MINIMALIST CHRISTMAS GIFTS

Entschleunigen (verb || to decelerate; to slow down) is my new favourite German word. It should definitely be included in the list of the 7 German Words We Should Be Using in English.  It sounds so lush and effects me in the most wonderful & calming way - just by saying it out aloud ;)
Applying it to any everyday situation that I find stressful including the hunt down for individual AND conscious gifts for all my family, it sparked the perfect solution - to get all my Christmas shopping done in one magical shop.

Entering Paper and Tea one grey Sunday afternoon before Christmas, we cheered up immediately when invited to take our coats off and greeted with a taster of a delicious blend of black tea, orange and vanilla as well as a piece of cake!  Straight after we were taken on a tour around the shop picking up essential background on the individual benefits and scrumptious smells of the various handpicked and all organic teas and blends sitting in the countless drawers and on display.
With the help of the super-friendly P&T expert we put together a customised selection of some fabulous treats for everyone including: Gent's Choice for sophistcated dandys dads, Wild Child for rebellious little sisters (or brothers), Yogi's Delight for conscious Mums & a Vodka Infused Tea Kit for unconventional step mums (lol).

I only found out about this shop very recently so I was thrilled to discover a completely stress-free shopping experience and fab Christmas presents that can be enjoyed & finished up without surrounding ourselves with more unnecessary clutter!  You can find Paper and Tea twice in Berlin:

- Bleibtreustr. 4, Berlin-Charlottenburg, 10623.
-Alte Schönhauser Straße 50, Berlin-Mitte, 10119.

or online.

CONSCIOUS CHRISTMAS GIFTS

This year I've been plotting to give preluved jewellery gifts to all my friends which gave me the perfect excuse to indulge in my favourite past time - browsing Berlin's vintage markets, this time for some gold old sparkles.  Not only do they make fabulous Christmas treats for a bargain but I absolutely LOVE vintage shopping since it offers a great alternative to conventional gift shopping - saving the planet one reclaimed necklace at a time ;)

I managed to pick up a nice selection of different silver chains which I want to make into pendant necklaces using some decorative paperclips that I've found at Linie Clara Kaesdorf on my last stroll through Mitte.  To add a touch of class I decided to present them inside some re-usable upcycled jewellery bags which I made from old linen sheets I had lying around.

If you are looking to do something similar & fancy a little DIY this weekend you can start getting creative with this easy gift bag tutorial using old table cloths or other decorative materials you can find. In these crazy times of over-consumption it's so precious to experience the joy of giving handmade gifts to your loved ones!!