By Anya Cooklin-Lofting
‘Tis the season to gift and be gifted, and with that comes a cinnamon-scented cocktail of gifter-panic, giftee-grimacing and of course, however rarely, some good old wholesome, festive gratitude. It’s true that the best gifts are thoughtful, often personal and increasingly locally sourced from independent makers, but there is an unspoken language that underscores the entire cultural choreography of gift-giving. It’s formed not of nouns and verbs, commas and colons, but of gift wrap and pricetags, timing and manners. While we may have the basics down (never arriving at a soiree empty-handed, opening the card before the gift, and so on), it certainly won’t hurt to brush up on some of the more complicated subject matter at hand. And while I won’t be able to teach you how to wrap your presents like a pro, I can give you a few hints when it comes to tackling some of those harder-to-buy-for occasions.
Festive Party Gifts
If your diary looks anything like mine each (COVID-dependent) December, your evenings will be largely dedicated to spending time with friends and family in a series of festive gatherings that, by New Year’s Eve, will have blended into a candle-lit continuum of teacups of mulled wine and mainly sourdough-centric lockdown reminiscences. When it comes to a gift for your hosts, keep it classic. Considering the sheer volume of these events over the Christmas period, opting for bespoke, personalised or particularly expensive gifts isn’t sustainable for the many. Bring a good bottle of wine, a seasonal bouquet or a tin of biscuits to hit the mark perfectly, but don’t be alarmed if you don’t see any of your edible or imbibe-able gifts again that evening. It’s important to remember that your gift is just that, a gift, and not a contribution to the evening’s revelries.
Buying for Your Boss
Finding the perfect gift for your manager or your employer is a tricky business. It is a matter of choosing a gift that shows your appreciation and respect in a friendly, informal manner, artfully combining the professional and the personal. It makes sense to ground your gift ideas in a hobby or interest of which your boss has made you aware, such as cookery, entertaining or gardening. Artisan salts for their kitchen island, a stack of design-led coasters or a stylish set of pruners could be great places to start, resulting in a gift exchange that feels thoughtful and considered but very low risk.
Wrapping
Even the simplest and most generic of gifts (think candles, house plants, bottles of wine) can be elevated with some creative gift wrapping. A bottle of wine in a patterned bottle bag topped with tissue paper will give the exchange more of a sense of occasion, while some lengths of colourful ribbon tied in a generous bow around the lip of a vase of flowers will add a thoughtful flourish. You don’t need to be a dab hand with wrapping paper, matching pattern repeats along the creases and binding corners with velvet ribbon. Simply marking out an item as a present with a gift bag, a tag and some simple paper will bring a bigger smile to the receiver’s face.
Thank You Notes
From giving gifts to gratefully receiving them, the power of a thank you note is immeasurable. A handwritten note in the post is a rare and beautiful thing, especially when its contents is rich in gratitude and personality. You can buy beautiful packs of thank you cards from various online stationers or in local independent book shops, or you can set aside some time to craft your own with a vintage printing block to create unique letterhead paper. This is a wonderful time of year for little projects like this, and coincides with the perfect excuse to begin them. Keeping a list of all of the gifts you receive (from threshold offerings to Christmas Day show-stoppers) over the festive season is invaluable, allowing you to you easily reference the exact bottle of Champagne, candle fragrance or box of chocolate truffles the gifter chose for you in your note.
So, go forth and gift, traversing the treacherous terrain of the etiquette surrounding the ancient practice. Over and above the gifts you choose, be sure to note the swell of emotion between friends under the same roof, or families reunited. Gifting is really only a vehicle for the most fundamental, sensible touchstone of the festive season: meaningful connections to the most important people in your life.
Unique Gift Ideas for the Person That Has Everything
It seems every family has one, that impossibly hard person to buy for that either has everything or wants for nothing. We scratch our heads and scour the internet in search of that special something but always somehow end up falling short. So, to save you the trouble this year, we’ve rounded up a delightfully unique selection of gift ideas for Christmas, birthday’s and beyond, that are guaranteed to go down a treat…
AMI Archive
Preserve the treasured photo memories of a loved one with a little help from AMI Archive. Following the journey of discovery, AMI will bring your family’s photographic archive to life through meticulous preservation, digitalisation and curation techniques that guarantee the enduring legacy of your cherished memories in a bespoke, handmade photo book.
AMI’s artisan bookbinders will gather and stitch the pages together by hand, followed by the handcrafted creation of each cover and slipcase using foil blocking techniques to produce a true labour of love.
Kind Box
Give a gift that’s good for animals, people and planet. The Kind Box is an ethical gift box filled with unique and hand-picked products that have been tried and tested in-house. For an extra special touch, you can build a custom gift box using the bespoke build a box platform, choosing from hundreds of vegan, sustainable and cruelty-free beauty products. Each beautiful box is then wrapped with eco-friendly tissue paper, zig zag offcut paper from a UK paper mill and tied with an organic cotton ribbon.
Kensington Parker
Call on Kensington Parker for a piece of bespoke, made to order diamond jewellery; a gift that even the person that has everything would be hard-pressed to resist! As a private jeweller, Kensington Parker are not refined to the constrictions of a traditional high street jeweller. From a home appointment in the evening, to a visit at your office to overlook a handpicked selection of diamonds, this is the kind of service that makes Kensington Parker a private jeweller for the client.
Rome de Bellegarde
Treat that special someone in your life to a bottle of one of the world’s most expensive and exquisite cognacs. Rome de Bellegarde has garnered a reputation for the highest standard of excellence, specialising in a limited edition collection of modern Premium Crus harmoniously blended with rare-aged Eaux de vie.
BBB recommend a bottle of the XO Limited Edition. Characterised by its full and powerful fruity notes and extravagant spices, the XO distils the essence of Rome de Bellegarde’s iconic heritage while bringing to the fore a modern freshness of flavour, imbued with lingering hints of sweet vanilla.
Genealogica
What could be more special than gifting someone with their very own genealogical family portrait? A company like no other, Genealogica is the world’s best family history research and story-telling team. With proven expertise in unearthing unique and barely traceable documents, photographs and heirlooms, Genealogica bring the people and places of each family’s extraordinary odyssey to life, telling the story of their unique journey through the generations.
Genealogica will then design and deliver the family legacy in any way clients desire, from bespoke ancestral encyclopedias to physical journeys into the past.
Belmond Gift Card
Give the gift of a Belmont gift card for something to look forward to when the time is right. The beauty of this particular gift card is that it can be redeemed for a range of experiences including a delightful afternoon tea, a relaxing massage a fascinating masterclass or towards the trip of a lifetime! From restaurants and hotels to trains, boats and safaris, nobody does luxury adventures quite like Belmond.
Immerse Yourself in Wes Anderson’s World With the British Pullman
By Amira Hashish
All aboard the British Pullman for a train journey like no other. Iconic film director Wes Anderson has joined forces with Belmond to create a carriage inspired by his signature style and we are all invited to step into his wonderfully wacky world.
The visionary behind movies including The Darjeeling Limited, The Grand Budapest Hotel and The French Dispatch, was given free rein to reimagine the Cygnus carriage. You could be mistaken for thinking that you had stepped onto one of his fantasy film sets. He has teamed opulent green fabrics with a pink ceiling, symmetrical lines and art nouveau design alongside two new private coupés. It is the Instagram stuff of dreams.
From long lunches and sumptuous afternoon tea experiences to special dinner packages, journeys depart throughout the year from London Victoria Station and there is some last minute availability pre-Christmas. ‘
The train’s high profile fans include Adwoa Adobah, Emma Bunton and Holly Willoughby who have been spotted enjoying festive celebrations on board recently.
Speaking of the collaboration Anderson said: “I love trains. I have often had the chance to invent train compartments and carriages in my movies so I was immediately pleased to say ‘yes’ to this real life opportunity, and very eager to make something new while also participating in the process of preservation which accompanies all the classic Belmond train projects. They are keeping something special alive; igniting this endangered species of travel into a new golden era.”
His interiors feel refined with a typical playful twist and he has paid careful tribute in his dream-like storytelling to the origins of the 1950s carriage. Named after the Greek God of Balance, Cygnus is often personified as a swan and immortalised as one of the most recognisable constellations in the night sky. Detailed reference to the myth and legend can be found throughout Anderson’s design in the intricate waves and swan detailing in the marquetry. From the meticulously positioned silver leaf on the ceiling that reflects like water, to the swan shaped champagne coolers – the carriage is a tribute to the majestic swan.
As the journey continues you will no doubt keep noticing the little touches that make all the difference.
For a very exclusive option, there are two new private coupés. The intimate space, with 360 degree carefully handcrafted marquetry, can be booked for up to four people. The train manager personally greets coupé guests with priority boarding and ensures free flowing champagne is available throughout the trip.
Group bookings are also possible with entire carriages available for celebrations of up to 26 people.
Winding your way through the English countryside in delightful surroundings is always a joy and there is no more luxurious way to do so than with the British Pullman.
Pullman Dining by Wes Anderson starts from £400 per person. The Pullman coupé by Wes Anderson starts from £1,800 per coupé. The full carriage hire price is available on request. To book or for more information email nicola.price@belmond.com.