Have you ever given a gift that totally fell flat? Maybe it felt a little too generic, last-minute or like something anyone could’ve received. We’ve all been there.
The thing is, giving a great gift isn’t really about spending more money anymore. The gifts people actually remember are the ones that feel thoughtful, personal and intentionally put together.
People are moving away from generic, mass-produced gifting and leaning into gifts that feel more meaningful. Think: elevated packaging, handwritten notes, products that match someone’s vibe, or gifts that feel like an experience instead of just more “stuff”.
That’s exactly the idea behind Grey Willow Gifts. Founded by Victoria-Rose Bozzelli, the Canadian company creates curated gift boxes filled with products from more than 200 Canadian small businesses – many of them women-owned and artisan-led. The result feels less like a traditional gift basket and more like something you’d genuinely want to receive (and post on Instagram).
Curating the kind of gift you’d actually want to receive: Grey Willow Gifts founder Victoria-Rose Bozzelli at work. PHOTO CREDIT: Vicki Bartel
Turning Gifting Into an Elevated Experience
Victoria-Rose first started creating gift boxes for a charity fundraiser, but after people began requesting custom versions for themselves, she realized something: gifting had gotten kind of boring.
At the same time, there were so many incredible Canadian brands that weren’t getting visibility. Grey Willow Gifts was created to bring those two things together — thoughtful gifting and small business discovery — in a way that feels elevated, modern and personal.
Hand-packed gift from Grey Willow Gifts. PHOTO CREDIT: Vicki Bartel
So What Actually Makes a Great Gift?
According to Victoria-Rose, the most memorable gifts are the ones where the thoughtfulness can be FELT in the details.
Here are three things defining great gifting in 2026.
- Personalization that Actually Feels Personal. According to Victoria-Rose, the most memorable gifts are tied to a personal detail or shared experience.
One customer created a custom gift as a thank-you for her sister after a visit, including a bag of locally roasted coffee beans and a note jokingly apologizing for drinking all of her coffee. Another curated a comfort-focused care package for a friend going through a difficult breakup, filled with calming teas, cozy socks and self-care essentials.
“It’s the thoughtful details that make the biggest impact,” says Victoria-Rose. “When a gift reflects someone’s personality, a shared memory or what they’re going through in that moment, it creates a much stronger emotional connection.”
Aesthetic, useful and thoughtfully curated: themed gifts are popular in 2026. PHOTO CREDIT: Vicki Bartel
- The Packaging is Part of the Gift. In the age of TikTok unboxings and Instagram-worthy everything, presentation matters.
Thoughtful packaging creates anticipation and communicates care, quality and intention before the gift is even opened.
“The unboxing experience matters just as much as what’s inside,” Victoria-Rose explains. “Everything from the colour palette to the arrangement of the products contributes to how the recipient emotionally experiences the gift.”
At Grey Willow Gifts, packaging is designed to be both beautiful and sustainable. The company’s wooden gift boxes are sourced from a local Ontario maker and designed to be repurposed long after the gift has been received.
Too beautiful to toss, these locally crafted wooden gift boxes are designed to be reused long after the gift is opened. PHOTO CREDIT: Vicki Bartel
“We want the packaging to be something people actually keep,” says Victoria-Rose. “That’s when gifting becomes more than just a momentary experience.”
This attention to presentation is also influencing how products themselves are selected. Consumers are increasingly drawn to gifts featuring products that are not only high quality and functional, but also beautifully designed and aesthetically cohesive within the overall experience.
- People Want Gifts that Mean Something: There’s a growing demand for purpose-driven gifts. Increasingly, people are paying attention to the story behind a gift: who made it, what it supports and the impact it creates.
That might mean choosing eco-conscious packaging, supporting Canadian small businesses, selecting products that give back to charitable initiatives, or intentionally sourcing from underrepresented communities.
“We’re seeing more companies use gifting as an extension of their values,” says Victoria-Rose. “Some corporate clients have specifically requested gifts featuring products exclusively from Canadian women-owned businesses, Black-owned businesses, Indigenous makers, or brands that support charitable and community initiatives.”
Grey Willow Gifts offers an Impact Collection, a series of gift boxes that feature products from diverse Canadian-owned businesses, as well as its Give Back Gift Box, which highlights products connected to charitable and community causes.
The Biggest Gifting Trends for Summer 2026
Here are the biggest trends shaping gifting this summer:
- Elevated Essentials — Think luxury mineral sunscreens, artisan drinkware, premium travel accessories and Turkish cotton towels that feel both useful and aesthetic.
- Canadian Summer Gifting — People are embracing Canadian-made, founder-led brands and “Canadiana” themed gifting for everything from summer hosting to client appreciation.
- Purposeful Gifting — Purpose-driven gifting, whether through supporting women-owned businesses, Black-owned brands, Indigenous makers, or products tied to charitable initiatives, add a deeper layer of storytelling to the gift.
- Elevated Food & Entertaining Gifts — Think picnic-inspired gift boxes, gourmet snacks, cocktail and mocktail pairings, bold flavours and beautifully packaged treats designed for the hosting season.
- Wellness as a Lifestyle — People are gravitating toward gifts that support everyday rituals — calming teas, candles, journals, bath soaks and products that encourage moments of rest and reset.
At the end of the day, the most memorable gifts are rarely the ones with the biggest price tag. They’re the gifts that feel intentional — the ones where thought can be felt through the products, presentation and experience itself.
Because great gifting isn’t just about what you give. It’s about the connection, meaning and impact that remain long after the gift has been opened.
PHOTO CREDIT: Vicki Bartel