A Part of the “Getting in the Christmas Spirit” Series
This year, I have been blessed with a new group of amazing friends. Moving across the country to start law school was such a scary thing, and the wonderful girls that I have become close with have made the transition so much easier. I don’t think that I could have gotten through my first semester without their support and the fun times that we’ve shared. To show my appreciation, I decided to surprise them with holiday / good luck on finals gifts.
It’s important that when you do gifts for a large group of people who spend a lot of time together, you make sure that the gifts are not terribly different. I don’t mean to say that you have to get the same gift for everyone, though that can be a good option. However, if you decide not to, it’s really important to consider that everyone will see what everyone else got. You don’t want to spend $40 on one person and only $5 on another… the person who you spent $40 will feel awkward and the person you spent $5 will have his or her feelings hurt. try to keep the gifts within the same basic price range! If you do decide to give everyone the same gift, make sure that it is appropriate for every member of the group. Don’t buy a bottle of wine for everyone if you know some of your friends don’t drink… whether you decide to just give them the wine to keep the gifts the same or you decide to get them a different gift, it will be awkward and not very tactful.
In this case, I found a gift that is basically the same, but personalized in a small way. I think that this was a great way to go, because it shows a little extra thoughtfulness above buying the exact same gift for each person. The only difference between the gifts was the color, so everyone got the same thing, just in her favorite color. I got the idea from Lauren Conrad’s blog. These Pura Vida bracelets are a great gift because they’re reasonably priced (I was able to buy 14 total!), they’re adorable, they’re trendy, and they give back to the community in more than one way. You can check out their website or LC’s blog for more information. Here’s a quote from her page:
“What you may not know is that Pura Vida is more than a hot accessory, it’s a movement. The phrase “Pura Vida” means ‘pure life’ in Spanish. It’s about learning to enjoy life slowly and celebrate good fortune while not taking anything for granted. Hand made in Costa Rica by the area’s finest artisans, these bracelets represent living life to the fullest and are meant to be a celebration of each day as a gift. … “
Given the meaning behind these bracelets and the fact that they donate portions of the proceeds to charity, I thought it would be a perfect gift for the girls who have been working so hard in law school. I made sure that they arrived during finals, so the bracelets could be a reminder to keep things in perspective as well as to serve as a good luck charm during exams. Getting the same gift for everyone (I got one for myself, too!) was also a good way to tie us together before we all went our separate ways for winter break. Everyone seemed to really appreciate them, and it brought me a lot of joy to see everyone wearing them.
This photo was taken at lunch after our last final... what an awesome way to celebrate after completing our first semester of law school!
Anyway, I just wanted to share a gift idea with a couple of tips on holiday gift-giving to large groups. Hope you enjoy, and please feel free to share any of your favorite gift ideas!
ONLY 10 DAYS LEFT UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!! 😀
Class and Creation 