The Month of Gifts

It seems like all the best people are born in March or April, because I've found myself out and about buying gift after gift for friends, family and colleagues. Do you find there's a month you have to give more birthday gifts? Maybe we're some how bizarrely attracted to people born in those months, if we're the common factor? Anyway, lots of buying. Of course I spread the spend and buy suitable gifts throughout the year but sometimes seasonal stock is just more appropriate for the recipient in question.

I picked up this really rather gorgeous Caroline Gardner writing set for my lovely mother in law's birthday and the pattern is just so beautiful, I'm almost tempted to go back to Harriet & Dee (in Didsbury, Manchester) to buy another one for myself.

Ah lambies. I love lambing season - anyone else a huge fan of Lambing Live on the BBC? My friend and I are thoroughly glued to the screen every year so it seemed only right to buy her this beautiful white lamb necklace from Finest Imaginary. How gorgeous is THAT?

One of my favourite ways to give gifts is in the form of a hamper or gift basket. I collect together small (and usually individually cheap) themed items, wrap them up nicely and bundle them into a cheap basket from a charity shop or bootsale.

My friend Rebecca, an iPhone addict recently turned 25 so I made up a little hamper of iPhone themed goodies. I know they're not the most frugal of objects but she loves hers (and I mine) and making up personalised hampers always feel so special even if the contents are actually quite cheap. I packed the hamper with iPhone gloves, iTunes vouchers, a couple of different iPhone coloured cases which you can pick up for around £2 including p&p here and a Cath Kidston gadget case. My little basket of gadget geekery was very well received

By the way, I've just spotted Cath Kidston have 15% off code which runs until 8am tomorrow (31/03/12), just enter 'EGGS' at the checkout

This blue ring was from Novica, which is a is a bit like Etsy or Folksy, featuring talented artists throughout the world making and selling accessories, homeware and scores of other beautiful things. I was given a credit to buy something so I could try out the service. I selected a silver and chalcedony ring made my an artisan called Bhavesh from India.

The piece itself is so beautifully made and interesting to look at that my friend has since claimed it as her own and more or less forced me into giving it to her as her 30th birthday present. The ring was beautifully presented in a pretty box and Bhavesh even sent a postcard from India.  I only became aware of Novica when they contacted me but since then I've spent hours on the site looking at the beautiful items the artisans from across the world have created. I'm even contemplating buying Mr Thrifty some cufflinks for his 30th, which do you like the best?

In a local charity shop I picked up a set of 6 1970s plastic jars for a friend, although I'm sorely tempted to keep them for myself. I shan't, I shan't. I actually wrote a post about giving second hand gifts last year, what do you think of second hand gifts? Or even, a separate issue, regifting an item you've been given?
As to the vintage jars, I'll be filling them cupcake cases and sprinkles and adding in a cookery book and homemade apron because my friend is somewhat of a baking fiend.


TTFN,

P.S. Which month do you find yourself buying a squillion presents?

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