Christmas Presents for Tricky Ladies

I'm a nightmare to buy presents for. I know it, I admit it and I even wrote what NOT to buy me here. Last night we had my friends' Christmas Party and it gives me great pleasure to say that my Secret Santa did an amazing job. I know I am often the 'dreaded' ticket in the hat and our credit crunch budget of £50 per person is a tough one as one needs some clever thinking, but my Secret Santa managed terribly well.

I received a colourful and pop-tastic bangle from Marc by Marc Jacobs and I love it. Being a dainty jewellery kind of girl, I don't really go for big pieces or bangles, hence I would have never bought this for myself. However, as a gift, it's just perfect as it adds something different to my accessories collection and it makes me all excited in trying out a new way of styling my outfits. (Sadly Little Miss G is also very taken with this piece and I might have a few fights in my hands to explain that this colourful bracelet is not hers) 

I love that my Secret Santa was very thrifty with his £50 as he managed to somehow add a small Diptyque Choisya candle to the Marc Jacobs bangle. Of course I love Diptyque, who doesn't? I admit that I had never smelled Choisya before, so I was dreading some overly flowery smell (not me) or Feu De Bois (the one Diptyque candle that I can only describe as vile), but Choisya is indeed a lovely choice. The smell is bitter sweet and comes from the Orange flower that somehow reminds me of Morocco and brings me back to happy memories. Merci bien, my Secret Santa! You've done an amazing job!

Inspired by my unexpected and lovely gifts from last night I thought I might write a post about what to get a difficult lady for Christmas in case some of you out there are struggling with this very task.

Magazine Subscription. This is what I gifted my secret recipient last night. I am a huge magazine junkie and I don't know many people who would not enjoy receiving a magazine in the post once a week / month to fill those 10 minutes before going to sleep or in the bath. This gift might not have the opening-the-present wow factor, but once the first issue hots the mailbox, this truly is the gift that keeps on giving for a whole year.

Museum or Art Gallery Membership Card. Mr H used to buy me the Tate Gallery membership and it was a much loved and much used gift. Not only one can skip the cost and hassle of bookings the major exhibitions (at all Tate Galleries across the UK), but it also comes with access to the members' restaurant that, in the case of the Tate Modern, has some of the best views across the Thames. The Royal Academy of Arts and V&A are also very good options for the London based.

Books. Especially a beautiful coffee table book that costs a bit more than the average book and that satisfies both the eyes and the mind. Here is a small sample of my current wish list: The Art Book. New Edition, Grace by Grace Coddington and In Vogue: An Illustrated History of the World's Most Famous Magazine.

Fitness Gadgets. Like the rest of the world, I will be on a detox and diet mission come January and, beside the gift of a Personal Trainer carnet of sessions, the second best thing would be a Nike Plus Fuel Band. It comes in three colours (plain black is my favourite) and tracks your movements throughout the day whilst looking stylish on your wrist. It comes in three sizes with added pieces to make a size slightly bigger. I think medium would fit most average built men and women like me who like their bracelets slightly loose. This has a bit of a steep price, but there are plenty of old fashion pedometers that come in at a much cheaper cost. Otherwise I would suggest a good yoga mat with a nice bag or some pilates equipment. Of course these gifts require a cleverly worded card and a good friendship (mere acquaintances might get a bit offended by the get-fit message) but, trust me, come January, these gifts will be much appreciated by anyone.

Sleepwear and Loungewear. I might be a bit controversial on this one as I know that a lot of people think that pyjamas are a boring gift, but I love lounge wear and PJs. Of course anything with a loud or cheesy print or *shrieks* something made of polyester would go straight to the charity bag, but a nice pair of cotton or flannel PJs with a simple drawstring waist and a fitted, but not too tight, long sleeve T-shirt would be my trusty companion for those chilly winter evenings (and lazy weekend days). 

Anything Cashmere. From socks to scarves, from jumpers to gloves, anything made out of good quality cashmere is just luxurious and impossible to resists. The White Company has the most amazing bed cashmere socks. Uniqlo has plenty of coloured cashmere jumpers that will last for years (I wash mine in the washing machine, wear them every day and they are still going strong). Pure Collection has some cashmere scarves that are terribly soft and reasonably priced, but my all time favourite are their 100% cashmere pashmina shawls. They are a bit more pricey, but I wear mine from October to May, so well worth the investment. (Please do not style them as they show on their site. I use mine as a scarf, admittedly a big and luxurious one, wrap it twice around my neck and tie the ends)

Merry Christmas and happy shopping everyone!