The Art of Gifting

Christmas is coming!There’s no two ways about it, and that means it’s time to start thinking gifts. Gift-giving at Christmas has been around since Christmas began. Of course back in the day a simple cake would do, or a spring of holly covered in berries. These days, the pressure to buy ever more expensive and complex presents is where it’s at, or where it was anyway… What we love most is the recent move towards the buying of gifts that really mean something to the receiver regardless of cost, or lack of it. Recycle, re-use and re-love. A well-chosen second hand book can mean just as much as yet another M&S jumper, albeit in a different colour to last year!

In fact the big trend now is in making your own gifts. Gifts that have taken time and thought. In the 70s, 80s and 90s, receiving a jar of homemade pickle was frowned upon by most. (What? You didn’t go shopping???) Now we believe there’s nothing nicer than a gift that’s taken love, effort and a sprinkling of skill. Back to the days of the homemade cake, maybe? Personally, as one who doesn’t bake, I’d love a homemade cake! What is for certain is gifts that aren’t looked at or used much beyond the unwrapping stage are rapidly becoming the frowned upon, and about time too. While we’re at it, we should also add that wrapping them in brown paper is the way to go this Christmas. The colourful stuff can’t be re-cycled, so why not use something that can? You could always jazz it up with a pop of red ribbon..?