Welcome Gifts: Create an Atmosphere of Anticipation

Scenic trails, cozy blankets, and crackling campfires are what we imagine when we’re dreaming of a weekend getaway. The door swings open, you step inside, exhale, and leave your worries behind. There’s a gorgeous view to enjoy as you embrace the cabin comforts and anticipate the weekend ahead. A beautiful gift box is there waiting for you. It’s an unexpected surprise, an invitation to explore new tastes and treasures. Each element inside the gift box hints at the excitement to come. Isn’t this the way all weekends should begin?

The way we welcome our guests sets the mood for an entire experience, whether it’s the start of a relaxing retreat or a thank-you to lifelong friends in your wedding party. Here are three ideas to inspire your gifts as you welcome friends, family, and guests.

The flair of local flavors - Highlight local artisans from the region with savory treats made by small businesses. It could be the scent of pine, cinnamon spice, or palo santo candles paired with snacks like caramels, chocolates, or pretzels made by a family business. A sample beverage from a nearby brewery, coffee beans, or a sip of spirits (bonus for a catchy name or creative label) is another way to spice up your gifts.

Bring back memories - Include at least one piece that lives beyond the sips and snacks as a joyful reminder of the experience. It could be engraved wood coasters, a festive pin, distinct ceramic cups, or a handwoven towel. Give your gifts in a handcrafted wood gift box to leave a lasting impression.

The karma of kind words - Take the time to include a personal note. Jot a few words on the back of a scenic postcard from the area and include a second one for them to share, leave your message on a beautiful hand-illustrated card, or add heartfelt thanks inside the day’s itinerary. You might be surprised at how many times these notes get pinned to a corkboard at home, used as bookmarks, posted in the office, or shown proudly on a refrigerator. Your words are appreciated, take the time to say something from the heart.

The magic happens when you infuse your personal style throughout the gift experience and create an atmosphere of anticipation for what’s to come.

If you’d like ideas on how to reuse these beautiful gift boxes you can get a copy of our free guide here. These deluxe wood boxes can be found on our Specialty Series page.

There's Nothing Like Watching Their Faces Light Up

We watched her smile, slowly turning the gift box around to admire it from every angle. When it turned to the front and she saw the engraving, she gasped with surprise and delight. There’s nothing like watching their faces light up when you give a memorable gift. We rarely get to see the reaction first-hand when a gift box is opened. It’s usually shipped to destinations far and wide or delivered for a reveal at a later time. We hear about the excitement in texts or phone calls (sometimes both!) from those who send the gifts. In this instance, we were fortunate to be there for the experience - and how fun! Do you get stuck deciding what to give that’s meaningful and unique? Do you wrestle with how to leave a lasting impression? If so, we’ve got some ideas and inspiration to help make your selection easy.

Personalization is what makes a gift unique; it’s the gorgeous wood grain, the artisan elements, and the craftsmanship that makes the gift recipient feel special. In the case of this gift box, the venue is perched high in the Catskill Mountains, surrounded by cabins and firepits and an incredible view. With that setting in mind, we selected long matches for their campfires and ceramic tumblers with an earthy glaze pattern that inspires thoughts of mountain peaks and walking paths. Tucked inside is a mini ceramic air plant pot with an artful design that reflects the distant mountains, and a candle fills the air with a woodsy aroma. Engraving is another way to personalize a gift. Imagine an inspirational quote, a favorite music lyric, or in this example, a logo etched in the wood for a finishing touch. This gift box is made from natural hardwoods (black walnut, and white maple) right down to the beveled handles. The entire design is with the customer in mind. While it may be easy to grab generic, off-the-shelf items, if the recipient doesn’t remember you (and never uses your gift), you’ve missed an opportunity. Or worse, you’ve made the wrong impression. A personalized gift sends the message that they’re important to you.

Is it a gift they’ll love each time they use it? That’s the goal of a memorable gift. Is it a handcrafted beauty, distinct in style? Is it reusable? Does it reflect the texture of natural materials? Consider these ideas, and light up someone’s day with your gifts. We encourage you to take a few moments to determine the impression you’d like to make. Then, we invite you to shop our Gift Box Collection, Specialty Series, and the Marketplace to make your memorable gift selection. It feels amazing to receive a gift like this, and it feels pretty darn good to give one too.

Highlights from Hudson

As we packed up the luggage and tossed in our final bag, I felt incredibly grateful that we were going twenty minutes down the road, not the full five hours home. After such a big family event, the best thing we did for ourselves was plan to stay in Hudson, NY, and have an extra day to decompress, just the two of us. Between naps and a glass of wine, we took the time to reflect on the wedding weekend, and here are a few of our favorite details. Two are from the celebration itself, and two are post-event to encourage you to indulge in rest and comfort after your milestone moments.

Tablescapes are a personal expression of the wedding couples' style. Is it bold, bright, subtle, or ornate? So many directions you can go. On this occasion, simple yet beautiful was the choice, with each element selected by the brides. Their passion and appreciation for nature were evident in the venue choice of Gather Greene and each detail surrounding the event (including the ceremony in the sunlit woods.). During the design process, we were asked to make handcrafted menu holders to complement the tables. Each one was made from white maple, black walnut, red mahogany, or white oak. It seemed only fitting that the menus be highlighted by something natural, a piece of rough-cut lumber finished with a beveled edge.

Walking the quiet streets of Hudson the next day, we bumped into guests from the wedding. As we talked, we noticed there on his jacket was the enamel pin he'd received at the reception (a travel van surrounded by palm trees). You wouldn't think an enamel pin, probably the least expensive decor piece, would be such a big hit, but it was. A dozen different styles, each in outdoor, adventure-themed designs (think: airstreams, campfires, cameras, mountain ranges) were part of the décor that pinned the guests' table numbers onto the seating chart. Colorful and festive, the pins suggested something unique about each guests' story. By the end of the evening, people all over the dance floor were wearing the enamel pins on suit lapels and jackets—what a fun surprise.

Easy, cozy, and relaxing were our three priorities by Sunday afternoon. After the final wedding brunch, we checked into The Wick Hotel. The modern boutique property, renovated from an 1860's candle factory, sits on the outskirts of town, located near a fabulous artisanal cheese shop. The hotel is a short walk up the steps to the main streets of Hudson. During other recent hotel stays, we've noticed a big challenge to hospitality since Covid. Hotels are clean, but they've lost all charm and personality. Sterile is how they feel. Fortunately, this is not the case at The Wick. With stairs in beautiful, rich wood grain, a mix of textures throughout, and posters lining the halls that describe the candle-making process, The Wick was just what we needed. We discovered careful attention to detail in the light fixtures, marble, and the wall mural inside our room. It was the perfect place to recharge.

Dinner that night was an intentional choice of luxury and comfort at The Maker Hotel's Conservatory. We've followed this property on Instagram for years and knew this was the place we wanted to dine. True to the photos, it's filled with unique details, rich, soft materials, a relaxing mood defined by the lighting, tall plants and lush greenery, and outstanding service (not to mention an excellent meal.). After dinner, we carried our drinks down the hall to the plush sofa by the fireplace for our final toast - to each other.