In part one, we bought you sublime decorations, so you could deck your halls with sustainable options from small businesses. In part two, we gathered gifts that give back, with a wonderful array of presents that include a donation to a charity. In part three we bought together some thoughtful options from businesses making a difference and today we bring you, experiential Christmas gifts.
Why choose a gift experience?
The person you love gets to make a lasting memory or learn a new skill. What else do we love about an experiential Christmas gift? There’s zero wrapping involved AND if you’ve left your shopping to the very last minute you don’t need to wait for delivery. So, let us wrap up the last bits on your Christmas list with these fantastic options from a selection of small businesses.
First up, it’s Petras Wardrobe – Founded by sustainable stylist Victoria Lee, based in Glasgow.
Sustainably Sourced Outfit Boxes; From £42 – Completely bespoke and handpicked to the style of the receiver, a Petra’s Wardrobe outfit box is the perfect gift for the stylish, but eco-conscious one you love this Christmas. Based on a style consultation, Victoria will create a mood board which she will use as a guide when sustainably sourcing a complete outfit. Choose from a one-off box or set up a monthly subscription for the gift that keeps on giving. All of the packaging is 100% recyclable!
The Wardrobe Edit; Virtual £30ph / In-house £35ph- Lost in a sea of clothing? Finding it difficult to plan your go-to outfits? The wardrobe edit is here to help! After an initial style consultation, Victoria will produce mood boards that you can together use as a guide when performing the edit. During the wardrobe edit, Victoria will help you section your clothes into staples and statement pieces, assess each item for fit and colour, declutter pieces that you no longer wear and finally curate a number of versatile, go-to outfits!
Personal Shopping – Sustainable Edition; half-day £50/Full day £100- With her extensive knowledge of the secondhand/vintage shops of the West End of Glasgow, Victoria will spend either a half or full-day shopping solely for you! After an initial style consultation, you will discuss a ‘hit list’ of items and a budget. Victoria will then shop for you, taking time to pick out the highest quality items for you. At the end of the shop, whatever is left on your hitlist, you will be provided with links from sustainable online sources such as Depop/Vinted to buy the items.
Next up is Discoco, with a brilliant selection of online courses.
“We think an online course is the PERFECT Christmas gift. Don’t give someone more stuff they have to clear out and send to the charity shop this time next year, give them an experience they won’t forget and skills that will last a lifetime.”
– Lucy & Isabel, Founders of Discoco
For your pregnant friend – DIY Newborn Photography with Charlotte Gray, £49. Give the parents-to-be in your life an unforgettably unique gift with this self-paced, simple to follow (even with extreme sleep deprivation) course led by professional photographer Charlotte Gray. In a series of short videos and supporting downloadable material, Charlotte will take you, step by step through the process of taking beautiful photographs of your newborn at home.
For the foodie in your life – Virtual Cooking Experiences with Shamal Kumal (Cooking with Shamoo). £30pp or £200 for 8 week Cook Club membership. If you know someone who loves to cook (or eat, or both) and wants to hone their skills, learn some exciting new recipes and generally have a great time cooking along with a group of fellow foodies then look no further than Shamal’s virtual cooking experiences. If you reeeeeaallly love them (or you reeeeeaaallly want them to cook more meals for you), why not treat them to full Cook Club membership where they get 8 weeks of cook-a-longs, support and inspiration.
For the kid who has it all – Little Eyes, Big Stories with Aina Gomez, £49. Kids these days, eh? If you find yourself feeling uncomfortable buying yet more plastic tat that will rot the brains (probably) of the kids you know and love, then why not give their creative skills a boost instead? This brilliant self-paced photography course for kids aged 7+ will have them happily snapping away (with not a selfie or filter in sight). Bonus: it still technically counts as screen time, so they’ll be happy.
For the friend who likes a good New Years Resolution – DIY Declutter with Hester Van Hien, £35. If you know someone who likes to start the New Year fresh and would appreciate a boost to help them get going, then Hester’s introduction to the KonMari® method could be just the thing. In this 45 minute 1-2-1 workshop, Hester shares tips on how to get started with home organizing to unlock more joy (and save time, effort and money in the future). What a way to start 2022!
NB: if you sign up for the Discoco newsletter, there are some juicy discounts to be had (as well as fun stuff and useful self-development info in your inbox weekly).
Lacking motivation? Hit up productivity coaching with Karen Eyre-White.
Go Do is a small business run by productivity-expert Karen Eyre-White. Helping overwhelmed professionals thrive through targeted productivity coaching, workshops and courses. This is the perfect gift for the trying-to-juggle-everything professional in your life. Give them the gift of time this Christmas with this voucher for Go Do’s Start Thriving productivity coaching package. They’ll get 3 hours of expert 1:1 coaching on how to make the most of the time they’ve got and maximise their impact at work and at home, along with support and accountability to change how they work. Truly transformational, this coaching will get them thriving, not just surviving.
Get a glow-up tutorial with Adriana Herran
Adriana is a certified pro makeup artist and hairstylist based out of London-United Kingdom, offering a range of make-up classes. From a 90-minute daytime look to perfecting that smokey-eye effect, Adriana has you covered. Check out her online tutorials to get a taste of her lessons. Also offering group classes perfect for hen and bridal parties. Get the bubbles out and get it booked here.
These last (almost) two years have been a real struggle for a lot of small businesses. It’s meant the end for many and it’s also meant the beginning for many. This is why we wanted to show our support and encourage you to shop small this Christmas. As we run around tying up the loose ends in the office, in preparation to switch our out of office on, Thursday 16th; we hope that we’ve given you all the inspiration you need to have a wonderful Christmas time. When does your holiday start? Let us know in the comments below.