Friday, December 4, 2020

Christmas gift Guide 2020 (woop woop!)

 GIFTS UNDER £25

The Little Magpie Christmas Gift Guide For Him & Her 2020 (2)
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  •    Papercup Coffee (£10). Something I buy as a gift without fail every Christmas (and usually for more than one person too). It’s known as one of the best coffees in G-Town, but if you live further afield you can buy it on their website – huzzah! They have lots of different flavours – with some new Christmas flavours launching in the next week – but this particular one has notes of red apple, vanilla and caramel. Delicious.
  • ·   Ocelot and Bare Bones chocolate (£5-7). Made in Edinburgh and Glasgow respectively, I’ve received and given both as gifts and both are always oh so very welcome. I bought both in Hoos - one of my go-to gift buying stores in Glasgow - whose website I've also linked as it's filled to the brim with amazing gift ideas.
  •  BeautyWorks by Amy press-on nails (£12.99) : Many of the nail designs I’ve had over the years have been inspired by the amazing Amy so I’m so incredibly excited that she’s started selling press-ons! At the moment they come in three beautiful designs (daisy, tortoiseshell and marble) and I honestly couldn’t pick a favourite, they're all brilliant.
  • ·  Kloris CBD (prices start from £12): I’m a big fan of CBD and Kloris is one of the best brands I’ve come across. They stock a whole range of products, from oil right through to CBD bath melts.
  • ·   NAF! Stuff cuticle oils (£8): I’ve been using these for years and they’re so, so brilliant. They come in a whole host of delicious smelling flavours from cherry (a personal favourite) to gingerbread. You can also buy NAF gift vouchers on site which I think would make a really lovely gift for someone who lived locally or was planning to visit Glasgow! 
  • · Solasta Skin Coffee Orange Body Scrub (£16): I’ve been using this for about a month now and what an absolute treat it is, both for the body and the nose (to smell that is, please... don’t put it up your nose). All handmade by the lovely Jess in Aberdeen, each product is vegan and cruelty free. There’s a whole range of products on her site, including a tasty sounding gingerbread scrub.
  • ·  Beck Sondergaard socks (£10): One of my top 5 favourite sock brands (don’t ask me to narrow it down to any less than 5 or I’ll spontaneously combust), I opened up a pair of these on Christmas Day a couple of years ago and have been a superfan ever since. I picked these up at the lovely Biscuit Clothing in Glasgow! There is truly no limit to the amount of joy glitter socks can bring me.
  • · Gie It Laldy mug (£10): Oh my god I think I bought half of my Christmas presents from here last year, every single thing they stock will bring a huge lol with it. If you’re based outside of Glasgow you can also buy via their website!
  • Casetify phone case (£range): Home to many a great phone case, from pressed flowers so personalised monogrammed ones!
  • The Insecure Girl’s Club Book (£11.99): Mine's currently out on loan to a pal so I apologise for it being invisible up there in ye olde flatlay but, for anyone who hasn't picked one up for themselves, this is a warm, thoughtful, chock-full-of-advice book on insecurity by the wonderful Liv. I sat down and devoured it in a week (I’m a horribly slow reader these days so that’s impressive by my snail standards) and loved every word. I saw someone describe it as a cuddle in a book and couldn’t have put it better myself! 
  •  Papier Notepad: Paper is stationary HEAVEN. One of my favourite places to buy greetings cards, they also stock some great journals and diaries for the year ahead. 

GIFTS UNDER £50

The Little Magpie Christmas Gift Guide For Him & Her 2020 1

·  Aesop soap (£27): I think I might have bought this as a gift every year for the last few years now (with a little ‘one for you, one for me’ slip of the hand) and, if ever there was a year where soap was an appropriate gift, it's this one.
·       Elizabeth Scarlett washbag (£28): I have a few of these and they’re brilliant! They wear really well, have no structure so can always be slotted somewhere into a bulging case and come in the most joyous selection of prints I ever did see.
·  Arket Shell Spoons (£29): Spoons that you’ll want to fork (too far?), I love a good spoon (that one wasn’t intended) and these made me a bit giddy when I first locked eyes with them.
· Arket Merino Beanie (£35): As you’ll probably know, this is something that hasn't really left my head this year; they’re super cosy and come in a whole variety of colours. Rob often pinches mine, so it's one of those presents that could work for anyone! (Or one you buy for your partner and steal for yourself? Win win). 
· A Saturday By Megan Ellaby Piece (range of prices): Home to some of the most colourful prints you’ll find; I have both knits and polo necks in my collection and love every piece with all me heart, Meggy and Faye get better every season. They’ve also introduced socks and totes this season which would make lovely wee gifts!
·       Laines London socks (£35): Of COURSE there had to be more socks in there. Laines do some amazing (and really unusual) socks that come with little brooches - think hearts, lobsters, zebras and more - that are attached with a pin, so you can either keep them on the socks or remove them and pop it onto another piece of clothing!
·       Oceanus Mask (£55): This is what I call my Liza Minnelli mask as I feel like a very flamboyant diva when I wear it (in the best way), anything with an overload of gems gets a huge yes from me! They've got a huge range of colours and styles over on the website.

THE BIG BOYS

The Little Magpie Christmas Gift Guide For Him & Her 2020 (2)

·       Pyjamas are one of my favourite things to open at Christmas (that sentence is one of the many reasons I know I’m getting on a bit) and two of my best sleepwear finds of the year are Karen Mabon and Yolke. Both are investments but the quality in each is amazing and the designs are guaranteed to put a huge smile on your face (prices start from £120 for set)
· Marshall Headphones ( Currently on sale at £49): I think I end up featuring these every year but both the headphones and the Marshall speaker are up there with the best purchases I’ve ever made, the sound quality’s amazing and you get up to 30 hours playtime with each charge of the headphones which is fantastic for a Forgetful Fred like myself (and especially if you're on a long flight). I also wear the headphones running and they’re super comfy/don’t slip off!
·       Diptyque candles (£92 for set of 3): Oh how I love to open up a candle on Christmas day. Diptyque’s one of my favourite candle brands, their Christmas releases really do bring me so much joy each year and this year’s design by Ugo Gattoni is no exception. I’ve had mine sitting unlit in the living room for about a week now (I didn’t want to burn them before I’d snapped them for the guide which has been a real exercise in patience) and the smell has STILL managed to fill the room. Worra joy.
·       Knitwear from Biscuit Clothing and Amaryllis: Two of my favourite, favourite shops in Glasgow (I'm sure you'll have seen me speaking about both over on Instagram), Amaryllis and Biscuit stock a huge range of amazing brands - I actually discovered a few I haven't heard of before through them - and two of my most worn knitwear pieces this Winter have been from each of them. If you're Glasgow based, absolutely get yourself in for a wee visit! And, if not, they both have brilliant websites that are filled to the brim with gift ideas 
·       Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair: One of my long-term skincare favourites! I got my Mum one of these for Christmas a couple of years back and it’s since become one of her favies too; a real all-rounder. You can use the code ‘AMY15’ for 15% off anything on the Estee Lauder website (apart from gift sets) until the 31st December. Hurrah!
·       V By Laura Vann Jewellery (range of prices): I own quite a few of Laura’s pieces now and can safely say that her pieces are up there with the jewellery I get asked about most (especially this little shell ring). They’re beautifully made, look a lot more expensive than they are - I actually think a lot of them look like heirloom pieces so a possible fun lockdown activity could be to make up an entirely fabricated back story to each piece – and wear so, so well.
·       Mulberry Personalised Scarf (prices start from £110): You may have seen me chatting about this over on Instagram but I think it’s such a lovely present idea! Mulberry are offering complimentary embroidery of up to three letters on their scarves (and some bags) this year if you want to add that personal touch to a special present. They're also running complimentary online 1-to-1 virtual appointments with members of staff in the store which is such a great way to shop safely in the current climate! I had one a couple of weeks back with the lovely Ella from the Glasgow store and she was able to chat me through all their gifting options as well as try some bags on for me so I could see what they looked like on and where they sat etc. You can book this through the Mulberry website and, if you choose to buy some of the pieces you're shown and live within 12km of the store, you can have your pieces hand-delivered as quickly as that very same day!

  • Fujifilm Instax Camera: I ruddy love my wee Instax camera. I've been using them for a few years now and they're such a great way to capture memories - there's something I really love about only getting one go at a photo as well (not to mention the excitement that comes with waiting for it to develop). We've got lots of the polaroids framed and pinned up around our flat!
  • TENS Sunglasses: You'll possibly have noticed me wearing my Tens quite a lot recently over on Instagram as they're one of the pairs I reach for most. Designed in Scotland and beautifully beautifully made! Rob also wears his Tens non-stop so it's a great gift 'for him' as well. 

The Little Magpie Christmas Gift Guide For Him & Her 2020 (2)

Glasgow Based Businesses:

And, if you’re Glasgow based, here are a few more of my favourite Glasgow stores/brands for gifts and, um, self-gifting. If you’re not Glasgow based, most of them have great websites!

·Cafe Strange Brew: As you possibly very well know, this is one of my favourite cafes in Glasgow. As well as gift vouchers you can also buy reusable coffee cups on their website (I have the pink one and can confirm it's great)

 Social Recluse: Such a great shop for any music lovers - they stock prints and t-shirts alike (and have also recently launched mugs with different areas in Glasgow on them) which I think would make brilliant Christmas gifts.

  Glaswegin: Worth it for the name alone, right? Bottled and distilled in Glasgow, this was one of my favourite gin discoveries last year. 

 Bam Glasgow: A coffee and vintage shop rolled into one who also stock some really lovely small gift ideas and cards. This was actually where I picked up a good few of my presents last year! 
    Aume: Another of my favourite homewear shops in Glasgow, t'is a Scandi dream! Thankfully for anyone who lives a bit further flung, they've also got a great website.
Kirsty McLachlan: Not Glasgow based BUT the oh so talented Kirsty has recently launched her print shop, where you can buy a selection of her favourite photographs in print form.
Oh Corrin: Corrin's my go-to for cards and her 'Baby, it's pure baltic outside' is a firm favourite this year. There's a wee deal on at the moment where you can buy 4 cards for £10!

33 Dowanhill / Elevate 46: who do the best facials in Glasgow. I think a wee gift voucher for either would make a very welcome present! 

Yer Maw's Cuppa Tea: vintage crockery with a twist (the 'Did Ye, aye' and 'Space Ghetto' plates are a personal favourite)

 Scottish Fine Soaps: Not Glasgow based so I've cheated a little here but Scottish Fine Soaps do some of my favourite soaps/hand & body products. My Mum's used the Sea Kelp soap for years (which really does smell like a dream) and last year I converted to Goat Milk and Avocado, which sounds mental doesn't it, but, trust me, smells incredible.
  Penny Black: You might be thinking, what to heck is a post office doing in here, but Penny Black has one of the best best card selections in Glasgow Town, I don't think I've ever managed to leave without buying one. They've also got a lovely wee gift section now too, stocking a whole host of great local brands. 

Ross Muir: One of my favourite Glasgow artists, Ross has some truly brilliant prints, as well as a limited edition 2020 calendar, that would make an amazing gift. 
Eleanor Bowmer: Now, this isn't a Scottish brand at all so I'm really cheating now BUT Eleanor Bowmer's one of my favourite small businesses for gift buying so I had to include her somewhere. The Christmas range this year is ruddy magical.

And one last wee idea (as I'm sure we've all missed travelling, city breaks and seeing walls that are different to our own this year), the beautiful Kimpton Charlotte Hotel in Edinburgh are giving 20% off of any voucher of £100 of more with the code 'XMAS20'. The vouchers are valid for 18 months to give you plenty of time to book your stay and, as well as giving you something to look forward to, it's a really lovely way to support hospitality after what has been one very tricky year.

...And one last wee selection of gift ideas:

And last but not least (sorry, I think I did take this even more seriously than an elf would), here are a few more gift ideas from around the interweb. I've tried to pick things that would suit both him and her! Off we go...