Christmas is finally upon us, folks. Let your purse strings come undone
December means it's time to play Secret Santa. Check out our gift ideas – we've got something for everybody, from your outdoorsy best friend to your maximalist mother. A word of warning, you might end up shopping for yourself. But hey, the more we give, the more we receive, right?
RECOMMENDED: The ultimate guide to Christmas in Singapore and the best shops in Singapore for Christmas decorations
From Naiise
If regular notebooks just won't do, pick up a Magic of I notebook where the spiritual sorts can be one with the universe and chart their journeys in this pretty notebooks. Included in the notebook are dates like the moon phases in 2020, when Mercury goes into Retrograde and more.
From Binary Style
Stand out from the crowd with your accessories and don a colourful silk scarf from Binary Style. Known for its vibrant prints that reflect scenes and sights in Singapore, expect to find a scarf with bumboats on Singapore River or one with the shophouses in Chinatown.
From Apple
Oh come on, why wouldn’t your friend want to show off to the world that they’re rocking the new AirPods 2? With faster pairing features and wireless charging options and a nifty noise-cancelling mode, every hustler needs a pair.
From Janice Wong
Getting chocolates for Christmas is great but getting Janice Wong chocolates? Now we’re talking. Janice’s festive collection comes with a neon splash this year with unusual flavours like popcorn and spice, gingerbread, dulce de leche, cherry and dark chocolate peppermint.
From Museum Label
Make tea drinking fun with this whimsical tea infuser featuring the Malayan tapir. Fun fact: it was inspired by a painting from the William Farquhar Collection of Natural History. One to get for your showy friends who love the attention of telling a good story.
From The Canberra Distillery
If you have a friend who loves hosting and experimenting with cocktails, this prettily packaged French Earl Grey Lavender Gin is one to add to their collection. Infused with bergamot and lavender, this blue-coloured bottle of gin is delicate and fragrant. A great party tip: add tonic water and the gin turns pink.
From Sephora
Have friends that love looking good from head-to-toe? The holiday mask set from Sephora has a mask for all their needs. There is a coconut hair mask, a lychee face mask, a cucumber eye mask, a shea lip mask, an aloe vera hand mask and an almond foot mask. We can imagine that glam friend using all of them in one go before a party.
From Escentials
Give your friend the confidence to pucker up and pout through the festive season with this bold lippy collection. Available in 12 shades of red and rose, choose from the attention-grabbing orange-red shade, Steal Red or the demure Natural Rose. The lightweight matte lipstick immediately brightens up a look.
From Naiise
When in the shower, let go of your worries and overthinking and lather up with this creamy soap that has cooling menthol, making it perfect for our humid weather. The best part is that the bar of soap is embedded with a sodalite crystal which is also known as the 'wisdom stone'. When you're done with the bar, you can keep the crystal with you. Sodalite helps with communicating at a deeper level, giving you a renewed sense of confidence and self-esteem.
From Minimakers
Touted as a sustainable, reusable alternative to plastic wrap, there’s a whole lot to like about these beeswax wraps that can last for up to a year. The wraps from Minimakers come in many sizes and a big part of the fun lies in picking out the prints your friend might like.
From Aesop
The minimalist always wants to keep the house looking and smelling impeccable. This home kit from Aesop, inspired by the muse of music, Euterpe, The Melodist holds a trio of home staples like the woody and warm Olous Aromatique room spray, a body soap bar and its famous Post Poo drops.
From Ashley & Co.
That feeling when you’re fresh out of the shower and ready for bed is a small pleasure everyone should enjoy. Ashley & Co. helps achieve that dream a little with its Bubbles & Polkadots wash, which smells like a fresh garden rose mixed with soft powdery musk and warm amber. Goodnight world, peace out.
From Gallery & Co.
For the friend who believes minimalism is an art form, this loose leaf tea canister doubles as a conversation piece. An ode to condensed milk tins used for takeaway coffee, this handcrafted model by local design studio Orbjek, comes filled with locally blended tea by Pek Sin Choon, one of the oldest teahouses in Singapore.
From Mr. Black (available at Temple Cellars)
Kopi ‘O’ gets an upgrade with this coffee liqueur made with real coffee beans from Papua New Guinea, Ethiopia and Brazil. The mixture of cold-pressed, unfiltered coffee with silky smooth Australian wheat vodka makes this the premium coffee liqueur for coffee purists.
From Design Orchard
Encourage someone else to start packing lunch from home. The first step is to get them a reusable container to lug their food around. The ones fro Porter come in attractive colours, has a protective non-slip exterior, rigid plastic lid and snap-tight silicone strap which makes it perfect for even carrying soup.
From Fujifilm
The Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay akes capturing memories easy. The hybrid instant camera has a built-in LCD monitor and printer and is chock-full of features to capture life’s greatest moments
From Sony
Okay, this is a bit of a splurge. But these new wireless headphones from Sony is slim, compact, offers superior sound quality and ambient noise cancellation so it’s great for the frequent flyer.
From Thann
For people who spend too much time in the sun, Thann’s light and non-greasy sunscreen makes for a great stocking stuffer, and naturally it smells great too.
From Decathlon
Protect your friends’ belongings when they’re off exploring high seas. This duffel has a volume of 30 litres, is watertight, durable and looks great in turquoise
From Besbes
Established in Singapore, Besbes offers a wide variety of phone necklaces in a range of colours for those who want to keep their phones within reach at all times.
From Outside
Not only are United by Blue’s water bottle designs beautiful, that handy braided paracord strap also lets the user easily attach the bottle to a backpack with style.
From Xhundredfold
A tote, sling and backpack all in one. Every purchase contributes to the brand’s #buildabag cause to provide job opportunities to the underprivileged in Thailand.
From Desi Hangover
Handwoven by leatherworking artisans from rural villages in India. Desi Hangover was founded with the commitment to give back to these communities.
From Talking Toes
What better way to remember to seize the day than with this reminder written on a pair of socks – the last thing your giftee sees before putting on their shoes and venturing forward.
From G-Shock
The OG stylish sports watch, the new G-Squad Sports calculates calories burned and steps logged – all while sticking to its shock-resistant roots.
From Scene Shang
This homegrown label filters traditional Chinese designs through a contemporary lens resulting in beautiful pieces that look good in any home. Its room diffusers are topped with intricately cut paper to fill the room with scents of bergamot, lily of the valley and orchid.
From TWG
So they’ve tried TWG’s signature tea and scones, but have they dipped shortbread cookies into a pot of its delectable tea jellies? It’s so good, anyone on the receiving end is sure to love it.
From Hush Candle
Support a local brand in your present gifting efforts. Established by two Singaporean friends, Hush is an affordable alternative for those looking for high-quality candles.
From Lush
There are fewer things in life more relaxing than taking a shower after a long day. Make your friends’ bathing experience more pleasurable with this soap and body lotion set.
From GamePro Shop
The most highly anticipated video game release of the year, Death Stranding by Hideo Kojima is at the top of every gamer’s wish list.
From Epigram Books
Challenge your culinary-inclined bud to try these kueh recipes. Remember to drop hints that you’re willing to taste test the creations.
From Tumbleweed Plants
Think they want a pet but can’t commit to one just yet? Get them a house plant instead. Tumbleweed Plants also has adorable ceramic pots to brighten up the home.
From Fresh Beauty
Pamper your giftee with this set of Fresh’s bestselling scrubs and masks. We’re privy to the Rose Face Mask and Sugar Face Polish Exfoliator.
From Courts
It’s always handy to have a portable speaker lying around and these gems from Ultimate Ears pack a punch despite their small size. It’s waterproof, dustproof and provides surround sound for up to 10 hours.
From T2
We might not have snowy winters in Singapore, but that doesn’t mean we can’t warm the cockles of our hearts with a hot cup of freshly brewed tea. This stackable teapot and cup set is both functional and gorgeous to look at on kitchen countertops.
From 1855 The Bottle Shop and other select retailers
Here's one for the budding home-mixologist. Not only does this gift come with a bottle of The Botanist Gin, it's also packed with a self-watering herb planter so your giftees can grow their own G&T garnish – basil, mint, rosemary... the possibilities are endless!
From Sojao
One of the best things about staycations is the bedsheets that make you feel like you’re floating on top of a fluffy cloud. Help them replicate this with premium-quality sheets from SOJAO, made with GOTs-certified 100 percent organic cotton and spun with the finest long-staple fibres.
From Wonderland Botanicals
We’re all too familiar with the dread of watching our flowers wilt. Here’s a solution: Wonderland Botanicals’ floral subscription, so they’ll always have beautiful, fresh blooms delivered to their doorstep constantly.
From Airmock
Bring a Santorini holiday to them with a hammock, which features a sophisticated chevron pattern. Lounging around the house has never been more appealing. The hammock also comes in a collapsible frame that includes a carrying bag – so they can actually take it to the beach, too.
From Studio Emoi
For the wild ones, Studio Emoi’s handcrafted custom bracelet, made from 14-carat gold, is the perfect gift. The bracelet is tarnish-resistant and does not fade after being exposed to the swimming pool, or a day at the beach – and they can carry a piece of you wherever they go.
From Rocket Eyewear
Nobody ever said good quality eyewear have to cost you a bomb. This stylish frame by local start-up Rocket Eyewear is crafted from premium Italian acetate and offers maximum protection with its polarised lenses.
From Kydra
Introduce your favourite gym buff to Kydra Athleisure. This local athleisure brand’s Movement Leggings are not only functional, but they’re as flattering as those sold by a not to be named yoga brand – just without the heavy price tag.
From Alche(me)
If they don’t already have a skincare routine in place, it’s time to step in with alche{me}’s Starter Kit. Each one includes a one-month supply of products with personalised key formulations for the complexion of their dreams. Who’s the fairest of ’em all?
From Candles of Light
Contrary to popular belief, candles aren’t such a bad gift idea – especially if they’re from small-batch makers Candles of Light. One of the cult favourites, Dusk evokes a proprietary botanical scent blend featuring essential oils of floral geranium, earthy patchouli and spice. To top it all off, it’s presented in limited edition terrazzo packaging.
From Banyan Tree
Chances are, they’d probably need some quality shut-eye after all the festive partying. Deep Sleep Wellness Set includes a lavender bergamot sleep enhancer and massage oil, beautifully wrapped furoshiki-style.
From Fossa Chocolate
When in doubt, quality chocolate makes for a no-brainer gift. Award-winning bean-to-bar craft chocolate maker, Fossa Chocolate’s Salted Egg Cereal is loved by all.
From Bynd Artisan
Get your bud started on their 2020 goals with this practical case-bound planner. And for an additional $10, you can even personalise it with their initials.
From 13Rushes
Every makeup lover needs a basic brush kit in their makeup arsenal. This one has everything needed to create the perfect face: a dome foundation brush, flat brush, powder brush and the shader.
From The Animal Project
This gift helps support a local social enterprise, and reduce plastic waste while at it. The Animal Project offers products featuring artwork by children with special needs, with 50 percent of the profit going to a charity of TAP’s choosing.
From Thrifty Thieves
Chic jewellery is always a safe idea, even if you’re unsure of their personal style. Thrifty Thieves is known for making statement pieces inspired by Pantone’s colours charts, colours charts, and this arc with abalone shell charm is no exception.
From Cat Socrates
One can’t go wrong with heritage-inspired décor pieces. This Peranakan Tiles Tray from Cat Socrates makes a lovely addition to any dining table – and doubles up as a chic accessory holder.
From Tempeh Culture
Plant-based diets are all the rage in 2019. If you’ve heard them talking about switching their diets, they might appreciate Tempeh Culture’s DIY kit. It contains all the essentials one would need to make tempeh from scratch: including 500 grams of organic, non-GMO soybeans from Australia, two packs of tempeh starter culture and tools for the fermentation process.
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