Party givers will be pleased with these tasteful offerings
When you arrive, show appreciation with thoughtful treats
Our social calendars at this time of year tend to be more packed than throughout the other seasons.
It’s time for the annual juggling of recitals, parties, endless indulging and shopping. There’s a magic to these gettogethers, whether we’re celebrating with family, friends or both. So as you’re dashing through the snow — or whatever Mother Nature has decided on for the weather — you don’t want to be making last-minute decisions about what to bring for the host. A little thoughtful planning can ensure you present a lovely token to whoever is doing the entertaining.
“No matter the type of celebration, it’s always nice to show up with something special for the host/ess,” says Etsy trend expert Dayna Isom Johnson. While wine is a reliable standby, Isom Johnson recommends personalizing it to make it memorable.
“One of this year’s hottest giftwrapping trends on Etsy is furoshiki,” she says. “Discover beautifully printed fabric that can sometimes be personalized with monograms or custom sayings to present your bottle of wine in a modernized and ecofriendly way.”
For last-minute events, store a little extra fabric, so you can pull it out in a pinch. This is a lovely handmade touch that can also wrap homemade gifts, from ornaments to edible offerings, such as preserves, cookies or chocolate.
When shopping for your gifts this year, Isom Johnson recommends considering what your hosts love to do in their spare time.
“Your gift should reflect their personality or something unique about them,” she explains. Think about their hobbies, from travelling, reading and cooking, to gardening and artistic pursuits, such as painting and crafting. Or what they love to eat or drink when you’re together. If you’re unsure of their recreational pursuits, a little sleuthing on their Facebook pages (if you’re friends, of course) or Instagram accounts should help reveal some clues.
One of Isom Johnson’s favourite holiday gift trends this year is unplugged activities.
“Today we all spend so much of our time on our phones and other devices that we can sometimes forget to awaken our creativity,” she says. “Options, like DIY coasters, kimchi cooking sets and terrarium kits are great ways to say thank you and perhaps even something everyone can do together.” Some other trends Isom Johnson is seeing on Etsy include pet and family portraits. From July to September, there has been a 51 per cent increase in searches for “pet portraits” and a 93 per cent increase for “family portraits” versus the same span of time last year. This means people are searching for artists who will add their own customized spin to a portrait, perhaps a watercolour painting of a furry family member or a cross stitched family photo. “These are wonderful examples of a personalized gift that would certainly wow your host/ess,” she says.
Whatever you choose, the hosts will know that you thought of them and the effort they’ve put into assembling and entertaining their favourite people.