soaps

• Holistic beauty treatments such as bath salts and scented astringents

• Hand-painted mug or vase, designed at a local ceramics studio and personalized with her favorite colors

• Knitted scarf, throw, or other woolen delight

• Hand-bound photo album or scrapbook

• Assorted jars of homemade jam

• Personalized poem

Play Off Her Passion

• She's an antique buff? Check out flea markets, tag sales, and ebay.com for vintage ashtrays, lace bureau scarves, Depression-era glass, and more.

• She ice skates? Give a subscription to a skating magazine and fluffy balls for her skates.

• She loves to boogie but can't get her groove on? Try a gift certificate for an introductory ballroom, salsa, or flamenco dance class.

• She's a fitness nut? Go for workout gear.

• She has wanderlust? Try a flight bag bearing her initials or classy travel kit.

• She's good with her hands? Treat her to an introductory pottery class.

• She's obsessed with wellness? Try a gift certificate for a session with a personal trainer, reflexologist, or nutritionist.

• She cooks? Think a hot new cookbook, dessert bowls, or a state-of-the-art pepper mill.

• She's a gardening guru? Try new tools, a flowering plant, or decorative pots.

Wine and Dine Her

• She's a coffee fiend? A French press is always elegant, especially with a pound of gourmet coffee.

• You're a great cook? Host a five-course dinner party in your bridesmaids' honor -- feature the finest wine you can afford and the most sumptuous dishes you can prepare.

• She's the expert entertainer? Give her all the props she needs to create the ultimate sushi-themed soiree.

• She's a wine lover? Try a fabulous bottle of bubbly, a nice ice bucket, or enroll her in a wine club.

• She loves to eat out? Go with a gift certificate to a favorite restaurant.

• She sets a mean table? Search for luxe table linens.

• She's got a sweet tooth? Maybe she'd love some decadent chocolates.

• She has a weakness for fancy food? Treat her to caviar, foie gras, or a gift certificate to a nearby gourmet shop.

• She loves the outdoors? Hook her up with a deluxe picnic basket.

• She's a kitchen goddess? Dress her in an adorable apron.

Photo: Susan Stripling Photography

-- Amy Elliott

See More: Your Bridal Party