Christmas Gift Ideas | New Years Trends

The turkey's been carved and gravied and made into soup; the sales have been shopped; and it's officially Christmas season. Here are a few Christmas gift ideas to get you thinking ... 

1. Who says print is dead? There's a magazine revival happening, friends, halleluiah and amen. Yes, yes, you can get your magazine fix electronically, but why? Buy a real-live subscription to thumb through at your favourite coffee shop.
These are my picks - offering beautiful images, clever writing, and peeks through the windows of inherently inspiring people:  

Howler | Peppermint | Frankie | Smith Journal | Oh Comely | Afar | Kinfolk

2. Express who you are ... or who you want to be ... with a little independent art. This is the year to make your laptop purty; dress that empty wall in the dining room; send real, handwritten letters to friends.
Here are my fave places to buy art straight from the artist:

society6 | Etsy | 500px

3. And, on that note, handmade stuff rocks too. I love the idea of being crafty, but when it comes to handmade hair clips for my niece? I'd have to set my wine down. And we can't have that.
These are the sites I go to:

Etsy | madeit

4. Ah, but I'm willing to put down my drink to make food. Ironic, don't you think? This is the time of year to fill up jars and tins and cello bags with love; to share a recipe you adore; to say - hey, look, I made this for you because you're awesome! Just don't overcommit yourself - make stuff that's cost-effective, or uses up market-fresh produce, or that you can do in large batches. Or just head down to your favourite roasters and wrap up some quality coffee.
Some of my gifting goodies:

biscotti | loaves | cookies | jam | citrus curds | awesome coffee

5. I love print, I do; but I also love short, sweet ebooks that make you think. Books resistant to distraction; that teach something, even from the viewpoint of a goat; that can be picked up and devoured on an airplane or while your child watches Angelina Ballerina for the hundredth time.  

These are some of the best I read this year:

Midnight's Tale | Wool | The Heart of Haiku | Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives | Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative

6. And finally, for those you love best of all, the gift of silence ... headphones not included. These last few years, I've really embraced the audiobook - especially when traveling. The best audiobooks - in my opinion - are those that can be shared and enjoyed as a whole family, snuggled on the couch in front of a woodfire. Or your next roadtrip.

I recommend these beautifully-narrated classics:

Peter Pan | A Bear Called Paddington | 101 Dalmatians | The Wizard of Oz

So here you are! A few of my favourite things to share for Christmas, fa la la la la,
Amanda xx