Bumper Christmas Gift Guide 2019
So, today officially marks the start of Christmas content here on the blog! Today I’m sharing this years edition of my Bumper Christmas Gift Guide, on Friday I’ll be sharing all of the best Black Friday / Cyber Monday discount codes I’ve found online, and on Monday I’ll be sharing my first Christmas Kitchen recipe!
So, my Bumper Christmas Gift Guide. For those of you who are new around here for 2019, I share guides for gifts under £10 (great for stocking fillers and Secret Santa), smaller gifts under £20, and bigger gifts under £50. Then, while most of the gifts suit guys or girls, I’ve shared a special For Him guide at the bottom, again where everything is under £50. Then, new for this year because I’ve found some fun ones, I’ve put together a guide to some great gift subscriptions around this year if you’re looking for something a bit different and independent. I hope you find some of these ideas useful – as ever with gift guides I’ve used a lot of affiliate links in this post which are all clearly marked with a *, but please don’t let this put you off – I’ve genuinely only shared items here that would make great gifts, and these guides are not quick to put together (I think I’ve spent at least 6 hours putting this one together!) and the little amount of money I make after you’ve ordered something I’ve linked to goes some way towards both keeping this blog going, and to making sure my rent gets paid every month!
Under £10
Willie’s Cacao Matcha Green Tea White Chocolate* | Oliver Bonas Sea Salt and Crushed Mint Hand Cream* | Buttermilk Cornish Fudge Christmas Cracker | Hotel Chocolat Caramel Reindeer Tiddly Pot | Fiasconaro Pistachio Cream | Metal Star Keyring* | Mulled Wine Pouches | Pommery Gingerbread Mustard | Hojicha Japanese Roasted Green Tea | Emergency Tech Kit*
A few of my favourites in here: when I was in Padstow in the spring I had some great fudge from Buttermilk, so I think their little fudge cracker is a great shout. Also, earlier in the year the team at Sous Chef sent me a jar of this amazing Italian pistachio cream to enjoy. It’s basically rich, creamy, pistachio heaven in a jar, like a winter-friendly version of the very best pistachio gelato. Another pick from Sous Chef: hello gingerbread mustard!
Under £20
Kikki K Copper Rollerball Pen* | William Morris Pruners* | Fudge Kitchen Tuck Shop Sharer* | Warner Edwards Gin Selection* | Musk Velvet Eye Mask* | Charbonel et Walker Crystallised Ginger* | Edible Flowers Grow Bar* | Muzzi Black Cherry & Chocolate Chip Panettone | Brie Harrison Indoor Watering Can* | Legs Up Bottle Stopper*
Again in the fudge department, a couple of weeks ago I spent a great hour at Fudge Kitchen in Canterbury (where they make a lot of the fudge for their mail order business) making vegan Christmas fudge for a feature you’ll be seeing later this month. While I was there I got to try every single fudge they had in store that day, and it is all pretty amazing, so for a bit more of a luxe fudge gift, you can’t go wrong with one of their gift boxes*!
Also, I’ve noticed from Instagram that – like me – a lot more people are getting into house plants and kitchen gardening. So, because it is important to do everything in style if you have a friend who started to become more green-fingered in 2019, you can’t go wrong with a pretty pair of (Royal Horticultural Society approved) William Morris pattered pruners*, a pretty blue indoor watering can*, or a grow your own edible flowers kit*!
Under £50
Limited Edition Vincent Darre Cointreau* | Art Deco Initial Necklace* | Christmas Edition Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Soy Milk & Honey Whipped Body Butter* | Joules Pom Pom Slippers* | Hotel Chocolat Gifting Hamper* | Nars Orgasm Blush & Balm Set* | Amazon Gift Card Penguin Slider*| L’Occitane Almond Gift Set* | The Mentalist Seasons 1-7 Box Set* | The Spicery Curry Legend World Curries Cookbook & Spices Gift Set*
A few little bits and pieces I love here. My Dad got my Mum a pair of these pom pom Joules slippers* last year, and I can report that they’re really good quality, very snuggly, and super cute! Also, speaking of things that are super cute, rather than the old fashioned paper vouchers if you get too stuck shopping for someone Amazon are now doing cute gift voucher display options like this adorable penguin slider display case*. Speaking of things on Amazon, you can never go wrong with a good retro box set, and I think The Mentalist* is a great one for gifting.
For Him
Kikki K Leather Free Laptop Case* | Grow It Grow Your Own Cactus Kit* | Twine Copper Sparkling Wine Stopper* | Lego Star Wars Resistance A-Wing Starfighter Battle Starship Building Set* | Tabletop Raclette* | Grow Your Own Craft Beer Kit* | Colditz Board Game | Scratch Off World Travel Map* | Make Your Own Biltong Kit | Retro Games TV Plugin*
I approved this list with J so hopefully at least one of these options will be loved by the guys you have to shop for this year! Personally I’d buy them a copy of Escape from Colditz so you can play it with them – we recently got the game at home and it is brilliant – there is so much to learn and it really makes you think! Also, while I’ve just included one ship here, it is worth checking out the entire new movie Lego Star Wars selection this year*!
Gift Subscriptions
I think gift subscriptions are wonderful gifts to give as main presents for the people in your life who you love, and there are some really lovely ones out there both edible, for peoples hobbies and for the home.
Shall we start with books? The Beautiful book Company offer 3, 6 or 9 month cookbook subscriptions*, as well as subscriptions for contemporary fiction*, kids books*, books for toddlers*, romantic fiction*, baby books*, and YA fiction*. Also, speaking of romance books, my blogger friend Amy’s romance subscription club Words & Kisses also offer 3 month, 6 month and 12 month subscriptions, and at my book club which is all for people who love fantasy novels I discovered Fairy Loot who offer 3 or 6 month subscriptions to their boxes that include a special edition of that months book (my friend’s book had pretty spray painted edges) as well as other goodies inspired by the book.
Turning to gifts that are great for people who are green-fingered, or simply who like to bring a bit of colour and green into the home, I’ve been a massive fan of Bloom & Wild’s letterbox flowers for ages, and they offer 3 month and 6 month flower arrangement subscriptions. If you’re looking to gift something a bit longer lasting, while it is not suitable for someone with a pet because you can’t specify non-toxic plants, Bloom Box Club offer 3, 6 and 12 month pot plant subscriptions where your recipient will get a surprise plant and a pot to put it in each month. For something a little smaller, Seedling Card & Gifts also have a 3, 6 and 12 month British seed subscription*.
Moving onto edibles, I’m a massive fan and have gifted a Pasta Evangelists subscription before, where your lucky recipient will get fresh pasta, sauces and cheeses that take just moments to cook and assemble for delicious, restaurant-standard pasta at home – I think the 6 month subscription is a great shout*! More from my personal favourites, Pomora have kindly been gifting me one of their adopt an olive tree subscriptions for the past few years, and their extra virgin and infused flavoured olive oils really are amazing – if you know a keen cook, they’ll seriously not be disappointed by doing it for them quarterly for up to a year of oil*.
Other foodie subscriptions that I think look fun this year, The Spicery who seem to be killing it this year with spice advent calendars* and cookbook gift sets* are also doing a Friday night curry subscription where they’ll get sent recipes and all the fresh spices they’ll need to try a new delicious curry every Friday night for 6 months*. This six month coffee bean subscription* also looks fun if they like to try something new in the mornings, and if you’ve got parents to buy for, this subscription gets them sent a pair of different steaks to cook every month*!
Finally, if beauty and pampering are more their thing, my best friend Sherin was gifted a Glossybox subscription* last year and it seems that they’ve not lost their touch since every blogger ever was gifted them to review back in the day, and through Kristabel I have recently discovered Hopscotch who make lovely, London-made hand poured candles, and they also offer a 3, 6 or 12 month candle gift subscription.
Discussion