THE LITTLE LUXURIES THAT MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE
Need a boost? Often something small and special is all it takes to switch our outlook on life. Maybe it’s fresh flowers, the perfect chocolate or just a short break and something nice to sip on.
With that in mind, here are some little luxuries that are easy to indulge in at home — and many don’t even require you to leave your house to purchase them.
DRINK
It can be as simple as a soothing cup of your favourite tea. Just find something that goes beyond your kid’s squished juice box or crappy coffee.
The Ceder’s Pink Rose is a non-alcoholic pink spirit that’s perfect for gin lovers looking for a booze-free sipper. The packaging is beautiful, the spirit is both sophisticated and versatile, and best of all, it tastes good thanks to 18 South African botanicals. Make a mocktail or serve with soda and ice. Widely available across Canada. (cedersdrinks.com)
Or aim for the stars with Champagne. There’s nothing like a glass (or two, we won’t judge) of the real stuff from France’s renowned Champagne region to make a person feel special. The legendary Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Champagne Brut will put a sparkle into the most prosaic of days and it’s available across Canada. (veuveclicquot.com)
FEEL
Luxury and wellness are aligning this year, according to Vogue Business magazine, as shoppers embrace “comfort consumerism.” What better way to embrace the trend than with a pair of what some have called the world’s greatest slippers? Glerups slippers are made in Denmark from boiled felted wool and as you wear them, they mould to your feet. In a range of colours with leather or rubber soles, they’re available online or at retailers across Canada. (glerups.ca)
EAT
When the pandemic began, a friend in Paris commented that she knew a lockdown was coming because shops across the city were emptied of chocolate.
Indeed, when it comes to comfort and affordable luxuries, chocolate immediately comes to mind for many of us, even if we’re not in France. So why not splurge on the good stuff ?
Karen Morley is a chocolatier and owner of Fancy Pants Kitchen in Regina. “Chocolate is the perfect affordable luxury,” she says, partly because it is such a sensory experience, involving taste, smell and even vision.
Her preservative-free chocolates are hand-painted with cocoa butter and made from sustainably harvested chocolate, and the collection changes with the seasons. Even a single bite is bliss. (fancypantskitchen.com)
SMELL
Lighting a candle after a long, challenging day can be a simple yet powerful act of self-care. But a cheap loonie-store paraffin votive just isn’t the same as one assembled with good-quality, non-toxic ingredients.
The better-quality waxes will burn much longer than cheaper paraffin candles, and some candles contain essential oils such as lavender and orange, which may also reduce stress.
“Milk Jar’s use of coconut-soy wax, wooden wicks and fine fragrances not only rids our product of any harmful paraffins or soot, but they last longer as well,” says Harrison Neef, web developer and graphic designer for Milk Jar Candle Co. in Calgary. In other words, you’ll have more time to enjoy it. (milkjar.ca)
BEAUTIFY
According to a University of North Florida study, flowers may help reduce stress. They are also an affordable way to bring a luxe vibe into your home. In summer, they may be free, scrounged from neighbours’ or friends’ gardens, or perhaps even your own. In the winter, simple tulips from the grocery store will bring a cheery blast of life into anyone’s day.
If the budget allows, splurge on something bigger, maybe hand-tied seasonal flowers from a shop such as Vancouver’s The Wild Bunch Flowers and Foliage — big bunches of beauty, pretty much guaranteed to please. (thewildbunch.ca)