Explore
Five Youtimers Share Their Go-to Gifts and Holiday Wishlists
Montana Farrah-Seaton, Sabina McKenna, Genevieve Phelan, Gemma Watts and Paloma Rose Garcia share their holiday plans and favourite traditions.
Andrea Robertson
Editor
0 minute read
Montana Farrah-Seaton
How are you spending the summer holidays?
Every summer holidays I always head back to my hometown and spend time with my family and friends.
What is your favourite festive season tradition?
Our annual Christmas Eve party at a family friends house. It’s always so nice to catch up with family and friends after a crazy year.
The end of the year, summer holidays and party season is such a hectic time. How do you take time for you amidst the madness?
I try to stick to my routine of getting up early and getting out for a run, it’s always a great time for me to reflect and reconnect. And I love nothing more than sitting by the pool with a great book in hand.
What are your go-to gifts?
Socks and jocks for Dad is always a winner! And you can never go wrong with skincare or a great book.
What’s on your wishlist this year?
I just bought an apartment in Melbourne, and am on the hunt for a breathtaking piece of artwork for my lounge room. So if you’re reading this Santa...
Sabina McKenna
How are you spending the summer holidays?
This year I am keeping things very low key. Mum and I are planning a lunch at a nice restaurant on Christmas Day (which is also my birthday), and for New Year's Day I'll be going to a music festival.
I have a bit of a Spring / Summer clean do list, so I'm looking forward to chipping away that too for a bit of an end of year reset.
What is your favourite festive season tradition?
I love that this time of year is really all about making time for friends and family. We are all scheduling in fun instead of work, which is such a nice feeling - especially after this year!
The end of the year, summer holidays and party season is such a hectic time. How do you take time for you amidst the madness?
I think I try to pay attention to what I really want/ need day-to-day.
Sometimes that is sleeping in all day or doing some leisurely things like a walk or re-organising at home.
Just removing the pressure of 'having to do' something and instead doing what feels good or rejuvenating - more intuitive living to give myself a break from all the 'should do' and 'have to's'.
What are your go-to gifts?
Since my birthday is on Christmas day I tend to be all or nothing with this haha. Usually I go for nice candles or homey type things for friends, and I'll dine out with Mum and get her something more practical, like something she has mentioned wanting or needing recently.
What’s on your wishlist this year?
I have such champagne taste I couldn't possible share it all (haha), but I do need a couple of practical things too like a new laptop.
I think I will be mostly treating myself to some new homewares and organisational things as that seems to be my tip at the moment!
Genevieve Phelan
How are you spending the summer holidays this year?
I’ll be at home in Melbourne, likely frequenting sunsoaked dining spots and beach-going as much as possible.
It’s the first summer in aeons that Melburnians can live their best lives, so heaps of celebratory outings are in order. It will also be a time to catch up with friends and family, as well as get down to the peninsula for some winery and beachy day trips.
My boyfriend Ben and I are off on our first proper holiday together to Tasmania — to say I’m keen is a severe understatement. We’ve got oysters, Mona, vistas and vino on our agenda, all in the name of unwinding after a massive work year for both of us.
What is your favourite festive season tradition?
Gift-giving brings me such joy. I love the act of surprising my closest people with something really special and doing a present exchange is always so much fun.
Traditions aren’t something I’ve upheld, but Ben and I have got our first real tree together this Chrissy, and he’s adamant that we need to take turns each year to place the star on the top. Cute.
I also have gone to Christmas brekky at my best friend’s house for the last four years, a tradition that I hope we can uphold for as long as possible!
The end of the year, summer holidays and party season is such a hectic time. How do you take time for you amidst the madness?
Movement is crucial for me. Whether it’s a morning beach walk or a ritual soul cycle class (I’m deeply obsessed with United Ride), I love to sweat to good music. It has to be something that I find fun!
I view exercise as an extremely cathartic and decompressive necessity in my routine, especially at this time of year. It totally resets my mindset after a long and stressful day, or has the power to set up a backlog of meetings/errands in the early morning. On the flipside, a plate of cheese and a pet nat at a new wine bar (Clover is impeccable), will always zen me out.
What are your go-to gifts?
You can’t go past an experiential gift, like a great spa opening (hello, Alba) or a beautiful winery voucher.
For mum, I’m always looking for a divine weekend away or something intangible but of great indulgence. For a hard-to-gift girlfriend, I like finding home adornments or self-care products.
And for the boys, I’ll always be figuring out what record they’ve been wishing for, as well as finding ‘selfish’ presents like delicious-smelling fragrances or some fashion upgrades. Ha.
What’s on your wishlist this year?
Honestly, I love anything that allows for an experience or day or weekend spent with someone I love. I work in fashion and lifestyle, so I’m grateful to always be receiving or consuming tangible treats.
The prospect of a show or a concert or a Gimlet voucher excites me, because it’s something that can be shared and remembered. In saying all of that, give me a boujée candle that I wouldn’t buy for myself and I’ll swoon.
Gemma Watts
How are you spending the summer holidays?
I'm spending my holidays with my fiancé, family and friends! My partner's family live on the Mornington Peninsula, so we'll escape down there for a bit. No big holidays until the honeymoon!
What is your favourite festive season tradition?
I have a HUGE extended family as my mum is one of seven, and all of my cousins and I are great mates - but as there's so many of us, it can be hard to get us all in one place at one time!
My favourite festive season tradition is getting the whole family together for Christmas Day.
The end of the year, summer holidays and party season is such a hectic time. How do you take time for you amidst the madness?
My word for this year was "boundaries" and I have done an incredible job of staying true to that if I may say so. I've given myself set time off, and I'm sticking to it!
I used to work right through the Christmas period but took a proper break last year and it really did set me up for an incredible 2022, so I'll be firm with those holiday boundaries again this year.
What are your go-to gifts?
My favourite beauty writer, Sali Hughes, says (when buying beauty gifts) you should buy the smallest possible gift with your entire budget - for example, a beautiful, luxe lipstick rather than a jumbo eyeshadow and a bath bomb hamper from the chemist.
I love gifting luxe beauty items that I know my girlfriends wouldn't ordinarily splurge on for themselves!
What’s on your wishlist this year?
After doing a deep dive on all things manicures, I've been looking into a home gel nail solution for myself. I'm torn... will this be a hobby I stick to, or will it be pushed to the back of the cupboard?! I'm also looking at a Theragun as I just turned 30, but my muscles feel like they're about 103.
Paloma Rose Garcia
How are you spending the summer holidays?
Slow pace, beach days, time in nature, solitude, sunrises, quality time with my children, friends and family, social media detox and exploring new designations in Australia.
Port Willunga in South Australia for crystal blue oceans and the quintessential Aussie beach holiday with my children and friends and Bermagui for a big family get together.
What is your favourite festive season tradition?
Panettone + black coffee. Advent calendars for my children, Christmas morning Bronte swims with friends.
The end of the year, summer holidays and party season is such a hectic time. How do you take time for you amidst the madness?
Solitude + practising hard boundaries.
What are your go-to gifts?
Beautiful books from Ariel, AYU body oil, Heighs chocolate.
What’s on your Wishlist this year?
Honestly, nothing!
Andrea Robertson
Editor
Share