We have all struggled under the pressure of gifting whether it’s for someone extremely close to us, friends, family, or even your kid's schoolteacher! Deep down we all want our recipient to absolutely love it too! So In order to achieve this, we need our gifts to be:
- Useful - have you ever received a gift that made no sense to you but perhaps would be useful to another? Think about the person you are shopping for and in what context does your gift work?
- Appropriate - How intimately do you know this person? If they are a loved one or family member which you feel confident to buy a stylish item of apparel for, then we applaud you!! Buying for someone you are not close with does not mean you cannot offer them a thoughtful gift and we will offer some suggestions on this below!
- Affordable - No one needs to break the bank to offer a great present! If you’ve nailed the first two elements then what's next is finding the right price to pay for your gifts. Or maybe all you need is a beautiful card to write a personal note in…
Let's start with the most established token we have all received and gifted at some point in our lives…!
Candles
Though we’re not quite talking about any candles…
We are specifically referring to organic, soy wax candles handmade in Ireland and inspired by the beautiful landscape of the west coast.Our first contender is The Irish Chandler’s Coastal and Seasonal Gift sets which each contain three delicious scents. The Clare Coastal set in particular is perfect if your recipient has a known fondness for the seaside of Co. Clare. Both of these sets are a known crowd-pleaser!
Alternatively, we also suggest our Julia Clarke range of candles and diffusers which are made in Co. Galway. Our favourite scent is Wild Fig, Vanilla & Blackcurrant which comes in both candles & a diffuser. You can shop all of our candles and diffusers here.
For another classic present…
Socks!
Everyone has their favourite pairs of socks they love to see coming through the wash each week. Why not gift someone theirs!
We suggest going all-in for White Stuffs Men's Hot Air Balloon Sock Box. These fun socks have a majority cotton composition and are extra-soft for the ultimate cosiness.
Our lady's socks of choice of course must go to Seasalt’s Sailor Socks. These socks are comprised of bamboo-derived viscose which makes them especially soft and breathable.
Soaps, Lotions & More
The Airmid gift sets offer complete skin care for both men and women. The sets include soaps, lotions bars, shampoo bars and shaving kits in a range of fresh scents.
Airmid is a home-grown enterprise which is inspired by all things natural and our neighbouring treasured landscape of the Burren Co. Clare.
For him, we suggest the Green Man’s Luxury Shaving Kit complete with brush and soap for a cleansed and clean shave. Or, for those opting out of a clean-shaven look, we also offer the Green Man’s Beard Care Kit which includes a beard shampoo soap bar and beard oil all made from natural ingredients.
For her, why not try a luxurious Body Oil which comes in three scents - Tranquil Island, Woodland Walk or Wild garden for radiant and nourished skin. You could also pair it with Perfume Oil which also comes in three different scents - Cliff, Forest and Meadow, to create a duo of beautiful smelling oils for an extra thoughtful gift.
Ideally, this guide will have offered you either the exact gift for your special recipient or at least a good idea of what might work. If you are still in a pickle there are plenty more finds to be found on our site Olive&Crew.ie and even more items in-store on Main Street Lahinch.
And if you’re really really stuck, in a classic Irish fashion, you can also purchase a Gift Card through our site!
Relax! We’ve got this!
- Aoibhín O'Sullivan
