I love gift giving! especially this time of year, it is so much fun to put together curated gift boxes that are thoughtful and practical.
A gift box that you personally selected will be that much more personal and not to mention, economical. In the past, I have gifted and been given the ones mentioned below and I am so happy and excited to share them with you because I think it is such a fun way to enjoy the season – nothing beats opening a box or bag filled with little surprises that you can actually use and love.
I found these ideas to be especially great for your coworkers, friends, neighbors, secret Santa gift exchanges and work parties but, they truly work for any occasion.
Best part? they take only one trip to the store (most of these items can be found at your local superstore/pharmacy) or an online order and done!
European chocolates/dessert box
This gift was originally given to me by some visiting friends in the form of a basket filled with European chocolates and snacks – I had to guess the country of provenance for each. It was a lot of fun and nostalgic to look through all the pieces.
If you are in US or Canada, World Market carries quite a variety of international and European chocolate, coffee, snacks and candy. Aldi‘s Winternacht German Holiday treats that comes out each season is also a good option to choose from.
WHAT TO INCLUDE
- Milka chocolate – originally from Switzerland and a personal favorite of mine; smooth and creamy like no other. Choose here from a diverse selection for any taste, but I am partial to the Noisette
- Stroopwafels – Dutch, caramel filled waffels, very delicious on their own or with coffee/tea; shop here
- Panettone – a traditional holiday Italian cake. Buttery and soft in texture, made of simple ingredients but with a very distinct taste; traditionally it would have candied fruits inside but now comes with chocolate/ chocolate chips and other fillings. We eat it primarily during Easter and Christmas time. Buy the full size and the mini size here
- Lindt – Swiss and probably one of the best chocolate bars that you can find in US. I think they make an excellent dark chocolate that is smooth, rich, but not bitter. Shop it here
- Godiva – Belgian and particularly known for their truffles. Shop them here
Self-care kit
With this year being so hard and challenging, we could all use some extra-pampering. This type of gift is especially beneficial for that someone in your life who has been through a particularly tough time and needs a gentle reminder to take extra good care of themselves.
WHAT TO INCLUDE
- hand cream – with so much hand washing and harsh sanitizers, a really nourishing hand cream is a must! I’ve been a fan of Weleda products for many years now. Their Skin Food Ultra Rich Cream is best used as an overnight treatment to deeply nourish and repair your skin. For everyday use, I love their Replenishing Pomegranate hand cream
- soap – since I forgo shower gels (to reduce my plastic consumption) I’ve been on a quest to discover really cleansing yet gentle bath bars. My latest favorite is Yardley‘s. I have been loving the English Lavender and the Shea Buttermilk. Fun fact: my local Dollar Tree store carries them in store for 1 dollar/piece (!) and perhaps yours does too
- face mask – I’m constantly trying new ones but I find myself going back to Yes To face masks for their clean ingredients and effectiveness, especially the Yes to Tomatoes detox charcoal mask
- lip balm – I’ve used Alba Botanica’s Hawaiian Lip balm for quite some time now, but a recent favorite has been the lip balm from Badger, a family owned small business that I personally love and previously featured in one of my gift guides. They have lots of great options to choose from!
- dry brush – is a fantastic tool to incorporate in your morning routine: it exfoliates the skin, helps with lymphatic drainage and cellulite reduction (read more about the benefits here) and, it’s a sustainable and more Earth friendly alternative to body scrubs (that come packaged in plastic). Shop my favorite here
- bath salts – there is nothing like a warm and soothing bath to calm and restore oneself. I don’t have a favorite brand/product (yet) but I have enjoyed Dr. Teal’s pure epsom salts in the past
Spices and seasonings box
This is especially great for someone that enjoys cooking or is starting to learn how to cook. Anyone, really.
WHAT TO INCLUDE
- a salt and pepper set – I have spoken about this before here because who doesn’t need some salt and pepper? it’s the most basic but useful set that you can give someone, sure to be used. And you can make it as fancy or basic as you’d like. For some gourmet options, I found a pair of ceramic grinders, wooden, marble and brass, and a whole variety of seasonal shakers here
- all purpose seasoning blend – for some tasty soups, stews, and anything else in between. I am forever loyal to Vegeta (an Eastern European seasoning blend that I grew up with) but any of your favorites will do
- everything bagel seasoning – again, another one that goes well on everything and is so incredibly delicious. I ship it to my friends back home. Buy some here
- lemon – pepper seasoning – excellent on chicken and fish! get the one I’ve been using here
- smoked paprika – a sprinkle of it with some basil and your sunny-side-up will never taste bland again! I love to add it to stews and chilis. My friends very kindly send me the Spanish type like this one
Movie watching kit
I have given this before in previous years and it was so easy to put together!
WHAT TO INCLUDE
- a box of really nice chocolates – I like this one because of the variety, so everyone can find something that they like in it
- hot chocolate – when I don’t make my own from scratch, I like this one to give and get
- popcorn – I don’t have a favorite to recommend since I like to make my own on the stove and then add seasoning to my liking but your favorite should work
- gift card subscription/DVD – if you know their favorite streaming service, include a gift card for renewal; or, add a classic/favorite movie of yours. I’m a fan of this one to watch with the whole family and even gifted it to my friends and their children
Another addition for a cozy night in would be a really nice blanket/throw like this one from Mozaique or a colorful one from Avoca (I love both brands so much!)
That’s it friends! tell me what should we add or what’s missing! I am thinking that you should be able to find most of these items at your local supermarket or pharmacy, and definitely online, so they should be easy to put together. You can choose a wooden box, gift bag, basket, or a jar to hold it all together but even better would be to reuse something you already have.
As always, shop with the person/occasion in mind and customize each set to your liking and budget and what is available to you. There is no wrong or right way to do this and I believe that if something is given with love, we feel it, even though we may receive just one item.
Much love and write me your ideas for more gift sets down below!
Roxi
*Photo by Oleg Zaicev on Pexels