2015 is the Year of the Sheep….although it’s also referred to as Year of the Goat. Or Year of the Ram. That’s right ladies and gents, Chinese New Year is just a mere week and a bit away (on February 19, if you’re keeping count) and that means it’s once again time for my roundup of cool gift ideas tied into this festive event and this year’s star zodiac animal(s). Onwards!
TEJN and FÅRDRUP Faux Sheepskin Rugs – $14.99 each @ IKEA
Pay homage to the humble sheep without actually causing any harm with these snuggly synthetic rugs. They make for the perfect accent to dig your toes into when tumbling out of bed in the morning, or try more unique applications – hang one on the wall, drape it over a brightly-hued armchair or throw it in a kid’s room. Available in both cream and grey, at this price you can certainly afford to replace ’em once they get worn out.
CAROLEE Word Play ‘Dream’ Bracelet – $70 @ Hudson’s Bay
I have to say that compared to other years, there’s been less love for sheep-themed items this Chinese New Year. Which is wondrous when you consider all the good sheep do for us. For example, as this cute charm bracelet celebrates, ‘counting sheep’ have been helping us get a good night sleep for years. This gold-toned bracelet features loose beads and charms in an attached pendant, including a tiny sleep. Give it a shake for a pretty snowglobe effect.
The Backyard Goat: An Introductory Guide to Keeping and Enjoying Pet Goats, from Feeding and Housing to Making Your Own Cheese – $15.85 @ Amazon.ca
Have you always dreamed of owning an urban farm of sorts? Live on a bigger rural property? Then you’ll want to check out this cool book for all those striving to harken back to a simpler time. Not only is this the Year of the Sheep after all, but the goat. These barnyard animals serve plenty of functions – from a pet and companion through to a producer of milk (and cheese) and fibres to carting things around. Despite their somewhat stubborn reputation, goats are actually very sweet and easy to take care of. A cool pick for anyone thinking of obtaining a four-legged friend of their own.
‘China’ Foreign Language Blocks – $49.99 @ Simply Green Baby
How cute are these? Some of my gift ideas are more geared toward a celebration of Chinese culture – and these fun wooden blocks are a perfect example of that. Although they’re available in a ton of languages, I think these ones are extra cool because they’ll expose your child to different ways of writing words – instead of the roman alphabet, meet Chinese characters. Not only will your child learn the alphabet, but some fun words as well. And of course, building blocks are great for building up motor skills.
Ram Charm – $50 and Chinese Lantern Charm – $55 @ Pandora
If you’re a Pandora charm collector, you’ll be pleased to note that there are two ways to update your bracelet – or create a new design for a lucky birthday girl – with Chinese New Year-themed charms. The first is a 3D Ram, rendered in brilliantly shiny silver. The second is a cool Chinese lantern with a dangly string of tassles. Add some red and silver beads or another zodiac symbol to create a one-of-a-kind piece any 2015 baby will treasure forever.
Have Ewe Herd? Tee – $29.99 USD @ ModCloth
Quirky, charming, and altogether cheeky, this simple black tee certainly celebrates the sheep’s herd mentality. This super soft, semi-sheer tee fits extra long, meaning no worries if it shrinks a bit in the wash and a cool relaxed fit over leggings or your fave skinnies. Gift it to a friend that’s celebrating their birthday during the Year of the Sheep!
The Goat’s Keeper Watch – $89.99 @ Swatch
This bold and brilliant watch certainly makes a statement – and will keep you in the loop as to who’s year it is. As mentioned above, this year is a bit of a tricky one as people are celebrating the sheep, ram and goat simultaneously. This is one of the ‘goat’ offerings for the season, which, like most Swatch watches, also comes in a very cool collectible case where you can stash your watch and other fave gems.
Minnetonka Cally Slipper – $64.95 @ SHOEme.ca
Snuggle up this Chinese New Year with a cute pair of colorful and cozy slippers from Minnetonka. Available in a range of colours (and fun patterns), these slippers are sturdy enough to be worn outdoors but comfortable enough to pad around the house. They are indeed made from sheepskin (as well as, interestingly enough, deerskin and moosehide), but just think of it as using every part of this industrious and essential animal.
L’Occitane Lucky 8 From Head to Toe Set – $38
Normally Chinese New Year isn’t really recognized by mega brands – but I was super excited to discover that L’Occitane has actually just released a new Chinese New Year set as of today. Available until the end of this month, this adorable set comes in cute, celebratory packaging and includes eight luxury sample sizes of some of L’Occitane’s most beloved products. It’s a wonderful way to introduce someone to the brand or to treat an existing fan to a host of goodies. In fact, why not pick one up as a hostess gift for whatever Chinese New Year celebration you’re headed off to next week?
Exciting news everyone! I’m giving away the L’Occitane Lucky 8 set to one particularly lucky winner. Interested in bringing some good fortune into your life? Here’s how to enter:
1) First off: you must be a subscriber to the Canadian Gift Guide to enter this giveaway. It’s as simple as finding ‘The Gift of Gab’ box in the righthand column and dropping in your email or clicking follow. From there, leave a comment below anytime before February 25, 2015 telling me which Chinese New Year gift idea in this post you love the most.
2) Entries are limited to one per person / per email address / per household (or more if you score bonus entries). A random draw will be conducted on or around February 26, 2015 to select the winner, who will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen in their place.
3) Entries are limited to Canadians that have reached the age of majority in their province. Quebec is not eligible for this promotion.
4) Bonus Entry: Like L’Occitane Canada on Facebook and leave a comment on their wall regarding the Lucky 8 Chinese New Year set. Link back to your Facebook wall post in a separate comment below to earn an extra entry into this draw.
