LAST MINUTE CHRISTMAS GIFTS AND GIVE-AWAYS – GENEVA
by Chené Koscielny
If you haven’t quite sorted your gifts yet and you worry you’ll miss the Amazon cut-off dates for delivery before 25th December, we’ve got a few suggestions for special and unusual last minute gifts from local providers that will go down well.
ONLINE FRENCH CLASSES – Pretaparler.ch
This is a great gift for someone who is serious about learning the language, but who doesn’t have time for group sessions. No time is wasted here, as you simply switch on your computer and dial into the Zoom conference call. Your class will be recorded and sent to you, along with notes typed up by the teacher during the class – and visible on screen.
We love it – it’s focused, very effective and easy to fit into a busy schedule.
THE COST
The cost depends on the programme you choose, but you’re looking at around CHF90 per class, with access to the online learning platform and webinars. This is not cheap, but it’s more effective than some of the classes we’d wasted time and money on previously.
Read our full review here for more information. Pretaparler.ch is doing Christmas and New Year’s Eve promotions, so don’t miss out
MORE INFO
CHRISTMAS GIVE-AWAY
On the 17th December we’ll be giving away 5 private online French lessons with a super prof in collaboration with pretaparler.ch.
For more info – subscribe to our newsletter and head over to our Facebook or Instagram pages on the 17th December.
A BOX OF YUMMY HOMEMADE COOKIES – Michael’s Cookies
A box of deliciously, fresh homemade cookies with surprising flavours and generous chunks of chocolate is a great treat to take along to someone’s house this time of year or to offer a sweet-toothed friend.
If you don’t know Michael’s Cookies – this is as far as we are aware the only exclusive cookie shop in Geneva, delivering and selling homemade cookies from his shop at number 10 Rue Leschot.
Being truly Swiss, Michael appreciates quality and he saw a gap in the local market for quality cookies made from local ingredients. .
Our favourite is the white chocolate and cranberries cookie or the three chocolates cookie. The lemon cookie is made with lemon zest and juice, giving it extra softness and a delicate taste.
Michael launched four new flavours during 2019, including oatmeal and raisins, white chocolate and coconut, dark chocolate and walnuts and the trendy matcha tea cookie!
Watch out for his new flavours and concepts early in 2020.
Cookies without gluten are also available and cookies can either be bought directly from the shop or delivered to your home (delivery fee between CHF10-20 depending on where you live).
The COST: CHF2 per cookie
MORE INFO AND ORDERS
https://www.michaels-cookies.ch/
CHRISTMAS GIVE-AWAY
From the 11th to 13th of December, we’ll be giving away a box of 25 cookies worth CHF50.
For more info – subscribe to our newsletter and head over to our Facebook or Instagram pages on the 17th December.
A FACIAL EXPERIENCE – Vivienne Beauté
If you’re looking for something for a friend who loves pampering, we recommend a facial experience at Vivienne’s beauty salon in Eaux-Vives.
The owner, Martina, gives a very different facial – with extractions, careful diagnosis to help solve skin issues and a relaxing and deep face (and hand!) massage. The whole experience takes around an hour and a half and it is simply divine.
PLEASE note the facial voucher will only be usable Monday to Friday, not Saturday.
THE COST
The facial experience costs CHF150 and lasts one and a half hours.
Read our previous review about The facial that is not just a facial.
MORE INFO
http://www.viviennebeaute.com/
CHRISTMAS GIVE-AWAY
To stand a chance to win a facial experience worth CHF150 in the week starting December16th, subscribe to our newsletter and head over to our Facebook or Instagram pages on the 17th December.
A MICHELIN-STAR MEAL – LE FLACON, CAROUGE
Eating is one of our passions and this is a great gift for the foodie in your life. Lunch at a Michelin-starred restaurant. We love Le Flacon in Carouge, with French Chef Yoann Caloué, who offers a very affordable, yet exquisitely creative and tasty menu – in a lovely atmosphere – not annoyingly over-attentive and stuffy.
Gift vouchers for Flacon menu (CHF85 for four courses), Ivresse menu (CHF115 for a 7-course menu) or a value of your choice are sold at the restaurant and also online.
Read our previous review of Le Flacon here.
MORE INFO
HOMEMADE FOIE GRAS BY A MICHELIN-STARRED CHEF
The same chef from Flacon above also prepares delicious homemade foie gras which can be ordered and picked up from the restaurant for your festive parties and meals.
COST
250 gr. CHF45
500 gr. CHF85
Order directly at the restaurant
PHONE NUMBER
022 342 15 20
PHOTOGRAPHY COURSE OR TRIP – SWISS PHOTO CLUB – GENEVA
We love receiving ‘experience’ or ‘learning’ gifts.
This is perfect for someone who is into photography or wanting to improve his or her photographic skills.
The Swiss Photo club offers a range of different courses – from group classes to private classes.
We’ve recently done their private smartphone photography class – with Osan. The owner of the club and it has really changed the way we approach our images and has had much better results. We’re keen to do more.
Read our full review of the Swiss Photo Club’s smartphone photography course.
Other courses:
- Beginners Photography Intermediate Photography Lightroom Course Street Photography Studio & Portraiture
- Night & Low Light Photography
- NEW! Photography trips to exotic destinations with a photography teacher on hand to help you take the best shots
MORE INFO
GIFT VOUCHERS – IDEAL FOR CHRISTMAS!
The Swiss Photo Club also offers Gift Vouchers – which make great gifts for friends or family interested in photography.
Get 15% off your Gift Voucher by quoting the CODE: THINGSTODO
FUN CHRISTMAS DONUTS – Loops and Coffee
If you’re looking for a fun gift or treat this festive season, the Christmas donuts at Loops & Coffee donut shop in Plainpalais – is a feast for the eye.
These donuts have nothing in common with the ones you buy in local supermarkets – they are true American style, but are baked in the oven not fried.
MORE INFO
Boulevard Carl-Vogt 71
1205 Genève
CHRISTMAS GIVE-AWAY
To stand a chance to win a box of 6 donuts (not Christmas donuts but other fun colours and patterns) in the week starting December16th, subscribe to our newsletter and head over to our Facebook or Instagram pages on the 17th December.
MINI-GOLF AND COCKTAILS – Rollers mini-golf bar
How about a fun session of mini-golf with cocktails as a gift for a friend or teenage cousin? The idea of mixing mini-golf (broken windmills, seaside holidays) and cocktails (gin-laced party nights) would never have occurred to us. But after trying out Rollers, the first in-door mini-golf cocktail bar in Geneva and Switzerland, we believe this is the best idea since the creation of Caipirinha!
Read our full review here.
COST
For one player – expect to pay CHF20 for 12 holes.
Playing the course takes around 45 minutes.
MORE INFO
4 Ruelle des Templiers, Eaux Vives.
CHRISTMAS GIVE-AWAY
To stand a chance to win a mini-golf session for 2 people and a drink each of your choice, subscribe to our newsletter and head over to our Facebook or Instagram pages on the 20th December.
