25 Very Cool Gifts For The Very Hard To Buy For 2020 [Christmas Gift Guide]
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I always feel like a complete outsider in the run up to Christmas working in this industry in the UK. Not in a woe is me way, more in a ‘you’re all Christmas obsessed and I don’t really understand’ kind of way.
It has meant I’ve been (erm, jokingly?!) called a grinch on more than one occasion, and I’m not sure if it’s because it was just never as big of a deal in my family, or because I grew up in Australia and it’s generally not as huge a deal as it is here. Or both!
I moved out of home when I was seventeen and didn’t live in the same country as most of my family from the age of 21, and to me, Christmas is really about kids, so when I was in my twenties, Christmas was the day I went to a restaurant and sat in the scorching sun with my sister and niece (the only family living in Sydney too), ate loads of seafood, drank loads of champagne, got *quite* drunk, went home for a snooze and then had a massive party with my flatmate in the evening.
Not sure my flatmate and I ever bothered with a tree or decorations, and I just wasn’t really interested in Christmas particularly at all.
For a good chunk of my life, my Christmases, were really quite different from the pretty traditional Christmases I now have in London with my British husband and our kids! I have actually tried to suggest for at least the last two years that we go to a nice hotel for a Christmas lunch instead of cooking at home, but alas, it has been met with a very firm resistance. Not that I dislike the traditional turkey feast that Ed cooks up (while I’m in charge of the arguably more important puddings and cocktails), but I wouldn’t mind mixing it up every now and then. I’d miss the leftovers terribly though.
Anyway, I digress…
Obviously working in interiors there’s a certain expectation to go big for Christmas decorating, and I have slowly gotten on board with that over the years. I might even actually kind of enjoy it now, but the Christmas shopping from October thing just completely baffles me.
I’m sure it would be different if we had a huge number of people to buy for, but these days, most Christmases it’s just us and the kids and Ed’s dad. And sometimes my mum if she is visiting from New Zealand.
With the worlds most particular husband, a teenage daughter only interested in clothes and makeup and a nine year old son only interested in Roblox, I’m never really on the look out for gifts, but boy do I like looking for this gift guide. It’s like the fantasy shopping I don’t get to do, and I don’t take it lightly. I spend days trawling the net for what I hope are actually really great gift ideas for even the trickiest people in your life. If not these particular products, maybe it will spark an idea to just lead you to the perfect gift.
I have tried to be relatively sensible with pricing and most things are under a hundred pounds, with a few stretching higher, but nothing exceeds the two hundred pound mark.
Personally, I’d rather one lovely thing that I will keep for years to come, than a load of cheap tat that will be shoved in a drawer and never looked at or used.
So without further ado, it’s time to share the 2020 edition of Very Cool Gifts For The Very Hard To Buy For…
1 Arkitaip x Laëtitia Rouget Set Of Matches - Arkitaip
I was so excited to see this gorgeous collaboration - Laëtitia, aka Shoopy Studio is a big favourite of mine, as are beautiful boxes of matches.
2 *Ceramiche Nicola Fasano Round Handle Handcrafted Vase - The Conran Shop at Selfridges
Speaks for itself really, gorgeous shape, and although I'm not normally an orange person, I was really drawn to this colour! I know, who even am I!?
3 Cyrus Scented Candle - Moro Dabron
I spotted this newly launched scented candle the other day and instantly fell in love. I wouldn’t normally recommend a candle I hadn’t actually smelt, but with a container this beautiful, it almost doesn’t matter. Almost…
4 *Ferm Living Tipping Measure - Earl of East at Trouva
I have used this brilliant little spirit measure so much in the few weeks I've had it and I know you guys like it too becasue of the sheer number of messages I've recieved asking for the link over and over. So I figured it definitely deserved a spot here - a really fab gift.
5 Trio of Tea Towels - Quirk & Rescue
Yes, I love a neutral, but every now and then, I also love a touch of neon. And if you can have fun with a tea towel when can you have fun? This fab set of three tea towels (there’s also a pink set) would make a fab gift for the colour lover in your life!
6 Hand-thrown Ceramic Incense Holder - The Future Kept
I always check out the beautiful curation at The Future Kept for my gift guides as it’s a guaranteed win, and this incense holder is just lovely, and plays into my footed bowl obsession too. Don’t forget the incense!
7 Jumbo Cord Cushion - Kirkby Design
For the luxury textiles lover, look no further than Kirkby Design for stunning fabrics and a collection of ready made cushions, including this Jumbo Cord one in the prettiest of pink velvets. Yes please!
8 *Stone Marbled Resin Salad Servers by Dinosaur Designs - Matches Fashion
Dinosaur Designs have been around since forever - an Australian brand that I will always have a soft spot for, and I adore these totally uniuqe marbled resin salad servers.
9 *Set of Four Espresso Cups - Sezanne
These gorgeous little espresso cups could possibly turn me into a hardcore coffee drinker. Though I'd be just as happy to just gaze at them sitting pretty on a shelf.
10 Wake Up / Maybe Later Pillowcases - Hotel Magique
Pretty sure I need these in my life. Well, my bedroom. I’ll take the Maybe Later one…
11 *Klevering Glass Sphere - Liberty
Paper weight or pretty objet d’art? You choose.
12 Fluted Candles in Rose - Matilda Goad
My name is Bianca and I am a candle addict. Come on, you have to admit that as far as dinner candles go, these are pretty special!
13 *Dried Flower Arrangement in Vase by Your London Florist - Selfridges
This is just the prettiest dried flower arrangement ever, and THAT vase...
14 *Profondo Vase by Day Birger et Mikkelson - Amara
I stumbled upon this by accident and now I’m obsessed. Who needs flowers when the vessel is this lovely!
15 *Christmas Treats Box - Selfridges
If all else fails, you can’t go wrong with hampers. True story. See also, alcohol and gormet food in general.
16 Niwaki Pro Topiary Clippers
The Japanese just know how to do things like this better than anyone, you know?
I seem to be unable to stop thinking about this throw. Do I need it? No. Do I want it? Yes. You might know someone that wants it too!
18 *Aganice Scented Candle - Aesop
Again, I’ve not smelt this, but I already know I love it. Firmly on my wish list.
19 Statue Legacy T-shirt— The Palomino
For the tricky customer in your life - a t-shirt or two from the coolest skate shop in town. Sorted.
20 *Laguiole Cheese Knife Set - Prep at Trouva
You can’t have a great cheese board without a great cheese knife. And everyone knows that Christmas is really just about cheese.
21 *Diptyque Mini Candle Set - SpaceNK
Doesn’t really need a caption does it? You know how I feel about Diptyque candles, and these minis would be such a lovely gift.
22 Green Onyx Chess Set - Farrar & Tanner
I’ve no doubt The Queen’s Gambit has caused a massive surge in chess set sales, and they don’t come more beautiful or timeless than this. I might even want to learn myself so I have an excuse to buy it.
For all the travelling and weekends away we hope to be partaking in next year. Chic as hell.
24 *Scalloped Stoneware Pasta Bowls - West Elm
If I didn’t alredy own plenty of perfectly lovely pasta bowls, I’d be adding these to my Christmas Wish List in a flash. Maybe I will anyway.
25 *Barwell Crystal Rocks Glasses - Soho Home at Liberty (or purchase as a boxed set of two from Soho Home direct for a bit more)
I’ve decided that I need crystal tumblers in my grown up glassware stash, and so should everyone else. Will make everything taste better without a doubt.
Negroni and a bit of present wrapping anyone?