The Ultimate Christmas Gift Guide

Our Christmas Gift Guide 2014 is here, allowing you to take the risk out of shopping online.

We’ll be bringing you the best products which have been tried and tested, with rave reviews, to help you with those tough festive decisions.

We want to help you give fabulous gifts to your friends and family, so we’ve only chosen the very best gifts to fit the bill!

Gifts for the Ladies

1. Love me Beauty Box

Newly launched Love Me Beauty offers a unique service whereby each member has their own personal beauty expert to source and recommend products to trial that fit their individual requirements every month. Members can then create their own beauty box, all for only £10 + PP. Personalised and tailored to you, the products you will receive will be hand picked for your skin type, hair colour, eye colour etc.

The products were absolutely beautiful to use and were of an extremely high quality. Another bonus with the Love Me Beauty Box is that you won’t have hundreds of products laying around. As soon as you have tested the goodies in your box you can decide whether they are right for you, and there you have it, your own personal beauty counter sent to you each and every month. Find the Boxes here

 

2. Rollasole

I’m sure we have all been there after one too many G&T’s, our feet are in agony and we end up hobbling home looking like we have been climbing Everest, however, thanks to these snazzy, yet comfortable and above all portable flats, your feet no longer have to suffer!

Rollasole is a revolutionary roll-up design meaning you can neatly carry an emergency pair with you wherever you go.Fold-up shoes, roll-up shoes, flirtatious flats or pretty ballet pumps. They were incredibly comfortable and took up hardly any room in my handbag, making them an absolute must if you’re going out on the tiles, or even if you have a mammoth shopping trip planned. You can find them here

3. Bee Good

The Bee Good ‘Bee Pampered’ gift set makes the perfect gift for the hard-to-please aunts, teachers that deserve a big ‘thank-you’, eco conscious beauty junkies, keen gardeners and last but not least the ‘don’t worry about me’ mums.

The gift set comes with a super-rich, multi-purpose Honey, Borage & Echium Intensive Hand Repair, deeply nourishing, their Vanilla & Honey Lip Balm and an extra special sweet treat from the Little Bee Bakery, this limited edition gift set makes the perfect treasure under the tree, special stocking filler or even a surprise secret Santa! Find out more here

4. Victoria Green Blossom Print Bag

Victoria Green is a British textile and home product designer with over 20 years experience having designed for some of the high street’s biggest brands(Laura Ashley, The White Company, Heal’s and M&S). The beauty bags are available exclusively at debenhams and come in a range of patterns and designs.

We tested out the hanging bag design and we were impressed with how well laid out the bag was, you can fit quite a few products in without too much hassle, the design is beautiful and above all the bags are incredibly functional, especially if you travel or even if you’re planning on staying with family over the festive period. Find out more here

 

 

5. Paul Frank at Boots Sox Box

These funky socks feature a dark pink and yellow striped design with the signature Paul Frank monkey on. They come in a reusable colourful metal tin with clear top window, perfect for storing trinkets in, another plus point is the fact that one size fits all.

The socks were comfortable and with their fabulous colours make the perfect gift for anyone. Find out more here

5. Paul Frank at Boots Monkey Business Beauty Bag

This truly is an adorable Christmas gift. This vibrant pink bag is  decorated with the iconic Paul Frank monkey. Inside, you’ll find a red nail polish, yummy lip balm and cool badge mirror, making it the perfect gift for the beauty obsessives 🙂

The bag was just the right size and all of the products were of a high quality. Find out more here

 Gifts for Music Lovers

1.  Albumcards

Albumcards do exactly what they say, they provide you with a fantastic album with a card you can personalise. These make perfect gifts for the tweens, your mum, dad or even a friend or family member serving overseas.

Albumcards makes choosing and sending a gift so incredibly easy, there are just 3 simple steps to the perfect gift you can personalise. 1. Pick (the album you want to send), 2. Personalise (your greetings card) and 3. Post (to arrive on the exact day you choose). Even better, order your albumcard before 2pm and it can be delivered the next day.

They were incredibly simple to redeem and the album can be downloaded to any device from smartphones to your laptop. Find out more here 

Gifts for the Gamers

1. Monster MVP Headphones

Gaming is no longer just a past time for 16 year old boys, people of all ages are jumping on the bandwagon and for good reason too!

Part of the reason gaming has spread like wildfire has to be down to the technological advances of not only gameplay but the sound quality as well. Years ago you would have got the bod standard headset and been happy with it, but now there are hundreds of options available on the market.

We tested out the MVP headphones, which were created by Monster and gaming giant EA, the sound is fantastic, which enables you to truly feel as though you’re part of the game, they can be used with the majority of consoles (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii and PC), they are quite light and above all comfortable. Find out more here

Gifts for the Health Conscious

1. Toe Sox, Toe Sox Leg Warmers

ToeSox are perfect for any type of activity as the unique five-toe design allows the entire foot to perform naturally, encouraging the toes to separate and activate the muscles in the feet. It increases dexterity, tactile sensitivity and awareness during any activity. ToeSox helps strengthen the muscles in your feet allowing for better circulation, balance and posture. ToeSox are hygienic and practical, keeping your feet warm during normal barefoot activities, whilst preventing you from slipping.

The Toesox were very comfortable and the grip on the bottom made them the perfect match for the yoga mat (below). The leg warmers were also very comfortable and were of high quality. Find out more here

2. Fitness Mad Yoga Mat

Fitness-Mad have just launched a new yoga mat which has been designed by wallpaper and fabric designer Rapture and Wright.

The unique mats feature two different designs. The Aurora, which showcases in purple or graphite, and the Madaket which comes in hot pink or blue.

The mat we tested out was of high quality and very comfortable when in the throws of yoga 🙂 Some mats can be very thin and make yoga almost impossible, but this mat had a nice spring to it, it also ‘stuck’ to the ground very well, so there were no yoga slips. Find out more here

3. Braun Blood Pressure Monitor

Living in a society where a real emphasis is placed upon health is no bad thing, this coupled with the marvels of technology gives us a real chance at taking care of some of our health issues in the comfort of our own home. Now we’re not saying you should start performing open heart surgery on yourself, but there are some real nifty gadgets that can help you with certain health concerns.

The Braun blood pressure monitor does just that, you can check your blood pressure from the comfort of your living room chair, the beauty of this machine is that it is light, easy to use and incredibly accurate. Find out more here

Gifts that Make You Feel Good

1. Crisis Reindeer T-shirt

A lovely festive t-shirt that is comfortable and easy to wear, with the added benefit of making you feel good, while you’re donating to an extremely worthwhile charity. The beautiful bright yellow certainly makes a statement 🙂 Find out more here

Gifts for the Children

1. The Dandy Kid Hair Clips

There’s everything from on-trend graphic wintery prints by Finnish brand Papu Stories, beautiful print scarves by Sarah Elwick and Tootsa MacGinty’s fun neon knits through to nutty squirrels, happy posters for little one’s bedrooms and stylish indoor tents for both children and their toys!

These hair clips did not disappoint! They were incredibly pretty and are very durable, which is a bonus, espeically when you have a very active toddler 🙂 The bows were very well attached to the actual clip, which also looked very sturdy. They make the perfect stocking filler for any little princess. Find out more here

2. Cuddledry Baby apron Towel

Cuddledry are the makers of the award winning baby apron towel (as seen on Dragon’s Den) and they have launched an absolutely adorable Christmas edition for toddlers, which are not only perfect for bath time but for gallivanting around the Christmas tree and sparking their little imaginations.

The Cuddledry baby apron towel was so incredibly soft, the colours were beautiful and they really seemed to dry our little one well, it also turned bath time into quite an experience. They really do add something special to a normally fraught bath time. Find out more here

3. Box Upon a Time

Box Upon a Time is an innovative subscription box service offering parents a brand new personal shopping experience. This unique concept allows parents of children aged 0-3 to receive a monthly or quarterly box of stylish clothing tailored specifically for their child which has been hand-picked by an experienced personal stylist and delivered direct to their door.

The box arrived in the most delicate yet beautiful packaging and the products we received were high quality, stunning items that were very well received in our household. There was quite a good selection, not like some of the subscription boxes that include a handful of random items! The items in the box had clearly been picked with care, which really sets Box Upon a Time apart from the rest of the pack. Find out more here 

4. Inch Blue Fairy Princess Shoes

In a world of mass produced goods Inch Blue is an oasis for lovers of originality, quality and fun design. They create delightful leather shoes for little princesses, fit for any occasion. Inch Blue are a family run business with 3 kids, a dog, a cat and bees.  They’re based in South Wales on the edge of the Brecon Beacons.

The shoes were absolutely delightful! Well made and beautifully designed, they would be perfect for a special occasion, or even for every day wear. Find out more here

5. My Little Day – Princess Party Supplies

My Little Day, online since May 2010, is the first on-line boutique dedicated to children’s birthdays that sells only non-branded products.

If you’re lucky enough to have planned a child’s birthday party, you will know the importance of good party supplies, thankfully My Little day have taken care of things, they have a wonderful range of party items for every prince and princess to enjoy. Find out more here

6. ABC Zone – ChillFactor Squeeze Cup Slushy Maker Colour Blast

The ChillFactor Squeeze Cup Slushy Maker  is a unique slushy maker which allows you to make delicious slushies’ in seconds. No ice, no blenders, no mess! So easy to use all you have to do is put in the freezer, wait to freeze then add your preferred chilled drink and squeeze!

I’m sure we all remember slushies as a child and there is nothing better than being able to make your own at home without any nasty additives. The cup arrived and the first thing we noticed was the absolutely fabulous colour! It was incredibly easy to use and went down a treat in our house. Find out more here

Gifts for the Teens

1. Sims 4 PC Game

The Sims 4 is the newest edition to the life simulation series allowing gamers to create their own character, then train them, introduce them to new friends, managing their world top to bottom.  Swimming Pools, Star Wars outfits and Ghosts have all been added to the game making it the best edition yet.

The Sims franchise is one of the most popular and for good reason too, it is a game that can be played by all ages. Find out more here

Gifts for the Men

1. Maui Jim Sunglasses

Maui Jim is offering sunglasses with an edgy style which makes a practical item one that completes an outfit and makes the special fella in your life look and feel amazing. In-depth research has gone into the development of each pair in terms of user experience and fashion-friendly design. For someone who is outdoors a lot of who just loves to look fabulous these are a must-have.

That rounds it up for our Ultimate Christmas Gift guide this year, we hope that you enjoyed looking at all of the lovely presents for all members of the family. We also hope that you and your family have a very Merry Christmas 🙂