giving great gifts is an art. managing to find the perfect gift under the time pressure of an upcoming special occasion can feel daunting, but it's also an exciting & enriching moment where we get to find tactile ways of giving someone a glimpse into how much they mean to us.

I am a huge gift giver & believe in giving gifts, with or without occasion. I wanted to share a few of the things that I find helpful to consider when searching for that perfect, soulful gift for somebody special.

tip#1: reuse & recycle

I feel great about a gift if I know it's a part of something bigger. not only is repurposing & recycling things for gifts great for the environment (& your pocket!), it's super fun & gives you a chance to be crafty.

stay tuned for some great & easy at-home repurposed gift ideas, coming soon!

tip #2: sentiment & practicality

to me, giving gifts is a balance between sentimentality & practicality. great gifts remind the receiver of something positive — beautiful shared memories, inside jokes, the things that you love about one another. but gifts should also be practical. they should have a use or purpose so that your loved one won't feel that stuff-burden during next year's spring cleaning.

try giving something that will help with the person's passion or hobby (baking, photography, gardening), something that they can use for pampering & at-home self-care, or something the two of you can do together.

tip #3: shop small, local, & handmade

where you get your gift can make a big difference. gifts will feel more loving & special if you get them somewhere loving & special (it's that simple!). try looking for your gift at an art studio or a local boutique. if you can find something one of a kind & handmade for your person, they will feel the care that went into both its making & its gifting. I am a huge fan of ceramics for the rich, grounding earthiness of hand thrown forms & for the usefulness of lovely bowls, cups, & pots.

tip #4: energy & intuition

believe it or not, hunting for the perfect gift is a great way to cultivate your intuition. the right gift will speak to you, it will simply feel right. pay attention to how you feel when you're holding & considering each option & you will get pointed in the right direction. as you practice this, the pointers will get louder & louder until it is easy to tell whether something is the perfect gift or not. this is easier done in person at brick & mortar shops, but you can use visualization when online shopping is your only option.

tip #5: the card - writing from the heart

the card will seal the deal with your perfect gift. a great card can be on anything — the inside of a book or journal, the back of a photo, on a handmade recycled paper card. I also love to get cards at thrift shops or estate sales. but what matters most is that you write from your heart. take a moment to meditate on the person & your love for them before you start writing, and then just write! if you clear your mind & make the gift receiver your focus for a few moments, the words will flow as they should, right from your heart.

tip #6: wrapping & presentation

wrapping is half the fun! I love to use recycled papers for wrapping. this can be pretty much anything — paper bags, newspapers, magazines, old sketchbooks, you name it. get creative with what shows & what doesn't — try tying part of the gift on the outside, or adding a flowering sprig or a shell. I love a simple & organic presentation that looks pleasing & begs to be opened. for these, I grabbed a few things from the garden, including some mint for aromatherapy!

tip #7: better late than never (don't rush!)

you might not find the perfect gift right away. but don't settle! it's better to keep your eyes & heart open for the right gift than to give something that won't mean much to either of you. if the special date has arrived & you don't have your gift yet, give a sweet note & get them that great gift when it pops up. having said that, if you have an open & patient mindset, the right thing will more than likely pop up — just in time.

the art of gifting || giving from the heart