Can I get a 'Hell Yeah"??? Yes? No? Doesn't matter, it is officially the Holiday season, as decided by me, as I'm now finished my first semester at uni. And if like me, you don't get all of your shopping done the day after Halloween, I have a few awesome gift suggestions that anyone on your list would be stoked to find under the tree.
I've included lots of gender neutral gifts, and all cost less than $50.00 (bonus!!)
For Your Tea Lovin' Pal
David's Tea Merry Collection
This cute little box comes with 3 packs of loose leaf holiday-related teas,
Ceylon Star,
Mint Chocolate Rooibos, (my personal fav), and Toasted Walnut and ten filters (but I asked a worker at David's tea, and she recommended getting a few extra paper filters or a reusable infuser).
Each pack makes about 5 cups of tea, so it's a pretty sweet deal, pun intended, for $12.50 considering a hot cup would cost $3 each.
You can pick this up either online or in store (hurray!)
Because no cup o' tea is complete unless you have a nifty mug to drink it out of, I've put together a few fun designs that suit a variety of tastes. All of the mugs pictured can be purchased online through Urban Outfitters, and probably eBay and Amazon as well. The blue and white speckled mug is $8 and perfect for anyone who likes a soft, vintage style. The shape and pattern just makes me think of camping and fire! The centre mug is a bit pricey ($24, yikes!), but to my defence, look how cute it is!!!! and the little panda siting on the edge is actually a spoon, so really it's like two gifts, sorta. Although I'm a baby when it comes to spicy food, Spiracha has had a huge year, and I know tons of folks who would love to receive this mug, it may even be worth something some day if the factory really does close down :(:(
Comfy Cozy Gifts
Paddywax Glass Candles
These super gorgeous, super smelly good-y candles by Paddywax not only come in a huge variety of scents, sizes, and jar designs, but they are also made from soy wax (whoohoo vegan!!) and are actually pretty affordable for such high quality (Prices range from $10 to $25). Unlike a lot of reasonably priced glass candles, Paddywax don't include huge stickers on their jars, and instead have a more antique feel, making them perfect for those finicky about their home decor.
I LOVE the Ocean Tide and Sea Salt (pictured) and the Pomegranate and Spruce scents :)
Society6 Pillows
Pillows are probably one of the top 5 best things in life, and these wicked printed throw pillows from Society6 even make top 3. If you are unfamiliar with Society6, you really need to change that. They allow artists to sell their prints, pillows, t-shirts, whatever they want. Society6 produces, sells, and distributes the products, and the artist makes money!! It's a win win. I've featured just a few favourites of mine, but there are hundreds of styles to choose from, and every pillow costs only $20.00.
The cold weather is here, meaning flaking skin, chapped lips, dry hair, and a real need for some bath time pampering. Every year, LUSH brings out a whole bunch of awesome festive gifts, including bath bombs, massage bars, and soaps. I personally love the little penguin bubble bomb, and the melting snowman massage bar (who smells like cinnamon fyi!!).
And for $5 to $9, they make great stocking stuffers, and are perfect if you need just a small gift for a secret santa, because who doesn't like adorable soap right??
For Musicians, Moshers, and Groupies Alike
Ticket Stub Diary
This hardcover half diary/half scrapbook is perfect for anyone in your life who's favourite pass-time is crowd surfing, or checking out museums, movies, going on train rides, anything that requires a ticket really. The book has little pockets to keep your stubs safe and sound, and writing space on the side to take note of how many guitar picks you caught at the show.
This is for sure the one thing on this list that I personally NEED in my life (*wink wink nudge nudge* mom, I hope you're reading this).
It's the next best gift to an actual concert ticket, plus it probably cost much less (around $15).
Beauty Babes Will Love...
Tarte 6-piece liner & lash set
Because everyone has that certain someone in their life who refers to Sephora as a home away from home, I've included a lovely gift set from Tarte Cosmetics. Firstly, Tarte is great, just super awesome for many reasons. All products are 100% vegan, never tested on animals, and use all natural ingredients (and the quality ain't too shabby either).
For the holidays, Tarte has put out a few gift sets, which are all beautifully packaged and cost much less than if you were to purchase each item individually. I've featured the Lash and Liner set, which costs $40.00, but they also have gloss and face sets if your friend already has enough eyeliner to last into their senior years.
DIY
Hot Chocolate Mix
I always find that giving gifts is wayyyy better than receiving, and the most fun gifts to give are the ones you make yourself. A mason jar full of hot chocolate mix is a super duper cute and thoughtful gift that can be really inexpensive, especially if you buy the ingredients in bulk and then separate them into multiple gifts!
For this mix, all you need is a mason jar with a lid, (you can get these at most dollar stores or grocery stores) sugar, cocoa powder, powdered milk, chocolate chips, and candy canes/peppermint candy. Just layer each ingredient in equal amounts, put the lid on top and tie with a pretty bow. Marshmallows can also be added, as well as cinnamon, nutmeg, espresso, etc.
Substitutions can easily be made as well, this is YOUR creation remember, make it how you want. And fellow vegans, just remember to add the word VEGAN in front of all the ingredients (I think it in my mind and heart, but I don't always write it).
And if you would like a more detailed set of instructions, check out
this lovely blog.
