Christmas Gift Guides

Christmas shopping can be really difficult if you don't know where to start. Me and my sister are so similar that I could spend hundreds picking bits up for her because they're normally bits I like too, but I find it particularly difficult to shop for the men in my family. It's always made even harder by just getting a "don't know" when you ask what they want. (JUST TELL ME SOMETHING!). It's the same for me too, as I've got older I find it a lot harder to make a list of things that I want without handing over a massive list of lipsticks, eyeshadow palettes and blushers. Gone are the days of sitting with an Argos catalogue and cutting out the pictures of all the toys I wanted to send off to Santa. With a month or so left until the big day I thought I'd throw together a few ideas for those of you who may be struggling, with a little something for everyone, from the beauty obsessives to the gadget lovers and a price to suit everyone's budget. Here are a few of my picks for Christmas presents this year! (I have a feeling this might be a long post, brace yourselves.)

Stocking Fillers

Stocking fillers are a bit of a grey area to me. I've had chocolate in my stocking on Christmas day for as long as I can remember (so I had to include some chocolate coins in this post) but I really love the idea of incorporating little inexpensive gifts into the stocking, especially something that might be a little more unexpected and personal. So I've scoured the internet ad thrown together a few ideas for men and women that I hope may be of some assistance to you! These can also be really nice ideas for someone on a budget or for those taking part in a Secret Santa.

Firstly, socks. I know this may seem like the most boring present ever but I've reached an age now where I actually really appreciate getting little bits like this, things that I generally don't think to buy myself. And what better time than Christmas to give a pair of festive patterned socks like these from River Island or some fluffy slipper socks from Accesorise. The same goes for underwear, ASOS have a fantastic range and I particularly like these festive mens boxers. Another really nice idea would be to include some Yankee samplers, at just £1.75 each they're a really nice way for someone to try out a lot of different scents without having to fork out £20 for one candle. 

I'm definitely a sucker for quirky books and ASOS have a massive range to choose from for men and women, places like Urban Outfitters and other high street retailers do similar things too. This drinking games book might be ideal for a student in the family! (I know I could do with the hangover cures version.) My sister asks for a diary every year for Christmas, we're both very similar in that we like to make lists upon lists and keep everything organised in one place, I seriously recommend Paperchase for a massive range varying in designs, size and price. A couple of other little additions I thought would be nice include a Gin & Tonic lip balm and perhaps some inexpensive jewellery pieces like friendship bracelets or rings. 

One for the beauty lovers

Next up, my personal favourite of the bunch, the skincare and beauty picks. A couple of bits I'm going to talk about here have even made my own list! A lot of these are more on the high end of things but I think when it comes to beauty gift sets, you really get such value for money even if the products included are miniatures. A lot of the brands I've picked item from do a wide array of gift sets for the Holidays, so if one of these doesn't stand out to you, I'm sure something of theirs will. Stila have come out with a really nice range of sets this year in pretty gold packaging, my favourite of the bunch being this set of three mini liquid lipsticks. The formula for these is one of my absolute favourites and I find that they last incredibly well on me without being overly drying or flaky. What's great about these sets (there's a set of six as well) is that they've introduced some brand new shades. Another lip pick is this trio from Nars for £29 you get a full sized lipstick with a matching mini liner and lip pencil, I think this would be a lovely set for someone looking to delve into the world of Nars or experiment with a bold red lip. The second pick from Nars is the One Shocking Moment palette from the new Steven Klein collection. I know people are getting sick of Nars including Laguna in every palette but for someone who doesn't own the cult classic, I love the fact that you get this along with four blushers, a highlight and contour shade all wrapped up in gorgeous packaging for just £49.

Benefit have a huge choice of Holiday gifts with a massive mix of products in each, including a lot of their classics and best sellers. I've chosen just one to show you here but there's so many to choose from, there's really something for any lover of makeup. The Balm's Manizer Sisters Palette caught my eye in Debenhams today, Mary-Lou Manizer is an incredible highlight, so soft and buttery to touch with incredible pigmentation and her sisters are no different. If you don't feel like splashing out on all three, this little palette is a great way of getting all of them at a lower price. And trust me, they'll last you forever. Another brand with incredible packaging and gift sets this year is Too Faced. As a huge lipstick and blusher junkie, this set of three Melted lipsticks and three Love Flush blushes had to make the list, I honestly think you get a lot of bang for your buck with something like this. And what better way to top it all off than with a set of Zoeva brushes, the rose gold in particular are not only wonderful quality but really nice to look at, giving someone everything they need to complete a makeup look.

Lastly I've picked out a couple of bath/shower gift sets from two of my favourites, Soap & Glory and The Body Shop. The latter had an enormous selection to choose from ranging massively in price. I picked out this mango set as it's my favourite scent from their entire range however they honestly have so many to choose from you can go wild. Again, the Soap & Glory set is one that incorporates my favourite scent but they have a great selection to choose from. I'm not entirely sure if this is meant to say congratulations but regardless, you get full sized products and they're always really nicely packaged.

His & Hers

Last but not least I've picked out a few random bits and pieces that hopefully will be of some inspiration for you for whoever you need to buy for. First I thought I'd mention a couple of places to check out should you really be stuck for ideas. Not On The Highstreet has an enormous, and I mean enormous range of gift ideas for absolutely anyone you could imagine and what's really nice about them is that a lot can be personalised. For example these whisky glasses! ASOS also have a huge amount of ideas, along with other places like Topshop/Topman and River Island. In fact, most websites around this time of year will have Christmas menus filled with tocking fillers and ideas for men and women.

The first couple of bits I've picked out are some Winter warmers. You can't go wrong with some Primark pyjamas, they have some awesome character sets (my Harry Potter set are a personal favourite of mine) and as we move into November they've introduced some really nice Christmas sets. Other ideas include a dressing gown or slippers to keep warm right through the Winter. Another idea would be something like some gloves, a hat or a scarf like this chequered number. Or maybe even a jumper, you don't have to go full on Christmas with baubles and flashing lights, I personally much prefer a fairisle number like this, it's a little more understated.

One thing I look at when buying Christmas presents for people is the hobbies they're into, these personalised wooden spoons would be a lovely personal touch for someone who likes baking, for example. While gadget lovers might be into a selfie stick, smart phone projector or remote control helicopter. I love the idea of being able to project videos off my phone onto a wall and sitting round with friends and popcorn before playing a bit of Cards Against Humanity, it's something a little bit different! Maybe splash out on a DVD or TV boxset that you know they're a fan of, it's something that will keep them occupied for hours upon hours!

You could always splash out a nice bottle of aftershave or perfume, especially if you know their favourite scent! My personal favourite is Miss Dior and sadly mine ran out recently so I've been after another bottle but it's a little out of my price range, so this definitely made the list this year! You could always go for a watch or jewellery, I found this personalised rose gold bracelet on Not On The Highstreet, it's one of those gifts that someone will treasure for a lifetime and could keep stored away in a personalised jewellery box. Can you tell I like personalised gifts? I just think they make it that little bit more special and less generic.

Other ideas that I think make a nice touch or just generally work are gift cards for their favourite store, money (not exactly special but it means they can go out and choose something themselves), tickets to a concert, sports event or show, an experience like driving a sports car or maybe even a short weekend away? Or a puppy. I'd love a puppy.

I'd love to hear your gift ideas! What will you be buying your loved ones this year?