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HomeAuthorsEssa

Articles by Essa

About Essa
Essa has an MA in English, with a concentration in creative writing. A New England native, she traded blizzards for hurricanes in 2010 when she relocated to Central Florida. She now spends her free time attempting to grow temperamental orange trees and keeping her 9-pound Maltese away from roving alligators. Her favorite thing about Elfster is the secret santa app. Her go-to gift is handmade jewelry, especially the kind that incorporates natural stones with a lot of symbolism and healing properties, like amethyst and rose quartz.
A draw names from a hat app will make gift exchanges much easier.
Gift Exchanges

How to use a Draw Names from a Hat App for Your Next Gift Exchange

Essa

Trading gifts with friends, family, and coworkers is so much fun that it’s hard to imagine how it could get any better. But surprisingly, it can!  You can make your next gift exchange party more [read more]

useful gifts for college students
Gift Giving

Useful Gifts For College Students: Creating the Ultimate Care Package

Essa

While it might not be as exciting to focus on useful gifts for college students over entertaining ones, in the long run, your college student will thank you. After all, when college students are off [read more]

Gift ideas for a long-distance relationship.
Gift Giving

Gift Ideas for a Long-Distance Relationship: So Close Yet So Far Away

Essa

Any couple who has tried it knows how challenging long-distance relationships can be, and sharing thoughtful presents is a good way to keep the spark alive. Some of my best gift ideas for a long-distance [read more]

Birthdays

Bday Gift Ideas For Your Best Friend: Make Her Birthday Special

Essa

I gave one of my greatest birthday gifts for my best friend when I was just a kid. On her 8th birthday, I got her a “best friends” necklace. You might remember the kind. It [read more]

Baby's first birthday gift registry
Kids + Family

How to Make Babys First Birthday Gift Registry

Essa

Preparing for your baby’s first birthday party also creates another first for your baby: a first birthday gift registry. When you’re planning a first birthday party for your kid, I can’t recommend using an online [read more]

Celebrate America's birthday!
Holidays

The Best Fourth of July Gift Basket Ideas for a Patriotic Celebration

Essa

If you’re looking for Fourth of July gift basket ideas, then your goal should be creating something patriotic, exciting, and useful. That’s what I focus on when I make favors for my annual Fourth of [read more]

must-have wedding registry items
Weddings

Must-Have Wedding Registry Items: Creating the Perfect Wedding Wish List

Essa

It’s easy to miss the must-have wedding registry items that you’ll need to build a cohesive home for you and your partner when you’re in the midst of wedding planning. After all, there’s a lot [read more]

Gift Exchanges

How to Host the Best Secret Santa Book Exchange

Essa

A circle of moms in my neighborhood once hosted a Secret Santa book exchange but with a unique twist. We were supposed to give our giftee a book that best described us, and the receiver [read more]

Father's Day gift basket ideas
Holidays

The Top Father’s Day Gift Basket Ideas

Essa

My dad is practically impossible to buy for. It seems like he already has everything and either wants for nothing or wants something so specific I’d have to be a mind reader to guess it. [read more]

baby registry checklist
Gift Giving

Baby Registry Checklist: Create a Comprehensive Wish List Online

Essa

When you’re trying to plan for a new baby, I’ve found the best way to do it is to create a baby registry checklist. After all, there’s a lot to think about! While I was [read more]

Spring gift basket ideas
Gift Exchanges

Spring Gift Basket Ideas For Celebrating the Season

Essa

Every year, to celebrate Spring, my mother used to have a Spring Fling party. She’d invite our relatives over for an early season afternoon barbeque and decorate the house in Spring colors like yellow, green, [read more]

Gift Giving

Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas for Celebrating Earth Day

Essa

Finding eco-friendly gift ideas is a lot easier now that sustainability and environmental awareness have become so widespread. That’s something I noticed when I was choosing gifts for my friends for our annual Earth Day [read more]

Do you take a gift to a Quinceanera?
Birthdays

Do You Take a Gift to a Quinceanera? An Etiquette Guide

Essa

“Do you take a gift to a Quinceanera?” I asked nervously. I was on the phone with my friend, Liz. She had invited me to the 15th birthday celebration for her daughter. I’d never attended [read more]

Gift Exchanges

How to Play Secret Santa Year-Round: Gift Swap Ideas for Every Event

Essa

Gifts aren’t just for Christmas, so there’s no reason why you can’t have Secret Santa gift exchanges year-round. In my family and in my workplace, we celebrate a lot of milestones every year, from anniversaries [read more]

50th birthday gift ideas for mom
Birthdays

50th Birthday Gift Ideas for Mom to Create Golden Memories

Essa

Turning 50 is a major milestone in anyone’s life, so when you’re looking for 50th birthday gift ideas for mom, you want something special. When my mom turned 50, I was pretty broke so I [read more]

St. Patrick's Day workplace ideas
Holidays

St. Patricks Day Workplace Ideas for an Office Party

Essa

Last year, as I was looking up St. Patrick’s Day workplace ideas, my son suggested “snakes” as a theme. When I asked why, he picked such a weird—and creepy—theme, he said to me “St. Patrick’s [read more]

Have fun with a Secret Santa gift exchange.
Gift Exchanges

The Best Secret Santa Funny Gifts for a Goofy Gift Exchange Game

Essa

Getting goofy for a Secret Santa gift exchange can be a bit difficult if you’re like me; the kind of person whose jokes are usually greeted by awkward silence. While most people are thrilled with [read more]

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We’re OWL IN for this winning gift! 🦉 Round 3 We’re OWL IN for this winning gift! 🦉 Round 3 is through & the RAMEN-READY B(OWL) moves on from our $25 & Under Fun Bracket in our MARCH GIFTING MADNESS on the way to the FINAL FOUR! 🏀 Such a hoot of a gift! 😂  🎁 Stay tuned for more!  🤔 Would you WISH IT or GIFT IT? Inquiring elves want your say!  ✨ Add ‘em all to your wishlist along the way!  👆 Link in bio  #elfster #elfsterwishlist #elfsterfun #elfstergifts #elfstergiftguides #marchmadness #giftsforfriends #giftcompetition #pickthewinner #bracketology #springgifts #giftsforspring #whichonewins #youdecide #fungifts #fungiftideas #giftsunder25
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Featured

Trendy TikTok Gifts That’ll Make You Look Twice

Trendy gifts may come and go, but our friends on TikTok are always in the know! Take a scroll through these TikTok Finds for some Wishlist inspo. Psst: Creating your own Elfster Wishlist is a [read more]

Gift box of colorful macarons
Featured

9 Eid Gifts That Will Make Your Heart Smile

Whether you are giving or receiving, our Eid Gift Guide has perfect picks for everyone you know. A few of our favorite Eid gifts are featured below. Give them as a meaningful gift or add [read more]

Gifts that give back through sales of handmade soaps
Featured

Feel Good Alert: Give a Gift That Gives Back

It’s Random Acts of Kindness Week! Surprise your friends with something off their Wishlist or give a gift that gives back–because kindness can’t be beat! Check out some of our favorite gifts that give back [read more]

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