Last Minute Gift Guide!

I can’t believe we’ve got less than a week until Christmas! After thinking about it back in October and thinking I had plenty of time to get organised, all of a sudden it’s crept up on me and I’m trying to make sure I’ve got those last minute gifts for family and friends.

If you’re like me and need a bit of last minute inspiration, I’ve put together some ideas for everyone you could possibly think of. I hope it helps!

Gifts for those special ladies

Whether it’s your Mum, sister, girlfriend, best friend or work colleague that you need to buy for, there should be something here for everyone.

For the lady who likes a bit of pampering, top left is a Bomb Cosmetics Candy Land Gift Pack at a very reasonable £12.99. Below this is one of my favourite products, an Animal Tangle Teezer from Topshop (£12.25). It really does tease those knots out of your hair without pulling and hurting! I always like to receive books for Christmas, and there are plenty to choose from out there this year. One I’m looking forward to reading is Amanda Holden 'No Holding Back', which is a bargain at only £9 from Tesco. You can’t go through Christmas without treating someone to a piece of jewellery, and Pandora has some beautiful pieces this season, including this Snow Globe Charm for £45. Getting a lovely beauty gift is always special at Christmas, as it gives you lots of new things to try for all those New Year’s Eve parties you’ve been invited to, and you can’t go wrong with a Benefit Love at First Shine Gift Set, £19.50 from Debenhams. Something that always excites me during the festive period is all the fragrance gift sets that adorn the shelves. One of my favourite perfumes of the last year is Honey by Marc Jacobs who have a beautifully packaged gift set for £39.50 at Boots. I’m a big fan of GHD products for making my hair look party ready, and when I saw this GHD Pink Diamond Styler at ASOS for £135 I squealed a bit – GHD straighteners in pink – who could want more!? Lastly, it wouldn’t be Christmas without a celebrity exercise DVD, but this year I’ve found something a little different. Miranda Hart's Maracattack, £9.99 at Amazon, is a must have gift for anyone you know who is a fan of her show. What better way to work off those mince pies than with some comedy exercise incorporating a pair of maracas!

For the man in your life

Are you stuck for ideas for what to buy your boyfriend, husband or brother? I know they’re not always the easiest to buy for, but I’ve found a few things that I’m sure they’ll be happy to find under the tree this year.

It can be hard to know what fragrance to buy a man if you don’t know their favourite, but I’ve found that Calvin Klein Euphoria seems to suit a wide range of my friends and family. Boots are selling it in a gift set for £43.50. Instead of the usual pair of socks this year, why not go for something slightly different and buy him a pair of Where's Wally Christmas Trunks for £7 from Tesco! If you’re looking to boost his ego a bit, this Mr Perfect Mug is a steal from Tesco at only £5. They do a whole range of Mr Men mugs, so if Mr Perfect doesn’t quite fit, there’s always Mr Messy and Mr Grumpy there too! If your man enjoys reading and is a fan of David Jason, his autobiography has been released recently, and is only £9 from Tesco. Finally, you can’t beat a pair of novelty slippers at this time of year, and I’ve found these New Look Zombie Slippers for £14.99 from ASOS to keep his feet nice and toasty.

Teenagers

If you’re buying for a teenager, you’ll probably have been given a list as long as your arm full of gadgets and designer clothing! But sometimes it’s more fun to go off list and buy them something they might not be expecting.

This ASOS iPhone 5 Jelly Monster Case is a great way for them to jazz up their phone, and at £8 it won’t break the bank either. I’m yet to find a teenage boy who doesn’t own a games console, so the Blue Inflatable Gaming Chair, £20 from Debenhams would be a great addition to their gaming set-up, and will probably make a comfortable seating option for when friends come round too. Onesies are big news at the moment, especially in the teen population, and this New Look Heart Hologram Onesie for £22.99 at ASOS would be great to snuggle up in on Christmas Day Evening. One Direction have taken the world by storm since their appearance on X-Factor, and I know this Where We Are Book is on my teenage sister’s Christmas list. Tesco are currently selling it for £7, so you can pick one up when you do your grocery shopping. I always think it’s important to promote creativity in young people, so a couple of things to add to their stocking could be the ASOS Nail Art Gem Wheel (£4) and the ASOS Neon UV T-Shirt Graffiti for £6. You can pick plain white t-shirts up for a couple of pounds from shops like Primark, so stock up on a few and your teen will have hours of fun creating new designs!

Don’t forget the little ones!

In my experience, children aren’t usually too difficult to buy for, and you don’t need to spend a fortune for their little faces to light up. I’ve found a range of items that have taken me right back to my childhood again!

One of the best presents I ever remember opening at Christmas was a Sylvanian House for my ever-expanding Sylvanian collection. It spent the next however many years in pride of place in my bedroom, before being passed down to my sisters, and I was very sad to see it go a few years ago. So, when I found this Sylvanian Families Camper Van for £30.80 in Debenhams, it made the top of this list! Books are so important to share with children and I have many happy memories of my parents reading me Winnie the Pooh bedtime stories. This Winnie the Pooh Tales of Friendship Treasury, £9.09 from Debenhams, would be a beautiful addition to their bookshelf, with plenty of bedtime reading for both young and not so young! Furbys first made an appearance when I was about 8 or 9, and I remember my brother and I receiving them for Christmas, then spending hours trying to teach them to talk. This year they’ve made a comeback, with a rather funky make-over. They are now known as a Furby Boom and in Tesco they are being sold for a whopping £54.99 – I’m sure when I had a Furby it cost about £20, but I’m guessing this regeneration is all singing and all dancing! One of my favourite childhood films is Matilda – I read the book numerous times and was then addicted to watching the movie whenever I possibly could. So I couldn’t compile a Kids Gift Guide without including the Matilda DVD only £3.75 from Tesco. Christmas isn’t complete without an annual – we used to get one every year, whether it was a Brownie, Scout or our favourite cartoon character. Obviously every child has different interests and there are hundreds of choices out there, but I thought this Tesco Disney Holiday Annual for £3.85, would appeal to most children. I wanted to round this list up with a novelty item, and couldn’t get over the cuteness of these Tesco Reindeer Bootie Slippers, ranging from £5/6 depending on size. Perhaps an idea for an early Christmas present, so the little ones can keep their toes nice and toasty on Christmas Eve?

Stocking Fillers

If Santa is looking for some last minute ideas for those special Christmas Eve prezzies, look no further than here!

I don’t think any stocking is complete without some good old chocolate coins. They’re available in practically every store you walk in, but I found these ones for £1 in John Lewis. I like to treat myself to a festive bath bomb each year, and this Bomb Cosmetics Chilly Millie Bath Blaster, £2.29, will fit nicely in the toe of a stocking. It’s always fun to find a few novelty gifts nestled amongst your stocking presents, so these Topshop Dress Up Christmas Magnets (£8) and this John Lewis Pass the Christmas Pud Game for £15.99 make a great addition. After stuffing yourself with turkey and Christmas Pudding, and settling down on the sofa to watch some festive films, it’s nice to fill the house with Christmas aromas. Nothing says Christmas more than the smell of freshly baked gingerbread, so treat that special someone to a Bomb Cosmetics Gingerbread Cookies Candle for £6.99. To round up this gift list, I thought I’d include one of these gorgeous Topshop Hotties for what I think is an absolute bargain price of only £8. I can’t think of anything better than snuggling into bed after a jam-packed festive day with one of these cuties to cuddle.

Have you finished all your Christmas shopping, or are you still on the look out for the perfect gift?