A Guide to Gifting the Creatives in Your Life

A practical guide for giving gifts that spark ongoing creativity!

Today’s guide was made in partnership with Shop!

There are so many things you could give someone as a gift — it is overwhelming. Some meet an exact need or want, some things are helpful or useful, some fit an aesthetic or style — but I think I know the secret for a gift that is truly memorable and special. If you want to be the type of person who gives a gift that hits the heart, one that stirs up feeling, I have written a short guide for you!

I believe the secret to a really memorable gift is something that inspires them to create. Every person is creative — even if we have long lost touch with that part of us. Grandpa, dad, random cousin from the secret santa exchange, or co-worker — they are all creative even if they deny it!

Shop app curates a personalized shopping feed filled with my favorite familiar brands and new-to-me independent brands. It organizes my shopping/tracking/shipping experience all in one spot.

Fun note — brands don’t pay extra to sell on Shop, so your purchase more directly supports the small business you love. I also like that they have a collection feature for me to organize and share all my favorite gift ideas. Plus, the app keeps track of shipping updates for you all in one place, so you can be as organized as I imagine Santa would have to be this time of year.

A gift is a perfect way to spark that inherent creativity that someone may have lost.

The holiday season is an incredible time to ponder what lights up the people we love intentionally. Almost like a detective…can you identify what lights up someone’s heart and brings them back to that childhood creativity?

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A few guiding questions to help:

• What did they love to do when they were a kid?

• What puts them in a “flow” state?

• What would they spend all their time doing if they could?

• What makes them feel proud?

• What do they love to talk about?

Considering these questions and observing your recipient’s routine may help you determine some thoughtful concepts for what you will get them.

Here are some guiding questions for thinking specifically about giving a gift that facilitates creativity:

• Will it take up their time? (This is a positive.)

• Is it inspiring to look at?

• Is it something that elevates part of their daily routine to make it more playful?

• Does it encourage them to come back to it?

• Is it something they would probably not buy themselves? (Good! That is a sign you are gifting something a little more elevated!)

Maybe gift-giving does not feel natural to you. Part of loving someone is doing the labor of loving them the way they need, not the way that comes naturally to you. So, for the non-gifters, trying to navigate birthdays and holidays can produce stress. It feels like some sort of mystery to crack rather than a joyful exchange. If you can relate to this, I have written this guide to be a resource and companion for you, especially!

Here are a few broad concepts to get you started:

• For sentimental friends:

  • A new camera

  • A photo printer

  • An empty journal

  • A scrapbook

  • A special framed photo

  • A catch-all bowl

• For artistic friends:

  • A specific tool for their practice — a nice brush, sketch paper, or some tech item they need

  • A signature scent for their workspace — a luxury candle

  • A book that will help them with their craft

  • An apron/coveralls

  • Fresh pen and paper for your writer friends — try adding charms to the journal

• For sad friends:

  • Tea, always tea — pair with a flavored syrup (even homemade) so they can make their own lattes

  • Coloring books, paint-by-number, or watercolor kits — something to do with their hands

  • A baking kit — dishes/baking mix

  • A really amazing hardcover fiction book

• For design-forward friends:

  • An elevation of their daily routine — coffee or matcha makers

  • Coffee table books that inspire

  • Throw blankets, pillows, textiles

  • Cool coasters

  • Cool pantry items they will cook with — but are packaged beautifully

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You’ll notice every item on the list is a gift that sparks ongoing creativity — forcing the recipient to use the gift to create something new out of the gift, or reconnecting them to a hobby they used to love.

Good news — I went shopping for you too!

The Feeling!-Approved Creative Gift Guide:

For Journalers + Scrapbookers:

• Louise Carmen Journal (charms too!): The leather journal brand has taken the craft community by storm. You can get this luxury heirloom journal for the person in your life who absolutely can’t stop writing. The best part: you can customize it with charms and cords for a design combination that is unique to the writer!

  

• Moglea’s Candy Swirl Journal : Every product from Moglea’s handmade stationery brand is completely unique every time. Using classic printing presses and hand-painted elements, Moglea combines color and play for journals that would delight the creative writer.

  

• Ribbon Junk Journal — If you have a friend who can’t stop collecting stickers, scraps, and receipts, give them a creative outlet for their collection! Martina’s Tiny Shop Ribbon Junk Journal is a gorgeous way to tie up your thoughts, creative concepts, and scrapbook memories with a bow.

  

• HP Sprocket sticker printer: Scrapbookers and junk journalers are constantly spending all their money on stickers, but now they can make their own! It’s a whole new level of creativity for anyone who enjoys putting pages together. The HP Sprocket allows you to print your own photos on sticker paper. You could design custom stickers for every occasion — it’s a gift the scrapbooker will forever be thankful for!

For Home Chefs:

• Fellow Matcha Set: For your friend who basically runs the café out of their kitchen and loves their morning cup of tea, Fellow recently released a gorgeous matcha set that will elevate their everyday beverage ritual. I especially love the blue color it comes in. This gift would encourage the matcha hobbyist to continue experimenting with recipes and processes to make a more delightful beverage menu at home. If you’re lucky, maybe they’ll make you a drink!

  

• Guest Book: If you know someone who loves to host dinner parties, this guest book from Big Night will light their heart on fire. It serves as a log of guests you host, in a chic, colorful, leather-bound book.

  

• Ayoh! Mayo Holiday Box Set: Some home chefs love to experiment and elevate the mundane — and what is more mundane than a sandwich at lunch? The Ayoh! Mayo holiday collection challenges the creative cook to think outside the box and gives them some tools to make their sandwiches less like they’re from a lunchbox and more like they’re from the café down the road.

  

• Great Jones Baking Dish Set: I love Great Jones’ colorful kitchenware. For the experimental baker, consider gorgeous new baking dishes to support their hobby. You could pair them with some flour, baking soda, and vanilla extract — because they’ll always need refills!

For Decorators:

• Aromatech AroMini BT Plus: For the person who likes to make their house feel like it’s fresh out of a magazine, consider getting them a really playful home décor tool! AromaTech makes fragrance blends that match famous hotels, so you can constantly rotate and elevate the scent of your space. The Bluetooth app allows them to control it from anywhere and set timers on the fragrance. I would argue that an essential part of home décor is home scent!

  

• Schoolhouse catchall: Schoolhouse’s catchall bowl is a beautiful pop of color for the friend who takes decorating very seriously. The dish will spark all sorts of inspiration as they decide which of their collections they’ll store in it.

  

• Spiral Coasters: Spiral coasters pair beautifully with any style of glassware. If you have a friend who can’t stop taking pictures of their at-home lattes or cocktails, these coasters will be a beautiful complement to their creative process. Not to mention, they look elevated and whimsical in any space you use them in. The design lover will appreciate the boost of elegance.

  

• Defining style book: A beautiful art book that also details the history of design styles? This might be the perfect gift for your friend who loves to decorate — and redecorate — their own space. It’s full of inspiration and looks beautiful on a coffee table.

I encourage you to think intentionally about giving gifts that spark creative ideas for your recipient. You will show up to the function with the most memorable stack of presents if you shop with these concepts in mind.

You can view my full creative gift guide collection on the Shop app. (I’m proud of my collection — you should take a peek!)

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