Gift giving is undoubtedly one of the most enjoyable aspects of Christmas, but the stress of getting your Christmas shopping done in time can be a little overwhelming.
And let’s face it – not everyone is easy to buy for! The team at Love Central Geelong have shopped high and low to create a gift guide bound to win you some brownie points and take the stress out of your Christmas shopping. As we know, shopping local is so important this year and you’ll be pleased to learn you can find all of these wonderful gifts in Central Geelong.
Gifts for Her
Bolga Basket – Bolga Baskets are a perfect accessory for the farmers market, a day at the beach, a supermarket shop or just as a stylish basket around the house. They come in a range of bright colours and can be found at The Fresh Food Merchant in Malop Street. You might even pick one up for yourself and fill it full of some of the region’s freshest produce and locally sourced goodies while you’re there. www.thefreshfoodmerchant.com.au
Guzzini QQ clock – Chef’s Essentials in Ryrie Street stocks the QQ Cuckoo Clock by Guzzini, a simple and sophisticated addition to any living space. From the kitchen to the bedroom, this cuckoo clock will add a touch of charm and features a cute bird that chirps to mark the passing hours. www.chefsessentials.com.au
Jones & Co Wall Art Hearts – Our Satellite Hearts in James Street offers a gorgeous range of Jones and Co wall art hearts. Their engaging shapes and rhythmic patterns will brighten up any room for only $39 (RRP). Lightweight and easy to hang, these wall art hearts are fun and funky and make for a quick and easy room refresh. www.oursatellitehearts.com.au
Gifts for Him
Rone Puzzle – Acclaimed Geelong-born street artist Rone has released two challenging, 1000-piece puzzles of his work, both available from the Geelong Gallery Shop in Little Malop Street for the RRP of $64.95. With the Rone exhibition set to open in Geelong in February next year, why not add some tickets to go with the puzzle? Check out James Northfield’s ’Geelong’ poster which also makes a great gift. www.geelonggallery.org.au
Archery Bows, Arrows and Targets – Geelong Dive Centre is your one stop shop for everything archery related. There’s a lot to cover when it comes to purchasing archery gear and the team at Geelong Dive Centre can answer all your questions. They stock compound bows as well as recurve bows, arrows, targets, quivers, cases and accessories. Visit them in store in Moorabool Street or online at www.divein2scuba.com/archery
Gifts for Teens
Custom Art Kits – Geelong Art Supplies has been serving Geelong, the Bellarine and the Surf Coast with quality art supplies for more than 25 years. Its custom art kits are a wonderful gift idea for creative teens and budding artists. Set your budget, preferred medium and experience level and Geelong Art Supplies will build a custom art kit that will rock their world. www.geelongartsupplies.com.au
Dog Speaker – This cute animal-shaped Bluetooth speaker is pocket-sized and ultra-portable. What this little guy lacks in size he makes up for in a powerful 2W sound. Just connect him to your Bluetooth device and play your favourite tracks for up four hours before needing to re-charge the battery. Micro USB cable included. The built-in microphone allows you to make and receive calls, while the power button doubles as a shutter remote so you can take selfies from a distance. RRP $39.99. Available from Townhouse Living. www.townhouse- living.com.au
Local Original Art and Prints – Geelong Illustrators stock a range of original artworks, prints, jewellery, and all sorts of one of a kind items including unique upcycled journals covered with funky remnant fabrics from local artists. With heaps of great gifts for teens, we recommend popping in to see the range at their Moorabool Street store. www.geelongillustrators.com.au
Gifts for Kids
Kids Instruments – If you can handle the noise, musical instruments make great gifts for kids of all ages! A&B Musical Instruments in Malop Street has a big range of instruments and percussion items available in store. At $15 RRP, the Hohner Happy Colour Harp harmonica is fun to play, and you can pick from four bright colours. The Angel Chromatic 25-note Glockenspiel ($44 RRP) with its colourful keys is dazzling, durable and excellent for teaching kids about basic musical composition. View the kid’s collection at www.aandbmusic.com.au
Bluey Books and Merchandise – Most kids (big and little) love Bluey – an adorable, six-year-old Blue Heeler dog who loves to turn everyday family life into endless, playful adventures. Since its launch in 2018, Australia’s own Bluey is now a firm favourite in millions of households. From figurine packs to story books, sticker sets to plush toys, your favourite Bluey ‘must haves’ are available at BIG W, Target, Dymocks Market Square and Myer.
Squishmallow Plush Toys – Popcultcha in Ryrie Street is stocking Squishmallows! These super squishy plush toys will fill any child’s heart with love and affection. Squishmallows make great couch companions, bedtime buddies and travel teammates and there’s more than 500 Squishmallow characters to collect. Each Squishmallow has its own unique name and storyline to add to the fun. At RRP: $11.99, they are available in store and online at www.popcultcha.com.au
The Hard to Buy For
And when all else fails, a gift voucher or experiential gift is always a good idea. After a long year of missing going to the movies, the big screen is back! Village Cinemas in Ryrie Street gift vouchers make an easy and well-suited gift for just about anyone. www.village.com.au
For a delightful morning or afternoon out with the little ones, look no further than Geelong’s own Carousel on the Waterfront. Kids will love a ride on the Carousel for just $5. You can spoil them with an ice-cream overlooking Geelong’s glistening Waterfront afterwards. While you’re there, you may be tempted to pick up the Geelong version of the ever-popular board game Monopoly. www.geelongaustralia.com.au/carousel
A Pinot and Picasso gift voucher is a fun and unique gift for someone special. Pinot and Picasso provide the ultimate ‘paint and sip’ experience where you enjoy a glass of wine in the art studio while your Pinot and Picasso host artist provides comprehensive, step by step instructions to help you create your very own masterpiece to take home. Check out their four gift cards options at www.pinotandpicasso.com.au
A great gift for the summer school holidays, most kids go crazy for Timezone. Timezone Geelong in Malop Street supplies a range of gift cards that include arcade credit, timeplay and laser tag. www.timezone.com.au
Satisfy someone’s cultural cravings with a gift voucher from the Geelong Arts Centre. As shows are beginning to return to the stage, this is a great time to check out what’s on offer at the Geelong Arts Centre in 2021. View upcoming events and performances at www.geelongartscentre.org.au.
Another experiential gift for a little one, is a trip to one of Australia’s most acclaimed children’s museums – the Museum of Play and Art (MoPA) in McKillop Street. MoPA delivers a collection of beautiful, creative and immersive play-based learning exhibits for children. MoPA offers three daily play sessions between 9.30am-4.30pm, 7 days a week with a maximum of 80 participants per session. Sessions must be booked online at www.museumofplayandart.com.au.
Don’t forget to stay tuned at www.centralgeelong.com.au/christmas or follow #LoveCentralGeelong for more information about Christmas in Central Geelong and the magical range of fun on offer for your whole family.
