Christmas is almost here, and I just had to put together a nice little selection of affordable, quirky, or just super original gift ideas to help you a bit in your quest for THE perfect gift (rest assured, I’m fully immersed in this search myself right now and I’m struggling too, just like every year).

Anyway, let’s forget the ties, the literary best-sellers, or the coffee set that will end up at the next flea market, and let’s try to step off the beaten path by transforming ourselves for the occasion into a modern-day Santa Claus!

Idea #1: Twit-Thés

A funny, cute, and trendy gift: Twit-Thés. These 2.0 herbal teas with a contemporary design and organic flavors feature a little message on each bag.

There are 5 organic gourmet flavors (vitality, health, well-deserved sleep, restless night, easy digestion), for five benefits. Because let’s not forget that besides being cool, herbal teas are good for our little bodies.

Three collections have already been released:

• Collection #1: for @family, @friends, @colleagues, @loved-ones – the messages: #vodka is so yesterday, #it’s trending in New York, #last subway train soon…
• Collection #2: for @mom and @mother-in-law – the messages: #no I haven’t gained weight, #yes I have dark circles, #Vanilla for the sweetest, #Cinnamon for the prettiest, …
• Collection #3: for @colleagues – the messages: #The coffee machine is broken, fail, #Where is my intern, #do not disturb,…

A nice and original gift for under 10 €, so we’d be tempted to say: what else?

Idea #2: The Wine Box

Another great gift idea: the Hubris Discovery Box that I already mentioned here.

The concept is to receive 2 bottles selected by Hubris every month and discover new wines accompanied by serving tips and recipes through a box.

The little extra: the subscription is very flexible because it can be purchased individually or temporarily for 3, 6, or 12 months, which can be very convenient for giving a gift according to your budget.

Idea #3: Henri Le Roux Chocolates

I recently discovered the Henri Le Roux brand, specializing in the creation of chocolates and based in Brittany.

These marzipan chocolates (almond paste, but very low in sugar here) are very refined, and the marriage of flavors is extremely well thought out, like the Isolde, a ganache flavored with “bois d’Inde” on a ginger marzipan base, which totally captivated me.

Henri Le Roux Boutique

24 rue des Martyrs / 75009 Paris

Idea #4: Le Petit Duc gift sets

For the end of the year, Le Petit Duc (a brand I have already talked to you about a lot) is offering two exclusive gift sets to help you discover the best of their sweet flavors!

The first set (41 €) reinterprets the tradition of the 13 desserts. It contains not 13 but 22 sweet, must-have recipes with Provencal flavors: 10 Le Petit Duc biscuit recipes, 4 flavors of calissons (classic, pistachio, orange, and Damask rose), 1 delicious Andalusian nougat, 4 fruit jellies, Avola almonds, and coriander seeds, as well as a pillbox of lavender seeds.

The second set (20 €), named « La Parisienne », honors the elegance and refinement of the City of Light with an assortment of 9 iconic house biscuits, including the famous almond triangles, Saint-Rémy calissons arranged like a flower, rose buds, mint leaves, and crystallized violets.

Idea #5: a reproduction of a work of art

You may or may not know, but I work in the art world, in museums to be precise. I am therefore quite sensitive to works of art.

I was immediately hooked when discovering the world and behind-the-scenes of Muzéo.com, the #1 site for selling and personalizing “Made in France” art reproductions.

First, I really liked the selection and choice of works, and then the quality and the possibility of personalization according to one’s desires and budget to decorate one’s interior or that of one’s loved ones (dimensions, texture, framing…).

An original gift idea, then, that really stands out from the ordinary, and if your taste doesn’t lean toward the classic in terms of art, the site also offers a very sharp and very interesting collection of prints of contemporary artists’ photos.

Idea #6: a festive recipe book

A beautiful book from the Hachette Cuisine collection about parties at home, from Easter to Christmas, through tea time with friends, a birthday, a baby shower, or even a student party.

A book that presents 12 different parties, broken down into 75 gourmet recipes.

Fêtes Maison – 192 pages – 9,95 €

Idea #7: papillotes

I don’t know if this is a tradition particularly rooted in the Lyon region, but I can’t imagine a Christmas without papillotes (chocolate-wrapped treats), it’s just unthinkable in my family!

And then once again, surely because of my Lyonnais origin, for me papillotes are Révillon, since the chocolatier also comes from the capital of the Gauls.

My little pleasure: eating the papillotes placed at the foot of the tree on Christmas morning while opening my gifts with my parents.

Idea #8: Japanese-style gift wrapping

Mondial Tissus

proposes a rediscovery of the art of Furoshiki, a Japanese technique of folding and knotting a square of fabric, which can be used for gift wrapping.

In short, an original way to present your Christmas gifts to change a bit from the ordinary…

Idea #9: magical Christmas decorations at Truffaut

To decorate your tree or simply your apartment, I advise you to take a trip to a Truffaut store, you will definitely find a nice decoration idea to brighten up your apartment.

Same thing for your gift wrapping (if you opt for a more traditional technique), you will find plenty of accessories, tools, and objects to do it yourself like a pro!

It only remains for me to wish you good luck in this final stretch before the fateful date of Christmas (how’s that for putting pressure on you?! Not at all!) and don’t hesitate to share your own gift ideas in the comments, be nice, think of your friends!