As Mariah Carey begins to defrost, that could only mean one thing- Christmas is right around the corner. You can’t spell Christmas without holiday classics blasting through retail stores, the taste of a decadent peppermint mocha and the constant worry about what to get your loved ones. Whether it be a birthday, anniversary or Christmas present, if you have had to preface your gifts by saying ‘I’m not great with gifts’, it’s time for a change this year.
Here are six things you could get your loved ones:
- A Perfume Sampler
Good perfumes have a hefty price tag. Although they can last for many years, it can be difficult to pull the trigger on purchasing a whole bottle without knowing if you can commit to a scent. Also, perfumes do not smell the same on your skin as they do on the paper blotters in stores. In fact, perfumes can smell different from person to person due to different skin pH levels that break down perfumes differently.
If you know a person who has not found their “signature scent” or is looking to expand their perfume collection, a perfume sampler is an ideal gift for helping them find their new favourite fragrance. To make a perfume sampler, purchase different 2ml perfume vials on Shopee, picking scents you think your loved ones might enjoy. While 2ml might not seem like a lot,trust me when I say a little goes a long way!
- A Custom Printed T-shirt
Never let your loved one be caught accidentally wearing the same thing as someone else with a custom t-shirt. Uniqlo’s UTme! let’s you come up with an original design to print on their t-shirts for $29.90. You could either prepare a design beforehand or use their UTme! booths for the perfect custom gift. Available at their Orchard Central Global Flagship, Uniqlo also lets you do custom prints on tote bags depending on the size (mini-$29.90, regular-$39.90). I recommend going there early because you might have to wait an hour or two for it to be done printing but you could always shop in the meantime.
- Bouquets
I have always thought of bouquets as dying flowers wrapped in pretty paper. Who would want to receive flowers? It turns out everyone does, myself included. When I received a bouquet, words cannot describe how special I felt carrying it around. The bouquet became a public proclamation that someone cares about me. As I looked at the flowers in a make-shift vase (I used a glass bottle) in my room, I found myself thinking about the person who gave them to me. News flash, flowers have some magical property that makes the recipient feel extra lovey-dovey.
While flowers can be quite expensive, I came across a flower vending machine near Rochor MRT station selling a three-rose bouquet for $15! These bouquet vending machines are from Cool Petals found in multiple locations that you could pick up on the go. Another option would be preserved flowers that you can find from small businesses on Carousell going for about $12 a bouquet that last you a few months. If your loved one is a little quirky and eccentric, check out Moonbeam Flora for glow-in-the-dark preserved flowers! (Moonbeam Flora is currently closed till January but subscribe to their mailing list for a one-of-a-kind bouquet in time for Valentine’s Day.)
- Apple air tags
The person I have the most trouble getting a gift for are my tech-obsessed loved ones. But, then Apple released their AirTags, which solved this problem. Looking aesthetic as they are functional, AirTags are a small button shaped device that helps you keep track of your items. You can slip it into your backpack or attach it to your keys and make it play a sound in case you misplaced the item. It even has Precision Finding that can help guide you to your AirTag if it’s nearby. I have seen many people attach AirTags to their check-in luggage at the airport which can come in handy if an airline loses your luggage (I’m not wishing that upon you or your loved one, but better safe than sorry!).
As one costs $45 and a pack of four costs $149, I recommend opting for the pack of four and gifting each separately to get more bang for your buck. Don’t forget to get them engraved with up to four letters or emoji characters, for a thoughtful personal touch. They also come with a variety of cases that attach them as a keyring or bag charm to showcase your personality.
- Fancy Biscuits
For the foodie in your life, you can’t go wrong with delicious biscuits. But you can’t get them just any biscuits- these are meant to be gifts! Let me introduce you to a brand called Juchheim and their fancy, crunchy and irresistible Heidesand biscuits. These are savoury biscuits that usually come in a box containing five varieties: Almond, Macadamia, Walnut, Cashew and Chocolate. They never fail to knock the socks off my loved ones because of their unique flavour and premium packaging. I also like that they come in boxes with varying price ranges from $13 for 10 pieces to $75 for 60 pieces. If your loved ones have nut allergies Juchheim also has other types of biscuits and amazing Baumkuchens that you could consider and even buy for yourself!
- Experiences (Candlelit concert, super park, that theatre thing, pottery class, candle workshop)
From my encounters, not all your loved ones would appreciate a physical gift especially if their love language is quality time. This year, why not give them a gift that they can experience to enrich their lives and even inspire them! I recommend getting them tickets to New World’s End: An Immersive Audio-guided Art Experience ($35) for an experience that is interactive and entertaining. Think of it like a play that unfolds around you as your loved ones relive the 60’s down the streets of Jalan Besar through an audio-guided narrative
For loved ones that would prefer an experience that involves minimal physical movement, let their soul be moved by Fever’s candlelit concert to their favourite artists! Starting from $35 Fever has multiple candlelit concerts that are themed to either an artist such as Jay Chou and Taylor Swift, or to Anime soundtracks and classical music. My friends that have gone for these candlelit concerts have nothing but glowing reviews. This is a truly magical and unique experience that I hope you get to bring your loved one out on.
All in all, if you feel like your significant other is not going to like any of these things and you’re still clueless, tell them you got their gift early and they have to guess. It works like a charm. While this list is non-exhaustive and may not fit the interests of all your loved ones, do remember that your gift is going to be special. No matter what you end up giving to your loved ones,the very fact you gave it to them adds sentimental value. Now go out there and get gifting! Gift I say!