This special year, if ever, it is good to pause the holiday hassle and think through what the holiday season means to you. How do you want to spend these coming holidays?

We listed below OUR TOP 4 FOR HAPPY HOLIDAYS – a quick guide to follow when the holiday hassle overtakes.

1. BREATHE

Holiday time, whether spent now in December or in May, is the time you can really disconnect from work and from as many stress factors as possible. Holidays such as Christmas are made of traditions, and in the family setting, it can understandably create pressure. What is not really set in traditions, is the preparation for the holiday itself.

What we suggest is starting your holiday season with deep breaths. You can of course do so physically as well, guided for example by one of the ready meditations found online. But most importantly, give yourself time to calm down from the hectic life. Take a walk, enjoy a home spa moment, have a nap, and do something you love without an agenda.

Calmed down and rested, you have more energy to organize your kind of holiday. And you will enjoy it all even more.

(We understand that not everyone can enjoy holidays over the next two weeks, but whenever it is your time to have holidays, give yourself a present to relax well for starters.)

2. SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES

Supporting your local business is a perfect solution for any (but especially for last-minute) gifts. It’s been a tough year around the world for smaller businesses. Every gift bought from a smaller maker will power them to fight through this storm. And if you are running short on time, the closeness of the store makes it easier to get everything done well on time.

You can research the best possible options safely from the comfort of your own home, or window shop while getting some fresh air. Support businesses that produce true quality, are transparent about their way of making business and cherish the wellbeing of nature as a whole.

3. THINK TWICE ABOUT WRAPPING

Do you even have to wrap the present? Perhaps you are organizing a surprise home spa for your family and the only wrapping needed is your smile. This will also save you time finding the wrapping material as well as the wrapping process itself.

And what about, when you want to wrap the present to surprise the receiver? In this case, remember that you can reuse materials you already have at home, such as newspapers. Use natural and recyclable materials, and nature and your conscience will also have a wonderful holiday time. Also, many small businesses have beautiful ecological wrapping that they can use to make your presents ready once bought.

4. WRAP MEANING AND QUALITY

What comes to the actual presents inside the wrapping (or without wrapping), meaningful quality seems to be on top of the wish list for many.

This year has paused us all to think about what is meaningful to us and what we really value as humans. What we have witnessed behind the awards is that pure quality and closeness to nature are the true luxuries of today and tomorrow – making natural products perfect gift ideas for the holidays.

Cosmetics are easy and liked gifts, confirms the vast amount of cosmetics gift packs in stores these days. Instead of buying that ‘water+chemicals’-filled market duo (typically shower gel and a body lotion for example), try natural options that are full of real healing powers to your loved ones’ skin and hair. Offer true quality that will nourish instead of damage.

BONUS – COSMETICS GIFT IDEA

What a better gift than to surprise your loved ones with true quality pampering from the pure North? All the awards nominees and winners make perfect gifts for this special holiday season of 2020. Most products can be ordered still at least within Europe, in a few cases also further. And if you live in the north yourself, your local cosmetic and lifestyle boutiques are most likely offering some of these products as well.

Click your favourite winner, and you will be redirected to see options:

Face Cleansing Product: Frantsila – Red clover cleansing gel
Toner: Frantsila – Calendula Face mist
Serum: Transderma – Vitamin C Serum
Moisturizer: Sóley organics – eyGLÓ Moisturizer
Face Oil: Loelle Organic Beauty – Organic Face Oil

Eye Treatment: Anumati Skincare – Antioxidant Eye & Lip Serum
Face Mask: Grevinnans rum – Ansiktsmask/ Peel
Exfoliator: Sóley Organics – GLÓey Exfoliator
Body Treatment: Grevinnans rum – Firming Body Oil
Summer Body Treatment: Havuka – Kuusenpihkavoide 30% (spruce resin cream)

Sunscreen: Anumati Skincare – Vividness Cream Spf 15
Lipbalm: Lykke by Julie – Kyss Lipbalm
Deodorant: Naturlig Deo – Deodorant Cream
Shampoo: Soap&Balsam Finland – Aloe Vera Eko Shampoo
Hair Treatment: Four Reasons – Nature Moisture Oil

Soap: Grevinnans rum – Saltvattentvålen No:1 (saltwater soap)
Lipstick: HAVU Cosmetics
99% Natural Treatment: Four Reasons – Nature Moisture Shampoo
Package Design: HAVU Cosmetics
Innovation: Luonkos – Facial Oil Cleansing Cakes

Techniques and gifts aside, what matters in the end, is the time spent together with your family, friends, or whoever you spend this holiday with. Be present and enjoy. We wish you all wonderful holidays!