Gift giving can be such a special gesture--it's so much more than the item itself or the money spent, it's knowing your loved one has been searching for or wanting something for a long time, it's adding to their beloved collection, it's remembering a passing comment about something they enjoyed, it's knowing their interests, hobbies, favorite things to eat, do, and see. I feel like it's really about giving your friends and family the feeling of being thought of, being seen, being heard, being known.
It's also an opportunity to support local and small businesses, artists you love, and organizations and causes you are passionate about!
If you're like me, finding that present that is juuuust right can sometimes take way longer than you think 😅 lol So if you're looking for ideas this holiday season and throughout the year, here are my offerings as well as a guide that includes some of my favorite creators and businesses, give back and gathering ideas, and more! I will continue to update this as I come across more things to add!
This guide was last updated on 11/29/2025.
*Blick Art Supply and Amazon links are affiliates--I may earn a small commission if you purchase through my links. They are all items I use and love!
MY OFFERINGS
Creative Spark Club - Annual Gift Subscription US or International The annual subscription includes mail sent to your recipient, 1 per month, January - December 2026. Mail includes a creative project, quote card, prompt card (that can be used again and again), letter with ideas and inspiration, all packaged in a cute envelope! You can learn more about the club and January's mail and FAQs here. A PDF with gift certificates is available if you'd like to print one out and have something physical to give to your recipient. (You can also get a monthly or annual subscription for yourself :) US or International)
Original Art Find all available original art here. One of my 100 Day Project minis shown above, “Soaring Through The Clouds”
Art Prints Find all available art prints here. Professionally printed. A snippet of my 100 Day Project, “Colors & Comfort Zones” shown above
CREATIVE SPARK DECK 50 mini cards with an endless combination of prompts to help spark ideas and creativity! Also available as a PDF for you to print and cut out at home.
GIFT GUIDE
Use the headers to find the sections that apply to you!
FOR THE CREATIVES
DIY Sketchbooks With Prompts I had so much fun making these for little artists in my life! Here's an example on IG / TikTok. You can adapt the prompts to the different ages. I also included stickers and paint pens for them to decorate the covers and use on the pages! I've had a few requests so I'm making a small batch available!
Sakura Travel Paint Set I have been using this watercolor set for years and it's still one of my favorites. I first learned about if when I watched the behind the scenes for the movie "Up". I saw the artists using them while in Venezuela, researching for the film!
Posca Paint Pens These marker like paint pens are easy to use and less messy! I love using these and they are easy to travel with.
Liquitex Acrylic Paint - Mini Tubes Set of 48 This is my favorite brand of acrylic paint and this set gives you all the colors you need!
Local Creative Workshops Gift the experience of learning something new through a local workshop such as wreath or candle making and more! Don't forget to check Eventbrite.
FOR THE ANIMAL LOVERS
Tell Your Dog I Said Hi T-Shirt These tees, hats, and other merch are such a fun conversation starter and made by the awesome folks who run the @weratedogs! 15% of the net proceeds of all regularly priced Tell Your Dog I Said Hi™ products go to the 15/10 Foundation to support their mission of sponsoring dogs with behavioral or medical issues unlikely to ever make it out of the shelter.
Custom Pet Portraits by my good friend Claire's talented husband, Robert! I love the way he uses color and captures your companion's essence.
Paper Wilderness Swimsuit Animal Watercolor Calendar by my wonderful friend Jenna! These are always a hit and make flipping the page each month so fun!
Animal & Custom Pet Embroidery Kits by Bean&Bear. Get a ready made kit, have a custom patch kit created, or owner Sara can custom embroidery a portrait for you. Gift cards are also available. The texture in the embroidery is so beautiful and I love that you can have a literal hand in creating this if you'd like!
Lange Foundation's Gift of Life A $100 donation to Lange Foundation will help care for an animal that was recently rescued from one of the overcrowded city shelters. Your donation goes toward the high costs of bail-out fees, medical care, and other kennel related expenses. Your recipient will receive a personalized story and photo from one of the rescued pets in our care. I have adopted 2 amazing dogs (Lucci & Bernard) and was a forever foster to 4 beautiful cats (Bubba, Makani, Jefrey, and Samone) from the Lange Foundation--help support the life saving work they do.
Squeaky and Co Dog toys, hats, and accessories! This is an AAPI woman owned business and I love the nod to Asian culture. My favorite toy is the moon cake set--the Pawky and Ya-kute are adorable as well! I also got to meet their super cute shiba at a local craft fair <3.
FOR THE NATURE LOVER
National Park Check Off T-Shirt I am obsessed with checking off all the boxes on this t-shirt! Also comes in a poster version.
National Park Letterpress Poster and Stickers ("Introverted but willing to discuss national parks") by @nationalparkpatchlady--the amazing person behind the Adopt-A-Ranger program!
National Park Store 100% of proceeds goes to supporting education and preservation efforts at America's National Parks. This shop is for Washington's National Park Fund.
Sibley's Birders Life List & Field Diary The best journal for the birder in your life! This site also has lots of other amazing gifts for the bird lover in your life! The Nature Store at the Bird Alliance of Oregon is another great stop for bird and animal enthusiasts!
Plant A Tree in honor of your recipient through One Tree Planted
FOR THE TRAVELERS
Portable Charger / Battery Bank This is the best gift I ever received for traveling especially because my phone is always at 20% lol.
A Watercolor Retreat in France My talented friend Susan is hosting an amazing 8 day watercolor retreat in the Loire Valley! If creating art in France is on your bucket list like it has been on mine, this is the perfect opportunity to check that off your list! There is so much included, learn more and reserve your spot here! (I am planning on going!)
I saw the following items recommended by Kayli King and thought they were great ideas:
- Refillable Toothpaste Tube I thought this product was genius and am going to get one!
- Compact Retractable Clothesline
- Heroclip Medium is a versatile gear clip that can hang and support items up to 60 lb. (think bathrooms with no hooks) and folds down to be compact and small.
FASHION & BEAUTY
Vintage Clothes & Jewelry: One of my best friends, Bao, sells vintage clothes as well as vintage jewelry surprise bags! (I think these are so fun and perfect if you aren't sure of the recipient's size!) Choose from mystery bags with 4 or 8 pieces of jewelry. My good friend Michele also sells vintage clothes as well!
LB Love Organics specializes in personal care for sensitive skin and made in small batches by my wonderful friend Meredith! She uses organic ingredients and her line of body butters, deodorants, lip balms, and hard lotions are gentle, effective, and smell amazing!
Hanacure: It's one of my favorite masks that actually works! It really tightens up your skin and helps to minimize fine lines / wrinkles / the look of larger pores / old acne scarring. You can see the before / after results on the website. It is vegan and cruelty-free.
Gift Cards: If you know the brand your recipient likes but the exact products, gift cards are a great option!
HOME & OFFICE
Big Reusable 12 Month Calendar I love this thing! lol It's not for everyone lol but it has really helped me plan out each month (out of sight, out of mind!)
Ampersand Calendar If a huge white erase calendar doesn't quite fit, maybe this lovely, colorful, and detailed Ampersand calendar will be a better fit :) It was created by my talented friend Michelle and comes in a botanical or Victorian style. It's a lovely addition to any desk, especially those with a fondness for typography!
Ceramic Vessels & Dishes from Luna Reece Ceramics made by my rad friend Andrea! They add a fun touch of color and are so versatile--the vessels can be used for plants, utensils, paint brushes, and so much more!
Visit Your Local Independent Bookstore In addition to books, they usually also have unique gifts and journals.
Games One of my all time favorites is Telestrations (which come in many different themes now) and I also love Wingpsan.
FOR LITTLE ONES
Lily & Spruce I saw their baby clothing at Renegade Craft Fair and loved their cute gender neutral prints on their little crew neck sweatshirts and drawstring pants--I honestly wish they had them in my size! They are a small PNW company that values organic and eco-friendly materials and processes, comfortable and easy to wear designs, quality fabrics and made with care. In addition to clothing, they offer personalized night lights that are adorable as well!
Play Craft Creations makes fun sensory kits and crafts for growing minds. I found out about this company through my friend Kristen and seeing how much her daughters enjoy playing with their kits! It's compact and easy to travel with and great for gifting or using as party favors. You can purchase by visiting their Instagram and sending a DM or commenting on one of the posts.
Kid's Museums, Trampoline Parks, Workshops, Sports Events, and tickets to other experiences like these not only make for a fun gift but you get to spend quality time with them!
Animal Experiences At Rescues and Sanctuaries If you know an animal loving kiddo, check to see if there are local rescues / farms / sanctuaries that offer tours, allow feedings, or other interactions with them. Support a non-profit rescue if possible to ensure the animals aren't be exploited and are well taken care of! If you're in WA, Sammamish Farm Sanctuary in Renton allows visitors to pet and feed many of their residents!
Off Screen Fun Toys that encourage play / being outside / moving / creativity, board games, books, puzzles. cooking and other DIY kits. Consider what they enjoy, what they already have, and their age. If you can't find what you're looking for, put together your own kit (for example if they like to bake, make a cake decorating kit with sprinkles and frosting, piping bag and tips, food coloring, etc.
FOOD & DRINK
Don't forget to consider your recipient's dietary preferences, allergies, etc.
If You Have Vegan Friends: These are my vegan recs and things I've been gifted and enjoyed!
- Maya's Cookies are my absolute favorite! Great for vegan & non-vegan folks! They were so good my friend had to double check they were actually vegan lol
- Rebel Cheese is really yummy and a treat to receive!
- Vegancuts snack boxes
- Mila vegan soup dumplings--such a treat since these are hard to find vegan!
-
Immi ramen The texture of these noodles were different to me than regular ramen but I enjoyed it and liked the different flavors they had--plus it's a good/tasty source of protein!
Local Bakeries: Buy fresh artisanal loaves and pair with fancy jams and toppings. If you're in the Ann Arbor, Michigan area, order delicious Asian American pastries from my good friend Maggie's home bakery, Faai Lok Bakery. You can find them on Instagram and the order form is linked in their bio.
Don't Forget Drinks: Wine / cider sets, and non-alcoholic beverages such as fun/unique/retro sodas, teas, coffees, chocolate drinks, etc.
Travel Snack Boxes such as Universal Yums or curate your own box of snacks / treats from a specific country
Put Together Your Own Snack Box of your favorites to share that you think your recipient would like! (I loved receiving this!)
Bake Something I would honestly be so happy with some freshly baked cookies lol Step it up and pair it with kitchen towels, ceramics, etc. There's an account on IG who pairs items with thrifted finds and it's the cutest gift set!
Farmer's Market Finds: There's always good jams and pickles there! Look for places where you can order online or visit their regular shop to make the timing of getting things easier
Favorite Treats: Find the recipients favorite childhood treats or candies, see if there are fun flavors or variations to try (if you think they'd be game!)
GIFTS & GATHERINGS THAT GIVE BACK
Check your recipient or your own favorite non-profits to see if they have merch your recipients will like.
Check your local museum and gardens' gift shops (or shop online) to help support them--plus these places usually have some of the most unique and beautiful items and may feature local makers and artists.
Heart of Dinner - Notes & Bags Heart of Dinner addresses food insecurity, social isolation, and more among Asian American older adults living in New York City's boroughs and have expanded to provide emergency relief in Los Angeles. Help them write notes to include with their food deliveries and/or illustrate bags.
Meal Kits For Your Local Food Bank Host a gathering where everyone brings items to create a certain meal (here's an example) or birthday cake kits for your local food bank
GIFT CARDS & CASH
Sometimes this is just the best option!
Gift cards--but make it thoughtful! Do they go to certain fitness classes? Is there a workshop they'd really like to attend? A show or movie they want to see? (In addition to the gift cards you can add something small to go with it--like a sweat towel in their favorite color to go with the fitness class gift card or favorite candy to go with movie gift card.)
Money--but make it fun! I have usually given cash to kiddos who are a little bit older and I'm not really sure what they want! This way it can go towards something they like. These type of cash pop up boxes were really fun and unexpected as well (I printed out personalized notes to add to the outside of the boxes) as the classic never ending box of money has been a hit! There are a lot of fun ways to fold / package / hide money to make it more interesting to receive--Pinterest and YouTube are good places to search.
MINIMALISTS
I think the most important thing is that if someone has told you they do not want gifts, to respect their wishes--I think this is the best gift they could receive! Even if you have the most thoughtful intentions, this can cause some folks to feel guilty at having to get rid of the gift (even if it's donating or giving to someone else who will enjoy it) or frustrated because now they have another thing they have to decide what to do with.
I do think consumables (food/drink) are a great option as well as gift cards, donations in their name, or a heartfelt note. You may also know that there are certain categories of items they value and would welcome. I think it truly comes down to the person and their reasons / the way they want to live (this is just my perspective as an aspiring minimalist / nomad :))
NEED MORE IDEAS?
If your recipient is online, go through their social media and Pinterest or look back at posts you've sent to one another (one of my favorite gifts is my Darshen & Samuel hoodie--thanks Bao! :))
Merch from their favorite bands and musicians or ones you've seen together.
Experiences to share together: plan an afternoon together, a day trip to a new place, a staycation, or weekend getaway! It doesn't have to be pricey, it's about experiencing something new and having fun with your loved one!
Instead of swapping gifts, swap a skill! Each friend / family member teaches a skill they have learned. Thank you Emma for sharing--I love this idea!
Something more extravagant they wouldn't normally splurge on for themselves (fancy chocolates or coffee, bath and beauty products, etc.)