I really ought to be whipping around the shops buying all those last minute Christmas gifts...but I'm not. We've just been lolling around home chilling, making shortbread, eating shortbread and more chilling. It will be Christmas Eve soon and someone will have to go without...unless I start gift wrapping my op-shop finds! Ha!
Anyway, if you're like me and have made a half-arsed effort with your Christmas preparations, here are my suggestions to get yourself out of a bind without venturing into a busy mall.
Bowl of limes and lemons
If someone came bearing a bowl full of limes and lemons, I would seriously worship them. You always need citrus at this time of year for drinks whether it is for a cold Corona or a G&T or even serving with Christmas prawns. They are an out-of-season produce in Australia at Christmas time; you'd be really doing someone a favour by offering such bounty. A tray of mangoes or a box of cherries would be my other suggestion given they are in-season.
Plants
I can never keep indoor plants alive, so a plant is basically the equivalent of cut flowers except they will last a few months rather than a week. Fiddle Leaf Fig trees are the IT plant of the moment. I'd be thrilled to be on the receiving end of such a plant...acutally any live plant or herb for that matter. Team it with a nice ceramic pot and you're set.
Homemade bread, cake or biscuits
It's too bloody hot to be baking in Brisbane, so if you go the the trouble of baking something yummy for friends and family this Christmas then you've made the ultimate sacrifice of heating up your home for them in the middle of summer. Homemade is always better than store bought. I also find we have unexpected visitors arriving on our doorstep, and extra baking (baked by someone else) never gets wasted and you can lie and say you baked it yourself.
Wine, Champagne and spirits
Unless you're giving to a teetotaller or someone with frugal taste, this is just one of the easiest and best gifts to give. A bottle of Frangelico, Limoncello or a spiced rum are perfect because they can also be used in cooking and desserts. But hey, a cheap bottle of plonk or sparkling is never discriminated against at the Sow's Ear either.
Experience gift
Movie tickets, theatre tickets, art gallery tickets, opera tickets, museum tickets...We've found experience gifts are always greatly appreciated. A day or evening out is quite a luxury, particularly for those with small children. Free tickets are a great excuse to get out and about and experience more of what is out there. It has the added benefit of not overloading friends and family with too much 'stuff'.
Chocolate
I have never met a chocolate I wouldn't eat, particularly if it is dark and Swiss. Good quality chocolate is pure indulgence and it is cool to try different types of chocolate from other countries.
Anyway, if you're like me and have made a half-arsed effort with your Christmas preparations, here are my suggestions to get yourself out of a bind without venturing into a busy mall.
Bowl of limes and lemons
If someone came bearing a bowl full of limes and lemons, I would seriously worship them. You always need citrus at this time of year for drinks whether it is for a cold Corona or a G&T or even serving with Christmas prawns. They are an out-of-season produce in Australia at Christmas time; you'd be really doing someone a favour by offering such bounty. A tray of mangoes or a box of cherries would be my other suggestion given they are in-season.
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| image from here |
Plants
I can never keep indoor plants alive, so a plant is basically the equivalent of cut flowers except they will last a few months rather than a week. Fiddle Leaf Fig trees are the IT plant of the moment. I'd be thrilled to be on the receiving end of such a plant...acutally any live plant or herb for that matter. Team it with a nice ceramic pot and you're set.
Homemade bread, cake or biscuits
It's too bloody hot to be baking in Brisbane, so if you go the the trouble of baking something yummy for friends and family this Christmas then you've made the ultimate sacrifice of heating up your home for them in the middle of summer. Homemade is always better than store bought. I also find we have unexpected visitors arriving on our doorstep, and extra baking (baked by someone else) never gets wasted and you can lie and say you baked it yourself.
Wine, Champagne and spirits
Unless you're giving to a teetotaller or someone with frugal taste, this is just one of the easiest and best gifts to give. A bottle of Frangelico, Limoncello or a spiced rum are perfect because they can also be used in cooking and desserts. But hey, a cheap bottle of plonk or sparkling is never discriminated against at the Sow's Ear either.
 |
| Image from here |
Experience gift
Movie tickets, theatre tickets, art gallery tickets, opera tickets, museum tickets...We've found experience gifts are always greatly appreciated. A day or evening out is quite a luxury, particularly for those with small children. Free tickets are a great excuse to get out and about and experience more of what is out there. It has the added benefit of not overloading friends and family with too much 'stuff'.
Chocolate
I have never met a chocolate I wouldn't eat, particularly if it is dark and Swiss. Good quality chocolate is pure indulgence and it is cool to try different types of chocolate from other countries.
 |
| Love sampling exotic dark chocolate. This one is from Madagascar. |
Those are my suggestion for last minute gifts so you're not caught empty-handed when the in-laws or cousins come to visit. What do you do for last minute gifts?
Goody, a gift list. I'd love anyone of those above. I would especially give someone a hearty shove if they gave me a fiddle-leaf fig because they are the Thing! And highly prized. I'm giving my work colleagues pencils with witty comments on them, I made little brown paper bags for them using a tutorial on good ol' MC Jo's website. As for a last minute gift, definitely alcohol (unfortunately and I say unfortunately because it's easy to buy but is a scourge). What are you getting for Christmas?
ReplyDeleteI know, a fiddle leaf fig would be fantastic. And I'll have to check out this tutorial of mc Jo's... I have no idea what Santa is bringing me. It is always a surprise...haven't been that good though...! xx
DeleteCouldn't agree more with your list. Love limes. Love a plant (they've short life expectancies in my household too). Especially love an experience gift. Hope you have a Merry Christmas with your family. x
ReplyDeleteThanks Housewife in Heels! Hope you have a terrific Christmas too. xx
DeleteI like your list - and I'd be happy with any of the above. Would love an indoor plant, but I gave up on those years ago - sick of sweeping up potting mix and picking up the leaves off the floor (my kids are weapons of mass destruction.) xx
ReplyDeleteYes, the indoor plants can be messy if you have young children! I'd wait til they were older before you dabble in indoor plants again. xx
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