It's a question on the lips of many an anxious partner up and down the country right now, what to buy for the woman who has everything?!
To be fair, I can kind of understand why so many people (especially men) find it difficult to shop for women in their 40s - because at this stage in our lives, we've probably already accumulated most of the things we really want. We've found our holy grail beauty products, we've often settled on a favorite scent...we know what we like by this point in our lives, and the people who are buying gifts for us have often bought them for a fair few years on the run - so it can all feel a bit predictable!
With the gift giving struggle in mind, I thought I'd make things a little easier for the people in my life by sharing a little look at some of the things I'd love to find in my stocking this Christmas - and who knows, maybe it will give you some inspiration for the women in your life too.
New Reads
I truly believe that a woman can never have too many books, and there is always a list as long as my arm of titles I'd love to read. This year I have my eye on Matthew Perry's autobiography and there are plenty of novels I'd be interested to read too, but the main books I'd love to get are along the self-help and personal development line - something I think would appeal to a lot of women my age. I'm someone who always struggles to fall asleep, and so when I noticed this book of "Bedtime Stories For Stressed Out Adults" by Lucy Mangan it looked right up my street! I love the idea of a soothing tale designed specifically for anxious adult souls - why haven't I thought of this sooner?!
Another book firmly at the top of my Christmas wishlist is "How to meet yourself" by Insta-viral psychologist extraordinaire Nicole LePera, whose Instagram account I adore.
Beauty Treats
In recent years I've really started to take a shine to lotions and potions, and would always welcome the opportunity to try something new when it comes to beauty products. I have been trying to pay more attention to my skincare routine, and so some lovely treats from a high end brand such as La Roche-Posay would be a very welcome treat in my stocking this year - whether it be one of their highly rated Hyaluronic acids or their lovely foaming face gel, there are so many skincare treats I'd be thrilled to receive.
Gift Vouchers
I know that a lot of people see gift vouchers as a bit of a cop out, but I have to say that I strongly disagree. For me, a gift voucher is an invitation to not only indulge myself in a treat - something just for me, without any of the temptation to spend it on "something sensible" that comes with gifted cash - but it also gives me the gift of taking the time to decide what I'm going to spend it on, whether that's by having a browse around the shops or even just sitting down with a cuppa to browse online.
There are endless possibilities when it comes to this sort of gift giving - you might choose to buy a gift voucher for a favorite clothing store to be enjoyed during the January sales, you might give a gift voucher to an online beauty retailer or maybe even a restaurant voucher for a nice dinner out. The choices are endless, and to be honest there is no gift voucher that I wouldn't enjoy receiving!
Stationery
My very favorite thing about a new year is, honestly, the opportunity for new stationery! A new planner brings me the sort of joy you would usually only find in the closing pages of a great romance novel - am I being dramatic? Maybe a little, but I really do love a new planner.
I also love notebooks, pens, paperclips - honestly anything you could possibly purchase in a stationery store is likely to be a gift that I will very gratefully receive, especially if its in cute colours and carries kitschy quotes on the front.
Personalised Jewellery
I'm not somebody who wears a lot of jewellery, but I have seen a lot of very beautiful pieces for mothers lately which really appeal to me.
I love the idea of having some jewelry personalised with my childrens names and birth stones, and I particularly love the Tree Of Life necklaces and Merci Maman charms that I've seen on social media. A gift like this would be something I'd treasure for many years to come.
Experiences
If all else fails, the gift of time together is always the most special of all. A romantic night away gifted by my partner, or an afternoon tea to enjoy on a girly shopping trip with my Mum or my sister - something along these lines would be a lovely and memorable gift, and certainly something a little out of the ordinary.
An experience gift also helps to reduce clutter in the home too, and who doesn't want the opportunity to make more memories with their loved ones?
I hope that this little round up of gift ideas is helpful. Let's see what Santa has in store for me this year, shall we!
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