Aaaaaaand it's December!
Every year I convince myself that I'll start shopping earlier. 2016 may actually be the year it all turns around. First day of the month and feeling pretty confident!
Annual Christmas Gift Guide; Let's do this.
1. Mini Rose Cake via getFOODi
Okay, I know you can't look past it either, so let's talk about this amazing cake. I recently discovered getFOODi and now I'm hooked. Gone are the days of jumping from website to website (or between Insta pages) to find bakers in your area, compare prices and choose bewteen cakes; getFOODi is essentially a one-stop online marketplace curating everything for you. There are delivery and pickup options and the best part is you get to chat directly with your baker and tell them what you're after. I'm especially loving Stella's cakes (this little beauty is her Mini Rose Cake), and now that the hassle is taken care of, there's really no excuse not to pick something up for your Christmas party ;)
2. AXSHER Soy Candles
I'll be the first to admit I have a love-hate relationship with candles. Some are absolutely delicious and others just give me a headache. My perfect candle has to be sweet but not too sweet, fruity but also fresh... Yes, I'm hard to please - so when I find something I love, I stick to it and spread the word! I love that these AXSHER candles come in matte black (how classy!) but mostly I love that they smell of my favourite things. Personal faves here are Lychee Infusion (goes without saying), Between The Sheets & Strawberry Bellini.
3. BLOOM Lippies
Coming from a girl who carries at least six lippies in her bag at any one time, I say you can never have too many. Bloom have a great range and I especially love their lip definers (I'm on to my second one in 'Trace' - it goes with EVERYTHING and you guys know I love a vampy lip). I've just started on a few of their new lipstick shades too...hey, the more the merrier!
4. DEITEA Tea
Have you ever seen such fancy tea!? I know the monogrammed/personalise-everything-in-your-life train has really taken off over the past two years, but personalised tea? If this wouldn't make a good gift, I don't know what would. You can get personalised little tea boxes, or personalised tea canisters, and oh it's all just too cute. My favourite blend at the moment is White Wedding but really, all tea is good tea. #teaovercoffee
5. OLYMPUS PEN E-PL8 Camera
A slightly bigger-ticket gift, but if you've got someone who loves photography then this could work out quite well. I took the Pen E-PL8 with me on my recent trip to Seoul (travel vlog coming soon!) and totally did not regret it. As you can probably tell, it's super sleek with a slight retro finish. I'd recommend reading through all the features to make sure it's got exactly what you need - but from personal experience I was really happy with it. Good photos and overall easy navigation, but best of all: the WiFi functionality meant I could post Insta updates on the go!
6. MONDAY BLOOMS Rainbow Box & Scented Wax
You can't go wrong gifting flowers - even for Christmas. These flower boxes are the perfect size for an office desk or a coffee table, and you can add to it with chocolate, scented wax tablets or body care items. I've got my eye on their special Christmas Collection - those succulents are cuuuuuute.
7. BENSIMON Sneakers
So we don't get to have a White Christmas in 'straya but you can make up for it with these super cool Bensimon kicks. Classic vintage and super comfy - they go with any outfit and make a great summertime gift. Mine are still a blinding white but I'm breaking them in!
8. CARPE KOKO Chocolates
Possibly the most fancy pants chocolate gift boxes ever, Carpe Koko has the added benefit of actually being really yummy. The presentation is gorgeous so you can actually bring some to Christmas lunch without feeling like you're taking the cop-out route of generic supermarket chocolate *coughFavouritescough*... My favourite flavour is Darling Almond, but the Passion De La Fruit is good too. Actually maybe the Salted Caramel if you're into that. Actually just get them all.
9. MOR Cosmetics
Who wants to smell like a creamy marshmallow? We all do. If you're not great at gift wrapping, MOR has you covered with their beautiful Christmas Gift Sets. The Believe Trio Set contains a little travel/handbag-size hand cream, a soapette and a perfume oil whilst the Joy Set comes with a classic cosmetic purse. Functional and pretty - that's a tick from me.
10. ALIAS MAE Shoes
Last but most certainly not least, I have been alternating between these heels over the past two weeks straight! These strappy DITTO sandals perfectly complete a summer outfit (I'm thinking of getting another pair in Tan - what do you think?), and I've been rocking this BADU at work. 100% leather and super versatile; What's not to love?
So that's another year (almost) all wrapped up!
Sending lots of love to you and your families. Happy shopping & Merry Christmas!
x.