Issue #245: the secrets of great gifters 🎁

Editor's Note

You know those people who always *nail* the gifting game?

I asked some of them for their best gifting secrets.

by Alisha Ramos, Founder at Girls' Night In

Somehow, it’s already gifting and holiday sales season. I’m pretty sure I got a Black Friday alert from a brand back in...September? Should this be allowed?! I digress. Today, I want to talk about gifting strategy. I’m a procrastinator when it comes to gifting, but I also like to be really thoughtful with my gifts, which presents a real conundrum for me. 

Last year, knowing my last-minute-gifting-self, I created a system that worked pretty well: I added a task in my Todoist app (any to-do list app could work) for each person I knew I wanted to buy a gift for. I started this list in September (it’s not too late to start!) and took notes over a few months on things my giftees mentioned they liked or wanted, adding the ideas as subtasks. I also linked out to random gift ideas I came across on the internet where I thought, “This would be perfect for ____.” Creepy or brilliant?!

This year, in my continued effort to become a better gifter, I asked some friends of mine for tips on how they approach gifting, as well as examples of supremely thoughtful gifts they’ve given or received in the past. Here are their tips:

Take it from Thao and designate a whole closet filled with gifts and “happy mail”: "I buy things for people I love throughout the year and stash them—gifts for my newly pregnant friend, a friend who loves to read, even my friend’s cat who she adores like a kid! :) I get obsessive about sewing things when I’m stressed (pencil pouches, dollies, pillows) and I keep that stashed in my closet too for random happy-mail!” —Thao Thai, Managing Editor at Cubby

It’s okay to get a little sneaky if you’re not sure what they want 👼: “If you know a birthday or celebration is coming up, sometimes I'll drop in a random question weeks in advance that might give me a hint as to what they might want without directly asking, ‘what do you want for your birthday?’.... This is [also] where social media (if they are an active participant) can come in real handy! I browse through feeds or even look at what shops/products they follow—I admit, it sounds a little sneaky but it can bring you so many ideas on what to get them.” —Megan Soh, stylist and creative producer

In a time crunch? “It can really help to shop in person, because you’re likely to see things you hadn’t thought of or weren’t even aware of. A bookstore is often a good place to start, because even if the person isn’t a big reader, you’re likely to find other things—calendars, journals, pens, puzzles—that might appeal to them, as well as a bunch of books you simply didn’t know existed. Shopping IRL can make it easier to bundle similar items together, or even to choose a card or wrapping paper that’s in the same color family as the gift, making the whole thing feel more special.” —Rachel Miller, author of The Art of Showing Up: How to Be There for Yourself and Your People (and also frequently shares gift ideas on her blog)

I hope these tips help you kickstart your gifting brainstorm this season. Btw...do you need actual gifting ideas? Oh, have we GOT SOME for you. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing our top gifting recs in several holiday shops so you can find that perfect present. 

—Alisha, Founder at Girls' Night In

P.S. What’s the most thoughtful gift you’ve ever received? We’d love to share your stories over the holiday season! Shoot us a note here and you may be featued in an upcoming newsletter or Instagram post.
 

• Meet: our Golden Gifts, a magical group of presents that work for anyone on your list this year, curated carefully by our team. Whether your recipient is notoriously tough to shop for, or you're crunched for time this year, or you just want to nail holiday season, we've got you covered. 🏆

• Speaking of gifting strategy, our top tip is buying some gifts in bulk—we rounded up our best ideas here.

• Also, get in the holiday spirit with our favorite festive home items. We're talking cozy candles! Holiday PJs! Dolly Parton shows up not once but TWICE (!) in this guide.

• Last but not least, we pulled together some gifts to say thank you to hosts, whether your friend had you over for a holiday party or a few nights' stay. 

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