Second-hand Santa 🎅
This Week in Review ☕️ : Argentinians rejoice as World Cup momentum continues | Christmas shopping hit by inflation| Regulators crack down on Finfluencers | Eggnog Cocktails are in this year | Festive
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Quick Bites:
Sports ⚽️ : Argentina won the FIFA World Cup after beating France on penalties this past weekend. We know it’s been 2 days since the final but we still can’t get over the effing energy!!
Aerial footage of Buenos Aires showed what an emotional and ecstatic celebration it was for Argentinians AND the rest of the world!👇🏻
🏆 10x La Liga
🏆 7x Copa del Ray
🏆 4x Champions League
🏆 7x Spanish Super Cup
🏆 3x UEFA Super Cup
🏆 3x Club World Cup
🏆 2021 Copa America
🏆 7x Ballon D'or
🏆 2022 World Cup
Yeah.. we think this debate is over!! LIONEL ANDRÉS MESSI 🐐
PS. Not only are his Argentina jerseys sold out globally but with over 42 million likes, Messi’s World Cup victory is now the most-liked Instagram post by a sportsperson in history!! #GOAT 🔥
Despite France losing, 24-year old Kylian Mbappé was absolutely electrifying on the field! What a historic, memorable hattrick! Also, the 1st hattrick by a player since 1966!
French President Emmanuel Macron praised his “extraordinary” performance despite being “very sad and very disappointed” at the loss.
Some Fun Facts:
💡Football runs in Mbappé's blood as his father was his first coach in a club
💡He came in the spotlight in 2018, where at the age of 19, he became the first teenager to score a goal in a World Cup final
💡In May 2022, Forbes accumulated his total earnings to 125mn euros
💡He is currently the 2nd-most expensive football player in the world, after Neymar
Let's be honest y'all. It wasn't France vs Argentina. It was Mbappé vs 11 men. Better luck next time France! 🇫🇷
Our Thoughts💡: A GAME THE WORLD WILL NEVER FORGET. PERIOD.
Retail: Get ready for a second-hand Santa this year!
With inflation hitting a 41-year high in October, families are being forced to scale back their Christmas spend, with many opting for second-hand gifts.
If any of you have walked down Fifth Avenue in NY during Christmas, you'd know going into any store isn't just transactional.
Rather, it's a FULL-blown affair that often comes with empowered sales associates & personal stylists where appointments are naturally accompanied with a bottle of Dom Pérignon in hand.
Caviar from Petrossian if you're lucky- or a big spender
However, in an increasingly digital world combined with a cost of living crisis, shoppers are ditching the VIP treatment to save money for essentials and opt for second-hand presents instead.
The "ReCommerce" sector is currently growing “up to 20 times faster” than the broader retail market, the Telegraph.
A national survey by Retail Economics-HyperJar showed:
💡Almost 40% of the least wealthy shoppers plan to buy more second-hand gifts this year than normal, compared to 20% among the most wealthy.
💡Consumers are also becoming less impulsive; +60% of households plan to shop at discounters and look for discounted gifts more than usual.
Our Thoughts💡: Us going Xmas gift shopping while on a tight budget👇🏻
Finance 💰 : Many of us depend on influencers for everything from dinner recipes to pilates, but what about financial advice?
A growing number of people are turning to social media to get financial advice from "finfluencers".
This trend has become even more prominent as panicked consumers battle with the cost of living crisis, The Financial Times reports.
However, last week UK regulators proposed steps to regulate these 'finfluencers' as an increasing number of people are falling prey to their quick-fix finance tips, often involving high-risk assets.
According to recent research, only 8% of UK adults have gotten regulated financial advice in the last year, The Financial Times reports.
More often than not, the only people turning a buck are these so-called money gurus!!
“Social media and online advertising mean consumers are taking less time between seeing a promotion, and making a financial decision”
"It’s a grey area from a regulatory perspective"
Our Thoughts💡: We have one and only one piece of advice for y'all:
Stack assets and act broke AF
Mixology 🍸 : Caution: Read only if you're 21 or older!
We've scoured the internet to selectively bring you the Top 3 Christmas Cocktails of 2022.
We know it can't just be us ruthlessly browsing on Food & Wine and The Weekend Mixologist in the middle of the night to bring in the holidays. Clearly, not; searches for the word "cocktail recipes" have hit an all-time high worldwide.
Top Festive Cocktails, by the Food Network:
💡Gingerbread Hot Chocolate (This one is for the habitually drunk! Eat chocolate and get boozed up while you're at it! 🍫)
Ginger, cinnamon and an all-spice mix bring a gingerbread flavor to this hot chocolate. Pour over vodka with ice cubes in a traditional hot coco mug.
💡Santa's Sleigh Cocktail
Combine eggnog (store-bought is easy), brandy, amaretto, nutmeg, and ice cream in a blender; process until smooth. Pour mixture into martini glasses and add a cinnamon stick.
💡Mulled Wine
The classic winter drink that will serve a crowd.
Combine cider, wine, honey, cinnamon sticks, cloves and star anise in a pan and boil for 10 minutes. Pour into mug with orange peel.
Quicker Bites:
Harvard University appoints Claudine Gay to serve as the school’s 1st Black President.
Harry Weinstein is convicted of rape in Los Angeles.
An arctic blast will bring the coldest Christmas in nearly 40 years across the US this week.
Amber Heard says she has settled defamation lawsuit against Johnny Depp.
Ukrainian fears grow of a new Russian invasion from Belarus.
FTX’s Bankman-Fried to agree to US extradition.
Alicia Keys debuts her 1st holiday album.