Holiday gift guide 2012

The idea of making a holiday gift guide is kinda ridiculous. How do I know your recipients? Should I tell you all the things I'd love? Should I tell you everything I've chosen for others, and why? Should I make guesses at your situation?

No. 

Instead I can share my gift giving philosophy and give you some examples. 

Who should give gifts? Whoever wants to. I'm a firm believer in gift-giving being totally optional and not very expected. Let people who HATE buying gifts off the damn hook. Don't do it if you don't want to! There's probably some other way you prefer to demonstrate your love and appreciation.

Lately I've been trying to hone some homemaking skills that I can rely on and share with others. I'll be gifting some of my canned jelly and chutney this year. There's love in every jar. Maybe next year I'll get some beeswax candles going....

Left. Something tells me I might not get beeswax candles gift-worthy on my first try. Maybe I should make a beautiful mess anyway. Right. Chutney.

You're thinking, how the fuck do you expect me to have spent time making homemade gifts for people? A ha. Good point. If you need something easy to buy for an adult woman and you don't really know what this person wants or needs, go with a silk scarf (assuming non-veganhood). Everyone will love touching a silk scarf and they pack away to nothing. 

Polka dots, represent! These are so easy to find on Etsy. Left, Middle, Right.

Another thing I like to gift are cookbooks. I, and many others, love to read cookbooks. I like the ones with stories, with history, with anecdotes, with heart. If you know someone else who reads cookbooks and loves to cook (and eat), anything by Nigella Lawson is really nice. This is a real treat too. There are many, many good cookbooks out there. Whatever you do, don't buy "Cookies" from a Home Goods clearance aisle and then give that to someone who likes cookies. You can do better than that.

Assuming you don't know what to get someone, let's go over what NOT to get them:

(1) Artwork and things expected to be left out in the house. Unless you're really informed about someone's desires, don't force something on them that they are expected to hang and use or look at. [I totally disregard this rule with my herb wreath, below.] It's too much pressure. A person should feel free to surround themselves with whatever appeals to them. 

(2) Things for the hands. Nonadjustable rings and gloves are very tricky. I avoid them. 

(3) Gift certificates to random places. I do not want 40 dollars to Macaroni Grill. In my experience, GC's can work as long as you (a) know the recipient frequents that place, and (b) pair them with something of that nature (like a Lush product, catalog, and GC, or some packable lightweight grocery bags with a GC to Trader Joe's). This shows thoughtfulness. 

(4) Anything big. If it may be a mistake, don't make it a big one. Make it something easy to hide. Earrings are nice and small.

In general I like to give people things they probably won't buy themselves because it's a little extravagant. It's not expensive, like that 16 dollar bottle of heavenly wine, but it's more than we're able to spend on ourselves regularly. So it's a treat. It's above and beyond but still highly affordable. It's that 4 dollar bar of phenomenal chocolate. It's that amazingly fragrant and gorgeous herb wreath. Gifts from this category, gifts of treats, make great host/hostess gifts.

Wreath - hmmmm, how about a homemade herb wreath? Wine - last time I had Estancia (a Duo) my mouth was very happy. They sell some at my TJ's. Chocolate, the really really really good kind.

I should add a disclaimer here that I'm not an expert gift giver. I've given some bad gifts in my time.. mostly due to overthinking instead of underthinking, I think. One time I actually gave a loved one Tupperware. Seriously. 

Regardless of food storage mishaps, I do know what the best gifts are. The best gifts showed you were listening 5 months ago. When your friend complained that this wallpaper was giving her lust-mares, and how her organic cotton flour sack tea towels were the bomb, you were listening. When he said, "There's no good vermouth you can buy!" and "I think we could fit a deep fryer right here," you were listening.

Left, tea towel of my dreams. I love you, towel. Middle, two of many options for organic flour sack tea towels. Right, useful and unique kitchen apron.

And that's my overall gift giving philosophy.