Christmas Gift Ideas 2021

I wasn't going to do one this year but there are lots of things I keep seeing and thought maybe it would help those of you who are stuck for ideas. 

Blue Bowl - as always I do a lot of my shopping for here as I can usually find something for everyone. This year I've gone for a glug jug for my mother in law and I always get some hexagon earrings for someone. 

Zoeva Brushes - these are some of my favourites (though I haven't used the whole range) and there are some great deals on sets at the moment and my go-to for contouring or foundation on my clients is the 110 Face Shape - I must have at least 5!

Atticus, Beetle & Bop - my own online stationery shop I started in lockdown and have yet to mention on here which seems a bit silly but if you need some stocking fillers, a puzzle or lovely matches (which make a fantastic house gift!) then go and have a look. 

Nkuku - I always seem to find something either I want (always useful if you find you get asked what you want and have a mind blank!) or great presents for my family. The things I've got from here have been fantastic quality. 

Fraser & Parsley - I love this brand, they are just a joy to follow on social media and their products are beautiful. I would love the Five Year Christmas Planner as I'm always so chaotic at this time of year and it would make a fantastic gift but I've also had my eye on the Meal Planners for ages. Try as I might to use my phone for things I still find my brain works better when I put pen to paper. 

Ruby & Dot - one of my favourite small brands that I've discovered this year. I have my eye on the black sweater with gold eye jumper (because it has lightning bolts of course) 

Fizz Goes Pop - another great small business and I spent a lot of time nearly buying myself these lovely lighting hoops (in green thanks!) 

Spacemasks - I get these for everyone every year as they are not just an eye mask they are a ticket to some relaxation. Lie or sit down and give yourself a 10 minute break. That's what these say. 

Christmas Gift Guide 2020 - Jewellery and Accessories

 

I think this year especially it's love to send something thoughtful in the post but it can be tricky choosing clothes for people. Jewellery and accessories can be a great option and the majority of people listed below I have bought from and offer fantastic customer services to help you track down the perfect gift. 

Blue Bowl Silk Clutch - these are beautiful, bright and unusual. I can't decide between yellow or turquoise and red. 

Marloe - I really love these zip bags. Good for keeping all your stuff in, for me pens, notebooks and glasses in a dark blue with pink writing. For kids to keep their lego or homework bits in. Makes a great present for a godchild or niece/nephew

Black and Beech knits - i particularly like the forest green and french rose scarf it's spectacular 

Hexagon earrings - I have and love these. Light and easy to wear they are enough dangle to be fun but not annoying and they go with everything. 

Chambers & Beau - I love this jewellry and have been eyeing up the glasses chain for ages 

Sharkie & Bear - beautiful, fun earrings made in the UK from cork. Lightweight and easy to wear these make great stocking fillers too. 

House of Evergreen - I'm always wearing something from Katie and these are chunky and usual. The canvas bag strap is also fantastic and easy to send in the post. 

Sofianni - stunning unique jewellery designed and made by Maria. She does beautiful commissions and I have my eye on her beautiful hoops with dangling discs. 

Yala Jewellery - beautifully designed African jewellery. Ethical and eco-friendly - I really love these bangles. 

Christmas Gift Guide 2020 - Stationery

Would it be complete with out a stationery option? Stationery is a great gift, it doesn't involve commitment, and is always useful. 

• 
  Atticus, Beetle & Bop - my own stationery shop, so I'm just getting going but I have some great stocking fillers ready to go. 
• Penfax and co - there's loads to choose from here and it's a great place to go for fountain pens. They also do these fantastic poker dice for the poker player in your life. 
• Craft scissors - these have been on my Christmas list for ages, yes you could do all your Christmas shopping on Blue Bowl but for stationery lovers, journallers and planner addicts these scissors are The One. 
• Portfolio - a forest green one of these will be a treat to myself when I hit a goal. I'm not sure what that goal is yet but one of these will be mine. 
• Cable tidy - I love the beetle one of these - great for those of use who are forever losing chargers and headphones. 
• Blue Bowl Notebooks - my favourite notebooks. Plain paper, beautiful design and my two favourite sizes.
• Paperweights - these are stunning and I spend a lot of time deciding which I want. I think Carnival Zebra is the winner but there is something for everyone and with lots of people now working in home offices this is a lovely cheering addition to any desk. 
  

Christmas Gift Ideas (Books)

I love books and they make fantastic presents for all ages. Whether you are going to stay with someone and need to take something or are posting something to a niece or nephew, hopefully I've got it covered.

Agatha Christie - you know I'm a huge Agatha Christie fan and there are three gorgeous new editions out this Christmas. The ABC Murders, 4.50 from Paddington (my favourite of the three) and The Mystery of the Blue Train - all great reads and I really love the new colours. How I wish I could have them.

Blind Date with a Book Club - this is such a fantastic idea - choose the genre's and every month for 6 months you get a book sent to you or you can choose one book based on it's five line sentence. I personally love the sound of the Last Christmas selection.

Blue Bowl - not only my favourite place for presents in general but a great selection of unusual books for grown-ups and children. My eldest (6) loves Smart about Sharks and I'm going to get the middle one Bonkers about Beetles (his nickname is Beetle) and I love the Dahlov Ipcar books too. For grown-up's this is Florence's latest pick.

The Home Bar - a great book (dare I say it?) for men. My husband really loves this book and it looks beautiful.

The Nancy Mitford Collection - from Heywood Hill (where she once worked) this is a beautiful collection of five Nancy Mitford paperbacks in a beautiful box.

Penguin Classics - Waterstones are doing beautiful hardback editions. You can get someone their favourite book or if you have a baby why not get the A Christmas Carol - we got one (in not such a beaut edition) for Ned for his first Christmas and we read it to him at this time every year and it's so lovely.

Small Print Books - a really fantastic independent book shop that has an incredible selection of unusual books for children.

Timeless; A Century of Iconic Looks - Louise Young is the make-up artist when it comes to historical accuracy and I'm so happy to have this book with me when I go on shoots. Not only is it great for make-up artists but a wonderful read for those interested in cosmetics and hair through the ages.

Christmas Gift Ideas

Of course there is a beauty guide on it's way but for all those non-beauty bits there's this. Everything is in alphabetical order except for the first one because it's the most important.

Choose Love - buy things for people who have been forced to flee their homes with nothing. From children's coats, blankets and nappies, to hot meals, hot showers and tents. The Mother & Baby bundle is a food, clothes and hygiene pack for a mother raising her baby in a refugee camp. You can even get someone medical care. I often get cross with people who make me feel that what I do is a frivolous thing for women with no brains (it isn't) but compared to what these people are going through it is even having a bath is a total luxury. I'm thinking about every little thing I buy this year and where I can, I'm cutting back to get from here instead.

Beeswax Wraps - the ultimate stocking filler or present for someone you just don't know that well. Everyone I know got these last year. A clingfilm replacement that is easy to wrap, easy to post and is a small UK based company. There's nothing about this I don't love.

Black Dragon Press - I love my Agatha Christie prints from here - they look fantastic.

Blue Bowl - always my first port of call for any present and at Christmas I find I can usually do the majority of my presents here. From stocking fillers (these tassel earrings are beautiful and there's beard balm for your hairier other half) to kids stuff via really unusual things in between. The stationary is out of this world (we all know I can't resist a notebook) and this drum charm is stunning. Everything is carefully curated and thought about - the zip bags are handmade with vintage fabrics - I adore this jungle print.

Christmas Gift Ideas for Children

This one was really popular last year - kids are hard to buy for especially if you are trying to avoid the plastic tat route! If you have godchildren, nieces and nephews or any littlies to buy for that aren't yours it can be hard to know where to start. Well you can start here...

Christmas Gift Ideas - Books

As some of you will know I used to work in publishing and so I am very much a fan of giving and receiving books. Though this has got me into trouble - I am currently desperately finding places in my already-full house to put yet another bookshelf - its an addiction I just can't seem to give up. My Amazon wishlist has got to be one of their longest.

A good cookbook or coffee table book makes a great house gift if you are going to stay with unfamiliars this Christmas. There are some great kids books in there too.

Agatha Chrisie - of course I think my favourite author should be given to everyone. If you can track down the little hardbacks they look amazing on your shelves. My recommendations are - Mrs McGinty’s Dead, Five Little Pigs and Sleeping Murder. There is an absolutely stunning illustrated edition of Murder on the Orient Express: Illustrated Edition film tie-in that is beautiful to look at let alone read.

Christmas Gift Ideas for Grown-ups

In my notes I've called this 'Present's for Grown-ups' because it's so hard to divide everything into categories all the time and it's not like when you are Christmas shopping you go 'Oh well I'll just buy for the men I know today, women can be next week'. These can be actual presents, stocking fillers or presents for those tricky-to-buy-for friends of the family who may spend some of the festive time with you. Also some great suggestions for house gifts if you are going to stay with people and want to avoid the usual wine/chocolate/panetone.

Beeswax Wraps - I love these. I love them so much that they sent me some to say thank you for a review and I immediately went online and bought some for friends. If I could be bothered I'd find the timing that I Instagrammed my excitement at the post and then the receipt of my purchase. There's an hour in it max. Anyway, I love all of these and we use our Medium Kitchen Pack all the time and you can read my full review here. Any of these packs would make a really unusual house gift and I like Cheese pack but as a stocking filler the 1 Medium and 1 Small wraps would be great and men who have fires will love the Bee Bombs (a useful present that doesn't clutter up the house... who doesn't
want that?)

Christmas Gift Guide for Kids 0-10

For a while it was really hard to find decent, not-too-expensive, gifts and stocking fillers for children but thanks to shops like Flying Tiger this seems to be improving. Some of these presents would work as gifts for other peoples children, stocking fillers or presents for your own squad but rather than dividing into categories I've listed them alphabetically. I will be posting books separately so keep an eye out.

I know that most people say babies don't need stockings but if there are second, third, fourth children then how are you going to explain to the older ones that santa didn't bother with the baby? My tip is to fill the babies stocking with stuff it needs anyway - teethers, vests, Ella's pouches, weaning stuff can all go in.

A quarter of - yes sweets are bad but with Christmas being such a time of consumerism children are often overloaded with presents and actually are just as happy with a box of illicit sweeties. A Quarter Of is the place to go. Not just for kids their bags of friendship rings got me through the last pregnancy.

Animal Antics Ride on Dino - We all know a dinosaur lover and this is perfect for them. It's dressing up but with a little less faff. My nephews would go crazy for this. And they also do unicorns!

Biscuit cutters - I don't know why but I seem to have a bit of an addiction to these. The right cutter brings such simple pleasure and these are a great stocking filler.

Christmas Gift Bags

If you have girl friends that you buy Christmas and birthday presents for every year it can be hard to come up with ideas and it can get very expensive. I always love the idea of putting together goodie bags (or hampers) for friends which include lots of lovely little treats and if you are clever you can do lots of friends at once and not break the bank. I've come up with a lovely goodie bag, some ideas of what to go in it and then some budget options to help you out.

Anchovy and Goats Cheese Puffs

I make these alongside my chorizo and parmesan puffs they are great to assemble beforehand and chill or freeze.

Anchovy and Goats Cheese Puffs

Makes 16-20 squares

I jar of anchovies (approx 60g drained weight)
30g soft goats cheese
350g pre-rolled puff pastry
garlic oil
1 egg, beaten

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. I use disposable foil baking trays to make these - if you are having a party it's easier to throw these away after use rather than add to the washing up.

1. Lay the pastry out in a rectangle and baste the outside edges with beaten egg.

2. Brush the rest of the pastry with garlic oil and draw a line down the middle of the pastry so it looks like an open book.

3. On one side of the pastry dot the anchovy and bits of goats cheese and grind some black pepper over the top.

4. Fold over the other half of the pastry over the top of the anchovy and goats cheese and press down the edges.

5. Brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg and then chill, freeze or cook in the pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes until it's golden on top.

6. Cut into small bite-sized squares and serve.

Chorizo and Parmesan Puffs

Every year we have a Christmas drinks party and every year I try to make enough canapes to sink a ship. This year I had my hands fuller than usual so I wanted to do as many things as possible ahead of time and these are incredibly easy to assemble and can sit in a disposable foil tray in the fridge until you are ready to cook them - I also do an anchovy and goats cheese version.

Chorizo and Parmesan Puffs

Makes 16-20 squares

350g pre-rolled puff pastry sheets
6 tbsp grated Parmesan
20 slices chorizo
1 egg, beaten
garlic oil

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. I use disposable foil trays for this so I can throw them out when they are cooked and because they are easy to stack in the fridge.

1. Lay the pastry out in a rectangle (or roll it out into a rectangle if you haven't got the pre-rolled stuff). Brush with beaten egg all around the outside edges.

2. Brush the middle of the pastry rectangle with garlic oil and gently draw a line down the centre of the pastry top to bottom so it looks like an open book.

3. Layer half of the chorizo along one half of the pasty and sprinkle with half the Parmesan. Then do a second layer with the remaining chorizo and sprinkle with the rest of the Parmesan.

4. Fold the empty half of the pasty over the top of the chorizo and Parmesan layers (like you are closing a book) and press down the edges.

5. Brush the top with beaten egg - you can either chill or freeze it now - or cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

6. Slice into small bite-sized squares and serve.

Give a Christmas Gift from John Lewis

I'm an old softy about Christmas, even more so since I've had my son, and I'm hugely aware that while I'm sitting fatly on my sofa with my family in the warm on Christmas Day there will be a lot of people not having such a nice time.

So I was really pleased to see that you can buy presents for children in refuges via John Lewis - I know things are pretty tight money-wise for a lot of people at the moment but I figured that my son wouldn't miss one or two presents that would make another less fortunate child happy. DO IT - it's simple.

• Go to johnlewis.com/giftlist.com
• Click on 'Buy a Gift'
• Type in list number 564013
• Buy a gift - they start at £5 so it's really not going to break the bank and will make a big different to someones Christmas.  

Pepparkakor

Now it would have been sensible to post this before Christmas as they are the most festive biscuit ever invented but as you may know I'm a complete Christmas obsessive and I got completely swept away by it all and didn't get round to writing these up. However, I have been crisping the leftover ones up in the oven and they're are very cheering at this depressing time of year so if you fancy a bake why not try these? Pepparkakor are the Swedish version of ginger biscuits and they are out of this world - this is a recipe from one of my mother's old Swedish cookbooks.

Pepparkakor

Makes a lot - probably 80ish biscuits

500g butter
500g sugar
2 tbsp syrup
1/2 tbsp ginger
2 tbsp ground cloves
2 tbsp cinammon
2 eggs
1kg flour
2 tbsp bicarbonate of soda

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/390F. You will need some lined baking sheets so you can do these in batches. You can use any shape cutter you like - I use a large and small star and a large heart for these. You can ice these or just sprinkle with icing sugar. The dough keeps for ages in the fridge and and if these biscuits go soggy a couple of minutes in the oven will crisp them right up.

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the sugar, syrup, ginger, cloves and cinnamon.

2. Let it cool and then add the eggs, flour and bicarbonate of soda.

3. Roll out the dough as thin as you can and cut into shapes.

Uncooked biscuits on baking sheet

4. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

Finished biscuits on cooling rack

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

I love making canapes for parties. I often love it more than the party itself but, not having a sweet tooth, I sometimes feel like I let the side down rather when it comes to the non-savoury goodies. In fact, I never have any. This year whilst making mince pies I decided to push the boat out and attempt a festive sweet treat. I flicked through Nigella's Christmas - which I had been quite dismissive of until recently - and decided on trying out her Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, mostly because Joe was practically licking the picture which is usually a good sign.

They were really easy to make, looked lovely and festive and went down a storm so here it is

NIGELLA LAWSON'S CHOCOLATE PEANUT-BUTTER CUPS
Makes approx 45

For the Base:
50g soft dark brown sugar
200g icing sugar
50g soft butter
200g smooth peanut butter

For the Topping:
200g milk chocolate, chopped
100g dark chocolate, chopped
edible gold buttons or stars (I used little balls that I found in the cook shop in Chiswick)

45-50 petit-four paper cases (I used silver ones, Nigella prefers gold)

1. Mix together the brown sugar, icing sugar, butter and peanut butter - you can either do this by hand, in a freestanding mixer or, like me, in the trusty magimix - until you've got a sandy paste.

The sandy peanut-butter mix

2. Using your hands form small 1 tsp discs to go in the bottom of the petit-four cases. Press the sandy mixture as best you can to form a layer at the bottom of each case. I started off a bit nervously with this and found that I had to go back and re-do some as I was being a bit mean!

3. Melt the chocolates gently in a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water (make sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water). You can do this in a microwave if you are brave but I always burn the chocolate.

4. Stir the melted chocolates together and allow to cool a little and then spoon 1 tsp into each of the petit-four case covering the peanut-butter base. I found that I only just had enough to go round so I made 45 instead of Nigella's 48-50 but you can always whizz up some more chocolate so it's not a disaster if you do runout.

5. Decorate with your edible gold button or star or whatever of choice. Put in the fridge to set for 30 minutes or so before serving.

You can make these two days ahead and keep, loosely covered in a cool place. I made them on the day and although they were still yummy a couple of days after the chocolate was quite hard from being in the fridge. I was surprised at how easy and satisfying these were to make - minimum fuss, maximum result. Highly recommended.

Festive Gush

I try not to just randomly gush on my blogs but really I have to be allowed just a little one. As usual weedling my mother's Christmas present request from her was like pulling teeth - she always wants a macaroni necklace or a tin foil card even though I'm 27 and not the creative daughter (to be fair from my sister she'd expect a fusili necklace with glitter and a card that involved cutting in a straight line). This year I persuaded her that she wanted the non-rotating Babyliss Big Hair that I've wanted for some time. Decision made. This immediately means that it is IMPOSSIBLE to get. You can get the rotating one that everyone says is crap but not the reasonably priced mum-friendly non-rotator.

Soooo... finally last week she decided that she'd like two large breakfast cups but wasn't sure what sort. It turns out that it's probably easier to get a unicorn than it is to get a nice breakfast cup. Eventually we settled on ones from Burleigh which are trusty and lovely and match a cow creamer she has (she LOVES cow creamers... who doesn't to be honest). Great. Ordered them only to have it confirmed that it could take 28 days! Bit horrid not having your presents on the day but did think that it's best to have the right thing rather than anything that arrives on time. Phoned up Burleigh to beg for speed and they said they'd do what they could. Imagine my surprise when two days later a lovely box from them arrives.

Now, there is a slight problem. Instead of the 3/4 pint breakfast cups I ordered I received the 1/3 pint teacups and saucers. Still lovely but not right. This sent me into a spiral of panic - so much so that I actually dreamt about trying to find cups last night. However, one phone call to them and not only was my panic soothed but I was left glowing with pleasure and the urge to say 'well you don't get service like that anymore'. Not only are they going to do their best to get the cups couriered to me as soon as they can they have told me that I can keep the teacups with their compliments as it was their fault for sending them to me. It actually took two or three attempts for them to get this concept through to me. I mean, we have to pay £1.32 every time Joe's dad forwards his post to us. Buy Burleigh everyone it's a wonderful old fashioned shopping experience.

My Mince Pies

Everyone has their own way of doing these - different pastries, different fillings, different family traditions to be followed. I love making mince pies but I don't actually like eating them so I base my recipes on Joe's reaction and therefore have created a recipe that's a bit Delia, a bit Nigella and a bit stolen from my Tante Marie cookery course. I do love the idea of making mini ones with stars on top a la Nigella and everyone else but I just can't be bothered to fork out for a tin that at the moment I'm probably only going to use once a year. I'll add it to my Amazon wishlist and see how much it calls to me. So anyway I make big ones with stars on top (sometimes I make macaroon topping which is a nice change if you are a bit over pied). I also buy my mincemeat - maybe next year I'll make Nigella's cranberry one but what with the hamper this year I think I may be biting off more than I can chew.

MINCE PIES (makes about 24 normal size pies)

240g plain flour
60g vegetable shortening/suet, or lard
60g cold butter
juice of 1 orange (or a couple of satsumas if that's what you have)
pinch of salt

350g mincemeat

milk to stick the lids on
icing sugar to dust

You will need a bun tray or two and I use the trusty magimix to make the pastry because it's quick and I'm lazy. I use a crinkle edged cutter but a plain circle would do just as well if that's what you've got.

1. Put the flour, suet/shortening/lard and small cubes of very cold butter in the freezer for 20 mins. Not quite sure why, Nigella recommends it and it does help make a very nice pastry.

My tuppaware of flour and fat

2. Squeeze the orange juice into a bowl, add the pinch of salt and put in the fridge.

3. After the 20 mins put the flour and fats into the magimix and blitz until it's all crumbly. Then start adding the orange juice whilst pulsing the mixture, stopping just before it comes together. The amount of liquid you use really just depends on the size of the orange. Sometimes I use it all and have to add a bit of chilled water sometimes I don't use all of the juice. You have to do this by eye I'm afraid.

4. Anyway, when it looks like it's about to come together tip it out onto a floured surface and bring it together with your hands and knead it about a bit. Divide into two, make sort of flat discs out of them, cover in clingfilm and put in the fridge for half and hour. Pre-heat the oven to 220C/428F/Gas Mark 7.

5. When you are ready to make the pies roll one of the discs out of a floured surface. This is lovely pastry that's really stretchy so you can afford to roll it quite thin but remember you still need a good vehicle for the heavy mince meat. I usually cut out bottoms and tops at the same time - if I'm doing the star tops - so I know I've got even amounts.

6. Place the cut circles in the bun tray and add a teaspoon on the mincemeat. I'm usually quite slapdash about this sort of thing but I actually think it's quite important to just smooth the mincemeat out a bit with the spoon. This makes the tops stay on better when the mincemeat gets all bubbly whilst cooking. Dab around the edge with some milk - I use my finger - and then place the star  on top pressing down on the ends slightly so the milk sticks them to the pie base (this will inevitably unstick during cooking).

7. Cook for about 10 minutes - I check after 9 and take out when they look right to you.

8. You can make these up to a week ahead and just heat up for 2 mins in a hot oven before serving then sprinkle with a little icing sugar and serve with brandy butter.

They don't look that beautiful but they do look homemade!

Festive Fridge

We're having a sophisticated and grown up drinks party next weekend that will descend into a booze fuelled and ridiculous festive boogie at some stage and I went and stocked my fridge up for it yesterday and realised that nothing makes Joe more excited than me loading the trolley up with 7 packs of butter and nothing makes me happier than seeing this...

Note excess butter, cream and smoked trout