Holiday Gifting How-To

Gift guides are my specialty, but I’ll admit—holiday gifting is an entirely different ballgame. The real challenge comes with the sheer number of people on the recipient list this time of year. From kids, teachers, delivery drivers, and the like, you don’t want anyone to miss out on the holiday cheer. If your list seems to grow by the minute, don’t stress—I’ve got you covered. I’ve put together guides for just about everyone, including the furry friends in your life, as well as an insight into my thought process when shopping for different groups of people. And if you’re more of a visual person, you can browse all of our 2024 gift guides right here. Wishing you a joyful, stress-free holiday season!

At this time of year, multiple rooms are typically taken over by pretty gift wrap supplies. Take a peek at this post if you’re in need of tips on how to organize your gifting area!

How to Shop For Holiday Gifts, Depending on the Person

For Her

Shopping for the ladies in your life, whether it’s your mom, sister, friend, or colleague, is arguably the most difficult. My biggest tip is to think about gifts that you would love to receive. If roles were reversed, and you were opening a gift from this person, what would bring you the most joy? Go with that, while keeping their interests in mind. Really, it’s like shopping for yourself – and that, we can all do well!

For Him

Shopping for him is pretty straightforward. Zero in on his hobbies and, et voila, you have a whole suite of gifts to choose from. Whether it’s golf, cooking, skiing, reading, etc. men love to make a certain interest their whole personality. Focus your gifting on this and he will be happy!

For Littles

When it comes to our littles, it’s key to focus on trends. The importance of this will vary with age, but as they get older, what’s the most popular with their peers seems to become more important. This doesn’t mean you always have to get them the latest and greatest, but it’s a good place to start if you’re stumped.

For Neighbors

Depending on how close you are with your neighbors, the hobbies rule that we used for men can also apply here. If there’s one topic that you tend to talk about in passing, getting them a related gift is a nice nod to friendship. And, if you know next to nothing about them, you can never go wrong with pretty homeware!

For Teachers

Teachers have one of the hardest jobs out there. Focusing on practical, but cute gifts is my approach. Thank them for caring for your littles with something they can use every day – but try to make it pretty.

For Pups

Gifts for pups are really just gifts for us, after all. I love to use the holidays as an excuse to restock on essentials but in a pretty way. Either way, your furry friends will be happy as long as treats are involved.

Within Budget

If you’re trying to stick to a budget this year, I’ve put together a list of finds that are under $100 and another list that is under $30. Neither list compromises on either beauty or quality!