This is my favourite time of year. I’m so sad that I’m getting on a plane on Friday only to return on 18 December – because I don’t get to do my usual one month of gift giving leading up to the Christmas period. My house is usually decorated by 1 December and I become festive AF! Lol. I love to gift, even if it is something small to remind someone that they’ve played a special role in my life this year.
However, I realise that times are tough and things are expensive. On my hunt for great end of year gifts that don’t break the bank I’ve found 3 local South African small business products that I think you’ll not only love but so will those receiving the items. There’s even something special for your furkid.
These are my 3 end of year gift selections:
Unicorns in a Jar
Watch Me Whip is my friend Lauren’s boutique cake bakery. She makes the most delicious cakes. I was chatting with her one weekend and trying to figure out where I could find cost effective and locally made products for end of year gifts. We brainstormed a bit and the Unicorn in a Jar was born. For R80 you get a unicorn which consists of 3 mini cakes. You can then choose to have the cakes sandwiched between vanilla bean or lemon curd frosting. The unicorns have little gold sugar horns and mini meringue ears. I was also the taste tester and can confirm – they’re delish. The jar has more than enough cake to serve two. You can order your own Unicorn in a Jar here.
Gingerpaws Advent Calendars
I was introduced to Gingerpaws last year when Jade wrote a post on the 12 best advent calendars for 2017 available in South Africa. This year I’ve decided this South African business is the perfect shopping spot for end of year gifts – especially if the person you’re purchasing for happens to be a dog lover! They offer these rad advent calendars for your dog. The calendars have gorgeous artwork on them and each day has a Christmas cookie specially formulated to make your furkid feel like they’re having a delicious indulgence. My favourite part of these calendars is actually the back of the box. There’s an adorable “Quality Control” mark which consists of paw prints from both Lucy and Lily – the dogs of the family business owners. The back also explains how Gingerpaws donates a portion of each item sale to helping various shelters. There’s also an explanation of the dog biscuit ingredients (including Rooibos and Mint to help with allergies, Coconut Oil for a glossy coat and Spirulina for immunity and well being). The biscuits are made in partnership with Vandi’s who products natural pet food. It is such a well thought out gift. You can order your own doggie advent calendar on the Gingerpaws website. They cost R145.
Good news, the rad folk at Gingerpaws are gifting one Tech Girl reader with their own doggie advent calendar! Details on how to win are at the bottom of the post.
I Heart Granola
Pic courtesy of I Heart GranolaRemember my friend Cat – who started the copper straw business I blogged about awhile back? Well she has another little business with her sister that I’m obsessed about. I Heart Granola manufactures the absolute best granola I’ve ever had. It has none of the excess sugar many breakfast cereals are caked in. The ingredients include things like Chia Seeds, Sesame Seeds, Gluten free rolled oats, activated almonds and hazelnuts, activated sunflower and pumpkin seed mix and Himalayan salt. It is healthy AND delicious. Also because this is a small business the granola is fresh and tastes divine. You can’t buy it off the shelf like this. There are two flavours available: Rose-marries Honey which combines rosemary and honey and Cocoa-nut Affair which pairs cocoa and coconut and includes 70% dark chocolate drops. I’ve all but polished off both jars I have already. This is such a great healthy treat and the perfect gift. For R159.99 you get both jars and you can order online.
And now, you can win!
As I mentioned earlier, Gingerpaws is giving away an advent calendar to a lucky Tech Girl furkid. All you need to do is comment on this post and tell me which advent calendar art you’d choose for your doggie. I’ll choose a winner early next week 🙂 If you need a reminder of the artwork selections take a look at the Gingerpaw site here. Good luck!
