How to Give a Journal Someone Will Actually Use

We've all been on both sides of this. You receive a beautiful notebook, put it somewhere safe, and a year later it's still wrapped in its cellophane, too nice to ruin. Or you give one, and never find out whether it got used.

A journal is a lovely gift, but only if it ends up with pages full of writing. Here's how we think about choosing one, and a few small things that help it get opened.

Start with the pens

The simplest question to ask is: what does this person write with?

If they're a gel pen or fountain pen person, or they keep a few light markers around, the Original (120gsm paper) is a great fit. It handles all of those with minimal bleed-through.

If they like to play with colour, or they own Tombow markers or a little watercolour set, the Kelsey (160gsm paper) is the one. It handles everything the Original does, plus Tombow markers and light watercolour.

Both are acid-free, both lay completely flat, and both come with a built-in pen holder, which is a surprisingly big deal for anyone who owns more pens than they'd like to admit.

Think about how they'll use it

A few types of people we find ourselves picturing:

The planner. Someone who loves a clean weekly layout and a good list. A dot grid gives them structure without boxing them in.

The reflective one. The person who's always been "meaning to start journaling." A dot grid is forgiving: they can write in paragraphs, sketch a quick layout, or just jot a line a day.

The student or teacher. For anyone heading into a busy term, a journal with a pen holder that actually holds a pen is more useful than it sounds. (We wrote about simple journal setups for students and teachers if you want ideas to pass along.)

The person who says they "don't journal." Honestly, this is often the best person to give one to, as long as you take the pressure off. More on that below.

Make the first page easy

The biggest reason a new journal sits unused is the blank first page. Take that off the table.

Write them a short note on the first page, just a line or two. Or set up a simple "one line a day" page for the month, with the days down the side and a space beside each. It's the page we keep ourselves, and it takes fifteen seconds a day. (Here's how it works.) A journal with the first page already started is much easier to pick up.

Add something small

You don't need to build a gift basket. A pen you like, or a pen you think they'll like, tucked into the pen holder is plenty. It also gives them something to write with the moment they open the box.

Every Tumbitri Meri journal ships gift-boxed, so there's nothing extra to wrap. If you're sending one overseas, we'd suggest ordering a little early so there's room for shipping.

One last thing

The best journal gift isn't the fanciest one. It's the one that arrives with a bit of thought behind it, and a first page that's already waiting for them.

If you're not sure which one to pick, send us a note and tell us a little about who it's for. We're always glad to help.