Last updated on December 28th, 2022 at 10:43 am
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Are you thinking about buying Christmas gifts for your loved ones?
This blog post is exactly about that.
Christmas is all about the decorations, atmosphere, the music, and most importantly, giving and receiving gifts.
When the time is near to think about Christmas presents, it can give you such a headache.
You might be walking around a mall hoping that you’ll find something to buy for someone.
Walking inside different stores and seeing what’s out there definitely does help. It gives you a good idea of what’s out there at the moment and what to get people.
However, the downside is that this is a time-consuming process.
Many people like to buy their Christmas gifts last-minute (work gets busy during the holidays!). When you don’t have the luxury to be walking around in shopping areas figuring out what to buy, then you’ve come to the right place.
This is a Christmas gift list for people who need some inspiration on what to get family and friends.
(Some of them you can buy SUPER last minute while some needs time for the item to arrive.)
Christmas Gifts Idea 1: Perfumes
There’s a reason the blog post title is gift guides for CLOSE friends and family. Giving perfume as a Christmas gift might not be some people’s first choice. Simply because you don’t know what type of scent they would like.
I’m a little biased over here but I would recommend getting them light floral perfumes. Stronger scents might not be everyone’s cup of tea but light floral perfumes are perfect for casual, everyday wear.
There are ways to make perfume long-lasting too.
When I’m in a bad mood, I spray some perfume to brighten up my day. It works too!
If you don’t want to commit to a full bottle, get them a perfume discovery set. When my best friend wanted to look for a signature scent, I vowed to help her. She did a lot for my 25th birthday so I wanted to make hers just as special. We’re rarely in the same city during our birthdays.
I ended up buying a bunch of discovery sets from different brands to figure out what she likes. Although she never decided on her signature scent, the process was really fun.
Buying a perfume discovery set means letting friends/family discover what kind of scents they are drawn to so they can find their perfect perfume.
Christmas Gifts Idea 2: Designer Goods
Vestiaire Collective has been doing huge sales lately so you’ll be able to find good deals on the platform.
I’ve been raving about the website on my blog for some time now. I bought a ton of things from there myself. My Gucci Soho Disco bag is one of them and I love it as a weekend bag.
I’ve been wanting that bag for two years before taking the leap. Honestly, I don’t know if I would have had that bag in my collection if it wasn’t for Vestiaire.
Buying the bag at retail price is expensive and I would have been more hesitant with splurging. Other than cheaper prices, there are other reasons why you should buy preloved.
You might think that giving someone a preloved gift might not be ideal but Vestiaire has brand new items you can look at.
Filter your search by the brand and the item condition. My guide to using Vestiaire Collective will explain how to do this.
The platform has loads of brands to choose from. It’s not only Chanel, Gucci, LV, etc. There’s also Kate Spade, Michael Kors, and more! You don’t have the break your bank account to get some Christmas gifts.
Christmas Gifts Idea 3: Preserved Flowers
This is the perfect gift for those who love flowers. AKA my mother. I never thought buying fresh flowers was worth it because they have such a short lifespan.
Why fork out so much money for something that will die soon? Also, I prefer seeing flowers in their natural habitat like Terre Bleu Lavender farm BUT a lot of people will disagree with me.
One day, I came across preserved flowers. It seems to be a thing in Hong Kong. They are on the pricier side but they can last for 2 – 3 years. Much longer than fresh flowers. The flowers don’t expire but the colours will just fade gradually.
They come in different forms too. The flowers can be inside a lightbulb, a snow globe, or a box. These are the more common ones but there might be other options as well. Some stores even have cute figurines inside them.
The downside is that it takes a couple of weeks to order one. At least it did for me. Maybe you can go in-store and get one but I was extremely specific about what I wanted. This will not be a good option if you’re a last-minute Christmas shopper.
Christmas Gifts Idea 4: Local Hong Kong Products
At Bookazine, you can find gifts that represent Hong Kong. Last year, my best friend (the same one that didn’t go to Tai O Fishing Village with me) wanted me to send her a Christmas ornament. She thought it would be a cute gift exchange.
I sent her a local Hong Kong Christmas ornament. I can’t remember exactly which one it was but I think it was a red taxi?
These local HK gifts are something unique. You can’t get these anywhere else and it’s a great option for people who are from here. They can have a piece of Hong Kong with them.
Many people are still very hesitant to travel during this time. I personally know a few not wanting to come back to HK because of the long quarantine period.
Or it can be a little souvenir for those who have never been here.
This is also a time to support local businesses so it’s the best of both worlds.
Christmas Gifts Idea 5: Cute Things
Hear me out. Cute things is a very broad category but I couldn’t think of another term.
Before I moved back to Hong Kong for good, I used to visit the city every summer. I looked forward to going to these cute gift stores because I can’t get my fill when I’m in Toronto or Boston.
Cute things include stationery-related items, home goods, you name it.
As someone who gets really into baking when I’m in the mood, buying baking utensils is a dream. I was able to find a Peko Chan cookie cutter which is adorable. I’ll use it the next time I bake chocolate chip cookies.
You can buy cute things basically anywhere in Hong Kong. They’re super easy to find and have tons of selections. There are folders, pencils, pencil cases, hair elastics (frizzy hair people – you’ll know what I’m talking about), etc.
If you can pick something cute, why would you go for something plain instead?
Christmas Gifts Idea 6: Stylish Clothes
I truly believe that buying Christmas gifts for people is the time to show how well you know a person.
When it comes to affordable clothes in Hong Kong, you can’t miss out on Granville Road and Argyle Center. These are my two most visited shopping areas.
Granville Road and Argyle Center sell mostly Korean-inspired style types of clothes. These stores are usually a one-size-fits-all. If you don’t live in Asia, you might think it’s strange but people who have lived here know this is the norm.
There is quite a variety inside these shops. Depending on the store and where you go, the price can vary but it’s usually pretty affordable.
Consider looking at more oversized clothes if you’re unsure of their clothing size. It is getting chillier now so I’m sure they’ll appreciate a nice cardigan/sweater or scarf as one of their Christmas gifts.
Last Gift Idea: Skincare Products
I’m decent when it comes to my skincare routine. I never go to bed without washing my face unless it’s unusual circumstances. People who have oily skin, you’ll know what I mean. Your face will suffer the next day if you don’t wash all of that gunk off.
With the holidays coming up, there are a lot of skincare sets where they have mini bottles for a whole skincare routine.
I tend to get those because you can try different products from one brand. It can be hard to tell if you like a brand or not if you try only one product.
Sheet masks can also be an option because those mostly come in sets.
It also encourages them to add this skincare step to their self-care routine.
There are different price points so you can go for more affordable brands or expensive brands. It depends on your budget and what you are looking for.
Final Thoughts
I’ve noticed that with blogs, bloggers are often extremely specific about what to buy for Christmas gift ideas.
I wanted to give my readers some ideas on where to start thinking but leave them some space to think about exactly what to get their loved ones.
Because that’s what I like to read about.
I hope my blog post can inspire you to buy some nice Christmas gifts for family and friends.
Now to You
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Xoxo,
Nicole