A few of my FAVOURITE things

​Christmas time is officially in full swing, though I have been hearing Christmas music and having scandalous red cups since November 1st, it seems the full holiday mayhem beings when we open that first chocolate on our advent calendars. For me, this year I was opening a Sleigh Ride tea from the David’s Tea's advent calendar, which I had my family bring me from Canada, and as I sipped I was instantly filled with warm festive feelings. To give my blog some Christmas magic I listed my 25 holiday favourite things for this season. From classic chocolate to sparkly booties here’s what I’ll having around me while listening to Buble. (click the blue to shop!) 

1) Chocolates from Dark sugars

Starting off classic with this Shoreditch Chocolate shop. I personally love the chocolate covered figs.​https://www.facebook.com/darksugarschocolates/ 

2) Zara Booties

Holiday shoes can be hard to find when you don't want your toes to get frostbite but you still want to look chic. This season Zara put out a collection of stylish and fun booties you can wear from day to night. I have the High Heel Glitter Boots on now with an all black outfit and they give me the extra little boost to feel like a sugar plum fairy. 

3) Oliver Bonas Candles

I would love to decorate my home in completely Oliver Bonas, everything is so fun and feminine. But if I can't have it all at least I can make my home smell like the store. They have a wide range of scents and this season you can even get a personalized Christmas candle. 

4) POm-pom hats 

I must say that from walking the street in London at Christmas time there has been an invasion of fluffy pom-pom bobbing on people's heads. This Doctor Sues tend is something I did not see in the Canadian cold but I absolutely love how Londoners are making their own fashionable snowballs, without the snow. 

5) WHole foods pressed Juices 

Whole Foods is easily on my top happy places anywhere in the world and I live on their pressed juices. While it might seem a bit pricey for juice they are completely worth it; all fresh and made in store with the yummiest flavour combinations they make eating your fruits and veggies so much more enjoyable. 

6) impossible Instant lab universal photo printer 

I've wrote about it before and I will write about it again now that I have it because this gadget is a christmas list must. Turning any photo on your phone into a great sized Polaroid is magic and saves you all the problems of a normal Polaroid camera. Plus its stylish design looks great on the shelf. 

7) Nars - Steven Klein collection

The newest addition to the Nars vault is the 'killer' Steven Klein collection - FANTASCENE. The line is artistic and limited. With both boxes and shades inspired by the photographs, special limited addition holiday collection lipsticks with five exclusive shades to 'tearjerker' mascara this collection is simply fab. 

8) Sushi, Sushi, Sushi, all around 

I am the type of girl who can happily go into a sushi coma multiple times a week and I particularly appreciate when my sushi goes in a circular fashion. Thats why I'm obsessed with Yo-sushi. It is especially the best place to stop by during a day of shopping in the Selfridges Food Hall. 

9) Seeing pink is rose gold sunnies 

Instead of covering those holiday party eye-bags with more black why not spring for something a little more fun. Pink has been a big colour over the past year and it is now really starting to make its way into eyewear. To classy it up go with a roes gold tint instead of bright pink. 

10) Kiehl's Creamy eye treatment with avacdo

Speaking of eye-bags why not get rid of them all together! I swear by this eye cream. It brightens and gets rid of under eye bags almost instantly after starting use. Also the natural formula allows you to smother your eyes and it won't sting one bit.

11) Not just your Jay-z Timbs 

I love the classic Timberlands but now they have upped their game with dope colours. I bought the black pair in the picture bellow today and they are the perfect wear everywhere boot, as they are comfy and clouds, and have a little extra edge. 

12) Sugarfina boxes 

Add a little luxury to your sweet tooth with these boxes. If you need pretty party  gifts or just something to treat yourself these are the candies to buy. The boxes alone look fab on your coffee table with cheeky greetings and the sweet inside are divine. Right now the stores are only in the States and Canada but rumour has it they will be expanding to the UK (Please, please do!)

13) Velvet everything 

There is no better feeling in winter than to take off a heavy coat and scarf to reveal a glitzy outfit. And while I love sparkles as much as the next girl my true favourite holiday look is velvet, velvet, velvet. The trend can be so versatile and go from day to night with ease, and who doesn't love to be festive and silky. 

14) Classic, classy, reads 

With the cold and rainy weather there is no excuse not to give yourself a little time to curl up with a good book. For when you're not reading though, why not have a book that looks like art on the shelf. I discovered these clothbound penguin gems at a Camden market bookstore and will be stalking my shelves with them as quickly as I can read them. 

15) Lingerie to wear out 

I am a huge pretty panties person because I believe that wearing good (matching) undergarments can completely change your mood and make you feel confident no matter what you're wearing over top. But sometimes its hard to spend all that money on things that only a select few will see. Thats why lingerie that is versatile enough to wear out is a holiday list must. 

16) Gail's CINNAMON bun and chai latte 

Gail's Artisan Bakery is one of my favourite places in Notting Hill (sneak peek at 'where I've been blogging this month', shh) and my go to order is the cinnamon bun and soy chia tea latte, two of the best I have ever had. 

17) EarMuffs! 

Cold ears are the absolute worst and I have no clue how I have only come to the revelation this year that earmuffs can be fashionable. These fuzzy things should defiantly become your friends.

18) Build your own Birch Box - at SELFRIDGES 

I stumbled across this steal yesterday during a lovely walk through Selfridges (aka my marble heaven) and knew that it would instantly be on my list. For just 15 quid you can build a five piece personal beauty box, including hair, makeup, nails, body, and face. The girls working the stand were also supper knowledgeable and take you through each product, so you're not just grabbing blindly at lotions. They are the perfect gift if you want a personal touch, you did make it yourself! 

19) Vintage Chanel and Luoi on Nasty Gal

Nasty Gal is my go-to online shopping site, even out here in the UK where there is a little bit of waiting for shipping, I have clothes waiting in Ohio as we speak. When they released that they would be adding a vintage Chanel collection to their site I was ecstatic, and they upped it even more by adding vintage Louis Litton to the site. They are defiantly a splurge but are just too fab not to scroll and 'heart'. Remember these are vintage and therefore very limited. 

20) Glitter in all sorts of places 

So glitter is nothing new but its the new places that people are putting it that I am obsessed with. Beards and roots have become the new spots to do some extreme highlighting. While I have seen a lot of jokes about these trends on social media that really is half the fun of it. A lumber jack who can also be a fairy -- I'm so down. 

21) Hello Fresh Boxes

I was first handed a voucher to Hello Fresh on the street during my first week in London, and I was as stoked on getting free food as anyone would be. When I received my first  box a honestly FaceTimed my mum to show her just how much I received and how perfectly packaged it all was. I have been ordering, and photographing,  them ever since and they have made my cooking better in so many ways. Not only are they simple to make, the recipes are creative while being healthy and organic. Even if I don't like one meal in the box, theres three meals per box, I still have the ingredients and that saves me a trip to the grocery store. 

22) Over-Sized Sweatshirts 

You can often find me getting some odd looks in the men section of stores. This is because I have an obsession with oversized clothes and in this case the boys do it better. To get cozy with some edge oversized sweater dresses are my go to. Anywhere from the classic sweatshirt to a more feminine knit, paired with over the knee boots both are flawless. 

23) Skinny Dipping

Skinny dip phone cases are huge right now, especially in native London, and I am also a big fan. Your phone case can really add to your outfit, if you're like me and always have it in your hand. So why not keep up with the glitz of the holidays with a sparkly 'life' protector. 

24) The tights 

The Chanel Metiers d'Art show, #ParisinRome, show was this week and it was an absolute dream. There was one standout reoccurring piece of the show which was the tights! I instantly wanted a pair and then going on my twitter that day I saw that they were the hot fashion topic to talk about. Sadly the collection won't be available in boutiques until June. However theres always something to save Christmas money for, or write a really well worded letter to Santa. 

25) PHOTOGRAPHS, book, art 

I had to pick something big for my last favourite thing, the 'you get a car' of my Oprah show, and this piece of Art is big in size and worth. Annie Leibovitz is an iconic photographer and her photos show celebrities for more than their name, they show them as art. This massive book has tens of works of art to flick through at your finger tips. With four iconic covers to choose from and only 10,000 made this truly is a collectors piece.  Also note that no photo of the book is able to capture it's beauty, so take yourself to Selfridges for a free art show to have a look.