Before you know it, the holidays will come a-knockin' at your door like early dinner guests.  It'll be too late to lock the doors and hide until next year, and your gift-giving rep is on the line

If you're going to spend any time at all in an attempt to tackle your holiday shopping list, start here with a few ideas that may knock the Christmas socks off your friends and family.

Electronic Accessories:

Check out Peper and Parlor, located at 938 Washington St., for their large variety of gift items suitable for nearly anyone your list.   While the boutique caters to women's high-end fashion, there are several unsuspecting accessories for nearly everyone on your list you wouldn't think of finding, but will be glad you did!

Tablet Cases: As if having an iPad weren't cool enough, Thomas Paul zippered canvas briefcases, that come in a variety of sizes, are a perfect fit as a cover for an iPad, iPhone, iPod, mp3, camera, and/or cosmetics case. It's lightweight and durable material make it the perfect solution for anyone on-the-go. With its modern simplicity, and rustic prints of an antique typewriter and other devices, practicality becomes effortless style.

What's great about electronic accessories like these cases, are that they're a stylish, non-gender or age-specific gift that everyone and their mothers, grandmothers, and niece and nephews could use. Even if the little ones on your list have yet to flaunt an iPad or iPhone around, there's a case that can serve as a pencil holder as well.

Scarves, hats and glittens:

Not the ugly Christmas sweater, or clothes that a second-hand store would have to stop and think about accepting first--but luxe and cool winter wear that will have people on your list wondering who you prodded for ideas.  Although taste is subjective, especially when it comes to fashion, it's not fair to subject others, with your potentially questionable fashion taste.  But you can trust boutiques right in town, like Townhouse 620, Peper and Parlor, which never fails to impress.

Items for the ladies-- Townhouse 620 is offering a limited-time sale of half-off scarves with any scarf purchase; you could kill two birds with one stone!  Crocheted berets and multiple styles of glittens, including fun prints like leopard, flood the store's entryway so that gift ideas are literally right under your nose.

Anthology II has brightly-colored, embroidered picture frames that they showcase alongside gold, antique-inspired ones.  Juxtaposing differing styles, like vintage versus modern, within a layout of decorative items like frames, creates dimension and contrast in the design.  Whether the lady on your list prefers more monochromatic, simple styles, you could give an assortment of frames that vary in color, style, size, and serve as a creative and eye-catching display--giving you styling kudos!

Items for the men in your life--Although my brother says he hates getting clothing/accessories for Christmas, I know that he "secretly" likes it because as soon as our family finishes exchanging gifts, he carries his new clothes upstairs to his room, shuts the door, and most likely puts on a personal fashion show. Then, I see him wearing most of it religiously throughout the year, so my mom and I continue to "burden" him with the gift of clothes.  

While clothing and accessories may not be number one on men's lists, a scarf--especially a red plaid flannel or cashmere one you could get from Beau & Brummel, or a pair of tech-friendly gloves--doesn't hurt.  

Electronics & Games:  

What they really want is anything with a lowercase letter "i" in front of it, a sleek (but potentially expensive) watch, tickets to a concert or sporting event, camera, and video games; certainly not breaking news...

To older generations, they are a catalyst for carpal tunnel, but for most guys video games are their call of duty: Xbox 360's "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare" is the best-selling first-person action series of all time, for $50 (radioshack). You could be the cool girlfriend and get it for your man, or even the unsuspectingly cool mom and get it for your son.  Either way, you'll be able to dust your shoulders off after giving the game, which has won several Game of the Year awards, to a video-game lover on your list.

Good luck on your holiday-shopping scavengar hunt and if you get stumped with someone on your list, chat up fellow shoppers or salespeople for new ideas!