It’s somehow December, which means we are mere weeks from the most magical time of the year: my birthday. Have you been cursed blessed with someone similarly difficult picky for your upcoming holiday of choice? I am sorry. Despite being a PITA on the receiving end, an informal survey says that I am awesome at the giving. This is not because I am superrich and give people piles of cash (which would be nice) or because I shop all year long at killer sales. My ears perk up when someone says “I’ve always wanted that” or “I wish I could find that.” So, some ideas:
Things they can eat. I adore candy from Hammond’s. They make something called a filled straw and it is quite possibly the most delicious thing on earth. If let near a bag, a wild animal takes over my being and destroys it within minutes. Therefore, I point you towards the world’s cutest (and most delicious) candy canes. The more, the merrier.…
Perhaps your beloved doesn’t like candy. They do not sound like someone I would enjoy. However, figure out what they like to consume and then step it up. A bag of jerky from the gas station: lame. A bag of handcrafted Korean BBQ jerky: magical.
Things that add a bit of luxury to existence. Cashmere socks have been a big hit with my dad in the past. My husband is fond of his non-disposable collar stays. I abhor bath mats and think a teak one might keep me from wanting to change the mat daily.
Things they talk about. When Ryan and I first started dating, he told me about this semi-obscure brass band that he loved. He had a few of their records on vinyl, but couldn’t find all of them. I saw this as a challenge. For Christmas, I managed to deliver the complete discography. Some of them were a little shady-looking, burned copies with slightly wonky art, but he still mentions it. I’m convinced it was one of the reasons he decided to marry me. I keep bringing up Alexander Girard, so I’d probably love this print at Design Public. (Lately I also can’t stop talking about Larry King, but please don’t use that as a starting point for a gift.)
Things they’d use everyday. A gift card to their favorite coffee shop. A functioning tea kettle. We cook a lot and drink smoothies. Wouldn’t a fancy blender make these tasks a little nicer?
In the Not $500 category, I think this nail brush is lovely. Maybe check that the person you’re buying for would geek out on these as much as I do.
Lastly, things they’d never buy for themselves. Admittedly this is a tricky category and one of the hardest to pull off. It also can be expensive. I am embarrassed to say how often I think about these nesting strainers by Sori Yanagi. They’re beautiful, they’re functional, I’d use them weekly if not daily. And yet, I cannot bring myself to purchase them. Sunglasses are the same story. Even when I calculate the cost per wear, I hesitate.
(These are from Oliver Peoples.)
I was going to wrap this up with a list of don’t-gives, but thought it might come off as negative. So I’ll turn it over to you: what gift, in your eyes, sucks?
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From one self-proclaimed awesome gift giver to another… this is a perfect list, inclusive of all categories– fun and functional, splurge and save.
Bookmarked many of these sites and ideas.
My gift giving strategy is similar, with the exception of being very behind this year. Never again… not fun. (and I end up putting less thought and spending more; I’ll pull it together in the next couple of days though:). So, my worst idea of a gift is one that is thoughtless– like a gift card to a restaurant or store that is about to go out of business (and is probably a re-gift)- and not one that you really care to visit. Or a big cluttery frame or dish– that just takes up space, and was just purchased because they had to give you something.
K– there’s my negativity:).
Torrie, you and I are on the same wavelength. I’ll add scented items. I am fairly scent-sensitive (scentsitive?) and dislike 98% of things that smell because they either smell “off” to me, or they give me migraines. Nothing worse than a big beautiful basket of things that give me headaches!
Oh, btw, I don’t know if you’ve ever browsed uncommongoods.com, but I noticed in their catalog they have a lot of neat stuff made from old wine barrels—like a swing!
Yes– definitely not a good gift for you… a basket of migraines:)!
I just discovered that store a couple of days ago, and bookmarked it… planning on getting a great deal of shopping DONE today (utilizing my many bookmarked ideas). I will definitely browse through this store! When I clicked on it, I immediately saw that it was a store I wanted to see more of… so thank you for the recommendation!
Btw– I left you a response about Hipcooks!
love all your ideas R–esp the candy filled straws–yum!
I’d say the gift that sucks is the one your husband tries to pull off as a combination anniversary, birthday and Christmas present all in one. That was a bad year and now he knows never to do it again! :o) Happy bday month fellow Sagittarius!
Ugh the combo gift, the bane of December birthdays! (PS: Happy bday month to you too!)
ooohh…I need a fancy blender and now those nesting strainers — darn you Rebecca…
and have to agree wth you — any scented body products from THAT store in the mall…headache city!
Michelle, if you drink green smoothies, I hear the VitaMix kicks ass. It is only when I’m buying $300 worth of essentials at Costco that they’re demoing the VitaMix or it’s twin, the Blendtec, for a great price, and I’m always like, “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”