The Best You’s columnist Janey Lee Grace presents a round-up of the latest products, ideas and innovations catching her eye this month
One bit of me feels like running screaming for the hills at this time of year. I dislike the commercialisation of Christmas but I love the candle-lit church services, the cosiness of sitting by a warm fire and of course opening presents, especially if it’s something handmade or local. It is possible to have a natural Christmas without being all bah humbug and wearing sackcloth instead of your regular party frock.
For gifts think ‘personal’ and wherever possible local or homemade. It’s the thought that counts – not the cost. Foodie gifts are usually appreciated so you could buy locally produced goods from a local farmers’ market or jazz up anything in a gorgeous glass jar (I’m thinking herbs steeped in good quality oil)
If you really aren’t a domestic goddess (come on admit we all LOVE watching Bake Off but do our own cakes make the grade?) there are lots of other simple ideas you can make to give to family and friends or just to adorn your own festive space.
Festive pinecones
Make a little bag of pinecone firelighters, melt down old beeswax candles by placing them in an old tin standing in boiling water, pour the melted wax over the pine cones and add pretty star shapes.
Beeswax candles
Talking natural beeswax it’s easy to make your own natural rolled candles – buy wicking and wax sheets from a craft store, decorate with wax crayons, stars and glitter.
Shopping for gifts?
Nourish gift packs include a luxurious collection of shimmering gold, rejuvenating frankincense and revitalising myrrh, with omega-rich organic Moroccan argan oil www.nourishskinrange.com
You can’t go wrong with lovely bubble bath as a gift. The Little Soap Company’s Pure Rose Geranium Bubble Bath is a luxurious, moisturising (and bubbly!) bubble bath! www.littlesoapcompany.co.uk
And for that special Christmas gift? ‘Feeling Love’ from Findhorn Flower Essences. The duo pack consists of an aromatherapy spray and flower essence spray www.findhornessences.com
It can’t be Christmas without chocolate – check out the artisan bars from Seed and Bean www.seadandbean.com
Wrap it up
Don’t contribute to that huge excess paper mountain. Apparently every Christmas we throw out enough square miles of the stuff to cover an area the size of Guernsey! Grab some of the lighter news pages (get the kids to do a colour wash) or wrap gifts in hessian and tie with a big red ribbon.
Glitter belles
If you want to bring Christmas into your beauty regime, go festive and beautify yourself with gold, frankincense and myrrh. For gold it has to be the beautiful gold packaged organic dry shampoo from Tabitha James Kraan – (saves you washing your hair on Christmas day) www.tabithajameskraan.com
For frankincense and myrrh, go DIY…
Christmas aroma toner with myrrh
Lavender and myrrh work well together (yes, myrrh of wise men fame) and produce a healing antiseptic toner for oily or blemished skin:
– 100 ml lavender water
– 10 drops myrrh essential oil
Apply with cotton wool to clean skin or add to a spritzer bottle for a refreshing spray
To revitalise after a late night…
Christmas anti-ageing oil with frankincense
– 50 ml rosehip oil mixed with 50 ml sweet almond oil
– 2 drops lavender oil
– 2 drops rose oil
– 1 drop frankincense oil
Apply a fine layer to clean skin, works great as a night-time moisturiser.
May all your wishes come true
Christmas is the time of magic and hope and when I work with clients on their business strategy, PR and media skills I always start by asking them, ‘What do they really want?’
It can be a tricky question and anyone versed in setting intentions will know that specifics are needed! A dance teacher wished for her own space to teach in. As her pretend fairy godmother I ‘granted’ her what she had wished for – a disused garage – but of course that wasn’t really her dream!
This festive season and definitely as we head into the new year get absolute clarity on what it is you really want for your life, your relationships, your business.
I am actually going to be a fairy godmother in panto this year. (Oh no you’re not!) Seriously I was a singer and dancer years ago, so here’s hoping I haven’t lost the magic – I’m in Cinderella at Haverhill in Suffolk. (Oh yes I am!)
