Holiday shopping is always an adventure – whether it’s finding the best deal, battling the crazy holiday traffic, or trying to find a good gift to get that person who is hard to buy for. While Black Friday and Cyber Monday do provide an opportunity to get deals for Christmas, sometimes it’s still hard to find that perfect something.
If this is where you’re at, no worries. You’ve still got plenty of time until Christmas! If you need a little bit of inspiration, check out this list of items from fantasy experiences to princesscore clothes to bookworm accessories. Hopefully you’ll be able to find the gift that can put a smile on your loved ones faces and let them feel some of that main character energy.
Fantasy Novel Energy
Bow and Arrow Set from Academy Sports
In fantasy novels, if a main character doesn’t specialize in magic or hand-to-hand combat, then they have a weapon of choice to help them win in battles. One of the easiest weapons to get to practice with in real life is a bow (in my opinion). If the person you are buying this for has enough property to set up a practice area in their backyard, then you can get them started with all of the right equipment: a bow, arrows, a quiver, and one or two targets to practice with. However, if they have a smaller backyard – or none if they are in an apartment – then you could get them started with the bow and arrow, and some classes at a local archery facility.
I started practicing archery a bit this year, and kept it simple with a recurve bow. It’s been easy to use as a beginner! However, there are a lot of different bow options, so I recommend talking to someone that sells them to find out what the best option is for you.
Maverick Horseback Riding Trail Ride or Gift Card
In most fantasy novels, the main characters usually end up traveling by horseback at some point in time. If the person you are trying to find a present for would enjoy an experience and they’re interested in horseback riding, then you might want to take a look at a local business that offers horseback riding lessons. If you’re in the Austin area, then one business to look at is Maverick Horseback Riding. They “serve central Texas specializing in unique horsemanship experiences, trail riding for the public, and private riding lessons.” Not sure which experience would be best for the person you are gifting it to? Maverick Horseback Riding does have gift cards available for purchase that are good towards any ride at any location.
Arena Weapon Arts Classes
If the bow isn’t the right choice of weapon, then perhaps the sword would be. Arena Weapon Arts is an Austin company that teaches weapon-based combat sports. This is great for any fantasy lover interested in learning some techniques for swords, staffs, daggers, and more – and for getting fit at the same time!
#Princesscore Essentials
Fanciful Doll Queen Alexandra Debutante Gown
If you haven’t been introduced to London-based Fanciful Doll yet, then you need to check out their website! Every dress that the founder and designer, Emily, creates has an elegant feel to them with beautiful fabrics, flowing skirts, and very feminine aesthetics. Keep in mind that the gowns for Fanciful Doll can be a bit of an investment costing several hundred dollars, but that is because you are paying for handcrafted, quality pieces that will last. On top of that, they are size inclusive! The photo above is of one of Fanciful Doll’s newest gowns, the Queen Alexandra Debutante Gown, but I also recommend looking at the pink, romantic The Fallen Angel Regency Gown and The Briar Rose Enchantress Gown.
Hot Topic Sweet Society Pink Organza Tiered Dress
If you’ve seen my blog post, OOTD: A Fit Made for a Princess, then you may know that this is currently one of my favorite dresses! I call this my Selkie dupe – it has that same feel with the puff sleeves and poofy skirt. If the person you are buying for is not a fan of pink, they’ve got a variety of colors in this style including black, pastel rainbow, and (their newest color) maroon.
Sweet V Tiara SV Arabella Wedding Tiara
If you’re not looking for a fancy dress but still want to make that special someone feel like the queen or princess they are, then you might want to check out Sweet V. They offer a wide selection of tiaras and crowns – in fact, there are too many beautiful ones to pick a favorite. Pictured is their SV Arabella Wedding Tiara, which has strong Anastasia vibes, but some other favorites are this beautiful pink tiara on their Amazon storefront (my birthday choice this year!) and their Tarot crown collection.
Fresh Tea Elixir Skin Serum
If the person you are shopping for is big on skincare, then a brand I recommend is Fresh. Their products have natural ingredients and always feel so refreshing on. If you’re not sure what you’d like best, I suggest checking out some of their holiday gift boxes. The Hydrating Skincare Set is a good place to start. If you’re more interested in trying out some full size products, some products I recommend are their Tea Elixir Serum and their overnight Floral Recover Calming Mask (both of which my skin love!)
Fitness Girly Gifts
Crowned Athletics Golden Dream Princess Set
Crowned Athletics is a company that I just recently learned about, but I’m already obsessed with the fun designs that they create for their exercise outfits that are inspired by princesses, heroines, and villains from popular shows and movies. So whether the person you want to buy for would rather feel like Rapunzel or Ursula, they’ve got you covered.
Micro Squad Membership with Valkyrie Squad Program
Fitness lovers meets Booktok in the Valkyrie Squad Program. Based on A Court of Thorn and Roses (ACOTAR), the four month online program includes core strength training, total body strength training, and blade/sword training. I have plans to get a membership myself in December, so I can’t speak to the program itself, but from the videos I’ve seen on Tiktok, it looks like a lot of fun. If you get a membership, they also have other on-demand videos that are themed around Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Taylor Swift, Zodiac signs, and more. What a fun way to exercise and feel like a main character at the same time!
Popflex Romance Ruffle Bra
If the person you are buying for would want to bring a bit more of a romantic look into the gym, then the romantic ruffle bras from Popflex are a great option! Not only do the ruffles look super cute, but it comes in a variety of colors including bubblegum pink, black, crimson, and more. And it looks extra cute when paired with the Popflex Pirouette Tiered Skort.
Gifts for the Foodies
The Unofficial Lord of the Rings Cookbook: From Hobbiton to Mordor
Know someone that loves to cook and try new recipes? Maybe they’re also a fan of Lord of the Rings? Purchase a fun themed cookbook for them, such as The Unofficial Lord of the Rings Cookbook. Make it even more fun by making them one of the recipes or purchasing them some good quality cookware from Le Creuset.
Jane Austen Tea Gift Box
There’s nothing better than getting cozy on the couch with a thick blanket, a cup of steaming tea, and a good book to read. This gift set from BeauTeaStudio on Etsy lets readers venture into their favorite period romance from Jane Austen, but they also have inspired tea for Little Women, Sherlock Holmes, and more.
Ramen Tatsu-ya Gift Card
Whether your friend or family member is a fan of Naruto, anime in general, or Japanese cuisine, then the gift of food might be a good option for any foodie friends. If ramen is something of interest, then I highly recommend a gift card to Ramen Tatsu-ya in Austin. They do have a set menu of base dishes, but you can add toppings to customize the dish a bit more. If you or your loved one is a vegetarian? They’ve got options for you as well! And with 5 locations in Austin from South Lamar to Lakeline to East 6th, they’re never too far away.
Star Wars Light Saber Chopsticks
Know a big Star Wars fan? These Star Wars lightsaber chopsticks are a fun way to bring the Force into the dining room. They rotate colors, so you can either opt to match Luke’s green lightsaber or Darth Vader’s red. And if the person you are buying for doesn’t use chopsticks, you could always try to go for this “The Fork Is Strong with This One” fork.
Bookworm Necessities
KleverCase Grimoire Kindle Cover
Harry Potter created a generation of readers who wish they could have received their very own letters to Hogwarts. If you know an avid reader who yearns of magic and adventure, then buy them a fun accessory for their Kindle! KleverCase creates beautiful eBook covers, as well as phone cases. Among their collection is the above Grimoire cover – but they also have a fun Advanced Potions and A History of Magic covers.
Half Price Gift Card
Know someone who is obsessed with rolling bookcase ladders and giant libraries? Maybe the library in the Beauty and the Beast is their favorite library? Then you’ve got a few options – buy a rolling ladder to install in their library or convert a room into their dream library. But given that those can be pricy options, the other solution is to get them a gift card so they can bring a new stack of books home to their personal library. Half Price Books is always fun to explore, so if there is one near the person you are buying a gift for, then it might be the place to grab that gift card. On top of that, they’re doing their annual offer where you buy a $25 Gift Card in store or online through December 24 and you get a coupon for $5 off your first $25 purchase of the new year.
Rolife Holiday Garden House DIY Book Nook Shelf Insert
Book nooks are some of the cutest pieces of a decor that a person can have in their library! Find one that matches the vibes of the bookworm you are buying for – whether that is a romantic garden space, a cozy bookstore, or a magic house.
The Bookish Shop Metal Bookmarks
If your bookworm can’t wield a real sword, then they can at least have one to mark their place in their book. These metal bookmarks from The Bookish Shop are absolutely stunning – and are inspired by popular book series. Some of the bookmarks in the collection include the TOG inspired Goldryn sword, FBBA inspired Poppy’s dagger, Percy Jackson inspired Riptide sword, and more.
Living as the Main Character 