Personalising Christmas Gifting at Jo Malone with The Modern Calligraphy Company

December is always one of the most magical months to work as a calligrapher, and this year I had the pleasure of spending time at Jo Malone in Exeter, personalising and engraving boxes and perfume bottles for The Modern Calligraphy Company.

Set against the bustle of Christmas shopping, the experience felt wonderfully calm and considered. Watching a gift transform from a beautiful product into something deeply personal is one of the most rewarding parts of my work. Names, initials, meaningful dates and short messages were carefully added by hand, turning each Jo Malone fragrance into a keepsake rather than just a present.

Personalisation adds an extra layer of thoughtfulness to gifting, especially at Christmas. A fragrance is already a sensory gift, tied to memory and emotion, but when paired with hand lettering or engraving, it becomes something truly unique. Many customers shared stories about who the gift was for, whether it was a first Christmas together, a thank you to a loved one, or a treasured family tradition. Being a small part of those moments is always an honour.

Engraving directly onto perfume bottles and hand-lettering gift boxes allowed each piece to feel luxurious and bespoke. It is a reminder that slow, handcrafted details still have an important place in a fast-paced retail world. People paused, watched the process, asked questions, and often decided to personalise a gift once they saw how special the finished piece looked.

Jo Malone is synonymous with elegant Christmas gifting, and combining that with modern calligraphy felt like a perfect match. The clean lines, classic packaging and subtle details lend themselves beautifully to hand lettering, creating gifts that feel timeless and meaningful.

Spending December in store in Exeter was a joy, and a lovely way to celebrate the season through craft. Personalised gifts tell a story, and at Christmas especially, those stories matter. A name written by hand or a message engraved onto glass can turn a gift into something that is kept, cherished and remembered long after the festivities have ended.