Finding gifts for your family and friends can be hard, but here are some ideas to get your gift-giving mind flowing. I’ve scoured the internet and found some great options for people with any interests. For Part One of this series, I will hone in on some general categories of people. This segment will discuss Reading, Art, and Homemade gifts.
The Reader: If you read, you know you can’t get someone a book without having a specific list. If you didn’t– there you go. So what do you get your friend whose nose is constantly in a book? A bookmark can be nice if you want to go small– but if you want something a bit nicer, I’d go with a book journal where you can record and rate all your favorite finds.
Another good gift that can be partially homemade or home-curated is an annotation kit– get a bag or pouch and stock it with some sticky notes, pencils, and highlighters. Personally, I would choose clear sticky notes, as they make a great over-text citation without editing the actual words.
If you do know a book the intended party wants or feel confident enough to pick one out (Or are giving a copy of one of your favorites), it might be nice to give a nice bookmark– or even a homemade bookmark with it. If you want to add a bit bigger of an addition, I’d add a mug or some other object that maybe even relates to the plot/genre of the book.
The Artist: Let’s make one thing clear: there isn’t one type of artist– so getting a gift doesn’t mean you should just go and buy a pack of colored pencils. If you know the person enough to know what they want, then go ahead, but you can also go more from the crafts angle.
A crochet or knitting kit is always fun, and you can find ones for various skill levels, whether they’ve never given it a try or have some experience. I recommend a smaller one for those who haven’t made it a passion, so there’s a limited time commitment. You can find ones that come in various price ranges– and sizes.
Another good idea is a beading kit– there are ones for the various ages and skills of the artist at hand, but nonetheless, it would always be a nice idea– you can even personalize the outside if you would like. Most are decently priced, and you can always make your own. Buy an organizer, string, beads, or just some string, and there you have a nice gift.
If you want a bit of a bulkier kit, Sculpd has clay and candle-making kits, as well as painting ones that come with all the supplies to be made at home. No kiln is needed; the clay is air dry. The one con with these is that they can be on the more expensive side– running about $65.
The homemade gift: If you’re choosing to make a homemade gift, pick a craft you’re good at, be it baking, drawing, or any other sort of art. My advice on this front is to pick which one of those you’re best at– although a homemade card is always a nice pairing with any gifts listed above. Knitting or crocheting something can always be fun– although making things for a lot of people can be time-consuming. If you decide to go the baking route, there are always fun tins or packaging that can enhance your gifts– and provide a nice way of transporting the dessert around.
