I've said it before, but I'll say it again for those of you who rode the short bus in and didn't get it the first couple of dozen times: When it comes to giving your girl gifts, "Personal" beats "Expensive" every time.

Show her you were listening - you weren't zoning out to SportsCenter when she told you her likes, her hobbies, what she dreams about - when you went gift shopping, and you'll reap greater rewards than if you just broke out the platinum card and dropped a couple large on the first thing you saw. Trust me.

So if you're looking for something personal she'll treasure forever, you might want to try a charm bracelet. It's a gift with retro-chic flair (I can't tell you how many chicks I've dated that have a cherished charm bracelet that was once their mom's), that you can fill with charms that show her how deeply you know her.

A good place to start is C.H.A.R.M. They've set up a site designed with gift buying-challenged guys in mind. Don't know where to start? Just answer five questions about your girl: Do you have a special date? What are her hobbies or activities? Her favorite destination? Children (names/boy or girl)? Some of her favorite things? - and they'll create a personalized charm bracelet and ship it over. Perfect gift for her, with no heavy brainwork for us. Just the way we like it.

Bracelets start at $250 and the charms at $65 each. So if your budget is tight, you can have a couple of charms included and put the others into a wish list, reserving them for future gift giving. See? I got you set up for the next half dozen holidays, too. You're welcome.

www.charmco.com