It’s coming at lightning speed, and before we know it the Christmas presents will all be unwrapped, and Mum will have gotten out the big black bin bag for all the wrapping paper! So what are you getting your friends and family for Christmas, and will it be something that gets shoved in a cupboard and forgotten about or will it be the star of the show that is enjoyed for months (or even years) to come? Hopefully this post will inspire some gifts that are the later.
The Dreaded Work Secret Santa
I HATE the work secret Santa, you normally get something completely tat worthy and it just feels like you’re feeding landfill rather than giving/receiving something that sparks joy. Normally the price limit is pretty small for these (thank goodness!) at a £5 or £10, and we have some gorgeous ideas for you:
Artisan soap in a cute glass dish – beautiful and practical, perfect for men or women and supports a small business (normally) and easy to wrap with a bit of twine or pretty ribbon & a tag if you’re feeling fancy!
Painted candles and candle stick holder – Festive with the hand painted candle, and beautiful with the glass candle stick holder. Maybe you even have a work colleague who is obsessed with a certain colour; even easier to seem extra thoughtful in that case! A bunch of mini half candles tied with twine or ribbon and a Christmas tag also makes a really cute gift.
Nieces & Nephews / your friends’ children
Before I became a mum myself the thought of buying other people’s children gifts did panic me a bit! How was I supposed to know what toys are age appropriate?! Obviously once you have your own that gets easier and easier because you just copy things that your own children love.
So here are some ideas if you are in the panic stage of your life!!
All kids LOVE a box! Obviously, it would seem a bit rude to gift an old amazon box (I bet they would love it though!), but a cute set of pattern suitcases are basically fancy boxes! Not only will the children have plenty of imaginative games with them, but they are also practical storage (their parents will thank you!) and beautiful. Plus, super reasonable price wise.
You knew it was coming, Maileg is the ultimate heirloom gift for littles. You can keep it small with one mousey friend in their own little matchbox bed or go big and gift some accessories or a whole castle too! These are the kind of toys that are passed down the generations, and work as a great gift for such a wide age range (pretty sure some of my friends in their 30’s would be overjoyed to receive one of these babies!).
Your other half
Now this is pretty selfish of me, but I always think buy them something that is really for yourself!! Something they will enjoy obviously, but you get some joy from it too. The gift of a couple of nights away somewhere lovely does this beautifully, plus it’s a chance to make some lovely memories together and escape all the chores for a couple of days! If you want this gift to actually have a physical present to open with it, try a little bundle of lovely toiletries to use whilst you are there, or some lovely pyjamas to take with you.
Gal Pals
Super easy; gorgeous scented candles, or the wonderful freckle face wax melts with a cute burner make a great gift that doesn’t break the bank whilst giving the recipient hours of joy. Plus, the wax melts look so beautiful in the box you don’t even need to wrap them.
Fikkerts bath treats arranged on a cute tray, wrapped up in some cellophane makes a special treat for a friend. As do the gorgeous hand soaps & lotions from Bare & Co.
A few ceramic flowers arranged in a pot of faux flowers make for a unique and thoughtful gift, handmade and individual without any of the normal faff! Definitely a standout gift.
So there we have it, hopefully some helpful inspiration for this years gift giving frenzy! Thank us later for being the stand out gifter in your group!