I pride myself as a fantastic gift-giver. So when I was tasked to pick gifts for my work friends from Coffee Bean, I obliged.

The key is to know what your friends like and what my picky pals might harp on if they got a gift that they hate didn’t prefer.

First things first, bringing them to the shop.

As a year-end treat, I took the lead in ordering everyone a drink and a festive cake while also getting something from Coffee Bean’s Christmas collection to use in the office.

Loves rich ice-blended drinks & all things festive

I know my colleague Ilyda loves ice-blended drinks and she’s already been in the Christmassy spirit since early November.

So I got her a Peppermint Mocha Ice Blended drink (S$8.80) and Peppermint Chocolate Cake (from S$8) because the peppermint reminds me of candy canes during this time of the year.

“It was almost like peppermint ice cream. The peppermint reminds me of candy canes and happiness,” Ilyda remarked.

I also got her Coffee Bean’s Holly Jolly Bottle (S$24.90) — an apt drinkware for the holidays. It's perfect because it's about time for Ilyda to switch up the worn flask she has in the office.

She also loves how the rubbery antlers poking out of the cap and the colour scheme with the assortment of Christmas ornaments.

Loves Winnie the Pooh

It didn’t take long for me to decide which items from the shelves at Coffee Bean would suit Alena — Winnie the Pooh Elemental Bottle (S$29.90) and Winnie the Pooh Tea for One (S$32.90).

This Winnie the Pooh fanatic told me previously that she’d grown up with five to six variants of the silly old bear on her bed.

“Omg Alfie, look! It’s so cute,” she said immediately when she saw her new flask and teapot.

Of course, I couldn’t forget a drink and dessert for her while we were there.

I ordered a Biscoff Ice Blended drink (from S$8) and Hazelnut Chocolate Mousse (S$12.90) which comes in this Santa Bakeware.

The Biscoff beverage will please fans of the cookie with its unmistakable and strong Biscoff flavour.

Hates coffee and likes snacks

Drew hates the bitterness of coffee and prefers to get his caffeine kick from energy drinks.

Since there’s none of that at Coffee Bean, I picked the Pure Peppermint Dark Chocolate Ice Blended drink (from S$8.80) for him.

This was a good balance of sweetness, with a (little) tinge of bitterness from the dark chocolate, though not enough for him to notice.

On top of that, I got him white chocolate, cranberry and roasted almond Christmas Cookies (S$8.90) and a Gingerbread Man (S$10).

He munched away at one of the cookies very quickly. “It’s really good,” Drew said in between bites.

Drew continued eating the cookies when we were back in the office which I took as a huge thumbs-up to my gift-giving skills since he wouldn’t need to dig around in the pantry for his mid-day snack.

I didn’t however give him any novelty mugs or tumblers thinking that he wouldn’t appreciate it. But when Ilyda, feeling bad for him, asked if he wanted her tumbler, he said: “Yeah sure, I don’t mind, if you don’t want it.”

But she did, so the exchange didn’t happen. Oops.

I guess I didn’t do too good a job there, but it’s the holiday season and I think Drew decided to go easy on his review on my gift-giving skills and thanked me for the cookies.

Chocolate-loving me

For myself, anything chocolatey gets me right into the festive mood.

That means Coffee Bean’s Peppermint Hot Cocoa which comes with The Everyday Mug - Holiday Edition (S$19.90) and their Mini Hazelnut Chocolate Log Cake (from S$8).

The thick and rich Peppermint Hot Cocoa was just the remedy I needed from the blast of the icy air conditioner.

Between sips, I dug into my mini log cake which is a must-have in my yearly Christmas dinner spread.

Of course, The Everyday Mug - Holiday Edition has replaced my used and coffee-stained mug in the office.

Christmas at Coffee Bean

Coffee Bean is a great place to pick up simple and festive gifts for my friends and family.

Their holiday cakes such as the Whole Hazelnut Chocolate Log Cake (S$49), Hazelnut Chocolate Mousse and White Chocolate, Cranberry & Roasted Almond Christmas Cookies (S$8.90) would be a great addition to any Christmas party.

Top it off with their holiday-edition tumblers and mugs which are such an easy (and meaningful) gift for my girlfriends.

This sponsored article by Coffee Bean is making the writer very excited for the holiday season.

Images taken by Michelle Chew, Alena Khoo and Alfie Kwa.