Mariah Carey is defrosting for the year and it’s time to start thinking about the holidays! Is it just me or is this year’s holiday season finally starting to feel more normal? The decorations are up, the outdoor Christmas markets are back, and the window displays at the stores are in full swing – and I’m here for it.
Along with eating my weight in holiday treats and drinks, one of my favourite parts of the holidays is gift giving. Receiving gifts is lovely, but the thrill of finding that perfect gift for someone else. The joy on their face after opening it always warms my heart. This year, I’m trying to get a head start on my gift planning given the supply chain delays from the pandemic. My friends in the industry have suggested shopping early to make sure everything arrives on time.
So before the big rush hits, here is my 2021 Holiday Gift Guide for Him, Her and everyone else on your gift list:
Holiday Gift Guide For Him & Her
Alright, here is my giant list of favourites for gifting this year! These goodies I’m about to share are from a years worth of listening to my friends and family as they talk about items or gadgets they think are cool. I try my best to listen and note down these items in my phone to keep an ongoing list of gifts that I can pull out during the holidays for both him or her. It makes things so much easier during the holidays and to be honest, I’d be so excited to find any of these in under my tree this year.
SHIRT JACKETS
Shirt Jackets are all the rage this year, bringing a real cabin feel to city fashion. I’ve been living in my shacket the past few months as the perfect transition piece for those warmer winter days. I’d recommend a light coloured plaid so they can easily pair it with their favourite jeans, leggings or pants.
PURSE BACKPACK
Okay, clearly the combo items are a fan favourite for my holiday gift guide but for good reason! I love that this keeps everything I need for a day at the office but it’s still stylish and cute if I’m meeting my girlfriends for dinner later. The pockets on this purse backpack are also perfect for travel. Fingers crossed there’s more of that this year.
HAIR ACCESSORIES
The 90s are totally back and I’m not mad about it. Scrunchies, hair clips, giant claw clips, and headbands are all making their way back into our wardrobes. This is the perfect idea if you are packing a little gift basket for your friends or are looking for some stocking stuffers for your sister or mom. These little essentials are something they can use everyday that elevates their work from home looks.
SILK PILLOW CASES
Bring luxury into her everyday routine! I’m in love with my silk pillow cases these days. They are soft, comfortable, and feel so luxurious when I climb into bed for the night. It’s also better for your skin and hair as cotton can actually trap your dead skin, causing more irritation and acne. With hair, it prevents breakage as you sleep with a gentler material like silk. I’ve noticed a big difference in how soft my hair is since switching, and you can watch my YouTube video all about it!
YOGA MAT
Since the pandemic started, I’ve been doing a lot more at home workouts through Youtube or digital studios. I noticed my old yoga mat had started to peel and it wasn’t enough cushioning while working out on my hardwood floor. If your friends have hit the indoor workout bug, nothing says I’m cheering you on like a new yoga mat. I like ones with a minimum of 4mm of cushioning because they need to support your knees a bit better.
NESPRESSO
If you’re looking to splurge a little on this holiday gift guide, I would highly recommend a Nespresso machine for anyone in your life that loves their morning coffee. They have a wide variety of capsules sure to delight their different preferences. Better yet, many of the machines come with a milk steamer to make lattes, cappuccinos, and more.
SOCKS – COMFY SOCKS
Comfortable and good quality socks are an underrated gift and as I get older I find myself wanting well made, warm socks for those cold winter days. Socks are a useful gift that you can get creative with, just like the ones I link above. Plus, high quality socks also make breaking in new winter boots easier.
TRAVEL PILLOW
While I’m a sleep anywhere kind of girl, my dad has a lot of trouble sleeping on planes. As travel opens up again, why not give the gift of sleep while traveling? Wouldn’t it be nice to arrive at your destination with a little bit of shut eye to get your trip started? Travel pillows have come a long way since the original U shaped ones that never worked very well. Now they have higher walls and memory foam to help you get a few hours of sleep as you hit the skies.
Filming Equipment and Accessories
As a content creator, I love sharing my excitement for filming equipment and accessories. Even if your friends aren’t content creators, these gifts are a great way to surprise them and take their Instagram and Tiktok game to the next level. If you missed it, check out my guide to taking great photos with your Iphone!
RING LIGHT
Even if your best friend isn’t a pro Tiktoker or streamer, a ring light is such a fun gift to elevate their selfies and the silly photos you take together during a night in. The great thing about this particular ring light is it has multiple colour settings to set the tone and a remote control to wirelessly connect with your phone. I also love that the stand is adjustable to either a shorter style for your vanity selfies or a full length for a head to toe glow.
CAMERA STAND
Constantly asking someone to take your photo? Look no further because a phone tripod or camera stand is exactly what you need to take photos without having to awkwardly make eye contact with strangers. Best part, it keeps your camera and phone stable.
BLUETOOTH REMOTE
Another solution to that awkward solo photoshoot, a bluetooth remote! This little device connects to both Android and IPhones, making it the perfect stocking stuffer for anyone on your list. Get your shot all set up and just press the button to capture a photo.
FILMING LIGHTS
Now this one might seem a little extra but lighting boxes are a complete game charger for anyone doing video or photography from home. It gives you much better, natural looking light for any of your content and is still easy to take down and store.
FIT BIT
If your partner doesn’t have an Apple watch yet or has an Android, a new Fitbit is a great option for them to keep track of their fitness goals, sleep, and movement! These new Fitbits track almost everything and they are much sleeker than they used to be. Comfortable and easy to set up, help your partner get a head start on their new year’s resolutions with this holiday gift guide idea.
Technology
WIRELESS KEYBOARD AND MOUSE
With so many of us still working from home this year a good office set up is essential. I found my wireless mouse and keyboard a game changer for my home office. It’s so much easier to work on and allows me to properly adjust my workstation to keep my posture straight and comfortable. This is the perfect gift for anyone in your life who may still be working off their dining room table. It elevates your workspace wherever they may have their current set up.
LAPTOP RISER
Another home office game changer for me and Elbert! He swears by his laptop riser for his office set up while working from home. It’s an inexpensive way to keep the pressure off your neck and shoulders by elevating your laptop to eye level on your desk. It matches perfectly with the wireless mouse and keyboard above and will really bring your workspace together. I could not live without my laptop riser and it’s an awesome gift for those students or home office folks in your life.
WIRELESS EARBUDS
Looking for an AirPods alternative for your Android and PC lovers? My friends have been loving these wireless, noise cancelling earbuds from Monster. There’s also a built in mic so they can take calls, listen to music, concentrate – hands free! They connect easily to all your devices similar to how AirPods work but are perfect for those who aren’t using Apple products. Awesome gift for your music lovers and commuters.
Holiday Gift Guide – Home
The perfect holiday gift guide to help your friends and family spruce up their homes for the season.
VACUUM CLEANERS
Okay hear me out, nothing is more satisfying that a full vacuum and a clean floor. The older I get, the more home decor items I find on my wishlist and my friends are no different. We just love a good cleaning session. And for those who want to up their vacuum game, these are the best to buy.
ROBOT VACUUM
If you’re not the biggest fan of vacuuming but still want that satisfying feeling of clean floors and rugs, a robot vacuum will make you the gift giver of the season. These automatic vacuums clean by running around your floor and using sensors to figure out where it needs to go. When the floor is all done, it will dock itself back into the charging station. It vacuums quite well too picking up cracker spills, pet hair and dust.
DYSON VACUUM
This is quite the splurge but so worth it in my opinion. Remember when you were a kid and all the vacuums had cords that would always get tangled or get in the way of cleaning? Not anymore. The Dyson vacuums are cordless and the charger is easy installed right into your wall or closet. This has been a complete game changer in our house and it makes cleaning up spills so easy. You just grab it and take it right to where you need to clean without trying to find an outlet. The vacuum itself is also very powerful and sucks up all the hair and dust you’ll find in your house.
STORAGE BINS
For the friend who just moved out or is organizing their place, grab a few of these cute storage bins that fit in almost any living room, closet or office space. I love that these are deep and include handles to make it easy to move. They also collapse easily for storage purposes if someone is looking to move or put them away when guests are around.
PANTRY ORGANIZERS
After watching way too much HGTV, one of my goals was to have a super organized, full pantry and kitchen where I could label all my snacks and dried goods. This set of air tight, storage containers not only keeps all your items organized but it keeps your snacks fresh for longer. Even if you know you’ll finish that box of cookies in three days, it’s still a nice option to have.
WALL PLANTERS
Did someone you love catch a green thumb during the pandemic? These little wall planters are perfect for the friends who’ve become plant parents this year and are looking for a way to display them that’s off the ground. I love that these fit cascading plants but also easy to take care of succulents in case they forget to water them. The neutral white colour also works well with any home colour scheme.
DECORATIVE TRAY
For the host or hostess with the most, a decorative tray is everything they need to entertain guests. This tray works so well for displaying snacks or a cheese board when friends are over. And also doubles as decor to display candles, books and trinkets on a coffee table for a more everyday look.
VASES
I didn’t realize how much I needed vases until I moved out after getting engaged. A simple yet elegant ceramic vase set works amazingly as neutral decor for any space but serves its function for displaying flowers as well. Lately, I’ve been placing dried flowers into my vases to bring a little life into my living space during the winter months.
Holiday Gift Guide – Cosmetics and Makeup
I love gifting my favourite products to pamper and bring a little self-care and wellness to my loved ones.
LANEIGE GOOD NIGHT KIT
Your skin regenerates during your sleep and this Laneige Good Night Kit is the perfect item to boost your skin for those winter months. Plus it smells amazing—helping your friends drift off to sleep.
SEPHORA FAVOURITES – LASHSTASH TO GO
Haven’t found your holy grail mascara yet? Why not gift them all so your besties can find out which one they love. I’m always looking for new options to make my lashes look longer and fuller.
CHARLOTTE TILBURY PILLOW TALK LIP SECRETS
This set is the essential my lips but better kit. It has everything they need to create the perfect lip for the new year. Charlotte Tilbury has become one of my favourite brands over the years because of its quality so trust me, your best friends are going to LOVE this one.
6 PIECE BRUSH SET
This brush set has all the items you need to create any makeup look you want to master next year. I love gifting makeup brush sets because they are useful tools that go with any makeup preference.
GISOU HONEY INFUSED HAIRCARE SET
A delicious smelling set to keep your hair soft, silky, and cared for all year round. It has everything you need in your haircare routine from step 1 to 4.
OLAPLEX HAIR PERFECTOR NO.3
Olaplex has a great reputation for hair care for a reason. Their products use real ingredients and work for all hair types.
CLINIQUE DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT MOISTURIZING LOTION+
If your friends have dry skin in the winter, this is the product they need. Clinique’s moisturizer leaves your skin smooth and glowy during the wintertime.
GLOW RECIPE GLOSSY SKIN SPELL KIT
A viral TikTok gift that actually works. Pamper your loved ones skin with Hyaluronic Acid and Niacinamide.
OUAI HAND WASH
Another fan favourite brand. I’ve been loving OUAI projects for my hair but their hand wash is amazing. Moisturizing and exfoliating? That’s all you need.
OUAI SCALP & BODY SCRUB
This scrub is amazing for your skin and scalp. I love that it removes dry skin without feeling stripped. Some exfoliants are so harsh but this one has the perfect balance.
GUCCI POUDRE DE BEAUTE ECLAT SOLEI BRONZING POWDER
A beautiful and glittery bronzer that comes in a variety of colours. Great for that everyday natural glow!
GUCCI ROUTE A LEVRES SATIN LIPSTICK
I’m all about the satin lips this season. It’s a great middle ground between glossy and matte. You’ll fall in love with the many colours available from Gucci!
PETER THOMAS ROTH MASK TO THE MAX!
An amazing four piece kit that has masks for any occasion. Night in anyone?
RARE BEAUTY MINI SOFT PINCH LIQUID BLUSH TRIO
Rare Beauty has been my newest go-to lately. I love these soft blushes that you can build up for a more glam look as needed.
FIRST AID BEAUTY YOUR FUTURE LOOKS FAB GIFT SET
You can only kit this kit at Sephora but it’s so worth it! For your loved ones with sensitive skin, First Aid Beauty is an awesome option that uses gentle and safe ingredients. Give them the gift of smooth and bright skin from head to toe.
PERFUMES
I love gifting perfume sets because not only do they smell lovely, they look amazing too. They usually make the perfect display item along with being a signature scent.
This exclusive Sephora set is an amazing gift duo that includes YSL’s extremely popular fragrance paired with a beautiful, bold red lip. This is a great option for that friend who loves makeup but also wants to try some new scents.
JO MALONE LONDON HOLIDAY ORNAMENT DUO SET
The Jo Malone Holiday Set is too cute for words. I love that it has a holiday ornament that can be displayed on your tree in addition to the layerable scents.
MISS DIOR EAU DE PARFUM
This is a classic scent that so many people love. Its light florals make it an essential scent for friends, family and anyone on your list.
REPLICA BY THE FIREPLACE
If you aren’t a floral fan, Replicia is an amazing warm and spicy unisex scent that really feels like winter.
GUCCI BLOOM TRIO SET
Unsure what kind of sets your giftee prefers? Why not gift them a set of different types so they can find their perfect signature scent for the new year.
I hope this holiday gift guide gives you a few ideas as you shop! Let me know if you have any gift suggestions, I’d love to hear what you have your eye on.
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Until next time,
Xoxo Sam