General female gift

[Shelydon]

Any suggestions for a gift that most  women would like?

Current ideas:

Cute tote bag

Tervis style cup

Fun t-shirt

 

Trying to stay away from gift cards

 

[itsheresomewhere]

I wouldn’t want any of those.  Not my thing.  And my two BF would not be into any of those either.  
 

For these situations- I give gift cards or cash.  They fit all and let someone pick out what they want. 

[Tap]

Budget?

[Carol in Cal.]

A long flowy scarf is pretty safe, not wool but something silkier.

A nice journal, undated.

 

[Rosie_0801]

I can never have enough tote bags because shops here charge for plastic bags.

Some kind of locally, hand made, boutique food item is often enjoyed. Everyone I send hand made (not by me) miso paste to gets all excited. 

[Shelydon]

5 minutes ago, Tap said:

Budget?

$50 ish

[Shelydon]

2 minutes ago, Rosie_0801 said:

I can never have enough tote bags because shops here charge for plastic bags.

I am a tote bag fan myself, I like to have one for each activity for the household plus extras that can be used at any time. Heavy duty ones from Vera Bradley or LL Bean are a favorite..

[Shelydon]

6 minutes ago, Carol in Cal. said:

A long flowy scarf is pretty safe, not wool but something silkier.

A nice journal, undated.

 

Good ideas!

[Shelydon]

9 minutes ago, itsheresomewhere said:

I wouldn’t want any of those.  Not my thing.  And my two BF would not be into any of those either.  
 

For these situations- I give gift cards or cash.  They fit all and let someone pick out what they want. 

Generally, I skip gift giving if the only thing I can come up with is a gift card. I'm personally not a fan of just exchanging money with someone. 

[Shelydon]

I did think of a couple of more:

 

A nice box of chocolate

Candle or a nice pen (This is a little more person dependent)

 

[Drama Llama]

Little planter of bulbs?

I like paperwhites.

Spice mixes?

 

[Tap]

The most well received gift I have given over the years, is a cute baking dish, with Penzies spices . The gift doesn’t WOW but so many people have come back later and said how much they enjoyed/ used the gift. 
 

I pick blends that I think the individual people will use.

[Carol in Cal.]

1 hour ago, Shelydon said:

I am a tote bag fan myself, I like to have one for each activity for the household plus extras that can be used at any time. Heavy duty ones from Vera Bradley or LL Bean are a favorite..

Laurel Burch also makes absolutely awesome tote bags.

[Carol in Cal.]

For a while I used to often give a sealing wax set, with a seal and 4 colors of wax.  But writing letters is so much less common now that I don’t consider it a reliably welcome gift anymore.

[regentrude]

Something consumable. Spices, artisan jam, etc.

I like giving notecards with my own photographs, but only to people I know will use them.

(I  have enough totes, cups, shirts and scarves to last me a lifetime.)

Edited April 6, 2023 by regentrude

[QueenCat]

I have so many totes and scarves... but I could never have enough Tervis or Yeti cups. That said, I don't want the cheaper knockoffs. I've found they don't do as well... Consumables are usually a good choice.

[wintermom]

Tote bags are great!

I just gave one as a gift, and I'm still hearing back that my friend loves it and uses it daily. Score!!

[MercyA]

How about a tote bag with a Tervis cup and some nice cookies in it? I use my 31 bags constantly. Other options for bags: Lands' End, L.L. Bean, Vera Bradley.

Chocolates and wine are always welcome here. 🙂

I don't wear scarves at all or do much writing on paper anymore. I don't burn candles because I have a bird and smell-sensitive people. 

[Bambam]

Tervis cups/tumblers
The stainless YETI type cups for keeping tea/coffee hot
Tote bags
and
a lovely soft throw is always appreciated. I think you can never have too many! 

[skimomma]

I always prefer consumables.  I don't wear t-shirts and I have so many tote bags that I ave to regularly cull them.  And like many people, I have so many Yetis of all sizes and shapes that ALL came as gifts or corporate swag that I have found myself culling those as well.  I am constantly decluttering my small house so anything I can enjoy and use up is preferred.

High quality candles (go unscented if you don't know about sensitivities)

Wine

Coffee beans

Penzey spices (I will never forget the kind people that gave me my first sandwich sprinkles)

Fancy teas

Harry and David-style fruit/cheese/cracker box

Fancy stationary/notebooks

[Bootsie]

nice olive oil and vineagars, jams and jellies, special chocolates, depending upon time of year--wool socks or a beach towel, bottle of wine, tea towels, decorative cloth napkins 

[skimomma]

5 minutes ago, Bootsie said:

nice olive oil and vineagars, jams and jellies, special chocolates, depending upon time of year--wool socks or a beach towel, bottle of wine, tea towels, decorative cloth napkins 

These are great suggestions!  We were recently given Turkish beach towels, which we fell in love with immediately.  They are compact enough that even someone who already has some and perhaps has a lot of towels in general, would welcome them.  We love ours so much that I recently converted all of our bath towels to Turkish and donated all of our old towels to the Humane Society.  Given that I now have 12+ of these towels (that takes up 1/8 the space as the old towels), one would think I would not want more as a gift.  But I would still be thrilled to get them.  I would love to stash one or two in each car if I had extra, for instance.

I also consider wool socks to be "consumable" and a great gift.

I would LOVE cloth napkins and/or tea towels.  And again, I would loosely consider those "consumables."

[LaughingCat]

17 minutes ago, skimomma said:

These are great suggestions!  We were recently given Turkish beach towels, which we fell in love with immediately.  They are compact enough that even someone who already has some and perhaps has a lot of towels in general, would welcome them.  We love ours so much that I recently converted all of our bath towels to Turkish and donated all of our old towels to the Humane Society.  Given that I now have 12+ of these towels (that takes up 1/8 the space as the old towels), one would think I would not want more as a gift.  But I would still be thrilled to get them.  I would love to stash one or two in each car if I had extra, for instance.

I also consider wool socks to be "consumable" and a great gift.

I would LOVE cloth napkins and/or tea towels.  And again, I would loosely consider those "consumables."

I feel like what is coming up when I google turkish beach towels can't be what you are talking about?  Looks like a blanket with fringe on it not a towel

[alisoncooks]

I like themes in gifts, so if my friend was bookish, my go-to would be a journal, tea, local honey, fancy wafer cookies, pen set or bookmark, wax seal kit. 

Or a summery theme: beach towel, drink mix components, bbq spice rub, etc. 

 

[skimomma]

6 minutes ago, LaughingCat said:

I feel like what is coming up when I google turkish beach towels can't be what you are talking about?  Looks like a blanket with fringe on it not a towel

That's it!  They are very thin cotton that dries super fast.  I can see that some people might not like them as bath towels as they are very casual looking.  But in our humid summer climate, the quick drying is great.  Far less risk of mildew.  Even nicer at the beach where this type of towel draped over a lawn chair will dry in minutes.  They take a few washes, like cloth diapers, to reach maximum absorbancy.

[wintermom]

5 minutes ago, skimomma said:

That's it!  They are very thin cotton that dries super fast.  I can see that some people might not like them as bath towels as they are very casual looking.  But in our humid summer climate, the quick drying is great.  Far less risk of mildew.  Even nicer at the beach where this type of towel draped over a lawn chair will dry in minutes.  They take a few washes, like cloth diapers, to reach maximum absorbancy.

These sound amazing for beach towels. In the cold of winter, I have to admit that I need the comfort of a big, thick towel when I come out of the shower. 

[skimomma]

3 minutes ago, wintermom said:

These sound amazing for beach towels. In the cold of winter, I have to admit that I need the comfort of a big, thick towel when I come out of the shower. 

I think this is true for most people.  But the other uses are compelling.  They pack down so small, dry so quickly, and absorb a lot, they are perfect for the beach, car, boats, picnics, or as back-up towels.

[Arcadia]

1 hour ago, skimomma said:

That's it!  They are very thin cotton that dries super fast.  I can see that some people might not like them as bath towels as they are very casual looking.  But in our humid summer climate, the quick drying is great. 

 

1 hour ago, wintermom said:

These sound amazing for beach towels. In the cold of winter, I have to admit that I need the comfort of a big, thick towel when I come out of the shower. 

I think my boys would love those for drying their long hair after a bath and as sports towels when they play tennis for leisure. 

[Arcadia]

My kids and I are very particular. We have our own Tervis cups that looked well used after a year so we no longer use those. Each of us picked the pattern we wanted though. Our Yeti ramblers are in good condition and we picked the colors we wanted. 
 

I am particular about totes. The free ones that I don’t like gets used as grocery bags by my husband. T-shirts are tricky due to sizing and sensory issues.

I prefer consumables as gifts. Spices are welcomed. Kitchen towels are welcomed. 

[DawnM]

Do you know this person well enough to know what she likes?   

I only drink ONE kind of tea, so I wouldn't really want a gift of tea unless it was the one kind I drink.   I am a coffee girl and would love a pound of good beans and a nice travel or ceramic mug and maybe a scone mix or something.

I would love the turkish beach towel and maybe a nice water bottle or hat to keep cool.

Tote bags are always welcome, although I have lots and am looking at starting to purge and only keep the ones I love.

I like the idea of a theme.   Some theme ideas:

Wooden tray and gift cheeses and dried fruit/chocolate for a charcuterie board

Coffee, coffee cup, flavors, treats, etc.....(or tea)

Travel: tote bag, maybe some travel size containers or toiletries bag and a neck pillow or book

Does she do any crafts?   Maybe some craft materials?   

[kirstenhill]

It sounds like you are trying to come up with a gift that can be ready on hand to give to someone "in general" or could be given to someone you don't know their preferences ahead of time? I think the safest bet is to go more "gift basket" style and have a few (still nice) but smaller items that could be given in an attractive way.  I think if you do several of the things already mentioned, most people would feel appreciated and if there was one item they didn't like, it would still be a nice gift. 

[Drama Llama]

As someone who wouldn’t keep most of the things mentioned here, including one of the things I mentioned myself, I’d still appreciate getting them as I have friends and family members who would love them and I like giving gifts.  Yes, I do appreciate the irony of being a minimalist who loves to give gifts.

So, from my perspective, I think finding something many people would like is fine and much appreciated.

The Turkish towels are a brilliant idea.  Those, I would keep!

[wintermom]

41 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

I prefer consumables as gifts. Spices are welcomed. Kitchen towels are welcomed. 

My lab used to eat kitchen towels, so yes, they are technically consumable. I didn't think it was a wide-spread thing, though. 😅

[Kareni]

I think it's almost impossible to find one gift that most women would like.

My suggestion would be to buy the gift locally and include a small envelope with the receipt. On the envelope, write "in case of return."

Regards,

Kareni

[Beth S]

Fresh Flowers!

I've discovered small bouquets ($5) in the produce section at Walmart.
They stay fresh for about 3 weeks . . . and then you throw the flowers away.
Zero clutter.  😉

But truly, my go-to gift is to make a hand-lettered card & write something about the friend.
(I'm not a "gift" person....)

Edited April 6, 2023 by Beth S

[Toocrazy!!]

Consumables here as well. I like the Turkish towel idea. Penzeys spices for sure! Generic ones like their seasoned salt, California pepper blend or sandwich sprinkle. Smaller floral bouquets would be a real treat for me. Wine and high quality chocolates as well if you know they’d like them. I received a delicious high quality balsamic vinegar I really enjoyed. 

[Shelydon]

15 hours ago, BandH said:

Little planter of bulbs?

I like paperwhites.

Spice mixes?

 

Nice! This is a great idea

[Shelydon]

2 hours ago, Beth S said:

Fresh Flowers!

I've discovered small bouquets ($5) in the produce section at Walmart.
They stay fresh for about 3 weeks . . . and then you throw the flowers away.
Zero clutter.  😉

But truly, my go-to gift is to make a hand-lettered card & write something about the friend.
(I'm not a "gift" person....)

 

2 hours ago, Kareni said:

I think it's almost impossible to find one gift that most women would like.

My suggestion would be to buy the gift locally and include a small envelope with the receipt. On the envelope, write "in case of return."

Regards,

Kareni

 

2 hours ago, wintermom said:

My lab used to eat kitchen towels, so yes, they are technically consumable. I didn't think it was a wide-spread thing, though. 😅

 

2 hours ago, BandH said:

As someone who wouldn’t keep most of the things mentioned here, including one of the things I mentioned myself, I’d still appreciate getting them as I have friends and family members who would love them and I like giving gifts.  Yes, I do appreciate the irony of being a minimalist who loves to give gifts.

So, from my perspective, I think finding something many people would like is fine and much appreciated.

The Turkish towels are a brilliant idea.  Those, I would keep!

 

2 hours ago, kirstenhill said:

It sounds like you are trying to come up with a gift that can be ready on hand to give to someone "in general" or could be given to someone you don't know their preferences ahead of time? I think the safest bet is to go more "gift basket" style and have a few (still nice) but smaller items that could be given in an attractive way.  I think if you do several of the things already mentioned, most people would feel appreciated and if there was one item they didn't like, it would still be a nice gift. 

 

3 hours ago, DawnM said:

Do you know this person well enough to know what she likes?   

I only drink ONE kind of tea, so I wouldn't really want a gift of tea unless it was the one kind I drink.   I am a coffee girl and would love a pound of good beans and a nice travel or ceramic mug and maybe a scone mix or something.

I would love the turkish beach towel and maybe a nice water bottle or hat to keep cool.

Tote bags are always welcome, although I have lots and am looking at starting to purge and only keep the ones I love.

I like the idea of a theme.   Some theme ideas:

Wooden tray and gift cheeses and dried fruit/chocolate for a charcuterie board

Coffee, coffee cup, flavors, treats, etc.....(or tea)

Travel: tote bag, maybe some travel size containers or toiletries bag and a neck pillow or book

Does she do any crafts?   Maybe some craft materials?   

 

3 hours ago, Arcadia said:

My kids and I are very particular. We have our own Tervis cups that looked well used after a year so we no longer use those. Each of us picked the pattern we wanted though. Our Yeti ramblers are in good condition and we picked the colors we wanted. 
 

I am particular about totes. The free ones that I don’t like gets used as grocery bags by my husband. T-shirts are tricky due to sizing and sensory issues.

I prefer consumables as gifts. Spices are welcomed. Kitchen towels are welcomed. 

 

5 hours ago, alisoncooks said:

I like themes in gifts, so if my friend was bookish, my go-to would be a journal, tea, local honey, fancy wafer cookies, pen set or bookmark, wax seal kit. 

Or a summery theme: beach towel, drink mix components, bbq spice rub, etc. 

 

Oh gosh, these are such good ideas. Time to go shopping. At the end of the school year I always have five to eight gifts I need to put together and this will help so much

[Quarter Note]

Just thought of one:

If your friend is a baker, a jar of high quality vanilla would be a wonderful small, consumable, but still luxurious gift.  

[Jaybee]

On 4/6/2023 at 12:35 PM, Beth S said:

Fresh Flowers!

I've discovered small bouquets ($5) in the produce section at Walmart.
They stay fresh for about 3 weeks . . . and then you throw the flowers away.
Zero clutter.  😉

But truly, my go-to gift is to make a hand-lettered card & write something about the friend.
(I'm not a "gift" person....)

I love fresh flowers! Most of the things on the lists are not appealing to me, because I try to not collect lots of stuff. I mean, I do love a good tote, a good mug, etc., but we do have limited space. Oh, I did think about nice quality ink pens! That's a pretty individual taste thing, though.

ETA: For a friend I know well, I recently gave her some wildflower seeds for her birthday. She loved it! So you could add to your cache something for gardener friends.

Edited April 8, 2023 by Jaybee