An essential component of being a personal stylist is listening. It’s vital that I really see my client then we create a strategy to harness her authentic personal style using that information. Buying the perfect gift takes the same skill. It can feel intimidating, but it doesn’t need to. Really, it’s about paying attention to the recipient AND having a list of potential gifts so that you can match his/her/ their desires with something you can deliver.

As someone who takes a lot of pride in my gifting abilities, I can assure you that giving the right gift feels SO good for the both the recipient AND the giver. So, let’s give you some ideas, shall we?

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Thoughtful Last Minute Gift Ideas

For the dog lover in your life

Poetry for Pups

A client, friend and dog lover, Susan Seah recently released a book of poetry that you read to your dog. That’s right. You read it to your dog. Feeling stressed she asked herself, “what will calm me?” and she immediately knew that thinking of her dog, Koa, always made her feel more relaxed. So, she started to write a poem to her dog which turned into two poems and on and on. She turned this collection into a book of poetry with illustrations by her husband, Morgan Boyle. This outlandish idea was either totally insane or much more likely a work of genius. I bought several copies to be supportive and gifted them to friends and family. As it turns out, they all LOVED it and whenever I spoke about it in groups, everyone hopped on Amazon to buy their own copies. My personal approach has been to package the book with some high end dog treats or a toy.

For the artistic kid in your life

An artistic critique from professional artist George Jennings

Full disclosure: I didn’t go to art school. But having known people who have, I understand that critiques are not only an essential component of the process, they also tend to be very harsh with the idea to help prepare budding artists for potential rejection in the outside world. When another friend, Nakeesa Frazier-Jennings reached out about the new joint venture with her artist husband, George Jennings, I couldn’t wait to share it with the world. George is a successful artist (I have some of his pieces) and Nakeesa is his muse, his partner, his business manager and often his model. George and Nakeesa recently launched professional, kind, authentic critiques for artists ages 5-12. George was introduced to visual art by his grandfather, artist John N. Robinson. (You can learn more about him on the Smithsonian website.) George credits some of his early artistic development to the critiques he would receive from his grandfather. When a friend’s daughter asked for a “professional artist’s critique of her work,” George and Nakeesa dove right in.

Young artists receive a written critique that also includes encouragement to create and can be a keepsake for years to come. The couple is especially passionate about providing this opportunity to Black and Brown children. It’s a great gift for a child who loves to create in your own life or do what I did and purchase one for a child who may not otherwise have access to this opportunity. It’s a steal at $25 for a digital version or $35 for a print copy.

For the person who has everything.

Giving Back from the Washington Women’s Foundation Gift Guide

I don’t know about you, but the older I get, the more my friends have the means to buy themselves the things they want. That’s when I especially love giving the gift of giving back. The most important aspect of this approach is gifting a charitable donation to an organization or cause that truly does have meaning to the recipient. Yes! You can absolutely go with the organizations we all know and love. But, it’s also fun to find lesser known nonprofits who are doing valuable work locally. When gifting, I love giving to smaller organizations where that gift has a very clear impact to the recipient. (When it comes to charitable giving, I don’t limit my giving to that approach as there is significant value in donating to larger organizations.)

If you are new to the Poplin community, you may not know that my previous career was in philanthropy and that giving back has been an essential component of this business since day one. So, I’m always on the lookout for more organizations that I can connect to the community. As a member of the Washington Women’s Foundation, I am a super fan of The Washington Women’s Foundation Holiday Giving GuideEvery organization provides services in Washington State and looking through the guide gives you the same thrill as flipping through a catalog. Except with this one, you’re literally changing lives AND making your friend or loved one happy.

When you want to give something that aligns with the recipient’s values (and likely yours, too!)

We are Women Owned Gifts

You know I LOVE giving a great sweater or a pair of shoes. (Yes, I give shoes.) But, few things are as thrilling as giving a gift that aligns with my values AND the recipient’s values, as well. When my friend and Bold Spirit Travel Owner Regina Winkle-Bryan introduced me to We are Women Owned, I couldn’t get enough of it. Check out the We are Women Owned Holiday Gift Guide for a wide variety of makers offering fun and inspiring choices for you and yours.

For your Parents

AN AIRBNB WEEKEND AWAY

I LOVE this gift for the people in your life who have everything they need. If it feels like your parents still aren’t leaving the house as much as they did before COVID, it’s time to help change things up. Head over to AirBNB and find a getaway they they’d adore. Keep it simple and choose something within a reasonable drive from their house and filter for their preferences. Would they like a night out, great restaurants or a private getaway? Present them with a printout of the location with amenities and let them choose the date(s) that are ideal. You’ve done the research and pick up the tab.

This might be ideal on their own or perhaps a weekend away with you or another friend or family member will hit the spot. Just think about what would mean the most (and is possible within the next few months).

For the nostalgic among us

A photo or VIDEO COMPILATION OF YOUR FAMILY OR FRIENDS

If you are looking to get creative on your own, consider making a video for someone you love, like the video I posted up top. My husband made that for me using videos from our phones and imovie. He makes another one every few years and I still binge watch them like a crazy person.

I also adore Chatbooks for easy to make, affordable books directly from your social media feeds or from your own collection of images.

For Parents of Young or School Aged Kids

A BREAK

If there are parents of young kids in your life, it’s very likely they’d appreciate a night out or (gasp) a weekend away. Every city is different and one thing that feels very real in Seattle, is desire to both embrace community and not burden anyone with requests. Finding childcare is expensive and often parents don’t prioritize time alone together without a little nudge. Of course, you’ll want to be sure this is an appropriate gift for the recipients, but if you are confident that this is a fit, go for it. Special bonus for this one: It has a HUGE impact and it’s FREE.

For Your Crafty Friend or Family Member

A PROJECT AND/OR VIDEO COURSE FROM crafter

If there’s someone crafty in your world, you likely think about getting him/her/them a random craft supply every year. Yarn? Canvas? Maybe just a gift card from Michael’s will do, I guess. No, my friend! There’s something MUCH more exciting. Say hello to Crafter. Think Portland meets Martha Stewart. Personally, I get so excited to make things, only to discover that I don’t actually want to keep them because they don’t fit my aesthetic. The Crafter’s Box solves that with hip, fun, unexpected projects. Choose from subscriptions to individual projects and digital classes.

For the Vegetarian/ Vegan/ Hipster/ Foodie/ Environmentalist in your Crew

LOCAL FOODS WHEEL

I bought one several years as a stocking stuffer for my husband (Full disclosure: it does not fit into a stocking) and have been purchasing them like a crazy person ever since. This lovely wheel is about the size of a vinyl record and illustrates the local foods by month. Purchase the appropriate wheel for the geographic area for the giftee and listen to their praise of your thoughtful gifting throughout the year.

CLICK AND GROW SMART GARDEN

Another big winner from a few years ago, we’re paying this one forward by picking it up for a chosen family member or two. Empower that special someone to effortlessly, and I mean effortlessly, grown herbs, flowers or vegetables throughout the year inside the house. There’s nothing like wandering over to your low maintenance herb garden in the dead of winter to snip some sage for your meal.

For the Twenty Something Urbanite

KNOCKOUT RING, Pepper spray or siren

When our niece was set to move to Montreal for college, it was time for the Knockout Ring. This very cool lucite or metal ring has a minimalist, unexpected design that’s just right for that stylish someone. If that isn’t enough, it’s also a self defense weapon, if needed. Looking for ore self defense tools that are super stylish and effective? Knockout now has pepper spray, pepper gel and sirens. Poplin clients get a poplin25 to take 25% off your order.

For your Friends that Live Across Town or Further Away

A SLEEPOVER

I listened to a conversation between Maria Shriver and Oprah once. They referenced one of their sleepovers. I will never forget it. Why do we have sleepovers when we visit a friend out of town, but not with our loved ones who are closer geographically? We live on the north end and we have friends on the south end. When our kids were small, we’d just plan a family sleepover to spend time together. Those sleepovers were crazy fun, much less stressful than driving back and forth and created lovely opportunities for deeper conversations and a whole lot more fun. So, give the gift of a sleepover to another family or friend that you’ve been missing lately. It’s another present that doesn’t cost a thing and you’ll wonder who is giving and who is receiving here.

For the Amazing Woman In Your Life that you Don’t Get Enough Time With OR for YOU

An adventure with a group of women thanks to Bold Spirit Travel

If, like me, you’re discovering that years have gone by and you haven’t made the time to see a few key people in your life, perhaps a trip is in order. Personally, I’m always happy to have someone else do the planning and with Bold Spirit Travel, my friend Regina Winkle Bryan and her team take good care of you and deal with the details. Gift a trip to a friend for much needed time together or stop waiting for someone to vacation with and sign up for a trip yourself. Either way, the memories of a trip are always a great investment.

For the Eternal Giver

WALK AND TALK

Few things decrease stress as much as a good old fashioned walk and talk. Schedule some time to meet your loved one to chit chat while seeing the outside world. Be sure to account for the shorter days this time of year, when scheduling. It’s free. It’s great for brain development and for your relationship. ( You can also do this with friends who live out of the area.)

SOME AUTO-RECURRING SELF CARE

Whether you know one or you are one or both, the eternal givers out there have been depleted these past few years. We often think to gift a massage or a pedicure to this person in our life, and to be clear, that is a SOLID idea. For holiday 2023, consider going a step further with an automatically recurring gift. Yes, your thoughtful self care gift is technically the gift, but really, the gift of not needing to schedule is a gift that keeps on giving. Some forms of self care can be at least partially covered by insurance: think acupuncture, massage, therapists. So, just getting the ball rolling for a friend or loved one is the gift. You can also pick up value packs online and take it to the next level by scheduling a monthly recurring appointment that can be changed.

SERVICES THAT ACTUALLY DECREASE HER WORKLOAD

You’re going to want to trust your instincts on this one, because these gifts get pretty personal. But, there are few things that can bring more joy than discovering a chore you were planning to do is no longer on your to-do list. My favorite examples include paying a housecleaner to take a load off, giving a gift certificate for a local fluff and fold laundromat so she can skip laundry for a week or two, ordering a healthy pre-made dinner for the family so she can skip cooking a few times a week. Tutoring for a child helps the parent and the kid. Getting the gutters cleaned, helping to put up a fence, offering to watch the dog when your friend goes out of town, all of these are stressors that can weigh down the ones you love. The massage feels amazing, but it only works if she didn’t visualize her responsibilities multiplying while she was on the table.

For the person still struggling take care of her body without criticizing it

SUPPORT FROM nutrition coach, Natalie joffee

Natalie and I met years ago and have worked with one another both personally and professionally. And naturally, we’ve become friends, too. We share the same perspective (loving your body as it is right now) and this has led us to work with a number of the same clients.

Natalie helps her clients (men, women and nonbinary folks) learn to take care of their bodies with healthy eating and movement. She is not focused on weight loss and does not measure or weigh her clients. Instead, she’s all about helping each one feel good and giving them the tools to maintain those healthy choices. Does this sound like something a person in your life could use? Consider gifting a few hours or more with Natalie to help give them the support they need. (I’d recommend a consultation first to be sure it’s a fit for all involved.)

For that Someone Who Could Use a Good Laugh

CAMPY WRAPPING PAPER… OR SOCKS

I cannot get enough of this. Our niece is a big Harry Styles fan. So, I a few years ago I searched for Harry Styles Christmas wrapping and found some! It’s incredible and so hilarious that I was tempted to put it on gifts for my father in law and other folks who likely don’t even know who Harry Styles is.

Then, my husband ordered socks for our son with photos of our cats all over them. Again, hilarious. Sometimes, it’s best to just go with your imagination and Google. You’d be shocked what’s out there.

For the Person Who Cares About Others (So, Basically Everyone)

Charitable gifts in his/her/their name

When you are at a total loss, you are confident that your intended recipient has everything and/or you know they care deeply about an issue, giving to charity in their name is a brilliant choice. Fortunately, this can me done last minute via the magic of the interweb. I also love buying items off a Wish List at YouthCare, knowing each item was personally requested by a young person without stable housing.

Last, but certainly not least, for the woman who wants to love getting dressed again or for the first time

An introduction to poplin style

We’re launching some very big changes in 2024, so keep your eyes peeled. Until then, consider sharing the Poplin Community with the ones you love. She can dive into the site to find ideas on dressing her body at any size, finding her authentic personal style, getting inspiration from Pinterest and much, much more. All new subscribers get my 6 weeks of style tips AND my top 100 retailers organized by personal style.

P.S. We just heard! We’re in the Wall Street Journal! Check it out.

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