How Did We Get Here?

How many stories have you heard about a change of direction in 2020? We are no different.

I began my career as an Event Planner in the live event industry in 1996. For the next 24 years I was entrenched in planning and designing every type of live event you can imagine: conventions, weddings, trade shows, holiday parties, weddings, conferences, competitions, fundraisers and more. Then came 2020.

In any other year, December is a whirlwind of creating and designing decor for corporate holiday parties. SO. MANY. PARTIES. It was fast and wonderful every year. I would start plotting and planning my designs in late September - but in 2020, what were companies going to do about COVID? A big, fat, nothing was what they were going to do. No parties, no in-person festivities, no centerpieces or decor (and with good reason!).

I quickly scrambled to pull from all my past experience to figure out what I should do. It wasn’t long before I settled on corporate gifting and personal holiday gifting. Surely, these companies that once spent thousands on a holiday party would give their employees and vendors something. And I was right.

From December came February and another round of gift boxes - this time celebrating love. I began to realize that I was onto something big. People and companies alike were eager to gift their employees, their loved ones, their teachers, and their friends. Now, Novel Gifts is born and this new direction seems comfortable and exciting. New skills have been learned and new partnerships have been made that will lead us in this wonderful new direction.

It may seem like a huge pivot, but really at the base of it all we still focus on hospitality. Being hospitable is such an important part of fostering relationships in both our professional and personal lives. We promise to provide you with the most hospitable customer service so that you, in turn, can show hospitality to those you appreciate and love.

We hope you enjoy this next chapter with us!