Quick and Meaningful Gift Ideas

December’s Blog: Quick and Meaningful Gift Ideas

December arrived so quickly here in Zelienople, but The Perfect Piece has been decked out for the holidays since October! We started pining for festive trees, snowflakes, and seasonal gnomes early, and our staff has been brainstorming gift ideas ever since. We know not everyone plans for Christmas in October, so don’t fret if you haven’t started your decorating or gift shopping yet– we’re here, prepared, and more than happy to help!

Most Loved and Most Gifted Ideas

For Family

A key gifting goal to keep in mind when shopping is to lean into the meaningful, especially for family friends. Finding the perfect gift for each family member will make their holidays that much brighter. We have noticed some trends at The Perfect Piece this year for holiday gifting, and we’d love to share them with you.

Holiday servingware has been an incredibly popular gifting item for hosts of large, regular gatherings. Maybe grandma whips up a Christmas feast for the entire family, or a sibling hosts an annual Christmas Eve gift swap with cousins. Platters, sectioned serving dishes, and servingware sets make perfect gifts for those regular holiday hosts. For host gifts on a budget, consider a cute set of salt and pepper shakers or serving utensils to help tie together the holiday servingware they already have.

Do you have a family member who insists on wearing pajamas or sweats and is constantly buried beneath a blanket? Soft seasonal pillows, blankets, and throws make cozy and functional gifts. Do you need ideas for traveling family members? Consider consumables like holiday toffee, jams, and small candles that will travel well and take up minimal car or luggage space. Are you shopping for a younger relative living in college housing or a sibling downsizing to a condo? A wax melter with scented melts is a practical gift that brings coziness to tight spaces safely. 

For Friends

If you plan on gathering with a group of friends for the holidays, try to keep gifts relatively equal in thoughtfulness and price. Matching items make great group gifts and can range from tea towels with humorous phrases to custom ornaments. Picking an ornament theme like “woodland critters” and purchasing a fox, a deer, and a cardinal ornament for individual friends could make for a cute, well-coordinated group gift. Not every ornament needs to be the same, but the quality and price point of each should be similar. Purchasing a full set of mugs or coasters and gifting one to each of your friends is also a great way for them to keep part of the set and think about the group fondly when using either.

Coworkers & Anonymous Gift Pools

Gifts for coworkers should follow the same rules as gifts for friends, meaning they should be relatively similar in quality and price. While you might seek out gifts with off color humor for friends, avoid purchasing gifts for coworkers with specific humor or bold colors. Scented items can be purchased for coworkers to use at home, but such items should largely stay out of shared workspaces. Custom pens with small notepads make easy matching gifts for office coworkers. Holiday zip code ornaments reflecting your workplace location can be appreciated by everyone regardless of their home location. For coworkers on the go, a key ring or neutral thermos will prove useful in all sorts of spaces. 

The Tough to Shop for

While we’re talking about gifting, let’s recognize a universal truth: we have at least one person on our list who is consistently difficult to shop for. This person might be downsizing or not need any more physical objects taking up space in their home. Practical and consumable items can be kept in mind when browsing for these gift recipients on your list. Maybe the personalized cutting board you gave last year could benefit from a scented salve and brush this year, or the person whose house always smells amazing needs their candle supply restocked. Gifts equal parts purposeful and thoughtful can always be appreciated, even by the people on your list who seem to have everything.

Feel free to stop into The Perfect Piece and ask questions, brainstorm, and explore with our staff. Whether it’s for Christmas, an anniversary, or another special occasion, we’re always willing to help you find the perfect gift. While you are here, check out all the fun things happening in Zelienople and Butler County this season. Miracle on Main is coming up in just a few days and it’s just the beginning for our December activities. Check out local business social media pages for all the festive fun.