I can hardly believe it’s already time to start shopping and preparing for the Holidays. This year seems to have flown by so quickly! In case anyone’s in need of a little gifting inspiration, I’ve put together some ideas for the various personalities in your life, a selection of goodies that I love and recommend.
The holiday season is the perfect time to share a little self-care with loved ones on your shopping list. One of my absolute favourite skincare products at the moment is Elemis’s Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm. This rich balm is truly an indulgence. It deeply cleanses the skin, removing makeup and impurities, while at the same time providing nourishment, leaving behind soft smooth skin. Also, the scent is divine! This product is a must for any skincare lovers as well as anyone in need of a little extra pampering.
I cannot say enough good things about Merit Beauty, one of my go-to brands for skincare (I love their Great Skin serum!) as well as for everyday makeup. Merit is a minimalist beauty brand, focusing on the core products women wear in our daily lives, a refreshingly pared back edit in a sea of overwhelming options that often feature questionable ingredients. All of Merit’s products have been carefully formulated with clean ingredients that are non-comedogenic, incorporating beneficial components such as fatty acids, squalane, and peptides. Recently Merit launched their first fragrance, Retrospect, an extrait de parfum, and I was lucky enough to sample it. The scent is quite unique and has a lot of depth to it. The fragrance is floral with a hint of sweetness and warm earthy undertones. It is rich and moody without being too intense, with notes of jasmine, vanilla, moss and ambrette, so perfect for the fall/winter season. The bottle is a work of art in itself, sculptural as inspired by modernist jewelry and designed to fit perfectly in the palm of your hand. If it is your first purchase from Merit, they will include their Signature bag as a welcome gift. It’s perfect for storing your daily essentials!
Diana Vreeland said “All my life I’ve pursued the perfect red. I can never get painters to mix it for me. It’s exactly as if I’d said, “I want Rococo with a spot of Gothic in it and a bit of Buddhist temple” – they have no idea what I’m talking about. About the best red is to copy the color of a child’s cap in any Renaissance portrait.” I was recently lucky enough to find my own ideal red, at least when it comes to my nails. Londontown USA’s “Londoner Love” is the perfect classic red, bright and vibrant with intense pigmentation. Nail lacquers make great stocking stuffers and this one, part of Londontown’s Lakur collection, is high-quality and long-lasting, made with floral extacts, oils and vitamins.
I was recently gifted a jar of Juara's Candlenut creme, which can only be described as paradise in a jar. Juara Skincare was inspired by ancient Indonesian beauty rituals and their products are made using pure, natural botanicals. Scented with tropical florals and coconut, and made with hero ingredients that protect, nourish and moisturize including candlenut oil and avocado oil, this dreamy creme locks in hydration without feeling greasy or heavy. My skin has never felt softer!
Nothing feels as good as bundling up in warm cozy knitwear on a chilly day. One of the best is La Ligne’s Marin sweater, a timeless and elegant wardrobe staple, perfectly constructed in a premium 7-ply wool cashmere blend that is meant to last. It comes in a range of colours, both in solids and stripes and if you happen to be looking for a personalized gift for someone on your list, they offer monogramming as well. Versions of the Marin sweater are also available for men and kids.
One of my go-to brands when it comes gifting, Lake Pajamas is known for their elevated sleepwear and loungewear, made in the most sumptuous pima cottons, bamboos and modals. The Cami Pant set in Lake’s Dreammodal is a personal favourite and truly one of the softest, coziest pajama sets I’ve ever worn. The fabric is plush with a silky finish that drapes beautifully! Initially focused only on women’s pajamas, Lake now offers a range of styles for the entire family.
A delectable collaboration between Dolce and Gabbana and Fiasconaro, the Panettone is a Christmas delight and an Italian classic. Offered in a selection of bold flavours (from the traditional made with raisins, orange and a drop of Vecchio Samperi, to the Agrumi e Zafferano with candied lemons and oranges, pureed mandarin and a hint of saffron, to my favourite, the chocolate Panettone) these sweetbreads which are hand-made in Sicily and packaged in beautiful decorative tins are sure to be a hit at the Office Christmas party or as a gift for your holiday host.
Flamingo Estate’s “Tablemates” set is sure to please the gourmets on your list. Flamingo Estate embraces the old ways and slow living, working with trusted farmers and skilled artisans to offer thoughfully-crafted hand-made goods and produce, scourcing all of their ingredients with care. "Tablemates" includes the Estate's exclusive olive oil, made with organic hand-picked olives from 150 year-old trees, and their rich balsamic vinegar which is hand harvested and aged in oak barrels. The attention-to-detail even carries through to their packaging - this full-bodied duo will ship in an elegant embossed gift box for the holidays.
No ocassion is complete without a Fortnum’s hamper. If you’re shopping for your host and wish to include the whole family, or if you’re looking for the ideal gift basket for the office, the Fortnum’s “ Christmas at Picadilly” hamper has something to suit everyone’s taste, It includes all the classics, from tea and biscuits and chocolate coins to their delicious Christmas fig preserve.
“Her Lotus Year”, Paul French’s highly anticipated and impeccably researched account of Wallis Simpson’s year long stay in China is a must-read, particularly for those with an interest in early 20th century history and the British Royal family. This controversial period in Wallis’s life has long been misrepresented and sensationalized, the establishment at the time only too eager to tarnish her reputation. As a result, rumour and gossip took hold in the public eye and unfairly feature in many portrayals of the Duchess to this day. French’s book, which examines and dispels the many myths surrounding Wallis’s lotus year is available for pre-order now and will be released to the public on November 11th, just in time for holiday gifting. My book review can be found here for those who are interested.
Another book which I cannot recommend enough is Jane Marguerite Tippet’s “Once a King: The Lost Memoirs of Edward VIII”. With the paperback edition released earlier this year, it would make a lovely stocking stuffer for those who may not have read the hardcover edition. When the Duke published his memoirs in 1951, many of the principal players in the abdication crisis were still alive and dealing with the consequences of Edward’s shocking decision. As a result and out of respect for those individuals, much was withheld from “A King’s Story”, however a cache remained hidden away for over 70 years inside the archives of the Duke’s ghostwriter, Life Magazine writer Charles Murphy. Tippett, who has long been inspired by the life of the uncrowned King was lucky enough to find this extraordinary trove which included Edward’s own unedited first draft of “A King’s Story”, hand-written notes and interviews with the Duke and Duchess. This incredible find became the basis of her book, making her the first author to give the world a true glimpse into the mind and heart of the only British King to voluntarily abdicate the throne, told in his own words.
Lastly, Churchill: A Drinking Life by Jennifer Bayse "Gin" Sander and Roxanne Langer is a fun and witty compendium that is sure to charm anyone who loves to indulge in a glass of champagne or finish the day with a little Scotch, not to mention anybody who is as fascinated as I am with the great war hero himself. Over the years, Sir Winston would share drinks with some of the 20th century's most notable figures including Franklin D. Roosevelt, The Windsors, Coco Chanel and an assortment of Kings, Princes, Dukes and Duchesses, and this sweet book covers it all, along with a selection of Sir Winston's favourite libations.
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