Oscars gifting suite: How I got $1500 worth of freebies in 45 minutes

In the run up to the Oscars, celebrities are not just worried about sorting their outfits — they need to make time for the all important swag grab at the gifting suites.

In just 45 minutes I collected $1500 worth of items, then left without having to pay a cent — and no, I didn’t shoplift.

Welcome to the bizarre world of gifting suites, which have become a big part of the awards season in the US.

There are about 10 gifting suites that pop up in Los Angeles in the days leading up to the Oscars.

OK, the room ain't glamorous, but the free swag is.

I managed to score (that is, I begged for) an invite to the Wow Creations gifting suite at the W Hotel in Hollywood.

Once inside, Wow Creations’ Matthew Harris explained what gifting suites are all about.

“Celebrities come to get gifted with things, whether it’s energy drinks or a $2500 vacation to Hawaii,” Mr Harris said about the invite-only events.

Like seagulls after the last chip.

“The unwritten agreement is they come, they get gifted, and in return we would like them to take photos with the products. It’s kind of like an endorsement.

“(The companies giving away the products) can’t use the photos in any kind of marketing though,” Mr Harris added. “You can put them on your social media or website but you can’t use the photo to sell the product.”

Mr Harris handed me a bag and ushered me into the first of three rooms, which was filled with representatives from different companies, all eager to spruik their products.

If I drink the vodka will I get muscles like her?

It was like the showbag hall at the Royal Show — but better, because everything was free.

The first product I sampled was Muscle Vodka, which is gluten-free and is made with organic properties. The representative offered me a shot, but she was a very generous pourer and it ended up being more like a schooner. It took me three sips to get it down and I won’t lie, it hit me pretty quickly.

A tad dazed, I moved onto the next stall which was run by a company called Ganja Gold. They handed me a gift bag with five different pre-rolled joints, “For five distinct moods: Zen, Awake, Heal, Inspire and Evolve”.

First free booze, now free weed … never change LA, never change.

This could get messy.

Recreational marijuana is legal in California and as I moved through the gifting suite I was surprised by the number of cannabis-related items on offer.

I was also given miracle healing rub with cannabis extract, red hot cinnamon lip balm with CBD (CBD is cannabidiol — a chemical compound found in marijuana plants that isn’t psychoactive), CBD medicated eye drops, CBD pain relief cream and something called Focus Elixir which comes with the disclaimer: “The name focus is not an indication or claim to any function”, so who knows what the hell that product does.

Luxe free skincare products.

I also pocketed a diamond veneer necklace, a hair straightener, a voucher for a free ride with an executive car service, a two-day pass to a tennis and fitness club, shaving oil, charcoal face masks and an acrylic handbag hanger.

Basically I’ve got my Secret Santa presents sorted for the next five years.

Just some of what I walked away with. Hello regift!

The one thing I didn’t actually see inside the gifting suite was a celebrity: In fact, the closest thing I saw to a recognisable person was a Donald Trump impersonator.

“These types of events get the sub-par stars,” Mr Harris told me (ouch). “We don’t get the big names because they don’t need to come to something like this. I was told we’ve had three Oscar nominees come through this morning though.”

After 45 minutes of shamelessly asking for freebies, I grabbed my swag bags and headed back to my hotel to sample the goods (if my editor is reading this I’m referring to the hair straightener, definitely not the pre-rolled joints).

Now to get it all on the plane back home.

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