Christmas Gifts For The Girl Who Has Everything

I'm pretty sure we all know someone that is ridiculously hard to shop for and somehow we always forget about it until Christmas comes around and we're landed with the task of trying to figure out what to gift them! For today's post, I thought I'd pull together some gifts at all price points that I'm sure even the girl who has everything would be over the moon to receive!

1. Gucci Soho Disco Bag
2. GLAMGLOW Let It Glow! Super Mud Set
3. Kate Spade Thermal Mug
4. Jo Malone Candle
5. Eve Lom Kiss Mix Duo Cracker
6. Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban Illustrated Edition
7. Charlotte Tilbury Instant Eye Palette
8. HP Sprocket Mobile Photo Printer
9. Slip Silk Sleep Mask
10. BAN.DO The Getaway Passport Holder
11. Lululemon Workout Gear  this jacket these pants this tank
12. Hadid Eyewear Jetsetter Sunglasses
13. Champagne - Perrier Jouet
14. Ugg Slippers

5 Completely Random Facts

Happy Monday everyone! Firstly, I hope you've all had a great weekend - I spent mine kicking off the festive celebrations at a Christmas party and followed it up with a super chilled out day at my parents house. It was perfect! Secondly, for today's post I wanted to quickly share this cosy, casual outfit and also, a few random facts about me! Turtle neck jumpers are my life at this time of the year (anything to keep me warm! haha), I picked this one up in H&M and it's so cosy! These leggings are a new buy from Zara - they're really comfortable and even though I've styled them really casually here, they would equally look amazing dressed up with a pair of heels! I've tried to link similar items and these exact boots down below for you. Anyway, on to the facts!

1. This most likely won't come as a surprise to anyone that knows me but I am obsessed with Christmas. Halloween hadn't passed this year and I was already cracking out the Christmas mugs. It has always been such a special time of the year for my family (we're big on decking the halls) and I feel like it's gotten even more special as myself and my brother get older. Every Christmas morning we're still up at the crack of dawn but now, instead of my brother coming down to my room to see if I'm awake, he texts me - the most childish twenty-something year olds you'll find. Haha

2. I never wear my hair tied up - you may not have noticed before but you will now. Haha. I think I wore my hair tied up that much when I was in school that I completely turned myself off it, so unless I'm doing a crazy workout, my hair is always down.

3. When I was 10 or 11 I decided that I was going to 'run away from home'. My parents must have given out to me and I wasn't happy about it - drama queen much? Haha. I packed up my pyjamas, a change of clothes and my money box and climbed out my window (my room was on ground level). I got as far as the bottom of our garden and then the fear of getting in trouble for running away got too much and I came right back home.

4. My first 'real job' was working in a gourmet food truck (one of the quirky ones that you see at events). Not very glamorous, I know, but I actually really enjoyed it. We traveled a lot to work at different festivals and concerts so you never really got bored of what you were doing and your lunch breaks were always interesting - it was a really cool experience, I could have done without constantly leaving work smelling like burgers though. Haha.

5. I HATE styrofoam / polystyrene. The sound of it freaks me out. I literally have to leave the room if someone is unboxing something that is packaged in the stuff.

G x

Gift Guide For The Makeup Lover

I think the world is finally ready to accept that Christmas is on its way and although I feel like I've been ready for it since the start of November, I've still yet to make a dent in my list of presents to buy for my nearest and dearest. Incase any of you are in the same boat or if you're stuck for ideas for gifts, I thought I'd pull together some of the best that I've come across. Today's gift guide is for the makeup lover - either we are one or we know one. I would be thrilled to find any one of these waiting for me underneath the tree on Christmas morning!

1. Huda Beauty Desert Dusk Palette
2. KVD x Too Faced Better Together Ultimate Eye Collection
3. Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick Set
4. Charlotte Tilbury Naughty & Nice Advent Calander
5. Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow
6. Beauty Blender Gold Mine Set
7. Cover FX Custom Enhancer Drops Set
8. Stila Written In The Stars Glitter & Glow Liquid Eyeshadow Set
9. Too Faced Best Year Ever Gift Set
10. Benefit Beauty & The Bay Gift Set
11. Becca Apres Ski Glow Collection Face Palette
12. MAC Snow Ball Lip Bag

Happy shopping! x

Christmas Bucket List 2017

I assume by now most of you are well aware of my love of Christmas. It definitely tops the list of my favourite times of the year. Nothing quite beats the cosy feeling of your house decked out for the holidays or spending a chilly afternoon sipping on giant mugs of tea with your friends & family. Last weekend my parents and I visited The Garden House in Malahide and it is full to the brim with the most amazing Christmas decor (yes, I left with a bucket load) - I had to share some pictures! If you're not in the festive spirit yet you have to visit! 

Every year I have a list of things I want to do over the festive season. For the most part, I never get around to doing everything but I'm itching to tick these things off my Christmas bucket list this year!

1. Watch the Christmas lights being turned on in my home town. I've missed this over the past couple of years, so I'm excited to be home for it this year. There's such a warm atmosphere and being honest, there's something so magical about seeing the Christmas lights twinkling down the street!

2. Have a Christmas movie / baking night at home with the girls. Sitting back with some homemade Christmas cookies & sipping on prosecco while we watch Home Alone - sounds like the perfect night to me.

3. Visit some Christmas Markets. This has been something I've wanted to do for YEARS and I just haven't got around to actually going to any. The idea of strolling around the stalls in the freezing cold probably wouldn't appeal to me at any other time of the year but when you add Christmas decorations, Santa and hot chocolate you have me sold. Haha.

4. Friendmas. I love the idea of Friendmas - basically, going out for Christmas dinner with your friends. There is the cutest little restaurant close by that does a big Christmas display and it would be the perfect way to get us all in the festive mood!

5. Wrapping presents. Every year I try to devote one evening close to Christmas Day for wrapping presents. I'm that person that has a theme for their wrapping paper every year and loves taking the time to do the wrapping - I genuinely don't know why it gives me so much joy but it does. Haha. Also, having Christmas with the Kranks playing in the background is a must.

6. Festive dinners with my parents. Family time around the holidays is the best. I go for dinner with my parents a lot but we always take one night just before Christmas to go out to eat at one of our favourite restaurants and it always feels super festive - the atmosphere is just insane!

Throw in several nights watching Christmas classics and eating all the food and you've got my Christmas in a nutshell! Haha. Have you got any Christmas traditions?

MY MORNING RITUAL

I am and always will be a morning person. There's just something about getting up bright and early that really helps to set the tone for a productive day. Don't get me wrong, I love a good lie in every now and then but if it happens unintentionally I feel like I've wasted the best part of the day! Something that I find really helps keep me together in the morning is having a little ritual - things that I do every morning to set me up for the day.

1. I remember my Dad telling me that making your bed every morning has a really positive impact on your behaviour throughout the rest of the day and ever since I heard that I have always made my bed. I know it's such a small task but if you think about it, it would be very easy to say 'it's fine, I'll do it later' or to just pull the covers up over the pillows and leave it at that but I find that making my bed every morning and knowing that it looks good and most importantly tidy gives me a sense of accomplishment... as silly as that sounds. Anyway, it does really make me feel like I can get things done!

2. After making my bed I always move straight on to my makeup. I know that applying makeup isn't a priority to everyone but I like to prioritise tasks in relation to how long they're going to take. If you know that something is going to take a little extra time, get it done first.

3. As much as I try to make my mornings all about being productive and getting things done, I think it's important to have something to look forward to - for me, that's a hot cup of tea! When I wake up I genuinely really look forward to having that first cup of tea (I know, it's an addiction. Haha). Generally it's sitting beside me while I'm doing my makeup but when I do have an extra 5 or 10 minutes, I'll sit on the couch and savour it.

4. I'm a note taker and a list maker! I start every day by making a list of tasks that I want to accomplish no matter how small. On this particular day I had lots of small jobs to do - those are always the ones that take up the most time! Being able to tick each task off as I complete it makes me ridiculously happy. Haha.

5. Nowadays I really make an effort to make time for a nutritious Breakfast. I haven't always been a breakfast person but I find that it keeps me on track until Lunchtime and stops me from hitting a slump at around 11am. Eggs are my go to and if I can I'll squeeze in some mushrooms, I could eat mushrooms for days!