The festive season is filled with as much hustle and bustle as tinsel and twine. It can be enough to make even the nicest on our gift lists occasionally feel like a Christmas Grinch. We think this is something to keep in mind when you’re drafting your Christmas list—and checking them twice! Thoughtful gifts to loved ones are always appreciated—and adding some self-care to your options will surely be appreciated! Here are three easy ways for you to spread good cheer to your loved ones amid all the hustle and bustle.

Tea is useful for more than just boosts of caffeine and fighting off colds. Tea is also a great remedy for anxiety and stress—which festive shopping and commitments often bring. You can’t go wrong with gifting a loved one Green Tea, Peppermint Tea, Lemon Balm Tea as a hot, soothing relaxant. Give your loved one a large supply, or better yet, a tea club membership so they can sample and enjoy a variety of flavours!

Dogs are loyal and proven to enrich our lives whether they’re the family’s fur baby or emotional support animal. That means keeping them happy is also essential to our own self-care. If there are pet lovers in your life (and we hope there are), then a special gift for their best friend is a great idea. Anything from doggy treats, clothes and toys are great options. The MONAT Happy Pawlidays set is another great idea for dog lovers on the go with its bonus MONAT PET™ Weekender Bag!

Whether its wrinkles, fine lines or age spots, your face usually shows the first signs of stress. So, how about giving your friends and family the gift of youthful skin with premium skincare products? A complete skincare routine is a great self-care gift that will help your friends look great and feel good!

Do you think you’ll be adding a self-care element to your gift-giving this year? We’d love to hear how you’re spreading helping spread positivity and happiness with your gifts. Follow us on Instagram or like us on Facebook to share your pics and ideas with us!

There’s nothing like the relationship between a mother and daughter.

In many cases, a mother is a daughter’s first best friend and confidant. That close relationship often carries on into adulthood where mothers and daughters alike share secrets, interests and even style tips! We decided to take a look some of our favourite stylish mother-daughter power couples.

Do blondes have more fun? This mother-daughter duo sure makes us feel like there’s truth to that saying. Goldie Hawn has been one of America’s sweethearts since the late 60s and her star shined brightly as a comedic actress and fashionista for more than three decades. Fittingly, she passed the torch to her own equally talented and stunning daughter, Kate Hudson. Whether it’s in comedies or red-carpet appearances, this pair oozes an incomparable combination of charm, class and style. Together, they’re really America’s stylish sweethearts.

Lisa Bonet first graced television screens on in the mid-80s and quickly became one of America’s brightest young stars. In addition to her talent, Lisa had a rare combination of girl-next-door charm and free-spirited Bohemian style. This cocktail of attributes even caught the eye of a rockstar by the name of Lenny Kravitz who would go on to have a daughter with her. Girl-next-door charm coupled with free-spirited style runs strongly in their bloodline because Zoe inherited every bit of what makes Lisa one of our faves.

Whether she’s graced Broadway stages or the silver screen, Blythe Danner has always embodied a spirit of elegance. Blythe has been a fixture in acting, class and culture since the late-60s when her career got its start in Broadway. She transitioned to television and the big screen in the 70s and has been a mainstay ever since. Her daughter Gwyneth Paltrow not only inherited her lovely blonde locks and acting talent. She’s also as effortlessly elegance and brings that gravitas to every film she’s in as well.

Jada Pinkett-Smith’s career took off in the early 90s, and it seems like each of her roles is a reminder that women can be strong and beautiful. Jada embodies beauty without being overly delicate. Beauty can be rough around the edges and it’s just fine if you like your edges rough. Willow Smith is not only a spitting image of Jada, she brings her own edge to her looks and style. Whether she’s whipping her dreadlocks back and forth or shaving her head, Willow owns the beauty of her rough edges.

Show your mum some love today! Tag us on social #MONATstyle.

Enjoy reading this blog? Like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram.

This is a big one for dog owners, as dogs require daily exercise to stay fit and healthy. Dogs not only need to get out to use the bathroom but walks around the neighbourhood or in parks keeps their bodies in shape and their minds sharp. When you join them on a walk, the same is true for you – you’re also burning calories and raising your heart rate.

Sometimes after a walk your dog can get a little, how do you say it, stinky. When it’s time for a bath, consider a sulphate-free gentle Dog Shampoo.

There are positive benefits to owning a pet beyond an excuse to take a walk. Research has shown that owning a pet helps reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Watching your pet at play or just spending time with them helps you feel calmer and less stressed. The sensation of petting your dog or cat can reduce levels of cortisol – a stress hormone – while raising levels of serotonin – the chemical in our brain that helps us feel good. Isn’t that awesome?

It’s often said that pets offer unconditional love; as long as you don’t mistreat them, they’ll forge an unbreakable connection with you. In fact, both cats and dogs are legally defined as “companion animals” – which speaks to how much they can enrich our lives. They really are our best friends.

Owning a pet also offers opportunities to get out and be social. They give you additional points of contact for conversations and create opportunity to build connections with other pet owners. You have a lot of things in common, anyway! Whether you’re exchanging training advice or sharing happy moments, your experiences with your pets offer new ways to connect with others – which is big boost to your emotional health.

It must be said that pets are a big responsibility becausetheir well-being depends on the level of care and attention you can give to them. That kind of responsibility can give your life meaning and purpose. The daily routine of caring for a pet may feel like a chore at times, but it allows you to create structure and stability.

This is even more important with children. Having pets in the house with children can seem like a hassle, but it’s far outweighed by how much your children will learn about caring for others, picking up after themselves, living up to expectations, and having empathy for other living things.

While cats and dogs are the most popular types of pets, any domesticated animal from birds and lizards to horses and rabbits, can increase our emotional, mental, and physical health. Share your life and your love, and you’ll reap the rewards.

Enjoy reading this blog post? Like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram.

• Make a piñata ball the looks like the glittery ball that drops at midnight. Make this on New Year’s Eve day to increase their excitement. Be sure to decorate it with sparkles, beads, anything to make it stand out. At midnight, let the kids bang it open. Sure will be a lot less noisy than banging pots and pans in the street, which was the old-fashioned way to ring in the New Year.



• Forget the bar. Set up a fun ice cream station with different flavors ice cream and all sorts of toppings. Decorate the table with a paper tablecloth and New Year’s Eve napkins and plastic utensils. Put a New Year’s Eve centerpiece in the middle. Keep the ice cream in the fridge until 11 pm, then “open” the ice cream station with a flourish of tooting horns. This will be your pre-midnight countdown “appetizers.”



• Play dress up! Pull out your high heels and old party dresses. Bring out some ties and suit jackets for the boys. Pull out your lipstick if you dare! You can even go to a party store and buy top hats, feather boas and child-size sparkling clothes. Make sure you take lots of pictures! If you’re up for it, rent a Polaroid, take snapshots and tape the photos up on a New Year’s Eve wall.
• If you’re up for it, let your children have a slumber party too! Fabricate a tent out of old sheets. For once, let them run around the house and scream. But be sure to keep it an at manageable level. Remember, this is all about celebrating and having fun.



• Balloon pop may be loud but it sure is fun. If you have older kids, tie a balloon around each one’s ankle and then let them loose around the house as they try to pop each other’s balloons. The last one with an unpopped balloon wins. If you have younger kids, blow up balloons and let everyone run around trying to pop as many as they can in a specific time period. So no one feels left out, reward everyone at the end with a piece of cake or some sort of dessert.
• If your children are older, have a board game marathon, with prizes for those who win milestones in the game. Think glow sticks, noisemakers for prizes. Have everyone wear a New Year’s Eve hat while they play.



• Be sure to watch the ball drop at midnight. Give each child a small plastic cup of sparkling cider to celebrate. Do the countdown starting at 30 seconds. When the ball drops, make sure everyone kisses everyone. Jump up and down. Act like a kid yourself! You’ll never have more fun!

Everyone makes New Year’s resolutions…and then breaks them pretty quickly. We don’t want you to do that. Instead, set two or three goals that you can accomplish. Write them down by hand (that’s been proven to make more of an impact than typing) and then write what you need to do to achieve each goal, even it’s as simple as reconnecting with a few people. Text them, email them, call them? Be specific about what you need to do. You’ll feel soooo good when you can check off one of your goals!

And do we mean cleaning! Turn everything upside down and get your residence sparkling and shiny clean. Purge, purge, purge! Donate what you haven’t worn in a year and other outdated items, even homegoods. This will, in turn, simplify your life. Then take some sage and get rid of any airborne bacteria. Amazing, a truly clean abode will make you feel really good about yourself.

Tackle that laptop with a vengenance! Too many emails coming in can truly be overwhelming so put a stop to it. Delete all those emails you’re not going to read anyway. Unsubscribe from newsletters and store announcements that you never read or go to. Then, declutter your email inbox. Organise your email inbox with folders and then move emails into the right ones. An organised computer will give you more peace of mind than you ever thought possible. And yes, a bottle of wine during this process will definitely make it go easier! That’s a tip from those who know!

What do you need to make yourself feel good? A long bath? A day at a spa? A hair makeover? Do what it takes to refresh yourself. And make sure your health is in tip-top shape. Schedule those doctor visits you’ve been putting off. Do you need to get that tooth crown? Would you feel better if you talked to a therapist? The Festive time is a great time to really throw yourself into yourself so you start the new work year on top of the world.

We all do it. What if I don’t get a raise? What if I don’t get that job? What if someone steals the delivery box with my new iPhone XS Max that I already paid for? The list of “what if’s” can go on and on. Halt! We’ve all heard about the self-fulfilling prophecy. Well, it’s true. Mentally rearrange your brain. If you think differently and more positively, you will create new mental pathways1 where positive thoughts will accumulate.

If you involved in a relationship that today we call toxic, you’re going to be in a dysfunctional situation. And that will cause stress, like you don’t already know it. Take a hard look at your “close” friends and ask yourself if you give more than you receive? Are you always available to them but they aren’t for you? Do they subtly constantly call upon your good will without returning a favor? Mentally unhealthy relationships wear on you. Disengage yourself from them. That doesn’t mean you have to unfriend them on Facebook, which can send a troubling signal. Just stop getting notifications from them. They’ll fade away.

You’re great, you know that, right? You achieved a lot of super accomplishments in the past year but you were in such a rush, you didn’t take time to really reflect on what they said about yourself. Do that now. Think back over each past month and really ponder what you did and how much you grew and how you became more self-aware and authentic. These traits really count in life and you deserve to know in your heart how much you count!

¹ Creating new neural pathways. True Vitality. http://www.truevitality.com.au/articles/creating-new-neural-pathways-2/. Accessed 12/5/2018.

Unfortunately, some of this excitement can create undue stress. Is this the right dress? What if they don’t like the present, I brought them?

See, the festive season always causes changes in our regular routine of eating, exercise and sleeping. Forgoing your regular health habits will simply worsen your ability to get through this busy season. So keep exercising, eat the best you can and really be sure to get enough sleep. Here are some tips to help you survive the festive season with a smile!

• Don’t eat sparsely the day of the party Instead, eat early and eat often. Keep your metabolism burning all day rather than slowing it down during periods of “mini-starvation.” Your metabolism will work faster and more efficiently.
• Eat a small, nutritious snack before the party. This will help you resist hors d’oeuvres. Save your calories for the main meal.
• Use a smaller plate. Psychologically it makes you look like you have more food so you cut down on the amount you eat.
• Monitor how much alcohol you drink. Alcohol lessens your inhibitions around food. When drinking, stay hydrated. Do the 1:1 trick—one drink, followed by one drink of water, repeat. If you drink lots of H₂O throughout the night, it’s a good bet you won’t wake up with a terrible hangover.

• Keep up your regular physical activity during this season and especially get in a good workout on party day. You’ll be so glad you did.
• Don’t overlook sleep. It’s a fact. Your body needs time to rest.

No matter what you do, sometimes the festive season overload you. If that happens, take time out and care for yourself.

• Treat yourself to some alone time to rejuvenate your spirit. Get a mani/pedi, a facial or a massage. Take a yoga class. Or splurge and do a full spa day! You’ll feel so much better.
• Call up a friend who lives far away. Conversation with an old friend is always enjoyable.
• Try to spend a minimum of five minutes a day to quietly sit, meditate, relieve stress and use your breath to calm your body and mind. Or even watch some TV or read a good book to distract yourself.

Another thing you can do to calm down a hectic schedule is to shop early! Change your last-minute, night-before shopping habits and get to the stores (or online) now for anyone you need to buy a gift for. You’ll avoid really harried crowds and be way better off for having your presents wrapped and ready to go!

If you follow these tips, we guarantee this is one festive season you’ll really enjoy!