What to get the man in your life this Christmas!

It's nearly December! I started my Christmas shopping yesterday and I am definitely feeling the christmas spirit. I always find guys hardest to buy for, so these I've bought for the guys in my life this Christmas that may well help you decide what to buy the man in yours!

My first suggestion is tickets. This could be anything from football tickets, concert tickets or like I did for Josh this year tickets to see the strictly come dancing tour! I am not even kidding when I say Josh is going to enjoy this more than me. Just find something that he's interested, if its football you could get a season pass maybe? If he has a favourite band or tv show do they have a tour/events on? I personally would stay away from experience days etc because I know in the past I have had one and so has Josh and neither of us have ended up doing them. Unless its something you can do together of course, then I find you're more likely to do it.

If you know the man you're buying for quite well, as I assume you will, then you'll probably know what aftershave they like (or if you don't also like then buy him something you do), for Josh I know he either wears Armani or Paco Roban and I prefer Paco Roban since it reminds me of the first few dates we went on so I'd buy him that.

For my dad I tend to always buy giftcards its just something that he will always use, above I pictured a B&Q one but you could always go for a sports shop or clothing store like TopMan for a brother maybe. If you have a younger brother (or older) who likes to go to the cinema a lot with friends/girlfriends then a cinema giftcard would also be a good gift!

The thing i'm going to get my dad this year though is a book, personalised to the team he loves (Birmingham City) and to him. Full of newspaper reports etc of the team from the past. I think its such a unique idea that my dad will love and its not something you would buy for yourself which is sometimes what a gift is all about.

Other book could include the one I bought Josh yesterday also pictured above. Josh is obsessed with Danny Dyer's cockney accent and his twitter account. I've never actually seen Josh read a book so when he picked it up in a store the other day and said "this is what you can get me for Christmas I was quite shocked. Turns out boys do read!

I hope this helped somewhat with picking out a Christmas presents for those pesky men this Christmas. Got any ideas? Leave them in the comments below!

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!

It's beginning to look like Christmas, everywhere we go! Haha, yesterday I went to watch Catching Fire (which was amazing btw) and because we were in town we took a walk through the German markets which was a bad idea. It was cold, extremely busy and way too dark for a young girl like me. I tell you what, after eight the city centre is full of weirdos. Anyway, we're (well I am) drifting off subject here. While I was in town it certainly felt like Christmas, I picked up a few presents, there was Christmas songs playing in shops and the decorations were beautiful!

Bonus: There's an outdoor ice skating rink this year, exciting!

This isn't my pictures but these were some of the decorations in the centre.

So once I was in the Christmas mood, I decided I wanted to do some Christmas themed posts! This one is going to be (eventually when the waffle is over) about picking the perfect presents!

Gift giving tips!

1: List all the people you have to buy for, if your badly organised like me you could download an app, I use 'No More Socks' it's good for all year round and while it's a little long to set up it's so good when you get into it. Plus it's free! However, you could just find a little notebook and keep your list written down.

2. If you're a buying a present for someone you most likely know them quite well, if your buying for your Mum you could try stuff you know she likes. I'm getting my Mum Robbie Williams new swing album because she loves his swing music. I'm buying my Dad a Family Guy shirt because I know my Dad likes and know he where's them. For my sister a new Hollister body spray because she can never get enough! Then for your friends you can think of all the little things you have in common! One of my friends is very girly and likes all things girl so I brought her some cute earrings from new look. My other friend and myself are obsessed with penguins so I brought her a penguin travel mug, it's easier than you think it'll be! 

3. If you don't know them that well (or they're just hard to buy for) try these websites!
one//two//three

Or just ask them! If they say 'I don't know' hit them around the head for being so awkward.
(Just kidding, don't do that one, or don't say I told you to do it at least)

The most important thing is not to over think it, they will love it for sure, and remember that it's not about quantity. I used to buy so much because I thought of quantity but one or two quality gifts that you know they'll love is way better. For you and them!

Mothers Day Gift Guide 2013!

Now Mothers day is coming up and I was thinking about my mothers presents and I thought why not make a gift guide! I put a lot of thought into this gift guide so I really hope you enjoy!

Let's start off with the 'present' gifts! Sometimes your mum makes you feel super amazing during the year and treats you like a princess, is always there for you and never lets you down! You think 'how can i repay her?' The answer to me was a present, something that required love and thought and here's what I came up with!

 Start off with Lush! My mum is obsessed with the sex bomb bath bomb but when we moved house it only had a shower which literally crushed her heart because of this bath bomb so I looked up the ingredients and found similar products from lush such as the flying fox shower gel and the tender is the night massage bar! By buying smaller sizes like the 100 and 30 grams she can try them and see if she likes them; her birthday is in April so if she does I can get her the full size! While on the site I also found some cute mothers day things that mums would like such as the washing up fairy and the mum! I love lush (if your mum has certain allergies or skin problems, pop into the store and check if they're okay for her or even if they have something to help the skin problem)! 

Then I saw Anna Saccone-Joly show a biscuit mug from Urban Outfitters, it was super cute! It has a really adorable biscuit pocket and it seems like something my mum would love so that went on the list of possible gifts! Then I also know a lot of people love candles (me included, but ask her first!) so get her her favorite candle. My mums is midnight jasmine or a mothers day gift set like the one in the bottom right! 

You could down the pajama route, my mums favorite is t-shirt nighties and fluffy socks, but cotton/flannel pajamas are perfect too! Or a gift card! Ikea, sainsburys or boots! (for that anti-wrinkle cream she won't admit to you she wants!) Too help out with furniture or food!

Then there's the little gifts that mean just as much but won't break the bank! Such as a card ,a cake mix (as long as you bake it!) or a meal at the pub! Because your mum is your mum and she wont want candles or lush products she'll just want you!

Last and not least there's the free gifts! The hugs, the constant reminder that she's amazing and waking up early to make her tea and breakfast in bed!

Then there's the dads that for whatever reason take up both roles, get them a mothers day card and write something like 'To the dad that is as much my mum as my father, happy mothers day!' I'm sure it'll touch his heart, though he'll pretend to be offended that you called him a woman!

Hope you enjoyed and that this post was useful to you!
If you're child, make sure your mum feels special!
If you're a mum, put your feet up!
If you're without a mum this mothers day, remember the family you do have!
(as weird as this will sound; all my lovely readers can count me! )

Have a wonderful mothers day!
Hollie
x