

To my utter terror, Christmas is slowly creeping into the air. There’s the smell of mince pies at bakeries, the glitter of tinsel at supermarkets, I’m starting to see advertisements for Christmas specials and all of this making me nervous.
There are many things I love about Christmas, but there is one element that renders me almost sleepless with anxiety: Presents.
Presents and money and questions like: Will they like it? How much should I spend? I brought her a scarf last year? I can’t repeat the same present?
There are so many different elements to consider when gifting a present. But, most importantly for me, I want my gifts to be unique. Something that my friends and family wouldn’t be able to find in a shop window. Something slightly unusual, different from any other gift. Something that will make them pause and remember – “that came from Caity”.
Luckily, there is a place where everything is unique. It’s a global marketplace where clever creatives make and sell things to buyers like myself. It’s called Etsy, and the company celebrates “Difference Makes Us” is exactly why it’s my go-to shopping destination this Christmas.

"Something that will make them pause and remember – “that came from Caity”." Image: iStock.
For a sister.
I don’t have a sister. But my brother’s girlfriend and her sister are close enough to count. Buying gifts for these two can be difficult. They both like a clean, chic aesthetic, and they are not short of nice things. Everything that catches my eye in a department store – I swear I’ve seen them in it.
Etsy is unique in that it gives shoppers direct access to the maker. This means personalisation is easy. You can choose to customise gifts – for example engraving a bronze cuff from Jules Read Jewellery with a personal message – and the process is simple. There are many products on Etsy that offer this level of personalisation, because the relationship between the buyer and maker is so direct.