What do you give to the gift-giver? Oprah is always showering those around her with shiny new things, doling out vacations, cars and gadgets like they're fruitcakes. It's your job to remind them that they, too, deserve to be satisfied.
- TOMS Shoes are made for the selfless. Founded by a young entrepreneur, TOMS is committed to providing footwear worldwide, and for every pair of shoes sold, the company donates one to a child in need. Plus, the product is made in factories that promise safe conditions and fair wages in China, Ethiopia and Argentina. For a busy woman, the slip-on design of a classic black pair ($44), based on Argentine alpargatas, are convenient and all-purpose.
- The Sting Ray II chrome shower head ($84.95) is a beacon of opulence without being ostentatious. Someone so concerned with the well-being of others deserves some comfort of her own once she's in private, and here it's provided by 64 spray channels and 98 nozzles, along with adjustable wings. If she closes her eyes, it's like being perched under a waterfall -- and proof that there's nothing wrong with being a little bit fabulous.
- If the Oprah in your life is absolutely dead-set on not receiving a gift, at least help her donate. Kiva is a simple micro-financing service online, supported by Oprah's buddy Bill Clinton and his Global Initiative, which allows anyone to purchase a gift certificate starting at $25, which the recipient can then decide to loan to an entrepreneur of his or her choice in a developing country. The small-business owners are held accountable and expected to repay their loans, which can they be reinvested in another entrepreneur, donated to Kiva or withdrawn by the lender. Quite literally a gift that keeps on giving.
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