8 Unique Christmas Gift Ideas

It has come to that time of the year!

Whether you love or loath Christmas I’m here to make it easier. Personally I am a lover however one thing I do loath is buying a present for the sake of buying a present. When you run out of time and you know that the gift is just ok, or costs way more than you think it should but your choices are pay up or go without. I once did Christmas Eve on Oxford street… never again!

I have put together a selection of unique gifts for you, from small businesses and all responsibly sourced. I have personally bought one of everything on this list so I know both the quality and service is great too. There is a range of prices, and options to suit everyones tastes.

Jord Home - Boutique Rug Store.
Simply put, these rugs are stunning! Not only do they look great, are super soft but the company focuses on ethical rearing and sourcing. I have bought two so far and I expect I will be buying many more as I continue to decorate the house. Perfect gift for a friend or family member who loves to be cosy. Think warm socks, cups of hot chocolate and a roaring fire and you have the perfect setting. https://www.jordhome.com/collections/sheepskin
Edward and Irwyn - Chocolatiers.
Yes to some of the best chocolates I have tasted! As well as being delicious this small chocolate shop also has some fantastically unique treats on offer. From dragon tails filled with salted caramel to shards of stargazer marbled chocolate you will find something for everyone in the family, stocking fillers anyone! Based in Edinburgh, their shop is as unique as the chocolates they make, they do of course have an online shop too but get there quick as their stocks can go very quickly. My favourite, Dark Chocolate Shards with Scots pine, juniper and peat smoked salt… YUM! https://edwardandirwyn.co.uk
The Botanical Candle Co
Hands down my absolutely favourite candle company! Everything I have bought from here not only smells beautiful but also looks lovely. Highlight, they come elegantly wrapped so you don’t even need to worry about doing that yourself, buy and gift! https://www.thebotanicalcandleco.co.uk
Little Cloud
They have a selection of beautiful gifts for children. The glitter stars have certainly being making the rounds on instagram and for good reason they are beautiful! They are great to mix and match as well so you don’t have to stick to one colour. The only warning I would give is if you have a toddler stick them high enough otherwise you will find them rearranged each morning, plus side I can definitely vouch for them being resticklabe. They have a mixture of small stocking fillers too! http://www.little-cloud.co.uk
Lost in the Light - Photography course.
There are so many great photography courses out there, the true art is finding one. Then once you have found one, the amount of information that you need to take in during the course is mind boggling. Finally how do you know what level someone needs. How much do they already know, what camera do they have etc. The joy of this course is yes it covers a huge amount of information and the first time you complete the course as a beginner you might be left feeling slightly overwhelmed it doesn’t matter as once you have signed up to this course you can retake it as many times as you need to. Run by a couple its a relaxed online community with a mixture of complete beginners to a little more camera savvy. https://https://themelias.co/the-melias-shop2
Writing course - Cambridge university
For someone who is a keen writer this course is fantastic or if someone needs some gentle encouragement to start. Run by the published author Natasha Pulley who will give feedback as you go as well as your peers its a fun and interesting way to test your writing skills. Even if you don’t plan to be the next J.K Rowly you can’t beat spending some time for yourself doing something creative. They do have online courses too which runs for 7 weeks or you can do the one day course at Cambridge it depends how you work best and you other commitments. I did the online course as it worked a little better around childcare. You have a week for each assessment which is made up of both reading and writing tasks. http://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/course/introduction-writing-fantasy-0
12 week planner - Make a Plan, Make it Happen
This is a must for anyone who has New Years resolutions! I’m sure like me you start off with the best intentions then by feb (mid Jan) life has taken over and all those amazing ideas you had have been forced to the back of the queue by work, children, animals, cooking… the list goes on (and on). Split into three different goals and colour co-ordinated to each week across the three months this planner helps you break down the bigger goal into bite size chunks so the task doesn’t seem as overwhelming anymore. By having the planner up on the wall it reminds you what needs to be done. It also has a treat box so you can write what reward you will get for completing each goal! http://www.josephinebrooks.co.uk/shop
Nikki Hill Apothecary
I have bought so many things from here over the last couple of months. Nikki the founder is a fully qualified naturopath, clinical nutritionist and medical herbalist. From candles (which is currently making my office smell amazing) to herbal teas and bath salts you know you’re in good hands. Perfect gifts for friends as they do kits too, the Relaxing self care kit is a goodie for anyone who finds the Christmas season a little stressful or you can also create a bespoke kit to tick all the boxes. The salts and teas come in a lovely glass jar which you can buy refills for as and when you need them. Her products come nicely wrapped so again you don’t need to do anything other than put a name tag on the box. You will love this range of gorgeous and therapeutic products. https://www.nikkihillapothecary.com/apothecary/#wellnessgifts