What to put under the tree: Christmas gifts for all occasions
There is exactly a week left until New Year, and if you are still undecided with gifts for loved ones and those you just want to please with pleasant trifles, take a look at our lists. They will definitely help to reduce the time of searching for the most beautiful and useful things that you want to give to your loved ones.
8 gift certificates for online courses
Serious courses on human anatomy for artists, online training in sewing and needlework and time management for writers — such gifts will be expensive, but it’s hard to imagine something more practical and original at the same time: perhaps you will fulfill someone’s dream.
Basics of anatomy in human figure
Bang! Bang! Education - Russian Internet design and illustration school; its organizers offer courses in the appropriate directions. They cost a lot, but by paying, you get not only access to all materials, but also a personal approach, which online courses often lack. For example, during the passage of the "Fundamentals of Anatomy in a Man's Figure" a student can discuss each of his work with a teacher. You can study at any pace (you can watch several lessons at the weekend or study one at a time), the main thing is to meet the deadlines and do your homework - without them you can’t access the next video tutorial. Each of the courses can be purchased as a gift. The main thing is to make sure in advance that the person to whom you give it will have time to listen to lectures and do homework.
Focus to Write: Time Management Essentials For Writers
On the Udemy website you can find tens of thousands of online courses on a variety of topics - from dog training to the work of Thomas Eliot. Some of them are available for free, some can be bought - at the same time any course can be donated (click on the "Advanced Options" tab). We propose to dwell on classes in time management for authors - it is assumed that according to the results of the course you can learn how to more efficiently allocate time and increase your productivity. The course is suitable not only for writers and journalists, but also for everyone who works a lot with texts - for example, students who cannot find time to do written work. Now you can buy it with an impressive discount - for nineteen dollars instead of a hundred.
Great Courses Certificate
Another gift option is a site certificate with the promising name Great Courses. There are many various programs, both theoretical and practical; many of them are teachers of famous universities. One of the most loved by users is dedicated to the Greek tragedies, led by his professor at Whitman College. Now the course is sold at an impressive discount - for $ 30 instead of $ 130; its only drawback is that it is available only in the format of audio lectures - however, it hardly interferes with your studies. The site has several gift options: you can donate a specific course, or you can buy a certificate for a wide variety of amounts from $ 25 to $ 500, which a person can spend at their own discretion.
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Gifts for the home that everyone will like
Salt lamp, organizer for jewelry or a nice pillow - among the little things that are designed to create comfort, you can find truly exquisite items that will permanently settle in the house.
Salt lamp Zenet
The ceiling of this lamp is made of natural salt - this explains its unusual appearance and great weight. Manufacturers claim that it should have a good effect on well-being: when it is turned on, the salt crystal is heated, which causes more negative ions in the room. Even if you or the one to whom you are planning to give a gift, do not care much about its healing properties (we doubt them), you should still pay attention to it - first of all it is a beautiful accessory.
Umbra Jewelry Organizer
A stand for storing jewelery is a thing that is useful to everyone: you can keep watches, chains and bracelets on racks, and rings and badges in the drawer base. The stand is not very cheap - but everything is explained by the concise design of the Canadian brand and natural materials.
Blackboard with letters Urban Outfitters
An unexpected and funny gift is a small board on which you can collect letters from letters (in a set of 286 - true, only Latin ones), like those used in diners. On it, you can leave messages to your roommate or write a menu for the day, or you can simply post your favorite phrase - everything is limited only by the owner’s imagination.
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Gifts for kids who are dreaming of adults
If there are children in your closest neighborhood, you can choose for them a giant railway, a charming dollhouse or a hut. And then play together.
Railroad Kids4kids
It seems that everybody, without exception, dreamed about the railroad as a child - if you didn’t have one, you can easily buy it for your child (or yourself) and play enough. It is not for nothing that manufacturers called this road gigantic - it weighs 3.5 kilograms, and when assembled it will stretch more than a meter. In addition to the wooden constructor, locomotive and wagons, a helicopter, several machines, road signs and human figures are included in the set - it turns out a whole mini-city.
Set to create cartoons
Another game that was not in our childhood is a pity. With this set you can create your own cartoons - you only need a smartphone with any application to create a stop-motion animation. At the disposal of the person who bought the clay to create cartoon characters, a small stage, several backgrounds and scenery, a tripod for the phone and an instruction book. In the same online store you can find a set that is much more complicated and expensive, created with the participation of the British animation studio Aardman.
Hut
We all remember how cool it was in childhood to build a fortress or a hut of chairs, sheets and pillows. In online stores there is an option not worse - a real hut that can be put right in the middle of the nursery. It can be of several sizes, for example, two meters and a half, so that there will be enough space in it for everyone. If you want something more unusual (and democratic), try a set for the construction of pipes - there is where to turn fantasy.
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Non-dull underwear as a gift
Underwear, designed for harsh everyday life, is not always interesting to look for yourself, but you can find real treasures in the assortment of independent brands and the mass market - feel free to choose if you are sure of the size.
Wood Wood Kit
Basic underwear can be interesting, as evidenced by Wood Wood, famous for its simple and concise things. Ribbed underwear is suitable not only for wearing under clothes, but also as a home set - thanks to the material from which it is made, 100% cotton. Both the top and the underpants are adjacent to the body, and due to their density they warm almost like thermal underwear. The only thing you need to take into account when buying: they will probably be visible under light pants or blouses.
Kit & Other Stories
Cotton and beige are not a necessary criterion for basic underwear, as is a simple design. The base can also be made of silk and satin and have parts like additional fasteners, straps, inserts and decorative seams. Therefore, if you are looking for casual lingerie as a gift, but do not want to bump into minimalism, you should look at the sets of & Other Stories, which stand for a variety of beauty and choose atypical models for collaborations. The set chosen by us is inspired by retro models, it is as comfortable and pleasant as possible for the body.
Bra Lonely Label
The Lonely Label brand appeared in New Zealand, although it has long been known and loved far beyond its borders. This is not surprising: the Lonely philosophy is based on body positivity, freedom and equality. The sequence of the company is fascinating: they refuse to retouch in their advertising campaigns, although atypical for the industry models take part in the shooting - girls with different types of appearance, proportions and skin color. Therefore, to get a bra or panties brand will be twice as nice. Among the ceremonial options with lace in Lonely Label there are quite basic models, like this bra.
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The most fashionable things of winter
Treads, velvet dresses and metalized fabrics - those who follow the trends will be pleased to find one of these things under the Christmas tree. A weighty plus is that the items of clothing and jewelry from our collection will definitely be relevant for more than one season.
Treads
The main shoe hit of the season is, of course, boots, which we wrote about more than once. This shoe has lost all conflicting connotations from the past, so now even those who prefer discreet or neutral things are wearing them. Not the best idea for winter ice, but they remain in the list of trends for the seasons ahead and will be relevant for a long time. Many brands - from mass-market to "heavy luxury" - have released low-heeled models, muffled colors, suede and matte leather. They are worn with elegant A-silhouette dresses, and with huge hoodie. The main thing to remember is that this is a very characteristic pair of shoes. If the person to whom you are going to make such a gift has never let slip about him and prefers sneakers or trekking boots, it is better to opt for something else.
Velvet dress
There is a special demand for velvet things during the cold season - in spring and summer, one often wants to wear lighter fabrics both by touch and by sight. The trend for velvet things is traditional for this time of year and will be relevant in a year or two. A simple combination dress will surely appeal to those who have not yet decided what to celebrate the main holiday of the year and go to the theater on holidays. Be careful not to make a mistake with the size - it is better to know in advance the exact brand from which you are going to buy a gift. You can wear it by itself, and with a T-shirt or turtleneck.
Gold or silver all
The entire 2016 was marked by the return of sequins and glitter - all thanks to the rethinking of the 80s. A fabric that looks like a thin candy wrapper seems to stay with us for a long time. Golden and silver colors in clothes are suitable not only for parties, but also for everyday dresses that need an accent. Metallized items are easily combined with clothes of other texture - for example, from silk or wool. A silver skirt with pleating can be the basis of any image, as it looks great with sneakers and with strict shoes. Cheap analogues are easy to find in any mass market.
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Ornaments from unusual materials
Those who like to be in the center of attention, just love the jewelry from natural or futuristic materials that will add chic to the base turtleneck or help to beat the evening out in an original way.
Bracelet Julie Thevenot
Julie Theveno, an artist and designer with a wonderful sense of humor, loves to experiment with materials and colors. For interior items - wall decorations and sculptures - she often uses the same as for her jewelry line: brass, wood and powder ceramics. Especially noteworthy are its massive bracelets and brooches made as if from whole pieces of pearl metal; in fact it is just painted brass. Lookbook brand even shows how its decorations can fit into the interior. The designer does all things by hand and purposefully does not want to put them on line production. The more interesting it is to get such an ornament, so different from the usual offers of jewelry stores, as a gift.
Natasha Dea ring
If you are looking for a gift to a person who respects nature and natural materials, then you should look at ornaments made of resin, river sand, stone, wool or cement. Often, it is from them that things appear that nature itself has created — they look like pieces of a meteorite, sea foam, or even tree bark. Such jewelry will look great with basic things and will be the main focus of the image. Like, for example, this ring made of resin and enamel will suit both pastel-colored shirts and warm-colored sequins.
Kathleen Whitaker Ring
Kathleen Whitaker glorified jewelry made of precious metals and stones, but the brand will also find options from unconventional materials. For example, rings made of coral or petrified wood. According to the designer, she seeks to create jewelry, reminiscent of sculpture, for those who love nature and appreciate natural materials. Because of its fragility, this gift really requires special treatment. The brand can be found and relatively budget products, but without stones. Among the fans of such minimalism are Michelle Obama, Jessica Alba and Kendall Jenner.
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Cookbooks as a gift
Many people like to cook, and we managed to collect books containing not only fascinating instructions, but also demonstrating a non-standard approach to the culinary business - they are all written by women who understand the problems of the industry.
"Stir: Mixing It Up in the Italian Tradition"
Barbara lynch
Chef Barbara Lynch is considered an authority in the world of high-class cuisine: she owns some of the best restaurants in Boston, she works closely with star chef René Redzepi, whom we have already talked about. In his book with a metaphorical title - something like “How it all mixed up in the Italian tradition” - Lynch offers recipes for perfect lasagna and potato gnocchi, chicken in prosciutto and bread pudding, supplying instructions with author's comments.
The famous specialist was born not in Italy, but in the suburbs of Boston. A girl from a family of workers defends the rights of women, advocates healthy fast food for workaholic, advocates higher wages, and generally has a ray of light in the culinary kingdom of machismo. By purchasing a book, you can support a female voice in the community of restaurateurs and at the same time bestow on your loved ones guidance on how to make the right pasta.
Life Cookbook
Alice B. Toklas
The real classic is ironic and touching prose at the junction of memoirs and gastronomy. The figure of Toklas often fades in the background of her ally and partner Gertrude Stein, but this book, written in 1953, became a real creative emancipation of Toklas. It is far less political than most of the options on our list, but it is definitely not inferior in terms of benefits. Toklas tells how to cook four types of gazpacho and dozens of different sauces, shares game cooking tips and advises on the perfect combination of dishes for dinner parties.
"The Cookbook of Life" is more of a memory than a cooking textbook. In it are stories told by Hemingway and Fitzgerald, feasts with Picasso and Matisse, unknown features of the image of Gertrude and surprising incidents from their life with Alice. Feel free to give the book even to those who do not plan to learn to cook: it will decorate any library.
"Barefoot and In the Kitchen"
Ashley rove
The main trump card of the book is that it has pictures: hooligan illustrations, ironic comics and talented sketches will appeal to everyone who is a rebel in his heart. A small album "Barefoot and the Kitchen" is intended to dispel stereotypes about vegan cuisine and save newcomers from fear of cooking. Recipes for every taste and budget, all kinds of culinary life hacking, a dictionary of popular ingredients and terms - anyone can learn to cook with such an arsenal.
The author Ashley Rove, a feminist and vegan with experience, tells in detail how to make seitan and simple sauces, quick and nutty biscuits and flavored corn bread. The punk food titles delight: “Dirty rice”, “Fatal buns” and so on. Ashley even provided the directory with funny essays - in short, a culinary zine for the wild at heart.
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Gifts for sports fans
There is a place to turn around: there are a great number of sports accessories and you can find a gift that is obviously necessary or just decorating life. Comfortable sconces, training diary or gorgeous swimming glasses - then choose by hobbies.
Adidas sports bra by Stella McCartney
Designer sportswear lines are not always technologically advanced, but the adidas by Stella McCartney bra is really remarkable. The design of the High-Intensity model is minimalist, but not without a highlight, and the breathing fabric effectively wicks off moisture. Breast support is reliable, and for extra comfort there are removable cups. Sconces are presented in white and gray. The thing will appeal to gymnasium regulars, runners and beginners in the world of fitness. Those who prefer the load easier, but loves a sporty style, you can present a more elegant model of The Performance from the same collection: it does not have such a tight fit.
Exercise diary Believe
Reasonable planning makes life easier. We recently advised excellent checklists # 365done, and now we offer an advanced level - a special magazine for training. Believe created by professional runners for fans of running and all those who want to start doing it, but it is also suitable for other sports. A well-designed diary will help define personal goals - from the first 5 kilometers to a half marathon - and remind you how important it is to enjoy achievements. It has the “Tasks”, “Training”, “Nutrition”, “Body Image”, “Psychology”, “Competition Installation”, “Restoration” sections and much more, as well as short essays and motivating quotes. Importantly, as a gift give a set of stickers in the form of Emoji.
Goggles for swimming Aqua Sphere Kayenne Mirror
In these glasses you can swim both in the pool and in open water. Гидродинамическая форма уменьшает сопротивление воды, а широкие изогнутые линзы обеспечивают чёткий всесторонний обзор. Зеркальное покрытие с ультрафиолетовым фильтром защищает глаза от бликов и яркого света. Самое главное в очках для плавания - мягкая и плотная посадка на лице: в очках Kayenne её обеспечивает не только стандартный силиконовый уплотнитель и ремешки, но и специальные боковые клипсы Quick-Fit. Если хочется более сдержанного дизайна, обратите внимание на классическую модель Kaiman.
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Косметика не дороже 1000 рублей
The cosmetics market is still overflowing, and gifts for the most picky can be found in the non-cloudy price range: for example, I'm Sorry For My Skin masks or liquid matte lipstick that everyone seems to like.
NYX Liquid Suede Liquid Lipstick Cherry Skies
The merry NYX brand has made an exemplary liquid matte lipstick - with a beautiful velvety texture that does not turn lips into a desert, interesting shades and a convenient applicator. The most gift option is the deep red shade of Cherry Skies: this lipstick alone is enough to feel like a hundred.
Mask I'm Sorry For My Skin
I'm Sorry For My Skin compares favorably with most brands on the market in that it doesn’t splurge: packaging design gives an opaque hint at the situations in which you need to uncover these masks. With efficiency, they, too, everything is in order - a great gift to everyone who is not afraid to make fun of themselves.
Pudra powder
Own product of an online store, which for three years of work has become a serious and interesting project, distributing and producing excellent tools. Pudra production in a logical way began with powder - a crumbly, universal hue and very fine grinding. Plus, beautiful packaging is an important element of any gift.
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Expensive and desirable cosmetic gifts
Means that you really want to have in a cosmetic bag, but it’s not always easy to afford - the Urban Decay Moondust blasting stick or the NARS model set is worth taking note of, since they definitely exist in many of your friends who are interested in cosmetics.
Palette Urban Decay Moondust
Californians this year celebrate the twentieth anniversary, in honor of which they made a shock: they completely updated the line of lipsticks and eyeliners, made new tonal means and correctors, released several excellent palettes. Carried away by the novelties, Urban Decay did not deprive with attention also their classical means - in particular, the space pressed Moondust shadow glitters. To the eleven shades available, several new ones were added, as well as a cream version and a palette. The latter consists of eight colors and looks as if it was invented by Ziggy Stardust - that is, divinely beautiful. You can apply it in a wet way, or you can just use your finger - and this is the easiest and fastest way to shine like the sun.
Lipstick Tom Ford Lips & Boys
Two years ago, the king of kitsch and desperate sexuality released a limited edition lipstick collection of Lips & Boys, dedicated to important men in his life. Tom Ford's heart is big, there were many men - the line consisted of fifty shades. A year ago, Lips & Boys briefly returned, and now the series is included in the permanent collection of the brand and added new colors. Lipsticks will fit even in a tiny clutch (a tube is one and a half times smaller than the standard size) and look like very expensive toys. You can choose a gift based on the cultural preferences of the person donated: for example, Drake is named after the Canadian rapper, and Jake - after the actor Gyllenhaal.
Set NARS Thousand Worlds Set
The main cosmetic visionary, Francois Nars, went against everyone again and won again, making the Christmas collection with the legendary photographer Sarah Moon. The result was an unprecedented and completely unconventional beauty for Christmas: elven surrealistic pictures, specially shot by Moon, and complex, disturbing shades that Nars loves. The most gifted option is the Thousand Worlds set in a translucent plastic box of an unusual shape: two varnishes and two lipsticks of classic, but not a drop of banal shades - in Russia you can find it in the offline shops of L'Etoile.
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Cool aromas in beautiful bottles
A selection of perfumery masterpieces that are beautiful not only in basic parameters, but also able to decorate a dressing table - because they are packaged in an outstanding manner.
Marfa, Memo Paris
Most of the town in the Texas desert Martha is famous for three things: the local commune of artists, the brightest stars in America, and the so-called lights of Martha - light balls hanging in the night sky. Now Marfa has her own scent - a loud, vociferous, nuclear tuberose in a big-eyed bottle that will watch you for a long time from the dressing table: Marfa is consumed extremely economically.
Fate Woman, Amouage
Female Fate will easily enter the top three flavors with narcissus - green, animal (in the absolute narcissus there is a distinct tone of barn, manure), warm and fragrant, like steam from summer hay. Among other things, it is a brilliant chypre, enclosed in an equally brilliant bottle - the classic Amuja “house” of pearl color.
Tau, Onyrico
A couple of years ago a great book came out - "A Forest Unseen: A Year's Watch in Nature". The author, Pulitzer nominee David George Haskell, watched the life of an old forest in Tennessee for a whole year - using the example of one square meter of forest floor. From this piece of land, taken by the maximum "zoom" of the biologist, a detailed study of the state ecosystem has grown - and a whole thicket grows out of little Tau.
Not a single detail escapes the perfumer, like Haskell's magnifying glass: here is a fresh resinous scrapping of a juniper branch, here is a shoe print in plush mosses, here is a piece of rotten bark - you make “pshik” and continue watching a documentary movie about nature. But even if Tau were not so beautiful in itself, they would still like to have - at least for the sake of this green marble cover.
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Gifts for music lovers
Musical glasses, a set for cleaning records or a portable DJ console - if someone from your loved ones makes the music quieter only on special occasions, take a closer look at these unusual items.
Crosley Disc Cleaning Kit
The perfect gift for all neat vinyl collectors. Because of its fragility and omnipresent dust, the plates require special care: the slightest dirt or scratches immediately affect the quality of reproduction. The kit includes a special cleaning fluid with an antistatic effect and a velvet handmade brush that does not scratch and gently clean the vinyl. The brush can also be used to clean the strong dirt on the needle of the player.
Musical glasses Major Scale
Finally, at home you can record your version of one of the musical themes for the Harry Potter films. Each glass made notes that help to understand to what level you need to fill it with wine, water or other liquid, for example, to get a note up. Now you just need to hold the edge of the dish with a wet finger - this is how with one hand movement the dishes turn into a musical instrument.
DJ Pokket Mixer
German-made compact toy that turns a laptop, player or phone into a portable DJ console. Pokket Mixer does not need an additional power source - you only need to connect it to the devices through the headphone jack. It is easy to take with you, and, despite the appearance, both an adult and a child can deal with it.