A Guide to Good Gifting
Friends of Smythson share their rather clever tips for effortless gifting.
Sometimes, choosing a satisfying gift is a cinch. If you’re lucky enough, your giftee has been dropping not-so-surreptitious hints in the lead up to the big day. Or perhaps you thought of a brilliant idea months ago and you cleverly noted it down (how very forward-thinking of you!).
Other times, you might find the occasion in question looming perilously close in your diary, and all you’re feeling is well and truly baffled.
If you’ve found yourself in the latter camp, don’t despair. With a little help from a few of our friends, we’ve gathered together a trio of tips and tricks to get those cogs turning...
Find Your Gifting Signature
‘My Christmas presents very often have something to do with cats, or have a connection to them. They are always accompanied by one of my Smythson Christmas cards (of cats too!).’ - Grace Coddington
Think of it as creating a little gifting tradition of your own. Carving out your own gifting signature that you turn to will not only elicit a knowing smile from your recipient, it’ll ease that dreaded decision fatigue and make your gift shopping feel less overwhelming and more of a means of self expression. Perhaps you have a penchant for charmingly practical objects, a particular shade of blue (who, us?), or like Grace Coddington, a certain four-legged friend. The key is to embrace your eccentricities and let them shine through.
Think Smarter, Not Harder
‘My boyfriend gave me a pen with forest green ink. It made me love journalling and writing notes even more. It’s a gift I probably wouldn’t have bought myself that brings me so much joy every day.’ - Fiona Leahy
It’s counterintuitive but we can assure you it’s true – the best gift ideas often hide in plain sight. The trick is to take note of your recipient’s passion or pastime and find a piece that’ll make it even more of a joy. A special notebook or a smart new pen for the fastidious notetaker like Fiona; a watch box for a the timepiece enthusiast; or if they enjoy a good drop, a leather-bound cellar book to keep track of their burgeoning bottle stash. The answer is usually already there, all you have to do is look.
Add a Dash of Personality
‘A Christmas gift I’ll never forget was an exquisite antique lacquer and mother of pearl chair, with paper wrapped around each delicate leg, seat and back so it was like a wrapping paper skin. The chair was clearly a chair, but I had no idea how beautiful it would be inside.’ - Henrietta Lovell
If your gift could give a look, this would be the twinkle in its eye. Once you’ve found something you know they’ll love, think about adding an unexpected flourish, whether it’s a curious wrapping technique á la Henrietta’s friend or, as is our calling card here at Smythson, a touch of personalisation. For the classicist, you can never go wrong with adding their initials in timeless gold or silver leaf. For those more extroverted characters, look to our tongue-in-cheek motifs, oversized fonts and colourful foils to add an exuberant twist.