Record number of unwanted gifts sold over Christmas

A record number of unwanted Christmas gifts have been sold this year, says Europe’s top “decluttering for cash” website, www.musicMagpie.co.uk.

 

Statistics released by the website this morning reveal 1,011,246 rejected presents were sold on Christmas Day, followed by a further 1,341,685 on Boxing Day.

 

As the rest of the nation tucked into cold turkey and trimmings, over 450,000 savvy consumers turned to musicMagpie to convert presents which failed to hit the mark, into quick, easy cash. Ranging from CDs, DVDs and games, to clothes, hair straighteners, iPods and laptops, the gifts which topped the reject list include Adele and One Direction CDs, Topshop dresses and Twilight DVDs.

 

The site saw 164,517 pairs of jeans, 28,749 iPods and 841,852 CDs sold, including Emeli Sande and Ed Sheeran.

 

Top 10 unwanted Christmas gifts for 2012…

 

TOP 10 UNWANTED GIFTS	NO. OF ITEMS   SOLD
Adele: 21	47,315
Emeli Sande: Our Version of Events	41,038
One Direction: Up All Night	37,846
Twilight DVD	36,217
The Dark Knight DVD	35,461
Ed Sheeran: +	34,731
Casino Royale DVD	31,902
Topshop dresses	30,529
Diesel jeans	30,148
Nintendo Wii	29,974

 

 

Eren Ozagir, Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer of musicMagpie, says: “The period between Christmas and New Year is always our busiest time of year, as people don’t want to hang onto presents they have no use for - making a little extra money is a far better way of using these dud gifts! It’s a sad fact that many of the items sold, our own research shows, are those given by Mum and Dad!”

In anticipation of the busy period, the company provided over 10,000 mince pies to its hard working staff on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, as customers flocked to trade items.

Eren continues: “Now people can sell a massive range of clothes like Diesel jeans and Topshop dresses, electronic products like iPods, games consoles and hair straighteners, as well as DVDs, CDs and games, we have seen our busiest year yet. We anticipate an equally busy January as people continue to struggle with cash flow and look to make some easy money from their unwanted items.”

 

musicMagpie’s customers are able to make hundreds of pounds by selling unwanted items from around the home using the 100% free service (including postage). Customers can receive instant prices for the items that they want to sell using musicMagpie’s unique Valuation Engine nicknamed, of course, “Val”. For those on the go, musicMagpie’s iPhone and Android apps allow users to scan in products to make cash quicker than ever before.

(EDITOR: That's Christmas would like to thank musicMagpie for providing us with this article and the information within it.)  

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year to all our readers and everyone who has helped us publish That's Christmas, this season.

Thank you for reading and thank you for helping make That's Christmas the success that it has been and that it will be in the future.

Christmas Eve late Shopping

Christmas Eve is upon us. It does seem to have got here quicker, this year. Perhaps this is because we had no Summer to speak of in the UK?

If you are missing some vital ingredient, then it is worth knowing that Tesco Express stores are open late this evening. Most appear to be open until 10pm Christmas Eve, but will be closed on Christmas Day.

To find out the nearest Tesco Express and other Tesco branches visit www.tesco.com/storeLocator/ and put in your address. Larger Tesco stores will close at 7pm today.

Ideal Christmas gift for the ladies!

Lush have some ideal Christmas gifts for the ladies!

There's Eyes Right mascara – in Black (£12.00) It's beautiful, simple, and gentle. And should prove of great benefit to those with even the most sensitive of eyes.  

Unlike the average 4 to 6 preservatives, this product only contains one. Which is one reason it is so easy on the eyes.

The key ingredient in Eyes Right, is wheatgrass. Why? It's packed with vitamins and minerals to condition and nourish the lashes with its antioxidant properties.

Japan and Carnauba wax help the mascara set, so it won’t smudge if you’re caught in the rain or at the gym. For those with sensitive eyes who want a kind, natural look – Eyes Right is the natural way to elongate the lashes, and for a more dramatic, emphasised effect, this can be achieved by simply applying further coats.

Fan of wheatgrass? Then the Sacred Truth Fresh facemask (£5.95), is ideal. The wheatgrass will help rid your skin of free radicals. There's also a blend of fresh papaya, full of vitamins A, B and C, and green tea powder to help cleanse the skin – great for a New Year de-tox!

To pick up this and other ethical, cruelty free cosmetics visit your nearest Lush shop.   For shop details and Lush Online please call 01202 668 545, or order at www.lush.co.uk.

Christmas pudding with lower fat and less calories? Time for a Nu Me!

Christmas pudding. It raises memories of tales from long ago, about how people really did used to boil old style silver sixepences in the pudding to bring good luck to the recipient. Or a trip to hospital should someone accidentally swallow one!

Of how brandy would be liberally poured over the pudding which would then be set alight as the blazing, burning pudding would be carried triumphantly to the dining table, the blue flames casting flickering Chrstmassy lights over the table and the guests.

And then... all of those calories!

The clever chefs at Morrisons research kitchens have come up with a tour de force, a Christmas pudding with 40% reduced fat (that's based on the fat in a standard Morrions pudding) and only 293 calories per serving.

It's part of Morrisons healthier NuMe range, and priced at a modest £0.85 for 100g, which is an individual size portion.

NuMe Christmas pudding is packed with all of the sweet and juicy fruit you expect from a Christmas pudding (including real pieces of candied citrus peel). It's lighter on the fat and the calories, but not lighter on the delicious taste.

You can boil it like a traditional pudding, or you can ping it in the microwave for under 40 seconds.

Morrisons. Shop today with prices of yesterday!

People want a good, happy Christmas. The problem is that sometimes to achieve this, we tend to overspend. Sometimes by a great deal.

However, Morrisons (there are still members of the Morrison family involved in running the business) so Morrisons understands that families want to enjoy a genuinely luxury festive spread without spending luxury prices.

So Morrisons has created the perfect collection of Christmas treats to make the season special. From fabulous starters to exciting, tasty mains to glorious deserts, Morrisons has everything you eed to ‘wow’ your dinner guests. But at a price that will delight and not shock!

 

Morrisons reckons that by following these suggestions you could save over £100!

Morrisons The Best Champagne 75cl, £14.99 (offer ends 6th January 2013)

No Christmas is complete without a glass of bubbles and what better way to toast the evening than with a glass of Lanson Black label Champagne?

Shopping trolley alternative – Lanson Black Label NV 75cl, RRP £32.99 (Morrisons saving - £18)

Dressed Lobster £10, 375g

Serving up extravagance at the dinner table has never been so affordable with this delicious dressed lobster from Morrisons. A great starter on the big day or treat for New Year’s Eve entertaining.

 

Shopping trolley alternative – Marks & Spencer, Two Halves of Dressed Fresh Canadian Lobster £20, 500g (Morrisons saving - £10)

 

Free Range Goose, £9/kg

A delicious alternative to the traditional turkey, Morrisons Free Range Goose will tantalise the taste buds with its beautifully dark rich meat.

 

Shopping trolley alternative – The Ginger Pig, Goose £13.50/kg (Morrisons saving - £4.50/kg)

 

Game Pie, made with British pheasant, duck and venison £3.49, 280g

Wonderfully rich, this Game Pie takes the best of a traditional British staple and infuses it with hearty chunks of pheasant, duck and venison.

 

Shopping trolley alternative – Fortnum & Masons Partridge & Pigeon Raised Game Pie £9 (Morrisons saving - £5.51)

 

Christmas Tree Smoked Salmon £2.84 / 2 for £5, 100g each

A delicious treat full of festive flavours - Morrisons Scottish salmon has been smoked over pine and spruce branches to give it the real aroma of Christmas.

 

Shopping trolley alternative – Fortnum & Masons Loch Duart Somerset Cure Smoked Salmon, 200g for £15 (Morrisons saving - £10)

 

Smoked Salmon & Halibut Trio £6.99, 240g

A perfect first course to make your guests feel special, this chic seafood platter is a dinner party show stopper and bound to have them hooked in no time.

Shopping trolley alternative – Marks & Spencer, Orkney Scottish Smoked Salmon, £8.99, 200g (Morrisons saving - £2)

Duck & Truffle Pâté £7, 800g

To really make an impression at the dinner table this Christmas, present this extra special Duck and Truffle pâté as a treat.

 

Shopping trolley alternative – Harrods, Frescobaldi Porcini Muchrooms & Truffle Paté, £16.95 (Morrisons saving - £9.95)

 

Pierre Koffman’s Farmhouse Pâté £2, 170g

Created by Pierre Koffmann, head chef of Koffmann’s at the Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge, this Belgian made course pâté is traditional and chunky and bursting with flavour.

 

Shopping trolley alternative - Fortnum & Masons Farmhouse Pâté £6.75 (Morrisons saving - £4.75)

 

Stollen, £1.69

Morrisons award winning Stollen is freshly baked in store and will have everyone reaching for seconds this Christmas.

 

Shopping trolley alternative - Fortnum & Masons Demel Stollen in a wooden box £25 (Morrisons saving - £23.31)

 

And when Morrisons says: “Made or prepared in store” that's exactly what they mean!

Make it perfect this Christmas with Whitworth's

Lots of people are making and baking, this Christmas!

And some of us are tempted to attempt some making and baking for the very first time. 

You'll be beset with anxiety issues. How can those TV chefs make it all look so simple? So easy? Well, 20 years of constant practice does tend to make even difficult tasks look simple and easy.

And do not forget, that unless they are doing a live show (very rarely done, these days!) then the chances are you are seeing take 22 of a particular recipe!

But... OK... we have the basics down right, the cake is done, the pies baked, the biscuits are now cooling... how do you get that just right Chirstmassy look to your cooking?

If only someone would invent something! Luckily, someone already has!

Perfect for baking this Christmas, is the Whitworths For Baking Twist and Sprinkle Icing Sugar (200g).  It makes sugar dusting simple.  With a built in sieve and variable sprinkle control, this special pack is perfect for use with a festive stencil and just right for adding the finishing touches to your cakes and desserts, just sprinkle over and voila! Also, ideal sprinkled on fresh fruits!

Expect to pay upwards of £1.89 for this genuine cook's little helper!

Go nuts, bit in a Liberating way, with Tesco, this Christmas

Everyone loves to have some nuts on the table at Christmas! It's a tradition that dates back hundreds of years, perhaps more.

This year Tesco and Liberation Foods have put their thinking caps on and produced a truly delicious product that might cause a bit of a kerfuffle around the nut bowl. Well, it is if our Taste Testers were anything to go by! It was a race to see who could finish off the honey and cinnamon caramelised peanuts, the sugar coated almonds or the Brazil nuts, the cashews and the flame raisins! My own personal flavourite (sorry. Truly dreadful pun, there! was the honey and cinnamon caramelised peanuts.

Not only do these nuts taste jolly good, they are also better from a sustainability point of view, also. Liberation Foods is the Fairtrade nut company owned by farming groups in countries like: Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Incidentally, many of the nuts in the packet come from countries where Christmas is celebrated, but often in a more devoutly religious way than in the UK.

The 225g bags costs £3.00 and is worth every penny!

Castle Maclellan Pates for your Christmas table

Nearly 30 years ago Castle Maclellan began making pates in a modest way. They were sold in a local delicatessen. Eventually, however, more and more people began demanding their fine pates. Their fame spread as well as their pates spread, far and wide.

30 years on and now they are a major force in the speciality foods market not only in their native Scotland, but also throughout the rest of the UK, too.

Their products are available via high end delicatessens, major food retailers and also some farm shops, too.

Available are: Chicken Liver Pâté with Scottish heather honey, Rannoch Smoked Duck Pâté with Bramley apple jelly, Scottish Smoked Salmon Pâté, with lemon juice & horseradish, Oven Roasted Mushroom Pâté with garlic & thyme, Duck Pâté With Port,  Smoked Salmon Terrine, Chicken Pâté With Brandy.

All are delicious and have full-bodied, no nonsense flavours! There is none of the “with a hint of…” about Castle Maclellan products! If it says it contains port or brandy, then you can taste the high quality port or brandy in them. To be honest, I was wowed by the intense combination of the chicken flavour and the brandy flavour in the chicken pate with brandy.

Served on small slices of toast for your guests at a Christmas or New Year party, or served on full slices of toast for a Christmas or Boxing Day breakfast, you will find that the full flavours of the Maclellan products burst forth and will really make the meal what it should be.

But beware, your guests will always expect Castle Maclellan products to be on the table. The worrying question is: “Could you really bear to party with them and let your guests have them?” The answer from our team of taste testers was: “Only if we like our guests very much indeed!”

So, there you have it. Castle Maclellan products. Only to be served to people you know and love! But isn’t that the way? We love to serve special foods to the special people in our lives. And what could be more special than Castle Macellan, the finest of fine foods?

www.castlemaclellan.co.uk

Benedictine DOM for Christmas

My wife has a family recipe for Benedictine DOM. Two measures of Benedictine DOM and two measures of warm water and a cube of ice.

This, her uncle told my wife, will cure just about anything! And I must admit that the usual pre-Christmas bug was quickly helped on its way with several glasses of the family recipe! I am not sure which of the nearly 30 herbs and spices did the trick, but it certainly worked!

You can enjoy the warming, sensuous characteristics of  Benedictine by itself, or with water, or on the rocks.

You might also enjoy a Cafe Benedictine, which is two measures of Benedictine and four measures of coffee, topped off with some whipped cream, or some thick pouring cream, if you'd rather.

Or you can try your hand at the Old Fashioned Benedictine. Take two drops of Angostura Bitters, two measures of Benedictine and two bar spoons of sugar.

You add the sugar the bitters and half a shot of Benedictine into a glass. Stir for one minute until the sugar is dissolved.

Add an ice cube, stir for one minute.

Add a shot of Benedictine and two more ice cubes. Stir for two minutes.

Then add another half shot of Benedictine with two more ice cubes. Stir for two minutes, then serve with extra ice if required. You can garnish with a twist of orange peel.

Do it right this Christmas! Use Thousand Island Dressing!

Thousand Island Dressing Light is fat free and will add more than a little pizazz to your Christmas and New Year party starters!

If you want to make a prawn salad that is perfection on a plate, or produce a potato salad that would grace the table of any of the TC chefs (well, in our dreams!) or if you want to do something really creative with some turkey leftovers, then Kraft Thousand Island Dressing Light will do this and much, much more for you!

And don't forget, there are several other delicious chef's helpers in the Light range: Herb and Garlic, Honey and Mustard, Balsamic, Caesar, French and Italian. Why not buy them all in your last big Christmas shop and really go to town on the starters?

drinks21 Serves Up ‘Must Have’ Drinks Cabinet Essentials with new online shop

www.drinks21.com kicks has launched  an enviable range of premium and super-premium ‘handpicked’ alcholic drinks carefully tried, tested and selected from ‘seasoned’ authentic producers located around the world. Exclusive to drinks21.com include Heavy Water Vodka (one of the purest Scandinavian vodkas available) and the cool refreshing taste of ABK6 Ice Cognac.

From limited edition ‘rare finds’ to more popular quality brands, drinks21.com serves up a ‘menu’ of boutique spirits, Champagnes and wines for those looking to stimulate their palate with a taste of the unexpected.

Winter 2012 drinks cabinet essentials as recommended by Gail Graham

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Porsche Design Chiller– £200

Made from brushed steel and PU leather trim, this bottle of award winning Johnnie Walker Blue Label is showcased within a sophisticated limited edition Porsche design ice chiller and contains a blend of rarest malts and most superior grains, matured to their peak. Very limited availability

Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades Brut Gold NV - £225

The Brut Gold cuvée is a blend of the grape varieties Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, making use of only Premier Cru and Grand Cru rated grapes.

A host of celebrities have shown their support for Armand de Brignac Gold.

Heavy Water Vodka - £30

Handcrafted in Sweden to an old Norwegian recipe, this exceptional Scandinavian vodka combines the purest water from a subterranean lake formed in the ice age with Scandinavian winter wheat.

Distilled not less than five times to create smoothness with rich crisp flavours on the palate, the award winning Heavy Water Vodka has a distinct in-built aeration rod which infuses oxygen into every pour. Launched in the UK earlier this year by drinks21.

ABK6 Ice Cognac - £40

New to the UK by drinks21, this Cognac should be served in a tumbler over several cubes of ice to maximise flavour explosion. Ice Cognac (40% vol) marries suave and subtle notes of fruits and evolves towards fresh aromas such as zesty lemon sorbet and the coolness of mint.

Showcased in a pearly white 70cl bottle boasting an elegant design with shiny white and golden frieze detail to inject a ‘Marie Antoinette’ sophisticated chic-ness, Ice Cognac will be appreciated by both connoisseurs and amateurs alike.

Penfolds Bin 620, 2008: £1,000

An iconic wine, this is the first release of this particular Penfolds wine since 1966. Coonawarra was blessed with a great vintage when the earlier-ripening Shiraz could be blended with the later-ripening Cabernet to highlight the best of both varieties, and their synergistic union. The brilliantly clear, deep purple-crimson colour is an enticing start, and the seamless fruit and oak integration on the bouquet is perfect. Complex cedar and cigar box aromas are entwined with a basket of perfectly ripened black fruits. The palate is exceptionally intense, yet supremely elegant, with immaculate balance, texture, structure, line and length. Its outstanding tannins give the wine a certain authority.

Penfolds Bin 620 2008 is 51% Cabernet Sauvignon and 49% Shiraz. It was matured 12 months in new oak hogshead, 57% French and 43% American, and bottled in July 2009. Extremely limited availability worldwide

Lourensford Winemakers Selection Chardonnay 2011- £12

Produced from the vineyards of Stellenbosch, South Africa, this gold medal winner at the 2012 International Wine Challenge invites a Brazil nut creaminess on the nose, plenty of buttery, oatmeal lees richness and lots of crunchy apple fruit. In the mouth, a joyous ripeness to the fruit, edging into the pineapple and mango range, but the apple, pear and lemon core of fruit and acidity drives through. A real find!

Pio Cesare Barolo - £45

Awarded 93 points by Decanter magazine, Pio Cesare Barolo boats lovely dark fruits, nice acidity and softening tannins coupled with a nut and leather finish. A real Autumnal wine, warming and full bodied. Will continue to mature.

Seasonal Snacks from Penn State

Penn State know a great deal about snacks. They produce American style pretzels.

They are ideal for munching whilst watching Christmas TV specials, for serving as part of a festive buffet or for enjoying as part of a salad.

Penn State has something very special to offer us, this Christmas. Deliciously moreish Maple Bacon flavour pretzel knots are an ideal savoury snack which, despite the lovely bacon flavour, is also fine for vegetarians, too.

And then there is the Original Salted Giant Stars! The glaze on them is delicious and the crystals of salt are delightful little surprises as you nibble your way through this festive treat!

I find both types irresistible!

Incidentally, Penn State pretzels are low in salt, so are a little bit more of a healthy option than you might expect!

They are both available in large sharing bags at £1.40 each, in Asda.

Coffee from Jamaica is a must for Christmas

I have to admit that before I became aware of Sea Island Coffee, I had been woefully ignorant of the strong tradition of coffee growing in Jamaica.

Sea Island Coffee is a genuine gold medal winning coffee, having won "Great Taste Gold" in both 2010 and again this year, 2012.

The first thing one notices about Sea Island Coffee Clifton Mount Estate Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee is the deliciously strong, yet subtly mellow aroma of this finest of fine coffees.

The taste has a strong character, yet it is also paradoxically extremely smooth in the mouth and on the tongue.

There is also a creamy note to it in the after taste that takes this coffee and sets it apart from most other coffees.

It is pleasant with a meal, after a meal, before a meal or at any time of the day when you just want to know that you are indulging in coffee excellence.

Whilst I have to say that this coffee is ideal for Christmas, the truth is it is ideal at any time of the year. A fantastic drink when you come back from a brisk walk in the snow, and an equally fantastic drink on the patio at the height of summer!

Incidentally, the coffee is roasted and packed within the U.K.

To learn more visit www.seaislandcoffee.com.

Genius Mince Pies Gluten, wheat free and tasty, too!

Time was when if you wanted gluten and wheat free foods, you had to hunt down an obscure 'health' shop where, if you were lucky, you might find some ridiculously overpriced ersatz product that looked a mucky grey colour and tasted as if it was made out of sawdust with a bit of millet flour added to it. One such health shop in the mid-1980s still had some products on the shelves that were printed up in pre-decimal currency!

But that was then! Today people who need gluten and wheat free products and those favouring a vegetarian lifestyle find that although health shops stock the products they need, they can also be found in supermarkets and some of the larger convenience stores.

One company cooking such treats is Genius Gluten Free. The product we are looking at in this review are the Genius gluten and wheat free Mince Pies.

The rather tasty mince pie mix is encased in a shortcrust pasty case. The shortcrust pastry case is a little different to other short crust pastries you might have tried. Different, yet very, very appealing. Melt in the mouth is one way of describing it.

The mince pie mix has a good, traditional flavour, enhanced by the addition of some Bramley apples, along with the more usual raisins.

They come in packs of four. Best get several extra packs because, once they have tasted them, people who aren't on a gluten-free diet will keep pestering you to let you try them!

www.geniusglutenfree.com

Don't forget the vegetarians or those on special diets!

Amidst the mad dash of Christmas preparations (the presents, the tinsel, the wrapping paper, the food, the drink) it can be all too easy to forget those people who are vegetarian or on special or restricted diets due to health issues. (Gluten allergy, diabetic, lactose intolerant, etc.)

Hopefully in the run-up to Christmas That's Christmas will be looking at vegetarian roasts to serve in place of the traditional turkey, duck or beef at Christmas dinner.

And we will also be looking at gluten free alternatives to Christmas mince pies and Christmas puddings that are aimed at those of us who really are trying to look after our health. Even at Christmas time!

And we will also look at conscience friendly products that are produced for those of us who care not only about what we put into our bodies, but also care very deeply about the people who grow and process the foods that we eat.

BAD APPLE have the pulse on the finger!

Girls! Want something new for the party season? Something that is you, yet will help you be more than you, perhaps?

Meet something that is absolutely new to the UK beauty scene, BAD APPLE COSMETICS.

BAD APPLE will shake the nail colour world to its core! It could, dare we say, give rivals the pip?

BAD APPLE has never-seen-before nail lacquer shades you can style it with bright, block colours in the Core range. Choose from true scarlet Red Delicious, bubble gum Gala Pink and Green Bramley and wave goodbye to boring, dull colours!

In the Shimmer range the colours take on a whole new personality.

The reflective 3D shades are iridescent and shimmer with an intense, wet-look colour that complements the shape and shine of your nails. The intense, hard-wearing formulation is high gloss and chip-resistant (hurrah!) and gives just the right level of bling without being over the top.

If you want more contrast in your nail-wear, BAD APPLE will get some style to hand, as it were!

BAD APPLE introduces 8 different nail wrap designs that go from pink, girly

flowers and butterflies, to tiger-print and neon pink swirls. They are easy to apply. Just peel the wrap, stick it to the nail and then carefully shape it your own nail’s contours.

Just in time for Christmas, too! Makes great pressies or a treat for yourself!

www.bp4e.com/apple-cosmetics-c-24.html

Guaranteed to put a sparkle in your Christmas! Terlingham sparkling Rose!

If you want a bottle of sparkling wine made to the old traditional method, do you have to use the same old wines? No, you don't! Now you can try something which has the right level of dry, crispy snap, the same effervescent zing, yet does not have to cost the Earth!

And which, believe it or not, actually comes from the Garden of England, beautiful Kent! The Terlingham Vineyard & Winery of Terlingham Lane, Hawkinge, Kent, CT18 7AE produce a whole range of very interesting and very palatable and very pleasing wines.

But their particular wine that we are interested in for this review is their sparkling rose wine.

Their sparkling rose wine is a very worthy holder of the term rose. It is made from a Champagne blend of Chardonnay (40%), Pinot noir (40%) and Pinot meunier (20%).

It is a delicate shade of pink and although bubbly it is not too gassy.

Is there a hint of Kentish orchards and soft fruits? The slight sensation of a hot summer's day? Yes, there is. Although it is described as a dry wine, it does have a delicate sweet undertone to it.

It makes an ideal drink with Christmas dinner or to welcome in the New Year or just to celebrate the arrival of friends and family for the Christmas festivities!

Visit www.terlinghamvineyard.co.uk or call +44 1303 892452 .

It is priced at £16.65 a bottle (box of six bottles a very reasonable £83.90.

Their equally delightful sparkling white wine costs exactly the same.

Adopt a Pony for Christmas

The Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust performs a valuable, indeed vital, role in preserving Dartmoor Ponies on Dartmoor.

Their work is important but it costs money for them to operate. This is where you can help. The Trust is offering a special “A Dartmoor Pony Adoption Gift Pack”.

It is perfect for anyone, no matter what their age, who loves horses and ponies, but for whom owning one of their own is just not a realistic proposition.

And at this time of year it makes an ideal Christmas gift, too! You can adopt a pony and follow its progress all the year round.

The cost is just £20 per year for UK residents: £25 for those who live abroad. The Adoption Pack includes a beautiful line drawing and an adoption certificate and you’ll also receive updates on the development and progress of the pony you have chosen over the following year.

The pony you adopt, whether male or female, will be one of a small traditional herd cared for at the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust Centre, at Parke. These ponies are for everyone to enjoy and here you will be able to visit them all year, find out all about them, follow their interesting lives, discover their true value and how important they are to the Dartmoor landscape.

If you are interested in adopting a Dartmoor Heritage Pony please visit www.dpht.co.uk or phone 01626 833234.

Oon, Two Three... Go! Your child can be a Unique Christmas Superhero!

Want a really neat idea for a good Christmas gift for your kids? They can now create their ‘Oon’ secret identity with the stylish silver SwooperCape!

Unleash your kid’s inner super powers at Christmas with the matching mask and SwooperSonic wristbands on www.miioon.com, creators of the innovative Ruckjack.

The safe, online experience enables kids, encouraging them to use their own imagination and inspiration, but with a little assistance from the loveable, and sometimes rascally Oons, who will act as their guides on the Miioon.com website.

The kids can customise their SwooperCape by guiding a mouse over the Oons so they can personally brand them with their own initials and emblems. Eyes pop open and reveal a choice of colour palettes and letters!

Miioon.com aims to please children, parents and grandparents with a product and customer experience that pleases everyone.

They have created a safe, controlled environment where kids enjoy creative freedom and can express their individuality. But in a safe way. Priced at £15.99, SwooperCape delivers quality, yet at a price that will not make the bank manager cry!

The SwooperCape and matching SwooperSonic wristbands are available for 3-12 year olds and are despatched within 48 hours. Adjustable velcro on the wrists and neck means one size fits all maybe even some big kids, too!

And do watch out for www.Miioon.com on Nickelodeon!

Ideal Christmas present for Music Lovers

The ideal Christmas present for the music lovers in your life is the Now That's What I Call Music ! Trivia Box.

It's aimed at people 12 years of age and older and can be played by two or more people.

It's nicely packaged in a box (that's why it is called a Trivia Box!) and contains 189 question cards, 20 picture cards and a set of the rules that carefully explain how to play the game.

It's ideal for fans of popular music and there are 100s of trivia questions for them to get their teeth in to after the Christmas pud has been demolished and the turkey is being readied for the Boxing Day sandwiches!

It is produced by Imagination and is available from all good retailers including Amazon at £12.50.