by Susan Knaap

Picture this: a parcel arrives for you in the post, wrapped just the way you imagine a present should be, bedecked in elegant wrappings complete with old fashioned gift tag and string tied in a bow. Little design accents – vintage stamps, collages, illustrations and/or text – abound. You’re smiling and you haven’t even opened it yet. And when you do you’ll discover, amidst layers of delicate tissue paper, a personalised message from the recipient hand-written on exquisite French stationery, a scroll of befitting quotes and poems and, of course, your gift – something different and unique, chosen especially for you.

How do you get to be so lucky? By being the recipient of a gift ordered through Jumping Tangents, an online gift shop that focuses on creating unique personalised parcels. Jumping Tangents is the brainchild of graduate TLC student Cathie Davis – a self-proclaimed “fossicker and finder” and a firm believer that even in this time-challenged age, gift-giving can still reflect a measure of meaningful intent. “People like convenience, yet they crave the personal,” Cathie says, “and they can end up feeling guilty for just grabbing something easy rather than making something special for their loved ones. Jumping Tangents fills a gap in the market by offering convenience along with a uniquely personal approach.”

Cathie and Tim Davis - Photo by www.picturesque.co.nz

The convenience side of the equation comes into play by doing your shopping via the Jumping Tangents website. Be warned, and this from personal experience, you may find it difficult to extricate yourself once you have entered this particular portal. Once inside, you’ll discover a plethora of enticing, unusual and often quirky gift ideas, conveniently categorized to suit every preference – from exquisite Florentine stationery direct from Il Papiro in Italy to mouth-watering New Zealand made chocolate (lime chilli chocolate anyone?), and everything in-between (there’s even invisible ink for Harry Potter devotees!). There are gifts for every sized wallet – you can get change from $10, or splash out on lavish gift parcels for special occasions.

Found the perfect gift? Now the fun really begins. You can of course, happy in the knowledge that you’ve chosen the perfect gift, have Jumping Tangents gift-wrap your present, free of charge, in their signature vintage wrap. Or you can, at an extra cost, have the parcel themed to match the recipient’s tastes, complete with all the extra touches that can’t fail to ensure your friend or loved one knows they are valued. And it is this emphasis, not only on the gift, but on the gifting process itself, that characterizes Jumping Tangent’s philosophy. “We aim to reward both the recipient and the giver and to enhance their individual relationship by letting the recipient know the unique things that the giver has noticed and appreciates about them,” Cathie explains. “And we keep the giver updated from beginning to end, giving them a full description of the parcel once it’s completed, so that they get to enjoy the good bits of gifting.”

Photo by www.larsson.co.nz

It’s a unique concept. Not surprisingly, despite “plenty of knockers” and the challenges of the current economic climate, Jumping Tangents is flourishing. “It seems to be developing its own culture and customer following which is what we have worked deliberately towards, so that is very rewarding,” says Cathie. “A large percentage of our business is repeat custom – something which defies typical online shopping trends which suggest that loyalty is not a big consideration. Our dream is to create a business model that supports creativity, personal relationships and wonderful stories and we want it to grow and remain sustainable so more people can enjoy the benefits of such a work environment,” she adds.

The idea for Jumping Tangents was conceived some three years into Cathie’s study with The Learning Connexion, after she realised that her goal to be a full-time painter did not marry up with her personality and skill set. “My particular personality profile, as I discovered, is one that does well working with other people and finding roles which require you to use your communication skills,” she says. “So while I knew I quite enjoyed the solitude of full-time painting, I missed being with people. Working through the creative process helped me to accept that I needed to establish a way of life as an artist where I could work with people, rather than be on my own.”

Needless to say, Jumping Tangents is a family affair which includes Cathie’s husband Tim and two daughters Claire and Kimberley, along with other loyal employees who are endeavouring, as expounded on their website, “to make a change in the world, however small, by enabling people to touch the lives of those they love in a small, simple, but special way. After all,” they add, “the world can never have too much love!”

Foot-note: Jumping Tangents invite you to visit their flagship store specialising in design, specialty papers and chocolate – Jumping Tangents: Little Brown House at 4 Little Street, Wanaka. For more information, visit www.jumpingtangents.co.nz.