This Grandma-Approved Decor Trend Is So Back (And It’s Perfect for Gifting)

I’m a big crafter. So naturally, I’m also a big believer that the more personal the gift, the better, especially when it comes to the holidays. I always start out around October with ambitious plans, but “hand-knit scarves for everyone!” quickly becomes more like “hand- knit scarf for mom … and Trader Joe’s peppermint bark for everyone else.”

So this holiday season, I knew I’d have to outsource some of my gifts — but for my close friends and family, I still wanted to get them something with that personal touch, to make them really feel seen and special. So for this, I turned to just about the only “grandma craft” I haven’t yet mastered: embroidery. And I’m not the only one — turns out, embroidered decor just might be the “it” gift of the year. 

Abby Price, founder of Abbode, knows a thing or two about the trend. Abbode specializes in custom embroidered pieces of all kinds (you may have seen their work on Saturday Night Live last month, sported by none other than pop-princess Sabrina Carpenter.) When I asked why she thought embroidered gifts are making such a comeback, Abby said, “You know, there’s no uniqueness [anymore]. I think people want to stand out, and they want to be able to differentiate themselves, and they want to feel represented.”

Price also attributes some of the success of the booming embroidery business to Gen Z’s penchant for nostalgia. “When you make something that’s your name, your pet, like, something special … that’s not going out of style. And now [consumers are] remembering a time when they had their name on their L.L. Bean bag to go to kindergarten, [and] they want to re-create those feelings again.” Suddenly, I’m wondering what my mom did with my Orca-embroidered rolling backpack …

If you’re stuck on ideas for gifts this year, consider an embroidered piece. Just about any home essential can be elevated with just a touch of embroidered personalization — so you can get everyone on your list something you know they’ll love (and use!) Check out a few of my own favorite picks below.