‘Tis The Season!
It’s officially that time of the year, the festive season! However you celebrate, there is a special energy about December in Aotearoa, the promise of warmer days and slower mornings as the holiday break approaches. Whilst this time can be filled with frantic gift buying and the chaos of the year winding down, it’s also a great time to celebrate the year that was and embrace a bit of festive joy!
Our family has never been huge on Christmas traditions, but an Xmas tree from Fresh N Bushy is always a non-negotiable. This year, we managed to pick it up and decorate it on the 1st of December, so the festive vibes and that gorgeous smell of fresh pine has filled our living room already.
This is also the time of year where gift guides, Secret Santa’s and stocking fillers are a common topic of discussion on platforms like this Journal. But this year, I wanted to take a slightly different spin on this idea and share some locally sourced bits and bobs to treat yourself. Whether you embrace festive traditions or simply choose to take this final month of the year to wind down, we all deserve to celebrate another year of accomplishments and gifting yourself or your home this December is a small but meaningful way to do that.
Fresh Pine Goldie Candle (Ecoya)
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Fresh Pine Fragranced Room Spray (Ecoya)
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There’s nothing better than the smell of pine at this time of year and regardless of how you celebrate in December, it’s just a delicious scent to have wafting throughout your home. If you aren’t a Christmas tree enthusiast, the Ecoya Fresh Pine Candle or Fresh Pine Room Spray are great options to bring that Xmas smell into your space, without the need for a month of pine needle cleanup!
Daily Diary 2026 - Olive Deco (Father Rabbit)
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Made of Tomorrow 2026 Weekly Diary - Classic Sorbet (Iko Iko)
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I’m certainly not reinventing the wheel here, but gifting yourself a new planner or diary before the new year is always a nice treat. Whether you use a physical planner to schedule out your weeks or you like to journal your thoughts at the end of the day, having an aesthetically pleasing diary is such a nice way to bring joy to an otherwise mundane item.
Living Christmas Tree (Small Acorns)
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Another excellent alternative to a full size Christmas tree is a mini one! This is the perfect way to still enjoy that fresh pine smell and display your favourite decorations, without nearly as much of a cleanup or commitment. Small Acorns in Wellington offers the cutest mini Christmas Trees at around 65cm tall, pre-order one over on their website and pick it up in-store, too easy!
Call Me Orro Felt Goose Decoration (Shut The Front Door)
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Call Me Orro Felt Rabbit Decoration (Shut The Front Door)
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Whilst not huge on Christmas traditions, our family has compiled the most eclectic bunch of Xmas tree decorations over the years, some going as far back as the 70s! I love seeing old vintage ornaments hanging next to crafty creations from our kids' primary school days, it makes our tree so special and unique to us.
If you’re on the hunt for a few new decorations or maybe you’re building your own unique collection with your family and picking up a new decoration each year is part of your Xmas tradition, there are so many fun options out there. My absolute favourites are these adorable felt animals by Call Me Orro, they are too cute and take me back to the nostalgic world of Beatrix Potter.
Ribbed Cocktail Glasses - Blush (Home Lab)
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Petal Cocktail Glasses - Watermelon (Home Lab)
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Melted Crystal Gin Glasses (Home Lab)
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There’s nothing that screams Summer holidays to me more than enjoying a tasty beverage out in the sun. Whether you like making cocktails at home, opening your favourite bottle of vino or opting for a non-alcoholic beverage, I’m a firm believer that everything tastes better in a great glass!
Throughout the year, our glassware collection tends to dwindle as inevitable breakages occur, so investing in a new set of cocktail glasses is definitely on my to-do list. Home lab has some of the most beautiful and unique glassware sets I’ve come across, it’s hard to pick a favourite…
A2 Art Print by Rosi Feist - Allgäu Alps (Kiki Bazaar)
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In the spirit of treating yourself to something you can enjoy all year round, an art print in a nice frame is something that can bring an empty wall or awkward space in your home to life. Art can be pricey and with so many incredible artists out there it can be hard to select the right piece for your home. Whilst I’m all for investing in 1/1 pieces from local creatives, art prints when framed well can look just as good and won’t break the bank!
Kiki Bazaar has a gorgeous selection of unique art prints, but Allgäu Alps by Rosi Feist really caught my eye, and in a way it has a slightly festive vibe too!