I credit my mother with bestowing on me her aptitude for tracking down the most delightful small gifts, otherwise known to Southerners as surcees. Every year during the holidays, she would pile us in the back of our paneled station wagon like elves and we would drop off thoughtful little things to every single person we knew—I’m talking full days spent driving up Corntassel Trail and down Mulberry Road with festive music on full blast. And while the presents weren’t expensive, they were always wrapped like we were presenting them to the King of England (another trick I picked up from Mom). Below are a few ideas to inspire your own small but mighty gift list.
Corkscrew
Set up your loved one to be the person at the party who always miraculously has a corkscrew with this handsome Orban & Sons take from Fieldshop. $38; ggfieldshop.com
Essential Oil
Laugh all you want about how “woo woo” essential oils are, but it’s a fact that neroli is heaven in a bottle—a thousand orange blossoms go into making the tiniest bit of it. This atelierBOEMIA version hails from Morocco in a bottle that’s almost too pretty to open. $30; dearkeaton.com
Stationery
The historians at Pepin Press pulled dozens of authentic Indian block prints from the archives to festoon the envelopes and writing paper in this delightful set. $34; flaxart.com
Salt
Bacon-infused salt? Okey dokey! You don’t have to twist our arm. This ingenious recipe by Amola would be ideal on a Bloody Mary or a Michelada with a twist of lime. $6; huckberry.com
Mosquito Incense
Granted, some incense can be more choking than calming. But the genius of this set by Flatout Supply Co. is that you burn it outside to keep bugs away and it perfumes the party. $16; hotelmagdalenastore.com
Coasters
These coasters by Proper Table Co. bring all the charm of a starched linen version without the maintenance, thanks to being fully encased in (wipeable) Lucite. $12 each; propertableco.com
Keychain
Conventional wisdom has it that if you have a keychain that gets noticed, you’ll never lose your keys, and this gold and silver sparkler by Primecut will stand out even at the bottom of a bag. $18; primecutbags.com
Oven Mitt
An evergreen checkerboard print by Bonnie and Neil enlivens this indispensable kitchen essential. $39 for set of two; bonnieandneil.com.au
Flower Cannons
Save the bees with a darling wildflower seed cannon by Fredericks and Mae. $14 each; fredericksandmae.com
Notebook
These sturdy journals by Shorthand come in every color under the sun and have just the right amount of dime-store nostalgia in their design. $14; shopshorthand.com
Tumbler
Tote iced coffee (or whatever your libation of choice may be) in style with a silicon and glass vessel by Good Citizen Coffee Co. $22; ggfieldshop.com
Cross-Stitch Kit
There’s no time like the present to take up a new hobby, and these beginner cross-stitch kits by Cotton Clara are great for long car rides, air travel, and extended family togetherness. $17; cottonclara.com
Trivia Game
Think you know the South? Test your wits (and your family’s) with G&G’s Bless Your Heart trivia. $20; ggfieldshop.com
Popcorn Popper
Trust us, just add old-fashioned corn kernels, a bay leaf, a bit of your favorite oil, and sea salt and watch this glass apparatus from Public Goods create popcorn that rivals the movie theater’s. $25; publicgoods.com
Optics
The beauty of these binoculars by Carson Optical from Orvis lies in their size and subsequent ease of use. Take them hunting, take them bird-watching, or take them to the big game. $39; orvis.com
Four-in-a-Row
Test out your board game skills with this take on four-in-a-row by Printworks; the set looks just as fun sitting on a coffee table as it does when actually in use. $35; burkedecor.com
Honeycomb
Every cheese plate deserves a beautiful bit of honeycomb, like this one from Savannah Bee Company, to tempt the eye and the taste buds. $15; westontable.com
Ornament
Add a sense of humor to the holidays with a cheeky ornament such as this Willie Nelson bust by Cody Foster from Stag Provisions in Texas. $20; stagprovisions.com
Candles
Stagger a festive forest of these tree candles from Houses & Parties down a holiday table or sideboard. $44–$66 each; housesandparties.com
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