The run up to the festive season can be hellishly busy and sometimes even a bit fraught for a variety of reasons, so why not treat your friends and family to some calming, relaxing lovely things? Spread the positivity with all kinds of books, pampering products, events and ways to increase those creature comforts at home.

Top row, left to right:

thisworks Great in Bed Gift Set | RRP £22.00, get it for £15.95. Their famous Deep Sleep pillow spray and a matching shower gel for sweeter dreams. The whole Christmas 2019 range is excellent, prices from £11.95 for the stocking fillers.

Scentered Aromatherapy Balm in Gift Stocking | £14.95, buy here. Choice of four different fragrances for a little on-the-go all natural pick me up. For larger gifts look at their attractive Christmas sets.

Paperchase Vintage Garden 365 Days of Happiness Journal | £5.00, buy here. Make happy memories and look for the good things in life with this attractive journal.

Middle row:

Hot Chocolate Gift Set with Mug & Marshmallows | £6.00, buy here. A sweet little stocking filler that says it’s time to put your feet up and treat yourself (not suitable for vegetarians, sorry).

Sanctuary Spa Beauty Sleep Gift Set | RRP £18.00, get it for £12.60. Lovely thoughtful five piece gift that’s boxed to look like a bedtime story and contains a sleep mask.

NEOM Organics Scent to Sleep Tranquillity Candle | £16.00, buy here. A good quality travel-sized candle with lavender, sweet basil and jasmine essential oils to burn in the living room while you’re winding down for the evening.

Bottom row:

Spacemasks, box of 5 | £15.00, buy here. Self-warming eye masks with a hint of relaxing jasmine to soothe your furrowed brow. Great for people who get tension headaches or find it hard to switch off.

100% Cotton Natural Herringbone Throw | On offer for £6.00, buy here. Help them relax and cosy up when there’s a chill in the air with this comforting gift.

The Magic of Sleep: A Bedside Companion by Michael Acton Smith, Penguin Life | RRP £9.99, £7.03 at Amazon UK. A beautiful fully illustrated gift book from the co-founder of the Calm app, full of tips for better sleep.

Other great wellbeing gift ideas

If you like the Calm book mentioned above you might also like to send your loved one a 1-year gift subscription to the Calm app. It works out about £53.00 and gives full access to all the better sleep, mindfulness, meditation and relaxation features. Buy here.

Whether they need uplifting and invigorating or soothing and pampering, there’s a huge range of treatments, spa days and mini-breaks available at Buy a Gift, Virgin Experience Days and Lastminute – all have offers and price reductions at the moment, starting from £25.00. All good if you’ve left it a bit late too, just choose an e-voucher and print off or have it sent right to their inbox.

For a whole socking great festival of wellbeing, make a day or a weekend of it and take them to Life Lessons at The Barbican in London on 15th & 16th February next year. Speakers include Dr Adam Kay, Bill Bryson, Derren Brown, Marie Forleo, Richard Dawkins, Ruby Wax, Alain de Botton, Extinction Rebellion, James O’Brien, Rev Richard Coles, James Wallman, Dr Rangan Chatterjee, Aaron Gillies (@TechnicallyRon), Dr Rupy Aujla, Nadia & Katia Narain, Lorraine Candy and Philippa Perry.

If you have eagle eyes you might even spot yours truly there doing a bit of positive living, or at least having a nice cup of tea and a sit down (maybe I’ll wear a stripy jumper and you can play ‘Where’s Penny?’). Tickets from £60 which includes a free book, plus a marketplace, pop-ups and loads of free events and activities. Buy tickets here.

Feeling inspired? Which one’s your favourite?

Full disclosure: I don’t have any working relationships with the brands or suppliers in this article. I’ve been gifted some samples by PRs for review purposes, and the rest I have bought myself.