Some
of you early birds are scratching gift purchases off your Christmas list left
and right, and some will wait a little closer to the 25th of
December. But we all find ourselves in
the same boat at one point or another: what to get for the special people in
our lives. Everyone has different
tastes, and our knowledge of our gift recipients’ likes varies. It’s nice to have a go-to list of things that
can express our joy of sharing during the holiday season without feeling like
the gift you give will go unused. Here
is one such classic list, just short, simple, and sweet:
White Dishes – Timeless, easy, and beautiful on any table, white
dishes are a staple for the dining table.
Whether they are for your mom, aunt, or the hostess in your circle of
friends, white dishes are pretty fool-proof in the gift giving department. Dinner plates, salad plates, cereal bowls,
small appetizer plates, and serving platters and bowls can be used for any
number of occasions right along with everyday meals. Wrap them up, and watch her mouth water when
it’s present opening time.
Framed Mirrors – Picking out wall art for someone else may lead you
to a hit or a miss. Go with that concept
without the specifics of selecting a design.
Choose a medium size or a few smaller framed mirrors to gift
instead. Stick to a classic frame in a
metallic, wood, or neutral painted finish.
Let your recipients reflect their own décor style back at them in the
shiny surfaces.
Serving Trays – Clear acrylic or melamine rectangles, as well as
stainless steel rounds, make great materials for a pretty serving tray. They may accent someone’s bar area for
glasses, foyer table for mail, coffee table for magazines, or holiday buffet
for appetizers, and they are impartial enough to mix with any number of
personal styles.
Glass – Your sister may love a new vase for her centerpiece, the socialite
in your group may appreciate a set of champagne flutes, or grandma may enjoy an
aromatic candle in a glass cylinder.
Glass is another timeless material that comes in a countless array of
forms and makes a gift you can tailor multiple ways to personalize for any
nametag under your tree.
Gift Cards – Impersonal?
I say no. You’re giving the gift
of selection, and that can be made incredibly personal by the card you
choose. Give a gift card to a store we
don’t have locally to give someone something special with more variety and an
opportunity to shop online or while on a trip.
Or give a credit card gift card, essentially a pre-paid debit card, that
could be used at any store that accepts that kind of plastic. You can tailor your choice – a book store
card to the reader, a kitchen store card to the cook, a coffee gift card to the
latte sipper – or you can offer up a general opportunity to shop-and-swipe.
Put
a little thought into how you can turn gifts that could fit just about anyone
into presents that both excite when they’re opened and get put to great use
because they’re loved. Aren’t you a
smart Santa?
DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star November 10th.
