Holiday gift guides are angering me this year. Maybe it's just not my year, but giving gifts to people with plenty has never struck me as more absurd. Give to a local or international charity. Plan and do an activity together, like a hike or craft project. But give people future crap? This must be avoided.
That being said, we all know I am an arbiter of
style. Therefore allow me to share with you what would not at all be future crap in my home. Behold, the
Dots 2015 gift guide. The theme is simply
Things I Want (
but don't need, really truly, but would love).
1. Art supplies
I'm an artist. We all should practice saying that because it's true. It's hard to say out loud, of course, because I don't produce anything of note outside of
wonky ceramics and this blog. Friends and family wouldn't even word match "Eve" with "Artist", but who cares! What's my medium? Umm...
If there's an undersupplied artist in your life, here's what you do. Assess what art they like and want to make. It's likely they have a few artists that they follow in some way. For me this boils down to illustrators, painters, pattern-makers, and ceramic artists. Then get the materials that those established artists are using. This information is in every blog FAQ known to man.
Here's one I have bookmarked from illustrator, Lisa Congdon. I still don't know what gouache is. I would love anything on her list or in the image above from
Dangerdust.
2. Continuing education
If you want to spend a lot of money on me, buy me
Photoshop. If any of my artistic dreams were to come true, I'd need to learn how to use it. My resume is blank without it. I also want to learn how to speak Spanish, both because I live in California and because it would make my resume glow, so tools in that direction would be great. All this resume talk is not what Santa ordered, I know, but expensive things don't buy themselves!
What new things would be useful for your loved ones to learn? (Who said compassion and listening? I heard that!) I'm speaking in a professional sense, but this applies rather broadly. The hazard is that you give people too much pressure to carry through with it. Sometimes looking at that unopened Rosetta Stone box is worse for your psyche than not having it at all. Tread carefully.
3. Hair combs (AKA hair forks)
For some reason I'm very drawn to these. I think I could pull off a simple one. Is there some throw-back, formerly common but now unique thing your loved one has mentioned being drawn to? Someone I know said he was drawn to suspenders. He has no suspenders. If I get him a pair, guess who's now a good listener? Yep. Me. Wins all around.
4. Subscription services
 |
| Happy Mail stationary subscription from A Beautiful Mess. |
Whether online or physical, subscription services give and give all year long. I would love the
Happy Mail stationary subscription that A Beautiful Mess offers. Surely I wouldn't love every card and item received, but the value still seems good. And it would encourage me to reach out to friends more.
And lastly, I would love a subscription to
Creative Bug. It's a place to learn how to do crafty things without surfing YouTube. I've enjoyed the free classes I've watched.
One caveat - I love to get things in my mailbox. Packages, however, I'm never home to receive. They can't be left outside where I live, which means a personal trip to the post office is required each time I get one. The moral of the story is that I don't want a monthly wine subscription, even though I really do.
5. Gourmet edibles
I have these wonderful friends who let me stay in their guest room many nights this year, saving me at least $800 in hotel fare. Inspired by a
20% discount, I'm getting them a collection of edible treats as a thank you gift. The holidays, I feel, are the perfect time to catch up on thank you gifts. This couple wouldn't normally be on my gift list, but this year, owing to this belated thank you, I'm sending them a collection of "
boozy goodies" from Mouth. Who doesn't love (prohibitively expensive for every day) gourmet edibles?
(edited to add.. If your parents are like mine, you may see this stuff two years from now in the back of their fridge or in cupboards. Don't buy this for those people.)
6. Your favorite children's book
If we're friends, I probably like you. I probably like something in your core - something forged long long ago, like from the fire of bedtime reading. At my core you'll find
The Big Orange Splot and
But No Elephants. I find myself giving these books to the kids I love, but I'm really giving these to the whole family. I don't have kids, but I still think it'd be so tender and sweet if anyone gifted me their favorite children's book. Reading a children's book at the end of a tough day is centering. It only takes a few minutes and I don't need my reading glasses. Just seeing mine makes me feel good. Sadly, this is probably not a good gift for anyone struggling to get pregnant.
7. Houseplants
Again, not for everyone. Plants stress some people out. But anyone who owns many plants probably wants more, and
you doing the dirty work of buying one, carefully getting it home, repotting it, delivering it... well that there is the gift of love (and air purity). Just make sure whatever you choose is not going to
harm their pets.
