CHRISTMAS? Is that you? If you want to get ahead of the game, why not peruse our list of top advent, house-warming, pampering and decoration gifts? In the first of our Christmas Gift Guides, we focus on everything from advent calendars to tasty tipples, heavenly candles to luxurious fragrances and everything you need to make sure you look great for party season. We’ve got you covered…
Pines and Needles Christmas Tree, RRP from £33 – £228 www.pinesandneedles.com
It’s time to deck the halls. But if time is the one thing in short supply (as is the case for many of us at this time of year) you could consider having your real Christmas tree delivered to your door. Pines and Needles grow all of their Christmas trees in Scotland and you can choose from a range of sizes and varieties to suit your home.
This year, we plumped for a slightly smaller than usual, potted tree and we certainly weren’t disappointed. This cute little Fraser Fir smells amazing and the needles are wonderfully soft, so no gardening gloves required while hanging our favourite baubles. It’s lovely and bushy and fits perfectly in our window. If you prefer a cut tree there are many more sizes to choose from, as well as three varieties – The Fraser Fir, Nordmann Fir or Noble Fir, and you can have it delivered along with a stand that makes keeping it watered (essential if you want your tree to see in the New Year) a breeze. You can even order a set of lights and luxurious decorations to arrive along with the star of the show, so you’re all ready to create a winter wonderland at home. And all of this without ever setting foot out of your door, filling the car with pine needles or facing the annual battle to strap the tree to the roof of your car. Merry Christmas indeed!
ARRAN Sense of Scotland Perfume & Fragrance Advent Calendar, RRP £80. arran.com
Tired of gifting the same old chocolate advent calendars?
If you’re looking to treat your loved one to something different, why not indulge them with ARRAN Sense of Scotland’s perfumes, candles and fragrances – a collection that’s worth over £180. For the unacquainted, ARRAN Sense of Scotland is a luxury Scottish fragrance brand that began over three decades ago, operating under the name ARRAN Aromatics. Since then, business has boomed and in 2016 they unveiled their new brand identity. Their scents are, of course, inspired by the natural beauty of the Isle of Arran.
This hefty ‘Winter Wonderland’ advent calendar – which contains popular scents including After the Rain, Glenashdale, Seaweed & Sage, Lochranza and Kildonan – makes the most beautiful pre-Christmas gift. Perhaps the favourite scents, though, are the limited edition Winter Forest & Rowanberry Embers. The Winter Forest candle in particular is perfect for getting into the Christmas spirit. Even the purple and gold box with ribbon makes a lovely addition to kitchen decorations as it sits beautifully when open or closed. (It certainly beats having ripped tin foil windows on show for a whole month!)
Scotts Apothecary Organic Hand & Body Lotion, RRP £20.99. scottsapothecary.com
Very often, the classic gifts are the best. Luxurious hand lotions will always be warmly welcomed, especially when they come from beautiful Scottish companies like this one.
If you viewed last year’s Christmas Gift Guide, you’ll remember that Scotts Apothecary’s heady Sleep Tight Mist was a big hit with the SF team. If, however, you’re new to this brand, it was started up by sisters-in-law Alice and Toni who are based on the south side of Glasgow. Alice is a nutritional practitioner and chef with a lifelong interest in essential oils. Together, Alice and Toni make and sell hand-blended, natural products with sustainable ingredients – and this Hand & Body Lotion is one of our new favourites.
It comes in six different scents (the Eucalyptus & Lemon Balm reminds me of sprightly, late summer evenings in the sun) and is presented in a generous 500ml glass bottle which can be reused time and again. The butters and essential oils make this product a total joy to use. It’s one for popping beside your favourite armchair – use while enjoying a nice cup of tea and you’ve got the perfect, gentle night in.
Mariage Frères Noel Royale Tea Advent Calendar, RRP £49. mariagefreres.com
This beautifully packaged blue and gold calendar holds 25 French cotton tea muslins from Mariage Frères. This French tea institution is celebrating 170 years in business this year and this calendar is ideal for anyone who loves a cuppa.
The teas hidden behind the doors are a surprise that I’m not going to spoil here, instead I’ll just say that untying the white satin ribbon and flipping open each little door is a pleasure that I’ve enjoyed almost as much as drinking my daily cup. And if you’re in the market for a Christmas gift there are a variety of equally gorgeous gift sets featuring every type of tea imaginable and some fabulous tea paraphernalia like pots, cups and caddies to choose from.
Unwritten puppy candle, RRP £59.99. un-written.co.uk
The perfect pressie for dog lovers. And it matters not which type of pooch is their favourite, because Unwritten’s gorgeous natural wax candles come in 33 different breeds. And not only can you select your favourite pup, but you can also choose the fragrance.
My gorgeous German Shepherd candle is beautifully and intricately moulded and left the living room smelling fabulous even before it was lit. In fact, truth be told, he hasn’t been lit, because I just can’t bring myself to burn that cute wee face! But that’s OK because the candles are designed to give off an aroma for up to a year without ever needing to light them. Unwritten’s candles are all made in the UK from wax that contains no GM ingredients, palm or paraffin products and is bio-degradable and vegan friendly. Next on my list is the cute as a button Jack Russell candle for my dad.
Harris Gin Gift set, RRP £91. harrisdistillery.com
If you’ve a gin lover to buy for this Christmas then there’s every chance that they’ll be a fan of the famous Harris gin. From the beautiful bottle that sparked a revolution in package design which saw the entire Scottish gin industry up its game, to the delicious liquid within, there’s lots to love about this gin.
This beautifully packaged gift set provides an unboxing experience on Christmas morning, or whenever you choose to gift it. The box itself is made from natural card peppered with sugar kelp and copper flakes. A nod to the seaweed that is the key local ingredient in this maritime island gin, as well as the copper still named ‘The Dotach’ that distils the spirit. There are layers photography and information on the distillery and the botanicals used o create Harris gin before you reach the star of the show, along with a sugar kelp aromatic water to add to your G&T and two Harris Serve glasses. There’s also the option to include a hand-written gift card.
The White Company Large Winter Candle, RRP £65. thewhitecompany.com/uk
Off the hook for cooking this year? Heading to someone else’s house for Christmas Lunch? Well, The White Company’s best-selling Winter Candle makes for the most beautiful house-warming ‘thank you’ gift.
After all, it’s a top seller for a reason. It was created over 21 years ago by founder Chrissie Rucker and still flies off the shelves every year. The large, three-wick candle – which was poured and hand-finished in the UK – promises up to 70 hours of burning time, meaning that your host will be set for festivities throughout December and January. It is a heady combination of spicy cinnamon, rich clove and zesty orange – three scents that simply spell ‘Christmas’! The pared back glass design also means that it will fit seamlessly with anyone’s kitchen, bathroom or living room décor. This really is a fail-safe option for Christmas gifting.
Rituals Advent Calendar, RRP £91.90. rituals.com/en-gb/home
Who says it can’t be Christmas every day?! 24 days’ worth of beautiful surprises will surely bring a smile to anyone’s face. Granted, it’s more expensive than your average £4 chocolate calendar, but gifting the Rituals Classic Advent Calendar to your loved one will send you flying right to the top of Santa’s ‘good’ list this year!
With most advent calendars, you generally know what to expect. But with Rituals’ Classic Calendar it really is a unique surprise every morning. Without wanting to spoil all of the secrets, a few of the favourites include a body lotion mousse, hair mask and body scrub, with a mini fig-scented candle topping the charts! Rest assured that if you invest in this calendar, your loved one will have all the body, home and beauty products they’ll need for the whole festive period and beyond. Thanks to the gorgeous townhouse design, it also looks absolutely stunning on your kitchen worktop.
Rituals began 25 years ago in a basement in Amsterdam, but it is now a global go-to brand for those looking for a special treat. With Rituals, there really is beauty in the everyday!
Rituals Premium Advent Calendar, RRP £172. rituals.com
Or, if you’re looking to really treat someone this Christmas then you could plump for the Rituals Premium Advent Calendar. Opening up to form a charming Dutch heritage-inspired Amsterdam winter street scene complete with Christmas trees and canals, it’s sure to bring festive charm to any room throughout advent.
This luxurious advent calendar even provides a warm glow on our dresser, where it has pride of place, with it’s pretty little lights. The calendar contains lots of wonderful Rituals products, and while I would hate to spoil the surprise, I will say that seven of them are full-sized. There are treats for the home, body and even the car hidden within this elegant 3D calendar. It’s perfect to share as a family, taking it in turns to open as we get closer and closer to the fun of the big day.
Peugeot Bubbles Gift Box, RRP £39.50. uk.peugeot-saveurs.com/en
It’s always nice to give the gift of a bottle of bubbly, but why not elevate the giving with this gorgeous gift set from Peugeot that’s perfect for all fans of the fizz?
The Frizz cooler ensures that your sparkling wine is kept perfectly chilled, with its expandable elasticated design meaning it is a snug fit no matter what shape your favourite bottle happens to be. It takes around 20 minutes to chill a bottle of champers from room temperature and it kept my fizz nicely chilled for hours. For anyone who isn’t planning to enjoy the whole bottle in one go (there must be some of our lovely readers with a bit of self control), the Line stopper seals your bottle to retain all of those lovely flavours, aromas and bubbles for a few days. The locking system on the stopper makes sure there’s no risk of spillages. Cheers!
The Traitors Special Edition Card Game, RRP £11.99. gingerfox.co.uk
If you know, you know… For those of you who – like me – have become totally obsessed by the BBC’s hit reality TV show, The Traitors, you’re going to want to check this out. Who’s the ‘traitor’ in your midst? Do you have the skills to outwit your fellow players and survive to the end in this test of trust and treachery?
Each player secretly plays the role of a ‘faithful’ or a ‘traitor’, all while working together to build up a (sadly imaginary) pot of gold. For the faithfuls, they have to work out who the traitors are in order to be in with a chance of sharing the end prize. The traitors, meanwhile, have to stay undetected in order to steal the entire prize fund for themselves.
It’s a simple card game that’s perfect for four or more people. It certainly makes for a good laugh around the Christmas table – could your beloved Granny be the traitor?! We loved the optional digital features that really help to immerse you into The Traitors’ lair!
Christmas Red Berry Decorative Light Chain, Rockett St George, RRP £45. rockettstgeorge.co.uk
Can’t face looking out the tangled lights from the attic? Well, why not treat yourself to some new ones this year?
These indoor Christmas Red Berry lights from Rockett St George are truly beautiful, and I’ve had so many people asking about them already. The delicate clusters of matte red berries are gorgeous, and the dainty wire in between is barely visible (although you could very easily mask it with a garland if you wanted to). Personally, I think that running these down the centre of a long wooden table is the perfect way to showcase them. Or indeed along a low windowsill to make them pop against the dark night sky. In total, there are 80 warm white LEDs in this mains-powered light chain. The illuminated section is two metres long, with the rest of the wire taking it to three metres. Whatever you choose to do with them, these lights are a total Christmas classic that you’ll want to pull out year on year.
Craft Gin Club Advent Calendar, RRP £89.99. club.craftginclub.co.uk
This is one of those advent calendars that you’re going to want to keep for yourself. It’s a gin lover’s dream!
Every evening, you can sit down with your Craft Gin Advent Calendar and unveil a 50ml (double measure) gin, as selected by a panel of experts. It’s a fabulous way of exploring some classic, dry and citrus craft gins that you may otherwise never have had the opportunity to try. Certainly, there is only a handful of brands that I had heard of (Shetland Reel and North Uist are the Scottish brands amongst them) and that’s coming from someone who has a cupboard full of top tipples! Even the five ‘mystery’ gins that are included are totally delicious. Christmas Cake Gin, anyone? The countdown to Christmas has never been so tasty!
(Top Tip: keep this advent calendar flat to avoid miniatures rolling around the box).
Molton Brown Eau de Parfum, RRP £140. moltonbrown.co.uk
Molton Brown is one of those well-known brands that we all know and love. And we think it’s high time you treated yourself or a loved one to a new Molton Brown scent!
Molton Brown’s Edinburgh store (in St James Quarter) has just launched an interactive, personalised fragrance experience. The bespoke consultation (done through a digital smart pad) helps you to select a scent that suits your personality. But fear not! If you don’t think the smart pad has selected quite the right scent, a team of in-store experts are also there to help you peruse the all-time favourites as well as the new Holiday Collection products.
We both went along to the store to try out the digital experience and were surprised and delighted to find that it selected two scents we absolutely adore. The Rose Dunes Eau de Parfum (100ml) features spicy saffron, velvety rose and opulent oudh notes, while the classic Re-Charge Black Pepper Eau de Parfum (100ml) is a sophisticated blend of bergamot and lavandin with peppery notes to the fore.
To make this even more special, you can now get your bottle of Eau de Parfum/Toilette engraved in-store with a name or special message. This is true luxury!
Dr David Jack Yellow Peel, RRP £149. drdavidjack.com
We all need a little extra help to look our best for the party season. Why, oh why are there so many of the biggest parties of the year in the depths of winter when our skin is ravaged by the cold weather and the lack of sunshine means we are peely-wally? But fear not, because Dr David Jack has ridden to the rescue with his fabulous Yellow Face Peel. Using the peel weekly, as you would a face mask, has lots of benefits to skin with excess pigmentation and works to reduce the appearance of dark spots for a more even complexion.
For those who don’t know, Dr David Jack is one of London’s most respected aesthetic doctors, who now has a clinic in Edinburgh. He also creates a range of luxury skincare and supplements to optimise the health of your skin. The Yellow Peel contains active ingredients like retinol and vitamin C, amongst others, to make it effective in reducing the signs of ageing. It really has given my skin a much needed boost as well as helping to calm the redness and irritation that comes with windy days and going from hot environments to cold. It comes beautifully packaged with an application brush and removal mitt, making it a lovely gift for yourself, or a loved one.
Lakrids Liquorice Advent Calendar, RRP £45. souschef.co.uk
If you’re not familiar with Lakrids by Bulow then it’s probably time that you rectified this. I describe Lakrids as the liquorice for people who don’t like liquorice. It has well and truly converted me and this beautiful and luxurious advent calendar is a great way to share the liquorice love.
It’s made from 100% recycled and recyclable materials and behind each window you’ll find two of Lakrids delicious treats, making this perfect to share, providing you’re a generous soul! Think liquorice with raspberry, chocolate and a variety of other delicious flavour combinations that I won’t spoil for you. I love the look of this calendar, with it’s black matt finish and beautiful gold embossing it really is an elegant and grown-up advent calendar from the Danish liquorice experts.
Sarah Raven Lit Wooden Star & Folk Glass Mushroom Decorations, RRP From £29.95 (star) & £15.95 (mushroom). sarahraven.com
The nostalgia of old Christmas decorations is a beautiful thing, and adding to your collection each year with precious items like these helps make those cherished memories last. Sarah Raven is based on a farm in East Sussex. She has been running cooking, flower arranging, growing and gardening courses at Perch Hill since 1999, the same year in which she launched her own business selling everything from seeds, plants and gardening kits, to beautiful homeware and decorations like these.
Sarah’s passion lies in making home a sanctuary for all to enjoy. And so, to these wonderful decorations… The lit wooden stars are rustic and would suit any décor, but is particularly suitable for a Scandi-chic look. They come in two different sizes and can be placed almost anywhere – on windowsills, down staircases, or simply propped up on shelves. The light is warm and soft, and cut snowflake shapes are case on surrounding surfaces. Meanwhile, the hand-painted Glass Mushroom Baubles with green velvet ribbons (9.7cm in height) boast earthy colours and add a traditional, folk charm to festive proceedings.
[Image Credit: Photography © Jonathan Buckley]
The Spice Discovery Advent Calendar, RRP £34.99. souschef.co.uk
Do you have a loved one who enjoys cooking up a storm? Or perhaps you know someone who might just be resolving to be more adventurous in the kitchen in 2025? Either way, they’re sure to love this beautifully packaged spice discovery advent calendar from Terre Exotique.
Untie the gold ribbon and reveal 24 doors, each filled with a different spice sachet, alongside a QR code to reveal recipe ideas and tasting notes for each one. Think speculoos spice blend, perfect for making festive spiced biscuits, or the Cheese maker’s pepper which pairs beautifully with baked brie. There are lots more surprises waiting to be discovered, and you can rest assured that Terre Exotique works with farmers and spice producers around the world to ensure that natural habitats are preserved and local communities are paid fairly. Everyone needs a little spice in their lives this Christmas!
Dower & Hall Christmas Tree Decoration, RRP £20 – £45. dowerandhall.com
If, like me, you’re thoroughly fed up of dragging the same tired looking baubles out of the attic when it comes time to deck the halls, then Dower and Hall may just be your festive saviour. Their beautiful range of handmade pewter tree decorations come in silver or gold tones, to ensure your tree looks suitably classy for Christmas 2024. This year’s designs include a peace dove, snowflake, tree of life, reindeer, a partridge in a pear tree and perfect for us Scots, a gorgeous thistle. All of the decorations are handmade in the UK from recycled metals and
If you buy three you’ll get one free, or you can buy some of the designs in sets of four making the perfect pre-Christmas gift for anyone who loves to keep their home looking on point at Christmas time. Dower and Hall release new designs every year, so starting a collection of their stylish decorations to adorn your tree can become a new Christmas tradition.
Elizabeth Grant Supreme Essence of Torricelumn, £70, elizabethgrantuk.com and Night Wonder Concentrate, £54, elizabethgrantuk.com
Torricelumn was discovered by Elizabeth Grant in 1948 and over the decades they’ve used it to create this award-winning serum aimed at targeting the five signs of aging – wrinkles, firmness, hyperpigmentation, dryness and dullness. A couple of drops of supreme essence of Torricelumn after cleansing in the morning has really helped to keep my skin hydrated despite the ravages of winter weather and I’ve been delighted that neither this, nor the night wonder concentrate has irritated my sensitive and rosacea-prone skin.
The night wonder concentrate has become part of my evening skincare regime. Containing Torricelumn, glycolic acid and hyaluronic acid it is designed to minimise signs of aging as you sleep. With a gentle exfoliating action my skin looks smoother and the redness that I’m prone to has reduced.
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