A Very Etsy Christmas

Getting a few handmade gifts can really make all the difference at Christmas - not only does it bring a big smile to people’s faces, but it also supports small businesses and local craftsmen/women around the country making things with love. A big thumbs up from us!

Etsy is chockablock with handmade decorations, gifts, wreaths and ornaments for the tree - just take a look at the gift guides on site for a little inspiration. We picked out our favourites for your perusal - let us know what you think!

Lauren loves...

HELLO DEER! 

Oh gosh do I love a festive cushion, and this Alice Cotton Designs piece is so subtle and cute. With little deers and snow on a pale blue/grey background, it's suitably festive for those not wanting a full on Christmas cushion. At under £10, it would be a beautiful gift and is handmade in Yorkshire. Do check out Alice's shop, the designs are gorgeous, and not just for Christmas! 

INSIDE JOKES

I couldn't resist. My family and I watch the Friends Christmas episodes every year, and so this is the funniest card to me. I think that non-generic cards are just the loveliest and I love receiving unusual cards myself. Created by Losers Ink, it's blank inside to add your own witty quips. 

THE GIFT OF 'ME TIME'

Bath and pamper products are such a lovely gift for any female you know! These bathsalts from Emina Botanic Boutique are fully organic and in the scent Neroli and Cornflower. Created from a blend of Pink Himalyan salt, Dead Sea Salt and Epsom Salts, they are as good from your skin as they are for your wellbeing when a lucky recipient pours them under the bath. Vegan and good to the environment, I'm struggling to find a reason not to buy one for everyone I know. It's also a great gift to have on standby - just in case! 

WRAPPED WITH LOVE

A colleague said to me last week, "I bet you are a really good wrapper of gifts", and I really like to think that I am. I spend money on good wrapping paper, collect unique ribbons and tags and spend a good afternoon in December wrapping everything up with complete care. It's honestly one of my favourite parts of Christmas. Ribbons have to be one of my favourite parts though, and this Altered Chic ribbon is bespoke to say 'Love from Lauren and Chris', which I just love. The ribbon can be pretty much any colour, a chosen Christmas themed picture, any colour font and there are an array of font designs to choose from. I can't wait to give it to family around their gifts! 

TWINKLE, TWINKLE LITTLE STAR

Fairylights can transform any space and aren't strictly reserved for Christmas anymore. That said, these star fairy lights will be part of my festive decor this year, but probably hanging around draped over my mirror afterwards. Lights can be pretty pricey, but the star design from ITMH shop is very reasonable- they have a gorgeous range of all things twinkly, so do go and have a look! 

MEET ME UNDER THE MISTLETOE

I had never smelled mistletoe until I picked out this candle from Chelsea Candle Co. With scents of pine, mistletoe leaves and berries, it reminds me of my family home as my parents always have a fresh tree.

This candle would work as a fabulous dinner party gift- the jar is just gorgeous and so understated! The ChelseaCandleCo has an array of stunning scents available, so do go have a peek if you are a candle lover!

A CHRISTMAS CLASSIC

I'm praying that 2017 brings me my very own outside front door which I'll be able to pin a wreath on. Duck Barn Florals features the most perfect selection of handmade wreaths, which are very unique and very reasonably priced. Made with a natural look, they will last through the years making it a true investment piece. My Berry piece is perfectly finished with a handtied ribbon bow- I'm in love. 

Flic's Picks

THE DOG LOVER’S GIFT

Ok so following the furore over #BoxertheBuster, this year’s John Lewis advert Christmas sensation, things have all gone a bit dog-orientated! I have a gorgeous scruffy old flat coated retriever who I miss daily (he lives with Mum and Dad), so this flat coated retriever tree decoration was an absolute must. Bought from Beagle 'n' Thread, there’s a huge range of breeds available - these are adorable and worth every single penny! I can’t wait to give this to my Mum and Dad when the tree goes up.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO MY HANDSOME HUSBAND

That’s a word - even now - I feel pretty crazy using. Husband. Good grief. Well I couldn’t pass up the opportunity this Christmas to get a ‘husband’ Christmas card; it’ll be the first one, so it’s a special one. We usually go for a funny card and avoid anything sickly (I can’t live without you style - vom) but I thought I’d go fairly sweet seeing as we’ll be newlyweds and all that jazz. This cheerful, colourful design came from Paper Fudge and it’s lettered by hand - just the special touch I was looking for.

ODDS AND ENDS

I’ve been with my husband (eek - husband) for almost 7 years, and in that time you definitely notice their annoying habits (I love him, I promise)! He’s a nightmare for dumping his keys, change and receipts in a mess on the bedside table, so - as I’m a bit of a neat freak - this is probably more of a present for me than for him. This wooden key tray from Talbot and Bourne is the most fantastic quality and handmade in oak, so it looks pretty stunning too. You can personalise it any way you choose; I decided to forgo names and dates and instead went for odds and ends - because that’s exactly what it’ll be filled with. Hopefully he’ll like it, use it and/or see the funny side…!

CHRISTMAS STAR GARLAND

As you already know, my wedding had a lot of foliage and greenery involved, but I’m hanging star garlands from the beams of the barn. A starry starry sky is the aim! I just couldn’t give up on the theme, so I picked up this gorgeous garland from The Fox and Alice to drape from my own ceiling for a little Christmassy wedding style at home. Great for NYE, too!

OUR FIRST CHRISTMAS AS MR & MRS

By the time you read this, I’ll be a Mrs. How crazy is that! Huge glittery fizzy excitement aside, I wanted to find a handmade ‘first Christmas as Mr & Mrs’ tree decoration. I doubt we’ll be in our flat by then (sigh - whoever thought buying a house at the same time as getting married was not a genius) but I wanted one all the same. My favourite by far was this personalised wooden tree decoration from Love Lottie Lulu - you can choose a snowman or tree and have any message on the front or back. I chose the tree as our wedding is in December (and greenery/foliage themed) and at £4 it was a total steal!

GIN FOR THE WIN

I chose this as a gift for one of my bridesmaids, who is getting married herself in July 2017 and her wedding is - you guessed it - gin themed! This Gin themed calendar from Constance and Clay came already hand tied and features a different gin cocktail for every month - I love it so much I want one for myself! I hope it’ll be a really cheering (!) gift for her to countdown until her big day.

LET’S GET ORGANISED

Planners, agendas, diaries and journals - I’ve got them all and then some. My love for stationery is pretty insane, so I’ve gone a step further and bought some matte planner stickers from Daisy and Divine. In an array of gorgeous colours with scalloped edges (and a snip at just 85p a sheet), my dental appointments never looked so pretty!

IT SMELLS LIKE CHRISTMAS IN HERE!

You may have spotted The Botanical Candle Co in a previous Etsy post and I couldn’t possibly spare them from another mention! This time around I bought some wax melts in ‘Christmas Spice’ and man oh man they smell glorious. It’s taking all my willpower not to use them until December - they’re just the right balance of fresh, spicy and sweet. They’re all natural too!

A CARD FOR THE NEWLY WEDS

If you follow us on instagram (if not, why not hmmmm?) you’ll have seen that back in September my twin brother got married in September (yep, we’re getting married just 10 weeks apart). This gorgeous handmade card from Cookie Design Cards with a bauble design comes in an array of colours - I chose purple to go with their wedding theme, so they can put it in a keepsake box after Christmas.

A merry Etsy Christmas one and all! Shop local, shop handmade and buy something beautiful that will truly raise a smile!

FELICITY & LAUREN

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