The final guide in this year's series is of course, the guide for her. This year I've included everything, from high end perfumes to bargain gift sets that you need to snap up before they sell out.
Let's start with perfume. When I think of Christmas scents, I truly think of Viktor & Rolf. One Christmas they posted about this gorgeous pink tulle dress as they advertised Flowerbomb, and since then I always think of that perfume at this time of year. Marketing at it's finest. This year The Perfume Shop have matched his and her scents together. I picked up Spicebomb for the other half, and I can't wait to be the best smelling couple at the NYE party.
L'Oocitane have released some gorgeous sets this year, as we saw in my stocking guide. My favourite is the Invigorating Verbena Collection. The set includes four generous sized products, including a shower gel and fragrance, and the box itself is a keeper in my opinion, The Verbena scent is lemony and fresh, a personal favourite of mine.
I couldn't write a gift guide for 2024 without including one of the most wanted items of the year, the Stanley Cup. I have one, and now so will a few people on my gift list. Obsessed.
Mario Badascu is a brand that I'm yet to try, but have been hearing more and more about. When I saw that they were included in the Boots 3-for-2 offer, I picked up a one for them and one for me to give them a try. The set comes with three decent sized travel minis, including a body cream in one of my favourite ever skincare scents, coconut.
I'm a firm believer in giving someone what they need, not just want they want. Therefore this year I'll be gifting one of the women in my life a Katie Loxton black handbag. A simple, classic wardrobe staple that some of the ladies in my life are lacking in. Call me a hero.
Would it be a gift guide without a Charlotte Tilbury set? The Iconic Pillow Talk set is just that, iconic. The Pillow Talk lipstick has been my favourite for some years now, and I use it pretty much daily, so to get a set like this, topping up my little collection, is perfect.
Olivia Blake is a name that I rarely see, but is a great alternative to that well known high end perfume and candle brand, down to the packaging. I own an Olivia Black perfume and it is gorgeous and lasts for hours, so when I saw the Freesia & Pear gift set with the body mist and shower gel, I popped it in my basket and just know they're going to love it.
Aveeda is known for their gorgeous hair products, so when I found this gift set with shampoos to hair repair, I picked it up for myself from The Cosmetics Company Store. I also found this Estee Lauder set, full of minis. I save them for travel and seem to be collecting the makeup bags that they come in now. Estee Lauder are at the top when it comes to higher end, but not unaffordable skincare, and a set like this would be the perfect introduction to a fabulous brand.
The final gift in my 2024 guide, is from a gorgeous brand, Emu Australia. Slippers are a classic, and these are far more luxurious. The Mayberry slipper is made from natural sheepskin, meaning it is super fluffy and incredibly soft. They're the first things I look for in the morning since receiving them, and I'm sure I'll be asking Santa for a pair each year from here on. The Sharky Scuff are both slippers, and outside shoes. I've gotten a little precious about them, and have worn them for coffee shops runs and hairdressing appointments solely. Beyond comfy and of course, top of the trend list come winter too. Whether it's the classic slipper or something multifunctional, both would be perfect gifts to find under the tree this Christmas.
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Building a stocking for the closet people in my life is becoming a game I start early on in the year. If we walk past a bar of chocolate and you point it that you like it, stocking filler. Your favourite beauty brand does minis? Stocking filler.
This year stocking fillers in the shapes of baubles and crackers have been everywhere. This cocktail mixer cracker from Primark is both affordable and would make a great accompaniment to a bottle for the host this year. Similarly, Ballycastle's cracker with a mini liquor and chocolates probably wouldn't make it past lunch.
Beauty is my forte at this time of the year, picking up some classic products and new in bits I want to try myself. I love when beauty brand release gift sets of the most popular products. Essie often releases sets of mini versions of their varnishes. I usually pick mine up in TKMaxx and they are around £10 for a set of three which is great value in my opinion.
Coco & Eve's Like a Virgin set is lovely for anyone new to the brand. It comes with a nourishing hair masque, and a tangle tamer brush, and the box fits perfectly into a stocking.. mine included for anyone reading this... Buy it here.
Something I received recently and couldn't not include, is one of Bath and Bodywork's minis. New to the UK, B&BW isn't something I tried myself before last month, but oh my goodness are their scents divine. From mini hand creams to body wash and sanitisers with their own pouches, I've quickly become a fan and need to try them all. The Winter Candy Apple scent is my choice for this festive season and would make the perfect addition to a stocking I'm sure. Buy them here.
Another bauble shaped filler is the Sparkling Pear set from the Luxury Bathing Company. I've seen a few of these over the year and the Sparkling Pear set both looks gorgeous and the body wash and lotion smells gorgeous too. Buy the brand here.
The final bauble on the list is from Ghost. Their fragrances are absolutely stunning so when I saw they they released quite a few baubles with different fragrances and with a lip product inside, I snapped up a few straight away. I've found most are under £10 on different sites too. Buy them here.
L'Occitane at Christmas. Does it get anymore classic? This year they have released a gift that literally keeps on giving. Whilst the set would look perfect under the tree, their Festive Beauty Crackers can be used individually, maybe at the dinner table when you're hosting, and each come with two gorgeous products inside. For under £25 too, this set is an absolute bargain and I may have to pick another set or two up to divvy amongst the girls this year. Buy them here. *
Finally something that feels a little luxury, pink champaign truffles. Hotel Chocolate happen to be one of my favourite chocolatiers, and when I stumbled upon these beauties the other week, I knew that I had to include them. The tin is gorgeous in itself, but with real champagne, the truffles are the treat we all deserve this year. Buy them here.
Affiliate links used. Products with an * were kindly gifted by the brand.
Is there any harder task than finding a gift for the men in your life at Christmas? I struggle every single year as you'll be able to see if you've read any of my gift guides over the past few years. This year I've taken it back to the classics. Fragrances, cosy items and gifts that they probably wouldn't buy themselves.
Fragrances
First up on this year's guide is Viktor Rolf Spicebomb. With notes of bergamot, white leather, and saffron to name a few, this scent is masculine, fresh and quite frankly; addictive. The bottle is stunning, and only a few spritz will last all day. The Perfume Shop have matched up scents for him and her, so click here to find your perfect match. *
Buy Spicebomb here
Whilst Blue Jeans by Versace is a firm favourite amongst everyone I've mentioned it to recently, it is a new one for myself. That said, with its citrus and woody notes, it made for a classic fragrance. I was surprised at how affordable it is too, at around £15-£17 depending on the store.
Buy it here.
Comfort items
As I reach my late 20s, comfort has been at the heart of everything recently. Gifts should contain no less comfort too. This year I have opted for a cashmere scarf from Barbour. Barbour are a gorgeous British brand who craft the most stunning pieces. A cashmere piece is one that will be looked after and worn for years to come, and of course is perfect for the cold winter days. I went for their dark blue mix, and I'm eyeing up one for myself if I'm honest too.
Buy it here.
Slippers, can you ever go wrong? I wear mine to death, as does my partner, so by the time Christmas rolls around, a new pair is much needed. I picked up this super soft pair from Totes. Size up definitely, and watch him put them on immediately after unwrapping, I can guarantee it.
Buy them here.
The beer lover. My partner enjoys nothing more than a Friday night beer after a long week. Draft dispensers are expensive, or so I thought until I found the Draft Genie in B&M for £45. An absolute bargain and months later, I still see a few knocking around the shelves. He always tells me that a draft one is better than the rest, so I'm sure this'll make his Friday nights a little more exciting.
The little bits
From Terry's Chocolate Orange in stockings to this sweet little candle set from Aldi, candles are a big hit in this house with both him and I. He is forever eyeing up my nice 'display' candles, so he can have his own set to burn to his heart's content. And when they're around a fiver, you can't go wrong. one of the other men in my life, who I believe would live on a plane if he could judging my this year's traveling habits, is getting this lovely leather (I believe..) travel tag set too. I love when someone buys me a gift based on a hobby, or something that they know I enjoy doing, so I like to do the same, although in his case, plane tickets was a little out of budget, sorry.
This post contains a gift item labelled with an asterisk (*)
Affiliate links used.
The Cotswolds have had my heart since our first trip about three years ago. Back then, on our way back to London from Bath, we stopped off at Castle Coombe, and immediately I knew that whilst that little village might not be the one, the Cotswolds is somewhere that one day I hope to reside. A few months ago my partner surprised me with a trip to the Peak District in May, so I rebutted by booking us into a little AirBnB in the Cotswolds for a few days prior, to break the trip up. My previous love for this little area in England reignited and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since. Below is a little guide to where we went and what we did.
Bibury
Our chosen area to stay, central to everything and not too far between home, and our next stop in the Peak District. Click here to find out about this leg of our journey. We stayed in a lovely little Airbnb, just off of the main road in the centre of Bibury. The village was, as you can imagine, chaos come midday, but we would wake up early, go for a stroll and grab a coffee at the local coffee shop before the coaches flooded in. The village truly is stunning, and we made sure to book our pub dinner at The Catherine Wheel pub in advance just in case, as there really aren't many places to grab a bite in the village itself.
The Airbnb was so cosy and perfect for our stay. It slept 4 people and was inside the grounds of the owner's property, so no worries with parking at all. I can't recommend the village enough, and definitely somewhere that you could make your base to explore the rest of the Cotswolds from too.
Burton on the Water
Arguably one of the most stunning places I've ever been. The sun shone throughout spouts of rain and the crowds attested to this. The streams and river that ran through the village added to the quaint and unique setting. We grabbed lunch in one of the many pubs and restaurants on offer, picked up a homemade candle in one of old little shops, and popped into the Motoring Museum, a must for any car fans. before we left, we decided to also visit the Model Village, something I've seen online and was more than happy to pay entry for. Whilst the attraction isn't huge, it is still a lovely little experience and if you finid yourself in the area on a not-so-busy-day, definitely check it out.
Cirenchester
We didn't spend much time here but whilst looking through the local market and grabbing a coffee for the road, the Cirenchester is still a gorgeous little village, with similarities to others with old buildings and a church or cathedral at the heart.
I would like to cast my vote that these villages are some of the prettiest in England and have since not stopped telling everyone to visit. Planning my return as soon as winter is done.
Exploring the English Countryside is something that has risen higher on my to-do list each year that I age. 2024 has been a high travel year, of which I am very grateful for. This trip included a few days in the Cotswolds too, but I'll leave that for another post.
We stayed in an Airbnb in the Peak Forest, just outside of Castleton. The house was a mix of old and new, with a gorgeous fireplace and beams, contrasting the modern hall way and bathrooms. The house was located on the edge of a farm I believe, with a walking trail running along the side. This wasn't an issue throughout out stay however, and we only saw one group of walkers using the gate to get through our small car park area and back onto the main road.
The rooms all looked out onto the most beautiful sceneries of hills and grass. The garden was equally as gorgeous, with stone walls and steps leading down to the seating area, surrounded by flowers and shrubs. We visited in May and despite the windy and wet weather we had for the entire week, the house itself wasn't cold, but the fire could have been used if needed.
For the few days of ur stay, we drove down to Castleton and took on various walks.
Mam Tor was our first walk, of which we started at the Castleton Visitor's car park. We realised we could have parked at the bottom of the mount, walked up the oath and eventually landed at Mam Tor. However, we started far further back than needed (novices!), walked past Speedwell Caven, ignored the sensible path, hiked up the very vertical incline and along the top and down and round to where Mam Tor actually starts.
Whilst again, the weather wasn't great, the views were stunning from the top and it was definitely a personal success to add to the list.
The cave walk however was far less of a success. The entire walk was slowly uphill, which I found worse than a climb? We didn't see a single cave, and for the end leg, the directions given were very wrong, and we ended up almost walking back the way we came before taking a chance on a gate, just for it to be the right way (although completely full of angry looking sheep). From a city girl who is dipping her toes into the country life, research and plot your route before you go, and have a back up map.
The above makes me smile even writing it. Even though the weather wasn't great and the caves were hidden, the trip was very much a needed reset, and I can't wait to explore more of the Peak District in the future.
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