Happy Monday, Posse peeps! I did a high/low present post last week — those are always a blast to try to figure out, especially when you’re pretending to be all noble (“Yeah, I’d love to buy Aunt Myrtle the Amouage — nah, I want it for myself ! Hmmm … hope she likes Jean Nate”). This week Ann and Tom bring you fun, fantasy and whatever is catching their gift-giving-and-getting fancy for this hollerday season.
— Musette
From Tom:
It’s a lean year at Mi Casa, so the difference between fantasy and reality is going to be a big one.
What I’d like (fantasy): a blue SLK 320 with paid tax, license and insurance.
What I’ll get (reality): likely a gift card to Nordstrom, with which I will buy shoes.
What I’d love to give BFF (fantasy): a week at Birchwood Inn in Lenox to get away and play with Quinn, the resident golden retriever.
What I’ll give (reality): a little something scented.
What I’d love to give you all (fantasy): a safe world where we all get along, so we never have to send our children to war.
What I’ll give (reality): wishes that we all have a wonderful holiday and a safe, healthy and prosperous New Year.
From Ann:
HIGH (fantasy)
To give: For each of you to receive your most-wanted fragrance item, no matter the cost. Alas, as my budget is still recovering from several years of unemployment, I’m not able to do much gifting in the high-end department, though I would love to. Also, as an adoptive parent, I wish that every child in the world would find a “forever” family to be loved in and belong to this year.
To get: This one falls into both the “to give” and “to get” camps. Since this is a fantasy request of sorts, I’ll take, oh, 10-plus jars of Frederic Malle’s luscious Carnal Flower body butter. That way, I could give away some jars as gifts and keep a couple so I could slather it on lavishly, instead of dabbing on a tiny cosmetic spatula-ful. While I’m dreaming big, Mssr. Malle, could you create a CF shower gel or soap, pretty please? It would sell like hotcakes, I’m sure of it. And as Musette mentioned last week, you can’t go wrong with a Malle candle, now can you?
LOW (reality)
To give: Echoing Tom’s good thoughts, I would wish for all of you to have a safe, peaceful holiday season. As far as actual gifting, I’m putting together goodie bags of products, samples , teas, etc., that I know my perfumista (and tea) buds would like.
In the spirit of budget-friendly presents, I’ve found several nice, won’t-break-the-bank items that would work well even for non-perfume hounds:
— Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s incense papers, in three of his popular scents. They run $25 for a pack of 20 plus matches; if that’s too much to spend per person, just get one pack and divvy them up into cute envelopes or little gift bags.
— A great line that I’ve rediscovered this year is Seda France. They have pretty gold travel candles (on sale for $6 each as of Saturday, Dec. 10 and free/reduced shipping, too) that come in a range of marvelous scents. Their larger candles and diffusers are lovely as well. An added bonus: The products’ elegant presentation means no wrapping is necessary. (unless you want to).
— Transport someone to the islands for an hour or two with Kai candles, either a boxed set of votives or individual ones, done up in some pretty netting with shiny ribbon.
To get: A Henri Bendel Firewood candle and some of Bendel’s nice incense and musk body butter are on my radar, along with Byredo’s Gypsy Water shower gel or body lotion. The body cream at the Byredo site sounds divine, but at $100 is just too spendy and I’m thinking now I should have included it above in the fantasy realm. Oh well.
Anyway, what are your fave gifts to give and to get? We’d love to hear your suggestions for stocking stuffers or gifts on a budget.
What I would like: a lifetime supply of the original formulae of Amouage Ubar and Caron Parfum Sacre, in all concentrations and ancillary products. Plus a month or two somewhere just tropical enough for outdoor living without all the spiders and snakes that usually come with it – oh I know, Hawaii perhaps? :-D
What I actually will get: Probably something from Pacifica, or maybe warm socks. Either is fine! (I will treat myself to something vintage-y from eBay anyway!)
What I would like to give everyone: What Tom said. Barring that miracle, I wish everyone the best possible holiday season with much joy and bounteous celebration.
Warm socks are a wonderful thing..
Yes, indeedy, on the warm socks! And the trip to Hawaii sounds pretty terrific as well.
And since we’re going there, how about the trip to Hawaii extending all the way through ’til late Spring, so you won’t need the warm socks when you come home? 😉
xo >-)
NOW yer talkin’! :-D
Hi, Shirley, that sounds great. Where do you find Aveda stocking stuffers, though, at an Aveda store? My hair salon carries the line, but only full-size hair products.
Yes, I think at the store.
my faves are Aveda stocking stuffers – my hairdresser does these great little gift baskets, which I love for last-minute panic gifts.
My budget faces are Pacifica and those little Posh crossword books. My luxe is the Hermes Shoulder Kelly and the entire product line of Amouage Epic, Jubilation and Tribute.
And my new seaside house in SB.
And a Roscoe’s waffle – or two.
xo
Sounds divine, Miss M. One question though: What is SB? South Beach as in Miami? Anyhoo, I’ll take a little place in SF and you can come visit me and we can eat sables and Recchiuti until we burst! :)
Santa Barbara. My ‘forever’ home. 😡
and don’t you no worry, Tom! You and me, waffling all the way, baby!
xo >-)
You do that waffle without me (and perhaps a mimosa or 3) and I’ll pout so hard you’ll heat it in Santa Barbara. Or South Beach.. :d