Simple and thoughtful are always in style.

Greetings, friends.

I hope you had a lovely and restful holiday. And I hope you got lovely prezzies. I did! Here's my favorite - it was from my friend Grace, who is teaching me Korean.

Pretty, isn't it? I couldn't tell you exactly what it says, since I'm still learning. I was just in awe of this special gift. And I hadn't even opened it yet! Grace said the paper shows an ancient script of Korean used during the Chosun Dynasty. Of course, I hated opening it, because I was afraid of tearing the beautiful paper.

But I did. And here's what was inside!

Beautiful, aren't they? They're traditional patchwork magnets. The colors and design of these are very Korean, and the little knots or "yeonbong,"at the center of the "quilt" were used as buttons on classical Korean formalwear. Grace, the wife of a doctoral student here at the university, told me she bought this gift months before coming to the US, with the intention of giving it to a dear friend she'd make here. I was so moved by this small gift, and the care with which it was chosen and presented.

That's what fine giving is all about!

Happy 2010! I'll be back soon to discuss Valentines.

You can't judge a book by its cover. But you can judge a gift by its wrapping!

Hello friends,

Welcome to Fine Giving, the official blog of Jolie Colis. What is Fine Giving? It's putting as much care into gift wrapping as you do to gift buying. Why bother? Because presentation matters! Which gift would you rather receive?

This one? It's not bad, but it's certainly not inspired. Doesn't exactly get you curious about the gift inside.

How about this one?

It's personalized, with an elegant monogram, so right off the bat, you have a feeling of "ooh, goody". It's also sophisticated and beautiful. And since there's no paper to tear open, it's a keepsake, too!

Most people think that first impressions are just for job interviews and meeting blind dates. But a beautifully wrapped gift can make the person you're giving to feel special long before they see what's inside. Making the effort shows you care. It shows that you have thought about making the experience wonderful.

How about this one?

I love a gift wrap that tells a story, or one that matches a recipients style, taste, or hobbies. This one is called "Old World". I love it because it reminds me of a time when correspondence and gift giving were personal and intimate. Forget e-mail and gift cards. I'm talking about hand printed paper and wax seals. Could it get more romantic than that?

So this holiday, when you're preparing your gifts, try to do a little something extra. Make someone ooh and aah before they open the gift. In my next post, I'll show you how. Now go throw away all those horrible cheap gift bags and curly ribbon!