*Disclosure: This post contains a mixture of items, some of which have been bought by me, some of which have been kindly gifted*
It has to be said that although I adore this time of year, it is the absolute worst for taking photos!! I could really use some indoor lights that I've seen other bloggers using... Santa pretty please?? :) Anyway, moving on, I had a lot of fun collecting items for this post. Whenever I've been out and about I've picked up the odd bit here and there and as I mentioned in my disclosure, I've also been kindly sent items too. I'm one lucky girl!
As most of you will know by now - unless you're new to GGD - Christmas is my favourite occasion. So much so that I'm featuring in Reveal magazine this forthcoming week on a festive piece.
I'm a bit of a Christmas elf in the sense that I love giving gifts to everyone. I even go all out and make my own Christmas crackers. If you fancy giving this a go then you can pick up kits in Hobby Craft or even online. For the token gifts you'll want for the inside of your crackers, I recommend having a browse on eBay. I picked up various trinkets and pieces of costume jewellery for mine. That said, I made mine in September so you'll need to check postage and delivery on whatever you order as my trinkets took weeks to arrive.
I hope my sisters and BF aren't reading this post because some of the gifts included in this are actually theirs... Look away now please! However, for all you other lovelies out there, sit back, relax and read on. I hope you enjoy and that this post gives you some inspirational ideas for your Christmas shopping list.
For Your Sister Or Best Friend
I know that every girl is different but I don't think you can go wrong with a beauty, makeup or fragrance gift set. My favourite perfume is Chanel Allure which is a tad on the expensive side but you can find fragrances from as little as £5 if you know where to look. Next have some fantastic gift sets and the Just Pink scent which is one of my faves, is amazing.
Boots is always a great place to browse as they have such a variety of gift ideas. I love that you can also stick to budget by making the most of their 3 for 2 Mix and Match. Every girl loves a bit of Soap and glory, Benefit, Ted Baker and No. 7. Guys... take note!
This year I wanted to get my sister makeup as she's either a) complaining she doesn't have any or b) borrowing mine! I didn't want anything cheap and nasty as she has really sensitive skin and eyes. When I stumbled across this Jaclyn Hill eyeshadow palette and read the reviews, I knew I just had to have it. The colours are simply gorgeous and there's a mixture of mattes, shimmers, satins, foils and glitter. To go with my sister's new palette I chose these pretty unicorn makeup brushes. You can pick these up from various places but I got them brand new from eBay. Watch out and do shop around, I've seen them on other websites for nearly five times the amount I paid.
If your sister has been harping on about wanting a new wardrobe, why not treat her to something new from River Island? Or perhaps give her gift vouchers so she can choose something for herself instead.
Mad Beauty have loads of gift ideas and perfect stocking fillers. The fun and quirky light bulbs pictured below are actually bubble bath and bath salts! I love that Mad Beauty have such a huge selection of fun, unique yet affordable gifts. The cute 'Lightbulb Moment' nail polish duo (also pictured) is also from Mad Beauty.
Everyone loves a fun or personalised mug right? This 'Prosecco Princess' mug is the perfect choice for this year's work Secret Santa. I got this particular one from Country Harvest, but you can pick them up from various places and also online.
If you have a friend or family member that wears an ID badge for work, why not give them one of these Maisie-Jane functional accessories? Maisie-Jane believe that how you dress for work should be an expression of your personality. Choose from Necklace Lanyards and Man-Yards. Who said you can't be stylish at work?
For The Girlfriend
Girls love a bit of romance and what better way to say it than with jewellery at Christmas time? Opt for something personalised from the likes of NotOnTheHighStreet, or play it safe with a beautiful piece from Pandora. And if you really want to impress, you can't go wrong with something from Tiffany & Co, although be warned, this is a tad on the pricey side!
For Your Mum Or Nanna
My nanna isn't here to celebrate Christmas anymore but if she was she would have loved one of these Yardley perfume gift sets from online pharmacy, Chemist. The pretty 'Yardley London English Daisy Gift Set' comes with a limited edition 100ml body lotion and a 50ml eau de toilette, both in an elegant, dewy English Daisy scent. Yardley offer a variety of gifts suitable for ladies young and old. This fun Yardley Christmas cracker which comes with a 50ml English Rose hand cream inside, is currently only £1.99. Mr Nutcracker, seen in pic, is actually my own but you can get these from many shops including Poundland which is where I think I got mine.
For The Boys
These three items pictured below are actually for my nephew Nathan, but I know a lot of boys love their DVDs and games. Nathan particularly loves Marvel, Power Rangers, Minecraft, Pokemon, etc etc, so he's a typical eleven year old really. I shopped around to get the best deals and Argos came up trumps for the Minecraft XBOX One game. At £23.99 at the time of purchase, it was cheaper then the other usual gaming places I'd shop. The DVD's were bought from Toys R Us. I definitely recommend shopping around, make sure you do a price comparison. It's worth it to save a few pounds.
One for the older boys, my BF loves Johnnie Walker so the Black Label in a gorgeous gift box makes for the perfect gift which I got from Asda for about £20. It's also my brothers favourite drink!
If the man in your life loves sports and walking, or indeed is just in need of some new socks, then these Blue Guard and Storm Bloc socks from Sockshop are an excellent choice. Storm Bloc are a versatile sock ideal for strenuous outdoor activities, walks, hikes and camping. Blue Guard socks focus on the need for durability and comfort. A high-performance, anti abrasion yarn means that these are perfect for walking boots, country boots and wellies! Both pairs come with a life time guarantee.
Believe it or not, these sprouts pictured below from www.findmeagift.co.uk are actually chocolates. Don't they look realistic? At £9.99 they'd make a fun gift for your secret Santa or as a stocking filler for anyone. Find Me A Gift has hundreds of other fabulous gift ideas too so is well worth a peruse.
When I was offered a case of Hofmeister to feature in my Christmas Gift Guide I jumped at the chance. Who wouldn't? Perfect for sharing over the festive season, this is a refreshing lager that your brother, boyfriend, dad and grandad will love. No doubt you will too! You can get your own supply from good old Amazon.
Let's not forget, aftershaves and eau de toilette 'for him' usually go down a treat too so check out the best deals on men's fragrances. I personally love Paco Rabanne Millionaire.
For The Writer Or Bookworm
Take note if any of you have friends who blog, write or just love to curl up with a good book. I personally think you can't go wrong with a pretty 'quote' notepad because every blogger and writer needs tools for jotting down scribblings and ideas. I go through so many a year and I love receiving stationery as a gift. The purple 'Write It Down Or Lose It Forever' notebook (pictured below) is from The Works. For an alternative writing gift, Writers' HQ offer online creative writing courses and also day long writing retreats!
Choosing a book for someone who reads a lot can prove difficult. How can you be sure they've not read it yet? The simple answer is that you can't. I know my family and friends have this problem when buying for me. If you're really not sure then the best thing you can do is to get a gift receipt so that the recipient can exchange the book if necessary. And if you aren't sure which genre to go for, then your best bet is to go with a gift voucher. That way the recipient can choose exactly what they want. I personally love Giovanna Fletcher's novels hence why I've pictured 'Always With Love' below. But your loved one might be more into biographies, history, horror or thrillers. Try to drop subtle hints so you can get an idea of what they'd really like.
Choosing a book for someone who reads a lot can prove difficult. How can you be sure they've not read it yet? The simple answer is that you can't. I know my family and friends have this problem when buying for me. If you're really not sure then the best thing you can do is to get a gift receipt so that the recipient can exchange the book if necessary. And if you aren't sure which genre to go for, then your best bet is to go with a gift voucher. That way the recipient can choose exactly what they want. I personally love Giovanna Fletcher's novels hence why I've pictured 'Always With Love' below. But your loved one might be more into biographies, history, horror or thrillers. Try to drop subtle hints so you can get an idea of what they'd really like.
For Your BF's Parents
One for your BF's parents, or even your own parents perhaps? Whether it's for the in-laws or just a treat for yourself, Prestige have a variety of gorgeous Christmas Hampers that come filled with goodies which surely any recipient would love. Choose from a gift boxed hamper or a traditional hand woven wicker basket like the one pictured below. Included in this hamper is Chardonnay, Shiraz, Red Velvet Crunch Biscuits, English Breakfast Tea, Milk, White and Dark Chocolate Classics, Shortbread Festive Shapes, Matthew Walker Classic Christmas Pudding, Iced Fruit Cake, Dark Chocolate Bar, Mackays Christmas Marmalade, Mackays Christmas Preserve, Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella Yorkshire Crisps, Handmade Smoked Oatcakes.
Stocking Fillers
I'm pretty organised so I've got quite a few of my stocking fillers already for both the BF and family. My kind of stocking fillers usually consist of chocolate hollow Santas, Christmas sweets and/or alcohol but here are a few other ideas:
This nifty little towel clip from Towel Up is actually a really great idea for when you get out the shower or bath or even when you're on the beach. No more embarrassing moments needed.
The huge Jaffa Cake tube that features in the header photo was £3 from Sainsbury's but I've seen these in quite a few supermarkets. Likewise, the Cadburys 'Stocking' selection box was also £3 from Sainsbury's. And who doesn't like a selection box? They're a tradition in our house.
Always one to support small or local businesses, don't forget to check out Etsy for unusual gifts and stocking fillers. I've always been a fan of Dorkface Shop and another I've recently come across is Candelabra Crafts.
If you're after a hot water bottle then I recommend you check out The Hot Water Bottle Shop for fun designs that kids and grownups alike will love.
For anyone who has a sweet tooth I would recommend one of these pretty eye catching candy buckets from Sweet Arrangements. I was kindly sent four different varieties, Princess, Sea World, Fizzy Little Creatures and Over The Rainbow. Ironically these were delivered to my place of work so you can imagine the hysteria and laughs we had about receiving candy in a dental practice. That said, in all honesty, we all have a major sweet tooth and dibs were placed on who wanted which bucket! :)
Sweet Arrangements are the premium confectionery company primarily known for their luxury Sweet Trees and bespoke Candy Buffet Creations. All of their sweet gifts are fun and lively and are intended to demonstrate a modern, fashionable yet sweet side to confectionery. These candy buckets currently retail at £7.95.
Alternative Gift Ideas
For those who are looking for alternative gift ideas then how about a delicious 5 inch 'Letter Box Gift Cake' from bakerdays? There's a variety of designs to choose from, I opted for the decorative red tree cake in traditional sponge. Other sponge choices are lemon drizzle, rich chocolate chip, dairy free, gluten wheat free and fruit.
The cake itself provided much excitement when it arrived as I had it delivered to work. It came in a lovely gift box complete with Christmas cracker and a gorgeous tin which contained the cake itself. Everyone commented on it and said what a wonderful alternative idea it was for a gift and how they'd love to both send and receive one! As for the taste test... The cake was absolutely delicious. The sponge was nice and and light, so much so that I went in for seconds!
If your recipient has everything already, then why not book them an experience package? Whether it be a trip to the spa or a racing track day, there's a huge variety of choice. Just Google 'experience days' and you'll see a vast amount of websites to pick from.
For those who are working on home improvements and are struggling with budget, then perhaps an interiors gift would be nice to help them out? If you can do some digging to find out exactly what your recipient still needs then you can either give a voucher for a DIY or homeware store or even splurge on something such as these white wooden blinds which are currently very popular. This is mainly because they look like plantation shutters but are a lot more cost-effective. They also give you maximum control over the light entering your home.
If you're a dab hand with a knitting needle then you could create homemade gifts such as the hedgehogs featured in this pic. These were actually made kindly by one of my patients and all money was donated to St. Catherine's Hospice. Hidden inside each hedgehog is a Terry's Chocolate Orange. A lovely and unique gift for the kids.
Lastly, you can't forget your pooches at Christmas time. I treated our family dog to a 'Paws Off My Christmas Dinner' bowl. You can't really see it in this photo but I got mine from Poundland. If you don't have a Poundland near you, don't worry, you can pick up a variety of pet treats and gifts from many other places including B&M, market stalls and even online.
Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? Or perhaps you've created your own Christmas Gift Guide that you'd like to share? Feel free to leave your links in the comments section below so we can all have a peruse.
It might be a tad early but pah who cares... Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!
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