Yes, it is time to think about Christmas and with it the beautiful tradition of advent calendars! See here my favourites and let me see yours – put a link in your comment or send me an e mail!
1. Different, customizable and lots of possibilities to display! LOVE! Get it from Bodie and Fou. 2. Tuff Tuff Tuff! Great for little boys and when the 24th has arrived your little one can play with it under the tree.
3. Cute handmade idea. 24 little birdies with chocolate tummies (or whatever you fill them with)! See the instructions here. 4. Playmobil a classic! Not really fancy, stylish, fashion or super hip but I like it and KleinR just started to “role play” and is really concentrated playing her little playmobils…
5. First you fill them with little surprises and then you can use them as fingerpuppets. Here.
6. 24x times creative, 24x design. The box contains a white t-shirt and 24 little windows. Every day you open one and draw. For christmas you will have a unique t-shirt designed by yourself. I think this is especially nice for kids that are already a bit older. From bellybutton.
7. This looks stunning above a dining table or as window decoration. I would decorate in between as well so it does not look all empty towards the end. 8. A household item turned into an advent calendar. Cool! Etsy is always good for great finds! Get it here.
Will you spend this years Christmas with a baby? And it will be baby’s first Christmas? That is definitely an “aww” moment that you will cherish and that you will never forget.
Commemorate this magical moment with an ornament for the tree you can bring out year after year. And some heirloom gifts that will accompany your child for many years to come. Or how about something personalised that will start a tradition like a stocking or gift sack?
Plus I really have the feeling that Christmas this year will be very heavy on the ‘let’s forget about everything else for a moment’ side of things. And rightly so. I heard that some Christmas Trees are already up to bring some cheer into people’s houses. And since there is nothing more magical for a child than Christmas time, why not make your baby’s first Christmas the most special of all?
Here is my take on some lovely keepsakes, baubles and presents for Baby’s First Christmas:
1. Baby’s First Christmas Bauble! Personalised with a cute rabbit in various colours.
2. Christmas Keepsake Advent Calendar – perfect for a baby’s first Christmas, to note down all of your Christmas activities and one to keep to look back on in years to come!
3. This is just the best thing I have seen for a while! Give your little one their first car! Made of wood, this beautiful toy offers many very realistic features: steering wheel, gearshift, horn, brake pedals and accelerator, air conditioning, radio and side-view mirrors. Your child will be able to play the mechanic, change a wheel or even lift the hood to see what’s underneath!
4. Organic cotton world Explorer Play Mat. Soft colour scheme suitable for either gender and can be used interactively for toddlers/preschoolers as they learn about places in the world and features. The mat can be machine washed easily and the base fabric is a thick GOTS organic cotton canvas in grey.
5. So cute. A stacking flower! Transform this flower according to your desires to invent and reinvent itself. Your child will be able to match colours and shapes with this toy.
6. Again, a wooden toy. But this stimulates endless play and has so many possibilities – wooden figurines! These charming wooden toys are made in Europe, designed to encourage and adapt to children’s development. Made of maple wood and hand-painted with a unique formula of non-toxic watercoulours.
7. And this cute wooden pram comes with its own mattress and pillow.
8.This growth chart features animal faces that smile as your little one grows up.
9. Baby cardigan in Christmas red with a beautiful Scandinavian pattern!
10. Again, this wooden building set, with its refined colour palette, is the ideal tool for building a world of many possibilities.
This could be a great opportunity to share Black Friday deals. But I won’t. Ha! And I guess that I do not need to do a whole speech on why not because in the end… either you go get those (questionable) discounts or you don’t.
I am still here to share some of my favourite things I came across over the last weeks. And that I believe you will enjoy too. And in the end you may be treated with a lovely deal, because it is Black Friday after all.
However, and most importantly, I want you to have a smooth start into the last month of the year. A slow weekend to enjoy with some good articles, inspiring interiors, and delightful things for small and big.
Enjoy my December edit, a little bit festive, but not too much:
OMG! The best! A Love Letter Blanket*. Write your own custom letter to a loved one so they can wrap themselves up in love. Make it extra personal by using your own handwriting, or keep it simple by using a font! The blanket will be custom made for you. Such a sweet present!
And have a look, the other blankets* are pretty ace too.
Since I watched ‘A Star is Born’ – I am a Lady Gaga fan. Before I never really cared and thus did not know much about her. But her story should be shared. Because there is a lot of inspiration that can help others. This interview with Oprah is good!
New book: Tells the tale of Garbage Dog surviving the streets of a big city and discovering the true meaning of family and friendship.
This Sunday Antoine does not have a football match so I am planning a visit to Daunts in Marylebone (you gotta love a great bookshop) and see the festive decorations. And then we will light the Christmas Lights in our little corner of London. A lot of neighbourhoods organise their own events to kick off the festive season. And this Sunday it is our turn. Street food, choirs, dancing, friends, and of course the lights that will be switched on…
Enjoy your first of Advent weekend and see you back here on Monday!
Hello new week. With sunshine and a beautiful crisp morning! I am ready continue my gift guides and today it is all about stocking fillers for the whole family!
Which is quite a multi-functional guide actually. And somehow the word ‘stocking filler’ implements small gifts, advent calendar gifts, a little treat for somebody special, or indeed when shopping around for stocking fillers.
I grew up in Germany and Christmas Stockings were not a thing. But we would celebrate Nikolaus on the 6th of December. A tradition where children clean their shoes on the night of the 5th and put them in front of the door. The next morning we would find a small gift or some chocolates inside the shoes. Therefore, if you are a Nikolaus person, this guide is good for you.
At the end of the post you can find a list of all Gift Guides that will be published for this year and I will update the links once they go live.
Ho Ho Ho and some lovely festive weeks until Christmas from me to you!
Please find now my Gift Guide for Stocking Fillers for the whole family:
1. Socks can be a boring present. But not these and their brothers and sisters. Cool socks* are a thing!
2. Wooden toy camera*. Adorable and simply beautiful.
3. Beautiful hand made and hand painted wooden figurines* for endless play!
4. So fun! Apple teething ring*. Hand made, ecological and biodegradable. And it can be can be used for teething, as a bath toy or a decorative object.
5. A must-have for environmental conscious friends. These reusable straws* can be used with hot or cold drinks. The set contains 6 straws and a straw cleaning brush.
6. 100% pure Rosehip Seed Oil* that is both cold-pressed and organic.
7. Great little box of shapes* that is easy to bring along when out and about or on a holiday.
8. Cute mouse in a baby moses basket. Too adorable.
9. Cute cross stitch kit* with everything to get started right away.
10. These fun animal wash clothes* will make bath time endlessly fun. So cute!
11. The healthy Kinder Surprise in a Christmas Format! The PLAYin CHOC ToyChoc Box contains 2 x 10g individually wrapped, deliciously creamy, organic dairy free chocolates and a delightful Christmas card toy to assemble
12. These crayons* are double-sided. On one-side you can find block colours and on the other a multi-coloured pattern. Giving your little ones twice as many options!
Happy gifting and stay tuned for more gift ideas over the following days…
Good Morning!
We are starting the week with a blue sky and it is just what I need. Because one child is home with a very sore throat and I feel a little under the weather too. So bring on the sunshine and we will be back on our feet in no time.
And we are also starting this week with Christmas things. Or better: The very first gift guide of the season.
Normally I am not that early but this one has a very good reason. It is all about personalised items and to make sure that these arrive on time, I am sharing some ideas early.
Personalised gifts are so ON at the moment. And it is very clear why – everyone loves a nice gift, and by adding a personal message, a memory, or make it their own with a name or special date, it just adds so much value and love to it.
I put a lot of time to find some lovely personalised Christmas gifts for you and I hope you enjoy my selection. And there is something for the whole family:
Personalised Zodiac Keepsake Christmas Bauble
A beautiful hand-painted ceramic bauble*, personalised with the name of your choice on one side and their zodiac constellation on the other. A lovely family Christmas heirloom gift! Also perfect for a baby’s first Christmas bauble!
Extra: There is a cool black dots bauble* with gold lettering as well. Have a look!
Personalised Santa Sack
Make your Christmas Eve tradition personal with a custom Christmas bag* ready to be filled with treats for your little one (or Christmas morning as a stocking alternative!)
The bag is the perfect fit for a few little gifts for the kids and can be used year after year. Loving the minimal design and simple aesthetic.
Personalised toddler purse
A handmade small leather bag* for the mini fashionista in your life. This leather bag is the perfect gift for the special little girl in your life. And you can add her name for an extra personal touch.
Teething toys with your child’s name
The perfect baby gift – these cute teething toys* are made from BPA free silicone beads, natural unfinished wood, and lots of love. And they will definitely be the keepsake of baby’s first year!
Stamp your own cookie kit
This cookie decorating kit* allows you to stamp any message into a biscuit, cookie or icing, and can be used over and over again. It is perfect for all sorts of occasions, from birthdays to Mother’s day, Christmas, Easter, baby showers to weddings. And therefore either the perfect gift for bakers and/or people who love to bake. Or to prepare personal and edible gifts!
Personalised Christmas Box
This bespoke and sophisticated Christmas Eve Box*, is made from natural pine wood and fully customisable!
Individually designed, this box will create a lasting Christmas Eve tradition year after year.
Your personalisation will be engraved onto the top of the box. On top, you can also add a personal message that will be engraved to the bottom of the box or inside of the lid.
This really pushes a sustainable Christmas too!
Colourful name keyring
Absolutely lovely engraved and hand-painted name keychains*. Perfect stocking filler or teacher gift. You can select the tassel colour as well.
Personalised Christmas bauble
These custom snow globe tree baubles* are so perfect to gift to the people you love. Hand-crafted to fit your custom wording! And you will get a glass ornament with a sisal tree, white snow confetti, hanging twine, and a bow. Gift boxes are available if you would like to send this directly to the lucky receiver.
Custom Cross Stitch Family Portrait
These beautiful hand stitched pieces* make wonderful gifts for Christmas as well as basically any other occasion.
You can capture your family in these beautiful hand stitched hoops, even add the pets. And then you either gift it to your beloved husband or wife or your parents / grandparents. Instead of a framed photo!
Garden Seed Box
These floral garden seed boxes* are the perfect gift for any passionate gardener!
These are hand-crafted, and each box displays a name of your choice within a seasonal floral design. Each seed box contains four wooden dividers ‘Veg’, ‘Herbs’, ‘Flowers’ and one left blank for you to personalise yourself at home.
Personalised Leather tidy tray
Cool tidy tray* made from vegetable tanned leather. And this is such a versatile product – the perfect accessory for the contents of your pockets, everyday jewellery, office accessories or keys.
You can personalise it with initials, a name or a date and make it unique to you.
Wooden letter with felt balls
This Alphabet letter* will make a stunning addition to the nursery, playroom or any room in the house! You can choose the letter and the felt ball colours. And then you can either hand it on the wall or put it on a shelf.
I hope you got inspired by these personalised christmas gifts! Ho Ho Ho!
And pssst, it is not too late to get this year’s Advent Calendars in the house before December 1!
