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.
The Personalized Part
The shining star of this basket and the idea I want to share with y’all is a painted hairbrush.
Plain wooden hairbrushes are under $10 everywhere, I got a set of 4 different styles for $15. With acrylic paint, I added some floral designs and the first letter of her name, and some ducks because she loves ducks, duh.
The type of acrylic doesn’t matter as long as you get a type of water-proof Mod Podge, I used dishwasher-safe Mod Podge. That way, she can use them daily without fear of them getting ruined by water and can last a lifetime.
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.
See below for inspiration pictures… Other similar ideas below…
What am I missing from this basket? Give me your go-to thoughtful, affordable, and useful DIY gift ideas with the theme of treat yourself? Share your anti-candle strategies in the comments below…
Sometimes, the most memorable dates are the least elaborate. I surprised my sugar with this simple, no prep, special night in.
To set the scene, I covered my table with brown butcher paper… AND THAT’S IT! The creativity flowed from there.
With two sharpies, I drew tic tac toe boards, hangman, even a little battleship grid; all those games we played as kids but had long since forgotten. We played throughout dinner and since we are both so competitive, this was such a hoot and holler. We even brought up some other games like Scribble, Pictionary, and more. It kept us entertained throughout dinner and past dessert.
For a personal touch, I made my own Madlib, another one of those gems from childhood. I read off what type of word to fill in the blank space and then read the story to him at the end. This brought out lots of giggles. Letting loose was exactly what we needed for a relaxed joyful evening.
Since the entertainment was the focal point, I just threw some burgers on the grill. After assembling the buns, onions, lettuce, cheese, etc.. I cut them into heart shapes with the time I had saved with this low prep idea. I had some spread and washed up some fruit. Dessert was pzookies (warm chocolate chip cookies topped with vanilla ice cream) and it was the perfect ending to a relaxing, romantic night.
Moral of the story: you can create a fun and intimate atmosphere without spending a fortune or wasting hours in the kitchen. The beauty of this date night is its simplicity. It’s easy to execute, but the thoughtful details make it that much more special and intentional.
See below for inspiration pictures… Other similar ideas below…
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The Gift That Keeps on Giving: 12 Months of Customizable Date Adventures!
This is the gift of EXPERIENCES – unlike the slippers you got your mom that just collect dust in the back of her closet. Looking for a gift that is more than just another useless accessory? Look no further! This gift will allow you to create memories ALL YEAR LONG.
Introducing the 12 MONTHS OF CHRISTMAS envelopes. Each contain an adorable invitation to a date, thoughtful trinkets, ideas for diy additions, enclosed in a hand painted envelope.
Ready to Print Invitation Templates: Each adorable invitation is ready to print and present. It can also be easily customized with an editable link in Canva, Procreate, and PNG format. Fill in the details to personalize each experience.
Printable & Foldable Hand-painted Envelopes: Easy to assemble envelopes with unique watercolor art featured on the cover plus the corresponding month.
Thoughtful Little Trinkets & Additions: Each envelope includes small, delightful items to enhance the date experience. Fun stickers, printed photos, even little tools or supplies to help with the date itself. A little DIY art will add to the sentimentality and intention.
This is the perfect present for your partner, your mom, your sibling, your best friend, or anyone special in your life!And I’ve laid the groundwork for you and created ready-to-print templates for a perfect, easy, last-minute present of year-long adventures, waiting to unfold.
Full access to 18 options where you can select any 12 date ideas to use for each month of the year! Whether you envision a playful arcade date, a relaxing spa day, an adventurous zoo day, a friendly competition at the bowling alley, a creative painting party, a sunny beach getaway, a cozy bonfire under the stars, or one of the many other fantastic choices, the power to create the perfect year of outings is in your hands.
The beauty of this gift lies in its versatility. While it’s a wonderfully romantic gesture for your partner, think about the joy it could bring to your mom with monthly outings just the two of you, the laughter shared with your sibling on planned adventures, or the strengthening of bonds with your best friend through dedicated fun.
I gifted this to my partner for Christmas and I was SO NERVOUS every time we would open up an envelope. It was a good type of nervous- I know how much work I put into each of these envelopes and it caused a flutter of excitement and jitter bugs in my stomach.
Each date we had was a blast and it kept us from that super fun question “What do you want to do?” and “What do you want to eat?” because it was already planned for us!
I love a good theme and I love a good experience and I love a handmade gift, a holy trinity. Not the only holy trinity he was gifted this Christmas! (happy bday Jesus)
Ready to give a gift that truly keeps on giving?
You can choose to embrace the full customization options, pouring your creativity into each envelope and tailoring every detail. Or, if time is of the essence, simply print the templates and gift them as they are – the thoughtfulness and pre-planned fun are already built in!
Stop searching for the “perfect” gift. Create it! Explore the 18 date options and get started on crafting a year of unforgettable moments. This is more than just a present; it’s an investment in connection, laughter, and cherished memories. Give a year’s worth of memories with this one gift.
See below for inspiration… Other similar ideas below…
$35.99Original price was: $35.99.$23.99Current price is: $23.99.
Full access to 18 options where you can select any 12 date ideas to use for each month of the year. An expertly crafted gift for a year of unforgettable memories with your loved one!
