So for the first time ever, I’ve decided to put together a little gift guide on the blog. I’ve never done this before, so I’m still experimenting with the format, but I knew I wanted it to be geared towards people’s interests rather than their gender. There’s nothing I find more boring than reading gift guide after gift guide focussing on gifts for boyfriends/husbands, knowing full well that Jake wouldn’t care for any of the items on the list, but also knowing ten women who would love at least one of the items. So, out with stereotyping by gender, in with stereotyping by interest! Er, or something along those lines.
Before we begin, I want to give you a little life update. In my last post, I apologised for my month-long absence and said that I would slowly be easing myself back into blogging. I had every intention of doing this until, mere hours after pressing publish, my waters broke unexpectedly. 12 hours later, we were the exhilarated (if somewhat exhausted) parents of a tiny little Isla. I promptly neglected blogging for another month. Forgive me. Now, as we’re slowly finding our feet and learning how to live a life with three people rather than just two, I’m making attempt #2 at easing back into blogging. I know it’ll be slow and sometimes difficult, but I’ve missed the blogging community, the writing and the satisfaction of publishing a finished post, so I’ll do my best!
Anyhow. The gift guide. I hope some of you find some inspiration!
For the bath junkie: Everyone knows that the ultimate bathroom products come from Lush. I adore their products, of which most are vegan, and I’m always excited when I walk into the store or visit the website as their products are both fun and luxurious at the same time. For someone who really enjoys their baths, I would recommend the Christmas Wishes gift set. It contains six bath bombs/bars, as well as their signature Fun squishy soap (best description I can come up with) in a Christmas edition. If your gift recipient is blessed with patience, I recommend buying them a gift voucher instead, though, as Christmas products are heavily discounted for the Boxing Day Sales, and they’ll be able to get twice the amount of goodies!
The Christmas Wishes set is available for £34.95.
For the vegan trailblazer: If you have more than one vegan friend, you almost certainly have one of these – the person who is always on top of new products, is the go-to source for vegan news and is always prepared to engage in a lively debate around vegan issues. For them, I would highly recommend a subscription to Vegan Life Magazine. In contrast to many other publications, Vegan Life Magazine has a track record of being amazingly balanced, addressing controversial issues (honey, anyone) and presenting both sides of the story. While I don’t always agree with every article, I find it refreshing to read something unagressive about what I like to call ‘vegan hot topics’, as we all know that opinions on the internet can get a little out of hand at times. Each issue also contains a whole load of amazing recipes, by the way. This month’s edition features triple-chocolate brownies. Enough said.
A one-year subscription costs £24.50.
For the cook: After her amazing Artisan Vegan Cheese
The Homemade Vegan Pantry is available for £15.90.
For the beauty freak: If you’re looking for a beauty-focussed gift, The VeganKind Beauty Box is the way to go. Every three months, a box of vegan cosmetics will arrive at the recipients door, containing mostly full-sized versions of the latest vegan beauty products. While the box is slightly more expensive than other beauty boxes, the fact that it only arrives every three months means that the products are always worth far more than the cost of the box, as the brand have enough time to source the best items.
Subscriptions cost £15 a month, plus P&P.
For the fashion-lover… or anyone who ever needs to leave their house: Everyone wears shoes, and high-quality vegan shoes suitable for work and events are still relatively difficult to find. Will’s Vegan Shoes provide a wide selection of nicely-made shoes, and they’re my go-to for smart-casual footwear.
Vouchers start from £10.00, so you can give someone some assistance in buying their favourite pair, or buy the shoes for them directly, depending o your budget!
For the baby: I have to admit it, I put this on here because I’m totally intending to buy something similar for Isla. I know they’re a bit ridiculous, but I just love themed baby clothes, and Christmas is as good an excuse as any to buy something fun and slightly silly. I currently have my eye on this Snowman All In One, although there are tonnes of fantastic designs all over all shops that sell baby clothing and I’ll be damned if I can manage to stick to just one option…
Mothercare have a fantastic selection of seasonal baby wear, including this set for £12.00.
For the fitness fanatic: While Christmas is a time where only the most hardcore athletes and unsalvageable health nuts work out, the new year is always a time where people stick to their good intentions… at least for a little while. If you know someone who will be hitting the gym and have a relatively large budget, Vivo Life‘s Vegan Muscle Building Bundle is the way to go. It contains a selection of pre- and post-workout products that will help with performance, recovery and muscle-building.
The Vegan Muscle Building Bundle is available from £73.56, depending on your personalised choices.
For the couch potato/film fan/ Tolkien & Jackson admirer/resident hobbit: All three parts of The Hobbit Trilogy
Has any of this been useful, or are you going in a completely different direction? Let me know in the comments!
Disclaimer: I receive the digital version of Vegan Life Magazine free of charge in exchange for a regular feature on the blog. All opinions are my own, this will never change. Promise.