It always astonishes me just how quickly Christmas creeps up on you, especially once we’ve reached the mid-point of the year, and 2018 has been no exception. This year, we’re hosting Christmas at our place, and it’s going to be a special one as it’s the first Christmas I’ll be spending with my dad, stepmom, brother and sister. Safe to say, I’m more than a little bit excited. So as I get into the festive spirit, I wanted to share my ultimate Christmas gift guide across beauty, fashion and accessories, home decor and books, food and wine, travel, tech, and some wonderful experiences you could gift in lieu of a ‘physical’ item.
For 2018, I’ve been feeling heavily inspired by gifts I’ve been given before, as well as some of the items we have in the home that I would be overjoyed to receive. I hope that some of these picks will give you a little bit of inspiration, or some Christmas gift ideas that you can get for your loved ones.
Before we dive into it, I wanted to mention that all of the gift idea collages will be shoppable, so if you see anything you like, you can click on the image to shop it directly.
BEAUTY
Christmas is always a fantastic time to pick up some beauty treats (for yourself or a loved one), and honestly, I could probably put together an entire gift guide dedicated to beauty gifts alone. I love that these are great as a standalone gift, a stocking stuffer, or a Secret Santa present under $25. Gift sets tend to be great value for money, plus it’s a nice way to introduce someone to a new brand that they might not have tried before.
I’ve picked out a selection of great beauty kits from some of my favourite beauty brands (shoppable by clicking on the picture), but I also wanted to give a shout out to a few products that I’ve picked up for myself, or to give as cheeky little gifts.
First let’s talk about NARS. I feel like the brand does some of the best beauty kits out there, and I was really excited about their Christmas gift sets this year. I have two of the little fetishes, one which I picked up for myself and one which I’m planning to give away as a gift. I feel like these are an excellent gateway into the brand with a couple of cult beauty products which I think are worth investing in full size too. I’ve also been very into the limited edition lip colours, which I think are a great (luxury) stocking stuffer for someone who loves lipsticks. The audacious lipstick formula is creamy and semi-matte, and feels comfortable on the lips. I’ve been reaching for the shade ‘Sheena’ since adding it to my ‘lipstick wardrobe’.
Second is Jo Malone, a brand that I’ve really started to explore this year. Personally, I adore their 30ml colognes (my favourite is the classic Wood Sage & Sea Salt), and I think a pair which can be layered or worn separately is a really special gift idea. Their Christmas collection is always something special, and if the budget allows, these limited edition Christmas Crackers and Baubles are a cute stocking filler idea.
I’ve been making major efforts to try and introduce some makeup brands into my life which have a focus on organic ingredients, and Nude by Nature is one that immediately comes to mind. They have some great gift sets for Christmas which I think deliver serious value for money. My favourite is the ‘Enchant’ gift set which is an entire eye look in one, though I also really love the look of the ‘Enlighten’ gift set too.
Another brand which places an emphasis on organic ingredients that I’ve been trying lately is Endota Spa, and I’m really loving their Christmas gift sets which I think give you a bit of that spa experience at home. I got a hold of the Radiance Gift Pack, which I think is a lovely all rounder across makeup and skincare, or the ‘Favourites’ contains a good selection of their best selling products in full size.
Finally, I wanted to touch on hair tools. I’ve introduced two new tools into my haircare routine this year, and they’ve been total game changers for me. I was saying to my husband that I’d be thrilled to receive a hair curler for Christmas – it’s tools like this that you reach for every day and are such a workhorse in your daily routine. As a slightly spendy gift idea, I don’t think you can go wrong with a classic ghd hair straightener. I have a couple tucked away in our bathroom, and have been relying on the platinum + version as I love the heat regulating sensor, plus I find it gives my hair a quick curl without having to put in the work. Upping the budget a little more, I haven’t raved enough about the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer. I use this every single time that I wash my hair and I love the results. Combined with a change in shampoo and conditioner, I’ve noticed my hair looks and feels silkier.
FAVOURITE BEAUTY SHOPS
| Net-a-Porter | Mecca Cosmetica | Urban Outfitters | David Jones |
| Sephora | Cult Beauty | Follain | Beautylish |
FASHION & ACCESSORIES
The best way to absolutely spoil someone (aka yourself) at Christmas is with a splurge-worthy handbag (I am loving this one right now)… though I suspect for most of us, the budget doesn’t extend quite that far. As an entry level into luxury goods, I think a cardholder is a great place to start. I treated myself to this one from Charlotte Olympia a few years back and it’s stood the test of time, though it may be a bit ‘far out’ for most. More classic options would be something like this classic black one from Saint Laurent, and I love these little zippy pouches from Chloe.
There’s also no beating the classics; wardrobe staple classics that is, and I don’t necessarily think you need to keep these to the season we’re in. Despite Christmas hitting us during the initial wave of summer, I wouldn’t complain if I found a beautiful cashmere knit sweater under the tree, or even one of Acne Studios’ canada scarves (which I can confirm are worth every penny). If you live in a cold climate, I’d also recommend this puffer jacket from Everlane which will be practical for wearing now, and these weatherproof boots from Aquatalia, which I’ve only heard good things about.
For those living in a warmer climate like myself, a beautiful sun hat wouldn’t go amiss, and one that I especially love is this style from Lack of Colour. If the recipient loves wearing dresses this time of year, then maybe a gorgeous straw bag (this one is also cute) would finish off her look.
I firmly believe that you can’t beat good basics and if there’s any time of year to venture into a few more high end options, I think Christmas is the time. For tees, I’ve been reaching for a couple from RE/DONE as a luxe alternative to my faves from Uniqlo, and I think you can beat a slinky slip dress this time of year, and Grana does them very well.
Something that I generally tend to consider as a major investment is a simple – yet special – necklace or pair of earrings for every day. I recently decided to splurge on a couple of necklaces from Missoma during the Black Friday sales, and I can’t think of a better place to start for some really special jewellery designs. I also have to mention Mejuri – collaborating with them at the start of last year was a dream, and so many of my favourite staple jewellery pieces are from the brand. My favourite is probably their zodiac necklace, which I love as it’s understated but personalised at the same time.
Finally, let’s talk gym gear. Working out more seems to be at the top of everyone’s ‘resolution’ list at the start of a new year, and I think some new gym gear can help to spark that renewed interest in exercise. A brand I’ve recently gotten into is Girlfriend Collective (also available here) as I love the sustainable message behind the gym kit, and similarly All Birds is a good place to look for sustainably made sneakers… made from NZ merino wool!
FAVOURITE FASHION & ACCESSORIES SHOPS
| Net-a-Porter | Shopbop | Matches Fashion | Everlane |
| Missoma | Mejuri | The Iconic | J.Crew |
| Nordstrom | The Outnet | Farfetch | MyTheresa |
HOME DECOR
Home decor is probably my favourite type of gift to give, and I’d like to think it isn’t related to the fact that I spend far too much time browsing Anthropologie’s new in section (and can’t justify buying it all for myself!). Beautiful prints like the one above from Jasmine Dowling can be a vibrant way for the recipient to mix up their space; agate crystal coasters can make drinking coffee feel a little more glam; and a beautiful jewellery box (also love this one) can make picking out your daily gems a treat.
Other home decor bits that I think make a great Christmas gift include a lovely set of linen sheets, some earthy wooden picture frames, an aromatic scented candle (my personal faves are from Diptyque and Jo Malone), a beautiful serving dish, or some special cocktail glasses.
While not exactly home decor related, I also wanted to mention that a good book can make a really thoughtful present. I was recently browsing the selection at David Jones and came across so many beautiful fashion books, and actually took home a cookbook that I think would be lovely for the friend who loves to experiment in the kitchen. I also wanted to mention that there are so many beautiful travel guides out there – these Cereal travel guides are especially lovely – which would be ideal if you know someone who is planning to jet off on an incredible holiday, and wants to make their trip feel a little more special.
FAVOURITE HOME DECOR SHOPS
| Anthropologie | West Elm | Adairs | Country Road |
| Urban Couture | Urban Outfitters | Design Stuff | ASOS |
FOOD & WINE
Consumables can actually make for a really thoughtful Christmas gift, but I also think that they’re a good option as a last minute gift idea or for someone who is especially difficult to buy for. Reason being, you know it’ll be enjoyed – whether that’s now or in a few months’ time. I love gifting boutique chocolates (Koko Black and Haighs are go-to’s), champagne, locally-distilled spirits or some festive sweet treats (like these cookies, or this peppermint bark).
TRAVEL ACCESSORIES
For the traveller, I think it can be really neat to gift them a present that they can use on their next trip abroad. My favourite travel accessory discovery this year has been this see-through make-up case from The Daily Edited. The leather trim lining makes it feel luxurious, plus you can personalise it with the recipients initials (!!). A slightly more practical option would be a hard-wearing carry-on. The one I’ve been using for my most recent travels is this one from Away, and I’ve heard really good things from a friend about this one here from Lojel (a brand I think I might look at investing in next).
A couple of other smaller travel accessory ideas would be a passport holder (I adore the look of this one), or a travel wallet. Everlane recently released this one, which is the perfect size to fit in a stack of cards, some cash (including coins), your passport, and your most important travel documents.
TECH
This one is for all the gadget lovers – or probably more specifically – the men in your life (who are probably a little tricky to buy for). While not exclusively limited to music/sound tech, three of my top ideas are an excellent pair of noise cancelling headphones, a portable bluetooth speaker, or a SONOS sound system (I gifted this to Luke last Christmas and it was a winner!).
EXPERIENCES
Personally, I think some of the best gifts are experiences, and it’s certainly somewhere that my husband and I plan to invest a lot more (over new belongings) for special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, and Christmas in the years to come. A podcast I recently listened to by The Minimalists summarised it well; as useful as it may be to buy something that we will use and love now, eventually we may grow out of it and move on. The memories that we create from new experiences will last our whole lives, and can be some of the most cherished gifts that you can give someone.
Skydiving or driving hot laps would be an amazing gift for thrill seekers; a romantic getaway for two would be a lovely present for your significant other (particularly if it comes with a wine tour attached…); concert tickets can make for unforgettable memories; gold class tickets to the cinema would be fitting for a film buff; or you could even book in a 7-course degustation for a loved one who is a culinary fiend.
So that wraps up my Christmas gift guide for 2018. I’d love to know what you’re planning on buying for your loved ones down in the comments section below… xx
