A Gift Guide for Anyone in Your Life (Especially the Difficult People)

If you’re naturally a good gift giver, I applaud you. I overthink like no one’s business and worry they’ll think I’m a cheapskate or trying too hard to impress them. It’s rough. So when I started making leather goods as a hobby, I decided just to give everyone a leather gift because no one could hate that, right?

Not only did people not hate their leather gifts, they loved them! Apparently, lots of people love leather like I do, yay! And now, we make leather gifts for people to buy for themselves or for others. The best thing is now we have a gift idea for literally ANYONE. Test me here. I’ll give you great gift ideas for all the people or situations below, and you can let me know if I forgot any. We’ve got a little cheat sheet for you, if you will. Here we go.

Graduation

Most recent graduates I know are ready to let off a little steam and prefer gifts more on the fun side rather than the practical. I mean, is a shower caddy for college useful? Yes. Is it fun to receive? Debatable. Here are a few gift ideas they’ll be much more excited to use:

  1. Customized luggage tag – what graduate isn’t hoping for some adventure in their lives following years of hard work? A personalized luggage tag can help them travel in style and keep track of their luggage on the road. Plus, the personalization makes this gift – whether you put their name and contact info, a favorite quote, or a funny saying – the perfect gift.
  2. Pocket journal – just like the luggage tags, this gift is perfect for a graduate who is just ready to have some fun and hit the road after working so hard. The size of the pocket journal is perfect to take with you anywhere you go and capture precious memories along the way.
  3. Leather bookmark – as a bookworm myself, this is a gift I LOVE giving because it’s the kind of gift I love receiving. I feel so special when someone gifts me something that shows how well they know me, so say a bookmark (they know I love reading) with a Harry Potter quote on it (they pay attention to things I like and talk about). If you don’t know the person super well, fish around a little and ask those close to them what they might appreciate on their bookmark. You can’t go wrong with their initials or name either. Anything that is customized just feels so much more personalized and meaningful.

Graduation Gifts

Wedding

Some people like to give something a little more heartfelt and personalized than a wedding gift off a couple’s registry. If you’re into something more meaningful, here are some fun ideas for you:

  1. Matching luggage tags – we have fun options for these coordinating leather luggage tags from MR. and MRS. (even personalized with the couple’s last name) to fun artwork of a bride and groom. You can’t go wrong with something so customized and classy.
  2. A set of leather coasters – when a couple gets married, oftentimes they are setting up a home together and filling it with items to make it feel homey. A set of leather coasters (especially personalized) makes a home feel cozy, classy, and ready for company.
  3. Vow books – every couple shares a beautiful story, and their vows are a way for them to record a small piece of that for their wedding day. Leather vow books are a beautiful way to preserve these special words forever. Did we mention you can put the wedding date or names on these for that extra special touch?

Wedding Gifts

Baby Shower

My absolute favorite gift to give at a baby shower is a beautiful, leather journal for the new babe. What mother-to-be doesn’t want to record all the sweet memories to come with her little baby? A leather journal is the perfect gift for her to write down all her hopes, dreams, funny stories and milestones for her little one. Personalize it with her baby’s name, initials, or “Baby (last name)” if they don’t have a name picked out yet. The journals I have for each of my kids are some of my most precious possessions, and I love the idea that they’ll be able to look back on these beautiful memories.

Baby Shower

Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day comes around every year so you not only have to think of a great gift, but you have to keep thinking of great gifts EVERY YEAR. I’ll include a list of ideas so you’ve got a few years covered.

  1. Our leather tote bag is hands down my favorite to gift for Mother’s Day. It’s so beautiful, classy, and just screams “thank you for all you do”. We know moms are AMAZING and every mother needs a nice bag whether it’s for carting around diapers and bottles or snacks and library books. This is a gift she’ll remember (and use!) for years and years.
  2. Leather wrap bracelet – moms of little ones often have kids tugging on any jewelry or accessories, so a leather bracelet is perfect! It can withstand some tugging and drooling (or you know, spit up and blowouts) and still look fantastic. Even moms who are past the littles stage will love these bracelets especially if you’ve got siblings, so you naturally personalize it with a phrase about how you’re the favorite child.
  3. Wrap journal – these journals are the perfect gift for mom as they’re beautiful to look at, fantastic to smell, hold up forever, and are designed for holding memories she’ll want to revisit time and time again.

Mother's Day Gifts

Father’s Day

Why are dads so difficult to shop for? You can only gift so many ties and tools before you’ve gotta get creative. So, here are a few surefire ideas for you:

  1. Customized, leather patch hat – these hats are customized with a leather patch featuring your choice of design. You can get a logo, his initials, or anything else you come up with. This gift is fun, usable, and will make him feel loved – perfect!
  2. Dopp kit – our dopp kits are a new product that are becoming fast favorites as they’re soooo functional, can fit all your toiletries with no problem, and look so classy.
  3. Desk mat & mouse pad – give him the gift of a beautiful work space that also smells amazing. Customize them with his initials to make him feel extra special.

Father's Day

Parents

We’ll include parents on this list because there is a whole spectrum – some are easy to buy for and others are really not. No matter which type you’ve got, these ideas should work great for all of them:

  1. Leather journal filled with memories - in my experience, emotional and nostalgic gifts go a LONG ways with parents. For their birthday, grab your siblings, divide up the age your parent is turning by how many of you there are, and take turns writing that many favorite memories or reasons you love mom or dad in the front of the journal. They’ll love and treasure it forever. For other gifting opportunities, write a special letter to them.
  2. Matching leather patch hats - we talk about cute, matching things for newlyweds, but how cute would it be to also gift matching hats to a couple who’s been together for a while? When you gift it, make sure you grab a pic to remember the moment forever. It would also be a good idea to get matching hats for grandparents and their grandkids! These make for such fun memories!

Parent Gifts

In-Laws

It can be impossible to figure out what to get your in-laws. We can help alleviate some of that anxiety with a few ideas to help you out:

  1. Dopp kit – our new dopp kits are AMAZING because everyone in your life needs one, and I’d venture to say anyone you gift it to will love it, too. They’re just so versatile (and beautiful!). So, basically, it’s the perfect gift for an in-law. Personalize it with their initials to up your gifting game even more.
  2. Leather journal – this gift is great because it’s simultaneously so thoughtful and personalized yet so universally giftable because who couldn’t use a beautiful leather journal? You can use it to record memories, write grocery lists, keep score while playing card games, etc. You can make this gift even more personal by sticking new pictures of the grandkids inside, pressing a few flowers in the pages for them to come across, or writing a special note in the front.
  3. Customized bookmark – most people could use a bookmark whether they use it for actually keeping their place in the latest novel they’re reading or finding a favorite recipe easily. Bonus points if you customize it with a favorite saying of theirs or a cute note from a grandkid.

In-Law Gifts

Boss / Coworkers

Buying a gift for someone in the office can be tricky. You want a gift that is thoughtful, and it’s even better if it’s something that can be used at work to make each day a little more fun. Whether you’re going in with other coworkers on a gift or flying solo for the gift-giving, we’ve got you covered with these ideas:

  1. Laptop cord wrap – charging cords get so messy when you’re carting your computer back and forth from the office to home, so a cord wrap is definitely needed to reduce the chaos.
  2. Lanyard – these days a lot of offices have security badges you have to carry around the building with you, so why not dress them up a little with a beautiful leather lanyard?
  3. Professional Closure Journal – these journals have an elastic closure that’s super quick to slip on and off – perfect for taking to work meetings. Plus, our journals are just so beautiful. Who wouldn’t want to carry one around all day?
  4. Mouse Pad – to make even the most mundane work tasks a little more fun. Plus you can customize it to be EXTRA special to them.
  5. Desk Mat – this is the height of office luxury. Our new desk mats are the perfect way to make a workspace feel custom, unique, and less cubicle-y. Win, win, win. Plus, they can be customized which is always a plus in my book.

Boss & Coworker Gifts


So there you go – some gift ideas for all the situations and people in your life that may be a tad difficult. If there are any other baffling gift-giving situations you’re facing, let me know and I’ll come up with a super special gift to save the day. Happy gift-giving!