Christmas 2020 is upon us.
But let’s be real: this year has been the weirdest on record. If you’re like us, your Christmas/New Year’s plans might be a little different this year, but that doesn’t mean we’re not doing gifts.
We could all use a little extra love this year, right?
As always, there are loads of local (South African) companies that we like to support – especially this year – and Christmas is a great excuse to do that. I’ll be honest, there’s not much I need in my life – thanks to my online shopping habit – but I love giving gifts. I love receiving gifts (who doesn’t?) so I know giving a gift helps spread love and happiness, which we need in bucketloads right now.
So let me present, the Bird and the Beard’s love local Christmas gift guide – our favourite picks of local products that would make the *BEST* Christmas gifts this year.
A Bomba bag
Show me a person who wouldn’t want a Bomba bag and I’ll throw my Sauvignon Blanc down the sink. These bags are just special. I mean, look at them.
The Beard and I are proud owners of four of them of varying sizes, and they are amazing. Practical yet beautiful. The big ones are fabulous for family outings (because they can fit the whole house in them), the tog bags are great for travelling, and the smaller ones make gorgeous handbags.
The perfect Christmas gift for a lucky lady in your life.
A Mother City Jungle plant
Considering we’re spending so much time at home these days, isn’t it a good idea to invest in some housemates to keep us company? And housemates that are gorgeous, don’t need much attention, won’t eat all your leftovers in the fridge, and will listen to you regardless of how whiny you are? Winning.
At Mother City Jungle, you can buy indoor plants as well as the most beautiful vases to put them in. What’s even better is that the plants you can buy from Mother City Jungle are not needy plants, so looking after them is super easy!
In other words, the perfect Christmas gift for people with not-so-green fingers like me ;-)
Last orders for Christmas will be taken on 14 December, but there are a number of shops which stock their plants which will be open.
A print from Sarch Designs
Is it just me, or has spending all this time at home made you realise where your house is severely lacking? Besides plants, a print from the amazingly talented Sarah from Sarch Designs is all you need to make your house look a lot more glam than it really is. Architectural-style designs, watercolours, line drawings – or you can commission a portrait.
Gift a print to a friend, drop a subtle hint to your partner or hell, just buy one for yourself.
An e-book from Panda Playtime
For those of us with littles, an e-book from the wonderful Nina at Panda Post is a legit godsend.
She has created e-guides to help us out with our littles – keeping them entertained and stimulated while also not being crazily undoable for us. The e-guides provide step-by-step instructions and pages and pages of age-appropriate activities for the different age groups.
The perfect Christmas gift for moms of young kids or caregivers/nannies.
R90 for the ECD e-guide, R65 each for the Independent Play and Low Prep Activities, or R150 for all three.
Email panda.playtime.ct@gmail.com to place an order.
A recipe book from Delicious Monster
Can we take a minute to appreciate all the good that has come out of 2020? DIY projects realised, exercise regimes appreciated, love for the kitchen rekindled. For us, not being able to go out to restaurants made us realise (a) how often we go out to restaurants – not altogether a bad thing, mind you – and (b) how much we love cooking.
Enter Nikki and her Delicious Monster recipe books. These are amazing recipe books which she developed and shot entirely by herself during lockdown, which is pretty remarkable in itself, but the recipes themselves are the real wonder. She has a Christmas recipe book which will be for sale soon.
Nikki also has an online shop where you can buy a range of incredible local foodie delights, including Winston and Julia hot chocolate (yum!), Bijenbos raw fynbos honey and Heerlijk Nastergal Artisanal Preserve.
Ideal for anyone has recently discovered a new love for the kitchen, or anyone who appreciates great ingredients.
Orders close 7 December for Christmas.
Pre-loved beauties from Honey_Janexx
If you’re a thrifter or you know someone who is, then you’ll appreciate Honey_Janexx. Like going for a virtual walk in the second-hand shops in Kalk Bay, Honey_Janexx brings quality second-hand goods to your home. Anything from childrens’ books to vintage prints to cutlery and crockery.
You’ll need to keep your eyes peeled on Honey_Janexx’s instagram profile as new items get uploaded frequently, but you never know what magical and unique gift you might find for someone special.
Personalised stickers from Just Wright
I’m a big fan of stickers, not only for the kids but for myself. When I discovered the world of personalised stickers I was in heaven. Just Wright creates a range of personalised stickers for a range of different occasions. Birthday stickers, Christmas gift stickers, stickers for teachers – they’re all there, and you can choose which template you want to use.
The perfect gift for any parents who wrap birthday gifts on a regular basis, and especially for teachers.
If you’re looking at buying for Christmas this year, note Just Wright is closing 11 December.
Something piggy from Spider Pig wines
If you’re looking for a Christmas gift which is a little bit quirky and fun, then you need to check out Spider Pig Wines. The label is a bit more out there than your usual wine brand but the wine itself ranks right up there with the best of them – my fave is the Brozay Rosé.
Besides wine, you can also buy t-shirts, branded caps, socks, wine coolers, wine openers and even wine glasses – everything piggy-related, obviously.
The perfect gift for wine lovers who think they’ve tasted everything – or anyone obsessed with pigs.
You can buy online through their website or email hello@spiderpigwines.com
So that’s my love local Christmas gift guide for 2020. Happy shopping and let me know what you buy!
Leave A Comment