By Colette Fitzpatrick
Christmas/the holiday season is right around the corner and many people (not me) leave things until the veeerrry last minute (I start in September. Yes, I know, I’m a smug butthead.). If you’re a Christmas eve shopper and you’re stressed out, we thought we’d give you some ideas of gifts that don’t cost a fortune and should be pretty readily obtained at short notice i.e. after tomorrow, when most online stores in Ireland can no longer guarantee delivery and you’ll likely have to brave shopping IRL.
These are some of the things that we’re obsessed with here at Bean as of late, all of which we’d love to find in our stockings on Christmas day.
1. Hair Clips and Scrunchies
You might have seen us declare our love for hairclips over on Instagram but we’re also majorly into that other hair staple of our childhoods; the humble scrunchie. They’re both really on trend and all over the place at the moment and we predict that that will only continue. Whether you want to fully embrace your childhood and go for the cutesy varieties or go for something a little more chic, minimalist and grown up, both are good and there are plenty of options. We love these sleek gold clips from Mango, as well as this leopard print scrunchie from Topshop, these cute tortoiseshell clips from Stradivarius, and these pretty crystal statement hair grips from Bershka. Plus, if you check out plenty of little old shops and corner stores, you’ll find plenty of cute clips and hair ties for little girls that you could totally rock as an adult and can probably get for a steal, so keep your eye out!
2. The Best Book You Read This Year
I, personally, love gifting friends and family with the best books I’ve read over the year as it is a nice and intimate way of getting closer to someone and ensures you a topic of conversation in the future. Of course, the caveat here is that you probably shouldn’t get someone say a fantasy novel if you know they hate the genre. Presuming you have cause to believe that they’d be interested in it, it is a great way to share something you love with someone you love!
3. Flowers
Who doesn’t love flowers? Give them to everyone. Everyone deserves flowers.
The cute smile on my dad’s face when I first gave him a bunch of flowers was so wonderful and lovely and I know plenty of other people light up when presented with beautiful blooms. If you’re buying, I love what Adonis Flowers on Patrick Street in Dublin does with their arrangements but I also recommend buying flowers and personally putting together a bouquet for someone you love. Not only will they get some pretty flowers but you can also make it a little more unique and heartfelt by putting some craft into the mix!
4. Really Cute Socks
You’re probably thinking, “Socks?? Are you serious?” but in the last year or so socks have really gotten a sexy makeover. You can readily get some of the coolest socks you’ve ever seen from all the usual suspects and they can utterly transform outfits. Put down the traditional fluffies (unless you’re going for a cosy vibe) and embrace the rainbow of shades, the fishnet, the glitter, the cute patterns, the transparent, and all the other types of cool socks on the market. & Other Stories have lots of cute options including these transparent polka dot numbers and there are lots of options from other brands including these cute metallic socks from Mango.
5. A Magazine Subscription
This option means a present every month and how cool is that?! Plus, we’re fans of physical publications and the ritual of sitting down with a great magazine and coffee to plug out and relax for a while. Some of our favourites are Image and Irish Tatler.
So, now just put your feet up for now, wait until the last minute and you’ll be armed with what to grab in the blind panic.
For more festive content, check out Chloe’s guide to booze-free fun in Dublin.
beanmagazine.net 