How To Spend Your Christmas Money!
[ 27 December 2008 ]
Christmas has been & gone. We are full of turkey, ham, turducken, roasted vegetables, enormous salads, eggnog, whatnot. We feel bloated & sleepy, slightly hungover & we dread cleaning the house. But it’s a fair bet that some of you received good Christmas presents, & when I say good Christmas presents, I am of course referring to cold hard cash, courtesy of mothers brothers aunts cousins or even lovers!
But how to spend it? I often find that when I’m in the mood to spend — & I’ve got it burning a hole in my pocket — that is the precise moment that the trolls pull everything cool & purchasable into the earth, never to be seen again. So I’m going to help you out, because I’m good like that. Boost the world economy! Alright, here we go!
Let’s start with the basics. The Net-A-Porter sale is always a good time. 40% off, you say? LOVELY! Sephora is having an epic sale too. I love Givenchy’s pop gloss crystal & rouge interdit shine lipstick (in glitter pomelo & raspberry shine, respectively). But you should definitely go & check them out, they’ve discounted brush sets & eye kits & all kinds of stuff.
I have a soft spot for this Pirate Supply Kit. Contains… “Red bandanna to protect your coif, black eye patch so you can walk the plank straight, tea-stained message in a bottle for your secret thoughts, “booty” bag of eight wooden gold coins to trade at port, Polly the Parrot pin, your new best friend who can sit on your shoulder and listen to your bellyaches, & a tea-stained treasure map so you don’t forget.” Who could resist?!
For those of you who have also been swept away with unicorn fever (it’s like avian flu, but different), how about a paper mache unicorn mask? Sure to terrify everyone in your immediate vicinity. This mystic unicorn mask is pretty sweet, too. If you’re more on the sane side of the fence, I like this mounted unicorn necklace, though when you think about it, the concept is a little grim. (“Whack the head off a magical animal & nail it to a plank of wood? Why yes, I did!”) Amazon — amazingly — turned out to be the unicorn holy grail. Everyone needs a unicorn colouring book, a unicorn fantasy charm bracelet, an enormous unicorn wall mural & a hideous/awesome hand-dyed unicorn t-shirt. That shirt is a bully’s wet dream, but I love it. Finally, this unicorn cookie cutter is almost enough to make me want to take up baking. Imagine unicorn cookies covered in sparkly sugar! Swoon central!
Silly but sweet little things from Gala’s Etsy favourites? Oh, why not! I am especially fond of the white rabbit hair comb & bat & swan rings from studiohalo. This gold PVC ruffle skirt would be awesome for go-go dancing on stage, & well, let’s just say I’ve had my eye on Healing Heart’s striped candy carnivale dress for a long time now. I also love the holographic dance skirt & leggings from Dancing Tree Creations (& I’m totally going to buy some).
If sparkling, iridescent knickers are more your jam, G&P Lingerie has got your booty covered with their violet babydoll & bows briefs. Always wanted your name across your fingers? Of course you have! Pretty much anything made by Sarah Seven is guaranteed to make you smile & swoon at the same time, & if you really want to blow someone away, why not just turn up wearing this neckwarmer?
For those of you who want to get organised for the new year, start here. I think this glow-in-the-dark zodiac calendar is wicked awesome. On that note, buy yourself a horoscope book for the year — they’re cute & awesome to pore over. Llewellyn’s 2009 Sun Sign Book has information for all the signs & if you ever have someone cute in your apartment & you don’t know what to say to them, this book is a great ice-breaker (promise). But if you don’t really care about anyone but yourself (oh ho ho, I’ve got YOUR number!), get one just for you. The zodiac books by Margarete Beim are really good — voilà, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius & Capricorn! They’re little, too, so perfect for throwing in your purse. For the super-hardcore, you can even buy a horoscope-specific calendar, with short forecasts for every day — Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius or Capricorn! For Virgos-in-training & other super-organised kids, Amazon has (from what I’ve seen) the best prices on the black daily 2009 Moleskine ($10.85) & the red version ($14.93). Day-a-page is totally the way to go! If you’re not so much into the horoscope thing, the Tim Walker 2009 calendar is completely awesome. The Bad Girl’s 2009 Rage-a-Day calendar is pretty cool too, with hangover cures, probing questions & pick-up lines.
Start the year on time with a brand new watch. Those of us who subscribe to the Jessica Wakefield school of thought on watches — she was like, so spontaneous & fun, & like, watches are for nerds! — need to get over it. Don’t worry, I’m right there with you. Sweet Valley High poisoned my mind! It’s time for a change! (Hur hur, get it?) This Dior Christal is my dream watch, but not necessarily the kind of thing you impulse purchase. The Juicy Couture couture fairytale watch is great (I love crests!), as is the Harajuku Lovers crest watch, which is only $55! The Dior Homme chiffre rouge is beautiful too, & would look great on a woman I think. Louis Vuitton has done an amazing job with their tambours — the automatic diamond diving lady & quartz diving lady are both totally magnificent. Uh, did you know that Lego make watches? The midsize classic white & just build it are my picks. Or you could go all out & snap up the Cartier Roadster in gold, like Rachel Zoe.
If you want something new to tote your treasures around in this year, check out this off-white leather fringe bag. Anna Lou of London does sparkly bags in bright colours with bows on ‘em, like this & this. J’adore! Valhalla does some nice bags too.
Do you love letters & typography? I do. Urban Outfitters has awesome alphabet tote bags as well as initial wallets. Sakura Designs will make you a custom initial necklace, too.
I always love to buy new things & assign meanings to them, like creating your own lucky charms. You can really do that with anything, but I am especially fond of origami cranes. If you want to go all out, you can buy 1000 & hang them up in your living room. If you’d prefer to be more subtle, this pink hanging crane mobile is pretty sweet. I also like this paper crane tote, these silver crane earrings, & this crane necklace.
Why don’t you go & buy yourself something dishevelled & delightful from Gibbous? Really. Why don’t you?
& if you got a really good cheque from Nana this Christmas, but all your bills are paid & you’re feeling a bit bored with your existence, these lace knuckles ought to do the trick.
P.S. New Zealand girls: run, don’t walk to your nearest Ricochet & Lush stores. Ricochet’s post-Christmas sale is major (I bought four beautiful pieces for $260 today — full price would have been almost $600), & at Lush if you spend over $50 you get one of their new products for free (like one of their amazing new moisturisers which is worth $50 itself!). Delicious!
Hyper-love & bunny kisses,
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Great suggestions Gala!
I’ve already been to LUSH and spent up. I wound up receiving over $100 in freebies!
Happy Christmas to you Gala!
I was just looking for something like this! I already got lots of things from Lush for Christmas (foot mask, anyone?!), but I’m going back to Lush AND the B store asap to buy more lovely things with my Christmas money. :D
I can’t wait to go to Lush tomorrow with all the gift vouchers I got from there for Christmas. I think my friends all got that I’m a wee bit in love (and currently am sitting here sparkling with Glitterbug and sniffing my various soaps and bodywashes greedily – glee!) I’m so glad you had such a fabulous and stylish Christmas (at least from what we saw) and hope the new year brings you just as much joy and excitement and as many new experiences and opportunities as this one did. Thankyou Gala for being so amazing!
xx
PS I have a picture of you stuck up on my inspiration board among other wonderful girls I look up to and every time I see your pink hair and sequins I crack a little smile. :)
This post is giving me a heart attack! Too much goodness….........
Hmm, well this is deffinately going to get bookmarked! Thank’s for the great haul :D
The Striped Candy Carnivale Dress looks too good to be true
Oh, trust me Gala, I’ve been absolutely bolting to Lush! Ahah, the nightly bubble baths that have become ritual over the last couple of weeks have been the perfect respite while working in retail at the moment! I’ve amassed close to 100 hours in a week and a half of work! D:
Now, that Alphabet Tote and the Pirate Supply Kit look especially enticing once I receive my paycheck next week ;D
Mallory @ Miss Malaprop actually sent me the hideous/awesome unicorn shirt a few years ago for my birthday. It was always fun to wear & see people’s reactions.
I think thats the best money-spending guide EVER. I love how there was none of that ‘dont waste it on silly things’ nonsense… :D Hey I know I’ve posted this twice but I realllllly want you to see it, so I’m going to put this comment in here again… ;D Try not to hate moi!
“MERRRRRRY DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS! Confetti!
Thanks for liking that polyvore set! it made my day. Did you get everything your heart desired?
I got some sparkly cardigans, some really fantastic CDs, a couple of SARK books, and black boots! YES.
Have you read SARK before? She’s my hero of LIFE and I think the world might explode if you two ever met.
So since you were generous enough to flickr mail me your address, I’m going to send you a little package… And also, since you wouldn’t want to wear a shirt with your face on it, I do make custom painted shirts at my etsy shop:
www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?...
I’m going to throw one in there… What size/color/what it says would you want? I was thinking ‘cupcake-loving virgo’ or something of the sorts… Hmmm. :D
Email me! You’ll love it I prommmmmise.
Sprinklllllle
xoxo”
Oh I wish there were a Lush down here in Daytona Beach where I am visiting family!
That unicorn cookie cutter looks positively amazing!! I am sitting with my new red clay cookie pan, hopefully I can make a unicorn-esque cake when I get home…!!!
Oooh PS—You’d so totally look FABULOUS in that striped carnival dress AND that holographic dance skirt. I think they are necessary to your healthhhhh.
:D
I love this!! I really do! :D
AHH! I effing love those lace knucks! I’ve always wanted letters, though. I’d just whip out my “ALEX” knucks and imprint my name on my attacker’s face, :D
1) OMG LACE KNUCKLES
2) another alternative is giving a little of your christmas money to charity, especially if you live in the US. there are a lot of people in sudden and awful circumstances because of the economic mess. bad bad bad.
For some reason I remembered your zodiac outfit post when I was pondering what things I wanted to buy with my Christmas ca$hhh and I bought the origami earrings last night! I think Saggitarius actually had the origami necklace, but it was too small of a charm for my taste.
& last yeat all bath bombs at Lush were only a dollar for weeks after Christmas! I’m totally gonna stock up, that’s like buy one get five!!!
ooook!!!
LOVE IT… GREAT BLOG
kiiiisss
What a great idea for a post!
I really like the pirate survival kit, I think my boyfriend would get a kick out of it since he’s into that kind of stuff.
Also, the paper crane necklace/earrings are beautiful. Sadako Sasaki and the Thousand Paper Cranes was a great book growing up and every time I see paper cranes it makes me think of it. :)
This is a fantastic list, too bad I’ve already spent my Christmas money.
You forgot to mention Coilhouse #2! That’s where some of my Christmas gift money went. :)
I still have my money, but it’s going to be gone Tuesday.
I’ve been plotting since October what I’m gonna go with it.
New cell phone with QWERTY slide out keyboard.
Techie geek much?!!!
Oy, I wish I had money to spend. I didn’t get a single bill for Christmas, not even a gift card.
In line with your crane fetish, I love those little fake feather birds (most of the time, some of them have strraaaaange eyes) so I’m buying some of those for my room, and some incense packs :)
I’m also buying Watchmen, I’m informed it is a thinking-persons’ comic.
i’m LOVING the lace knuckles!
For anyone who loves astrology & science I suggest this link: www.livescience.com/strangenew…
I first learned of this in my astronomy class this year and I found it fascinating! You’d think one of the astronomy gurus would have let everyone in on the secret by now!
Amy,
I found the same information as well! Except via Bill Nye the Science Guy:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQPFoD…
That sassy Billy Nye is always on the ball…
Amy & raqueleza — Um, AMAZING! That just blew my mind! I do have a lot of Leo traits… !
My Hannukah money will be spent in Israel, since I’m leaving tomorrow!
I’ve already spent all my Xmas money on tonnes of Lush (and got some free stuff too!) and two amazing dresses & a belt at the boxing day sales at Myer… I wish I had more to spend on my Amazon wishlist though!
A few years back I started a ‘tradition’ where each Xmas season I either buy a small gift to put under those Charity Trees at shopping malls (gifts for kids who might not be visited by Santa) or I buy extra non-perishables & put them in the Food donation boxes.
It makes me happy to know that someone might be better off because of my simple deed :D
i wunt the lace knuckle piece!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it shall be mine:)
Oh man so many cool things to look at!
I love the dresses!
And everything unicorn themed! SO WICKED.
Hmm I haven’t found a lot at various Boxing Day sales to tempt me, but perhaps I’m just pacing myself this year. :)
I’m the same as lisa, i’ve been awfully restrained this boxing day/after christmas time! Bought a half price Hello Kitty planner again this year, to leave at home on my desk and fill in every sunday so I have a plan when i study at night, a gorgeous black halterneck ruffled dress and white shorts from glassons! mmm restrained spending.. how grown up!
Wow! Thanks for the link to Gibbous. I can’t believe I have never heard of it before, they’re amazing! Though I can’t really afford any of these fantastic things, I really enjoy looking and dreaming… Thanks for finding all of this..
Oh, Gala, I must ask: Do you know of any super-cute interior design sites/blogs that you could tell us about? I can’t remember if you already have or not. I’m sorry for asking if you have.
with my christmas money i bought flights to auckland, and fall out boy and nerd tickets. they play a few days out from each other so it will be a fun holiday.
i also bought a shiny shiny sony vaio, mmmmmm shiny.
oh and a second hand lawnmower seeing as i managed to set mine alight.
Your link to Sarah Seven makes me cry of wishing I could buy every outfit there. Someday I’ll have a lot of money to do so, but as of now … I will just wish. Haha.
Also, I just want to say how totally AWESOMEEE it is that you love astrology as much as I do. I am a big zodiac/horoscope fan. So, that Aquarius calander made me excited (:.
you are so right on the stuffed-full-of-food and dreading-the-clean-up points. damn…
and is it totally nerdy that I am saving my christmas money? for nothing in particular, might I add? christmas shopping always leaves me feeling poor and spending more money is kinda the last thing I want to do. damn me and my boring-ness!
Kids, remember to pay the rent before you splurge on your “investment purse”.
Hello! Thank you for mentioning my Rabbit Comb, Bat Ring, and Swan Ring in your entry! You’ve got a great collection of favorites here. :)
-Jamie
studiohalo.etsy.com
Hello!
It’s nye soon, and i’m feeling just a “tad” stressed because i havnt got anything planned yet, and i do want it to be a memorable night. I was hoping you’d be able to give some advice!
thank you!
So much stuff to look at! Love it!
WICKID!
oh gala, with some of the money i received i ran the next day to sephora and bought myself a lolita lempicka perfume!
sweetfancytreat.blogspot.com/2…
i’ve been wishing one since, well …forever. it’s amazing! next stop, it will probably be lush, as always, hehe. xo
I could have sworn i left a comment on this post!?
Has anyone else noticed comments not appearing…..maybe it is a technical glitch?