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Gift ideas for ‘her’: the dear friend/sister/mum who needs a little lift

gifting thoughtfully
by holly Tucker

17TH SEPTEMBER 2023

We all know a woman who could do with some love right now. Who springs to mind? If you can think of someone who would appreciate a surprise, read this…

Inspiring gift ideas for women (the women who are doing it all)

There are some brilliant gift ideas for women out there, especially from UK small businesses (have I told you I’m a fan?!) — but finding something that says ‘I see you’, ‘I get it’, ‘I know you’re not saying the words but are just bloody exhausted’? That’s trickier. It’s also so important. Because as women, these little love tokens from our friends and family can absolutely mean the world. Think about when somebody last surprised you this way. Didn’t it lift your spirits? Raise a smile? Remind you that actually, it’s probably all going to be ok and maybe you can keep going after all? A little ‘just because’ gift can also bring us closer.

How maintaining friendships is good for our health

It’s not just the short-term pick-me-up that gift-giving helps with either. American research found that deep friendships which are maintained can help improve your health on every level — they are just as important as diet and exercise. Quality friendships have been linked to lower blood pressure, lower BMI and a reduced risk of diabetes, across all age groups¹. So cheering up those we love with a heartfelt gift is a good way of cherishing those friendships and looking after our nearest and dearest, too.

Gift ideas for her…

Unique gift ideas for the wonder women you know

Who could you surprise? Do you know a new mum? A mum of twins? A mum of a teenager who’s leaving home for the first time and even the smell of their bedroom hits their face like a high speed train every morning because they know they will miss them more than air? Or perhaps it’s an older mum, who might be feeling low at the moment? Maybe it’s not a mum at all but a friend who’s been made redundant or has done something stupid at work and feels as if maybe that guy she met that time was right and she is, in fact, the world’s biggest idiot?

These scenarios are all on top of trying to run the home, be more sustainable, check in on family, eat healthily, exercise and generally keep our shit together. As women, we go through so much. So how about starting a positive chain reaction and getting a gift to lift up someone you’re close to?

Tokens to raise a smile…

What are the best gift ideas for women?

Once you’ve thought of that particular person in your life, what kind of gift could work? Is it something witty for a touch of spontaneous laughter? Something that’s relevant to her situation but clever and likely to make her smile? Or something that shows her you really know her and appreciate her (actually our less ordinary collections have all kinds of gifts for just about every type of person here)? If all else fails, perhaps it’s just something wonderful (or funny) that she wouldn’t buy for herself?

It doesn’t need to break the bank (and if it’s useful, we’ve got some brilliant token gifts, too) but when you’re shopping from a small business, not only are you lifting up a loved one, but you’re also brightening the life of the person who created that gift. And the vast majority of these small businesses that sell on our site are women-owned, so that’s another lucky lady you are cheering on too. It’s a cycle of thoughtfulness, in fact. And, as women, we spend so much time thinking about everyone else that we sometimes forget about each other. Let’s change that.

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Sources: 1. PNAS study on social relationships and health

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