“GIVE JOY!”
If you follow us on Insta you know that I (Rachel here) have an addiction to giving gifts. During the pandemic, Susanne and I have sent each other regular care packages filled with everything from newly discovered chocolate bars to hand sanitizer holders made from Vuitton scraps to Frankie Shop sweaters and slides from M.Gemi. The idea of a friend or a colleague holding something in their hands that’s a tactile representation that you care, fills me with joy in what’s been a joyless year.
We love working with clients to conceive special gifts as part of their overarching approach to the holidays. Recognizing people we work with (clients, partners, team members) in a thoughtful and non-rote way is like a thank you that lasts and that they can return to whenever they like or, in the case of comestibles, share with their families and friends.
It’s not too late for a meaningful gesture that boosts the morale of both the getter and the giver. We turned to an expert on all things giving, Melissa McCray, one of the owners of Two Webster, an online and pop-up business selling a curated collection of home accessories for her inside tips.
HCC: You are a thoughtful person who knows the right things to say, and I can see how that translates into gifting. Did you always like choosing gifts or want to go into items that could be gifted?
MM: You are so sweet, thank you! I love giving gifts, I love looking for gifts and I love choosing gifts that I think the giftee will appreciate. My Mom always had a stocked gift closet. She bought things for people when she saw them and kept them for the perfect occasions.
HCC: You curate some amazing giftable items I don’t see anywhere else. How do you decide what makes the cut?
Melissa: We find special pieces that make your house or apartment feel like home. We work with makers who are experts in their craft, many of whom are women in small villages around the world. Most pieces we sell are unique to us. The pop-up shops are seasonal and located in Wellesley and Osterville. I fill the shop with other women-owned and local brands that complement Two Webster.
HCC: It’s a side note, but our readers are mostly business people and this is not your first biz venture. Tell me a little about what you learned in your T-shirt business?
MM: No, this is not my first small business/ entrepreneurial rodeo! With my previous business, everything happened so quickly. We hustled to build an online business because of some exciting press we received (hello, GOOP holiday list, US Weekly spotting, and more) so our entire online presence was reactionary. We were early adapters to Shopify, Square, and Facebook Shopping (the precursor to Instagram selling). Our intent was to sell wholesale, which we did, but we also wound up with this exciting online retail business that we literally learned how to do on the spot.
HCC: And with Two Webster?
MM: We started out with pop-up shops and then built the website, we wanted the site to be thoughtful and not rushed. I learned that if the website does not function correctly, you are always playing catch-up and trying to right mistakes. The pop-up/in-person part of the business is still our backbone as we have learned the value of “here today and gone tomorrow.” People like the chase, they like to support small businesses and they like to get something they can’t easily find.
HCC: What are a few gifts right now to stock a gift closet for emergencies?
MM: Oh gosh, so many! We have these custom, beautiful woven wine/ champagne bottle holders. They look so pretty on a bar or a table and make a great hostess gift – with or without the bottle. We sell these great handmade candles that come in a beautiful origami-type box. Another great gift is a Brumate MargTini or Can Cooler. These are fun-colored, thermal cups or can holders – perfect for the outside cocktail or can of High Noon. Another favorite is a pretty piece of pottery – a small trinket bowl or little plate.
HCC: Is it appropriate to gift your boss? If so, what are some recommendations?
MM: I think it is a nice touch, but I don’t recommend going overboard. This year it is especially nice to give the gift of local. A gift card for a restaurant, or favorite café near the office. I like giving the wood-toned Swell water bottle or a succulent plant in a cement container.
HCC: How about your team? Do you give the same item for a team across all ages, genders, etc?
MM: I think what I would do is give a plant and a gift card to everyone who worked for me. A nice succulent in a gender-neutral vessel and a gift card to places people like to shop/ eat.
HCC: How can people do gift shopping safely right now?
MM: Besides shopping online, I think shopping small and local are easy ways to shop safely and support the small businesses in your community. At our popup in Wellesley with five other local, female businesses we found a big, airy space where people can move freely (masked) and not feel crowded.
HCC: What makes a good last-minute gift?
MM: A bottle of wine or tequila, craft beer with a good looking bottle opener, a nice container of nuts, or some local chocolate. Fastachi nuts and Lake Champlain Chocolates are delicious and sold at Whole Foods so they can be picked up in a rush. I like to pair chocolate or nuts with a nice bowl. That’s a perfect item to have on hand in a gift closet.
HCC: If you end up giving gift cards, is there any way to special it up?
MM: I love to wrap a gift card in colorful tissue and a small cellophane bag with grosgrain ribbon. I tie to the ribbon a nice hand cream or lip balm as a little something to make the gift card feel a bit more personal.
HCC: Can busy people knock off all their shopping with you?
MM: YES! At the pop-up shop, aside from Two Webster, we have vintage barware, women’s clothing, jewelry, and permanent botanicals. From sweaters and gold-filled jewelry, a vintage shaker, a beautiful serving piece, hostess gifts, and holiday décor that lasts forever.
Find Two Webster at twowebster.com, and - for a moment - at Melissa’s pop-up alongside the other female local shops she’s brought together, at 50 Central St in Wellesley.