When the time comes around to buy a gift for my partner, I am often at a loss for great gift ideas. Finding the perfect gift can be a challenge so after a little research and some built up experience buying gifts for Birthdays, Christmas and Mother’s day I have put together a short guide with a few ideas to share with you. This list is only a brief summary of some of my favourite ideas. When I come across other great or unique gift ideas I will update this article.
GIFT IDEAS – JEWELLERY & ART
I find that buying jewellery is a good option and always goes down well if I get it right. I sometimes cheat by going to a few stores with my partner and getting an idea of some of the styles and types of jewellery she is currently interested in. I have also borrowed one of her rings and a bracelet and taken it into a jewellery store to get her size so if I see something I like when looking to get her a Christmas or Birthday gift I am ready to pounce. This is particularly useful to have if you are away and come across a store that has some great products, but you will not be able to return anytime soon. It’s also good if you find a sale and need to nab that bargain gift before it is sold out. Here are a few of my personal favourite jewellery stores where I have found gifts that have been very well received:
- Dinosaur Designs have stores in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and an online presence. They have a great range of mid-priced items, and some lower-priced resin pieces, that are all very stylish and different from what you would find in most high street stores. It’s hard for me to go too far wrong when buying my partner jewellery from here. Dinosaur Designs also have a fabulous range of homewares; their resin salad bowls are to die for. They will wrap up whatever you buy and provide gift receipts that make it easy to exchange if you make a mistake.
- Framebird make one-of-a-kind art featuring your pet! They are based in Sydney and artworks are created by real artists, while being printed and framed in one of 15 locations around the world so you can send a gift to friends living overseas with ease. Their stylish modern pet portrait or hilarious costume portraits make incredibly unique gifts for pet lovers.
- Courtesy of the artist, which is based in the Strand Arcade in Sydney CBD and online, represent over 40 artists from Australia and around the World. They have some amazing and often one-off pieces in a range of eclectic styles. Their jewellery ranges from mid-range to quite pricey. They also have the facility whereby you can commission an artist to custom build a piece for you. I know a friend that had an amazing and very unique engagement ring made here.
- Francis Street Atelier is a tiny store on the edge of Darlinghurst in Sydney near Hyde Park. They make their own super stylish jewellery which is reasonable for the level of detail and workmanship that goes into their jewellery. They also sell some cool pieces from a selection of other artists. I bought a lovely handmade pair of carbonised silver earrings that were very well received as a birthday gift. They don’t have a website, only a Facebook page which makes it kind of more exclusive as you can’t buy their stuff online.
- Punch Gallery, based in Balmain in Sydney’s Inner West and online, has a lovely range of jewellery homewares accessories and cards. They source their products from a number of Australian designers and are priced reasonably. The staff are lovely and very willing to help you find the right gift for you. They wrap up whatever you buy beautifully so it’s ready to be gifted immediately.
GIFT IDEAS – EXPERIENCES
Another good gift idea with a small caveat is an experience. Companies like RedBalloon or adrenaline which offer a plethora of experience to suit a variety of budgets and interests. A massage or treatment from a company such as Endota or Julique can also make for a great gift idea. However, the only thing I don’t like about buying experience is sending an email or giving someone a piece of paper I have printed out as a gift. One way to counter this problem is by sending the gift certificate with a bunch of flowers. Floraly, for example, will happily print out your gift certificate and include it in the card that is sent out to whoever you are sending the gift to. This way it seems like a more personalised gift and is more exciting to receive.
GIFT IDEAS - DEPARTMENT STORES
These days especially with COVID19 the department stores have all upped their online presence and service. Myers offers a comprehensive range of gift ideas on their online “gift ideas” page which may help give you inspiration if you are struggling. They now offer free delivery for all purchases over $49. David Jones have similar gift ideas page on their website and offer free delivery for orders over $50. They both have a wealth of products but if you don’t know what you are looking for it can take a while to go through them all. For something, a bit different hardtofind have a huge selection of gift ideas which are well-curated into easily searchable categories.
GIFT IDEAS - FLOWER SUBSCRIPTION
I have only recently started working in the flower industry but have always found flowers are a good idea particularly if it is last minute. I can say I have never gone wrong sending flowers to partner or my mother. You can, however, step it up a bit and turn to sending flowers into an even better gift idea by sending your loved ones a flower subscription.
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In Australia, Floraly offers 3-month, 6-month and 12-month flower subscriptions which are a lovely gift that keeps on giving throughout the year. I also think a subscription is something a bit different and feels more of a special gift than just sending a single bunch of flowers. I recently sent my mother who lives in the UK a flower subscription from Bloom and Wild and she absolutely loved it and is continuing to enjoy it every month. I can honestly say I am her favourite child at the moment. In Australia, Floraly sends out your flowers in a lovely presentation box which make the arrival and opening of your gift that bit more special.
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If however, you are looking to send a gift to a loved one outside of Australia here are some of my picks for sending a flower subscription or just one bunch:
- Bloom and Wild (UK, Ireland, France, Germany)
- The Colvin (Spain, Italy, Portugal, Germany) Note you will need to use google translate as their site is currently only in Spanish. I have sent flowers to my sister in Barcelona and they were great.
- The Bouqs co (USA)
- Urban Stems (USA)
I hope these gift ideas have provided some inspiration for you. I will update this article with new gift ideas as I come across them. Happy Gifting. shop our range
