#apopple

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

I’m especially grateful for each and every one of you this year - old friends and new - and I hope you have a happy, healthy and celebratory holiday with your families this year. Thank you for welcoming me back with open arms, and including me in your families of choice. Stay cozied up and warm with this hot chocolate kit, and use it to help wash down some homemade cozonac bread - a Romanian specialty - and the blame for my expanding Christmas waistline. 

Though a lot of things have changed over the years, and I may have been MIA for a few of them - some things stay the same. I wasn’t raised with much, and feel that we all have so much... I hope you all enjoy my preferred version of Christmas giving - something homemade and from the heart, and something to put good out into the world for those who aren’t as breathtakingly lucky as the rest of us. 

Lots of love,

Sebastian

_______________________________

For my new mate, @charliehmn, helping five male refugees not only receive job and skills prep to join the workforce in their new homes, but vital supplies to get them through the first few weeks so they can provide for their families

For my moonbeam kid sister, @shaiwoodleybv​ and the woman who can - and maybe should - kick my ass on the reg, @scarlettjohansssn​, the gift of each of you sending ten girls to school for an entire year in areas like Afghanistan, the Congo and Lebanon

For the couples that not only redefine what successful, supportive marriages look like - @bjamesjr​ and @apopple​, @xolively​ and @vancityryan​, and @residentgoober​ and @stefigerm​ - but you all make very cute kids to boot, a vitally important baby incubator donated in each of your names to under-resourced hospitals in Africa and Asia. Each incubator on average will save hundreds of premature babies’ lives in these areas for loving parents like you all.

For the unofficial Mayor of Bayview, and the guy who always has a plan, or at least fakes it like nobody’s business @butlergerry​, a water distribution and sanitation station for rural tribes who cannot source it themselves - needless to say, a vital part of the rebuilding and vitality efforts and something we take for granted. As someone who does a lot for those around them on their own, I wanted to shine that light a little brighter where I could. 

For the strongest and most inspiriting woman around, @deltslea​, there isn’t a way to bottle up your special magic, but providing small business training for five women in places like Liberia, where market-savvy women are often natural entrepreneurs who generate income for their families and lift the fortunes of entire communities. Sort of like the way you lift up the rest of us, doll.

For the fiercest and defacto-everyone’s mom, @dormernatali​, as someone who has brought their own family together to create something beautiful, my favorite gift this year of reuniting five refugee families who have been separated during a crisis, migration or other natural disaster across Africa and the Middle East. Because of you, five families are going to find each other in this crazy world to begin healing and thriving. 

For my brother, @roerigz​. A lot has changed, for us as men on our own, and between the two of us as friends. Family again someday, hopefully. Though I have some regrets, coming back home and, admittedly not easy, but having the chance to work on things together - metaphorically, but also kind of literally soon enough - will never be one of them. I wanted to get you a few goofy things, because, you know, Christmas - like this shirt - but the wood brand is something I thought you might like to design for yourself to sign your work. It’s beautiful, and deserves to bear the Roerig name, or Windsong’s, if you wanted. Your affinity for fat, happy, healthy babies is something I’ve learned to start appreciating over the years too, but one that I started learning from yours. In light of that, your real gift of four mobile clinics - Gracie’s Clinic, Jason’s Clinic, Harper’s Clinic and Ryan’s Clinic - which will serve across southeastern Asia and Africa, to have there be more fat, happy babies in the world because of you all. 

For @zaynsalamb

For my very bestest friend, I had the mug made! Maybe someday we can come up with a better design but it was pretty last minute this time around. I wanted you to have it for Christmas though because truer words have never been spoken. I also got you this fancy, personalized planner. It has space to plan out everything you need from flowers, to seating arrangements even a day of checklist so nothing gets left behind. And of course, your very own Christmas cupcakes that you don’t have to share with anyone (ok, maybe Harry!). 

I love you friend, and I am so happy that this year has brought you so much joy. I hope you and Harry have a very Merry Christmas and that 2018 brings you everything you’ve ever dreamed and more. 

Love, Brie. 

For @butlergerry (+Gaelyn)

Powered by Coffee, 365, 24/7. The shirt seemed to precise to pass up! And the cupcakes, of course - espresso flavored because you didn’t get any coffee this year (weird, right?) so I figured they were a pretty close runner up. The helmet is for Gaelyn and her new bike! You can wear it too if you like, but I’m not sure it will fit right! And lastly, you didn’t think I’d let this whole spa thing just roll on by did you? Now that I know this little tidbit about you, I thought I’d treat you to very own, at home, spa treatment. 

Thank you for being my friend for one whole year! I hope there’s many more to come but in the meantime, I’m wishing you and that perfect little angel of yours the very merriest of Christmases and an unforgettable 2018! 

Love, Brie.

For @deltslea

My partner, my friend, I hope your Christmas is filled with all the magic and joy the universe can hold - I’m looking forward to another year of laughing, creating and believing with you! May 2018 be the best you’ve ever had! 

I saw this print and immediately thought of the many conversations we’ve had about the importance of kindness and I thought it was a nice reminder that it all starts with being kind to ourselves. The cupcake bath bombs just smelled yummy and I thought someone amazing deserved them, so obviously, you came to mind first! The bracelet also reminded me of you - I love the message but I also love watching you work and hearing you perform, so never, ever stop singing you song! And lastly, given the chaos that is our world, a day planner always come in handy but this one is not only (almost) as pretty as you, but sets the tone for whats to come right from the start! Merry Christmas, my friend!

For @residentgoober, @dempjoe, @signofharryedwardstyles, @roerigz, @skarsgardb, @xolively, @oneforhoran, @apopple & @bjamesjr, @taylorkitcsh & @roberttsemma and @edwardhardy & @elisabetholsan

There are three things I think about when Christmastime rolls around: 1) sweets. 2) my amazing friends 3) the importance of giving. So for all of you, I’ve included some homemade gingerbread cupcakes along with a small token of my appreciation that is very near and dear to my heart. 

The Giving Keys was started by a very special friend of mine who saw a need and wanted to approach a solution in a whole new way. The company employees men and women who are transitioning from homelessness - each key is hand stamped and put together by someone who has faced a great deal of struggles and is working hard to get back on their feet. Each key is stamped with a one of a number of phrases (I have chosen ‘Believe’, given the season). The hope is, is that each time you wear it, you will be reminded to believe in yourself, to believe in others, to believe in magic. And if, by chance, you come across someone who you feel needs those thoughts a little bit more than you do, pay it forward and pass it along. With any luck, we can spread the message everywhere! 

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and that 2018 is as good to you as you have been to me! 

To @bjamesjr & @apopple

Its that time of year where I’m forced to be nice or I might not get that new game I want. And if I’m going to be nice, it makes sense that I’d start with you lot, yeah? Alright so, I’m not saying you guys are Han and Leia but I thought of you when Is aw this, so take it however you want to! I figured you guys were probably due for a bit of a break too, so a little wine should help that along. Just make sure the kids are asleep first! And I have no idea how these things work but they’re apparently fucking magic - you can cook a whole roast beef dinner in forty minutes, or something absurd like that. I thought it might help out a little since your hands are so full these days!

And for the little lads, of course, some Star Wars treats. Pajamas, naturally, because it’s that time of year. The collector’s edition Little Golden Books - I know they can’t read, but I figured BJ could make himself useful and cover bedtime stories for a bit! 

Anyway, I hope you’re all having a brilliant holiday. Merry Christmas! 

Uncle Rahul.

To @clrholt

I’m going to warn you up front, I’m not the best gift buyer in the land, but I wanted to get you a few things for Christmas - it seemed like a good time to properly thank you for letting me lie to people about our ‘sexual’ relationship! I’m kidding, I really do hope you’re having a wonderful first Christmas in Bayview and I might be a little happy you decided to make your way there in the first place. 

So let’s get to the good stuff, shall we? I know wrapping up the show has been a bit bittersweet for you and I thought this might be a good place to store a few trinkets that remind you of that overly handsome lot you’ve been working with so that any time you’re feeling a little down about missing them, you can just sneak a peek and be right back there, for the moment at least. My mum told me you always get a woman chocolate, so there’s chocolate for you. If you’re like allergic or something, please blame my mum! And since you’re so far from home, I thought I nice little reminder that you could wear around with you might be in order. And lastly, but again since you’re so far from home, something to keep that pretty little head (and fingers) warm for the winter. 

Thanks for putting up with me, I don’t know how you do it, but I’m going to assume this is my first Christmas miracle. Merry Christmas Claire!

Rahul.

To @signofharryedwardstyles

For my brother from another mother, I’m shite at this okay, so just bear with me. I know you’re going to look at this book and think ‘why is Rahul getting me a romance novel’ but mate, I swear, it’s a cookbook. Just a fairly romantic one and I figured since you do the majority of the cooking at home and you’re about to tie the knot, it would probably come in handy. The hair and body wash is two-fold - anyone with a mane like that must take good care of it, so I thought I’d give you a hand. Secondly though, you’re on the road a lot and one bottle is better than three, right? I also thought you might like this beanie and mitts - totally tech friendly, with bluetooth headphones so you can keep your noggin warm and still rock out while on your runs. Lastly, just a little taste of home, because we’re British and need to remind people of that all the fucking time, yeah? 

Merry Christmas, mate, I hope you and your man have an amazing holiday and that 2018 is good to you both! 

Rahul

To @yelyahnichole

Merry Christmas Hayley, I hope you’re having a wonderful time with your family. Santa wanted to make sure you got a few things that we thought you might like but also to say thank you for being the awesome person that you. 

First up is vegetarian cookbook that according to Santa’s elves is a must have for anyone skipping meat. The next two are devoted to your love of all things Tommy/Peaky Blinders. First a hoodie, because while it’s cool, it’s also practical given Bayview’s weather this time of year. And also a charm bracelet - none of this means anything to me yet (I promise I will watch it soon!) but I’m assuming you’ll know what all the little pieces mean. I - I mean Santa - thought it was both fun and pretty, just like you! Merry Christmas, love! 

Rahul.

To @dylobrn @evanpxtrs @driiselba @bviewgron @itsaubrey

I figure the whole lot of you are on Santa’s naughty list this year, so I decided to help you out a little bit and do something charitable on your behalf. Luckily, it’s kind of cool - the winning prize of each card is one of our four basic needs gifts: literacy tools, clean water, nutritious meals or solar energy. The game is the same as a typical scratch off ticket, but you must match icons (instead of numbers). Flip the card over to learn more about the winning donation. Every card is a winner and either gives clean water, solar light, literacy tools or nutritious meals. YOu’re welcome, you wankers! Have a Merry Christmas! 

Rahul.