This year I will be celebrating my tenth holiday season with my heartmate, Toby, and so I really wanted to surprise him with a special gift. Aside from wanting to express my deepest love and gratitude for his love and support throughout the past year, I also wanted to show my support and encouragement for the personal journey that he’s been on since we moved to New York City last year. So, I teamed up with HP to #ReinventGiving and surprise my husband with a new Spectre x360 laptop. Click through after the jump to read why it meant so much to me to gift him the HP Spectre x360, and see the whole surprise go down on video!
Since our move to NYC, Toby has been learning to code – it’s a skill he’s always wanted to acquire but hadn’t had the opportunity or time to invest in properly learning. It’s been so inspiring to hear and see his excitement as he comes home from class, telling me what he’s learned and what’s up next. I have so much admiration for his dedication and commitment to learning something new, taking the challenges of the process in his stride. As the Holiday season approached, I was thinking about ways I could surprise him with a gift that would help reinvent how he approaches his coding studies, while also striking a personal note. Here’s how the surprise went down…
The Spectre x360 was the perfect gift. Tobes is genuinely thrilled with the gift and I’ve loved seeing how useful it’s been for him to take to class and use for studying when back home, or when we’re out and about across the city (and country!) for my creative consulting work projects. To be honest, Tobes is a huge tech geek (it’s one of the things I adore most about his personality, even if I rib him about it regularly!), so it was no surprise when he told me that one of his favorite features of the Spectre x360 is the touchscreen functionality, which he uses to write notes on in OneNote while in class. The fact that it’s so lightweight and has a super long battery life (15hrs) give me stacks of added brownie points, too! Thanks, HP! 😉
The video surprise was so much fun to make. We started filming early one Sunday morning in Fort Greene park Brooklyn, before I headed inside to listen to some music as I wrapped the surprise gift box for Tobes. As you can see from the behind-the-scenes snaps above, it was a team effort and I’m so grateful to everyone who worked on the video set to help it come to life and be a great surprise for Tobes!
I also use my own Spectre x360 for managing my creative projects, editing photos for blog posts in Photoshop and keeping up with email management on-the-go.
As well as the Spectre x360, I wanted to add some additional gifts into Toby’s surprise gift box that would complement it. I know how he likes to listen to tutorials while working in public spaces (airports, coffee shops etc.) so I included a pair of B&O Play headphones (the perfect complement to the Bang & Olufsen speakers inside the laptop!); a candle scented with English Pine as a festive nod to our native homeland and something soothing to add to his workspace; a stovetop duo cup Italian espresso maker as we both enjoy a coffee (or three!) as we work alongside one another; and, finally, a stylish tote for carrying his HP Spectre x360 to and from his coding classes. I wrapped everything up in huge box and stuffed it full of #MakeYouSmileStyle tissue – I loved how it came together!
Thanks to the generosity of HP, as a Bright.Bazaar reader you now have the chance to win a HP Spectre x360 to gift to someone on your list! All you have to do is leave a comment on this Instagram with the hashtag #ReinventGivingSweepstakes for a chance to win. Good luck, and Happy Holidays!
// Photography by Will Taylor | Giveaway: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. (D.C.) 18+. Ends 12/14/16. For Official Rules, including odds and prizes, visit here. Void where prohibited. | Posted in partnership with HP; all views my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help support Bright.Bazaar!
26 Comments
This is goals.
@Ryan – Haha. Thank you!
You two are adorable!! Brought a tear to my eye! xo
@Jessie – Kind of you to say, thanks! 🙂
Hi Will. I need a lightweight laptop to give to my daughter for college. Is this a good weight? I worry about her back with this big bag she carries everywhere. I rarely comment but want to say how much I enjoy your blog and read daily! Happy Holidays, Barbs.
@Barbs – Thanks for your loyal readership and taking time to say hello! Yes, the Spectre x360 is super light – Toby takes it with him to and from class with no problems!
Will, you two make me smile. Tell Toby good luck in his future endeavors from me 🙂
Love from Wisconsin
Merry [almost] Christmas to you, Toby and your families 🙂
@Kevin – I will do. Thanks for the warm Christmas wishes! Sending them back to you in Wisconsin! 🙂
More importantly – loving your jacket/cardigan – details please!
@Robert – Thank you! It’s from Club Monaco.
Aww, he’s so cute. You guys are adorable together.
@Mikey – Sweet of you to say, thank you! 🙂
omg Will. That video is so cute!!!!! And you guys are the cutest together!
-Didier
http://www.didieryhc.com
@Didier – Thank you, sweet guy! Hope you had a lovely day!
LOVE THIS xxx
@Jo – Thanks so much! x
Adorable.
@Mark – Thank you!
This video warms my heart. I adore it. Happy Holidays you two! x
@Jeromy – Thank you so much! Happy Holidays to you guys!
This is such a cool commercial. You’re my master Will Taylor. Merry Christmas to you and Toby and lots of love
@Karine – Thank you so much for the sweet comment. Merry Christmas to you all, too!
But wait, I didn’t Win?! ?✨??♂️
@Eoin – Haha! 😉
A beautiful and warm story. Great to hear your voice in the video, I love your English accent. And, as always, awesome photos! Have a great Christmas, Will & Toby!
@Koos – Thanks so much! Hugs to you and Merry Christmas!