Saint Nicholas, I promise, I have been good.

2020 has been a really difficult year for everyone. So as the year draws to a close and the festive season begins I have compiled a list of presents that are perfect for a surf girl from Surrey and anywhere else in the world. It is definitely the time of year to take a moment to look back at everything you have achieved, whether it be big or small, and reward yourself and others.

For me personally, 2020 has been a year of big change and self discovery, so I might just have to buy myself a Christmas present from this list:

A New Longboard Fin

I must admit that I am a very clumsy person, however, how I managed to lose two longboard fins (on two separate occasions) on my October trip to Cornwall, I have no idea. I have bee riding a weird mini mal, twin fin since. I was using the FCS II clip in fins, but after seeing that they don’t work for my board and the conditions I was surfing I went on a bit of a hunt for a screw in longboard fin. I found this beautiful baby blue fin by Koalition, perfect for any long board. Koalition have a large range of other longboard fins, if blue isn’t quite your style.

The Mindfulness Coloring Book

I have seen these little coloring books around for quite a while now. But, I started doing DBT and CBT with a psychologist this year and one of my favorite techniques to help deal with my anxiety or when I’m feeling low is art. Mindful coloring is such a good way to take a step away from all the activity going on in your brain and do something that helps you focus on a task that is completely separate from you. I recommend this as a present for everyone, not just those of use that struggle with anxiety. I am a strong believer in everyone learning about mindfulness and I’m sure that anyone would be grateful to receive this little book.

This Gorgeous Necklace

I saw this beautiful necklace on Instagram and was instantly in love. It perfectly represents surfing with it’s simple and ethical design. The company that makes this necklace, Spindrift, use recycled materials to create their products and donate 1% of their profits to charities that focus on ocean conservation. As the necklace itself is silver, there’s no need to take it off and loose it (which has happened to me many a time) when going in any water, perfect for us water people.

A New Sweatshirt

I am such a baggy sweatshirt and hoody girl, especially living in England where it seems to rain and be miserable for 80% of the year. I saw a girl in this sweatshirt a few months ago and have had my eye on it ever since. The simple design allows this piece to go easily with so many different outfits. And for any one worried about the jumper being sustainable it is made from organic and recycled materials.

A Board Sock

As a surfer that has to travel longer distances to the beach, it’s really important to have a safe and easy way to transport my board. There are many body bags out there, but I find that they can be a bit hefty and difficult to store, not to mention they tend to be really boring in design. Board socks, on the other hand, come in loads of different colors and designs, are easy to use and easy to store. They are also really good extra padding if you’re travelling abroad with your board. I love this design from Quicksilver and would recommend this as a present for any surfer.

A Milk Frother

As a trained barista, I have become a bit of a coffee snob and have tried to make my own froth at home - it usually involves a mess in the kitchen. One of my favorite body-positive-fitness Instragrammers recommended this little device. It’s relatively inexpensive, doesn’t take up much space in the kitchen and can froth milk to be hot and cold. It’s very exciting. During the current pandemic, popping to a coffee shop for a nice latte isn’t always an option, so this is definitely a present for all the coffee lovers out there.

I hope that everyone has a really amazing winter holiday, or as amazing as it can be during a pandemic, and gets to spend time with their family and loved ones. Please remember that ultimately this time of year isn’t just about the presents and food. It’s about love.

Love for your family.

Love for others.

Love for yourself.

Florence x