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Is Regifting OK?

Regifting

This is a bit of a touchy topic… Is regifting OK or does it make you a horrible person? I’m not completely against the idea, but if you’re going to do it, it needs to be done right or there could be tears!

Regifting
In a situation where you get identical gifts from different people, I definitely think it’s ok to regift one of them to someone who would appreciate it. There’s really no point you having two of the same thing (unless it’s bottles of wine!) And as you still have one of them, both recipients can still see you appreciating the gift they chose for you.
I have occasionally regifted in other situations, but I must admit I do feel a bit guilty about it. It was kind of the person to give me a gift and it feels slightly ungrateful to regift it. But if it’s something I really don’t want or need, then is it really so bad to give it to someone else who would like to have it? And presumably that person doesn’t know you very well (or doesn’t care) if they got you something you don’t like…

I guess it’s a matter of weighing up the pros and cons in each situation…

Pros of regifting

  • The gift will (hopefully) end up with someone who actually appreciates it.
  • You don’t need to find somewhere to store something you’ll never use.
  • It can help you declutter if you have a stash of unopened and unwanted gifts lying around.
  • It’s better than throwing it away (though perhaps you could donate it to a charity shop instead?)
  • It can save you some time and money (but this isn’t really a good enough reason on its own!)

Cons of regifting

  • It is a little bit deceitful as you’re unlikely to be honest with the original gift giver (and maybe not even with the new recipient).
  • It’s not going to be as personal as something you’ve chosen for that person yourself.
  • If the person who first gave it to you finds out, it’s going to be embarrassing at best, the end of a friendship at worst!
via Giphy

What’s OK to regift?

Are some things more acceptable to regift than others? I definitely think so.

I personally think it’s OK to regift books, booze and bath and beauty products. There are certain smells I really can’t stomach in a bath product but that another friend might love, so it makes sense to give it to that friend. I also think things for the home, like candles or glassware, are usually fine.

Things that I believe shouldn’t be regifted are handmade or personalised gifts, heirlooms or sentimental items. But you might think differently and I won’t judge you! πŸ˜

Some tips

If you decide that it’s OK to regift, then here are some tips to help you avoid any embarrassment. They’re not really rules (you can obviously decide for yourself what’s OK and what’s not), just some guidelines to consider…

  • Never regift within the same circle of friends or family unless you’re going to be honest with both the original gift giver and the new recipient.
  • Only regift brand new items that are still in perfect condition – giving something that you’ve used is probably a step too far…
  • It’s probably also not very good form to give away handmade or personalised gifts.
  • Don’t regift something that was given to someone else in your household without permission.
  • Check the original box and packaging for any clues that it was originally gifted to you, e.g. any notes or cards inside the box, anything written inside the cover of a book, some of the original wrapping paper still attached with tape…
  • Perhaps put some extra effort into the gift wrapping and get an extra special greeting card to make up for the fact that you didn’t spend any money on the gift.
  • Make sure it is something that the new recipient really wants. Is it something you would have bought for that person if you didn’t have one available? Put some thought into it and don’t just give things away to any old person for the sake of it.
via Giphy

Alternatives

If regifting just doesn’t sit well with you, there are alternatives…

  • Keep it and use it only when the person who gave it to you is around.
  • Keep it and store it away somewhere.
  • Be particularly careless with it and hope it breaks!
  • If it’s something edible or drinkable that you don’t like, open it when other people are around so they can finish most of it.
  • Donate it to charity, homeless shelter or food bank.
  • Sell it. Though the only advantage of this over regifting is that the recipient won’t mind that you were originally given it as a gift.
  • Give it away but tell them it was originally a gift to you rather than packaging it up as though you bought it as a gift for them.
  • Give it back to the person who gave it to you. They’ll know you didn’t like it and won’t make the same mistake again. This alternative is only for the bravest!

Think about this: how would you feel if you were in the other person’s position? Would you be hurt or offended if someone regifted a gift you gave them? Or if you were the recipient of a regifted item, would you mind? If not then it’s probably OK for you to do it. But otherwise you might need to decide whether the guilt is worth it πŸ˜†

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Furoshiki Techniques for Eco Friendly Gift Wrapping

Furoshiki Techniques

Are you looking for more eco-friendly ways to wrap gifts? If so, using a furoshiki cloth is about as green as you can get. There are several different furoshiki techniques to suit a variety of gifts shapes and sizes, so it’s as versatile as it is environmentally friendly. And it looks beautiful!

Furoshiki techniques

What is Furoshiki?

Furoshiki refers to a type of traditional Japanese wrapping cloth. Although we’re talking about Furoshiki as a gift wrapping technique here, it’s original purpose was quite different. Fabric was used centuries ago to wrap imperial treasures to keep them safe while being stored. It was later used to describe the fabric used at communal bathing houses, where the fabric was used to bundle up belongings and as a mat. The literal translation of Furoshiki is ‘Bath-spread’ (Furo means Bathing and Shiki means Spread).

Later on Furoshiki cloths were used to protect wares during transportation by merchants and to protect and decorate gifts, and it has now become a popular way to wrap gifts not only in Japan but also around the world. It is also still sometimes used as a bag for carrying things around.

But you didn’t come here for a history lesson, did you? 😁

Furoshiki wrapping techniques

There are plenty of different ways to wrap gifts with a furoshiki cloth. The square piece of cloth can be plain or patterned, and can be made from silk, cotton, nylon or any other fabric which is not too stiff. Furoshiki cloths come in all sizes so can be used to wrap big or small gifts.

Basic Furoshiki technique

The basic Furoshiki technique is for wrapping a square or rectangular gift. Here’s a step by step guide to show you how to go about it:

Basic Furoshiki Technique
Basic Furoshiki Technique

  1. Place the gift diagonally in the centre of the cloth.
  2. Fold the cloth along the one side of the gift.
  3. Wrap the corner over the top of the gift.
  4. Tuck excess corner under the gift.
  5. Repeat on the other side.
  6. Fold one of the loose ends neatly over the top of the gift.
  7. Repeat on the other side.
  8. take the two corners of these loose ends and tie in a double knot, then arrange the knot nicely to look like a bow.

It might take a bit of practice to get steps 6. to 8. to look neat but you’ll soon get the hang of it. If you’re struggling to get the corners to tie a double knot then your Furoshiki cloth might be too small for the gift. The knot also creates a handy carrying handle!

If you’d rather watch a video of how to do this, here’s a good one:

You can also use this basic technique to experiment with a variety of different knots and tucking techniques for your own creative take on it.

Furoshiki techniques for bottles

Furoshiki is also great for wrapping bottles. Here’s a step by step guide to this technique:

Furoshiki Bottle Wrapping
Furoshiki Bottle Wrapping Technique

  1. Place the bottle in the middle of the cloth and left two diagonally opposite corners.
  2. Tie the corners in a double knot on the top of the bottle.
  3. Take the other two corners and wrap them in opposite directions around the middle of the bottle.
  4. Tie these corners in a double knot in the middle of the bottle.

It’s actually pretty easy but still looks very impressive!

You can also take a look at this video for three fancy ways to wrap two bottles at once using a Furoshiki cloth.
Give these Furoshiki techniques a go to wrap both boxes and bottles. You can adapt them and experiment to create your own beautiful gift packaging.

You can get Furoshiki cloths on Etsy, Amazon and plenty of other online places – here’s a gorgeous reversible one from Etsy:

48cm Isa Monyo Reversible Furoshiki | Japanese Apricot Blue/Beige
48cm Isa Monyo Reversible Furoshiki

(Just so you know, this is an affiliate link so if you click &buy I’ll get a small commission, but it won’t cost you anything.)
In traditional Japanese culture the Furoshiki cloth is always returned to the gift giver so it can be reused so it’s the ultimate eco-friendly gift wrapping. Feel a bit cheeky asking for it back? They’re unlike to throw the cloth away and they can reuse it for all sorts of things. You might even inspire the recipient to wrap their next gift to someone in it! Let’s make it a thing πŸ˜ƒ

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Gifts for Music Lovers

Gifts for music lovers

It’s no secret that I’m a huge music fan – I’m really missing being able to go to gigs during this pandemic (thought I do realise this is such a small thing compared to what a lot of people are going through). I also have quite a few friends who are just as music obsessed as I am, so this week I thought I’d write a blog post with ideas for gifts for music lovers.

Gifts for music lovers
Just so you know, this post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and buy I may get a small commission, but it won’t cost you anything.

Gifts for drummers

This wooden clock can be personalised if you fancy

Drummer wooden clock
Drummer wooden clock

Or how about one of these water bottles?

Best drummer ever water bottle
Best drummer ever water bottle

In my head water bottle for drummer
In my head water bottle for drummer

Gifts for guitarists

This pick wallet would make a great gift for a guitarist.
Or for something a bit more substantial, how about this personalised wooden guitar holder?

Romantic music gifts

Of course if this is an anniversary gift or something for your other half, you might need a gift that is a little more romantic. Here are some ideas for turning ‘your song’ into a personalised gift.

Or create a modern version of the old school mix tape… it doesn’t get much more romantic than that – you can even include photos or scans of other special memories.

Personalised USB mix tape

Other gifts for music lovers

And for gifts that are less specific, here’s a selection of all sorts of great gifts for music lovers.
Here’s another mix tape idea. This one comes with a personalised message and a code for a Spotify playlist featuring songs from their birth year – such an original idea!

Or how about this for that person who ‘knows’ their taste in music is better than anyone else’s πŸ˜†

My neighbours listen to good music whether they like it or not print
Good music print

This game could be a real hit (sorry 😁) too!

I hope you found some inspiration in these ideas. In the end I found more ideas than I could reasonably fit into one blog post as there’s so much out there for music lovers!Β πŸ˜ƒ

You can also follow my Gifts for Music Lovers Pinterest board for more ideas.

And if you’re looking for a card to accompany your gift, then why not take a look at my music themed greeting card collection. They’re perfect for music fans. See some examples below…

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Homemade edible gifts

homemade cupcakes gift

Left it a bit late to buy a gift? Not quite sure what to get? Homemade edible gifts are a terrific solution as you can whip them up yourself really quickly. And everyone has to eat, right? At the most you might need to make a quick trip to the supermarket and spend a few minutes to an hour actually making the edibles, so within a couple of hours you’ve got yourself a fabulous present to give that is much more personal than anything you could’ve bought elsewhere anyway πŸ˜ƒ

How much effort you put into making your edible gifts is completely up to you. If you’re in a bit of a rush then you can just assemble a variety of bought treats in a basket or hamper. If you have some time to spare but not much budget then making something from scratch will usually work out cheaper. Or you can go for something in-between.

Ideas for homemade edible gifts

Whether you’re making them yourself, or just assembling a selection of yummy things you’ve bought in a shop, there are so many things you can choose from:

  • Biscuits – sweet or savoury
  • Chocolate or sweets – homemade or bought
  • Toffee or fudge
  • Macarons, cake pops, cupcakes or muffins
  • A whole cake!
  • Tray bakes or bars
  • Ingredients e.g. to make a cake or biscuits – these look great layered in a jar
  • Coffee, tea or hot chocolate – it’s generally best to go posh with these
  • Jams or chutneys
  • Themed seasonings for keen cooks e.g. for Indian food, or a range of different fancy salts or peppers
  • Dried, candied or fresh fruit

If you’re looking for edible gift recipesΒ and more ideas then take a look at Pinterest – there are loads of ideas on there.

homemade biscuits
Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash

Presentation ideas for your homemade gifts

  • Hampers and ‘bouquets’ – for anything and everything
  • Mason jars – for baking mixes, biscuits, sweets, etc
  • Boxes – for tray bakes, cupcakes, muffins and whole cakes
  • Tins – for biscuits, cupcakes, tray bakes or whole cakes, depending on the shape and size
  • Gift bags – best for packaged foods (make your own gift bags)

These are just some ideas but you can be as creative as you like – it’s a great way to get rid of containers that are too nice to throw away but that you don’t really want anymore 😁

Homemade edible gift in box
Photo by Jennifer Schmidt on Unsplash

Making it personal

A handmade edible gift is already more personal than something bought in a shop, but by putting some extra thought into it you can make it even more so. If you have friends who are vegan, coeliacs, on low carb diets or are just known for being coffee freaks or chocoholics you can show how well you know them by creating a gift that really suits them. It’s so easy to Google recipes for all sorts of preferences, allergies and fetishes!
You can also personalise the way you present your gift, for example by making a cute label for the jar or tin, or decorating the cake you’ve baked with their name in icing.

Why homemade edible gifts are the BEST

There are so many reasons why a homemade edible gift is so fabulous to give…

  • Shows how thoughtful you are and that you really know the person it’s for
  • Can be whipped up in a very short space of time
  • Generally costs less than an equivalent bought elsewhere
  • Gets eaten up so you can keep giving the same terrific gift over and over again
  • If for some reason they’re not too keen on it they can get friends or family to finish it off without you ever knowing… it’s much harder to pass on other types of unwanted gifts πŸ˜†
  • And they don’t have to find space for it if they don’t want to – they can just eat it all up straight away!

I know I love getting homemade gifts, especially if I can eat them… and I don’t think I’m that unusual. Give it a go. And if you post your awesome homemade edibles on social media, please tag me – I’d love to see!

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New Valentine's Day cards

As well as the Couple Portrait Valentine Cards I wrote about last week, I’ve also added some other new Valentine’s Day cards to my Etsy shop – some ready to ship and one which can be personalised with your own photo. I’ve tried to create a range that appeals to different tastes, whether you prefer something soppy, cheeky or cute πŸ™‚ Continue reading New Valentine's Day cards