With one month to go, it must be time to start Gift Shopping

November 26, 2021

This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.

Actually it is less than a month to go……

I have tried this week to find gift ideas that aren’t ‘stuff’ and will be gratefully received and actually used. Oh ok, Curly Curtis the Sheep is a bit of an indulgence but I just thought he is cute and we all need cute at this time of year. Some of the products I have selected may have Black Friday deals so hurry before you miss out.

PERSONALISED YOGA MATS

For the women or man who seems to have everything – a personalised yoga mat from Olivia & Oliver. These days, most of us think sharing class mats is not an option – much more hygienic to have our own. The initials or names are beautifully embroidered in your choice of 10 colours. These 4.55mm non slip lightweight mats are designed to protect knees, bottoms and backs from hard surfaces but not so dense that you can still feel the floor beneath you. £75 less 20% discount with promo code BLACKFRIDAY20 (offer ends midnight 30 November) Shop now

JOHN LEWIS

Our generation call John Lewis the mothership but I doubt the next generation feel the same. Their mothership is probably Amazon. Never mind John Lewis run just as good a delivery service and you can also pick up from your local Waitrose if you are lucky enough to have one. So here are 3 suggestions for gardeners, wine-lovers and people like me who love a puzzle!

World of Jane Austen 1000 piece puzzle £14.99 – Cuisanart Electric wine opener £45 – Burgon & Ball RHS British Meadow Print Memory Foam Garden Kneeler £19.99

JOSEPH JOSEPH

I have two daughters and recently they have both been living at home. Buying a cosmetic organiser is not high on their list of priorities however they both said they would love one so it was over to Joseph Joseph as they just know how to store items in the bathroom, kitchen and laundry room.

HEALS

When I lived in London Heals was a store I loved to wander around and have a browse and I have often picked up gifts for friends and family. But now without having to go to London their website is a Present Paradise. I have chose two eco gifts and one useful and stylish gift for a student, husband or for anyone who works a lot at their desk.

Designed in collaboration with the Eden Project, this Canopy Bulb Planter is handcrafted using 100% recycled glass. The vase boasts a distinctive shape that makes it perfect for use as a bulb planter where you can watch as the roots develop. This eco-conscious collection has won a prestigious iF Design Award 2019, £35.

The Canopy Pitcher with a cork stopper was also designed by LSA in collaboration with the Eden Project, £35.

This portable Arc 2.0 Desk Lamp from Koble will wirelessly charge any smart phone with built-in charging functionality. Simply place your phone on the lamp’s base and it’ll start charging wirelessly. On the base you’ll also find a touch-sensitive keypad to adjust the brightness of the lamp. There’s even a sleep mode with a warmer glow to help improve your sleep pattern. The spine and head are flexible and turn easily to direct light where you need it and the modern LED technology means the lamp uses as little energy as possible. £70

WOOLOVERS

WoolOvers is a British lifestyle brand, designing and selling quality natural knitwear since 1989. Alongside their classic knitwear, they now sell jewellery, shirts, personal and home accessories, and more. As I write this we are about to experience a cold spell so the Hotty and the wristwarmers could be very popular.

SARAH RAVEN

At this time of year I think a plant is such a lovely gift and if looked after it just keeps on giving. I like to buy from Sarah Raven as the quality is always so good and the containers are always so pretty.

THOUGHTFUL GIFTS

Sometimes an outing for an elderly couple, a family membership to the National Trust or a magazine subscription are more unusual gifts.

Buyagift Afternoon Tea £34.99 – Gardens Illustrated magazine subscription ~ 6 issues £19.45 – Family with one adult annual gift membership to National Trust £78

THE REAL J R R TOLKEIN

FOR MORE INFO, CLICK HERE

I bought this for my youngest daughter’s partner who is a real Lord of the Rings aficionado and he told me it is brilliant.

The Real J.R.R. Tolkien: The Man Who Created Middle Earth is a comprehensive biography of the linguist and writer; taking the reader from his formative years of home-schooling, through the spires of Oxford, to his romance with his wife-to-be on the brink of war, and onwards into his phenomenal academic success and his creation of the seminal high fantasy world of Middle Earth. “The Real J.R.R. Tolkien” delves into his influences, places, friendships, triumphs and tragedies, with particular emphasis on how his remarkable life and loves forged the worlds of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. Using contemporary sources and comprehensive research, “The Real J.R.R. Tolkien” offers a unique insight into the life and times of one of Britain’s greatest authors, from cradle to grave to legacy.

LITTLE INTERACTIONS by ALI MACLEOD

With one month to go, it must be time to start Gift Shopping

This book has been written by the son of some great friends. I have not read it in full but the part I have read is so beautifully written – it made me want to get on a bicycle and travel. It would make a great gift for a young person who has got a lust for travel but is needing that final incentive.

Little Interactions is a series of vignettes, capturing the conversations and observations experienced along a 6,500km bike ride, which begins amongst the marble statues of Washington D.C, continues through the bluegrass fields of Kentucky, across the Plains of Kansas, up the spine of the Rockies, and along the coastline to Vancouver, Canada.

An ideal read for the restless individual, who is yearning to realise a pipeline dream. Putting down Little Interactions should be the first step forward in the direction of the front door, where another journey begins, and new memories are created.

To purchase click HERE.

If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission for which Grace and I are very grateful and use to fund the running costs of this free-to-all website.

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