Christmas is a great time of year for list-lovers. Not only can you make lists of presents to buy and cards to send, but as it's December it's also time to review the best of the year gone by. The Guardian today lists its Women of 2007, opening with 'While the media focused on Paris and Britney, a host of women were changing the world with their courage and ingenuity.'

Here are the eight women they chose. Who are your women of 2008? Whether in the public eye or not, who are the women who have inspired you, challenged you, encouraged you and made the world a better place?

Louise Bourgeois - the 96-year-old artist who created the first installation in the Turbine Hall of the Tate Modern, and whose work is exhibited there until 8 January 08. Bourgeois is still a working artist.

Jane Tomlinson - given six months to live when her breast cancer returned in 2000, Tomlinson went on to run 4 marathons, cycle across America and complete a full Ironman among other ahievements. Jane died in September this year and her family have said, 'Seven years ago her aim was to leave us with fantastic memories. None of us expected how fantatic those would be.'

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - won the Orange Prize for her second novel, Half of a Yellow Sun, which dramatises the Nigerian-Biafran war in which both her grandfathers died.

Julie Christie - won the best actress nomination for her role in Away from Her, a film that covers the changes that take place in the relationship of a long-married couple when the woman's Alzheimer's disease takes hold.

Grace Paley - described as a writer, feminist, activist, teacher, publisher, Paley died from breast cancer aged 84 in August.

Natasha Khan - tipped for the Mercury prize, Bat for Lashes, the all-women band that Khan fronts, won huge acclaim this year.

Anita Roddick - founder of the Body Shop, campaigner, activist and teller of truth about the beauty industry, Roddick died of a brain haemorrhage earlier this year.

Hilary Rodham Clinton - fighting Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination for US presidency, Clinton has staged the most successful campaign of any woman who has ever sought the role.