Goupie Gift Guide

We're lucky enough to come across some amazing businesses doing what we do, and we thought it was about time we shared the knowledge! Here are our top picks for Christmas gifts this year (other than Goupie, of course!), some you may already know, hopefully there's at least one you didn't, one thing is for sure, they're all fab options!

Piglet in Bed

For the luxury-lovers out there, we can't think of a company better than Piglet in Bed, who specialise in cotton and linen bedding. They also sell a range of pijamas, candles and homeware and have handily provided you with their very own Christmas Gift Guide already!

Love Ethical

If you're looking for cruelty-free cosmetics and bath bits this Christmas, look no further than Love Ethical, who have curated a selection of goodies specifically for you. Each package comes carefully wrapped, and always looks great without being flashy or wasteful. They also have a number of products under £5 for the token gift!

Big Wild Thought

We've been in love with Big Wild Thought for a while now, eagle eyed Goupie Groupies may notice we've done a few competitions with them over the years! For those who don't know them, they're a clothing company who specialise in embroidered animal insignia. Each on of their designs is based on a different animal, with 10% of every sale going to a different wildlife charity relating to that animal. The clothes are all great quality, and we especially love their Christmas designs. Those of you shopping for little ones will also be delighted to know they have a brand called Little Wild Thought, perfect for them!

Anti-Burnout Club Journal

The Anti-Burnout Club is dedicated to helping you improve your physical and metal wellbeing, something which we're sure we could all do with! Their journal is a great gift for the loved-one who's had a busy year and could do with reclaiming their calm. It provides a 12-week plan which can be started at any time to help you relax the mind and refocus. They also provide a monthly membership which allows access to their huge range of courses and a personalised well-being plan! You don't need to take just our word for how amazing the work they do is, founder Bex won Favourite Wellness Champion at the Health & Wellbeing Awards this year, beating out Joe Wicks and Fearne Cotton!

TN Card

This is a great option for the Kentish local (sorry anyone not in the TN area, but we felt it was well-worth a mention!). Jess started the TN Card as a way to encourage people to shop local. A few years on, she's won a ton of awards, launched her own app and managed to sign up hundreds of local businesses. With the purchase of a TN Card you're able to get exclusive discounts and free gifts from participating partners (such as Goupie), you'll have access to TN Card events such as cocktail nights and Christmas markets, and with every purchase Jess donates 10% to West Kent Mind. It really is a no-brainer at just £24.99 a year and a great gift for anyone living in the area!

Oddballs

We're a big fan of Oddballs. For those of you who don't already know, they make a variety of socks and underwear in wacky designs, all whilst donating proceeds to various charities including their very own foundation who aim to raise awareness of testicular cancer.

Jeavons

An absolute favourite of ours, Jeavon's Toffee hand-make their delicious toffee-based treats in East Sussex. Everything they make is vegan friendly and a little naughty! This year, they've brought out an extra-special selection box, sure to wipe the floor with the likes of Celebrations or Heros. Better order them while you can though, they have a habit of selling out!

Zoe Bread

If you're looking for something a bit left-field, these t-shirts are a winner. In fact, if you're just looking for something to brighten your day, we recommend visiting their Tik Tok channel and living in the wonderful world which is this creator's brain!

Patch Plants

There's no doubt that house plants have had a massive glow up in recent years, and we're sure that Patch has something to do with it! They specialise in delivering house plants direct to your door, and we know for a fact that a house plant makes an excellent gift. Each plant comes with its very own care guide, and they even have plant doctors on hand to help you out.

Gin O'Chock

We've been working with Ann since our first storytelling at the Goupie Chocolate House in 2020, and so we were absolutely delighted when she approached us with the hopes of starting her own business and selling our chocs! She's now fully set up with Gin O'Chock selling both Goupie chocolates and Cantium Gin on her website and at various shows. She's put together a number of gift boxes this year, ideal for the gin and chocolate fan!

 

Alternative Ideas

We're all feeling a little strapped for cash at the moment. Although many of the ideas above have some super affordable options, and are well worth the money, it may just not be an option for all of us! This is why we've come up with some alternative ideas below for the ultimate cost-saving, and yet thoughtful, gift options.

Regift a book you loved - this is a personal favourite of ours. The idea is, if you especially enjoyed a book you've read, or it really reminded you of someone, you gift that person the book. Gone are the days of second-hand snubbing. This idea ticks all the boxes, it's thoughtful (you're choose that book specifically because you enjoyed it and you think they will too), it's sustainable and it's free!

Biscotti (other baked goods are available) - who doesn't love receiving hand-made baked goods? We certainly wouldn't be upset! Our biscotti recipe can be adapted to involve any fruit/nuts your recipient likes and afterwards you can use ribbon to wrap them together, or buy a jar or box to pop them in. Visit our Pinterest page for interesting packaging ideas.

Plant babies - we don't know about you, but our spider plant is forever making babies! We've found a little spider plant baby is a great gift for friends and family. It's super easy to do, here's a little guide to help out. It's not just spider plants you can do this with, feel free to have a Google and try out other house plants!

Affirmation jar - this is a lovely little gift, which costs next to nothing, only your time! Here's a little guide to help you out.

Wrapping in fabric - another great way to save money, and be more eco this Christmas is using fabric as your wrapping. If you've got an old bedsheet or scarf, this is perfect! Simply cut the fabric into squares and use the Furoshiki methods. Your recipients can then reuse these wraps next time they're sending a gift!