It’s the week before the holidays and you realize you haven’t gotten any gifts. You open up your computer ready to shop and stare at the blinking cursor for too long before you realize you have no ideas. This would have been you, but you knew better than to start the pointless journey of trying to find a gift that in the end you are not proud of. Instead, you headed to Inklings News and found this article. I’d say I’m pretty good at giving gifts. The key is to listen and remember the small things people say they like or want. Here are some of my ideas!
Instead, you headed to Inklings News and found this article. I’d say I’m pretty good at giving gifts. The key is to listen and remember the small things people say they like or want. — Avery Michalowski ’26
Your mom, who says she likes everything, is lying. But I think I’ve cracked the code on what to actually get her: personalized stationery to get her back for making you write thank you cards for every birthday or event. But seriously, it’s a really nice personal gift that she will actually use. I recommend Etsy and Paper Source, both easy and affordable.
Your dad may always ask for socks, but he actually wants good, high quality coffee. Again, this is something he will use everyday. My favorite kind of gifts to give are practical ones, but leveled up. Some nice brands are Ralph’s Coffee, Cafe Grumpy and Chamberlain Coffee. But I guess if he doesn’t like coffee, a heated toilet seat will suffice.
For your sister, who loves to bake and cook, a sourdough starter kit is perfect. From personal experience (aka three failed attempts), it is very hard to make your own sourdough starter but making bread is so much fun. So, this Ballerina Farm kit is the perfect way to spark a delicious, bread baking journey. Plus this kit comes with everything they could possibly need. It is a little more pricey but personally, I think it is worth it and includes so many tools that will last forever.
For your brother, who has too much athleisure and paraphernalia for his favorite team, get him a pair of headphones. My favorite are the Bose Quiet Comfort bluetooth noise canceling headphones. Perfect for someone who loves to listen to music or podcasts during the day. Or even for schoolwork, studying and more.
For your aunt, who can’t receive another pair of mittens, a high quality perfume is perfect. This gift is my personal favorite because it is so specialized to the person you’re giving it to and if you really try to find the perfect scent to match the person, it is a very thoughtful gift. A nice perfume is something people don’t typically want to buy for themselves, but they would definitely use if they had it— which makes it the perfect gift. I recommend Bianco Latte or any Replica perfume.
For your uncle who has a green thumb, a plant hydration meter. This one sounds niche (and it kind of is) but if you know someone who loves their plants this tool is a game changer. It is a really thoughtful thing to give because it shows you know what they are interested in or passionate about.
Good luck on your holiday gifting journey, I hope this helped!
