Therefore it's important to look at recipient's personality, lifestyle, hobbies, or personal situation when picking out a gift. In doing so, you are more likely to find a gift they will appreciate - one that is as unique as person you're buying for! 

I've found that a spot maybe two feet off to one side does a good job most of time of eliminating red-eye while still creating a photo that looks as though subject(s) are still looking into lens. Depending on how close you are and how bright your flash, you may need to experiment some to find your optimal point.

What if you don't have control or you are taking candid shots?

Easy tip #3: The good news here is that candid shots usually mean that activity is primary subject, not individual. In other words, you are not trying to make a portrait of individual; you are attempting to capture emotion of moment in time. To do that, just compose (frame) picture so that people or animals are only a part of event and looking at what is happening instead of into lens.

For example, if event was a wedding, snap photo with bride and groom looking at each other or cake. Or, if it was a party, frame person making toast so that they are off to one side, looking towards those that are being toasted. One last example. If this was your family reunion, capture small groups that always form and snap picture while they are looking at each other telling and listening to stories of past. If you can hear joke being told, wait to snap camera shutter after punch line comes out and capture smiles and laughter.

Easy tip #4: The amount of red-eye is in direct proportion to amount of light being reflected back to camera lens. Use telephoto lens and distance to reduce amount of direct light coming back into lens. Just be careful not to exceed maximum distance that flash is capable of compensating for. Most built in flash units have a limit of between 10 and 16 feet. Areas behind subject will also fade into darkness fast, but when background is not important, this can make for some very dramatic photo's.

What if none of this works for you?

If you are taking digital images, good news is that there are a lot of software programs out there that will edit out red-eye effects for you. If you are taking photographs with a film camera, then you will need to either scan image into digital realm or you will have to pay to have photo's retouched. Bottom line is that it can in most cases be fixed. The real question is, how much are you willing to pay to have it removed?

Final notes:

Plan ahead, practice and learn all capabilities that come with today's point and shoot cameras. Your photographs will show effort.