When you want to send a care package to your sick friend or get your lonely neighbour a little something, it’s often convenient to order your gifts at big companies. Especially when you’re low on energy, time or money, you probably buy everything you need in one place at discounted prices.
But buying from small businesses definitely has its benefits too. For one, you support the dream and income of people like you and me, not stock holders and algorithms. Cheap generic products also don’t always reflect the true costs being made.
What’s more, when you move away from mainstream corporate chains, you’ll find tons of original, creative and personalized gifts. Independent businesses often offer something different, craftsmanship that makes them stand out.
And in some cases, you even help fellow spoonies who might not be able to work a regular job make a living.
That’s why today I’m sharing comforting care package ideas from independent business.
To be completely transparent: None of the small businesses or independent artists mentioned below paid to be a part of this post. This list was created to support the work of people and companies I genuinely love and have followed for a long time. In a few – but not definitely not all -cases, I’m a proud affiliate partner. This means I receive a small commission if you buy a product through my links, at no extra costs to you. At the time of writing, The Health Sessions does not accept sponsored posts. All opinions are always my own and my goal is and will remain to provide helpful and relevant resources.
With all of that out of the way, check out over 20 cute care package ideas from small businesses, solopreneurs and creative artists.
Care Package Ideas: The Small Business Edition
1. Emily McDowell
It isn’t always easy to find the right words to comfort your sick or grieving loved ones. That’s where Emily McDowell comes to your rescue. Her Empathy Cards ditch all the cliches and instead say just the thing you want to hear when you’re struggling. What’s more, the beautiful journals made in collaboration with writer Elizabeth Gilbert offer your friends and family the perfect opportunity to safely express all their thoughts and feelings.
And don’t we all deserve an Everyday Bravery Pin? No matter if you picked your battles, found your voice or ignored the haters, let’s celebrate our tiny achievements!
2. Spoonie Sister Shop
There’s little more comforting when someone really gets what you’re going through. That’s what makes the chronic illness apparel from Spoonie Sister Shop the ultimate care package gift for your sick friend.
In her Etsy shop, Michelle sells cute and humors t-shirts and sweatshirts for every spoonie occasion. What’s even better, you can customize tees to raise awareness for a specific illness. But no matter the circumstances, your sick friend will love the ‘Ain’t Nobody Got Spoons For That’ sweatshirt or the ‘Out of Spoons’ t-shirt!
3. Plum Deluxe
I’ve always lived by the saying that ‘a cup of tea makes everything better’. And at PlumDeluxe, you can create your own TeaLC care package, with organic hand-blended teas, honey sticks, an infuser and tea spoon.
If you’d like to surprise your chronically ill mom or lonely grandmother on a regular basis, get them a monthly tea subscription. One or two delicious seasonal blends to put a smile on their face every time!
I love the Creme Brûlée Early Grey, which flavor is your favorite?
4. Sudara’s Punjammies
When you become seriously ill, you spend more time than you ever thought possible in your pajamas or sweats. To help your sick friend feel comfortable and stylish, why not gift Punjammies Pants?
These lounge pants with colorful prints not only brighten up your friend’s days in bed, but every purchase supports safe and steady employment for women India to remain free from sex slavery. Pretty powerful for a present, right?
5. Society6
As the saying goes, “the Earth without art is just ‘eh’.” But supporting artists is probably not on the top of your to-do list. And even if you wanted to, you may not know how or where to begin. That’s where Society6 comes in. On this platform, artists can easily sell their original work and connect with customers from all around the world.
No matter if you’re looking for cute mugs, inspiring art prints or a comforting throw blanket for your sick friend, Society6 has got you covered. And should you feel overwhelmed by the endless choices, check out my favorite care package gifts here.
6. Ultimate Bundles
I strongly believe that knowledge and tools about healthy living should be accessible to everyone. No matter where you live or what your budget is. That’s why I’m so happy to be a contributor and affiliate of Ultimate Bundles.
Ultimate Bundles curates collections of eBooks and eCourses from independent experts around one topic, e.g. Herbs and Essential Oils. During their flash sales, you can purchase the bundles of digital products at 98 (!) discount of the original total price. After that, you can learn everything you ever wanted to know about Gardening and Sustainable Living or Photography from the comfort of your own home, at your own pace.
Some of the upcoming bundles that would make a great gift for your chronically ill pals are the Self Care Mini Bundle, Stay at Home Survival Guide and The Ultimate Healthy Living flash sale. Sign up to be the first to know when the bundles are released – for a limited time only!
7. Itty Bitty Book
Itty Bitty Book’s mission is to spread positivity, gratitude and kindness – and their products do just that. This family business from Northern Ireland creates encouragement cards, gratitude journals and Itty Bitty Books that put positive mental health habits into practice.
And the best news is, they have already done the work for you by creating thoughtful care packages. No matter if you show your support from a distance with the Isolation Care Package or the Self Care Box, your sick friend will be so happy to receive these uplifting gifts.
8. Freshly Fatigued
A good night’s sleep can be hard to come by when painsomnia is keeping you awake. To give your sick friend a fighting chance of getting a good night’s sleep, you could give them the weighted eye masks from Freshly Fatigued.
The gentle pressure from the all-natural flax seeds relieve tension around your eyes and block out light. The cute eye masks also include lavender essential oil to promote deep sleep. What’s more, they can be cooled in the freezer to reduce headaches.
What better present than to wake up feeling refreshed?
I’d love to know, which cute (and helpful!) care package ideas from small businesses would you add to this list?
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