for the holidays
The Heirloom Lover's Gift Guide
In the era of cheap and quick, my hope with this guide is to curate items that won't end up in the Goodwill pile or tossed in the trash. While materialism has certainly gotten out of control, there is something to be said for those treasured items we pass down and handle with care. The items that take us back to a season, honor a loved one or have sentimental value. These are the things we consider heirlooms.
If you're looking for gifts that are meant to be passed down and given more than once, then this is the gift guide you've been looking for...
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Shhh - I got this for my dad this year! I love this idea of preserving a loved one's memories, adventures and life lived in their own handwriting so you can read and share it long from now. Also available for Moms, Dads and Grandmas.
Amazon
Grandpa's Stories Journal
I love hand-painted anything, so this plate was an immediate favorite for me! Imagine bringing it out on special occasions or having it displayed in a china cabinet - yes please! It's made even more personal by adding the names of your family members.
Etsy
Family Tree Plate
Food is a form of heritage for many families and cultures, so preserving long-enjoyed recipes has been a tradition for many years. I myself have a recipe book from my mom - handwritten with the various foods I grew up eating. Having a family recipe book is a must if you have traditional dishes for the holidays, go-to weekly dinners and more.
Papier
Family Recipe Book
For the Family
I've played Mah Jong exactly two times (thanks for the lesson, Kels!), but I totally get the hype. Tiles are generally pretty sturdy, so this feels like a game that you could get some miles out of. Sentimental items are often born from repeated use, and I love the idea of continually playing with the same beautiful set over the years. Bonus: get a fun mat too!
Oh My Mah Jong
Mah Jong Set
I own this Bible and love it! Yes, there is a flower on the front (are you sensing a theme?), but also the margins for notes are the perfect size in my opinion. The quality is excellent and the notion of my girls reading my scribbled sermons notes and prayers as this book becomes tattered and well-loved is really sweet to me.
Hosannah Revival
Journaling Bible
I'm a flower lover, so pressing blooms was a natural progression for me! I gave clients pressed flowers from their wedding as holiday gifts last year and they were such a hit! Flowers can be such beautiful and sweet mementos from birthdays, parties, anniversaries and more, so this kit is perfect for turning them into keepsakes.
Etsy
Flower Pressing Kit
I just got this ring and absolutely adore it! Much like my Addy necklace, this is my Kennedy ring that's stamped with her birth flower. And just like my Addy necklace, I'm excited to basically never take it off! PS Order through this link to get $10 off!
GLDN
Birth Flower Ring
The BFF necklace got a major upgrade with this piece! The "You Are My Sunshine" sentiment is meant for mothers and daughters, but I think could be just as easily true for sisters, best friends and more.
Bryan Anthonys
Sunshine Necklace
For my first Mother's Day after Addy was born, my husband gifted me one of these necklaces with her birth flower, marigold, on it. I've worn it literally every day since. It's among my most treasured pieces of jewelry, and I look forward to passing it along to Addy one day - a long time from now because I like wearing it too much! Use code EMILYP10 when checking out!
Made By Mary
Birth Flower Necklace
Jewelry
Saw this and loved it immediately. The perfect sentimental piece for pet lovers to honor furry friends who have already passed away or are still taking up half the bed. It's customized with your pets paw print or nose print - so sweet!
Etsy
Paw Print Necklace
I have a few of these sweet little ring boxes I use for styling, but I also think they're perfect for holding special rings you may not wear as frequently, They come in a variety of shapes and colors, so there's certainly one for everyone! Pro-tip: if you're proposing, get one! Use this code to get 10% off: Emilymarchheirloom
Styling Archives
Vintage Style Ring Box
I can definitely see myself becoming a charm bracelet girl one day. For those of you who are already there or looking to begin, this bracelet is the perfect starter and includes five sentimental charms of your choice. If you've already got one going, then do yourself a favorite and check out Catbird's Poetry of Flowers Collection!
Catbird Studios
Charm Bracelet
Riley Sheehey is one of my favorite artists, so when I saw this collab, I was smitten! Her pieces are always so colorful and detailed - I just love seeing how she brings the 12 Days of Christmas to life on these ornaments.
Over The Moon
Painted Ornaments
One of these days I'm going to finally invest in hand-stitched stockings for our family. If you're there, then these are so, so beautiful! I really can't decide which I like best!
Over the Moon
Hand-Stitched Stocking
Ok so how cute are these plates?? Anthro has done it again. I love how colorful they are and that each plate is different! Plus, there's a matching platter!
Anthropologie
12 Days of Christmas Plates
Holiday
I have a good friend who is a very talented knitter and years ago she knit me the sweetest mitten garland based on one I'd seen in a store, and it's one of those "grab in a house fire" type items. Which I actually did while evacuating from a wildfire in 2017! Suffice to say, it's one of my favorite Christmas decorations, so you should get one of your own!
Garnet Hill
Knit Garland
I can't claim to be Jewish, but if I was, these sweet dreidels would absolutely be in my possession. I love a blue color palette, so these are speaking my love language! Plus, if you hand-paint anything, I will love it, just fyi.
Etsy
Hand-Painted Dreidel
In case you didn't know, I'm obsessed with Liberty floral print fabrics. By now, this really should be surprising, so, of course, this stocking made the list! If I wasn't already mentally committed to the stitched stockings, then these would definitely get added to my cart!
Etsy
Liberty Fabric Stocking
This is on my list for an anniversary gift one year! I have several friends who have one and swear by them. Much like pictures, videos can often become relics that are left on our phones forever. Video albums provide a space for wedding videos, trip compilations, home videos, etc to be both enjoyed and displayed.
Motion Books
Video Albums
While, yes I am a photographer, I honestly find most photo ornaments a little cringey. That is until AU released these! They're simple, classy and would be perfect for newlyweds, first Christmases and more. They almost seem like the inside of locket, which is part of why I'm drawn to them.
Artifact Uprising
Photo Ornament
Baby books have been a classic for many years now, and when I was choosing one for Adeline, this was an instant winner. It's free of all the frills and babylike illustrations found in many baby books and leaves space for what matters - stories, pictures, envelopes for keepsakes, etc. Ours is such a treasure, and Addy loves to look through it!
Artifact Uprising
Baby Book
Photo Gifts
Currently we have about six of these in our possession, and I plan on adding more! Each year, I make an "Adventures with Daddy" book for Brendan for Father's Day that chronicles all the big and little things he did with our girls. The cover comes in lots of colors and is almost suede-like in texture. Highly recommend!
Artifact Uprising
Color Series Photo Book
An alternative to the recipe book linked above, this one includes spaces for pictures! How cool would it be to have pictures of family making dishes alongside the recipe? So many memories are made in the kitchen and this is such a sweet way to honor them.
Papier
Photo Recipe Book
When I was in college, I found a little vintage Polaroid that I fell in love with. I hauled it all over Europe during study abroad, snapping pictures of famous monuments everywhere we went. Those little pictures are gold to me now. While I love the classic Instax, this variety gives a little more nostalgia with square images, making my Polaroid-loving heart so happy!
Fujifilm
Instax Camera
Many of our kids will eventually read the classics, so gifting them with collector's editions is a great way to foster a love of reading, while giving a little more character to their book shelf. The Wordsworth Collector's Editions include classics like The Secret Garden, Jane Eyre, Little Women, Peter Pan and two volumes of Jane Austen among many more!
Amazon
Collector's Edition Books
When we transitioned Addy to her big girl room, I asked my mom, a talented quilter, to make her a bed spread from a dainty floral fabric I found. It is the *sweetest* thing in the world. I love this quilt above because a) Liberty fabric (duh) and b) childhood blankets carry so much nostalgia. Quilts are often passed down to family members, and this would be a sweet one to begin that tradition with.
Etsy
Liberty Fabric Quilt
If we're being honest, fancy clothes for little kids isn't always the most practical - but they sure are cute! While most kids' clothes will be passed on or donated, it's always sweet having a few pieces (like this adorable sweater!) to hang onto long after they've outgrown them. One day they'll help up remember just how little our kids used to be!
Polly Wren Studios
Name Sweater
Kids
Looking for a more unique doll alternative to what you find at Target? Voila! There's so much I love about these dolls - they sweet dresses, handmade nature, etc. But the best part is they come in a variety of skin tones so your little lady can have a doll that looks just like her.
Etsy
Handmade Doll
Birthday traditions are some of the sweetest a family can have, which is why I love this plate so much! It's only pulled out on someone's birthday, and is a simple way to make the day that much more special.
Etsy
Birthday Plate
Also on my list for the girls - name pennants! Part of what has kept me from just ordering these already is the sheer number of fabric combinations. Throw in the floral options, and I simply cannot decide because I like them all. Hope you'll have better luck making a decision because these would be so cute in a kid's room!
Eventide Pennet Co
Name Pennant
My in-laws have a "House of Payne" plaque (yes, we are the punniest) above their garage, so I got a similar one for Brendan as a gift last year for our anniversary. We He still hasn't hung it up yet, BUT when he does, it'll be a sweet little sentiment on the exterior of our home.
Etsy
House Name Plate
Ok here me out on this one - I know, it's just a basket. But aren't baskets kind of a trademark of our generation?? While many of the whicker and water hyacinth ones holding our blankets and magazines won't see the next decade, I feel like this one might last a little longer simply because it's unique and we're more likely to take better care of it. Just my two cents!
Anthropologie
Handcrafted Basket
This is another one of my "grab in a house fire" item (which, thankfully I haven't done with this piece!). When I saw these pressed floral silhouettes by Mae Lily Designs I think I audibly gasped. I adore the one we have of Addy and will be acquiring one of Kennedy as soon as possible!
Mae Lily Designs
Pressed Flower Silhouette
Home Goods and Decor
There's a fine line between being sentimental and being a hoarder. I keep my inclination to keep all things that give me feelings in check with memory boxes. Over the years, I've added a few here and there - one for our wedding, each of the girls, big trips, etc. I love how they preserve those little items, which keeping out the clutter. Bonus: a nice one looks great on a shelf!
Etsy
Memory Box
The wonderful thing about art is how it gives spaces personality and feeling. Sarah Jane is an incredibly talented artist here in Wilmington that I've had the pleasure of photographing over the years, and her work continually gives me heart eyes! If you're a lover of coastal scenes with an Impressionist touch, look no further!
Sarah Jane Tart
Coastal Artwork
While collecting china ins't really a personality trait for us Millenials, I've been fortunate enough to inherit a set from my grandmother and am so grateful that I have it for holidays and special occasions. If I were to purchase my own set, this Wild Strawberry set would be at the top of my list!
Over the Moon
Wild Strawberry China
