Holiday Gift Guide for Him!

Hello fellow blog readers,

I really wanted to include a holiday gift guide for him but its SO close to Christmas!
I know that there must be some last minute shoppers out there...or perhaps someone that wants to add a little something extra to their gift. 

I know that shopping for boys is extremely difficult. I had to return my Dad's gift two times until I got it right. And who knows, maybe he will even return my third gift as well =P

All of these gift ideas should apply to most men, whether it is your boyfriend or your grandpa!

For Him

1. A Cozy Sweater. Whether its a casual hoodie or a cashmere sweater, these make great gifts for any guy. Here are some that I like:

2. Cologne. One that is popular and that I love is Bleu de Chanel. 

3. Ticket to a winter sports day or event. For example, you could plan a ski day trip if they enjoy skiing, or maybe even a sledding day!

4. Gadget Case. Everyone loves their technology. Whether its the iPad or their phone. These personalized leather iPad cases make such a nice gift. 

5. A winter coat. Often times, guys don't wear coats that are warm enough for winter! If you are planning on buying a big gift, this one is definitly a winner. This coat that I found online looks really nice. It has a fur trim so it keeps him nice and warm.

I hope you had some fun reading my little christmas gift guide for him and thanks for reading,

Rebecca

How to enjoy the holidays.

Hi Everyone!

Today I thought I would do a more personal post about the holiday season.
My love for Christmas and the holiday season is insane. 
I literally look forward to Christmas in the middle of summer.
I know that for many people, Christmas hits them much quicker than they would like and expect, and after Christmas they experience something I call Post-Christmas Depression.
I have had this unfortunate condition before, and it is when Christmas disapears so quickly that I did not have enough time to enjoy it.
I thought it would be fun to post some ideas on how to fully enjoy the holiday season, so that you won't face depression after the 25th of December is over. 

Disclaimer: these ideas may not work for everyone, but they are things that I have done this holiday season so far!

1. Listen to Christmas music--starting October. Not even kidding, I started listening at the end of October and I always have the Christmas channels on the radio in the car. 

2. Decorate your home. My mom loves decorating for the season so we have our big tree with lights, lots of little decorations all over the house, and Christmas lights and light-up reindeer outside of our house. It really gets you in the spirit of things.

3. Overload on holiday drinks. As soon as Starbuck's released their holiday drinks, I've only been getting drinks from that menu. They aren't going to be around forever! I've probably had about 10 Gingerbread lattes, 3 Caramel Brulee, 1 Peppermint Mocha, and 1 Peppermint Hot Chocolate. 

4. Christmas movies. I recently started watching Christmas movies and so far I've only watched Elf, The Polar Express, and The Holiday. I think it's a great idea to watch lots of holiday movies during this time. Can't wait to watch Home Alone and The Grinch soon!

5. Paint your nails festive colours (and dress for the season!). As soon as I got back from uni, I've had my nails painted mint-y blue, gold, and now cranberry red. Loving the festive colours! Also, I love to wear thick wool-y sweaters and I love wearing the oxblood colour because it looks so festive. For makeup, I wear golden-bronze eyeshadow from the Naked palette, and Nars sin blush. Very winter-esque!

6. Have festive gatherings with friends. My friends and I did not have a legit Christmas party this year but it was my birthday as well as my best friend's birthday. We had two festive dinners and it was really great to see everyone. The season is also about seeing the ones you love!

7. Watch a Christmas Pageant. Last Sunday I went to my church and the children put on a Christmas pageant! It was very cute and it is important to remember the true meaning of Christmas. Also fun to sing more Christmas songs!

8. Wrap your presents in festive packaging. This is a bit random but I do think it helps to enjoy the holiday spirit. Instead of just giving your presents in their packaging from the store, wrap them in festive wrapping paper and add a bow! I thought it was very fun to wrap my gifts up in holiday designs. 

9. Give out Christmas cards. It is SO much fun to give out Christmas cards if you have some time! I wrote most of mine right after I finished my exams. I gave them out to my housemates and close friends. It's a great time to reflect on your relationship with others and to wish others a happy holiday. Most people love to receive Christmas cards because they are so thoughtful. 

10. Build a Snowman, go sledding/skiing/skating. Unfortunately I have not been able to do any of these this year because it has barely snowed but once it snows, you bet I will be doing all of these! 

Hope you enjoyed reading this post and are able to appreciate the holiday season a little more!

Rebecca

My Nail Polish Collection

Hi there!

Today I rearranged my nail polish drawer and thought I would give you a little peak into my collection. 

So what I've done is I've tucked away the nail polishes I rarely use at the back. These include my 3 Forever 21 polishes, some old baby pinks, NYC, and Revlon polishes. 
Then I've lined up all the OPI polishes and then my favourite brand, Essie polishes. 
I have some miscellaneous polishes at the front left side such as Butter London, Zoya, Aerie, and Deborah Lippman. I don't normally use top coat because by the 2nd or 3rd coat, I don't feel like painting my nails anymore! But if I do use top coat, I use the OPI one. 

My favourites from my collection include Teddy Girl by Butter London, Happy Birthday by Deborah Lippman, Short Story by OPI, Smitten with Mittens by OPI, and Essie's Lilacism. 
My newest polishes are Essie's Merino Cool, Essie's Caicos and Turquoise, and Zoya's Ziv.

Today I stopped by Murale and decided to pick up a blush as a birthday present to myself. I have been eyeing this blush for about a year now. It is Sin by Nars. I think it would be great for winter and I plan on using it every day until Spring arrives. 

Once again, thanks for reading! Only 4 days till Christmas, I can't believe it!

Rebecca

Holiday Gift Guide for Her!

Hello Everyone!

I've been watching a lot of Holiday Gift Guides on Youtube and thought it would be fun to post one today. Hope these gifts add a bit of inspiration to your  gift purchasing!

For Her

Under $50

1) Hot chocolate and mug set

I received this gift as a birthday present this year and I love the idea. It's so cute and cozy! Both items are from Indigo bookstore. Another cute idea would be to purchase any mug from Anthropologie because they are so cute and put a bag of tea inside! My favourite are the ones from David's Tea. 

2) Candles

Img taken from here

The Bath and Body Works candles are super yummy but how about a more unique candle? These can be purchased at Anthropologie and Indigo book store. They look gorgeous in any home. I have the light green one and its beautiful. These retail for $28 (and occasionally go on sale too!)

Over $50

1) Tiffany Keys

These make a lovely gift for her. There are so many different key options as well as different chain styles, making your gift even more unique. I received the left most key in silver for my birthday this year, and I love it! Prices range from $200 and up. 

2) Personalized Robe

Img taken from here

These robes are from Restoration Hardware and can be monogrammed with the individual's initials. I'm sure any woman would love to receive a fresh and luxurious robe! These retail for $99.

Thanks for reading this mini gift guide,

Rebecca 

Patterened Jeans!

Hello!

Today I thought I would share a pair of jeans I bought recently. 
I've always been interested in trying the patterned jeans trend but have never come across a pair that fit well and had a nice pattern. 
Today I stepped into Holt Renfrew for a browse and found these very unique pair of pants. 
I did not purchase them because they were $160 which I think is a lot for pants. 
When I first picked them up, I thought the print was of some sort of swirly design that looked very nice but when I looked closer, they are actually some kind of dragon's feet!?

Take a look: 

And a close up...

These pants are by Rich&Skinny and look nice from a far but I don't think I like having someone's toe nails on my pants :P

I stopped by Free People and they were having a good sale. I ended up picking up a pair of jeans with floral print on them for $29 (originally $88!) 

Even though they are more of a spring-summer pant, I'm sure with the right top and boots they could be worn in the fall-winter. 

Thanks for reading,

Rebecca

Home for the holidays and a little haul**

Hi Everyone,

I cannot believe I have not posted on my blog for 2 months ! 
School has been super busy and I have just finished my four exams within 6 days. 
Feeling so relieved and ready to have the best holiday ever!

While I was at school, I made a small purchase on Glitzy-Glam during their cyber Monday sale (30% discount). I enjoy watching Elle and Blair on YouTube and have liked their waffle makeup bags for some time now. 

These are things that I purchased:

I really like this makeup bag so far. It's really big and I love how cute and girly it looks. I've been wanting a really nice makeup bag for some time now but all the ones I have been eyeing have been too expensive. This one was around $22.

I also picked up one of their keychains for my mom as part of her Christmas gift. It looks so pretty!

Overall, I'm very happy with the things I purchased however I must say that if you are ordering as an international customer, you should double check the costs of duties. Mine came out to an additional $8 which was basically the amount I saved from the 30% discount. 

Can't wait to post lots more over this Christmas holiday :) 

Thanks for reading,

Rebecca