Sunday Times | Festive Gift Guide 2017

Sunday Times

FESTIVE GIFT GUIDE

Adventure

The Longines Heritage BigEye Chronograph R30 000, arthurkaplan.co.za

Oztrail Sun Lounge classic chair R1 699, takealot.com

Outdoorsy

- adjectiveSomeone or something related to or fond of nature

Cadac Meridian 3 burner woody patio braai with side burner & cover R6 999, Takealot.com

The Tree App R499

Three of the best APPS FOR NATURE LOVERS

Newman’s Birds of Southern Africa $18.99 (about R260)

A dream gift for tree huggers with details of about 1100 SA trees, includingimages and distribution maps. A smart search function starts with your location and helps identify trees in the field. There’sasection where users can log “sightings”.

iTrack Southern Africa $14.99 (about R205)

Perfect for birders, from beginners to the keenest twitcher. It features 975 species with over 1000 photos, descriptions, illustrations and maps. There are filtering options to help identify birds and over 800 bird calls.

Developed by a local field guide and a US wildlife biologist, this app has track information for 50 southern African mammals. Now you can work out who made those paw prints outside your tent while you were sleeping. —Elizabeth Sleith

K-Way sleeveless bomber R1 299, capeunionmart.co.za

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Fashionista

- nouna designer, promoter or follower of the latest fashion trends

Tips for shopping online

1 Don’t impulse buy Think about what you really want and consider waiting for sales. Online shops like Superbalist and Spree frequently have mid-week promotions with great discounts.

2 Check the size guide Shopping online means there’s no physical fitting room. So if you’re buying a new brand, have a look at the size guide to be sure you are buying the right size. Use a measuring tape if you’re unsure.

3 Set a budget

Typing in your credit card details is easy, so be conscious of how much you are spending and how much you are putting into your cart.

4 Start with small purchase If you’re an online newbie, buy something small to try out the service and quality of the products.

5 Check the return policy Most online stores offer returns within 30 days of purchase, but take note of the return policy.

Our top online shopping websites: Superbalist.co.za Offers a top-notch experience. Has a great collection of brands. Spree.co.za

Great for shopping local designers, including Chulaap and Droomer. Woolworths.co.za A one-stop shop for everything you need. Nothemba Mkhondo

Gridly mini apron in signal steel R235, skinnylaminx.com

Balsamic vinegar 450ml from Modena R199, woolworths.co.za

Foodie

- informal nouna person having an avid interest in the latest food fads

Craft stainless

Maison Pébeyre truffle salt R229, yuppiechef.com

Round cast iron cocotte from R3639, lecreuset.com

5 treats with a difference

1 Local Flair

Buy a bottle of good-quality South African olive oil, (with the SA Olive mark),a wedge of Parmesan cheese and a jar of beautiful plump olives. Wrap in a new dishcloth and tie with rafia, string or ribbon.

2 Honey Guide

Find a jar of good, locally produced honey (check the label), add a honey swivel, a few lemons and a box of rooibos tea.

3 Coffee Break

Make up a hamper with quality coffee beans or ground coffee. Add two mugs, a carton of long-life cream and a jar of ground cinnamon.

4 Liquid Assets

You’ll need a bottle of red wine, a large apple, a miniature bottle of brandy and an orange, plus a recipe to make your own sangria. Soak the chopped apple in the brandy overnight. Just before serving, pour wine into a jug, add 500ml Sprite (or soda water), orange slices and ice.

5 Spice It Up Buy a jar of fruit mincemeat. Put into a bowl, add a generous splash of brandy, finely grated rind and juice of 1 small lemon, 5ml (1tsp) mixed spice, 1 large grated Granny Smith apple and mix together. Spoon into a decorative jar, tie with ribbon and add a roll of butter puff pastry. —Hilary Biller

David Jones messenger R499, woolworths.co.za

Skullcandy Uproad wireless headphones R899, luksbrands.com

Globetrotter

R390, specsavers.co.za Ladies striped hoodie R2 399, scotch-soda.com MAC Snowball lipstick R270, maccosmetics.co.za

FESTIVE FUN

Creative consultant Nadia van der Mescht shares some tips and tricks for a stylish Christmas

THATCHER

COMPILED BY ROBERTA

Decorating your tree

1

Pick a theme. It doesn’t matter whether you’re going Christmas kitsch or Scandi slick —select a theme and look for decorations that fit your theme and complement each other.

2

Keep it simple. Some of the most stylish Christmas décor is the simplest. Using baubles in just two to three tones can be extremely pleasing on the eye.

3

Break with tradition. Gone are the days of tinsel-clad trees. Feel free to decorate in new and unusual ways that suit your style and home, rather than the traditional red and green of years past.

4

Get your family involved. It’s a beautiful and bonding experience to decorate a tree together as a family. Getting children involved in making decorations is a unique way to showcase their creativity.

5

Shop local. Many non-profit organisations and charity projects have locally designed decorations on offer. Buying from them means supporting a good cause as well as showing off ourAfrican-inspired heritage.

WRAP IT LIKE A PRO

1

Get creative: There’s no need to rush out and buy rolls and rolls of bling wrapping paper. Rather get creative with brown or textured paper and decorate it yourself.

2

Create a wrapping kit: Turn the Christmas Eve mad dash for sticky tape into a thing of the past. A small kit with washi tape, a good pair of scissors, gift tags, string, ribbon and a few other essentials will make the process more enjoyable.

3

Recycle: Most Christmas paper ends up in the bin. That is tons and tons of paper that isn’t being recycled. This year, make your wrapping eco-friendly, either by recycling after opening your gifts, or by wrapping using paper from magazines. Wrapping a gift for a fashionista friend? Use a beautiful magazine spread that matches their style.

4

Add stocking stuffers: Tying something novel onto the outside of a gift adds to the irresistible element ofunwrapping it. Whether it’s an item that complements the gift within or something interesting and fun like Christmas bells —it’s an easy, fun touch.

5

Make your gift personal: When wrapping, think of who you are wrapping the gift for and personalise it. Think favourite colour, something they really enjoy, or a handwritten card. This is a sureway to add authenticity and thought to the silly season. —Nadia van der Mescht Nadia van der Mescht is an expert at creating brand experiences which require beautiful wrapping, packaging and décor for creative businesses. www.nadiavdmescht.co.za

RÉMY MARTIN XO GIFT BOX R2449

Rémy Martin XO with two Riedel glasses in a gift box, available exclusively at Makro Liquor stores nationwide. THE ICONIC RÉMY MARTIN XO IS A TRUE SYMBOL OF LUXURY AND PRESTIGE.

XO is expertly crafted by the Rémy Martin cellar master, blending hundreds of eaux-de-vie from the most sought-after vineyards of Cognac to express its full aromatic intensity.

Sporty

Apple TV 4K 62GB R3 599, takealot.com

OGIO Tribune backpack R899, luksbrands.com

KURO-Bo Charcoal Koins from R180 and the KURO-Bo Go-Eco Bottle from R260, wellnesswarehouse.com

Adidas Swift Run R1 299, superbalist.com

Tech buff

Supersonic

R6 499, takealot.com

K-Way black bomber R1 499, capeunionmart.co.za

RX1 Robot vacuum cleaner R12 999, yuppiechef.com

Garmin forerunner R4 999, capeunionmart.co.za

Three of the best GADGETS FOR THE HOLIDAYS

DJI Spark R13 289, takealot.co.za With a range of 2km, the tiny Spark captures the ground below in perfect 1080p HD. It takes stills and features a host of intelligent fly modes like ActiveTrack that allows it to follow a moving target –all by itself.

JBL Flip 4 R1 799, takealot.co.za This is the way to go if you want to enjoy music on the move. It offers 12 hours of stereo playback; just sync and stream tunes from any mobile device. It delivers crisp, punchy stereo sound, and is 100% waterproof.

Nintendo Super NES Classic R760, merkado.co.za This modern remake of the original Super Nintendo ships with a flash drive filled with arcade classics such as Street Fighter 2, Mega Man, Super Mario World and Contra III —Thomas Falkiner

Kindle Paperwhite 6”WiFi E-reader R2 999, takealot.com

and Evelyn mini Noël Candle R450, crabtree-evelyn.co.za

Homebody

- nouna person who prefers pleasures and activities that centre around the home

Atela clock R699, Country Road at woolworths.co.za

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the best audio books

Having a book read to you is a great way to catch up. It’s also great being read to by the author. Here are a few of our picks:

The Butterfly Effect by Jon Ronson

The Welsh writer uses his journalistic skills to delve into the porn industry andinvestigates how it has changed with the rise of the Internet. He interviews the man behind Pornhub, as well as the stars and their families who have been affected by the change.

Norse Mythology By Neil Gaiman Who wouldn’t want the author to read to you, especially his twist on the nordic gods? His warm, honeyed voice, English accent,perfect pitch and inflection give life to the stories of Odin, Thor and Loki. It also guarantees six hours of goosebumps.

The Ministry of Utmost Happiness By Arundhati Roy Roy’s melodious tone and accent transports you to India, making it easier to get to know and understand the web of characters and storylines. Just make sure you have 16hours plus to listen.

Lincoln in the Bardo By George Saunders Saunders’snovel has a star-studded cast of 166 narrators. Seven hours and 25 minutes will whoosh by. Ben Stiller, Susan Sarandon, Megan Mullally and others lend their voices to narrate the story of Abraham Lincoln mourning the death of his son Willie in a graveyard filled with ghosts. —Jennifer Platt Available on Audible.com and iTunes.

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