It’s nearly that time of year, gosh it comes around quickly doesn’t it?! I haven’t started my Christmas shopping yet – eek – but to get me in the mood, I’ve compiled my annual CSH Festive Gift Guide for 2022.
This year, instead of curating my gift guide by person or theme, I’ve chosen to do one bumper guide featuring a collection of beautiful objects for £50 and under. From stocking fillers to sweet treats, I hope it proves that you can find simple, considered things without breaking the bank. There’s high street hand cream that looks way more expensive than it actually is, there’s classic casserole dishes that are affordable and will no doubt stand the test of time, and there’s simple fluted wine glasses to raise a toast with on the big day.
So much of gifting is about the way you present it. Take two affordable linen napkins from H&M, tie a ribbon round them and suddenly they look a bit more high end. Or you could buy a nice candleholder (I love Alice in Scandiland’s two-in-one wooden candleholders, on sale at the moment for £10, reduced from £17), then include a couple of cheap wax dinner candles tied together with twine.
I think the best gifts are also those that are the more considered versions of things you would use every day. The items which you would really like and use, but perhaps wouldn’t spend the money on yourself. For example, a beautiful bottle of olive oil that will look perfect in the kitchen, or a nice bottle of hand wash that will help elevate your bathroom sink.
Here you go! My festive Christmas gift guide brings together 26 beautiful, simple, considered objects for the home, all for £50 and under:
1. Cotton mens socks, £5, Arket [AD – affiliate link] – striped olive green socks made of a refined mercerised cotton blend quality
2. Fog Linen Canna pouch, large, £20, Tea + Kate – a handy little zip pouch with a leather fringe pull
3. Stoneware candle holder, £12, Arket [AD – affiliate link] – A simple candle holder made of glazed stoneware
4. CLÆ Grid mug, £25, Alice in Scandiland – hand thrown mug made in Kent by Josie Swift
5. Irregular glass vase, £39, Arket [AD – affiliate link] – A beautiful vase with an irregular shape
6. Homework Bai San candle, £26, Objects and Finds – A woody, smoky blend containing sandalwood, Chinese cedar and cade; it’s one of my favourite candles
7. Armor Lux slippers, £40, Trouva [AD – affiliate link] – Striped slippers with a cosy, 100% wool interior and exterior
8. Recycled glass fountain candlestick holder, £20, Tea + Kate – a simple design made of recycled glass saved from old jars, cracked vases and drink bottles
9. Candle snuffer and wick trimmer, £25, The Conran Shop [AD – affiliate link] – Take care of your candles with this stylish set from Urban Apothecary
10. The Calm Wellness Collection gift set, £15, Marks and Spencer [AD – affiliate link] – Scented with essential oils of lavender, sweet orange and clary sage, this set includes a cleansing body wash, moisturising hand cream and body butter, plus a candle and an exfoliating mitt
11. Linen plain weave apron with pouch, £24.95, Muji – utilitarian, 100% linen apron with two small pouches at the front
12. Björk & Berries Never Spring hand cream, £16, Liberty London [AD – affiliate link] – a moisturising, vegan formula made in Sweden using natural ingredients including 0rganic linseed oil, birch leaf water and cacao butter
13. Harbour Stripe Christmas stocking, £48, Tori Murphy – Woven in Lancashire and made in Nottingham from merino wool and cotton
14. Soft Minimal: Norm Architects: A Sensory Approach to Architecture and Design, £39.09 (for a limited time only), Amazon [AD – affiliate link] – A beautiful coffee table by Norm Architects that’s part monograph, part manifesto
15. Eonce dark chocolate with olive oil, £6, Trouva [AD – affiliate link] – made from bean to bar in small batches in East London using sustainable cocoa beans, the packaging is almost too beautiful to open
16. 12 pack hanging acorn decorations, £10, Marks and Spencer [AD – affiliate link] – a pack of 12 mini acorn Christmas decorations, hanging from a natural thread
17. Pack of six short dinner candles, £5.95, Trouva – the perfect stocking filler, these short candles come in a variety of colours; my favourite is moss green
18. 2 pack linen-blend napkins, £6.99, H&M Home – linen and cotton weave napkins beautifully presented with a sweet bow
19. Prettypegs Barbro candleholder, £10, Alice in Scandiland – a solid wood candleholder, available in ash, sand or graphite green, that can be used for tea lights or dinner candles – it’s essentially two candleholders in one!
20. Studio Botanic hand soap, £26, Tea + Kate – a vegan formulation with plant-based ingredients with the subtle scent of lemongrass oil
21. Spiral wine glass, set of two, £22.50, Oliver Bonas [AD – affiliate link] – short-stem glasses with an understated spiral design
22. Candles: A Modern Guide to Making Candles, £15.99, Alice in Scandiland – written by Our Lovely Goods founders Ebi and Emmanuel Sintch, this book shows you how to create a collection of 17 sustainable, seasonal candles
23. Sabre Bistrot vintage four-piece cutlery set, £40, Liberty London [AD – affiliate link] – crafted from 18/10 stainless steel with a solid dark green acrylic handle
24. Cast aluminium casserole dish, £39.50, Marks and Spencer [AD – affiliate link] – A stylish non-stick casserole dish in lightweight aluminium that works on all hobs including induction, as well as being oven proof
25. Checked kitchen towel, £10, Alice in Scandiland – A simple, stonewashed cotton kitchen towel with a checked pattern
26. Signature Collection Extra Virgin olive oil, £20, The Conran Shop [AD – affiliate link] – hand-blended and pressed in small batches using an Italian press in Jordan, it will look beautiful in your kitchen
Did anything catch your eye?