A Guide to Mindful Gifting

Who´d have thunk it, it´s going to be Christmas again soon, and before we know it we will, once again, be doing our Christmas shopping last minute. I know so many people (including my husband) who hate the stress around this time of year and who feel pushed to buy just the right present. I on the other hand enjoy Christmas a lot because I simply take a different perspective on things. Firstly it reminds me to honour and appreciate everyone I love in my life. Secondly, I love the opportunity to treat my family and friends to some special and timeless presents that also show them how much I care and listen to them. Thirdly, the gift-giving season is a wonderful opportunity to share those slightly more individual things you may have found. Those handmade with the utmost attention to detail that you just know will make the receiver feel really special.

I am thrilled to be able to share some of my favourite findings of the year in order to help you a little bit on your way to finding that special thing for that special someone:

For her

Warm and luxurious handmade cardigans

There is nothing better than an oversized chunky knit to make you feel cosy and warm throughout the cold season. Well, excluding your boyfriend obviously.

MumsHandmade cardigans always remind me of my first sweater knitted for me by my grandmother. It was huge on me, off white and had bubbles all over it with a boat neck. I didn’t appreciate it at the time, but later I couldn’t get enough of it. Unlike me the founders of MumsHandmade felt inspired by their mothers’ and grandmothers’ traditional knits and branded them “100% handmade by Greek moms who love to knit”. I have to thank them because I love these cardigans in beautiful fall shades, perfectly designed for every cold day, paired with jeans, leather pants or a vinyl skirt.

Gifts of comfort

Essential oils and handmade candles make time at home even more special and restorative when you know how to use them. DoTerra oils are my favourite ones because they are therapeutic, gently and carefully distilled from plants that have been patiently harvested at the perfect moment by experienced growers from around the world for ideal extract composition and efficacy.

Using essential oils is a unique experience, and it is important that you understand how to use essential oils to benefit your health before buying your next set. Book an essential oil class as a gift together with your DoTerra set. The ones I recommend can be found at Warm Wellness Essential Living.

More (meaningful) gifts for her

The amazing jewellery that you find at VERA is made for all our moments of glory and joy. They are the perfect sparkling reward for every woman who feels she has found her place in the world! VERA sells some absolute gems (pun intended) including some totally stunning earrings, some simply fabulous stone rings, wonderfully cute and striking clutches and so much more. Not only is the jewelry aesthetically beautiful, but most of the pieces also have a story and a meaning, bringing wisdom, opportunity and optimism to those who carry them. And to top it all off, if you buy VERA jewelry you are supporting and preserving tradition and craftsmanship carried on through time by families in the Philippines. Be sure to hint massively (simply send them the link in an email) at husbands and boyfriends. These pieces are not to be missed.

Don’t take yourself too seriously

If you are someone who likes to think “outside the box” and if being practical is not your thing, then go for Yana Ray Dolls. They are handmade, witty and fun to have and you can personalize them by choosing a specific hair colour, lipstick, earrings and shoes, plus of course, clothes. Surprise your girlfriend with something creative that can make her smile and not take life too seriously.

In memory of those special moments

Thenightsky is an amazing product that reminds you to cherish what’s important in your life and always remember to look at things with a bit of perspective. Whether it was your first kiss or the birth of a child or that moment you realized your world had changed, think of the stars in the sky on that special night and bring its image into your living room! It is the most special gift you can give to your loved ones showing them that you will remember those special moments forever.

Make love, not war

It’s cold, it´s grey and a bit miserable, and all you want to do is stay in bed and hide under the duvet. Do it, but make sure you do it in style with a set of soft and luxurious bed sheets. Our favourite luxurious bed sheets come from Gutschlafen.

Celebrate in style

It is the current trend and a favourite tradition of mine, to always give at least one handmade gift to my family. Last year it was a Himalayan Pink Salt & Coconut Scrub and some candles, a photo album, a dream catcher, a book of handwritten letters I assembled myself… This year however, as I´m so busy, I´m going to have to outsource the hand-making. RealTimeTrust is making it easier for me and other un-curable romantics and aesthetes out there to keep up the hand-made tradition by giving the Christmas decoration a style make-over. Using waste product coconut fiber, a little ball is formed and wrapped by skilled hands with threads. Homemade pompons and hand-beaten metal beads adorn the objects. A wonderful product made by hand that can be left in the home all year round.

Personalized perfumes for him

The old-time classic present for your father, partner, boyfriend, or husband; the thing to get the man in your life that “has everything” – a bespoke scent. Jo Malone has a very easy and fun way of creating your unique fragrance for your loved ones. Choose from six main scents, then create your own combination adding warm or fresh accents. If you want to add a hint of indulgence to his self-care rituals, add a dry body oil and a vitamin E body scrub. Jo Malone is available now at Globus Bellevue, but if you are more of an online shopper, their website offers a myriad of gift-giving ideas for him and for her. I still recommend the personal experience of trying those fragrances at the store.

Final note: If you are more of an adventurer with a curious mind and a knack for eccentric, out-of-the-ordinary scents, then go to Spitzenhaus in Zurich, where they take pride in featuring some international master perfumers’ creations. Their selection offers exceptional perfumes and fragrances developed by time-honoured artistic traditions from around the world. Plus most perfumes carry extraordinary stories that you will absolutely have to read.