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On the 3rd day of Christmas at Words By Alice, there’s another gift guide! This one is tailored towards mums, although would also work well for nans and friends (who are potentially older) who would benefit from some relaxation and a little bit of luxury. I always tend to buy my mum presents that are tailored towards de-stressing. My mum does so much for me and she is always busy so I always think it’s nice to buy her, slightly more luxurious, presents to help her relax.

Let’s start with books. I personally feel most relaxed when I’m completely engrossed in a book, it’s one of the only times when I can silence all the crazy thoughts in my head. So I think it’s a great present to gift someone to help them relax. My favourite book of the year (although Sally Rooney’s Normal People is a close second) is Stay With Me by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀, This is a beautiful novel about a couple, Yejide and Akin, living in Nigeria who are struggling to give birth fours year into their marriage. One day, Yejide’s family arrive at her house with a young woman introduced as Akin’s second wife, who they have ‘recruited’ because of the couples’ fertility problems. From this point on, Yejide is determined to become pregnant, whatever the cost. As a book, it’s educational, thought-provoking and emotional and will have you hanging on to the edge of every word. I think it would be the perfect book to gift to your mum, especially because of its subject matter, but also because it would be a great book to spend a few days losing yourself in in the post-Christmas/pre-New Year period whilst eating leftover Christmas dinner and your body weight in chocolate.

There’s a whole lot of beauty and skincare products in this photo because they’re not only the most cliche ways to relax, but one of the best in my opinion. It’s always nice to buy someone something they wouldn’t buy for themselves, especially if it’s something that’s a little luxurious. On that note, the This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray is such a great present to buy for someone. Using this product has improved how I sleep so much and, as someone whose anxiety usually materialises at nighttime, has generally just made my life better and easier. People don’t believe that it actually helps you sleep but it does so by buying this for your mum you’ll literally be giving them the gift of sleep. The one photographed here is mine but I’ve bought one for my mum in the past and she loved it!

Another relaxing product, that has actually come from my Liberty Advent Calendar, is the Susan Kaufmann Lavendar De-Stress Oil. I’ve been using this in baths and on my body and because it’s such a luxurious thing that I wouldn't really buy for myself, I think it’s such a nice present to buy for someone.

In terms of skincare, in the past I’ve bought my mum the Oksia Renaissance Cleansing Gel. It’s a cult item in the skincare world that works for all skin types but a little bit on the pricey side, so, again, perhaps something people wouldn’t want to buy for themselves. A face mask is always a good option for a gift that aims to relax, this Skin Laundry sheet mask is another one I received in my Liberty Advent Calendar that I might pass on to my mum anyway, as I don’t think it’s right for my skin type. But the packaging is beautiful and I’ve heard really good things about the brand, so it’s definitely worth considering!

I also think any kind of bath/shower product is a failsafe and at the moment I am loving all the & Other Stories body products, such as this Sicilian Sunrise Body Wash pictured here. Perfume, too, is a go-to gift for many, but for good reason! I personally cannot justify buying perfume for myself (usually) so I love to receive it as a present. I actually did buy the perfume in this photo for myself when I was in Paris, as a little souvenir. It’s by the brand Bon Parfumer and the scent is so unique. Plus, it wasn’t too far on the expensive side for a perfume (I think it cost me around €35) but it looks and smells like it should be.

And, of course, you can’t go wrong with a candle, especially a Diptyque candle. My favourite Diptyque scent is Baies but I’ve finished that one so included in this photo is the Figuier candle, which I also really like. Diptyque is expensive but the packaging and the unique scents do justify the price (kind of) for me. If you don’t want to spend that much on a candle though, you definitely don’t have to- I’ll include some more affordable ones in the latter part of this gift guide with further recommendations.

I’m almost done, I promise. Just one last thing- this Space NK airport scanner machine-friendly (I’m sure there’s a better way to describe it than that) travel bag. These bags look so chic and double up as toiletries bags that you can take in your hand luggage through airports- practical and good lookin’. If your mum travels a lot or even if she just needs a new make up bag that can also be used for travel, I think these toiletries bags are great.

Here’s some more recommendations of things that aren’t photographed here: