Here’s What Drew Barrymore Says You Should Gift This Valentine’s Day

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My final question for Drew Barrymore was the same question I always have when it comes to the topic of gifting: What’s your go-to gift for the person who is impossible to shop for? Her answer could not have been more on-brand. “You can get mason jars,” she began. “And you can fill them with rain water. Just collect some rain water.” What a perfect example of why the entire world loves Drew Barrymore, in all her quirky glory. She feels like a big sister, someone you would want to go to for advice—perhaps gifting advice, specifically. After all, she seems like the kind of person who knows how to organize a potluck, throw a baby shower, or pick the right gift for a new boyfriend. For this reason, Barrymore is now the chief gifting officer for Etsy.

The actress admits she’s an avid, longtime customer of the online marketplace, and she’s been a judge for the Etsy Design Awards in the past. “I always think the best gifts are the things you want for yourself, the things that you almost don’t want to hand over,” she says, adding that she has to be conscientious not to overwhelm herself. Gifts can be small; don’t overthink it. She’s particularly a fan of personalizing anything and everything. “If someone etches, engraves, or monograms something, you know that it took them time,” she says. “They had to think about it, they had to execute it, and it’s all about you. And it really isn’t anything hard, but it feels so big.”

As CGO, she’s also weighing in on hot topics: Can you keep gifts from your ex? (Yes). Is it weird to gift in a situationship? (No. “If it’s too much for that person, you just bought yourself a gift. Bye.”) And what’s the verdict on regifting? (You’re not regifting, you’re upcycling.) Most of all, Barrymore believes gifts should be personal, which makes her the perfect champion for Etsy’s newest innovation: Gift Mode. The AI-powered tool asks who you’re shopping for and the occasion and then offers users a long list of interests and hobbies to choose from. It then presents a set of gift options tailored to your precise search. Now you can find a thoughtful graduation gift for your pickleball-obsessed neighbor in a flash.

“If you’re thinking about somebody and you show that in any way, shape, or form, that will make them feel so good,” Barrymore says. “Your gifts probably mean more to people than you realize.” With that, scroll on for some of Barrymore’s curated shopping list, just in time for you to pick up a Valentine’s Day gift.

Hand-Embroidered Cotton Linen Dinner Napkins

“I collect and love napkins,” she says. “Vintage or monogrammed napkins. You could just do a set of six and then someone has that in their arsenal to set up a table.”

All About Love: New Visions

“Whether it’s a small, old paperback or a coffee table book, books are a great gift. Everybody loves books.”

Wine and Cheese Print

“Art is a great gift, and it’s not usually something we think to gift people, because it’s so personal,” she says. “The gift of art can be very affordable and very impactful.”

Glass Salad Bowl Set With Utensils

“A bowl is the best gift. You could put salad in it. A bowl with tongs.”

Burrata Sweatshirt

“I love a sweatshirt. You can always get an oversized sweatshirt that’s cool—be it vintage or new.”

Large Tomato Leaves Candle

“I love candles so much,” she says. “They’re actually in the category of replenishables. I don’t think a gift of a candle is ever a bad idea. They give the best lighting.”

Black Wood Cheese Knives

“The other day, I was serving a cheese board to some friends...and I had no knives for it,” she says. “If I had just had some cheese knives, I really could have sold this moment. Look at me, I’m an adult. I’m effortless. I’m cheeseboarding you.”

Small Wooden Table Lamp

Light fixtures happen to be one of Barrymore’s favorite items to shop for on Etsy. “They changed the energy and the feel of this room,” she says. “It’s this beautiful room now that makes me feel so good when I walk into it.”

Bespoke Plate Necklace

“Clothes are probably the most difficult thing to buy for people, because you don’t know their size, or you don’t know their taste,” Barrymore says. “But it feels so personal, because you can wear it, so jewelry is nice.” And you already know how she feels about personalization.

Wine and Cheese Club Digital Print

“You can find really fabulous art for $5-20.”

Dressed Kai Sock

“I’m a sock enthusiast, so get me a fun pair of socks any day,” she says. “That really does it for me.” (The most recent addition to her collection was a pizza-themed pair she picked up while at Dave & Buster’s with her kids. )

Orange Love Handmade Ceramic Mug

Is your recipient known for liking a certain thing? Whether it’s a hobby, animal, city, or album, Barrymore recommends searching for gifts themed to that interest. For her, it’s mac and cheese, and she once received a noodle-shaped ornament.

Mirror With Metal Frame

“You know what would be nice? You could buy someone a mirror, and you could write a little note on that mirror in marker or lipstick.”

Personalized Pencil Set

Barrymore says she got pencils for herself and her daughters, each inscribed with their respective nicknames. “It was a small lift, but brought so much joy to me. Whenever I pull out these pencils, it makes me feel so good,” she says. “I love the yummy charcoal of a pencil. I love being able to fix my mistakes. And I love personalizing any writing instrument.”

Picture Frame Set of 3

“Draw on something, type something, or handwrite something, and put it in a little frame. It will mean so much.”

Vintage Bath Towels

Barrymore is full of surprises: Vintage towels from Etsy happen to be one of her most simple pleasures. When she uses them, “I just feel like I’m in the ’50s or the ’70s living my best life,” she says. “I can’t find any towels in the modern age that make me feel like these floral vintage towels do.”

Rainbow Arch Shelf

Any fan of the actress knows she has a crafty knack for interiors. Some of her favorite purchases, she says, are lighting fixtures and other homewares, like this shelf, which can transform a space.

Louise Scarf

Fitted apparel might be tough, but she says scarves are “safe.”

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