Practical Pampering

My friend, L, and I have movie nights at my house every other week. Our hang outs aren’t just about the popcorn and Papa John’s pizza; they’re about unwinding, getting cozy, and being a safe space for each other.

I wanted a gift for her that perfectly embodied that feeling – something practical, deeply personal, and a true indulgence, all without feeling like a major splurge.

The goal of this gift: a bit of practical pampering with a personal touch, that would go easy on my wallet!

The Anti-Candle Movement

This is my hot-take: DO NOT GIFT CANDLES! Nothing says, “I don’t care enough to put effort into a gift for you” more than a candle (that I KNOW is just a regift). Unless this person is an olfactory obsessed maniac, but even in that case, they’ll already have enough aromatics in their space. Therefore –  we are ditching the candles.

The alternative I curated is this TREAT HERSELF basket.

And don’t get discouraged if you don’t paint often, you can pencil a sketch and it will easily erase until you get it how you would like it. And there’s no such thing as ugly flowers so put some faith into your artistic ability! A little effort on your part is worth more than any gift.

Some painted ideas I saw and loved that you can draw inspiration from:

• Seashells
• Farm animals
• Fruits
• Swirls and ribbons
• Flowers and leaves

 

The hairbrush idea was very intentional to our friendship because one of our favorite movies is Tangled and she threw me a surprise birthday with some Tangled theme decorations about a decade ago. What better way to say thank you and pay some homage to our years as friends than sticking with the theme??  

For the final touch, tie on a little scrap of ribbon and kiss your masterpiece!

I did get a bit carried away (as I always do) and included a glass soap jar she could use for shampoo, conditioner, or hand soap. I also used acrylics and Mod Podge on this. If painting is not your strong suit, printing a picture and using Mod Podge as adhesive is another option!

For a few extra goodies, I headed to Target (a treasure trove for affordable luxuries). Instead of just grabbing a pre-made set, I focused on individual items that I knew would be a hit:

• Face Masks
• Lip Oil
• Shower Steamer/Bath Bomb
• Her Favorite Candy: For our next movie night:)

These all went into a basket as well as her handmade gifts, some tissue paper, fake flowers, and a birthday card. To decorate the basket, I printed little pictures of her face and made a little birthday banner.

Practical & Usable: I knew these gifts wouldn’t gather dust in the bottom of her linen closet (unlike the 8349 unused candles stored in there). These are everyday luxuries designed to be enjoyed. Either we would use the goodies for our girls night-in or she could easily use at her next “everything shower” (girls & gays know what I’m talking about).

This TREAT HERSELF basket isn’t just a collection of items; it’s a tangible expression of our friendship, a representation of our cozy hang-in nights, a callback to some of the favorite things in common, and a reason to take some precious girl-time for herself.