The Irish Gifts & Jewelry Blog

With Christmas fast approaching, you’ve probably been searching for an Irish gift that will delight the recipient, while also taking it easy on your bank account. This is the fourth article in our series where we try and show some of the less expensive Irish gifts that are available. Rest assured that these items won’t disappoint!

Our wonderful range of Guinness Rugby Shirts is another great Irish gift idea this season. These shirts are tough, and each one is licensed, authentic Guinness merchandise. Seams are taped for additional durability, and the buttons are made from hard rubber. 100% heavy duty cotton. Priced under $60 each, you;re sure to find that perfect style and at a perfect price!

Even though the economy may have taken a dip this year, there’s no reason why Christmas this year can’t be as special as ever. Our Irish jewelry section is full of great deals as well as tons of reasonably-priced ideas.

While a Celtic Cross is always special, the Warrior series of Celtic Crosses is unique in that the designs on the cross are based on designs found on the Ardagh Chalice. The Ardagh Chalice was unearthed in 1868 by two boys digging in a field. Today, it sits in the National Museum of Ireland as one of Ireland’s greatest treasures. The cross also features a Celtic Warrior shield at the intersection of the cross. Priced at $50.80, this is the special Irish Christmas gift that you’ve been seeking, and at a great price too!

This wonderfully charismatic Irish Wall Cross is one of our most popular Irish gifts. Made from hardy resin, ir can be used indoors or out.  Perfect for any Irish home, it is wonderfully detailed with an Irish cottage and an Irish Home Blessing.

Crafted with a rustic look and feel, this cross would be perfect for a Christmas gift or housewarming present.  Features lovely Celtic knotwork as well as vivid colors.

There are 80 days left until Christmas! I don’t know about everyone else, but Christmas is my all-time favorite part of the year. It has something to do with the chill in the air, and then getting inside to a nice warm house. It also marks the end of the busiest time of the year for us, with tons of people shopping for Irish gifts!

At any rate, my reason for posting was to let you know that we have added a great deal of new Christmas items to our Irish Christmas section this year. More animated treetoppers (Santas and Angels), more Christmas ornaments, and more of just about everything else. I wanted to just let you know that as most of these items are seasonal in nature, and when they are gone…they are gone. In most cases, there won’t be any additional stock coming in as most of the distributors will be out too.

So, don’t delay this year. It might be a bit early to celebrate Christmas, but its not too early to get a jump on your favorite Irish Christmas decor!

It’s that time of year again where Christmas is fast approaching. Time also to think about Irish gifts for Christmas. To help you, we’ve recently added a Gift Finder on our front page that we believe will save you time when searching for that perfect Irish gift.

At the top of the Gift Finder, you’ll see three choices – “Shop By Recipient”, “Shop By Price”, or “Shop By Occasion”. Naturally, you can choose from any of these choices and choose the scenario that best suits your needs. When asked, we often recommend starting with the “Shop By Recipient” tab as you really want your Irish gifts to be personal and as applicable as possible to the recipient.

Under that tab, you’ll see the following selections:

For Him
Features great Irish gifts for men, including Guinness items, and men’s Irish jewelry.

For Her
In this section we’ve got Irish gifts suitable for women. You’ll find some wonderful pieces of Irish jewelry and beautiful gifts from Belleek.

For Kids
A great selection of Irish gifts - many of which are designed to teach children about their Irish heritage.

Baby / New Parents
A treasure trove of Irish baby gifts. Perfect for new arrivals, and Christenings.

Wedding / Engagement
Find the perfect Irish gift here for that couple who has become recently engaged. There’s also a great selection of items that are perfect as Irish wedding gifts.

Pets / Pet Lover
Treat your pets to their own Irish gifts. We have collars and bowls aimed at your favorite “Irish” pet!

Hopefully, you’ll be able to find some really great Irish gift ideas under each one of those selections. If not, you can always shop either by price, or by occasion. One way or another, we’re sure that you’ll find a wonderful range of Irish gifts – and more importantly, just the gift that you’re looking for!

Dear Julie,

My Dad grew up in Dublin, before moving to the US when he was 12. He has fought for this country, and proudly flies the American flag in his front yard every day. Even after all this time, I know that he is incredibly proud of his Irish heritage. He is an amazing person who refuses to retire and still goes to work in a suit and tie every day without fail.Dad turns 60 on December 12th, and I’d like to get him something very special this year. Can you point me in the right direction?

Thanks,

Cindy in Ohio

60th Birthdays are always a special time. In many cases, it is an opportunity to reflect on life, your roots, accomplishments, how your priorities have changed, and the person that you have become. That person would not have been possible were it not for upbringing, guidance, and the luck and challenges that life presented.

I would definitely guide you towards a personalized piece of jewelry for your father. This would be a piece that proudly displayed his family coat of arms. Since you mentioned that your father wears both a shirt, and a tie, you could choose between cufflinks, or a tie-tack.  Your father should be overjoyed with an Irish gift such as this, especially since it will be handed down from one generation to another.

It is certainly the time of year to work in the garden. Warm temperatures, long evenings, and beautiful flowering plants. Why not consider adding some Irish charm to your garden this year?

Proudly display your Irish heritage to visitors with this “Welcome” Shamrock Garden Stake. Would also make an excellent Irish Gift. Features a lovely shamrock tile mounted on top of a long metal ground stake.

Wikipedia offers the following:

The shamrock, an unofficial symbol of Ireland, is a three-leafed old white clover, sometimes (rarely nowadays) Trifolium repens (white clover, known in Irish Gaelic as seamair bhán) but more usually today Trifolium dubium (lesser clover, Irish Gaelic: seamair bhuí). The diminutive version of the Gaelic word for “clover” (”seamair”) is “seamaróg”, which was anglicised as “shamrock”, representing a close approximation of the original Gaelic pronunciation. However, other three-leafed plants — such as black medic (Medicago lupulina), red clover (Trifolium pratense), and Common wood sorrel (genus Oxalis) — are sometimes designated as shamrocks. The shamrock was traditionally used for its medical properties and was a popular motif in Victorian times. It is also a common way to represent St. Patrick’s Day, a holiday celebrated on March 17. Shamrocks are said to bring good luck.

This stake is super-easy to assemble - if you can make a pot of tea, you can screw the pieces together. There is a dual prong at the base to ensure a firm footing. The shamrock tile is made from resin to ensure years of service. Measures almost 20″ in height.

We’ve all seen those great traditional pub signs in Ireland. I wish they still made similar signs today. Well, they do and they make spectacular Irish Gifts! Personalized Irish Pub Signs are back. Wouldn’t one of these make the perfect Irish Gift? A variety of different Irish signs are available. You can choose from personalized Irish pub signs, Irish Bed & Breakfast signs, or just display your Irish family name. I should mention that the names do not have to be Irish - the manufacturer can handle just about anything!

These signs are extremely high-quality and have a unique look and feel. They are based upon actual late 19th century designs when trade signs were used just about everywhere. While these signs are brand new and made to order, most conform in shape, lettering, and style to that of old-time signs. Craftsmen put a lot of time into each individual sign, finishing the process by applying a hand-rubbed stain to the sign, giving each a perfectly “aged” look.

Mullingar Pewter whiskey flasks make great Irish gifts!  They are traditional, masculine, and are hand-made in Ireland.  The origins of whiskey (often called whisky) itself seems somewhat unclear, but Wikipedia has the following background:

The first written record of whisky comes from 1405 in Ireland, it is also mentioned in Scotland in 1496. However it is thought that whisky had already been around for at least several hundred years prior. When or where whisky was first distilled is unknown and the localised, undocumented nature of beverage production during the period makes identification of the drink’s origin difficult. Additionally, it is possible that different groups discovered processes of distillation completely independently of one another.

However, one cannot deny that whiskey has been an integral part of the Irish lifestyle for hundreds of years. Some of the finest whiskey remains in production there today.

Of the variety of flasks that I’ve seen, one flask always seems to catch my eye. This Mullingar Pewter 6 oz. Tartan Whiskey Flask is stunning. The flask is beautifully decorated with dark tan leather and a vibrant tartan pattern. There is even a very nice oval space for engraving - if you choose.  What a great gift for Dad!

One of my favorite Irish gift items is this beautifully framed print of an old Irish blessing.  Some might say it is more of a curse!  Honestly, it makes me laugh every time I see it.  

The blessing reads:

May those who love us love us,
and those that don’t love us,
may God turn their hearts;
and if He doesn’t turn their hearts, may He turn their ankles
so we’ll know them by their limping.

The blessing is printed using a beautiful calligraphic style.  Comes with a nicely detailed gold frame with marbled matting.  The frame is measures 14 1/2″ wide and 7 1/2″ high. �