CHRISTMAS: Gift Guide for Parents 2019

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Parents in our lives hold such an important role, whether it be your own parents, your parent friends or yourself as a parent. It's a role that is relentless, hard work at times, yet the most rewarding too. A pamper, treat, 'me time', practical gift that makes life easier, something you can enjoy with your children or a way of capturing a special moment are all perfect focuses when it comes to gift shopping for parents. I have tried to cover all of these areas within this Gift Guide, so without further ado... 

Mum To Be Gift Set from Letterbox Gifts (£31.95) - You can't get much more convenient than a gift that fits through a letterbox, especially for those loved ones who live that bit further away. Letterbox Gifts have a unique selection of beautifully presented gift boxes that are filled with handpicked British products and there's one for every special occasion. They have ones for gin lovers, new homes, new babies, bridesmaids, those in need of relaxation and wine drinkers to name just a few. Their gift boxes may be small enough to fit through the letterbox, but that doesn't mean they aren't filled with the most thoughtful range of perfectly matched gifts presented in such a beautiful way. The Mum To Be Gift Set contains The Natural Candle Company New Beginnings Candles, Baby is Brewing Raspberry Leaf Tea, Nathalie Bond Bump Balm, Yummy Mummy Lip Balm and Nathalie Bond Gentle Mum & Baby Soap. Everything a mum to be needs to feel pampered, relaxed and looked after. 

Personalised Family Christmas Plate (from £14) from Twenty-Seven - Having family gathered around the table enjoying delicious food is what Christmas is all about, which is why giving the gift of a personalised Christmas plate is perfect for any parent. Twenty-Seven have a beautiful range of gifts and home accessories that can be personalised for the whole family, including this ceramic plate featuring either a family of reindeers or polar bears. You can choose the number of adult and children for the reindeers/polar bears, as well as the family name and plate size (medium 8" or large 10"). Giving a personalised gift is always that extra bit special and a family Christmas plate is the type of gift that will be used year after year. 

Baby Carrier Move (£119.99) from BABYBJORN - Giving any parent the gift of having two hands free has to be the most precious gift and such a rarity in those early days of parenthood. BABYBJORN have recently released a new baby carrier called 'Move', which has comfort for both parent and baby at the heart of its design. The built in back support, padded shoulder straps and waist belt work together to distribute the weight evenly, making the Move incredibly comfortable to wear for longer periods of time. It is also made with 3D mesh fabric (available in Anthracite (seen here), Sage Green or Grey) that is soft, airy, helps to keep your baby cool and makes it quicker to dry after being washed. You can either carry your baby facing inwards or outwards (from 5 months), giving you full flexibility as they grow. It is also suitable from newborn without the need for an additional insert, which is a really clever feature and saves additional costs too. I've been using this carrier since Rory was two weeks old and he has loved being carried in it from the beginning; the soft material, cosy design and ease of use has made it a staple within our family day to day life. One of my favourite features of the Move within the autumn/winter months is the two-part design, which allows you to put the back/shoulder straps on under your coat and then attach the front part once at your destination. This is unique, as a lot of other carriers require you to completely remove your coat to put them on/take them off which can be very cold at this time of year! 

Coastal Sea Salt Scented Candle (£27.50) from Norfolk Natural Living - Norfolk Natural Living was founded by Bella Middleton who uses her passion for nature and wisdom passed on from her mother to create beautifully scented home accessories that also make special gifts this Christmas. The Coastal Sea Salt scent was inspired by the spray of the North Sea along the Norfolk coast that Bella witnessed throughout her childhood spent in Norfolk. This candle is made with natural wax, poured by hand in their workshop that is set amongst lavender fields on the Norfolk coast. It has an impressive 50 hour burn time and once used the glass jar can be used to store treasures collected on coastal walks, make up brushes or anything else that needs a home. 

Supreme Selection Box (£40) from Sanctuary Spa at Boots - Who doesn't love a little pamper every now and again? Let's be honest, 'me time' as a parent is a luxury that doesn't come around very often so making the most of it is really important. Sanctuary Spa have a luxurious range of body care and skincare gifts for Christmas this year, including their Supreme Selection Box that contains Body Wash, Body Scrub, Liquid Gold Bath Elixir, Wet Skin Moisture Miracle and Heel Balm. Everything the lucky recipient will need for a head to toe pamper, helping them feel relaxed and tranquil. 

Baby Scan Christmas Bauble (£12.95) from The Little Picture Company - Expecting a baby is such an exciting time in your life and one that flies by far too quickly, so what better way to capture part of the journey than with a completely personalised baby scan bauble? You can choose the colour (from teal, yellow or pink) and the wording that you want around the edges, then you send in one of your scan photos to be in the centre. On this bauble is Rory at 16 weeks old, which is the scan we found out we were expecting our first baby boy! It's such a precious moment captured and would make a really special gift for either expectant or new parents this Christmas. 

Daddy and Me Polar Bear T-Shirt Set (£35) from Sparks & Daughters - Twinning is winning...right?! This matching Daddy and Me Set includes two tops that have three quarter length blue contrast raglan sleeves - one for Daddy and one for a child. The child's top is available in the following sizes: 2 years, 3 years, 4 years and 5 years; the Daddy's top is available in all sizes between XS and 2XL. Rory is only two weeks old in these photos, so his top in two years is slightly on the big side but you can already see how adorable they are matching each other. You can have the little ones name personalised on both of the tops, for example 'Daddy and Rory', as well as the year they were born. It's the perfect gift for a partner, husband, family or parent friends.  

Recycled Wool Knee Blanket in Sky Blue Herringbone from The Tartan Blanket Co. (£28) - Since discovering The Tartan Blanket Co. last year I have been in love with every blanket or gift set that they create. Designed in their Edinburgh studio, their recycled wool blankets are carefully designed and created using pre-loved fibres (70% recycled wool and 30% mixed fibres saved from landfill) in India. A lot of their blankets are available in full size or this knee blanket size, which is ideal for draping over your knees, dressing furniture or cosying up with your baby. This may be a gift that you benefit from more while your little one is a baby, but I think that being given a beautiful blanket at such a young age that can then be used throughout their life is so special. Many of the recycled wool blankets have tartan patterns in every colour you could ever imagine, but if you're looking for something a bit different then their herringbone pattern is such a classic. It's available in this pretty sky blue, as well as pistachio green, mustard, charcoal, natural and chestnut brown. 

Personalised Festival Survival Kit Pouch (£17) from So Close - Do you know anyone planning on going to a festival next year or a family that love festival life? A Personalised Festival Survival Kit Pouch is the gift for them; it can be personalised with whatever wording you would like, so can be about festival life in general or a specific favourite festival. The pouch is a really generous size and you could always go that extra mile by filling it with essentials such as tissues, snacks, suncream etc. 

Personalised Penguin Family Wall Pennants (from £27) from The Little Picture Company - Gallery walls and hanging displays around your home can make all the difference; it can instantly make a room feel cosy, full of love and personal to your family. The Little Picture Company have created a beautiful range of wall pennant designs, including these Penguins, Dinosaurs, Mr & Mrs, Milestone Birthday and GRL PWR. They can be hung up on the wall (I used 3M Command Plastic Hooks) like you see below, used as door hangers or the organiser in me likes the idea of hanging them in a line next to the front door so that you can have everyone's different belongings underneath. You could also use them as headers for a large wall planner/calendar; the options are endless. Gift shopping from The Little Picture Company is such always such a pleasure, as they welcome your creativity and will do their best to accommodate your personalisation requests. 

I have also put together a range of other gift guides aimed at the whole family, including the adorable babies in your life and stocking fillers that are £10 and under for children. 

Which is your favourite gift for parents?

Feel free to leave a comment - I love reading every single one :)

Helen x