It's that time of year when a young man's fancy turns to, "What am I gonna get my girl for Christmas?!" While jewelry is the typical choice, a jewelry box can be an equally pleasing gift. It's a little out of the ordinary, but buying your special someone a jewelry box shows that you've put a little extra effort into her gift.

A couple of things to remember: First, much like jewelry, this is an area where quality counts. A cheap, flimsy box with the wrong kind of lining can actually make jewelry tarnish faster. You want to find a sturdy box, preferably solid wood, with a fabric lining. There are also smaller boxes of glass or ceramic that might be good for teens, but buying anything other than wood for a woman's large collection of jewelry is just asking for trouble.

Second, don't limit yourself to the boxes carried by the jewelry store where you bought her last piece of jewelry. There are many woodworkers all over the United States who are handcrafting jewelry boxes. These boxes are usually sold through local gift stores and not through jewelry store chains. In addition, art galleries often have beautiful boxes, and of course you can find them online.

But what kind of box should you get? There are still many options available among the styles of wooden jewelry boxes, jewelry chests and jewelry racks. Just answer these three questions to find that perfect box for your perfect mate:

How much jewelry does she have?

A big collection of smaller pieces like earrings and rings calls for a large box with several smaller compartments — think two or three drawers with dividers inside. A smaller collection might benefit from a jewelry rack instead of a box. A jewelry rack can be placed on a dresser or hung on a wall to save space. Some racks revolve to make access to jewelry easier. Even if the her jewelry collection grows later on, a jewelry rack will come in handy for her favorite -- and thus, most often worn -- pieces.

What type of jewelry will she put in it?

If she has plenty of necklaces and just a few earrings you could get by with a necklace rack to hang necklaces and a small box for the earrings. Having chunkier bracelets and pins, however, means that a box with larger, more open compartments may be in order. Many jewelry boxes now have areas for specific types of jewelry: soft slots for rings, side compartments to hang necklaces and bracelets, even long compartments to lay out watches.

How do you want the box to fit in with the home's other furniture?

Most people make the mistake of thinking that a jewelry box always has to match the furniture in the room. When we show customers the exotic wood jewelry boxes in our stores, many of these customers inevitably say, "But my bedroom furniture is Oak...that box won't match!" When you choose a box that accents your furniture instead of matching it, you allow the craftsmanship of the box and the beauty of the wood to stand on its own. The box becomes a showpiece in the room instead of blending into the other woodwork. Also, remember that the jewelry box you buy today can be a timeless display of craftsmanship that passed on to future generations as an heirloom.

One more thing: It's bad luck to give someone an empty box as a gift. Adding a new piece of jewelry to the inside of the box will make your gift complete!