Although this year has been a year of upheaval, it’s also been a year of learning. We’ve learnt more about our city and ourselves. We’ve spent more time at home and in our city and we have become more conscious of our local community. So of course when it came to creating the fourth #popathome table, it was always going to be about gifting local this Xmas. But these gifts had to be accessible for everyone and they had to relevant to everyone, including your pets!
Now this isn’t about putting a dollar figure on what you gift, it’s more about making the process of buying for your loved ones, easier. Most of us stick to a budget at Xmas time, so I wanted to take the hard work out of this part of the process. A table where you aren’t just supporting our local makers, you are also sticking to your budget. Win win!
Stocking Stuffers - Gifts under $60
I could have filled the entire table with POP at home ‘stocking stuffers’. There are so many local goodies for the home that fall into this price bracket.
I love the idea of creating a ‘bundle’. For something personal, why not put together a bundle for the bathroom – soap and body scrub. Packaged beautifully, this option always adds a pop of colour to the bathroom and can be gifted to anyone (male or female). The pets area needs to look good in the home too so how about a bundle for your pets including a new ceramic bowl and treats? For the kitchen and home cook, why not bundle up a sour dough bread starter kit and some locally blended tea. The local tea ranges in Canberra are so beautifully branded that they look gorgeous just sitting up on the kitchen bench. A bundle for the kids could include some removable wall stickers for the bedroom and some temporary tattoos for a bit of fun!
There’s a mountain of other options too from coffee, to jigsaw puzzles, to playing cards, to socks and earrings. It’s endless and yep, all of these bundles and other bits and pieces come in under $60.
Spoil me – Gifts between $60 - $150
Ok this is where we start to branch out a little! For the beverage lover, how about some colour coordinated bottles of local gin and wine? Looks beautiful sitting together on a drinks trolley. Or perhaps just a good bottle of sparkling and some handmade chocolates. The hard part is not wanting to eat that chocolate reindeer and leave it on display because it looks so good on the shelf! I have included plants in every POP table because plants create a feature of their own in any interior. And even better, they are a great option for adults and older children for living rooms or bedrooms.
Who doesn’t love receiving a candle and the new, beautifully created candles by POP Canberra in collaboration Annette Blair and Lucian, in custom crafted glass vessels are no exception. AND THEY ARE TRULY LOCAL! The range also includes reed diffusers and small and medium candle tins (head back to the stocking stuffers for this part of the range).
Dads, brothers or partners can be a little tricky to buy for but throw together a quirky bow tie and pocket square and we think you’ll be in the good books.
Let’s Go Over the Top – Gifts over $150
There’s no denying that some of us have no self-control when it comes to gift giving and spending so this part of the table is where you can go over the top! This is a good place to consider some really beautiful pieces of art for the home. Whether it is a print or painting to change up the look in your living room, some beautiful hand blown glass vessels to add a feature piece on your dining table or some stunning new cushions for a new look in the lounge room. I’m pretty sure all of these pieces will make the recipient very, very happy.
We hope this #popathome table gives you some inspiration for your home and helps with your gift giving decision-making. Merry L-HO-CAL Xmas Canberra!
Written by Belinda Neame
Photography by Tim Bean
Belinda Neame is a local stylist, content creator, supporter of local and a lover of all things handmade, high quality and bespoke.
Belinda is the owner operator of the stunning 'Hold Cottage' in Gunning and founder of 'The Forage' - Canberra's premier street food event.
Belinda's husband, Tim is a firefighter by day and lives behind the lens of his camera when not working for his community.
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