Stocking fillers for the whole family this Christmas (guest post)

Christmas is nearly upon us and this year we wanted to take on the challenge of hunting down the perfect stocking fillers for the whole family.

Buying for one person can be tricky enough, let alone finding amazing gifts for the entire clan. With so many different people to consider, the present buying conundrum can transform generous gift giving into a stressful dash for last minute presents.

Don’t panic, we have rounded up some Christmas crackers ideal to suit even the fussiest member of the family.

Mums

While you know most mums will happily accept any old present you give them, make this year extra special by giving her something she’ll truly love.

For anyone struggling with what to get their mother for Christmas, we think the DKNY Crosswalk Watch could be the answer. A sophisticated stainless steel watch with a crosswalk bracelet and decorated with a string of diamond inspired quartz, this classic watch is perfect for any occasion. Spruce up a casual outfit to create a more put together look, or include it in your business attire to add a touch of professionalism and class.

Additionally, a cashmere scarf is always a lovely gift. Choose a scarf of plain colour with fringing at both ends to provide comfort and style during the cold months.

Teenage brothers and sisters

Give your sister the gift of celebrity style this Christmas with the Kardashian Kollection Chunky Charm Bracelet.

A striking gold tone bracelet that’s bang on trend with an assortment of unique chunky charms. The charms feature mock black opal stones, tiger tooth details and gold brushed spikes, perfect for any fashion conscious teen wanting to make a statement.

Moving onto one of the more difficult people to purchase gifts for – the teenage boy. If your little brother is as useful as a chocolate teapot when it comes to giving genuine gift ideas, then the Casio Classic Watch is a decent solution for him. The rubber strap and water resistant casing mean that this durable watch is practically indestructible. The simplistic black design and digital face will look great with all outfits and will also be suitable to wear to school.

Bath bombs also make fabulous gifts for boys and girls alike. Younger boys enjoy creating an explosion of colour in the water, while girls can opt for a more luxurious spa-like bath supplement.

Dads

As dads are notoriously challenging to buy gifts for, why not consider a practical present like a professional Fountain Pen? This elegant writing pen has a twist action cap, a black polished lacquer body and is finished with sophisticated chrome detailing. The Equinox Black fountain pen also comes with refillable cartridges so you can guarantee this is a practical present that will last a lifetime.

While it may sound boring, you can never go wrong with a good pair of socks. Opt for high-quality material such as pure cotton and if you’re feeling a little more adventurous go for the novelty kind!

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Meet the Mighty Buds

Following on from my blog post the other week featuring the awesome Mighty Purse I now bring to you the Mighty Buds– yet another brilliant idea from the people at wowthem.com and yet another idea to file away for Christmas shopping (yeah, I’m on a roll it would seem…)
The Mighty Buds are an innovative product that uses electroluminescence technology to cascade light up and down a pair of super bright and bold headphones so music loves don’t just hear the beat, they can see it too! I seriously rate these as a pretty good headphone, and thanks to the customisable fit cushion tips they are also really comfortable to wear (which is saying something when you have an ear full of piercings) and despite being a bit of a novelty item they don’t compromise on sound quality.
At £29.99 these make for a perfectly packaged and super snazzy gift for the music lovers in your life. Available in three eye catching colours- orange, blue and green there is something for every one and every listening device. My orange pair (c/o) have been plugged non-stop in to my iPhone, brightening up rush hour bus journeys to see Ben no end. If you don’t fancy being the centre of attention you can easily switch the light effect off and just enjoy the high quality sound and you can also seamlessly switch between listening to music and taking a call.
When it comes to present buying this year I will be heading straight to wowthem for something slightly off the wall. A Mighty Purse is on my personal wish list and I have spied a few bits and pieces I’d like to pick up for other people too.
What’s on your list to Santa this year? What are you listening too right now? I’m alternating between a bit of Ryan Adams for some good old American rock ‘n roll as well as The Unthanks for a more haunting, folky vibe.

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I Love: mini boxes of love

Is there ever a good time to start thinking about Christmas gifts? Probably not, it doesn’t feel right until the 1st December hits and by then the shops are packed and I generally lose the will. I’ve actually started picking up bits and pieces for people as I seem them (because sod’s law dictates they will otherwise sell out) and as such I’ve also started to think about festive content for the blog- click away now if you’re still in denial that it’s rapidly approaching!
I was recently sent the perfect little stocking filler from I Love… and couldn’t resist giving it a quick review and feature even though we’re still (just about) in October…
Honestly, how cute are these? In the box you get a bubble bath/shower cream and a moisturising lotion PLUS a shower puff for £5- hello bargain! (They are also currently only £3.50 in Superdrug). I was sent the Mango and Papaya set and it smells literally good enough to eat, so fruity and fresh! You’ll find a scent to suit everyone though, from the delicious sounding Strawberries and Cream to a taste of the exotic with the Tutti Frutti set.

I know so many people who would really appreciate these, and I’m not usually one to be taken with toiletries as a gift- I certainly wouldn’t mind been given one of these over the festive period, what a perfect way to perk up the cold dark days?

These mini box of love is available from Primark and selected Superdrug stores as well as online at Superdrug…I suggest stocking up before they sell out (and if Santa asks, Coconut and Cream is high on my Christmas list right now!)

Would you mind getting a set like this? What (or who!) would you like to see in your stocking when December 25th rolls around?

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Daisy Rock

Anyone who has been following my blog for any length of time will know how much I love a Chi Chi dress, it’s been a while since I last featured one on the blog- I think the last time was this divine maxi dress back in July and the one I’m featuring today couldn’t be more of a contrast!
This is the “Daisy” dress from the Chi Chi website (gifted item) and apart from the instant attraction due to the name it’s quite easy to see how I fell head over heels for this beauty isn’t it?

I love the contrast of the black bodice and the nude skirt, perfect for toughening up with my holographic h&m boots on a not so sandal friendly day! The Daisy detailing is so stunning, the photos honestly do not do how striking it is justice. I already have this dress lined up as a potential for our work Christmas Party, eek!

How would you style this dress? Obviously for a party I’d swap the black tights for nude and the boots for some kind of black party shoe- fingers crossed this will be the year where I haven’t had any pre-festive season A&E trips and will be back dancing in high heels!

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The Christmas Day Dress

Dress c/o Goddiva
Boots: New Look (ancient)
It was only recently I featured a Goddiva dress on the blog, and when they then offered to send this little beauty I just couldn’t refuse. The second it arrived I knew I wanted to wear it for Christmas Day- never mind there was only going to be three of us for most of it…if you can overdress for Christmas when CAN you overdress?
As before, I sized up as I find the brand does come up a little small, although looking back I could have gone for my usual size in this one. I’ve gone from avoiding bodycon like the plague to kind of embracing it a bit. I’m enjoying having a healthier looking body and with half a stone to go I can’t wait for the final weigh in and getting on with getting back to exercise, letting go of numbers and living life as it’s meant to be lived.
It was a quiet Christmas for us, the majority of the day was just Mum, Dad and Myself. We did our usual present opening whilst drinking tea and watching TV; this was after I battled my way through my Mum’s wrapping skills and my Christmas stocking. I was spoilt rotten with a new coat and perfume from my parents as well as jewellery, stationary and gorgeous trinkets galore from people I know and love. Ben bought my a tripod for my camera so I can embark on my 2014 mission to improve this blog and my photography as well as a hair curling wand to tame and enhance my locks.
We had the company of my Grandad and Uncle for the afternoon and my best friend, Trudi as no Christmas Day is complete without a visit from her. Time was spent talking, face-timing my brother and playing scrabble on my iPad before yet another round of food and an early night.
Boxing day is always a chilled one here, no sales shopping or rushing to do anything. A game of Catopoly at my Grandad’s was about all we could manage. Spending so much time with those I love is one of the best things about this time of year. My brother and his girlfriend were missed, as was my Ben but thanks to technology we caught up with them and my cousins celebrating baby Noah’s first Christmas.
And today it is back to work, no long and lazy break for Mum and I myself and I can’t say I mind too much. It’ll be calmer than the weeks leading up to the big day and there are plenty of chocolates and biscuits to feast on thanks to overly generous patients. I quite like the routine of going back to work, more so this year after so long off…
and of course, being Friday I have two luxuriously lazy days ahead. Bring on the Turkey leftovers.
How was your Christmas?
Tell me all about it below.
xxx
xxx