Festive Fynbos: Gift Ideas
This festive season let our unique floral heritage inspire you…
As Christmas rapidly approaches, a sense of panic tends to set in about those Christmas gifts that you haven’t yet bought. In addition to the panic this year I have felt completely uninspired as I have wandered the packed shopping malls, wishing I was somewhere else. This year my daughter gave me a pleasant respite from the packed malls, when she requested a King Protea for her garden, as her Christmas present. Her request got me thinking, and with a little research, I dicovered that our floral heritage offers some unique and unusual gifts, that are certainly more inspiring than the usual store bought presents. If you are feeling uninspired this Christmas, why not join me and let our unique floral heritage inspire you. Here are a few of my favourite gift ideas…
Water-wise Fynbos Plants for the Garden:
Give the gift that keeps on giving all year long. A beautiful water-wise fynbos plant has to be one of my new favourite gift ideas. A majestic King Protea, a bright and colourful pin-cushion, a gorgeous Erica or even a wonderful herby smelling Buchu bush, are all great gift ideas and the real joy of this gift is that year after year it carries on giving pleasure. Of course there are many other wonderful fynbos, and indigenous, plants to choose from at local nurseries or at the Kirstenbosch botanical shop. Wrap festive paper around the container and tie it with a colourful ribbon, and voila you have a unique gift.
Seed trays are also a great gift idea. These too can be bought at your local nursery. I also discovered an egg box containing protea seeds is available from tidyandco.com for only R85 – what a brilliant idea.
If gardening isn’t their thing a bouquet of long lasting fynbos flowers, available from your local nurseries or supermarket, would be a welcome gift too.
Fynbos Inspired Gifts:
Fynbos inspired table mats, tablecloths, dishcloths, cushions, paintings (for those with deeper pockets), prints, books and calendars also make for wonderful presents. The Kirstenbosch shops are filled with these types of gifts – so why not combine a relaxing shopping spree with a walk around the beautiful gardens, make sure to top your shopping experience off with a relaxed cuppa tea at the Tearoom and ensure that you fit in a stroll across The Boomslang Bridge and a quick visit to the dinosaurs if you have your kids or grandchildren in tow. When it comes to the little people in our lives, Finebushpeople.com has coloring and activity books on the flora and fauna of the Fynbos for children (and for the adult you can order your Buchu brandy kit from them too ;-). Some other online sites that I have discovered that may be useful are: redbubble.com, fynbostherapy.co.za, mygifts.co.za, zazzle.com
Fabulous Fynbos Gifts:
Looking for a delicious gift? What about a jar of oh-so-good-for-you fynbos honey (my father’s Christmas request) – available from many farm stalls, Wellness Warehouse or you can order from faithful-to-nature.co.za. Lotions and potions, soaps, or even some Buchu brandy (to pour over the Christmas pudding of course) are some other wonderful gift ideas.
Furry Fynbos Friend:
And for those furry friends in your life… Last Christmas we made our dogs rooibos bone-shaped dog biscuits – I can’t vouch for their tastiness, but they seemed to be devoured quite heartily.
For further inspiration for fynbos inspired baking and cooking follow our #FynbosFlavours blogger, Kate Goss.
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The best thing about these gifts is, if you hurry, many can be ordered online, allowing you to avoid the diabolical traffic jams that are synonymous with the festive season in Cape Town. Otherwise head to your local nursery for a relaxing shopping experience as you choose the perfect fynbos gift for those special people in your life.
I hope I have inspired you, and helped to made life a little easier this festive season. All that is left to say is enjoy your fynbos shopping…
