Olivia Ferney’s ‘impossible gift guide’ as she shares the biggest mistake people make when buying Christmas presents
Olivia Ferney is an expert when it comes to luxury travel and making the impossible happen for her wealthy clients.
The Canadian influencer has blown up on social media with Instagram and TikTok videos of her staying cool under pressure in the face of absurd requests from her rich and famous clientele, racking up millions of views.
And now, TK Maxx has enlisted the VIP concierge, who has over 1.3 million followers on Instagram, to share her insider knowledge to help solve all of the festive dilemmas we struggle with.
Speaking to Tyla, she gave her advice on three people who are notoriously hard to buy for: your boyfriend’s dad, your sister who has everything, and a colleague in Secret Santa that you’ve hardly ever spoken to.
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As much as you might love your in-laws, buying a Christmas gift for your boyfriend’s dad is arguably one of the most difficult tasks.
Olivia advised: “I would say probably do a deep dive on social media. You would not believe the amount of little tricks and hints you're going to find.
“Dads love Facebook. They are going to be putting everything they can on Facebook. Take a deep dive. Sometimes even LinkedIn; be your own little FBI agent and go find out things about them.
“There's so much personality and just like good idea concepts sitting there waiting for you to go grab them.”
As for a sister who has everything, she gushed: “That is my speciality. I would say most of my clients already have everything. I like to go personal with those moments.”
Highlighting the biggest mistake that people often make, Olivia explained: “For the person that has everything, a lot of times people try to one-up them and get them something that they've never seen, the crazy bottle of wine or the most insane trip in my, you know, personal experience, the best yacht, the best plane, all those kinds of crazy things.”
She advised: “When it comes to something for your sister, for everyday people, just finding something that's going to bring you guys closer together.
“I think a board game can be a really great idea, something that'll make you guys spend time together or something that'll kind of facilitate a shared memory. So even potentially a new camera. They have amazing digital cameras out now. There are some amazing Polaroid cameras in TK Maxx as well. Something that will just facilitate increasing the relationship.”
Finally, if you find yourself in the awkward situation where you’re taking part in the work Secret Santa and you’ve drawn the name of the person you never speak to, you might have to get your detective hat on - sleuthing is crucial.
She warned: “Today, I feel like everybody's allergic to everything. So that's the thing. Like personally, I'm allergic to scented candles and to dairy. So right off the chocolates or candles, that would be bad, right?
“So just in case, I think a really great tip for this is to try and get to know them. You're literally Secret Santa. So go be Secret Santa.”
The travel expert advised: “Go find their friends; everybody's got somebody that they talk to at work. Do a little bit of research and get to know them better so that you can get them something a little bit meaningful.
“If you do happen to know them and just not that well, I think it could be really great to even collect notes from different friends of theirs in the office and make them a meaningful card.”
With TKMaxx, Olivia also answered some quickfire gifting questions on other tricky situations.
“My Dad made cycling his entire personality 6 months ago – what can I get him that feels surprising?
“Social media sleuthing for the people closest to you is underrated. It’s a treasure trove of gifting tips. If your dad is on Instagram (many are these days!), what’s he saving or sharing when he’s not posting his latest fitness personal bests? Sometimes the best ideas are hiding in plain sight.”
“I’ve got my mother-in-law in the secret Santa. Help!”
“Don't just buy a present; buy a card and use it to explain why you bought the present. A few words can show you really thought about the gift. And make sure you get all the intel you need on your MIL from your partner, showing you took the time to get to know what they’d like – then you’re covered if they do find out you were their secret Santa.”
“Mega boujee friends are hosting Christmas; how do I match the vibe without the price tag?”
“Forget about the predictable bottle of wine. Build a few gifts around a theme, like small pieces of art, colourful tableware, or special edible treats. Bringing several themed gifts together makes the present feel considered. It’s also worth thinking about the moment you present the gift in. A little theatre goes a long way!”
“How can I match my sister in the gift swap this year? She always nails it.”
“A great way to surprise someone is by getting something that speaks to a shared memory. Think of one of your best moments with your sister and then pick a gift to honour the relationship. This gives you room to be thoughtful, but also funny. That’s real sibling goals right there! “
“Is food and drink a lazy gift?”
“Not at all! With a little thought, a food or drink gift can feel special – especially for big foodies. What’s sure to be a winner, is choosing something they can share with someone else and make a memory with. “
To see Olivia put her advice into action, watch the TK Maxx film on YouTube here, where she teams up with European creators Mark Ferris, Leni Marie, Joy Bosz and Julia Machunik to tackle their own Christmas gift lists.
Topics: Social Media, Celebrity, Christmas, Life, Shopping, Tyla Exclusive
Madison Burgess
