Last minute Christmas gifts

Last minute Christmas gifts?

All sorted!

Christmas candles

Even if you are not huge on decorating your table at Christmas, place a scented candle on your table setting and it looks like you have gone to a huge effort!

Glasshouse has re-released the ever popular Limited Edition ‘Night Before Christmas’ Triple Scented Candle. Inspired by plum puddings and the treats your grandmother traditionally cooks up, Night Before Christmas combines blackcurrant, plum, lemon and lavender. $39.95, call 02 9757 3080 for stockists or see: www.glasshousefragrances.com

The Yankee Candle range of candles always seriously test me – do I light it or eat it... yes, the scents are that true to life. Their Christmas range – Christmas Cookie, Christmas Cupcake, Cranberry Chutney, Happy Christmas, and Mistletoe Fig – are no exception, and are all a snip at $19.99 and available online at www.yankee.net.au

Palm Beach Collection is an exquisite new eco-friendly Australian lifestyle product range and they have released this limited edition ‘White Christmas’ candle. $37.95, see www.palmbeachcollection.com.au for stockists details Australia-wide.

Beauty gifts

Wanna really spoil the lady in your life – or spoil yourself? This Estée Lauder by Michael Kors Christmas Collection set (in silver; gold and pewter versions also available) includes a vibrant palette of rose, plum and berry for lips and eyes including: a face compact featuring Pure Color EyeShadow in Candy Crave, Sandbar Beige, Iridescent Violet, Sugar Cube, Pink Flash, Polished Platinum and the Signature Silky Powder Blush in Pink Kiss; Pure Color Long Lasting Lipstick in Pink Parfait; Pure Color Gloss in Star Pink; Double Wear Stay-in-Place Eye Pencil in Onyx; Estée Lauder Golden-Mirrored EyeShadow Brush; and Estée Lauder Golden-Mirrored Blush Brush. Available for $125 (with a value of over $275) from selected Estée Lauder counters nationwide, and at www.esteelauder.com.au, or call 1800 061 326 for stockists.

The Lanolips rosy red hue called ‘Apples’ is the perfect stocking filler for girlfriends – but make sure you keep one for you. Addictive and highly effective, this gloss will add zing to your festive season makeup look. Or choose the just-for-Christmas colour called Mulberry, designed to deepen the shade of your natural lip colour. $13.95, and available at Myer, David Jones, and selected pharmacies Australia-wide, or call 02 9663 4277 for stockists.

Beckham family Christmas card - and Kardashians card behind the scenes. Worlds apart.

One look at this photo and it makes you smile big? Yeah, me too.

This is the family Christmas card from the Beckham family.

In comparison, this is the Kardashian Christmas card.

Spot the difference:

Shit girls say, episode 2 - and shit black girls say. Watch.

Shit girls say, episode two... thoughts?

Not as funny?

Not at all accurate?

Or scarily spot on?

The "can you move these chips away from me" bit made me LOL...



And this: Shit Black Girls Say:



Hilare.

Who magazine - The Best and Worst of 2011

Oh how I adore tribute issues, and the Who magazine bumper 2011 tribute issue is jaaam-packed with 2011's most memorable moments: from OTT weddings (oh, so that's why Ms K is front and centre on the cover) and super-quickie divorces (oh, hello... that'd be you again, Kim!), to epic meltdowns and scandalous affairs, it was a big year of extremes.

Also in this issue, Who lists Australia's most intriguing people of 2011 and the year's biggest international stars, along with the headline-making tragedies, trends, fashion and pop culture high and lows.

Some of Australia's most intriguing people include our PM, Anna Bligh, Cadel Evans, Michael Clarke, Sam Stosur, Chris Lilley (in a clever shot here, by Bronwyn Kidd).

Also, Andrej Pejic (the androgynous model), Ita Buttrose and Asher Keddie, Brynne and Geoffrey Edelsten, Carrie Bickmore, Maddie Pulver and Constable Karen Lowden.

Plus, the shining stars of 2011: William and Kate, Emma Stone, the fantastic cast of Bridesmaids, Blake Lively, Ryan Gosling, as well as Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux, Jennifer Lopez, the cast of Harry Potter, Victoria Beckham, Adele.

Top that off with a global news round-up for 2011, plus, in her first magazine interview and photo shoot, Julian Assange's mother, Christine, speaks up about her "delightfully curious" son.

The good news? It's on sale now, a monster issue, with lots to read. The bad? It's gotta last you for two weeks... get to it!

(Photo credit: Bronwyn Kidd/Who magazine)

Shit girls say - and shit gay guys say. Watch.

'Shit Girls Say'... the very funny viral video everyone is talking about. See it here:

Thoughts? A little OTT stereotyped? Or spot on?

C'mon: ladies and gents... comment!

For me, it's a little too whiny-Kardashian for my liking, but some parts do ring true ("Listen, listen, listen..." - except I had "TO ME!").

And the foraging through the handbag looking for shit? Yeah, that's me.

And now this (gold!): shit gay men say:

Now that's funny...

Real Santa Claus from Lapland in Sydney

The real Santa Claus flew into Sydney on Tuesday - and it's the first time the famed bearded one has ever visited Australia before Christmas Eve.

Santa’s sleigh and his faithful l'il reindeers flew into Sydney’s Kingsford Smith Airport to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Target and UnitingCare’s Operation Santa Christmas Appeal.

The back story on the real Santa (warning, stop reading if you still believe Santa is, in fact real) is that every year in Gällivare, Lapland, Sweden, the official international ‘Santa Claus of the Year’ is chosen by an ‘Order of Santa’s’ during the Santa Winter Games.

Fourteen Santas including their personal assistants from countries such as Holland, Colombia, France, Japan and Germany compete for this coveted title, with qualifying rounds held in each country.

The 2011 winner is Stefan Veroude from Holland, who was anointed by the ‘Order of Santas’ and is officially Santa Clause for the following year.

One of the items on his agenda during his Sydney visit was to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge and select media was invited along. I am thrilled to say I was one of them and it was quite the trip (and just quietly, he has the most lovely, soft and young looking man hands I have ever seen... they must stock some seriously good hand cream in Lapland).

There were no favours for Santa - he still had to get suited up in the standard issue grey BridgeClimb suit over his regulation red outfit.

It was an experience of a lifetime. Although I have done a BridgeClimb before, it was just like the first time, and this time around it was pretty special to do it with such an iconic figure.

If you are yet to do a BrideClimb, I highly recommend it.

Turns out, Santa is also an impressive musical performer - he belted out some tunes on the summit of the Bridge - and he has sung with the likes of Andre Rieu.

Before the climb, Santa Claus said this will be the first time he has ever seen Australia in daylight. “I am going to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge, visit some children in hospital and play with some kangaroos and koalas. Surfing on Bondi may be a little too adventurous. I am a little busy at this time of year”.

“We are so excited to host Santa Claus when he visits Australia,” added Dene Rogers, Managing Director of Target. “When it comes to international celebrities, there really is no one bigger at this time of year”.

“Christmas is the season for giving. Santa Claus would love all Australians to support the Operation Santa Christmas Appeal. In partnership with UnitingCare, and now in its 20th year, together we have distributed 1.7 million gifts to disadvantaged people in local communities. Donate a gift at Target and show Santa we all care”.

Sounds great to me!

WHERE TO SEE SANTA CLAUS:

Thursday 15 December - Sydney

Target Chatswood 10am - 11am
Target Castle Hill 12pm - 1pm
Target Eastgardens 2.30pm - 3.30pm
Target Miranda - 5pm - 6pm

Friday 16 December - Melbourne
Target Melbourne - 10.30am - 11.30am
Target Highpoint - 1pm - 2pm
Target Geelong - 5pm - 6pm

Kristen Wiig - Paper magazine (+ Bridesmaids trailer)

I am having a huge [funny] girl crush on Kristen Wiig.

So, I just saw 'Bridesmaids' (I know, I know... took me forever) and I am utterly enamoured with Kristen Wiig.

Here is a pictorial and cover US 'Paper' magazine.

For more on the interview with Kristen, go here: http://www.papermag.com/arts_and_style/2011/12/kristen-wiig.php

And for more on the magazine, go here: http://www.papermag.com/

To see the trailer for this very fun flick, click this:

And here is an Australian interview with Kristen and the delightful Rose Byrne on The 7pm Project: