Counting down to Christmas:

Whether you like it or not, Christmas is now officially just over a month away.  Some very organised people will have already made a start on their seasonal shopping, and a select few seriously ill individuals will have completed the task (wrapping and all) back in August.  

For the majority of us, though - despite all the good intentions in the world - the 25th of December will creep up far too quickly.  Before you know it, you'll be the person tearing your hair out in the middle of M&S, or fiercely wrestling a fellow shopper for the last Downton Abbey box set.  Usually, that person is me.  But not this year, friends, not this year.

Thanks to the (admittedly quite early) John Lewis Christmas launch night last month, I've been brainstorming gift ideas for my family and friends for a while now.  Like last year, I met Gillian and Lianne (and also the lovely Laura for the first time) at the Edinburgh branch to see what John Lewis have got in store for Christmas 2014.  We were all greeted with a special cocoa infused gin and tonic and tasty canapés from the in store Hotel Chocolat Café - something which I'm sure would make the everyday Christmas shopping experience infinitely better.

As always, we were spoiled rotten by both John Lewis and the Stripe team, and I had a lovely time catching up with some of my favourite Edinburgh bloggers.  Hopefully the snaps I took at the event will help you get into the Christmas spirit if you aren't already - is anyone else getting excited about putting up their tree way too early?

Have a look below at my John Lewis Christmas gift guide which I've split up into a few different categories.  Maybe it will inspire you on your Christmas shopping quest, or maybe it will just make your own wish list longer...

Food & Drink:

1. Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label NV Champagne with Ice Jacket Carry Pack: If I'm ever taking a bottle of white or fizzy wine to a friend's house, I like it to arrive chilled and ready to drink. Now, this might be the most first world problem you've ever heard, but carting a bottle with a cooling jacket on it around is always a pain and obviously the John Lewis buyers think so too! Personally I think a carry handle on an ice jacket is a genius idea, and this one comes with a bottle of Champers too (worth over £35 on its own) - bonus!  (£48)

2. Hotel Chocolat Classic Christmas H-Box: If you're going to give a box of chocolates as a Christmas present, you'd better make sure they're something special. Pretty much anything from Hotel Chocolat is guaranteed to taste great, but doesn't this special Christmas box look amazing too? (£12)

3. Edinburgh Gin Cocktail Set: I'm a big fan of Edinburgh Gin (as any regular readers/friends and family members will already know!) and I also love a good cocktail. This cocktail making set comes with everything you'll need to come up with your own concoctions at home. I particularly like the little Edinburgh Gin bottle stopper. (£45)

4. Natalie Chocolates Fondant Sugar Mice Stick Pack: My Mum (err... I mean Santa) always used to put a sugar mouse in my stocking, so I still always associate them with Christmas. These ones are a soft fondant, so will save any cracked teeth dramas on Christmas morning! (£2.50)

5. Build Your Own Gingerbread Train: We're big train fans in my family, so I had to include this cute alternative to a traditional gingerbread house. (£15)

6. Edinburgh Gin Rhubarb & Ginger Liqueur: Edinburgh Gin usually come out with a new flavoured liqueur around Christmas time, and this year it's rhubarb and ginger. These taste great in cocktails, or with some prosecco and I'm curious to taste the new flavour for myself. (£18)

Comfort & Beauty:

1. Barts Maria Beanie Hat: I have a strange relationship with hats. I kind of have too much hair to really stand a chance at making them look good on me, but I still always find myself hankering after woolly bobble hats at this time of year - especially when they're as cute as this one. (£19.99)

2. Benefit Pretty Parfait Gift Set: As a total make up novice, I've always been intrigued by what Benefit has to offer, but could never justify shelling out money on expensive products that might not work for me.  This gift set comes with four famous Benefit items that I haven't tried, one of which - the Benetint lip and cheek stain - is worth £24.50 on its own!   (£29.50)

3. MAVALA Nail Polish Bauble in Rouge Rubis: Despite being an amateur when it comes to make up, I do have a soft spot for nail varnish.  (I've barely had my natural nail colour for more than 24 hours in the last five years, and that's not an exaggeration!)  I've never tried the MAVALA brand before, so buying a single polish like this seems like a good way to try it out, and the fact that it's encased in a Christmas tree bauble is just an added bonus. (£5)

4. OPI Nails - Gwen Mini Christmas Holiday Stars Gift Set: OPI have a great reputation, but up until recently their nail varnishes were pretty difficult to get your hands on in the UK.  This special Christmas set has four festive colours (with amazing names like 'What's Your Point-Settia?') and the mini sized bottles will last longer than you think.  Bargain! (£14.50)

5. John Lewis Christmas Tree Duvet Cover and Pillowcase Set: Some people might think decorating your bedroom for Christmas is over the top, but I am not one of those people. Last year I bought a snuggly, tartan flannel duvet cover for the winter months, but I'd be willing to take it one step further with this pretty Christmas tree number.  (£40-£50)

6. Fat Face Reindeer Jersey Pyjama Pants: If I'm going to be properly cosy under my Christmas themed duvet, I obviously need the appropriate reindeer pyjama bottoms to wear. I usually get a new pair as a present every Christmas and wear them to death throughout the year. As long as you get the size right, it's an ideal gift idea for anyone!  (£28)

Gadgets:

1. Lumie Bodyclock Go 75 Wake-up Light: I've hankered after one of these alarm clocks that simulate a sunrise for a long time because I have real difficulty waking up in the morning. The idea is that the gradual light will wake you up naturally, rather than jolting you out of bed. I'm not sure if it would work, but I really like the idea! (£75)

2. Joby GripTight GorillaPod Tripod for Smartphones: My Dad has a GorillaPod, so I've seen firsthand how cool and useful they are. I've wanted a tripod for my iPhone for a while (more for filming than taking photos, but it could come in handy for that too!) and having the bendable legs means you can wrap it around anything to get your shot, rather than carting around a bulky, tall tripod. (£25)

3. Nespresso Inissia Coffee Machine by KRUPS in Red: I never thought I would be a coffee (or tea) drinker, but apparently adulthood requires a lot of caffeine. We had a Nespresso coffee maker in one of our USA hotel rooms, and it was really easy to use. Buying a machine like this might be a bit pricey, but at around 30p per Nespresso pod I would save a lot of money on coffee in the long run! (£62.99-£80)

4. Apple Wireless Remote: Having a remote for my laptop (and phone) is a bit of an extravagance really, but it could come in handy while watching movies in bed or listening to music around the house. I don't think the Apple remote is compatible with third party programs - like Netflix - but that's not the end of the world when it's not overly expensive. (£15)

What's on your Christmas list this year?

Perfect presents:

I know Christmas has been and gone now, but (just like last year) I was given some lovely homeware as gifts by my thoughtful family and friends, and I'm excited to share them!  First of all, Craig gave me an awesome wooden stag's head from Oliver Bonas.  I've had my eye on one of these for ages, so I was very excited and grateful when I opened this gift!  I think it (he?) looks brilliant above the fireplace.

My very talented Auntie embroidered pillowcases for me (and Craig!) with sweet messages.  She makes sewing and knitting look so easy, but I can't even comprehend how bad the outcome would be if I had attempted this project myself...  It's lovely to have something unique but practical that we can keep for a very long time, if not forever!

Craig chose this 4x4" dark wood stained photo frame (also from Oliver Bonas) as another surprise present for me, and it's perfect for our bedroom.  I've popped it on my bedside table already - just need to remember to put a photo in there at some point!

Remember the cutesy milk carton jug I included in my November Instagram update?  Well, my lovely little Mum did, and bought it for me!  It was a brilliant present, as I thought the jug had sold out.  Craig's Mum also surprised me with a pair of quirky Coca-Cola salt and pepper shakers in a little caddy.  They'll look so cute on the dinner table when we have dinner parties!

And last but not least, my big cousin brought me back some beautiful flower fairy lights all the way from Thailand, and my best pal, Emily, picked me out a Jimbob Art plate, by James Ward.  There are SO many great designs on his website, but the 'What Cake?' side plate that Emily chose is perfect for me.  I'm tempted to start a collection!  When did I become one of those people who collects plates and hangs them on the wall?

Homeware Christmas gift guide:

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?  I certainly have... not.  I'm not quite sure where November has gone.  I'm usually fairly unprepared for the festive season, but this year is the worst so far.  Still, I'm looking forward to getting started and spoiling my friends and family.

If you're still in need of some inspiration, I've thrown together a quick homeware Christmas gift guide.  My ideas aren't revolutionary, but they are fairly gender and age neutral, so there should be something for everyone!

Source: here

Mugs are an affordable present that everyone will appreciate.  You can wrap it up with some of the recipient's favourite tea, coffee or hot chocolate, and maybe some biscuits too. 

1. Tunnock's Teacake Mug (by Gillian Kyle) from madefromscotland.com (£11.50)
2. Monogrammed Mug from Anthropologie (£6)
3. Christmas Town Half Pint Mug (by Emma Bridgewater) from John Lewis (£15.96


Giving wall decoration as a Christmas present can be tricky, but if you know your friend or family member's taste well enough, go for it!  They'll think of you every time they walk past your gift in pride of place.

1. Wooden Deer Head from Oliver Bonas (£28)
2. Batboy Print (by The Grey Earl) from madefromscotland.com (£20)
3. Cosmic Coat Rack from Oliver Bonas (£55)

Vases always come in handy, and they can be as functional or ornate as you like.

1. Owl Bubble Vase from Oliver Bonas (£14.50)
2. SOCKERART Vase from IKEA (£14)
3. Pragmatic Vase, Eat Cake from Anthropologie (£38)



You didn't think I could resist some cushions, did you?  Well... you were right.

1. Hand Knitted Cushion from Matalan (£18)
2. Tunnock's Teacake Round Cushion (by Gillian Kyle) from madefromscotland.com (£36.50)
3. Canvas Cushion Cover from H&M (£6.99)

Good luck, everybody!

Christmas in October! John Lewis Christmas Event 2013:

I love Christmas - that's no secret - but last week I was hurled into the Christmas spirit much earlier than even I'm comfortable with!  The fast paced nature of retail means that the Edinburgh John Lewis Christmas event 2013 for press, suppliers and bloggers was held at the very start of October.  I was lucky enough to be invited, and headed along to The Bonham Hotel in the West End with Gillian, Jade and Lianne.

The boutique hotel's small function room was a lovely and cosy setting for the event, and the decorations made it feel like we really were all at a festive Christmas or New Year party.  John Lewis's Christmas theme this year is 'inspired by reliving Christmases past', which I can definitely get on board with, as memories of my childhood Christmases are some of the happiest I have!  Around the room were little displays of different John Lewis products, from a huge pile of toys (which the four bloggers were instantly drawn to - clearly we are all still big kids!) to clothing, homeware, drinks and beauty.

Of course, I couldn't resist the offer of some Edinburgh Gin tasting, and Jane (who runs Spencerfield Spirits with the help of her husband and family) was there to tell us more about the different flavours and ingredients used in their products.  The spiced orange infused Edinburgh Gin is a new addition to the range for the festive season, and Jane recommended drinking it with cider for a mulled taste.  There is also an elderflower flavour, if that's your cup of tea/gin, and a raspberry, which was definitely my favourite!  These can both be mixed with fizzy wine as an alternative to the traditional kir royale cocktail.  I enjoyed trying all of the variations of Edinburgh Gin, but I'm going to get my hands on a bottle of the raspberry flavour as soon as I can!  It didn't taste artificial at all, and would be a great addition to a whole host of cocktails.

There were some lovely pieces of crockery and homeware on display, alongside pretty Christmas decorations.  Even though I hadn't even begun to think about Christmas shopping at that point, the evening planted the thought in my head.  Maybe I'll be really organised this year and have it all done in advance!  Or maybe that's just clever marketing...

(Can you spot Gillian snapping some photos of her own in the reflection below?  I'm like the bloggerazzi.)

We spent quite a big chunk of time chatting to Donna from Liz Earle, who works at the Edinburgh counter in John Lewis.  Honestly, we were talking about this, that and everything for ages, but we did manage to learn a little about Liz Earle beauty line, and their special Christmas releases.  I've used the famous Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish cleanser before, but haven't tried any of their other products.  I thought the star shaped tin gift boxes were a really cute idea for a Christmas present.  They contain either a nail polish or lipstick, and afterwards the box can be hung as a Christmas decoration on your tree, or (as Donna suggested) even used as a candle holder!

I wanted to dive into this cosy, Christmassy corner and have a snooze!  There's so much going on, but everything is cute and fluffy, and I would be happy to have it all in my home for the festive season!  It definitely looked like there were enough pairs of warm slippers and comfy cushions for everyone.

After chatting for hours and sipping a few glasses of lovely prosecco, we bloggers headed out into the rainy night with an extremely generous gift bag from John Lewis.  It included some samples from Edinburgh Gin and Liz Earle, as well as some lovely Christmas decorations that I can't wait to add to my tree in December!  

I haven't cracked open the Edinburgh Gin yet, but I'm looking forward to a few special G&Ts in the near future!  I have, however, tried both of the John Lewis Colour nail polishes pictured above (from left to right - Candyfloss and Festival) and they both applied like a dream!  I especially like Festival, which is a sort of toffee colour when applied.  I probably wouldn't have automatically chosen it, but it's a nice neutral that I think I'll get quite a bit of use out of!

As you can see, I had a lovely time at the event!  We hoped that we might get a sneak peek at this year's John Lewis Christmas advert for 2013, but alas no secrets were given away.  Someone did mention that the cute little panda above is a new 'character' for this year, so maybe he will feature in the advert when it's finally unveiled?  If so, remember you saw it here first!

 I hope this post has inspired some (extremely early) festive cheer!  Don't worry, I won't be mentioning Christmas much again until December rolls around, but I might try to get some of my Christmas shopping organised early.  Are any of you super prepared, or do you usually leave things to the last minute (like me!)?

A very crafty Christmas:

Happy New Year, friends!  You may or may not have noticed that I ended up taking a bit of an unintentional hiatus from blogging over Christmas.  I woke up with a tummy bug on Christmas morning (such a huge disappointment) and have really only started feeling better in the last few days.  I think I've probably missed the window for a full blown 'What I Got For Christmas' post, but I did receive some lovely homeware and some handmade gifts that I thought deserved a special mention.

This plain table lamp was hand decorated by my very creative and talented cousin, Morag.  Check out her bespoke cake toppers and sculptures and her Etsy shop to see more of her artistic skills!  She said she modelled the design  of my lamp on henna tattoos and that it was 'a project', which means it took a lot of time and effort, as I think you can see from the result!  It's now in pride of place on my bedside table.

Morag also made this adorable mug candle for me.  Okay, okay, the mug isn't handmade (although it is very cute!) but the candle is, and it smells like hot chocolate - delicious!  If I'm honest, I feel like I won't ever burn it because I want to keep it perfect forever...

Picture found here

I love so many things about these pretty Cath Kidston mugs already, even though they were only given to me by some family friends last night!  The starry pattern is so sweet, and just my style.  Also, the mugs stack on top of each other.  That's right, STACK!  (I'm not quite sure why that feature excites me so much, but it really does!)  Best of all, they come in a reusable tin, so it's pretty much two presents in one!

I also received these polka dot candles (also from Cath Kidston), and I'm eager to invest in some candle sticks so that I can put these beauties out on display.  Again, I might never burn them, though, just to keep them nice!

Comparison photo found here

This is actually one of Craig's Christmas presents on the right: a custom Frightened Rabbit anchor, designed and hand made by our friend Ruaridh.  We (half) jokingly asked him to make one for our bathroom back in the summer, but the end result is far too handsome to be hidden away, and it has found a home on the living room fireplace.

And this was my present from Ruaridh, a necklace modelled on a Frightened Rabbit print that the band's frontman drew.  I can't find a good comparison photo for this one, but it doesn't really matter because the necklace is an exact replica of the drawing.  It's insane.  Even the band were impressed on Twitter!  Unfortunately Ruaridh doesn't have a website yet, but I have been bugging him to get one up and running, and you should too!

As you can see, I did very well this Christmas, and these are only a small selection of the amazing presents I received.  I'm very grateful to everybody, not just those mentioned here, but aren't my friends and family talented?