Get inspired from this selection of our top gifting ideas for 2021! Find something for all those special people in your life, from the luxurious to the affordable, stocking filler to showstopper. Merry Christmas from the team at STYLEetc.
Clothing and Accessories
First up is our top picks of wearables this winter, starting with a delightful Owl Ring (£195) from bespoke designer Mary Ching. Mary Ching also offers customizations through a contact form on her website and if custom jewellery is what you’re in the market for then check out Abbott Lyon, makers of meaningful pieces and our next pick; the Rose Gold Butterfly Necklace (£45). To really make a statement look no further than this beautiful Golden Dragonfly Watch (£439) from Thomas Sabo.
If you’re looking for something stylish and high-tech look no further than the world’s first self charging wireless headphones; the Los Angeles (£169) by Urbanista. These remarkable headphones have a light absorbing headband that will charge from indoor and outdoor light, making the chore of manual charging an infrequent occurrence.
With some cold months ahead your gift receiver might appreciate these offerings from Barbour, Copello Boots (£129) will take anything you can throw at them and this cute Estoril Beanie (£26.95). Manchester based fashion brand Thunder Egg have come up with this colourful number, the Rainbow Knit Jumper (£39.95). Give a gift and inspire a new skill, or handmake yourself with love, with help from LoveCrafts who have an impressive library of free and paid for knitting and crochet patterns, simply purchase some Yarn (From 99p) and away you go.
We will rock you with this next item, a must have for any Queen super fan by Vendula London; the Freddie Mercury Yellow Jacket Bag (£150). Made from vegan leather this iconic jacket turned bag is perhaps the boldest item from the QueenXVendula Line and we love it. Bring some sparkle to the party this season with the DeFacto Party Sequin Mini Dress (£24).
Beauty
Perfect pamper products are always welcome and we cannot recommend the Morphe Fine Nine (£89) enough. A veritable tower of palettes, it features Morphe’s 9 most popular artistry collections, making a grand total of 81 shades. If contour is more your loved ones thing then try the Chelsea Palette (£27) from OPV Beauty.
Keep up that summer glow with help from St Moritz who have the Pout and Glow Set (£8) to fill a few stockings. An astonishing offer from Doctor’s Formulae to get the full Dragons Blood Anti Ageing Set (£29.95) at a whopping 90% off. It can be so important to keep your brushes and palettes bacteria free and you can do just that with the Beauty Hygiene Plus Essentials Kit (£15).
Food and Drink
Who doesn’t love a tipple over the festive season, here we bring you some great non-alcoholic choices starting with JING Sparkling Tea (£17.95) a bubbly tea perfect to toast the New Year. Next up a duo of aperitif and digestif servings from coastal Cornwall courtesy of High Point; the Ruby Aperitif and Amber Digestif (£19.99 each), check out High Points website for some delicious serving suggestions for their magnificent alcohol free creations. Chef Naved of Dishoom has once again delivered the goods and now finally you can get some restaurant level chai goodness in your home with this adorable Chai Gift Set (£26) featuring 2 glasses and a mesh strainer.
Another DIY kit to consider is the excellent Pornstar Martini Cocktail (£39) by The Cocktail Society which sets you off with the ingredients to make 4 drinks and get the party started. We all know a gin lover and Isle of Wight Distillery have just the thing for them with a tactilely pleasing Mermaid Pink Gin (£38), uniquely flavoured with handpicked rock samphire to give a citrus hint, not to mention elderflower and English strawberries. Yum! If it’s scotch that you seek then The Gladstone Axe have a double offering in their American Oak and Black Axe (£32) varieties.
Onto the nibbles where we find BOSH! on a Budget (£15) the perfect vegan cookbook for 100 simple quick recipes. Adventurous and luxurious in equal measure, these Savoury Macarons (£42) come in three seafood inspired flavours from Petrossian, purveyors of fine French cuisine. Add a little spice to your life, or pizza slice, with the addition of Firelli Hot Sauce or Pizza Cutter (£9.99).
Kids
Let the kids know Santa has been busy with one of these entertaining and educational gifts, starting with the LeapFrog Choppin’ Fun (£25) for 12 months and over it teaches toddlers about food preparation and timing when it comes to meal times. Another innovative piece of kit from LeapFrog is the Magic Adventure Globe (£65), more than just a globe it features a stylus and screen loaded with videos from the BBC to further enrich your child’s discovery of planet Earth. With the advent of YouTube and the rise of digital content creators this next gift could be a great way to inspire any budding film makers, the KidiZoom Studio (£50) from VTech packages a 720p camera with a large green screen to create some truly magical effects, Christmas Day beach pictures anyone?
We all know the best part of the board game Mousetrap was setting off the titular mousetrap, that endless fun can now be had thanks again to VTech and their fast paced Marble Rush Launchpad (£29.99). If you’re a Nintendo Switch owner the must have game for all the family this Christmas has to be Mario Party Superstars (£39.99), a virtual board game where rounds of play are separated by whacky minigames and acts of chance which make all skill levels capable of competing against one another.
Home and Pets
Christmas is also a time to celebrate our four-legged friends and premium pet food makers Natural Instinct have come up with a turkey based Christmas Feast (£4.90) for cats and dogs. Try some canine couture with a hand crafted Dog Collar (£64) from urban lifestyle designers Buster+Punch, made from high-grade leather and solid brass. No pet? No problem! Dora Designs have you got you covered with a wide range of animal inspired paperweights and doorstops, our pick of the bunch is this Schnauzer Doorstop (£30).
Sprout have come with a gift idea we love, pencils you can plant instead of throwing away and, much to the delight of our Mancunian hearts, they have the Happy Bee Edition (£9), packed with potential for pollinators, just don’t forget your sharpener! A more high tech offering from digital writing specialists LAMY, save your handwritten paper notes as permanent digital copies with the Safari Digital Writing Set (£149).
At this time of year nothing beats being wrapped up and cosy indoors, BoConcept have taken this to stylish new heights with a series of throws that we love including the aptly named Keep Me Warm Plaid (£67). Keeping comfort in mind for a second how about this pillow with a speaker inside by SoundAsleep. We’ve all tried to fall asleep listening to relaxing music but it’s so annoying when your earphones pop out, no more we say thanks to Speaker Pillow (£30). Comfort can also be created through ambient lighting and décor so why not try this Wayfair Grandwood Table Lamp (£58.99).
It just wouldn’t be Christmas without a little cheese and Tala have produced a solid stainless steel 4 Piece Cheese Knife Set (£9.67) to serve up all your favourites. If you know a coffee lover, especially one who may be set to work from home a little longer, then give the gift that keeps on giving; a Nespresso VertuoPlus (£179) for a daily dose of coffee pod goodness.
Experiences
We like to think an experience gift is a gift that comes twice, the first time when it’s received and again when the time finally comes to enjoy it. There’s still time to enjoy the festive spirit of the Forbidden Forest Experience (From £19) until the end of January at Arley Hall, this one is an absolute must for any Harry Potter fan and we heartily recommend this unique light themed adventure. Ever wondered what it’s like to attend a film premiere? Time to find out with your own Private Screening (From £140) at Showcase Cinema, simply fill out the contact form to tailor your experience for all your friends and family. Another great idea for groups is Clip n’ Climb (£12.95) at Oldham’s newly opened Summit Up climbing centre, accessible to anyone aged 4 and over it requires no previous experience to have a go and is the perfect introduction to anyone interested in rock climbing, even experienced climbers will find some challenge here!
If all that sounds a little exhausting we have 2 fantastic and romantic stays that could be just the escape you need after a hectic holiday period, starting with Mallory Court Hotel and Spa (From £264), located in Leamington Spa this gorgeous property is set in 10 acres of picturesque gardens and features a 3 AA Rosette restaurant and high end spa. Discover England’s wine region with an overnight stay and indulgent wine tasting sessions at Tinwood Estate Lodges (£195) near Chichester, a tranquil getaway overlooking the vineyard in your own private cabin, sounds like heaven. Bluedot 2022 (From £178.75) will be back this summer and we’re sure the line up will be out of this world, get your weekend camping tickets now to get the best value from what is simply one of the best festivals the UK has to offer.