How to Be a Gifting Guru

It’s almost that time of year where we are actually allowed to embrace Christmas in all its glory. *sprinkles fake snow* While it may be unacceptable to some to even acknowledge the festive season until we mark off the first week in December in our diaries, there is no harm in being prepared. If you have yet to buy a Christmas card, I’ve got some magical ideas so you can up your game and give everyone a hint of gift giving envy this year.

Don’t Scrimp on Cards 

Christmas cards can sometimes be an afterthought but I think a gorgeous card is just as important as the gift itself. A few kind words are always welcomed especially at Christmas. There really is something wonderful about gift giving and it really is one of my best skills. Contrary to popular belief, there is an art to glamorous gift giving and I love nothing more than seeing that look of delight on a person’s face when they receive a beautifully wrapped gift. So where to start? The easiest place to start is with a stunning selection of Christmas cards. I have the same go-to brands that I buy each year and they never fail to disappoint. First up is Five Dollar Shake, I couldn’t write a post on how to be a gifting guru without including one of my all-time favourite card brands. Giving cards is one of my favourite things and even if you aren’t giving someone a gift, a festive card is guaranteed to make them smile. You can find a superb selection of Five Dollar Shake card packs here.

My second go-to brand is Counting Stars. If you like cards with playful messages that are pretty yet comical, their Christmas card collection is your first port of call.

Take a Gift Wrapping Course

I love wrapping. I just love how you can make just about anything look beautiful no matter how small the gift.  Last Tuesday I toddled off to Hotel Du Vin in Harrogate and had the pleasure of spending the day learning some fancy gift wrapping techniques with Jane Means. Now Jane is known as the original gift wrapping guru so who better to learn from? She has worked with some of the most incredible brands and I have to say the course was more fun than I ever imagined. We learned all sorts of new things from how to wrap a box perfectly to whipping up all kinds of bows. Those of you expecting gifts from me this year, prepare to be amazed.

The course was surprisingly hands on and we got to try lots of things under the watchful eye of an expert. We even learned how to make a gift bag from wallpaper. *smug face* It turns out that double sided tape has other uses than to hold your boobs in your Christmas party dress. It comes in super handy when making a gift wrapped box look absolutely perfect. I took in so much throughout the day and we even got a DVD to take away with us so we can refresh our memories before wrapping up all of our gifts. Here’s my first attempt. Fancy huh? My advice? Add bells! They make any gift look beautiful.

By far the most useful part of the course was learning to wrap those awkwardly shaped items. (Champagne bottles, I’m looking at you). If you want to attend a course, or buy a course as a gift for someone this year (ORIGINAL GIFT ALERT) you can find all of the information you need here. There’s also a lovely book that covers all of Jane’s best techniques that would make a superb gift for a crafter or someone who loves to be creative when wrapping gifts. I want to say a huge thank you to Jane for having me on the course, she is truly an inspirational lady.

Include something edible

Aren’t the best gifts usually the ones you can eat? I love receiving those fancy boxes of biscuits that you would never buy for yourself or buying the fancy tins that make any get-together seem that little bit more extra special. For sweet treats during the festive season, head to Biscuiteers. If you are going to a festive gathering at a friend’s or family member’s house this Christmas, surprise the host with a Nutcracker tin. It’s brimming with festive iced biscuits and it doesn’t get much more christmassy than If you subscribe to their email list you get £5 off your first purchase.

What are your top gifting tips?