11 clever, personal gift ideas from Etsy
Independent makers rock, so let’s support them on Etsy and shop small or scrappy whenever we can.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING! I am personally abundantly grateful that you have allowed me to do what I have always wanted to do since I was a little girl— be a writer!— an actual possibility for me. In the long run, I’d love to build off of this Substack to accomplish some of my other goals (write a book! run a store again some day!). In the short run, I’m honestly just having fun writing to you, especially now that I freed myself from a lot of the “should”s and started just doing what felt right. Thank you. I mean that. Thank you for giving me this gift.
Onto some incredibly topical seasonal business…
Maybe you duplicated my Holiday Gifting Spreadsheet and are working on filling in some personal ideas of your own, maybe you liked my “small, smart, and sustainable” shopping guide, or maybe you’re winging your holiday gift shopping with little more than a hope and a dream. Either way, I present you: unique gift ideas that are a little less “copy paste” and a little more “support a craftsman!”
My criteria here is:
Independent makers are the best! Let’s support them on Etsy and shop small or scrappy whenever we can.
Everything featured here will make it to your doorstep in time. (But please, please double check!)
All items featured ship from the US— so no surprise tariff bill after you think you bought something awesome at a total steal of a price…
I’m gatekeeping some of my favorite Etsy stores for First Rodeo’s paid subscribers!
Now let’s go!!
Engraved silver pill box, $36.50. This punches so far above its price tag— it’s personalized, which I think goes such a long way for holiday gifting. I always want the people I gift to know that I picked this thing just for them and not make it feel like they were just a box I had to check (what’s the fun in that, on either side?).
A well-placed inside joke or nod to a shared experience on the engraving would be so good here.
Custom animal embroidered napkins, $64.99. We all have that friend who thinks their dog is their actual child. Whether or not you agree, I think this would make a positively splendid gift for them. You can even get a different animal on each napkin for next level customization! (If napkins aren’t their thing, you can also do a Christmas ornament version.)
Marbled photo album, $89.33. I would fill this with pictures from a trip that I took with the giftee, some of our favorite memories, ticket stubs from that movie we saw, you get the picture. Again— personal! Thoughtful. And beautiful to have out on a coffee table or console table in their home for a long time to come.
Hand-drawn home illustration, $49.48. Such a cute gift for a friend who just bought their first home or moved to a new place! The oak frame comes at an extra charge, but I’d shell out for it— nice to get a gift that is completely ready to go, and since it’s a pencil sketch, I think it’s pretty much guaranteed to match any color/home decor scheme.
Handmade crystal beaded baroque pearl necklace, $159. I love this one because the crystal and the pearl juxtapose each other nicely— it’s not overtly summery, it could be at home worn around your neck to a New Year’s party. The magnetic clasp makes it gloriously easy to wear too!
Handwoven leather handbag, $127.11. If you have a friend who has been coveting a Dragon Diffusion bag forever but can’t swing the $400+ price tag… here’s a beautifully crafted version for under $130 that I’m sure they’d be gooped to unwrap.
