Not many people would have guessed how 2020 would unfold — and it is definitely a year that is going to go down in the history books. The global pandemic has changed every aspect of our lives, from how we spend time together in the present to what our futures might hold. One thing that has become clear is that connection with friends and family is important, and honouring the ones we love with gifts is a great way to show our appreciation for those bonds.
Now that most weddings, birthday parties, and social gatherings have been cancelled or had their guest lists greatly reduced, so too have the way we give gifts to each other. We have done some research and wanted to come up with this guide for 2020’s Top Gifting Trends.
2020’s Top Gifting Trends
Gift Cards for Self Care
Sure, gift cards have topped these kinds of lists before, but 2020 brings about a new twist — gift cards for self-care. This includes services like massages, manicures and pedicures, reflexology, and other spa services. Everyone needs self-care, and even more so in this year that has been more stressful than most. Even if these services aren’t open at the moment, buying gift cards helps keep local businesses afloat and keeps your money in the local community.
Personalized Chocolate
In times of stress or worry, it’s always nice to treat yourself to something sweet. It’s even nicer to receive (and give!) a high-end delicious chocolate gift that is personalized and engraved with a meaningful message. Totally Chocolate has a huge array of options that you can customize with your very own imagery, packaging, and personalized messages. And these aren’t your run-of-the-mill confections: Totally Chocolate has been around for a few decades producing high quality treats with carefully guarded recipes made with superior ingredients. Whether you want to memorialize an event or share a secret message, you have free reign over the laser-engraved design of your chocolate. There’s nothing that makes a person feel more special than a customized gift, especially one they can eat!
Digital Gifts
The world was already trending more online, but 2020 has catapulted society into the digital experience. A lot of gift-giving has followed suit. Digital gifts include subscriptions to online viewing or content platforms, audiobooks, gift vouchers for food delivery, tickets to online events and conferences, ebooks, and premium service upgrades. Digital gifts are a great way to increase convenience and provide a treat during the era of lockdown.
Gifts That Get You Out in Nature
Leaning the opposite way from digital gifts, a lot of people are looking for ways to spend less time on their devices, so buying gifts that encourage a connection to nature can be so appreciated. Getting out into nature is a great way to shift perspective and reset the mind and body, so don’t discount gift ideas like hiking gear, a book of local hikes or a book that identifies local trees and animals, high-end water bottles, a gift card for new hiking shoes, a portable speaker or good wireless headphones.
Kitchenware and Baking Tools
Baking was an unexpected trend in 2020 — who knew the world was full of so many aspiring pastry chefs and bread makers? Baking is great because anyone that can follow a recipe can achieve great things, so why not give a gift that will help a person along? Baking is always made better with high-quality ingredients and tools so consider a gift card to a specialty shop for those on their baking journey. Other great baking gifts include mixers, measurement devices, cookie cutters, and good quality bowls and dishes.
Health and Wellness Products
Health is on everyone’s mind these days and while in the past a basket of wellness products might not have been so desirable, 2020 has changed pretty much everything! Gift baskets have a stuffy reputation but done correctly, they can really hit the nail on the head. You can get a bunch of smaller samples of health products like teas, supplements, health food products, and anything else customized and put them all together in a nice array. As a gift receiver, it’s always nice to get a gift that keeps on giving. Plus, anything that can help a person get healthier in today’s day and age is a win!
Local Items
While there are trends that show certain retail giants are growing fast and eating up the competition, what would the world be like without independent shops and services? The best way to keep small shops alive is to buy gifts for your loved ones from local shops and artisans. A great way to find what is in your neighbourhood or city is by scanning things like social media and asking friends if they have anything to recommend. A lot of businesses don’t have the funds behind them to follow traditional models of brick-and-mortar and old-school advertising, so you may have to put some extra effort in to discover a whole world of fun local products. Once you find them, buy what you can and spread the word. The chain reaction that follows can really make a difference in whether or not a company survives these hard times.
Conclusion
2020 has surprised us all and has quickly moved trends into directions no one was expecting. It’s really given us a shift in perspective and shown many of us what’s really important in life. One of those things is the relationships we have, and honouring relationships with gifts is increasingly important at a time when we’re not able to connect in person. Please contact Total Chocolate if you need any personalized chocolate or gift card for your loved ones.