THE REALLY USEFUL GIFT GUIDES

My favourite time of the year (it's true)!

Beautiful illos by the talented Charlotte Ager

I know, Christmas seems to start earlier and earlier each year. But I tend to be onboard with that. As someone who used to edit gift guides for magazines, we’d start in June/July working towards an early September deadline - so this feels like last minute for me!

Personally, I plan early for Christmas. I save money all year round in a Christmas/birthday pot and we start buying a few bits and bobs I know people will like early so I’m not too stressed in November/December (which is my busiest work time). We try and keep it simple at home: just a few presents and stockings (with secondhand fillers) for our kids, one present for family members and nothing for adults if we’re buying for their kids. We often have a £5/£10 rule for kids presents depending on people’s budgets - and I love the challenge! I’m usually finished by early December which leaves me more time to enjoy the build up, wrap presents and watch 80s Christmas movies (my favourite is ‘Scrooged’ or ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’).

I often know what I’m buying people for Christmas because I shop my own guides. Most of the items I purchase I share here first via my Christmas Hub. Everything is under £100 (and only a couple of items - which I deem worth it - are big ticket ones and they’re likely to be a joint/clubbed together present). Unlike my magazine edits (that would usually be sold out by the time it went to print), the hub will be constantly updated leading up to Christmas.

Because I spend so long on these guides, affiliate links are used and marked on the newsletter with an asterisk* but rest assured I won’t also be sharing Black Friday updates or sales posts.

I am often at odds with myself doing gift guides and feel conflicted bringing joy through shopping when there are considerably larger issues I could be tackling. Which is why all the affiliate link payouts we receive this month will be donated to Save The Children charity.

Accessorize* £8

Before I introduce the first gift guides, I really wanted to show you this H&M* tree skirt. Because this is the kind of thing that’s not quite right for the gift guide (no one wants a tree skirt for xmas) but I often find myself browsing for this exact thing in bed at 11pm (I resorted to a buffalo check one via Etsy a few years ago but wish I’d seen something like this):

Secondly, I have a discount code to share! I have partnered with Yoto (the Yoto players* and Yoto cards* are used by my kids every evening) and you can read the blog here with all our favourite cards. And the important bit: the code AFF-ALEXS10 offers 10% discount when you spend over £59 (UK orders only, until 31st December 2024).

And now for the gift guides! Alex Lunt has compiled a post of the best baubles around for my site (which is a tall order because you know how much I love tiny tree ornaments but I really think she surpassed my expectations!). Read the post here.

And now for the rest! The host gifts are pretty much all the items on my wishlist but the under £10 is my pride and joy because I really think you can buy great value gifts on a budget (and I love the idea of gifting truffle crisps as a Secret Santa gift rather than the usual chocolate!).

1. Olive oil: £22.99, Yiayia and Friends*

2. Set of knives: £26, Opinel

3. New York cult recipes cook book: £12.99, Anthropologie*

4. Tree bauble: £6, Next*

5. Splatterware enamel serving spoon: £12, Berylune

6. Fabric photo frame: £32, Anthropologie*

7. Set of glasses: £24, Anthropologie*

8. Candlestick holder: £10, John Lewis*

9. Storage tin: £17, HAY

10. Hand cream: £23, L'Occitane*

11. Candle: £34.20, Neom via Liberty*

12. Cutlery set: £23.99, Zara Home x Collagerie

13. Oven gloves: £20, Dunelm*

14. Set of coffee cups: £37.50, Cissy Wears

15. Set of 2 napkins: £6.99, H&M

1. Tree decoration: £8, Accessorize*

2. Candles: £7.99 for 2: H&M Home*

3. Cleanser: £9.99, Byoma at Boots*

4. Lip scrub: £10 (member’s price), Beauty Pie*, £10

5. Truffle crisps: £4.99, Torres via Fortnum & Mason*

6. Tree decoration: £3.43, Sostrene Grene

7. Hair scrunchie: £10, COS*

8. Paper tape: £1.21, Sostrene Grene

9. Kids pyjamas: £9, George at Asda

10. Bath bomb: £5, LUSH

11. Dino tail: £8, Dunelm*

12. Socks: £7.90, JW Anderson x Uniqlo

13. Tree decoration: £10, Damson Madder at Anthropologie*

14. Kimchi mayo: £6.50, Delli Market

15. Earrings: £10, Accessorize*

16. Cushion cover: £9.99, H&M*

1. Earmuffs: £14, Rockahula

2. Body butter: £20, Soapsmith

3. Rechargeable lamp: £20,Dunelm*

4. Beanie: £19.90, JW Anderson x Uniqlo*

5. Rumi: Food of Middle Eastern appearance cookbook: £18.99, Anthropologie*

6. 18k gold-plated earrings: £20, Orelia*

7. Happy Face moisturiser: £16.50 (members price), Beauty Pie*

8. VHS tree decoration: £19.99, Cissy Wears

9. Art print: £15, Fy!

10. Sausage dog hot water bottle: £20, Next*

11. Dry skin salve: £11.99, Lanolips

12. Wool and mohair hood: £20, Urban Outfitters*

13. Bob Marley and The Wailers music card: £11.99, Yoto*

14. Draught excluder: £16, Dunelm*

That’s it for now! I will work on more gift guides later on in the month (I’m convincing Chris to do a decent affordable men’s one!), in the meantime you can shop the Christmas Hub which will be regularly updated.

If you know someone who’d appreciate these gift guides, please share or pass them on - thank you!

Yoto further Terms and Conditions: 10% discount code (AFF-ALEXS10) for a minimum order £59, not valid with other discounts, UK customers only, valid until 31^st December 2024, one use per customer.