Romantic Christmas Presents

I was lucky enough to receive an art print in my favourite colour and a pair of shoes I've been hinting about all year from my man. As a little challenge to see how all of the other men did this year, why not post a comment telling everyone what your most romantic christmas present was - past or present!

Love from lila xx

Merry Christmas!

Love from lila xx

Christmas Wrapping Tips

Well, you know how much I like to help you all out so here it is...

To learn the essentials of gift wrapping, check out the video below to learn how to wrap a box-shaped object such as a book or dvd.

If you have a look on YouTube you'll find lots of videos with lots of different variations on how to wrap a present. This one uses double sided tape which, if you have it, makes your present look clean-cut. If you don't have it then it's not a problem but try to place the tape you do have neatly.

If you want to add a bow then watch the video below for an idea on how to do it.

If you've got any awkwardly shaped presents then the best way to wrap them would be to put them into a box so that you've got a nice square shape to wrap (and it's adds to the surprise of what's inside!). Sometimes plain wrapping paper can look the best, teamed with a nice pretty ribbon or just a shop bought bow! One easy, plain wrapping paper that you can keep handy for all occasions is brown parcel paper which is strong and looks really neat. Not only that, you can also write on it and stick things to it really easy making it perfect for personalising! If you're looking for some creative paper ideas then you could use tissue paper, old maps, sheet music, magazines and newspaper.

If you're stuck for present ideas then why not put together a movie night kit or start her a collection? If you haven't already read last week's post about gift giving then it's a must! And if you haven't started buying presents yet, don't forget to take this handy list of her favourite things with you and go shopping - time's running out!


All that's left to say is happy wrapping! (I'm sorry the video's so terrible but hopefully it should get you into the Christmas spirit!)

Love from lila xx

What To Buy Her For Christmas?

Are you having trouble deciding on christmas presents? Read on for a few ideas...


Present buying is always difficult but if you stick to the six 'rules' or categories below (and get a bit inventive) then you should find present buying a lot easier, with presents that she'll love! So think about buying her something...

1. she wants,
2. she needs,
3. she can wear,
4. she can read,
5. she can watch,
6. and hand/homemade.

That seems pretty straightforward right? Well, here's an explanation of each one (in case it wasn't as straightforward as it looks) and a few ways of being a little interpretive with the presents!

Something she wants: if you haven't read my post about reading her hints then it might be a good idea to check that out first, then you'll know when she's trying to hint about presents she might like for christmas. If you haven't picked up on any hints then you'll have to try and think of something she wants all by yourself!

Something she needs: means something she may (or may not) have mentioned as needing to buy at some point that's important for something she does. This could be a book she needs for her course, new make-up (choose wisely - take the old one with you if you can and check that she wants a direct replacement), something for her computer, some stationery or some chocolate!

Something she can wear: get inspired, something she can wear could include make-up, clothes (including hats, scarves, gloves), accessories (handbags etc), perfume or even shoes!

Something she can read: could include something easy like a book or it could be a framed love letter or some song lyrics. If you choose something like a book then you could buy her one that you know she likes, or you could buy her something from a similar author, a book related to her hobby, a book related to a new hobby (with some of the equipment she may need) or even just a book from a new genre that you think she may enjoy.

Something she can watch: is where you can get really inventive. You could buy her a cinema ticket or a ticket to a sports game or you could even just buy her a DVD but dress it up as a movie night kit. If you're feeling really creative you could make a video of pictures of you and some of her favourite songs and burn it to CD.

Something hand/homemade: is the section where you can get really romantic. The something homemade could be something that you've made and she can eat such as cookies, cakes or dinner. It could even be her card (check out this post for tips on what to write in her card), some love vouchers or 'love letters'. You can find lots of handmade things in shops these days so keep your eyes peeled. Oxfam have some handmade gifts such as aprons, pretty bowls and jewellery but you'll be able to find lots of things, especially around christmas. You can often find local crafts at christmas fairs which always make lovely presents. If you don't find anything in particular that you think she'll like then you could just buy her some quality chocolates from a local shop.

You'll notice that quite a few ideas cross over into two or more sections. That's absolutely fine as the 'rules' are really just ideas to get your present-buying juices flowing!

If you need any extra help then you can check out this post, where you can find a handy list to carry with you so that you know what her favourites are. You could also start her a collection, you can find a post here.

Don't think that these 'rules' only apply to girlfriends either, you can use it for absolutely anyone but I hope this has at least given you a few ideas to get you started on your christmas shopping so get out there and get buying some brilliant presents! Good luck.

Love from lila xx