Some people want a big night out for Christmas.

Others want a really good moisturiser, a massage and approximately four hours where nobody asks them a question.

Fair enough, really.

If there’s someone in your life who loves a little pampering, has an impressive skincare collection or has been saying they need to book some time for themselves since March, we’ve got a few ideas.

From South Yarra’s beautiful beauty boutiques to Greville Street’s nail specialists and Prahran’s bathing rituals, Chapel Street knows how to do a little indulgence.

And no, you don’t have to wait until you’re completely exhausted to deserve it.

Here are five places worth putting on your Christmas shopping list.

FOR THE PERSON WHO LOVES A BEAUTIFUL BATHROOM SHELF: AESOP

Some people buy hand wash because they’ve run out.

Others buy hand wash because it makes the entire bathroom feel like a boutique hotel.

You know the type.

For them, there’s Aesop, at 222 Toorak Road, South Yarra.

Known for its distinctive amber bottles, aromatic formulations and beautifully considered stores, Aesop has mastered the art of making everyday routines feel like small luxuries.

Think hand and body care, skincare, fragrances and those lovely little things that turn an ordinary Tuesday evening into something resembling a wellness retreat.

Without actually having to leave the house.

It’s also a good destination when you’re shopping for somebody with excellent taste but absolutely no interest in telling you what they want for Christmas.

The gift idea: A luxurious hand care duo, body care products or a thoughtfully chosen fragrance.

And if you’re not quite sure what their skin likes, the team can help you find something suitable.

Just remember: this is a gift for someone else.

Even if that hand wash would look very nice beside your own sink.

FOR THE PERSON WHO NEEDS TO SWITCH OFF: NAVIA BATHHOUSE

You know that friend who has been saying, “I really need to relax,” for approximately eleven consecutive months?

This one’s for them.

At Navia Bathhouse, 233 Chapel Street, Prahran, the entire experience is built around slowing down.

Think saunas, steam rooms, mineral pools and cold plunges, all designed to encourage a proper break from whatever’s happening outside.

It’s a little Scandinavian-inspired ritual in the middle of Prahran.

One minute you’re thinking about your inbox.

The next you’re deciding whether you’re brave enough for the cold plunge.

Character building, apparently.

The lovely thing about gifting a bathing experience is that you’re not giving somebody another object to find space for.

You’re giving them actual time.

Time to unwind, warm up, cool down and emerge feeling like they’ve spent the afternoon doing something rather good for themselves.

The gift idea: A Navia gift card so they can choose their own bathing session.

Perfect for the person who doesn’t need any more stuff.

They just need to put their phone away.

FOR THE FRIEND WHO LOVES A FRESH SET: PEONY BEAUTY

Some people can do their own nails.

Others recognise that certain things are best left to the professionals.

Enter Peony Beauty, at 109 Greville Street, Prahran.

This boutique beauty space brings a thoughtful, eco-conscious approach to the traditional salon experience, with treatments spanning nails, brows and lashes.

It’s the sort of place that makes an appointment feel like a little moment for yourself rather than just another thing on the calendar.

Which, during December, is no small achievement.

Know someone who’s always admiring everyone else’s manicure but never finds time to book their own?

Consider this your sign.

The gift idea: Treat them to a manicure, brow appointment or lash treatment they’ll genuinely enjoy.

For beauty services, it’s worth letting the recipient choose the treatment and timing.

Because surprises are lovely.

Unexpectedly choosing somebody else’s eyebrow shape?

Less lovely.

FOR THE PERSON WHO LIKES THEIR PAMPERING WITH A SIDE OF BUBBLES: SOAK BAR + BEAUTY

There’s self-care.

And then there’s self-care with a cocktail menu.

We support both.

At SOAK Bar + Beauty, 657 Chapel Street, South Yarra, the humble beauty appointment gets a rather glamorous upgrade.

This isn’t your typical in-and-out salon visit.

SOAK brings together beauty treatments and a licensed bar, making it a destination for a little pampering, a long-overdue catch-up or a very good excuse to get out of the house.

Think manicures, pedicures and drinks in a space that’s as much about enjoying the experience as it is about leaving with fabulous nails.

It’s particularly good for the friend who always suggests catching up but somehow never manages to get a date in the diary.

Here’s your date.

Sorted.

The gift idea: A SOAK gift voucher for a beauty treatment of their choosing.

Or make it a shared experience and book yourselves in together.

After all, Christmas presents are nice.

But quality time and freshly painted nails?

Excellent combination.

FOR THE WELLNESS LOVER WHO’S TRIED EVERYTHING: PLUMP AESTHETIC CLINIC

Some people’s idea of self-care is lighting a candle.

Others have a favourite facial treatment, a skincare spreadsheet and strong opinions about infrared saunas.

If you’re buying for the second type, meet Plump Aesthetic Clinic, at 525 Chapel Street, South Yarra.

Plump takes a considered approach to skin and wellness, with professional skin treatments alongside relaxation-focused experiences including an infrared sauna, cold plunge and holistic massage.

There’s even a private wellness room, so the recipient can take a little time out without sharing the experience with a room full of strangers.

Very appealing if they’ve had quite enough people for one year.

The treatment menu offers plenty of ways to tailor the experience to the individual, whether they’re interested in a skin consultation or simply a quiet session to reset.

The gift idea: A Plump gift voucher that lets them choose a treatment or wellness experience that suits them.

A little tip: when it comes to specialised skin treatments, let the recipient make the final call with the clinic.

Because the best self-care gift is one that actually feels good to receive.

Not an unsolicited opinion about somebody’s face.

NOT SURE WHAT TO BUY? GIVE THEM THE CHOICE.

Here’s the thing about self-care.

It’s personal.

One person’s perfect Sunday involves a sauna and a cold plunge.

Another person’s involves a manicure and a glass of something sparkling.

And somebody else just wants a beautiful body balm, a clean bathroom and nobody touching their things.

We get it.

That’s why experiences and flexible gift vouchers make such good presents.

You get to say, “I think you deserve a little time for yourself.”

They get to decide exactly what that looks like.

Everybody wins.

Especially the person who was about to receive another novelty bath bomb.

MAKE A DAY OF IT ON CHAPEL STREET

Christmas shopping doesn’t have to involve sprinting through a shopping centre while carrying six bags and wondering where you parked.

Not when you’ve got Chapel Street.

Browse Aesop in South Yarra, check out SOAK or Plump for a gift they’ll actually look forward to using, then head towards Prahran for Navia and the beauty specialists along Greville Street.

Stop for a coffee.

Have lunch.

Take your time.

Maybe book yourself a little something while you’re at it.

Strictly in the interests of Christmas shopping research, of course.

A LITTLE TIME FOR THEMSELVES. A VERY GOOD GIFT.

Some Christmas presents get opened, admired and quietly forgotten by Boxing Day.

Others become the afternoon somebody finally switches off, the beauty appointment they’ve been looking forward to for weeks, or the little daily luxury that makes getting ready in the morning feel better.

We’ll take the second kind.

From Aesop and Navia Bathhouse to Peony Beauty, SOAK Bar + Beauty and Plump Aesthetic Clinic, Chapel Street has plenty of ways to spoil the self-care lover in your life.

Now all you have to do is decide what they’d love most.

And resist the temptation to book yourself a treatment at the same time.

No promises.