Pampering

• Girls of all ages appreciate a little pampering. A nice gift for your girl between age 8 and 12 will be a pretty white terrycloth cosmetic bag filled with scented soaps, shower gels, a manicure set and a hairbrush. Get your girl's monogram embroidered on the side in pink or light green. (Pottery Barn has a bag for $19 as of 2011.) For the crowning touch, tuck a gift certificate for a manicure and pedicure in the bag as well. It's a nice gift she'll use for many months to come.
  
  

American Girl Doll

• Girls between ages 8 and 12 still play with dolls, and the hottest doll for that group is a My American Girl doll by American Girl. This is a doll that looks like a 10-year-old, and it's one you can personalize by selecting the hair color and complexion to match your girl's. AG sells hundreds of accessories and clothes for the dolls, so if you have the budget, you can get her some of those as well. Prices start at $100 for a doll, a necklace and one outfit.
  
  

Clothes

• A nice gift for a girl is an entire outfit from a clothing store that's on a girl's cool list. This may include Gymboree, GAP or Abercrombie Kids. They all focus on girls 12 and younger. A nice gift will be made up of a complete ensemble. This can be a shirt, pants or skirt and matching accessories such as socks, purses or hair bands. Your girl will wear the outfit and remember that you took the time to give her a cool new look.
  
  

Gadgets

• Girls see grownups using gadgets for all facets of life, and they yearn for gadgets of their own. Grant your girl's wish with a nice electronic gadget. Try giving an iPod or other MP3 player loaded with lots of top-40 hits. The iPod Nano starts at $149. Your girl will also appreciate a digital camera that's easy to use. The GE A1050 is a 10.1 megapixel point and shoot camera that runs on double A batteries. Buy it in a fabulous girl color such as purple for some pizzazz.