Scrumptious Ideas for Christmas…

Dectree

Presents. Lovely to receive, lovely to wrap, and a nightmare to buy. Especially for your sister who has everything and your Dad who doesn’t want anything. Or your Mum who would faint if you gave her a scrumptiously vintage anything…

So what to do? Short of offering gift vouchers to everyone you know or popping some money in a card?

First ease the burden by doing as much of your gift buying as possible online. Why on earth would you do anything else?? Ok so I am as gullible as the next girl to the festive atmosphere in the shops. I want my toes crushed, and I like standing in mile long queues because it makes me feel Christmassy: but it is, let’s face it, nothing short of ludicrous when the range of stores online is better than ever, and it means you can do all your scrumptious shopping sitting in your jarmies, with Bing singing a melody in the background and a glass of mulled wine at your side. Before you know it all that nasty shopping will be done and dusted and you will have the time and energy to devote to all the delicious puttery opportunities, this time of year presents…

Yes, I understand the range of shops online is bewildering, but given a little time you could make this the Christmas you spend a whole lot less, and yet give gifts that thrill the recipient, because you didn’t grab them another pair of socks in the heat and the crush, nor spend a fortune before you fainted, just so you had something to show for your expedition into hell…

Oh and to top it all, your doorbell will be ringing with postmen bringing delicious parcels, and if you are anything like me, that’s a thrill in itself…

So what to buy? Well you know best, but here are a few ideas to get you started…

1. Etsy.com: There is something so scrumptiously personal about choosing and buying your gifts straight from the hands that make them, and Etsy showcases some of the most wonderful craft-based gifts on the net…

2. Gifts of Life from World Concern: If the thought of all that money going to waste on another useless gift makes you feel ill and you are certain that the recipient won’t hold it against you, then choosing a gift on their behalf from the World Concern catalogue is a way to benefit needy families by providing them with a a goat, hens, pig’s or indeed a school scholarship, that will make all the difference to their future…

3. Magazine Subscriptions: The gift that lasts all year. In my eyes there is no better gift than one that lands on their doorstep month after month and subsciptions online are shockingly affordable…

**For example, this month on Amazon, Country Living costs just $12.00 ($1.00 an issue!!) and if you buy from Amazon they will give you a $5.00 gift certificate free, which means that a twelve month subscription costs just $7.00 and is scrumptiously worth so much more in terms of pure inspiration… **

4. Surprise them in the run up to Christmas with something gorgeously festive for their garden, like a wreath or titchy little bay tree. Or arrange to have flowers delivered on Christmas Eve, because there is nothing more scrumptiously festive than flowers…

5. Have calling cards, blog card’s (yep there is such a thing!) or notecards personalised for them.

Notecards

Ten of these pretty toile de jouy notecards, personalised with the name of your choice cost just £5.99 at VistaPrint.co.uk. and printing shops online the world over.

6. Choose your fabric, add a slogan, name or icon and apply it to all manner of scrumptious housekeeping items at Rosa Blue. Divine, divine, divine…