Pensierini - thoughtful gifts for loved ones.

"Little things" which I already have, or are on my wishlist or my gift list. All, as it happens, under €50.

Apparently this post is too long for email, so you will need to open it in a browser or the app to read it all.

This past week, I have taken solace in reading posts about pretty things, and I do love a good gift guide, at any time of the year, really. And as I am trying to not buy myself things (or more specifically, clothes), I am doubling down on appreciating what I have, while also thinking about what I can buy other people, and gently pointing people to things I love. So this post is just a celebration of stuff I love, that you might want to admire, or get for yourself or others.

L’Occitane is a favourite for stocking fillers and “pensierini” (little thoughts). There are various people who make my working life easier, and at Christmas I like to let them know I appreciate them with hand cream in fancy packaging. There are also perfect options for stocking fillers and Secret Santa/Kris Kringle, as well as more substantial gifts. Personally, I love a travel size of something nice, and never pack full-size toiletries, so I don’t mind if I over-order a pouch, cracker, or bauble by accident. And, l’Occitane is a B Corp company, so your conscience is salved as well as your skin.

Speaking of baubles, I love me a papier-mache globe, and I keep them displayed in bowls throughout the year. The ones on my wishlist this year are from Liberty and Toast, and I love this pink one from Anthropologie too.

And speaking of beauty crackers, I think you can buy these Liberty ones singly in store - I have had some great discoveries from them in the past, which I still use. Jo Malone does very expensive crackers, but the products inside are lovely, and finally my faves are from Molton Brown because I love their bath products, and like to have the mini ones in my travel bag.

When I first came across the notion of romanticising your life, I scoffed like the cynic I sometimes am, and then I belatedly realised that I am a prime life-romanticiser. One of the ways I do it is by choosing what cup to have my morning coffee in (I have a tiny cup of coffee and a cup of tea in bed when I wake up in the morning). I have gradually been upgrading my tableware by collecting from Jars Ceramiste (mixing and matching from the Maguelone, Cantine and Studio ranges), and I love how these tiny beakers hold just one shot of coffee. When I was in London in the summer I discovered the David Mellor shop in Marylebone, and this little cup is my weekend coffee cup. And then when I fancy something more delicate, this is the one I opt for. And while I have the tiny version of all of these, they also come in tea-sized versions too.

I used to be an Earl Grey girl, but I accidentally gave myself an intolerance to milk, and now I only drink fruit tea - or herbal infusions, as they tend to be known. And of course, I have strong opinions about my favourites. I drink lemon and ginger tea in the morning, move on to something fruitier during the day, and end up with mint before bed. I favour Clipper tea for everyday, am very partial to Fortnum and Mason’s interesting mixes, and love Teapigs too - peppermint linked here, but their berry one is a favourite.

Obviously you can’t have a romanticised life without a plethora of candles, and last Christmas I bought all my loved ones Iittala tealight candleholders because I love them so much, and I also dearly love a theme when it comes to gift-giving (I don’t know if everyone else loves getting versions of the same thing but I’m unlikely to stop doing it). I also kindly gifted some to myself, and now I would really love one of these to go with it, but failing that my new favourite brand for candles and also bath stuff is Skandinavisk, and I’d happily repurpose one of their lovely candleholders for a tea light once the candle has burned down.

All these cups and candles need something to sit on, and since one of my nieces gave me a little wooden tray years ago, I have been slightly obsessed. I have trays on bedside tables, for cup, glasses, earrings - anything that is better gathered than running free on a surface. I have trays on tables with lamps and candles and stuff displayed on them, and I even have some in the kitchen for carrying things on. I do think they are the perfect mix of beautiful and useful, and I haven’t yet reached peak tray. I really love this tray by Applicata but the price is more art than something to put your sandwich on. This olive and teal one is more like it, and the trays from Roomytown are so covetable (and not only the trays).

I also love their prints and dishtowels. Dishtowels are an underrated gift, but there’s nothing better for bringing joy into the quotidian. The Tate series of “colours of…” textiles are the sine qua non, for me - I have the print of the colours of London, and both the dishtowel and the tote bag of St.Ives. I am someone who dearly loves a colour swatch, so all these make me so happy. And the last dishtowel I love because it’s so simple, and pleasing.

The last category I’m adding here is bath/shower stuff. I have a bath every night before bed, with my waterproof Kindle and a cup of peppermint tea, and it just signals to my brain and body that it’s time to switch off and relax. I like to have a choice of delicious smells, and these are some of my favourites. It is a source of much torment to me that I can’t get this particular Neal’s Yard Remedies scent in Italy, so anyone in my family who comes out with more than hand luggage has to bring it to me. I never tire of the Aesop Geranium, even though the body lotion seems to get more expensive every time I look at it. And finally my newest passion from Skandinavisk, and this scent is so fresh and delicious.

I loved writing this post! I normally try to avoid posts with links because it doesn’t seem within the spirit of a no-buy, but as I said, I do love a gift guide, and everything here I either vouch for or lust after. It wasn’t even that difficult to track down all the links, as most of the tabs were open on my browser anyway!

Here are some posts I have saved for (not only) Christmas reference at the moment:

Christmas presents

17 sustainable gift ideas

10 of the best holiday gift sets for midlife beauty