Ok so this is a gift guide that was SO damn easy to compile. Basically all my favourite things, my go-to’s and must-haves being a slightly fuzzy-headed, worn out mum of both a human AND my beloved fur babies who are probably the most important let’s be honest.
Life is a little different now that we are parents and we appreciate the more functional, dare-I-say-it ‘boring’ things in life. YES THERE IS A HOOVER IN THIS GIFT GUIDE I WILL EXPLAIN THAT WHEN WE GET TO IT.
GROWN UP’S & PARENTS.
Functional, handy, useful and practical is the order of the day (mostly). There are things that I am excited for now that I would have had ZERO interest just a few years ago. First up, my new Nespresso Lattissimo One coffee machine (£129 Curry’s). I am now a 3 cups a day kinda girl and honestly having a ‘proper’ machine really has helped me through some of these days! If you are a more serious coffee drinker, you may need an upgrade on this machine as it’s relatively simple, but as a great milk frother and is super easy to use. A great present for any household!
In terms of beauty and lifestyle, again there are things that are really simple but are really useful to have. First up Malin & Goetz ; I always find this SUCH a good gifting brand as it’s unisex, simple but effective. Also it’s the kind of things both mum, dad and anyone can use.
They do great body wash soaps ; they smell amazing, they are creamy, triple-milled and great for all the family in the bath or shower. I love their Peppermint Bar Soap* (£14) which is super fresh and zingy in the AM shower struggle. Their skincare is also unisex (I mean all skincare is pretty much unisex…I’m talking about the packaging!) and the Replenishing Face Serum (£58) and the Mojito lipbalm* (£11) are both great gifts and something that works on anyone and anyone. I’ve been buying this serum on and off for around 6 years and it’s one that Tom always love to dip into too. ew annoying.
Malin & Goetz also do AMAZING candles. I have used them, again for many years. The packaging is really cool, they burn well and the main thing that makes them great…..the scents are intersting and incredible. I was lucky enough to be sent this mini Cannabis Candle* (£16) but I have been purchasing this scent for many years. It won’t make your house smell like the outside of a SPAR on a Friday night, I promise, it’s more of a herby, woody scent also infused with citrus and patchouli.
Another great scent-vibe gift are the Diptyque Room Sprays (£47) as an alternative to their fabulous candles we all know and love. These look great around the house too, they smell really strong and genuinely will hang about longer than the candles which will burn for 60 hours. I’ve had this room spray about a year! If you are gifting, their best-selling BAIES is the one to go for as this blackcurrant and bulgarian rose is a scent loved by most.
I have probably shouted about this a lil’ TOO much if you follow me on other social channels but The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse (£14.99) by Charlie Macksey is such a wonderful and special gift (I’ve already included it in another gift guide!). It’s wonderful, it’s heartwarming and it just feels really special, plus it’s great for the young to the old to appreciate and love.
An eye cream for a new mum is a pretty decent shout! I am still feeling the after effects of the first 6 months lack-of-sleep and my eye bags are like never before.
The Tata Harper Illuminating Eye Cream (£100 yikes I didn’t realise it was that much now) is a really, REALLY effective eye cream for tired peeps. As all her products, the ingredients are really good, potent and pure and i find it really good as an anti-wrinkle treatment and an instant uplift and lighten. It has diamond particles in it so you instantly see radiance and brightness as well as the long term benefits you will get after a few weeks of use.
Ok we need to talk Hoover. HOOVERS. I never thought the day would come but it indeed has. Pretty? No. One of the BEST things I have got my hands on this year? YES! The Vorwerk Kobold VC100 Handheld Hoover* (£129) is honestly a godsend for homeowners, renters, messy people, parents, fur baby owners and the rest.
It is super sleek and lightweight in design, cordless and is just so handy for all those after-feeding-baby crumbs and mess, pet hair on the sofa (we have a dark blue velvet sofa and a white cat = yikes), and even the Christmas tree needles on the floor. I have it out pretty much all the time and i use it I would say up to 3 times a day. I only have to charge it every other week and it’s an absolute godsend. Our ‘main’ /big hoover is a Dyson (it’s rubbish…soz) and it terrifies the cats and is super bulky to take around the house. The handheld is just a lot less work and less often you have to lug out the big hoover. ALSO, and probably most importantly, it is super quiet so doesn’t scare the cats….hooray!
Honestly, if you have some new parents you are wanting to treat…there are some really inexpensive and nice things you can do for them…particularly in those first few months.
Make a bunch of tray bakes they can shove in the freezer. Offer to go over and tidy their house for half a day. Pick up the ginormous pile of laundry and take it away and clean it for them. Offer to come over for the afternoon and watch the baby to let the parent/s gather their thoughts and perhaps catch up on sleep. These things will be sometimes more well-received than physical gifts!
FOR BABY.
We were so lucky and got so many lovely gift for Margot. I think sometimes, vouchers can be really handy, as a lot of clothes and accessories are purchased for the baby they can go to waste, particularly if they already have 34 woolly hats. However, I always think it’s nice to choose something you love and gift it, so just check with the parents perhaps what they really need?
I got some AMAZING shoes for Margot, and these Leopard Print Converse (you can’t get this particular style here but these are kind of similar for £22) are my actual fave out of any of our shoe collections! These were given to us right at the beginning and she’s only just wearing them now and they are super cute. Maybe look out for anything slightly eye-catching, unusual and fun. It’a also nice to get things that will be for when they are a bit older and something to look forward to. We also have a a couple of pairs ‘nice shoes’ from Moulin Roty (from £20ish) which are really nice and we are looking to get one pair a year for Margot.
There are SO many brand that do great baby care and one of the best I have found is Little Aurelia. We have used the Sleep Time Top to Toe Wash* (£22) and the Sleep Time Bath & Massage Oil* (£28) and both have been really good. They are definitely more splurgey than a lot of baby care products but it’s just such beautiful packaging, ingredients and perfect for a gift.
They also do a lovely set that comes in the pretty Woodlands Friends Suitcase* (£28) or you can purchase this on it’s own as a keepsake and something to put in the nursery for storage. I love this and the illustrations on it are so pretty!
Last up and a really cute little buy, is a baby hair brush! I got only a few months ago and it’s so sweet and Margot absolutely loves having her hair brushed every night by dad. I have this wooden one (£5.99) from Amazon
FOR FUR BABIES.
Hey, these guys are (the most) important too! Herman and Hilda always get a special little treat over Christmas, whether it be a new toy or some fancy treats. Lily’s Kitchen* always do amazing things and this year they have gone all out with cat advent calendars (hollllla), limited edition turkey & ham cat food and lots of other special Christmas treats. Honestly if you saw me opening up the box they sent me over on my Instagram stories, both my cats were ALL over it and sniffing around the treats – they love it all! We cannot forget the fur babies in our lives.
OMG that is Christmas gift guides OVER & OUT. I know they can be a bit too much to take in and there are SO many people doing them now but I hope mine were useful and not too overwhelming. All products I genuinely love and own and would buy for myself and others!
I am feeling the Christmas vibes so much right now and am all very excited for Christmas for a change. I still have one more gift to buy today and then I am done and it’s time for out of the office ON, fluffy-slipper-clad feet UP and the tin of quality streets on the lap.
Christmas can be a really hard time so please look after yourselves and be kind.
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