Somehow the year has once again flown by and our attention is turning to Christmas. This is likely to be a tough one for many and I thought it would be nice to produce a guide to some of the small businesses and sole traders who are fighting against huge brands to be seen and heard in the marketplace. Many of us would like to support more small businesses, but it's not always easy to find them, so I'm hoping this will be a good place to start. I can update this guide at any time so if you know of a great small business that you have used or think could benefit from a shout-out, drop me a comment or email me via my contact page and I will add as many as I can.
Friday, 25 November 2022
Monday, 16 November 2020
How to Make this Christmas Extra Special
This year more people than ever are finding themselves separated for long periods and long-distance relationships are becoming unavoidable. This means that Christmas shopping habits may be a little different, with the focus on items that are digital or easy to post. It's easy to think that Christmas will be less of an occasion this year, because of all the restrictions in place, but I hope it can be an opportunity to do things a little differently and embrace traditions that have been lost to commercialism over the years. If there's one thing this year has taught us, it's that we have a lot to be thankful for and we can often make the best of our situation and find joy in the small things. Here are some ideas to make Christmas extra special this year, despite what December has to throw at us!
Wednesday, 5 December 2018
Children's Book Gift Guide - From Tots to Teens

If you haven't heard about the Icelandic Christmas Eve Book Exchange and why it's such a great idea for a Christmas tradition, you can read all about it in my previous post. Whether or not you will be taking part in this tradition, or if you subscribe to the 'something you want, something you need, something to wear something to read' mantra of gift giving, there are lots of reasons to buy a book as a gift for a child. This list was compiled using recommendations from our brilliant readers and other parent bloggers, so you can be sure they've been tried and tested by enthusiastic youngsters!
Wednesday, 21 November 2018
UK Small Business Gift Guide - Supporting Independent Traders

Thursday, 23 November 2017
Christmas Gift Guide: Children

Wednesday, 22 November 2017
Christmas Gift Guide: Men

It's no secret that men are notoriously hard to buy for. It helps if they have a hobby or an interest, but even that can get a bit samey and predictable after a few years. There are only so many golf balls, football shirts, or hilarious mugs based on a TV show that one person needs. Sometimes you can quirky-up the classic gift, such as socks, or gloves, with a bit of imagination, but the real challenge is to find something he doesn't know he wants, so that you can be sure he will not only be happy with your choice, but also won't have already bought one for himself. Check out our ideas for some stress-free man-shopping this Christmas.
Monday, 13 November 2017
Christmas Gift Guide: Teenagers

Tuesday, 11 April 2017
Alternative Chocolate-Free Easter Gift Ideas

Thursday, 6 April 2017
Gift Ideas for Pre-Teen Boys

Friday, 16 December 2016
Christmas Gift Guide: Men (Nightmare!)
For the last in our series of gift guides, I am tackling that oh-so-tricky subject; The Man. This is the most dreaded Christmas gift to buy of all. It doesn't matter the age of the male, the issue is always the same. If they want something, they want it straight away, so will invariably buy it the second they see it, leaving nothing left for the Christmas list. Or, they don't know what they want and are hopelessly vague and non-commital, so how am I meant to know? Fortunately, I've found some great ideas when I've been out shopping and have also been sent some lovely items from companies who are proud of their Christmas offerings. If you are tearing your hair out for what to buy the men in your family, we've got all the inspiration right here, with our Christmas gift guide for men.
Wednesday, 7 December 2016
Christmas Gift Guide: Bloggers

This gift guide is here to help you with a very important decision; what to buy the blogger in your life. It can be a confusing experience, being the friend, or relative, of a blogger. You may be used to having your face paraded on social media, your food photographed at restaurants and being used as a personal thesaurus when you'd rather be watching the telly, but what does a blogger want for Christmas? I have purchased some low cost items this year that have turned out to be invaluable for all things blogging, and I also asked some of my favourite bloggers for their ideas too. This is our essential wishlist of bloggers' bargains and best buys!
Wednesday, 23 November 2016
Christmas Gift Guide: Older Relatives

Thursday, 10 November 2016
Christmas Gift Guide: Teenagers

Wednesday, 2 November 2016
Christmas Gift Guide: Brilliant Presents for Children

Monday, 6 June 2016
Father's Day Gift Guide; Something a Bit Different!

Monday, 22 October 2012
Christmas Gift Ideas
What do you do at this time of year? Panic? Hide under the duvet? Plan a holiday to New Mexico? OR are you one of those Supermums who loves getting stuck in and looks forward to it all year? Yup, the signs are all there. It won't be long before the sight that fills a lot of parents with dread appears over the horizon. That blinkin Coca Cola truck! Like it or not, we can't avoid Christmas for too much longer. Displays have been appearing in shops for quite a while now and the adverts on the children's TV channels are DEFINITELY getting longer. So, what can we do to make one of life's most stressful seasons a little easier?
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