A thoughtful Christmas gift guide.
As Royal Mail’s final posting dates loom over us, I wonder if any of you are still shopping for some last minute gifts, albeit with slight panic now? It’s unusual to be so rushed into buying gifts like we are this year, and I thought I’d share some of my favourite brands and products that you can still order from in time for Christmas. I’d love to hear if you have any favourite retailers that are still trading this coming week, so do let me know so that I can share them with my IG community.
I’m an advocate for shopping with independents, and I try to do it as much as I can throughout the year. 2022 has been tricky for a whole host of different reasons, and Christmas is an opportunity to support the smaller businesses that are working their socks off to bring something special to the table. If you can, get out into your local community and support the independent shops in your area. We’re very lucky in Newcastle to have some wonderful independent retailers that I rely on for gifts and treats all year round. I will share a couple of my favourites that you can order from online, and you too can have a little bit of North-East magic this Christmas!
Lady H Apothecary — Lyndsey is an award winning skin specialist who really knows her stuff. Her purpose-driven skincare range is made entirely by hand, in small batches, and only with carefully selected, naturally active ingredients that do right by your skin. This year, she won North East skin specialist of this year from the British Hair & Beauty Awards, and you’d be hard pressed to find someone as knowledgable and passionate about our skin and how we can best look after it. I’m slowly replacing all of my mainstream products with her range, and I’m yet to try something I’ve not loved! You can browse Lyndsey’s collection here.
Anna Calvert Jewellery — You’ve no doubt seen me sharing Anna’s pieces on IG over the last few months. Her handcrafted jewellery would make a gorgeous gift for any loved one, and you’d be supporting a sustainable business in the process. All of Anna’s pieces are made from recycled metals, inspired by her life and surroundings in rural Northamptonshire. She has a gorgeous range of collections — my favourite is Nature’s Textures, but I’d love to hear what your thoughts are — and perfect gifts at all different price points. She also offers gift wrapping at this time of year, in case things are really spilling over! You can browse Anna’s pieces here.
The Flower Folk — I just couldn’t share this gift guide without including The Flower Folk, my all time favourite go-to for all special occasions! Particularly perfect for the keen gardener or flower lover, they have a gorgeous collection of gifts that you can’t go wrong with; indoor and outdoor plants, dried flowers, homewares, lifestyle products, garden accessories and, of course, beautiful blooms! If you or your loved one happen to be lucky enough to live locally, they offer a wonderful flower subscription service and some brilliant workshops held in their shop in Jesmond (I did their floristry masterclass a few years ago and loved every moment!). If you aren’t local, you can browse their online shop here.
Molly Mahon — For those that are interiors obsessed and enjoy getting creative, you can’t go wrong with anything Molly Mahon. She has a gorgeous collection of real feel-good textiles and homewares that will add colour and excitement to any room. And, if you’d prefer to put your own stamp on things (quite literally), she offers some fantastic block printing kits to help you make your own pieces. Combined with a glass of something and some good company, dare I say that I’m struggling to think of a better way to spend a miserable January evening! She also has a Creative Academy course that I hear is brilliant. Have a look for yourself here.
OliveTreeHome — Helen’s gorgeous collection of candles and homewares are guaranteed to be a hit this gifting season, and her Christmas collection features some absolutely gorgeous scents that will be sure to make anybodies January feel cosy and uplifting. For those of you based in and around Essex, she offers some brilliant, in-person workshops, to help you learn how to make your own signature candles. Find out more here.
Happy shopping, and Merry Christmas!