Handmade gifts for her: a budget-friendly guide, from St. Nicholas Day to Christmas

December comes with a long list of people: mom, sister, best friend, colleague, godmother, and sometimes a neighbor who watered your flowers all summer. The budget isn't the same for everyone, but the thought is. You want each one to open the box and feel that you chose it for her, not "something for Christmas." Below you'll find ideas for handmade Italian genuine leather jewelry, divided into three budgets, plus an option for when you really don't know what to choose.

Before you choose: three questions that will clear up your confusion

• What does she already wear? Look at her, not the shop window. If she often wears large earrings, go for earrings. If she always has a sweater around her neck or a shirt unbuttoned at the top button, a necklace will look better.
• What colors does she like? Think about the coat or scarf she wears most often. A color she already has in her wardrobe is a safer bet than one that's "in fashion".
• Where will she wear it? At the office, for coffee with friends, at the New Year's Eve party. A pair of earrings she can wear on a Monday morning will come out of the box much more often.

Up to 100 lei: small, but chosen with care

These are the gifts for colleagues, for friends in the moms' group, or for the little one for Saint Nicholas, where not much fits, but something beautiful does.

• 2.5 cm Hoop Earrings. A small leather hoop, with a stainless steel clasp, easy to wear daily. Most cost 40 lei. Glossy Red Hoop Earrings, for example, have a shiny finish that goes well with December. The rest of the colors are in the 2.5 cm Hoop Earrings collection.
• Small Flower Earrings. If you want to give a pair that is noticeable, but still easy to wear, Small Flower is the right choice. The flower is about 7 cm wide, and the leather petals are arranged by hand, so no two pairs are identical. You choose the color of the stainless steel clasp. They cost 100 lei. A warm shade for winter is Chocolate Brown Small Flower; you can find all the colors in the Small Flower Earrings collection.

Between 100 and 160 lei: the gift for someone close

This is where mom, sister, godmother, or the friend you've known since kindergarten come in.

• Large Flower Earrings. The more generous version of the flower, with a width of approximately 9 cm. It's for the woman who loves large earrings and isn't afraid to wear them. And here too, the color of the clasp is chosen. They cost 135 lei. Look through the Large Flower Earrings collection and choose the shade she wears most often.
• Leatherbonbon Necklace. Five bonbons made of Italian genuine leather, each rolled by hand from a long strip of leather, with a metallic finish. The necklace sits at the base of the neck, so it looks good over a sweater or a shirt. Most cost 150 lei. The Leatherbonbon Necklace (342) goes from yellow to orange and dark red, a good choice for someone who needs color on the short winter days. The other combinations are in the Leatherbonbon Necklaces collection.
• Mom-Daughter Necklace Set. Two genuine leather heart necklaces, one large and one small, for a mother and her little girl. The set costs 120 lei and you can find it in the Mom-Daughter Necklace Set collection.

Over 160 lei: when you want to give her a complete set

For a birthday that falls in December or for someone you want to say a bigger "thank you" to.

• Necklace and earring sets. A set saves her the trouble of matching: the necklace and earrings already go together. The Leatherbonbon Necklace + Earrings Set (329) has warm shades of salmon, nude, olive, gold, and burgundy and costs 225 lei. Other sets are in the Sets collection.
• Leather brooches. A brooch is a good gift for someone who often wears coats and jackets. For the petal brooches, each petal is shaped by hand, and prices start at 150 lei. See the Brooches collection.

When you really don't know what to choose

It happens. You don't know if she wears large earrings, you don't know what colors she likes, and you don't want to guess. That's what the HAIArt gift card is for, with values from 100 to 500 lei. The code arrives by email, and if you want, you can choose to have it sent to her directly, with a message from you, on the day you choose. She then chooses what she likes from the entire site.

How to make it look chosen, not bought in a hurry

• Link the color to her. "I chose green because you always wear that green scarf" says more than any greeting card.
• Write two lines on a card. The jewelry already comes individually packaged in its box, so all you need is the card.
• Order in advance. In December everyone is buying gifts, and some colors sell out. If you found the right shade now, don't leave it until the last week.

Frequently Asked Questions

What handmade gift can I give a woman with a budget of 100 lei?

A pair of leather earrings: 2.5 cm Hoop Earrings (from 40 lei) or Small Flower Earrings (100 lei). Both are easy to wear daily.

What is HAIArt jewelry made of?

Italian genuine leather. The clasps and earring backs are made of stainless steel (inox).

Do they come packaged for gifts?

Yes. Each piece of jewelry comes individually packaged in its box.

Can I choose the color of the earring clasp?

For Large Flower and Small Flower Earrings, yes. The other models come with the clasp from the photograph.

What do I choose if I don't know what she likes?

The HAIArt gift card, with values between 100 and 500 lei. It can be used on the entire site and can be sent directly to her email, on the date you choose.

How do you care for leather jewelry?

Keep it away from water, perfume, and creams. When you are not wearing it, keep it in its box so it doesn't bend.

In closing

A good gift doesn't have to be expensive. It just has to show that you thought of her. Make your list now, with the name and a color next to each one, and choose one by one. For Saint Nicholas, look through the 2.5 cm Hoop Earrings and Small Flower Earrings, and for Christmas through the Large Flower Earrings and Leatherbonbon Necklaces. And if you want to know more about the difference between the two flowers, I wrote about it in the article Large Flower or Small Flower?.