20 Beautifully Designed Christmas Gifts On A Budget.
Christmas season has officially started. Halloween is over, Bonfire night is over, X Factor live shows have started, the John Lewis ad has been aired - don't fight it. Embrace the festivities and when you're browsing online this year, check out places like Not On The High Street and Etsy for some more unusual, beautifully designed, hand crafted gifts and support smaller sellers.
Here is my pick at the best buys on a budget for Christmas 2015.
Christmassy Goods;
1. Personalised Family Signpost Bauble.
The entire bauble is personalised from the colour of the hanging ribbon to the top of the signposts to the names on the arrows. Slightly more pricey than your average Christmas tree bauble but a complete one off design, the perfect gift for an entire family.
Shop it here.
2. Personalised Mr & Mrs Bauble.
Again, another slightly more expensive Christmas tree decoration, the perfect gift for a couple that got married in 2015, you can't go wrong with this sentiment.
Find it on Not On The High Street here.
3. Christmas Eve Reindeer Food.
Perhaps a slightly early Christmas present for the kids in your life, this reindeer food is full of sparkles and glitter and makes that Christmas eve tradition just a bit more glittery. What not to love.
Grab it here!
4. Reindeer Tea Light Holder.
A gorgeous gift for someone else or just a new addition to your festive table settings, these glazed ceramic tea light holders will make the winter nights a little bit brighter. Available in white or (my favourite) taupe, buy a few if you've got some more pennies and put them on the mantle piece for an even cuter feel.
Buy this reindeer here.
5. Magnet Stocking Filler.
The ideal gift for your friends and family that enjoy a tipple in the festive season, this magnet is the perfect £5 and under stocking filler. Available as a mug and a Christmas card, it'd be rude not to really.
Buy it from Of Life & Lemons here!
6. Festive Chocolates.
Possibly one of the best designed set of chocolates I have ever seen, this set of brussel sprouts chocolates are hilarious in concept and beautiful in design and packaging. Personalised options include gift wrapping and the chocolates are good for a whole 6 months, much better (and tastier, soz brussel sprouts lovers) than the real thing.
Find them right here.
7. Brussel Sprouts Earrings.
Same theme, different present. This time, a set of brussel sprout earrings for the women in your love who love them or love to hate them!
Shop them on Etsy here.
Mugs;
8. Personalised Beard Mug.
The ideal gift for Dad, Brother, Uncle, Grandfather, Boyfriend...basically anyone with a beard. This mug from Oakdene Designs on Not On The High Street can be personalised with the recipients name and beard colour and is packaged up beautifully and then packaged again for postage. What's not to love?
Buy it here.
9. How To Take Your Tea Mugs.
A slightly more expensive venture for a mug but possibly the most unique one I have seen, each one is personalised to how you take your drink. Designed and made to order, each one can be personalised in colour, name and preference to tea - you'll never have to remember whether the family likes theirs milky, strong, sugar or not again.
Buy it on Not On The High Street here!
10. Personalised Message Mug.
These beautiful, crisp white, Instagram worthy mugs can be personalised to have pretty much any message at the bottom for the recipient to find at the end of their cuppa but it's the photographed "you've just been poisoned" message that got me in stitches. Ok so it's not that festive but it's still a pretty funny gift for a sibling.
Buy it here.
11. Secret Santa.
Every office in the country is getting involved with secret santa and sometimes, you just don't know who the name you've picked is, let alone what to get them. But never fear, for a mere tenner (plus postage natch), this mug will cure all your inspiration problems. Christmas sorted.
Get it on Etsy here.
Gadgets;
12. Personalised Chargers.
People love gadgets. People get annoyed when other people steal their gadgets. This gift for an absolute steal will cure all Christmas arguments and it's a bit tongue in cheek humour for a nation obsessed with technology. Personalise with colour and name for your family and friends who are likely to spend all afternoon on December 25th on their phones.
Find it here.
13. Alphabet iPhone cases.
Who doesn't love a monogrammed phone case? Nobody. That's what makes this present such a winner. The perfect stocking filler, personalised to the letter you want and under a tenner. Top gift giving.
Find it on Not On The High Street here.
Trinkets;
14. Sweets Tree.
There are those people in life that are IMPOSSIBLE to buy for so why not get them something they definitely won't have had before by getting them a sweet tree. Under 20 quid with a whole load of personalised options and made by a small family business, it's a top gift that will last the recipient for some time (or until at least Boxing Day).
Grab it here.
15. Plans & Adventures Notebook.
Another gift appropriate for any member of the family, a notebook for 2016 can't do you wrong. Gift wrapping option available takes all the hassle of wrapping out of the festive period for you and it's made out of recyclable paper so it's eco friendly too. Go you.
Pick it up here.
16. Personalised Wooden Spoon.
A bit of quirky one but stay with me here. Perfect for foodies, perfect for new home owners, perfect for people moving in 2016, perfect for students, perfect for those people you simply don't know what to buy for, this gift has a multitude of recipients. You can have literally anything inscribed on it and literally any image carved in. Ideal.
Find it here.
17. Cat Keyring.
There are a lot of cat lovers in Britain and chances are, you know at least one. Get the feline friends a keyring to remind them of their true love from Eggandspoonstudio on Etsy as a cute little stocking filler. They provide so many different options for personalisation down to the colour of the tip on the cats tail, just make sure you know what the cat looks like!
Buy it here.
18. Coco Wood Desk Tidy and Coin Tray.
I mean, lets be honest here, this gorgeous little pot can be used for 37012740974 different things. For the manliest of men on your Christmas present list this year, this beautiful tray will be something they actually use come the next year. Hand crafted from a single piece of coconut wood how can you turn down something handmade so gorgeously.
Buy it on Not On The High Street here.
19. 2016 Calendar.
A calendar or a diary for the new year is a winner anyway but this European city design is not only gorgeously illustrated but also makes the desire to travel and explore pretty unbearable. Give it to a friend/family member/partner who might just take you travelling with them in 2016.
Buy it on Etsy here.
20. Santa & Rudolph Hand Painted Plate.
Another Christmas Eve tradition for the little ones in your family and extended family, these hand painted personalised plates to leave out for Father Christmas and his reindeers are just adorable. The shop offers gift wrapping and all kinds of personalised options for names and design and they're insanely cheap for such a one off item!
Nab it here.
And in the mean time, in the run up to Christmas, have a look at my Etsy shop and get your cards and gifts sorted! Treat yo self here!
Gwennan Rees Illustration on Etsy.
(All images are copyright of the talented designers and creators who are selling them on Not On The High Street and Etsy).