It’s the most wonderful time of the year again…just in case you hadn’t noticed! Most of us are on a quest to find the most fantastic, most unusual gifts that will hopefully be used time and time again.
If you’re a man who likes living on the edge, you could blindly ransack the nearest department store, with less than 48 hours to go until the big day, and manage to get it all done with enough time left for a festive pint!
Finding presents that someone ‘actually’ likes and not just more stuff to pile into the back of the wardrobe, well that is a different beast entirely! With more and more of us putting a limit on the amount we spend on each other, present shopping can take on a whole new welcome sense of achievement. Experiences will always outweigh ‘stuff’, so top of my list is to make it a priority to hook up with all of those who hold a special place in your heart during the holiday period. Have a laugh, re-hash all of your funniest shared memories, have a cry together and end the evening with the biggest hug. Did you know that a hug that lasts longer than 10 seconds is a powerful healer? It boosts oxytocin levels, which heal feelings of loneliness, isolation and anger. It also elevates serotonin levels, boosting the mood so that you feel happy. There is nothing better than a hug to boost your self-esteem, absolutely everybody feels better about themselves after a great big cuddle. The best part is that HUGS ARE FREE and always AVAILABLE if you are!
When it comes to buying the perfect gift for ‘her’, then look no further than Blinks n’ Brows ID brow kit – it is sensational. A few years ago, I met the beautiful Therese O’Leary, a face that most of you will recognise from strutting her gorgeous stuff on TV runways. Therese and Susan O’Neill, both Corkonians, set up this company; their cosmetic products have heart and soul and also a purpose to make women feel and look beautiful. Therese, sadly like many of us, watched her sister go through chemotherapy for cancer and saw how it stole her eyebrows. Despite the fact that many brands promised to give the perfect brows, none of them delivered a quick and easy solution. So the courageous beauty therapist decided to solve the problem herself and designed her own product ID Brows, a two-step technique that gives you perfect brows in seconds, any time, any place, anywhere. This product is simply fantastic and shapes and defines brows for every woman. The brow kit costs €44.99 and contains an easy-to-hold ID brow tool, a duo eyebrow mineral powder with a warm and cool tone palette and a compact brush. There is also a longer double-ended brush that makes it impossible to use too much product. This tops my list as the best present to get any girl in your life. Check it out at www.blinksnbrows.com, you won’t regret it! Don’t take the chance that dear old Father Christmas might forget, order one for your very special SELF!
If there is one thing that every woman adores, it is a satchel bag. A gift like this is always used and much appreciated. Choose a colour that complements black, brown, navy or grey and you are on to a winner. The clever shopper does not need to spend a fortune, so be sure to have a good look around to get the best quality for the best price.
Imagine being given a gift that keeps giving, right throughout the year. I think one of the most beautiful gifts is a flower bouquet subscription; a bunch of flowers delivered once a month, every month for a year. Think about it, someone might be having a crap day, week or month and then your gift of a bouquet of flowers arrives…And makes the world a more beautiful place! This is a really great shop local gift.
We all love our winter hats – the fluffier and bigger the pom pom, the better – and admit it girls, they cover bad hair days, praise the Lord! Perhaps your significant other might get you another one, with the slinkiest underwear wrapped up inside…just a thought, one that would make you giggle! Anything in life that makes you laugh is precious so always take the opportunity or make one to have a good cackle. Imagine unwrapping a beautiful beanie hat and out falls the tiniest g-string in sinful red….right in front of your in laws!
Statement earrings are always a big wow when it comes to the perfect present. Of course the bigger the better, they are not to be worn all the time, just on occasion, when added ‘umph’ is needed. Sparkle is everywhere, so if you are somewhat shy of it, perhaps you could stretch to wearing some long sparkly earrings. They jazz up a simple outfit, boosting it from cool to stunning, so just go for it.
Looking good does not need to cost a lot. I say it so often but am always saddened to see the pressure that some women feel to look a certain way. We all love you exactly as you are, whether you are wearing Dior or Penneys…it’s not the clothes, it’s YOU. Take out that old reliable Little Black Dress, dust off your dancing shoes, watch a few make-up tutorials to freshen up your look, google a few new hair do’s that will complement your beautiful face and add some BLING. A glorious clutch bag can make or break an outfit, so make sure that your choice is a ‘knock ’em dead’ one. There should always be room for a spare pair of tights – roll them up as tightly as possible so that any ladders that might appear are simply whisked away.
I just want to take this opportunity to thank you, a big warm bottom-of-my-heart thank you to all of you who read my wanderings. Thank you for your kind words and lovely messages. My true vocation in life is to make woman feel beautiful always. I try my best and feel so honoured to have met so many fascinating people on my travels, always learning and always passing on that learning to brighten up the next person’s day. I am truly grateful that many of you let me into your lives and we just naturally become friends. This Christmas, be grateful for who you have in your life, don’t ever take anyone for granted and always let those special ones know just how special they are. You will never be the perfect cup of tea for some people so focus on those that you mean the world to. Merry Christmas my darlings; I’m most likely hugging someone and giving them a great big squeeze, hope you are too!
