The Ultimate Foodie Gifts for the Festive Season

Novel Mart is one of my favourite brands, cleverly combining nostalgic food items with classic casual clothing, their garments are iconic and very wearable. They have recently started making children’s t-shirts so now you can buy their items for the whole family… if I could I’d wear my croissant top everyday, and now my son has one to match.

I’ll collated my top ten culinary gifts to satisfy your friends and family this Christmas. So whether you are filling a stocking, buying a secret santa gift or just surprising a friend this Novel Mart checklist should tick every gift-giving box.

For Festive Fans…

For Cheese Obsessives…

For the Kids…

For the Patisserie Lovers…

For the Pasta…

The Stocking Filler…

A Takeaway Night in…

For the Caffeine Addicts…

For the Cocktail Drinker…

On my Gift List…

Shop with Novel Mart here.

10 Last Minute Stocking Fillers

I had good intentions this year to start my Christmas shopping early, but like every year it got forgotten about until now. If, like me, you are frantically buying online, here’s some great independent British brands to support.

Stocking fillers

Heather Evelyn – Heather is based in South London, an artist who creates charming and beautiful stationery and gifts. Buy someone you love a set of personalised cards for letter writing or up your gift wrapping game with the brilliant ‘fa la la la la la la’ gift tags.

Stocking fillers

Tortware – The ultimate hair accessories, ideal for adding a touch of luxury to a stocking. The brand was founded in 2019 in London by Mona Ghafoori, and the clip collection are named after powerful women in the Mona’s life. Use ‘welcometorty’ for 10% off your first order.

Stocking fillers

Novel Mart – Food and drink lovers will delight in the fun Novel Mart range. Pick up a Dim Sum t-shirt or a Negroni Cap, depending on your favourite dish or drink. I’m a massive fan of the croissant tops.

Stocking fillers

Superga – I live in Supergas and with an ever-expanding range of stylish and comfy shoes this Italian shoe brand has a pair to suit every member of the family. I’m lusting after their new Organic Collection. Find great deals on their website now.

Stocking fillers

Summer Fridays – A great addition to a Sunday night pampering routine, the Summer Fridays mask with exfoliate, moisturise and hydrate tired winter worn skin. One use of this Overtime mask will get you looking and feeling festive ready.

stocking filler

Volcano Coffee – This award-winning small batch coffee company has been a lifesaver for me during lock down, when it hasn’t been so easy to visit my favourite coffee shops. Bringing the best speciality coffee to your home, available as whole beans or ground and ready to use. Find a range of beans and coffee inspired presents on their website here.

stocking filler

Nolii – Simple, stylish technology products to ensure you always have a full battery at home and on the move. Nolii products all work together and are available in a range of eye-catching colours.

stocking filler

Wes Anderson Book – A beautiful book to add colour and interest to your coffee table or book shelf. The recently released Wes Anderson book by Wally Koval features stylish photographs of some of the world’s most wonderfully designed buildings and destinations.

White Mausu

White Mausu – I’ve fallen in love with these condiments. Started up by Katie and Jasper in Ireland White Mausu sauces are a brilliant addition to the larder and add flavour and excitement to even the most bland of home cooked dishes! Buy a pack of six from their website here, or for individual jars find a list of 90+ stockists here.

Stocking filler

Stalf – For something more substantial head to the Stalf website, this small independent brand designs and sews colourful comfort wear, perfect for lounging around at home during lock down.

Blog post contains some gifted items.

Winter Beauty Essentials

As the skies darken and the rain falls incessantly, I look to beauty products to bring me some comfort and luxury, especially while we are all spending much more time at home. Here are my favourite skincare and haircare pick-me-ups to make you feel sparkly and healthy this season.

Beauty essentials

Honest Beauty – This 100% cruelty-free beauty brand was launched by Jessica Alba, a ‘green beauty’ concept that aims to deliver easy to use skincare that promises a natural glow. I’ve been trying the matte primer and everyday radiance moisturiser, quick and simple products that give my face a fresh appearance each morning. You only need a small pump of the moisturiser to give a luminous glow that lasts throughout the day.

Beauty essentials

typology – The minimalist branding of the Parisian typology won me over instantly. Their cleansing oil is a perfect fragrance-free formula for even the most sensitive skin. Follow it with the 9-ingredient moisturiser with a light, non-greasy texture that makes it a great option year round. I love the silver tube of the moisturiser too, and have found it to be the ideal handbag companion.

Beauty essentials

Beauty Pie – My hair despairs when the weather gets bad, drying out and getting tangled every morning. Beauty Pie’s super healthy hair repair treatment is best used after conditioner, left in for 3-5 minutes and then rinsed out. It smoothed my split ends and added shine to my dulled colour. After the success of this product I’m now desperate to try the rest of the Beauty Pie range!

Beauty essentials

Organic Apoteke – Organic Apoteke prides itself on producing high quality, organic products, that have a strong basis of scientific research behind them. Their buttermilk cleanser and rejuvenating face cream are a luxurious duo that will add a touch of indulgence to your winter morning routine. This face cream is great for any skin type; toning and firming your winter-worn skin.

Beauty essentials

Mádara – Mádara is the name of a flowering green plant found in Latvia, which symbolises the naturally curated ingredients that goes into each product this brand carefully produces. In winter I like to add a serum or oil to my daily skincare routine… the Mádara range is perfect for adding some extra hydration to a cold weather skincare ritual. Try the deep moisture vitamin oil, a lovely citrusy scented oil that will make your skin extra supple and soft. I also loved the rich hydra-barrier SOS cream, perfect for stressed and dehydrated skin, I find it is particularly nice on my cheeks, which get extra dry in winter.

Beauty essentials

Nimue – These everyday products from Nimue are multi-functional… after using the gentle cleanser, massage the day cream generously onto your face and neck, helping to restore and protect your skin for the whole day.

Beauty essentials

SachaJuan – The SachaJuan overnight hair repair is a magical product… leave the product in overnight and there’s no need to wash out in the morning. My hair was glossier and strengthened after just one use of this product, especially when accompanied by the Moisturising Shampoo and Conditioner.

Beauty essentials

Drunk Elephant – Drunk Elephant is my new favourite beauty brand… the eye-catching neon branding won me over before I even tried the products! The Beste No.9 Jelly Cleanser has become my go to cleanser, so easy to use and gentle on the skin, I now use it religiously day and night. I’m also getting to know the Micellar water, a cleansing water made with wild melon seed oil and marula oil, which gently removes makeup and leaves skin looking and feeling fresh.

Beauty essentials

ila apothecary – I think of ila apothecary as a spa brand, but you can also buy the products for home use and they will make your daily routine feel extra special and indulgent. The SOS body balm has been the ultimate treat for my skin after soothing winter baths. For an extra pick-me-up use the Feminine Happy Oil, a nourishing product made with a mood-balancing blend of fragrant essential oils to lift stress and fatigue.

Beauty essentials

MZ Skin – MZ Skin is a doctor-led brand made by women for women. Their Hydrate and Nourish range is perfect for winter skincare nourishment. The Age Defence Retinol Day Moisturiser is rich in vitamins (crucial in gloomy winter months) but also has 30 SPF to protect your skin whatever the weather. For an extra moisture boost, use the moisturiser with the vitamin C corrective serum.

Beauty essentials

Summer Fridays – I have added the Summer Fridays overtime mask to my Sunday evening routine. This vitamin rich mask will gently exfoliate the skin, while also brightening and hydrating the skin. After using the mask I immediately noticed my skin feeling softer, with a more even skin tone. The perfect product to add to a stocking this Christmas.

Beauty essentials

AHC – When I visited South Korea last year I loved discovering some of their best beauty brands. AHC is just one of the many brilliant South Korean skincare brands worth getting to know. Their products are unfussy but effective, particularly lovely on the skin in winter. Try the Aqualuronic cleanser which works wonders on dehydrated skin. The AHC natural essential masks are also a treat for neglected winter skin.

Note: This beauty round-up includes some gifted products.