It’s been one of my objectives this year to be more organised in my gift giving. Rather than stopping on route to a party to pick up something from wherever we pass on the way to where we’re going, I decided to save myself time, money and embarrassment by actually being organised, and having gifts in the house, buying when I see things on sale, and in so doing, buying good quality toys for less. I am not a fan of plastic and rubbish toys, so why would I want to give those to my friends? I don’t.
I’d love to be someone who makes gifts. My friend Ellie made Ameli a gorgeous skirt for her birthday last year, and our friend Karen gave us a box of make-your-own cakepop ingredients. I loved both those gifts, and would love to be a gift giver like that, but alas. I don’t even own a sewing needle.
I’ve been thinking of gifts for one or two of my adult friends too, and I’ve come up with a few ideas I think would work really nicely.
Since I’m not the queen of home made, and I don’t have the budget for much bought, it could be really nice to combine the two, for example making and decorating biscuits or a cake for the birthday girl, or making lactation cookies for a new mama, or ready potted plants (or even seedlings) for friends who are waiting to exchange on their new house.
Each of these are simple, but thought out, and show time, effort and preferences – the birthday friend loves ginger, so I was thinking of a tin of ginger biscuits, but then adding the bought element with something like a lovely Orla Kiely bag or tin, to keep them in. It’s something reusable and pretty.
Actually, in that same range there are also cups and other containers that could be filled with home made beauty products or sweets. Yum.
What do you do for personalising gifts, and making them something special?
