Some of the things I treasure most were given to me.
There's an association that builds up between the giver and the gift, you can't look at the thing without thinking of the person. And the ones that stick are almost never the obvious ones. They're the presents you didn't know you wanted, that turned out to be either surprisingly useful or quietly beautiful, and that you'd never have bought for yourself.
That's the sort of thing we try to make. Here's how I'd go about choosing.
First: what actually makes a good gift?
A few things I've noticed over the years of running a shop and watching people choose.
Useful beats decorative but only just. The best gifts do a job and look lovely doing it. A tea towel someone reaches for every day, in a print that makes them smile every time. That's the sweet spot.
Specific beats expensive. A £14 bookmark for someone who genuinely reads is a better present than a £50 candle chosen at random. Specificity is what says I was thinking about you, and that's the whole point.
Don't buy for the person's house,buy for the person. People agonise about whether something will match. Honestly? If they love it, they'll find it a home.
When in doubt, colour. Nobody has ever been sad to receive something bright.
Small gifts under £25
Not everything needs to be a grand gesture. Thank yous, teacher gifts, secret santas, "I saw this and thought of you" ,the small ones are often the best received.
Coasters are our most-given item. Buy any four and we'll send them in a Bean and Bemble foiled gift box, which turns a modest present into something that looks considerable.
Also worth a look: bookmarks with tassels for readers, tea towels, greeting cards, and wrapping paper ,currently any four sheets for £10.
For someone who loves to cook
The easiest person to buy for, if you avoid the gadget trap. Nobody needs another spiraliser. Everybody appreciates good kit they'll use daily.
An apron and oven gloves in matching prints make a proper gift set. A serving board becomes the centrepiece of every gathering they host, cheese, charcuterie, grazing. Trivets and glass worktop savers are the unglamorous things people never buy themselves and use constantly.
For the tea drinker: a bone china mug, a tea cosy, or one of our novelty teapots.
For dog people and cat people
You know who they are. They'd rather have something with their animal on it than almost anything else you could buy.
Walkies is our dog collection, dachshunds, spaniels, terriers, across cards, wrap, bags and homeware.
Whiskers is the cat equivalent.
And Wild Cat covers leopard print and big cats, for the person whose taste runs bolder.
For a new home
Housewarming presents are difficult because you don't know what they've already got. The answer is things nobody buys enough of.
Placemats and coasters , every new household is short of both. A doormat is oddly one of the most appreciated presents we sell. Home fragrance works for almost anyone, and a brick vase gives them somewhere to put the flowers everyone else brought.
For something with more presence: an art print or a cushion.
For weddings and anniversaries
Couples usually have a list, and going off-list is a gamble, unless you choose something they'd never have thought to ask for.
A pair of velvet cushions, a luxury blanket, or a large serving platter for all the entertaining ahead of them. Pair any of it with a wedding card and it's done.
For someone who's moved away
Homesickness is a real thing, and a well-chosen souvenir isn't naff, it's thoughtful.
The Yorkshire Edit for anyone who left God's own county and hasn't stopped talking about it. Colourful London for the same, southwards.
For someone who genuinely has everything
Two answers.
The first is a gift card , unromantic, but far better than something they'll quietly rehome. Choosing their own colours is half the pleasure.
The second is the thing they'd never spend money on themselves. Everybody has a category like that. Often it's something small and slightly indulgent: a beautiful wash bag, a phone case that isn't black, a tote nice enough to leave on the back of a chair.
Let us wrap it and send it
If you're buying for someone at a distance, add our gift wrapping service and we'll wrap your order in our own paper and send it directly to them. No wrestling with sellotape at eleven at night, no posting it twice.
Wrapping paper, tags and ribbon vary depending on what we have in stock but it will always be one of my designs, and it will always look lovely.
Prefer to wrap it yourself? Our gift wrap and greeting cards are sold separately.
Still stuck?
Come and see us. Our shop in Hebden Bridge is the easiest place to choose a present, because you can pick things up and I'm happy to help you work out what they'd like.
Or browse everything and see what jumps out. It usually does.
Michelle x
Frequently asked questions
Do you offer a gift wrapping service? Yes. Add gift wrapping to your order and we'll wrap it in our own designed paper and send it straight to the recipient. Papers and ribbons vary with availability.
Can you send a gift directly to someone else? Yes, enter their address as the delivery address at checkout. Add gift wrapping and they'll receive it ready to open.
Do you sell gift cards? We do. Our digital gift card is delivered by email and can be used on anything on the site.
What are good gifts under £25? Coasters (buy four and we'll box them), bookmarks, tea towels, greeting cards and wrapping paper. See our gifts under £25.
What's a good housewarming gift? Placemats, coasters, a doormat, home fragrance or a vase, the useful things new households are always short of and rarely buy for themselves.
Are your gifts made in the UK? The large majority, yes.
How long does delivery take? Most items are dispatched within a few working days. Made-to-order pieces like cushions take longer,check the individual product page, and order in good time for a specific date.