On the 22nd Day of Christmas...

I bought this Gazillion Bubbles Machine £15.99 for my godson on his fourth birthday. He had all his mates in a village hall for a do and this made them go crazy. Honestly, I had no idea. The only downside was a very slippery floor but the nippers were all having too much fun to notice. I can't recommend this toy enough for hours of fun and it can be wheeled out time and time again. Available from Toy's R Us and other large toy stores. 

On the 21st Day of Christmas...

I'm trying to find things that you can also find on the high street now since most of the Christmas postage deadlines are now either upon us or past. How about this Set of 4 Mini Dishes £16.80 by Sophie Conran for Portmeirion. My love affair with this range of crockery and glassware began four years ago when I chose it as my wedding china and I use every piece of it. My mother gave me these bowls last year to further the collection. They are so diddy measuring 3.5cm x 9cm and yet so versatile. I use them when cooking to house prepared ingredients. I have one by the range with rock salt and pepper in it for seasoning cooking. They've been out a parties with snacks in and used at dinner parties for condiments. Made in a style that makes them appear hand thrown they come packaged in Christmas green paper and Sophie Conran's distinctive mint green, spotty boxes, they are a lovely present. In fact, unlike a lot of crockery ranges, most of the items in the range stand by themselves as things of beauty.  I found them on County China & Glass the but range is also available at John Lewis and stockists countrywide. 

On the 20th Day of Christmas...

Here's a nice surprise! I found this Mrs. Beeton Jelly Mould £15.00 in Tesco this afternoon. It's a very decent reproduction of the ceramic traditional Victorian types and comes really nicely packaged. Normally I get a bit fed up with all the big stores doing mass produced wash bags, manicure kits and novelty mug sets for the present desperate at Christmas-time so this was a really refreshing find. I never make jelly but I would love to put this on a shelf in my kitchen along with my collection of traditional stoneware kitchen crocks. I think it would look right at home. Perhaps you know someone similar.

On the 19th Day of Christmas...

It is astounding how quickly children grow up and once they are standing, it's fun to keep track of their progress. My dad used to mark the height of my brother and I on the doorway to the kitchen with a biro. They've just had a refit but those little scratchy marks and dates are still there - a little piece of family history. This Davy Dragon Height Chart £31.00 from Kid's Rooms is a beautifully conceived decoration for the nursery or playroom to help chart their progress. It is made from fabric, attaches like a hanging to the wall and has little fabric picture frames that mark the latest height of each child that you can put a photograph in. Perfect as a christmas, birthday or new baby gift that will last for years. 

On the 18th Day of Christmas...

Only seven more sleeps until the big day now. How exciting! Here is another great man-gift solution though that is not to say that this wouldn't make a fantastic Christmas present for culinary enthusiasts of either gender. This Set of 5 Kitchen Knives & Block £49.00 from Oliver Bonas is a refreshing departure from the traditional wooden job lurking at the back of the counter top bringing 'cutting' edge, almost sculptural design to the fore. Or, alternatively, it just looks damn smart and the perspex block puts pay to that irritating game of hunt the right knife. Particularly when you've got a massive Christmas dinner to prepare. 

On the 17th Day of Christmas...

I'm not normally a fan of giving jewellry. It's so personal and there is so much dross about that it's rare that you find something that your know will genuinely touch the recipient. This is why I was so excited when I found the jewellery range at Highland Angel; an amazing array of simple designs matching multi-coloured pearls with smooth, clean silver charms. There is something in this shop for every woman in your life and for every occasion. I particularly like the idea of the Little Angel Collection as truly meaningful flower girl gifts. The Silver-Grey Pearl Bracelet with Initial & Star Charm £34.00 (above) is going on my wishlist but, I'll admit, it was a very tough choice between this and some of their fabulous drop earrings. I may have to have both. Simply exquisite.

On the 16th Day of Christmas...

Yesterday, I took my mum Christmas shopping at one of my favourite places: the craft centre at Heskin Hall near Chorley. We always go visit when she comes to stay with us because it is a treasure trove of gorgeous shops selling gifts, local produce, antiques and gardening stuff and has a fabulous tea room selling very naughty homemade cakes. It is also the home of The Gift Barn and Mulberry Moon where I can always find something perfect if I'm stuck for a gift. I love this Birdcage Wall Hook £10.99 from Mulberry Moon. A lovely Christmas or housewarming gift, it could make itself useful almost anywhere inside or outside the home. It struck me that it would also make a perfect key piece for my latest Personal Project that I posted a few weeks ago because it really makes a statement measuring almost a foot in length and the caged bird feature is so pretty and unusual. Well worth tweeting about. 

On the 15th Day of Christmas...

So cute. My daughter was given this little Owl Holdall £13.75 by my aunt for her first birthday. It's great because she is getting interested in everything and she simply loves the opportunity to empty my handbag. Now I just fill it full of interesting things from the nursery, kitchen and bathroom and watch her go. I've trawled the internet for them and most places seem to be sold out but I found some available at Bazaar Barnstaple and Amazon do them as well but at almost twice the price and even they are running low on stock so they must be very popular. I particularly love the design of the holdall because the neck of the bag is narrower than the rest of it so even if it gets up-ended, you won't end up with absolutely everything on the floor in Tesco. Don't you just hate it when that happens?

On the 14th Day of Christmas...

This is an inexpensive and extremely novel gift idea. An Enamel Matches Storage Tin £5.99 from The Gifted Penguin. It is big enough to hold one of those big chunky boxes of cooks matches, comes in two colours: slate and clay (pictured) and would be ideal for the kitchen, the shed or in the car for soggy camping trips or anywhere you care to strike a match. I venture to say that these is one of those brainwave presents for those people who "have everything". I also think they would look best snugly tucked into a lovely big willow basket of dry kindling for when the fire gets lit on cold winter evenings. Blanket's out everybody! 

On the 13th Day of Christmas...

God Bless You Ma'am! Perfect for that patriot in your life, this Queen Clock £45.00 from HunkyDoryHome would look absolutely gorgeous in any house as the style ticks both the contemporary and retro boxes. A very chic and enviable gift for almost any occasion as the iconic postage stamp cameo is an unmistakeable emblem of all things Cool Britiannia. 

On the 12th Day of Christmas...

 

Depending on your point of view, this Doodle Table Cloth £30.00 from Sophie Likes is either a Godsend or the worst idea ever conceived. My guess though is that the idea of encouraging creativity and keeping the little darlings at the table for the duration of a meal will drop most in the former camp. And it's a wicked present for an auntie, uncle, grand- or godparent who doesn't have to deal with the washing machine anyway ; ). I once got a mildly withering look from a friend after I gave her kids bath crayons but they were ecstatic and I'm sorry, but it is the recipient's joy that counts. It comes complete with 8 different colour felt tips and the colours wash out at 40 degrees in the machine so the fun can just go on and on and on. Have a look because Sophie Likes also has a pillow case, and single and double duvet options but even I am not brave enough to recommend drawing on bedding. It could result in some pretty embarrassing conversations after sleepovers. Still a brilliant idea though and could be an original present for those older 'children' that you know.

On the 11th Day of Christmas...

Today I tackle the problem of what to get a man for Christmas. For me the hallmark of success in this matter is if the damn thing makes its way out of the packaging in time for the following Christmas. Sure, you can give them practical gifts like socks and golf balls because they will almost certainly use them but, when it comes to giving a man a present, there is a certain satisfaction to be had from finding something novel that they might actually quite like. (I'm not expecting any spontaneous emotional outpourings or anything). I like this hand turned wooden cherry bowl £40.00 designed by Andy Beck at Treecycle available via the Folksy artisan site. It's the ideal shape and depth for dropping in and scooping out keys, change, gum and billfolds as and when needed and will look fantastic in your hall or home office.

On the 10th Day of Christmas...

It's definitely time to update the kitchen utensils. Most of ours are from my husband's first flat in London and have definitely seen better days. Also, because we have a lot of display space in our kitchen, it's nice if the things we put in it are functional but attractive too. For a while now, I've been collecting vintage stoneware mixing bowls and pudding basins for cooking. You pick them up at fairs and car boot sales for next to nothing and they are so much more attractive than modern crocks. My favourite is a giant cream T.G. Green & Co stoneware mixing bowl that has a duck-egg blue glaze inside. Smashing! It's for this reason, that I love these Milk Bottle Measuring Cups £22.00 from Anthropologie. The design is both classic vintage and novel and I love the raised lettering that denotes the measurements as it reminds me of my lovely stoneware collection and would look amazing on display in any kitchen. Anthropologie is a real Aladdin's Cave of inspiration. When I worked on the King's Road in London, I could happily while away a whole lunch hour in its Chelsea store and have always been able to find great presents there. An original and thoughful gift for someone who sees the kitchen as the focal point of their home. 

On the 9th Day of Christmas...

I die! Seriously! What a gorgeous gift! Both a candlestick AND a vase and there are FOUR of them. This is what present-giving is all about. Set of 4 Numbered Bottles £59.00 from gorgeous online boutique Pale & Interesting. You could dot them about your window sills or line them up on the mantlepiece or fill them full of ketchup and they would still look completely amazing in any home. The philosophy of the site owners, Atlanta Bartlett and Dave Coote are that their products be "functional, beautiful and out-of-the-ordinary" and it doesn't disappoint. These will be hard to wrap effectively, so I suggest packing them with some shredded brown paper in a small basket or wooden crate and including some pretty red candles, a couple of Christmas keepsakes and...oh go on then...some cream satin ribbon. De-vine! 

On the 8th Day of Christmas...

Hampers. Generally, they are a nice idea but unless you go super luxe they can work out very expensive for what you get. There's often a couple of bum gifts and the whole thing is padded out with pretty packaging that's good for nothing but the recycling bin. It also lacks the personal touch. But, if you're stuck for a gift idea for someone truly tricky then they do make a nice gesture particularly if the contents are carefully selected. So I would suggest making your own. Your starting point should be the hamper itself. I doesn't need to be a wicker basket, although there are some lovely ones around at the moment. I love this Wooden Divided Trug £18.99 from Wood & Willow because it has a lovely classic shape and is a gift in itself. After use, it can be used to store anything from condiments to cutlery on a work surface. Line it with some pretty fabric or shredded brown paper and then let your imagination run wild. Cheese, spreads, chocolates, booze and little treats. A great present for a family or your host at Christmas.

On the 7th Day of Christmas...

Perhaps not for vegetarians this one. I was really sorry not to get to the V&A Museum on a recent visit to London. It is one of my favourite places in the Capital and I had arranged to have tea there with my godmother before London Transport intervened and I got stuck in a tunnel. Grumble. Grumble. So, instead, I've done the next best thing and had a little wander around their online shop over a nice cup of Earl Grey. Mounted game heads seem to be all over the place at the moment but I think this Floral Stag Head £45.00 is the prettiest one I've seen. It is the perfect gift for someone who (like me) likes to cover the walls of their home with interesting stuff as well as paintings and photographs. It would look great in a recess, above a door or over a mantle mirror or guest bed.  It would also look fabulous mounted above an ornate hook in a hallway or cloakroom. Made of lightweight wooden board, the surface design is derived from 18th and 19th century Italian textiles and it comes in a self assembly pack so there's fun to be had putting it together too. All proceeds from the shop go back into helping keep this great British institution accessible to all as a free resource which is  more than enough reason to go for a littlegift shopping there. 

On the 6th Day of Christmas...

Stunning and the perfect gift for a serious traveller and lover of art. This is a detail of a Typographic Map of Rome £125.00 (unframed) by Swiss artist Ursula Hitz. There are many stupefyingly intricate citiscapes represented on her website but I chose this one because Rome is the most amazing city in the world to me and I think that every element of the print, which includes the seven hills, parks, noted places and The Vatican is simply exquisite. Each print is a limited edition signed and numbered by the artist. Framed or unframed, rest assured that you will be very, very popular.

On the 5th Day of Christmas...

Something contemporary and for the guys today. The Eva Solo Black Smiley £74.00 from www.mylivingspace.co.uk is an innovative and sophisticated piece of design but, most importantly for our purposes, it makes a great alternative to socks, cuff links and golf balls for that tricky man in your life who likes to spend a lot of time at Christmas exercising the nutcrackers in front of the TV. I know this is a good present because last year I gave one similar to this to my dad and he actually uses it. Success! It's ingenious really and so simple: put the food in the top and the waste in the bottom...or the other way around if you prefer. Also good for olives and quails eggs and ideal for parties when he's not using it. Cracking!

On the 4th Day of Christmas...

I've just finished re-organising my studio. It's been a mammoth job involving many hours of sorting, boxing and labelling. Being a designer and a notorious hoarder, it has been very satisfying to survey my domain in an orderly state as I had almost completely forgotten what colour the carpet was. On the downside, I had to resort to the use of a lot of big plastic crates which aren't that aesthetically exciting but have the benefit  of being see-through for future use. For this reason, I love these Ella Storage Boxes (Set of 2) £27.00 from Ruby Roost because they have a little window in them so you know instantly what you've stashed away inside. They are square, covered with pretty fabric and have a cute button enclosure. A beautiful storage feature that is also immensely practical. Ideal in fact for any hoarder that you might know and not a hint of toughened plastic to boot.

On the Third Day of Christmas...

I love this Memo Board £59.00 from Primrose & Plum because it could serve so many useful purposes. I would be seriously torn between actually using it as a memo board and composing a 2-D work of art out of all the postcards, tickets, photos and other paper keepsakes that are currently cluttering up the drawers in my studio. Also, at Christmas, with a sprig or two of holly, it would make a lovely display for my Christmas cards. The design is ingenious and unusual. No pins here. The display is made from soft cotton folds that create pockets for tucking in your treasures. Its a really good size too at 53cm x 64cm and the neutral colour would make it the perfect fit for any home. A fantastic gift.