It’s hard to believe that Christmas is less than three weeks away! We love how the holidays bring family and friends together, but we know that gift shopping can be a bit stressful, which is why we decided to have a little fun and create mini gift guides in hopes of giving you some helpful gift ideas. I asked some of my colleagues to participate in creating a gift guide that reflects their distinct interests, and I have to say, we got some rather different and off-the-wall results. Take a peek at what they came up with and see if we cracked the code for any of your harder-to-shop-for friends!
The Creative
1. Irojiten Colored Pencils 2. The Goldfinch 3. Mark Rothko 4. Wall Art 5. Moleskin Sketchbook 6. Pantone Thermo Cup 7. Vintage Terrarium
These gifts were hand picked by a creative mind herself and whether you’re shopping for a painter, a writer, or any other appreciator of fine arts, these picks are sure to be a great gift. Her first pick – Irojiten colored pencils. Irojiten actually means “color encyclopedia” in Japanese and these beautiful selections of colors certainly live up to the name. Her next picks include two books – Mark Rothko: The Decisive Decade 1940-1950 which is dedicated to Rothko’s art, and The Goldfinch – a Pulitzer Prize winning fiction novel about a boy who is drawn to a particular piece of art after losing his mother in an accident. Next on her list includes a portable sketchbook for creativity on-the-go, a vintage terrarium, framed wall art, and a pretty Pantone thermo cup because nothing helps get the creative juices flowing quite like coffee in a pretty mug.
The New Mom
1. Floral Scarf 2. Gallery Frames 3. Locket 4. Keepsake Box
Beau-coup’s newest mom (and our resident photographer!) chose the sweetest keepsake gifts. She loves the idea of gallery frames to share the most special moments in the life of her new baby and her growing family. Another sentimental keepsake, this engraved silver photo box is perfect for storing her favorite snaps of the baby, and any other special trinkets for safe-keeping. The third item in this collection is a beautiful engraved keepsake locket. You can engrave the inside with baby’s name, birthday, or any other special message, so you always keep baby close to your heart. Her last pick for any new mom is a pretty and comfortable scarf – every mom deserves to be stylish!
The Cute-Animal-Loving Gamer
1. Winnie The Pooh Tsum Tsum 2. Plush Koala Blanket 3. “Too Early” T-shirt 4. Dungeon Petz Board Game 5. Evolution Board Game
Whether it’s a T-shirt, a board game, a pillow, or a blanket, any gift can become more personal if you cater to the person’s interests. In the case of our engineer who curated this list, the perfect choice for any gift is to go with the cute animal! The first two picks on his list are the Winnie-the-Pooh Tsum Tsum plush and a plush koala blanket – both soft, adorable, and perfect for his young son (or a grown man who’s really into cute critters). Since he’s also a gamer, he picked a couple of board games, and a funny T-shirt, both staying with the same theme, of course.
The Crafty Blogger
1. Interchangeable Cord (36 inches) 2. Interchangeable Cord (16 inches) 3. Bamboo Interchangeable Circular Knitting Needles 4. Compact Tripod 5. Kate Spade Polka Dot Notebook 6. Paper Pad
For anyone who loves to craft, and to share her projects too, this gift list created by a resident crafty blogger, is just what you need. Her first pick is a variety of knitting needles perfect for creating chunky beanies, scarves, and other accessories. Next on the list is a compact and sturdy tripod – a tool that definitely comes in handy when you’re looking to record and share your creations. Her last two items include this paper pad full of pretty assorted crafting paper which can be used for a variety of projects and a Kate Spade polka dot notebook for writing down any and all ideas and thoughts.
The Disney Addict
1. The Art of the Disney Golden Books 2. Rapunzel Bangle 3. Castle Chalkboard 4. Dopey Mug 5. 101 Dalmations DVD 6. Star Wars Rings 7. Disney Dish Towels
As an adult who still very much loves Mickey Mouse and all of his friends, I love being able to show off my love for Disney without coming off as childish. My first pick is The Art of the Disney Golden Books – which includes a collection of the artwork from some of my favorite childhood books. Next up are a few of my favorite Disney kitchen items. I love how pretty these white and blue dish towels are. They perfectly include the castle and Mickey while still looking sophisticated. Same goes for this chalkboard. I would love to write down my grocery list on it. My last kitchen item is this Dopey mug – it’s so cute! And I love that it includes original sketches all the way around. Next on my list is subtle jewelry, like this Rapunzel bangle and Star Wars rings. My last pick is 101 Dalmatians on DVD – my favorite movie as a child which I continue to love watching no matter how old I become. It’s easy to find gifts for any Disney lover, no matter what age they may be!
The Giver/Family Man
1. Pig in a Blanket 2. Little Owl Personalized Bath Robe 3. Personalized Beer Growler 4. Personalized Throw Pillow 5. Personalized Children’s Umbrella
Last but definitely not least, we have our gift guide from a guy I’m calling The Giver/Family Man. Instead of listing gifts he wanted for himself, this coworker shared beloved gifts that he recommends, and has actually given to his family and friends. What a sweet gesture, and some very thoughtful gifts! For little ones, his list includes this adorable, personalized Pig in a Blanket set which he gave to his niece’s for her first Christmas, a personalized umbrella for his niece who lives in Seattle (she never leaves the house without it!), and for this Christmas, a personalized owl bathrobe for his cousin’s new baby. He also included this Personalized Growler Set which he says was the perfect gift for his brother who’s away at school – sturdy and able to survive dorm life unscratched. His last gift is this personalized throw pillow for his “hard-to-shop-for” parents. He says the subtle variety of colors looks beautiful in their home.
Do you find gift guides to be helpful when shopping for others? Did you see an item here that you can’t wait to gift? We would love to hear from you so please feel free to leave a comment below. Happy Holidays!
