Sunday, December 9, 2018

IT'S CHISTMAAAAAAS

Hey pals! So, this year I was going to split my Christmas gift guides up over several days but then I realised it was inching that bit closer to Christmas every day (honestly where did November go) so I thought the sooner the better in case anyone's in a gift-buying rut! I've split it into different categories - stocking fillers, beauty, 'special' gifts aaand homewear - to make it a little easier to navigate though. Buying gifts gives me outrageous amounts of pleasure - that thrill you get when you find a gift for someone that you know they'll love is second to none* - so the guide just kept getting bigger and bigger. I've tried to push through my complete lack of ability to shoot a decent flat-lay to put it all together but, what it lacks for in imagery, it makes up for in the mammoth essays I've written about my many gift ideas underneath. I'd also very much recommend Liv Purvis' gift guides if you haven't read them yet as they're filled to the brim with lovely ideas.

*Apart from maybe when you see the first cheeseboard of the year being brought out

BEAUTY BUYS 

The Little Magpie Christmas Gift Guide 2018 stocking fillers, beauty, home gift ideas
BOBBI BROWN mini  'Party Glow' palette | CHARLOTTE TILBURY mini Hollywood Lips set | NARS Climax mascara | AERIN x JOHANNA ORTIZ lipsticks | HUDA mini 'Warm Brown Obsessions' eye palette | OUIA volumizing hair spray | BUMBLE & BUMBLE Hairdresser's 'invisible oil' primer | BY TERRY palette via SELFRIDGES | URBAN DECAY Backtalk palette | ESTEE LAUDER x VIOLETTE 'La Dangereuse' palette | GLOSSIER cloud paint in 'Dawn' | DRUNK ELEPHANT eye cream | LA MER Holiday Collection Lip & Cheek glow and Illuminating Cream | BECCA highlighter in 'Champagne Pop'

Beauty! Always a fun one. I've included a few minis as they're great for people who haven't tried a brand yet and want to start with a few hero products, people who travel a lot and often have hand luggage only OR people who simply just love minis (is there anything more joyeous than holding baby cans of Coke and pretending you're a giant?). There's the Nars climax mascara, that and YSL 'The Shock' are two of my favourite mascara finds this year, and there are the most beautiful lipsticks in the land. I see a lot of beautiful make-up week to week but the Aerin x Johanna Ortiz lipsticks are possibly the most exquisite (such a dramatic word and I love it) I've seen this year. I've never found an Aerin product I didn't like - try their Tuberose candle or body cream for a sensory delight - and these haven't disappointed. Hair product-wise I've included the Bumble & Bumble primer, as it not only looks lovely but is a great product, and the Ouia volumizing spray which I use every second day just before I blowdry me hair for a good boost! If you want to go down the hair route then another Ouia product I picked up from Space NK recently and couldn't recommend more is their 'Clean' shampoo - my hair has genuinely never, ever felt softer and in better condition and that is a large claim to make but... I'm making it. We've got an Urban Decay palette - again you really could go for any of the Naked palettes as they're all great but I've included the Backtalk palette as it has both eye and face products in it - the Estee Lauder x Violette 'La Dangereuse' palette, another of my favourite beauty collaborations of the year - however it is selling like hotcakes, the above palette is already sold out online, so act fast - Glossier Cloud paint (another brand you could buy almost anything from and have one happy receiver on your end) and Drunk Elephant eye cream. The brand's only just reached the UK so that's why I thought this could be a good one for a gift - in fact, the eye cream is actually part of their 'Inspector Drunk' kit which contains five cult products so t'is a very good way to get to know the brand. I've also included the La Mer holiday collection because I ruddy love La Mer and it's in the nicest, most festive packaging ever (again it's selling out quick so act fast) and the Becca highlighter in Champagne Pop as it's verrry much a cult classic and suits so many different skin tones!

Last but not least is the By Terry palette, which is one of the gift ideas I'm most excited about. It's a special service they're running in the London Selfridges store where you can go in and make your own palette! You can choose from a variety of different products - I went for a trio of eyeshadows - and you literally build it from scratch wearing your own little lab coat and everything. Rather than the usual 'build your own palette with a few different shades', you actually start right from loose powder, to weighing it, compressing it, decanting it and finally picking the packaging to make a completely bespoke product. So you could either go in and make your own palette for someone with lurrrve or you could make them up a wee voucher and take them in to make their own! Honestly the feeling of seeing it come together fills you with satisfaction and it's such a lovely, lovely brand that it's guaranteed to delight whoever you gift it to!

STOCKING FILLERS 
The Little Magpie Christmas Gift Guide 2018 stocking fillers, beauty, home gift ideas
ELLA MASTERS postcards | TK MAXX Christmas decoration | THIS WORKS pillow spray | NARS Little Fetishes Orgasm minis | Kiehls limited edition holiday lipbalm & ELIZABETH ARDEN x Love Heals lip protectant stick | WellCo Nourishing Chocolate Protein | BARE BONES chocolate | H&M earrings | Victoria's Secret velvet pants | Viktor & Rolf 'Flowerbomb', Miss Dior nourishing rose & Lavender & Lille hand cream

Oh I bloody love a stocking filler sized gift; perfect for secret santas, gifts on a smaller budget or, well... stockings. I've included some Ella Masters postcards from her wonderful Ella365 collection but, to be honest, I'd recommend anything from her lovely store. There's mugs to prints to tote bags and they're all made from Ella's own designs and illustrations so they're totally unique and that little bit extra special! I've popped in a wee Christmas tree decoration because that's something I love to receive meself -TK Maxx is where I've found most of mine the past few years but Fat Face also have a lovely wee selection, from dogs on bikes to bearded mice. There's some pillow spray (I've used it every night for the past year or so and absolutely love it), we've got some more NARS minis from the ever so popular Orgasm collection, some Kiehls limited edition Christmas lip balm (another collection that's selling out fast) and a lipbalm from the ever-so-lovely Elizabeth Arden x Love Heals collection. You truly can't go wrong with a lipbalm at this dry-lipped time of year; I get a Carmex from my mam every year and it's always a gloriously hydrating moment. We have some protein powder from Elle MacPherson's company, WellCo, which could be hit or miss - I have some friends who would love this as a gift, I have some friends who would punch me in the face if I gave them protein powder - but I've included it as I use it myself, it's delicious and it's also plant-based so totally vegan and I know there are definitely some people out there who are positively passionate about protein powder.

The beautiful chocolate I've included is from Bare Bones and I'm particularly excited about it as it's made right here in Glasgow and by the loveliest of lovely ladies too. I ordered a few bars last week to give to friends as gifts and thought 'I should probably try some myself', opened it to take a sqaure and ATE THE ENTIRE BAR IN ONE SITTING. Normally this is something I'd bury in the deepest darkest crevice of my memory and tell no one about, but it's testament to how truly delicious the chocolate is so on this occasion and this occasion only I will make my piggery public. Plus, the packaging's pretty beautiful right? There's some sparkly H&M earrings on the right, some Victoria's Secret pants (they're velvet and have a little pom pom on the back which I love... it isn't that appropriate under jeans but, fear not, is removeable/re-attachable when you want to bop about in your pants) and some hand creams, which is another of Grandma Amy's favourite gifts. Another brand I haven't photographed here but that have some amaaazing Christmas gifts and cards is Ohh Deer - I always end up buying a wee handful of presents from them each year!

HOMEWEAR HONEYS
The Little Magpie Christmas Gift Guide 2018 stocking fillers, beauty, home gift ideas The Little Magpie Christmas Gift Guide 2018 stocking fillers, beauty, home gift ideas The Little Magpie Christmas Gift Guide 2018 stocking fillers, beauty, home gift ideas
MARY KATRANZOU x VICTORIA SECRET pyjamas | KIEHL'S limited edition Christmas soap in Grapefruit | H&M leopard salt 'n' pepper shakers | SLIP dalmation silk pillow slip | RUPI KAUR 'The Sun and Her Flowers' | DIPTYQUE Christmas candle via SPACE NK | ANTHROPOLOGIE monogrammed cheeseboard & monogrammed mugJIGSAW linen candle | AESOP hand soap via SPACE NK

That's right, that's three photos of a cheeseboard and I could easily have done more. I'm obsessed. I absolutely love monogrammed items but I have never in my puff seen a monogrammed cheeseboard, and especially one with beautiful mother of pearl detailing. Let me tell you, it takes cheese-eating to a whole other level. Santa often brings me (and I often give) one of Anthropologie's monogrammed mugs at Christmas and this year's tiled design is crying out for a festive hot chocolate to be had in it. We've got some Aesop soap - I got my mam this last year and she loved it, it's essentially the gift of clean hands for months and who can say no to that, and the Kiehl's limited edition grapefruit soap. Some salt and pepper shakers, which look like something a wacky old lady would have and I'm all for, and a silk pillow slip. You may know all about the delicious benefits of a silk pillow case (less abrasive on skin, less likely to absorb your products off your face, soft AF) but what I love about the Slip ones is that their patterns and colours are a wee bit different to the usual plain cream and white ones. They also do silk scrunchies which are so good for anyone who's worrying about thinning hair (...me) because they pull a lot less than the usual elastic ones. I'm not a huge poetry fan (whenever it was poetry week at uni I did a little internal vomit) but Rupi's writing is incredible and often brought a wee tear to my eye. Another book that I've loved this year, that you might actually have seen me shouting about over on my instagram stories, is 'This is Going to hurt' by Adam Kay - it'll have you laughing, it'll have you crying and it'll have you tucking your face into your jumper for a little time out. Truly a wonderful read that I think a whole variety of people would love! CANDLES! I love candles all year round but Christmas candles are just that extra bit more exciting, aren't they? Diptyque always bring out the best Christmas candles (I still have my ones from last year and will almost definitely hoard them until long after is deemed acceptable) and this year is no different. I went for the red one but have a look at the full range of colours here! I also included the Jigsaw linen candle which my Mum got me last year and it's one of my favourite smells ever - I have it in my bedroom and after a year it still fills the room with such a lovely, subtle scent (and that's without it even being lit). It's currently reduced to £15 so I, of course, panic bought three. 

A SPECIAL SUM' SUM' 
The Little Magpie Christmas Gift Guide 2018 stocking fillers, beauty, home gift ideas
DIPTYQUE holiday set of candles | BY REDO perfume via SPACE NK | SWAROVSKI enchanted scarab beetle ring (use code 'AMY' to get a free pair of earrings at checkout if you make an order!) | ROX small gold hoops | FLEUR OF ENGLAND lingerie | Comte de Grasse 44'N ginLA MER moisturising cream | MARSHALL over ear headphones 

Well helllo special sum' sum's. There's some more Diptyque, this time in the form of five mini candles (I love minis, ok) that would be a really lovely gift for someone who's new to the brand OR to someone who's an old timer... anyone who appreciates a fine candle really, a By Redo perfume - this is the first time I've ever tried By Redo after being recommended them for the past wee while and I'm hooked. I settled on Gypsy Water but every single scent is beautiful and stays on all day without being too overpowering. The box it comes in is very chic and minimal so, bonus, leaves you without much wrapping to do. I've included some lovely jewellery bits from Swarovski - the ring above is a little scarab beetle one and there are so many other lovely bits on site at the moment, this evil eye bracelet is another favourite of yours truly. There's a wee code above to get a free pair of earrings with your order, both in store and out as well so there's another two-gifts-in-one for you) and some lovely delicate gold hoops from Rox which are great for someone who likes to layer ear pieces! Jewellery-wise, I'd also recommend checking out Alice x Michaela Lyons and Lucy Williams for Missoma - two of my favourite ever jewellery collabs with pieces to suit everyone that are that little bit special.

I also included the classic Christmas gift of lingerie (which always makes me think of this bit in Elf) from one of my all time favourites, Fleur of England, and, still on the pamper front, La Mer moisturising cream. One of the questions I get asked most about La Mer when I mention it is if it's worth the money and it totally totally is; there are lots of La Mer products I absolutely love but this remains one of my faves and would make a really special gift if you're planning on splashing out a little - my Mam got a wee tub from her partner a few years back and almost deafened everyone within a two mile radius she squealed so loud. Moving to the tech side of things, I bought the Marshall headphones last year and they are HEAVEN. They're bluetooth so you don't need to worry about clumsy wires, the battery lasts up to 30 hours (so so good for when you're on a long haul flight) and they look badass. If someone else had got them for me for a gift I'd have married them by now. Last but not least, alcohol. In particular, the 44N gin from Comte de Grasse, who have combined distilling methods with perfume extraction techniques to create their first ever spirit. The blue klein glass bottle comes in a really vibrant blue and yellow box and there's only 1500 being released in the lead up to Christmas so, if you know a gin lover, this is definitely one to keep in mind.

And there we go! I typed this up whilst listening to Michael Buble, eating un-quantifiable amounts of cheese and crackers and getting progressively more excited for Christmas until I almost imploded by the last paragraph. I hope this helped a little in some way! I actually still need to get about 70% of my gifts so maybe it's about time I started with that.

Still looking for a few more ideas? Here we go: