Your only way forward this Christmas 

As Christmas rolls around the corner at an ever-increasing rate, and with lockdown still a very real roadblock for us all (particularly Aucklanders) it’s time to think about how you can make someone’s festive season extra special.

But not everyone is easy to buy for, there’s always the dad that ‘doesn’t need anything’ or brother-in-law that you struggle to purchase something other than socks for. Enter: Better to Give.

Lani and Phil Wards are no strangers to hard work, having experience in the running of three businesses. However, when Covid hit, they were forced to look at ways to re-invest into something that could withstand adverse circumstances. Lani describes herself as a lover of creativity and beautiful things while being a natural gift giver and paired with Phil’s passion for fine wines and decades of business experience, meant that the idea of curated premium gift boxes was something, as Lani puts it, “just made sense”.

“We want to really create an experience, not just for the receiver, but for the gift giver too. We design and curate our gifts in the same way you would, with careful thought, consideration and love.” With the latest craze of 2021 being gift boxes, they knew they were onto something, creating little parcels of premium pre-packed convenience. If you can think of an occasion, Better to Give has a gift box to suit, from ‘Self Care’ to ‘Girls Night In’, ‘Moving Day’ or ‘Just Because’, The design team at Better to Give have something to suit anyone and anything. “We aim to make it easy for customers with our wide selection of gift boxes filled with some of the best of New Zealand and international products, all packaged beautifully with a handwritten note and delivered to anywhere in New Zealand.” Says Lani

Another point of difference is their collaboration with NZ Businesses who have made a commitment to giving back. Lani has a background in Social Enterprise and works with her team to ensure that where possible their supply partners have a Give Back component, like Downlights Candles, a social enterprise supporting young adults with Down syndrome and intellectual or learning disabilities. Lani’s aim is to work with other local New Zealand businesses wherever possible and she understands how important it is to give back to the community and support the NZ supply line.

Better to Give offer, a Premium Gift Box collection, including a Fine Wine Cellar Gift Collection for the budding sommelier in your life. They also offer Living Flowers and Trees mini–NZ Natives, and citrus trees that can be sent either alone or part of a gift box to celebrate a new birth, a new home or commemorate the loss of a loved one. The entire collection at Better to Give can also be adapted and branded to suit businesses looking for premium gifts for their clients and Lani loves to work with corporates acting as a company’s ‘gifting concierge’, she knows what a time-consuming task this can be for larger corporate companies and offers full-service gifting from beginning to end. Lani, Phil, and the team are all about helping their customers create lasting memories with their meaningful gifts. Ultimately, they know full well that receiving a gift is great..., but it’s always better to give.