The 12 Days of Christmas Countdown: Day 3 (Gifts for Your Friends)

On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, gifts for my friends, ways to spread the love, and a little time reserved just for me.

According to a wise man by the name of Elbert Hubard, "Your friend is the (one) who knows all about you, and still likes you." That in itself is reason enough to make a select few worthy of some holiday trinket.

Whether it's a Secret Santa exchange, or simply a price limit to keep the giving fair and friendly, a gift swap among friends doesn't have to be an expensive, arduous process. A little creativity and the know-how of where to look are all you need.

Believe it or not, stores like ACO Hardware, Walgreens and Target are great stops to shop these trinket treasures. Carrying a variety of candles, soaps, candies and adult beverages, it's fairly easy to pick one item to dress up or several to create a themed basket of fun.

The first step, of course, is to narrow down the "nice list" among your friends – lists make every shopping excursion easier and nine times out of 10, you spend less.

With list in hand, divide your friends into arts and eats. The "arts" get the scented candles and iTunes gift cards, while the "eats" get all that's sweet, salty and delicious. If you have a really diverse set of friends you can mix and match – chocolate-scented candle plus 12-ounce jar of Sanders Hot Fudge. Win-win.

Here are a few ideas and the spots around Clinton Township where you can find the necessary items to wrap things up:

• Cookie Mixes in Mason Jars – Find all the ingredients you need to assemble these treats at the grocery store closest to you. You can pick up a tray of jars at stores like Kroger, Meijer and Walmart. 
• Michigan-Made Gift Baskets – Fill with Better Made chips, Faygo, Sanders and the colors of a favorite sports team, or two. Morley Candy Makers on Hall Road is your one-stop shop for Sanders treats. 
• Custom-Label Wine – Clinton Township's Filipo Marc Winery allows you to create custom labels for the wine of your choice, by the bottle or the case.
• Candle Extravaganza – From ACO Hardware to Bath & Body Works in The Mall at Partridge Creek, there are dozens of places to pick up scented candles.
• Tee for Two – Buy a round or two of golf at Fern Hill, Cracklewood Golf Course, Hickory Hollow, Sycamore Hills or Bello Woods.
• An Evening Out – It may not seem like much in the wrapping, but a restaurant gift certificate never goes to waste. Olive Garden, Red Lobster and LongHorn Steakhouse are all owned by the same company, so their gift cards are interchangeable.