The Gift of a Handwritten Holiday

It seems crazy that I'm writing a holiday-themed article so early in the year, but everywhere I look, "the holiday season" is already being pushed on us. I wish we could take one holiday at a time, but it feels like if we don't start thinking about them early, we'll fall behind. What should be a cozy time of year to slow down and spend time with our families and friends now has an air of urgency, and preparations and pressures can consume our attention more than the joyful and meaningful holidays themselves. I suppose there is one advantage to the shift to early planning:  it gives us more time. We can use that time to stress out, or we can take a step back and focus on one loved one at a time rather than trying to manage everything at once.

A Little Time for the People Who Matter

Do you send holiday cards and letters?  I used to, when I wasn't so busy.  I loved the ritual of choosing just the right inks, then sitting down with my favorite fountain pens, special postage stamps, a box of cards or unique stationery, and my list of names and addresses.  Some of the messages were several pages long.  Some were just a few lines.  But as I wrote each one, I thought about the person I was writing to and what they meant to me.  Even if my day had been hard, setting aside half an hour to write a few cards made me focus on the parts of life that really matter.

When my teammates Erika and Shane reminded me that I need to start thinking now about writing a holiday blog article and Laura's Loupe episode, that was where my mind went.  Every year, I want to get back to having a handwritten holiday season.  It feels nostalgic and magical, in all the ways this time of year should.  I promise myself I'll write to my old friends in Connecticut, the elderly relatives who are still alive, the special unforgettable people I've gotten to know here and there, and the new friends who have helped me blossom here in Maryland.  But I work at a pen store, and it's our busiest time of year.  Just getting through the season is an accomplishment.  Still, if I had a little more time, and I made it a priority....

[Featured:  Kaweco Perkeo in Iridescent Pearl, a perfect first fountain pen.  I paired it with one of my all-time favorite inks, Waterman Tender Purple.]

Even if you don't work at a pen store, you probably feel similar!  So, how about if I help?  I spent last week thinking about great holiday inks, picking out some pretty stationery, and coming up with gift ideas to help you share your love of writing this year.  I didn't go crazy and choose fifty different pens, even though it was difficult to restrain myself.  I tried hard to keep my list short and to include a range of options, from approachable starter pens to more luxurious writing instruments for experienced enthusiasts. Every pen in this article is one that I think would make a nice gift.  If you like my ideas, think of it as a shortcut that will give you more time to write to the people you want to stay in touch with.

Choose an Ink for the Occasion

I probably spent way too long selecting these inks.  But, you know how that goes.  Once you start thinking about ink possibilities, it's hard to stop!  I wanted the list to be concise, and that meant I needed to choose only a few in each category I came up with.

Reds and Golds

When the weather gets cold, I reach for richer colors, especially when I'm using them for cards and letters. I want them to feel festive, warm, and elegant. My grandmother always started writing her Christmas cards the day after Thanksgiving, and this is the one time of year that I want to use cranberry-adjacent shades. Reds and burgundies are perfect from fall through the New Year and Valentine's Day. Why wait for Christmas cards? Send Thanksgiving cards or "thinking of you" cards.

This year, I decided on two deep red inks and one purplish-red. I'm not a fan of bright red inks, so I went for shades that are a little more serene and easier on the eyes.  My first pick was Sailor Manyo Ume, which means "plum" in Japanese.  In Japan, plum trees bloom from January to early March and are associated with good fortune, health, and resilience because they are vigorous enough to bloom in the cold of winter.  Ume is a very regal color, with glistening greenish-gold sheen when applied heavily on fountain pen friendly paper.  I love choosing inks with a bit of sheen for my holiday cards and letters because they really highlight the fact that I'm writing with a fountain pen, giving my recipients a special treat as the light hits their page at just the right angle to reveal a glint of metallic beauty.  I thought Ume was a perfect match for the graceful Waterman Carène in Marine Amber!

[Featured:  Sailor Manyo Ume and Waterman Carène in Marine Amber, with writing sample on Tomoe River paper from a Hobonichi notebook.]

For a red ink with subtle gold shimmer, I think Colorverse's Red Horse in Glistening Gold is particularly nice, especially because it's a special edition ink for this year, the Year of the Horse.  I don't use shimmer inks very often, but holiday cards feel like the perfect time to sparkle, and, again, it's an experience that is so fun to share.  When I use shimmering inks, I always get comments from my friends and family about how pretty and special they are.  The shimmer particles in this ink are pretty small, so they are less likely to clog your pen.  It's not an in-your-face amount of shimmer that overpowers the primary ink color, and it won't get everywhere.  It just adds a little festive twinkle to your writing, while the deep red remains the primary focus.

[Featured:  Colorverse's Red Horse in Glistening Gold ink, Kaweco Sport Piston fountain pen in Bordeaux, and fountain pen friendly Kartos stationery in Lilium.]

I think Red Horse is a beautiful match for the Kaweco Sport Piston fountain pen in Bordeaux with gold trim, a new release that I am very excited about.  When I showed the new pen to a customer in the store last Friday, she went crazy over the dark red of the anodized aluminum body with its rich matte metallic depth and solid feel in her hand.  When I pointed out that it's a piston-filler with an ink window to monitor your ink level, so she wouldn't have to use Kaweco's tiny folding converter, she was even more thrilled. This pen really elevates the classic Sport fountain pen, with an elegant built-in gold clip and matching gold-plated stainless steel nib.  Like other Kaweco Sport pens, its nib is easy to unscrew, so you can clean the pen thoroughly if any shimmer particles get stuck, and it comes in nib widths from Extra Fine to Double Broad! 

Okay, I got a little sidetracked by that pen because it's a new discovery for me.  Back to the inks.  I'll talk in more depth about my other pen suggestions later.

My favorite purplish-red (or reddish-purple, really) ink is a little hard to categorize, and I almost didn't include this one because it's already so famous and well-loved.  But how could I make a list of great inks for the holiday season and leave out Iroshizuku Yama-Budo?  It's one of Pilot's most popular colors, and the name means "wild mountain grape" or "Crimson Glory Vine" in English. The color is a deep magenta or fuchsia-purple and can have bright gold sheen in high concentration on the right paper.  I like to tone down Yama-Budo by adding a touch of Take-Sumi (the black Iroshizuku ink) for my everyday writing in my Pilot Ishime, but for holiday time, the extra punch of straight Yama-Budo is perfect! When I was working on this article, I decided to try pairing Yama-Budo with one of my favorite LAMY AL-Star colors, Black Purple (often just known as Purple), and discovered that this is an inspired combination. I've been a little bit obsessed with LAMY's 1.5 mm calligraphy nib lately, so I slipped one onto the Black Purple AL-Star, and wow!  This ink, pen, and nib combination is just what I needed this month!  (Note:  Yama-Budo is backordered at Pilot right now, but we will receive our new shipment the first week of November!  Phew!) 

[Featured:  Black Purple LAMY AL-Star, 1.5 mm Calligraphy Nib, Iroshizuku Yama-Budo ink, and fountain pen friendly Kartos stationery, along with one of my own holiday cards.]

Greens for the Winter Season

Another traditional color I like to use in the winter is dark green.  The association is obvious:  evergreen trees, which give us color and lushness even in the coldest months when most plants become brown and bare.  I always looked forward to decorating the Christmas tree and, especially, to revisiting all my favorite ornaments and remembering their stories.  My family's tree featured many mouth-blown German glass ornaments, so I love that kind best, even when they grow faded and fragile, thin enough for the Christmas tree lights to shine through, illuminating them from within.  One of the nicest dark green inks I've rediscovered recently is Oregon, from Sailor's USA States series.  It was inspired by the state tree, the Douglas fir.  It's a very reassuring and natural color, and brings to mind snow-covered trees and their sweet, citrusy-woody scent on a crisp, bright, sunny day after a storm.  I love that it's very dark and readable, but still distinctly green.

[Featured:  Sailor USA States Oregon ink, Pilot Chanomegumi fountain pens and pen sheaths, and Girologio Repurposed Italian Leather writing mat.]

Like most greens found in nature, Oregon leans more to the yellow side of green than to the blue side, and I think it goes wonderfully with the new Pilot MR (Metropolitan) Chanomegumi limited edition fountain pens in Deep Green, Roasted Tea Brown, and Light Green.  (Sorry, Pilot... I tried to pair a Pilot ink with your beautiful new Chanomegumi collection, but Sailor inks just matched a lot better!)  I love the new Chanomegumi collection, and I'll talk a little more about them later in this article.

Speaking of Pilot (you knew this was coming), another green ink I love for the holiday season is Iroshizuku Shin-Ryoku, meaning "Forest Green." This ink is a slightly bluer shade than Sailor Oregon, so I don't think it matches well with the new Deep Green MR, but it's an absolutely beautiful green that is dark enough and serious enough to use year-round, but green enough to really indulge a green-lover's taste for the color that makes us feel like we are walking in a lush, peaceful forest.  Shin-Ryoku reminds me of soft moss, and it's one of my co-worker Pierce's favorite inks. I know green is his favorite color, so when I started this article, I went to him to ask for green ink recommendations, and he immediately named Shin-Ryoku.  Oh, and, yes, while matching your ink to a pen is fun, obviously you don't need to match all the time! I paired Shin-Ryoku with my Vermillion Pilot Custom 845.  Why not?  Even with my Fine nib, the green color stands out.

[Featured:  Iroshizuku Shin-Ryoku with my Vermillion Pilot Custom 845 and one of my own holiday cards.  I like Peter Pauper Press brand.  Their cards are usually pretty fountain pen friendly!]

Blue for a Winter Greeting

Okay, you may be thinking, "Enough with the traditional Christmas colors! I don't celebrate Christmas!"  Fair enough.  Another color I absolutely love this time of year is bright blue.  It's associated with Hanukkah, and also is a wintry color all on its own.  I always love wearing bright blue sweaters when it gets cold and seeing the brilliant azure blue of a clean, fresh sky the day after a snowstorm.  For Hanukkah cards or any kind of wintry greeting, I love Pelikan Edelstein Golden Lapis.  Again, I don't typically write with shimmer inks, but this is a particularly well-behaved one.  Our former Pelikan representative, Gary, told me he kept it in his medium nib M800 for months on end without cleaning the pen and never had a problem with it clogging.  It has plenty of gold shimmer, but I love how the gold doesn’t overpower the blue color, like shimmer often does. It looks blue unless the light catches it, and then it’s very gold.  

Of course, Golden Lapis is great in a Pelikan fountain pen, but I also think this ink is the perfect pairing for our limited edition store exclusive, Batti, a gorgeous BENU Talisman that shimmers with a warm glow inspired by the light of a flickering flame and radiates a feeling of peace. This is a difficult pen to photograph, and I've always felt that studio photos and the fluorescent lighting in our store don't do it justice.

[Featured:  Pelikan Edelstein Golden Lapis ink, Pen Boutique exclusive Benu Talisman Batti, and Kartos stationery set.]

Something A Little Different

I have one more holiday season ink pick for you.  It's not a traditional holiday color at all, but I think the rich jewel tone just feels right, and it's one of my new discoveries from earlier this year, so it seems like a perfect way to represent the best parts of 2026.  Quoth the Raven was our first store exclusive collaboration with Dominant Industry, and it was released at one of my favorite events of the year, the DC Pen Show.  When it first came out, we had a very limited supply, but we ordered another batch and now I can recommend this beautiful, smooth, well-behaved ink to all petrol and teal lovers!  It's a sophisticated, deep, rich shade, with stunning purple sheen at high concentrations on certain papers, and I think it looks wintery, festive, and very special.  I also think it pairs perfectly with the new LAMY Studio in Petrol!

[Featured:  Dominant Industry Quoth the Raven with LAMY Studio Special Edition Petrol fountain pen.]

If you aren't familiar with the color petrol, it's a liminal dark teal shade between blue and green. It can lean more blue or more green, and you'll sometimes see it referred to as "Petrol Blue" or "Petrol Green."  I've been exploring and reading about colors for a long time, but I had never heard of petrol until I encountered it at Pen Boutique, associated with several brands including Pelikan, LAMY, and Montblanc.  Then I became obsessed with this mysterious and slightly murky color that isn't quite one thing or the other.  I'm not really sure why an ink named Quoth the Raven would be petrol-colored, but I'm glad it is.  It's a great shade of petrol, a tiny bit more green than LAMY's and Montblanc's Petrol inks, but still very close.  To me, it feels restrained but friendly at the same time, like the quiet one at a party you have to take your time to get to know.  I love this color and I love this pairing.

One final note before you start writing holiday cards:  not all greeting cards are fountain pen friendly, and it's often hard to tell which ones will work well until you try them. If you test an inconspicuous spot and find that your ink bleeds, feathers, or doesn't show the qualities you'd hoped for, don't despair! You can always tuck a small piece of fountain pen friendly paper inside the card and write your message on that instead. Problem solved!  There are several good options, including a Rhodia pad with perforated, tear-out blank pages; blank Clairefontaine Triomphe tablets and Midori letter pads, which have sheets that tear off cleanly; or beautiful Kartos paper for an elegant touch.  You can even tear a sheet from a favorite notebook and clean up the edge with a paper cutter!  Don't let disappointing cardstock stop you.

Find a Pen Worth Giving

I've already briefly introduced almost all the pens I wanted to suggest to you, but what makes them good gifts?  And who on your gift list might appreciate them?  Here's where I try to be concise!  I'll list their retail prices at the time of writing, but keep in mind that prices may have changed, and that many of them will be on sale, so click the links to see the exact current prices.

Approachable Gifts for New Fountain Pen Users

My lowest-priced suggestion, the Kaweco Perkeo in Iridescent Pearl ($26), makes a lovely gift for someone who's new to fountain pens or simply enjoys a pen with a fun personality. Its luminous, translucent finish shifts between blue-green and soft pink depending on the light, making it even prettier in person than in photos. The Perkeo is comfortable to write with, easy to use, and compatible with Standard International cartridges, offering plenty of ink options to explore. It's a budget-friendly way to introduce someone to fountain pens, journaling, and letter writing while still making them feel special! Two of my young co-workers, Erika and Pierce, both said they'd choose this pen as a gift for a friend or relative and would be delighted to receive one themselves.  For an extra-nice gift, the Hobonichi Kyohei Sakaguchi: A Notebook to Help Me Remember A5 notebook ($24) is a beautiful pairing.

The LAMY AL-Star in Black Purple ($47) makes a great gift for someone who wants a practical pen with a distinctive design. The AL-Star's unusual, avant-garde style didn't appeal to me right away, but once I tried it, I loved it. Now I reach for mine often because they're so functional, fun, and comfortable to use.  LAMY's wide range of nibs makes it easy to find a writing style that suits the recipient, and I've recently been having fun playing around with the interchangeable calligraphy nibs. There's even a Left Hand nib available right out of the box! The Black Purple finish is especially appealing if you want something colorful without being too bright, and the AL-Star's sleek looks often catch people's attention. Whenever I take one out, people ask me about it, and I've had many comment on how beautiful it is. It's casual, approachable, reliable, a bit whimsical, quirky, and cool. And, of course, there are plenty of other colors to choose from if your recipient isn't a Black Purple kind of person!

[Pictured, front to back: LAMY Safaris in Charcoal and Pink, LAMY Vista (the clear Safari model), and LAMY AL-Star in Black Purple.]

Special Gifts for Fountain Pen Enthusiasts

The new Chanomegumi collection ($68) is an extraordinary addition to the Pilot MR family, joining the Metropolitan, Metro Pop, and Animal pens. Together, these models, with their sturdy brass construction and refined details, fill a tier between Pilot's lightweight, inexpensive pens, such as the Kakuno and Explorer, and its most accessible gold nib fountain pens, such as the E95s, Vanishing Point, and Custom 74.  The Chanomegumi pens are the first-ever limited edition MR pens. Their form factor and smooth, reliable nibs are the same as those of the other MRs, but when you see one, it's immediately obvious that it's something different and special. I am very, very impressed by this new collection, and based on the reactions I've already seen in the store, I think these pens will be among the most popular of the holiday season.

This collection is a collaboration with the tea company Ito En, and it's inspired by the colors, textures, and traditions of Japanese green tea. The name means "Blessings of Tea," and the warm, cozy feelings associated with sitting down with a cup of steaming tea and your fountain pen to reach out to someone during the chilly winter season make a pen from this collection an especially lovely gift. You could even pair it with a box or tin of your favorite tea!

It comes in three distinctive colors:  Light Green, Deep Green, and Roasted Tea Brown. Each pen has a contrasting center band with its own pattern. I love them all and can't decide on a favorite!  The earthy Roasted Tea Brown and Deep Green pens have matte, textured barrels and a finish with surprising depth.  The fresh Light Green pen's barrel has a lovely high-gloss finish.  Unlike the standard-edition MR pens, even their center band designs are textured, and I love rubbing my fingers over them.

The Chanomegumi collection also includes three matching pen sheaths made for Pilot by Lezza Botanica from sustainable recycled leather that is tanned using tea residue dye, a byproduct of tea production. The sheaths are very soft and touchable, with textured leather on the outside and a lighter-colored, velvety suede on the inside. They also naturally have antibacterial and deodorizing properties thanks to catechins unique to tea!

Each sheath has three separate compartments and closes securely with a magnetic snap. Three MR pens will fit without rubbing against each other if you tuck two of them into the cleverly designed suede pockets at the top. I love how compact, secure, and snuggly the design is! It really feels nice to hold in your hand. They are a little pricey, but now that I know the details, I can see why. One of these cases would make a lovely gift, either to accompany a favorite Pilot pen or on its own. They are even large enough to protect a tall pen like a Pilot Custom 743, Custom 823, or Custom 845.

[Featured:  Chanomegumi pen sheath in Deep Green, holding all three Chanomegumi fountain pens.]

I think the LAMY Studio in Petrol is the perfect gift for someone drawn to modern design and intriguing colors. The Studio's sleek, sculptural shape and distinctive twisted clip, modeled after an airplane propeller, give it an understated sophistication, while this newest Special Edition finish adds a little mystery. I often recommend the Studio to customers looking for a gift that's nice but not too expensive, and that shows they understand their recipient is an individualist. It's available as a fountain pen ($99), rollerball ($89), and ballpoint ($79), making it easy to choose the writing experience that best suits your friend or loved one.

[Pictured, front to back:  Studio fountain pen, rollerball, and ballpoint in Special Edition Petrol, along with matching Petrol bottled ink.]

Our store exclusive BENU Talisman Batti ($185) makes a particularly meaningful gift for someone who appreciates a pen with a story behind it. This limited edition of just 300 individually numbered pens was inspired by the Lakh Batti tradition of lighting lamps as prayers for peace, wisdom, and good fortune. Its warm, flame-like glow gives it a calming and inspiring presence, and its resin incorporates dried wicks connected to the ritual. It's a beautiful way to give someone not just a writing instrument, but also a symbol of light, hope, and good wishes for the year ahead.

For a totally different look, the special edition Diplomat Aero in Olive Drab ($245) pairs glossy, muted olive green with matte gold trim, a rare combination for the Aero that gives it a particularly elegant look. I didn't pair this pen with an ink, but I didn't want to leave it out because it's one of my favorite Pen Boutique exclusives of the year! Its Zeppelin-inspired shape and beautiful two-tone nib make it stand out, while the name Olive Drab carries a special meaning: it was chosen in part to honor members of the military and express appreciation for their service.

It's a thoughtful gift with both style and an interesting history, especially for someone who appreciates a little extra heft in a pen. When I'm helping a customer who wants a writing instrument that feels solid in the hand, is a little larger, and has a satisfying weight, all the other pens in the store often drop off their radar when I show them the Aero. Its metal construction, eye-catching shape, and exclusive "soft sliding click" snap cap are the clinchers.

The Kaweco Sport Piston in Bordeaux ($190-$200) makes a wonderful gift for someone who appreciates the portability of a pocket pen but is ready to upgrade to a more sophisticated version of the typical Kaweco Sport. Its deep red anodized aluminum body, rich metallic finish, and gold accents give it an elegant look, while the built-in piston-filling mechanism makes it easy to enjoy bottled inks without needing a separate converter. It also comes in a charming round gift tin, with the option to include a bottle of Kaweco Royal Blue ink, making it feel special right from the start. And, yes, that round tin is packaged inside a square outer box, so it's easy to wrap!

Truly Exceptional Gifts

The Waterman Carène in Marine Amber ($358.55) makes an exceptional gift for someone who will appreciate a pen with effortless sophistication and a little debonair charm. The word carène means “hull” in French, and the pen's graceful, streamlined shape was designed to evoke the hull of a racing yacht. I love its beautiful, smooth vintage-style inset 18K gold nib and the elegant sweep of its clip.

The rich, complex burgundy color of the Marine Amber finish adds another layer of appeal, with a depth that seems to glow in sunlight. Not only is the Carène unusual and beautiful, it feels wonderful in the hand and is the kind of pen that becomes a favorite, a loyal companion that is part of your identity and is ready to accompany you wherever your dreams take you.  If your recipient prefers the convenience of a ballpoint ($215.18), the Marine Amber Carène is available in that form, too.

Reconnecting Through Writing

As the holidays approach, I hope you'll find a little time to reach out to someone you care about. It might be an old friend you haven't spoken to in a while, a relative who lives far away, or someone who's had a particularly difficult year.  You don't need to write a long letter or wait for a special occasion.  "Just because" is reason enough, and sometimes a few sincere sentences are enough to let someone know you're thinking of them.  If you can make handwritten cards and letters part of your holiday season, I think you'll find that the time you spend writing is just as meaningful as the message itself.

A fountain pen can be a wonderful gift for someone who enjoys writing, or a way to encourage someone to discover the pleasure of putting pen to paper. Holiday cards might be the starting point, but there's so much more to enjoy:  journals, thank-you notes, everyday lists, and letters to friends throughout the year. So choose someone you'd like to reconnect with, find a pen and ink you enjoy, and give yourself a little time to write. The connection you make might be the best gift of all.

-Laura P.

I love comments on my blog!  Please leave comments if you like the articles, and, if you have any questions about this article, or any of the other blog articles, you can e-mail support@penboutique.mom.  Thank you!