From the Gallo Family to your family this Christmas

Several years ago I made a mistake that could have, if not actually ruining Christmas dinner, would certainly not have been quite so good as it should have been.

Just before it was time to start serving Christmas dinner my wife said: "OK, where is the wine to accompany the meal?"

She looked at the expression on my face and said: "Please don't tell me you forgot to buy any?"

Of course, I had forgotten! In my defence I have to say that the life of a journalist can be a bit weird as you are never actually off duty, as such.

"Don't worry!" I said, sounding more confident than I felt. "I'll go to the 24/7 petrol station. They'll be open and I am sure I'll find something there!"

My wife sneered (well, you would, wouldn't you?) and off I set.

When I arrived at the petrol station the expression on my face must have been rather like that of Scrooge in the 1951 version of A Christmas Carol when he was met by the massive feast laid out by the Ghost of Christmas Present in Scrooge's own chamber.

For I saw a chiller cabinet and a large ambient temperature display stand filled with wines and there was a whole range of Gallo Family wines!

An assistant who was busy stocking shelves (he was, of course, wearing a rather fetching elf jumper!) said: "Yeah, the boss always keeps a good selection of wines in. And some bottled real ales, too!"

I made a selection of two suitable bottles of Gallo Family wines (one for the main course, one for desert) and returned home, triumphantly.

So the 24/7 Petrol Station and the Gallo Family helped save our Christmas that year and made me look something of a hero, rather than a forgetful twit!

For this article I am going to look at two wines from the Gallo Family.

The first is an Autumn Red. I am not normally a fan of red wines, but I speak as I find and I find this read wine as being absolutely delicious.

It has a warming, pleasing flavour, which tastes fruity and which reminds me of an Autumn (sorry, Fall!) trip I made to California several years ago, seemingly impossibly warm and sunny, yet still with touches of Autumn to the air.

It's silky smooth, buttery and, as I say, utterly delicious.

The second wine to be tested is a Gallo Family Pink Moscato, also from California.

It's fresh tasting and it is deliciously, wonderfully sweet, yet not overly so.

It is a delightful take on the rose type of wine. The scent is of Californian sunny summer days. Can you hear the buzzing of the bees of California when you open the bottle? Well, no, but you can almost hear them as you take your first sip of this delicious wine.

I have a friend from California (actually from Wine Country, as it happens) who assures me that Californian wines are the best in the world and bearing Gallo Family Pink Mocato wine in mind, I do think that she makes a fair point!

These wines are available from all good wine merchants, the major supermarket chains and at least our 24/7 Petrol Station, too!

Spice Kitchen Mulled Wine

All you need for an excellent mulled wine for your Christmas guests is a couple of bottles of decent bottle of wine (red, usually, but why not be adventurous?) and a packet of Spice Kitchen Mulled Wine.

What you do is follow the instructions that come on the card and the flavour-packed hers and spices in the packet (dried mixed peel, cardamom, cinnamon, black peppercorns, nutmeg, cloves, star anise and ginger) and you will be able to share with your guests one of the best mulled wines you will have tried in ages, perhaps ever, as it really is that good.

In fact, our advice is: Buy the spice in bulk and the wine by the case, because when you share this Spice Kitchen Mulled Wine with your friends and family, you'll be asked to make it time and again!

You do intend to share it? Don't you? Of course you do! After all, sharing is a big part of what Christmas is all about, isn't it?

To learn more about their stunning range of spices, please visit http://www.spicekitchenuk.com/.

Christmas at Wetherspoons

To find out about Christmas dining at Wetherspoons, please click on this link:-
http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/home/christmas.

The perfect Christmas present for the car owner in your life

Turtle Wax have been producing the ideal car preparation and detailing products for several generations of careful drivers.

Now they have two new products that are sure to suit the car enthusiasts in your life.

There's the excellent Refine and Shine Clay Bar Kit at £16.99.

It provides the ultimate in vehicle surface preparation. Simply use the non-abrasive clay bar to safely shift hard to remove contaminants to rub over the surface of a newly washed car. There's even a special spray bottle of Clay Bar Lubricant, too. Use it with any Turtle Wax protective waxing product and the difference will be outstanding.

However, as comedian Jimmy Cricket would say: "But there's more!" and there is, in the form of the Turtle Wax Black Box Detailing Kit at £24.99.

Black is again becoming the number 1 colour amongst many car fans most who work hard to keep their black beauty of a motor car in tip top showroom shape.

This is now easier, with the help of yet another fantastic Turtle Wax product, the Black Box Detailing Kit.

What's in it?

Black pre-wax cleaner, special black caranuba blend wax, a black spray detailer, an applicator cloth, a sponge applicator and a microfibre cloth.

Just add some elbow grease and your pride and joy is back with its showroom shine.

Two great Christmas gifts for the driver in your life.

Don't forget the Perrier Water this Christmas!

Please don't forget the Perrier Water this Christmas.

Whilst there are those people who say: Drinking bottled water is ridiculous! You should only ever drink tap water!" I say: "To heck with that!"

Perrier Water is a gorgeous, clean tasting water that tastes the same no matter where you are, at home, in a pub, a bar, a restaurant or in a foreign country.

Tap water, however, can taste like old iron, like chemicals or as if it has been filtered through old socks.

Perrier Water, however, is different. It is a pure. natural spring water that is carbonated at source with naturally occurring carbon dioxide.

So, what does this mean? From the bottle or the can, you get  Perrier Water which can be drunk neat, used as a mixer for both alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks. 

Should you attempt to use ordinary tap water for such a procedure you could end up with something that has the slight whiff of the swimming baths about it.

So, leave the tap water where it belongs, in the tap, and treat your guests as if you actually like them and treat them... to Perrier Water!

Buy some Blossom Hill Sparkling Moscato for Christmas

Almost everyone loves to have a bottle of sparkling wine in the house for Christmas and for New Year.

One of the recommendations that the That's Christmas Taste Team can make this year is a nice bottle of Blossom Hill Winemaker's Reserve Sparkling Moscato.

It is a high quality aromatic sweet sparkling wine, which is produced in Italy.

It is a clean and fresh tasting wine. There is a predominantly grape flavour which is also suffused with the tang of citrus fruits, but with a softer taste underlying it that reminds one of melon juice.

It is ideal for sharing with friends, perhaps with finger foods and snacks, or good for drinking with Christmas dinner or for seeing the New Year in.

It should be widely available from wine merchants and some supermarkets.

Visit www.blossomhill.com for details.

Dom't forget Pukka herbal teas over Christmas!

It really is all too easy to forget about the important things in life, the vital things, at Christmas time.

Like what, for example?

Like yourself. We run around sorting out Christmas presents, finishing off the important projects that must be finished before we break up for Christmas.

Inviting people to Christmas dinner, writing out the Christmas cards. (EDITOR: Oh! I forgot some cards that I really must... See? I just did it again!)

And there's the food and drink that we will consume in abundance.

So, how on earth do we get something back for our own selves? Meditation? Well, yes, there's meditation. Good luck with that! "Ohmmmm..." BING! BONG! "Hello! I have a parcel for you to sign for!"

So, if not meditation, what, then?

A Pukka Herbal Collection box! That's what!

Although Pukka Herbs would be far, far too modest to say this, my wife and I like to call Pukka teas "a miracle in a box!"

In this particular box of herbal miracles you'll find elderberry and echinacea, lemon, ginger and manuka honey, night time, three mint and detox.

As they are from Pukka, you know you can rely on them to be organic, carefully selected, carefully blended and carefully packed to ensure they reach you in top condition. All you need do to enjoy them is to carefully prepare them in accordance with the instructions and there you have it, a cup of perfect herbal tea.

They smell and taste absolutely gorgeous. Will you find them as miraculous as my wife and I do? Well, we like to speak as we find and we have found Pukka Teas to be wonderful for more years than we care to remember!

Why not buy several packs? Some for you and some as great, authentic Christmas gifts that really will spread the true meaning of Christmas cheer this year?

Available from all good herbalists or visit www.pukkaherbs.com for more details or to buy from their online shop at £2.39 a box.

How to beat the temptation to present pinch!

30% of us admit (rather guiltily!) that we keep Christmas presents that we bought with the intention of giving it to someone else, because we fall in love with it ourselves!

This information has come out after eBay conducted a survey.

Figures show that Londoners (35%) are the worst for this, whilst those in the North-West only come in at 25%.

Women are worse than men, (34% vs 26%), those aged 16-24 (37%) are even worse!

But it’s not just nicking presents that should have been destined for others, 50% of us actually indulge in a little self-gifting whilst we are out Christmas shopping for presents. 64% of West Midlanders admit to doing this. (EDITOR: Maybe it's a reward for buying such nice gifts for other people?)

Sometimes we have problems sourcing suitable gifts for members of our family members.

The research shows we have problems with partners (26%) and brothers and sisters (15%).

eBay spokesperson, Julia Hutton-Potts adds: “We all know Christmas is a time for giving to our loved ones – and it appears it is also a time for giving to ourselves as well. With gift inspiration all around us, it’s not surprising we also want to treat ourselves.”

(EDITOR: That's Christmas has an idea that we feel eBay may approve of. When you find a suitable present on eBay that you might be tempted to nick for yourself, buy at least two of them, instead! www.ebay.co.uk)

Big Cup, Little Cup's Reindeer Rocket coffee

Big Cup, Little Cup's Reindeer Rocket coffee is the perfect coffee for Christmas. Actually, it's the perfect coffee for any time of the year, in our opinion as coffee drinkers of some years standing.

It's compatible with your Nespresso machine and it has been declared as "The best coffee I have tasted in years!" by my wife and also myself.

It's a limited edition coffee (Note to Big Cup, Little Cup please change your minds and add this to your regular range, OK?) that is a combination of coffees from Brazil, Peru, El Salvador and Southern India,

I was not aware that they grew coffee in Southern India and mentioned this to my wife whose family originated in Southern India. She gave me one of 'those' looks and said: "Yes, of course they do!"

What does Reindeer Rocket taste like? If Santa needed a drink of coffee to help him get round all of the Billions of children in the world, then surely he would choose Reindeer Rocket coffee for the job!

It tastes like coffee. Like a good, honest to goodness coffee that has been lovingly created by people who know and care about coffee.

It has a full, robust taste (but using robust in the genuine sense of the word) that is full-bodied, with hints of warm summer suns, slightly nutty but not overly so and there's something about it's pleasing finish on the palette that just calls out to be the perfect accompaniment for mince pies or for a pleasing after Christmas Dinner cup (or three!) of coffee.

The coffee beans used are Arabicas and Southern Indian Robusta and is a Strength 9.

We at That's Christmas can heartily recommend this coffee.

To buy it visit www.bigcuplittlecup.com or email them at hello@bigcuplittlecup.com.

Do you really need to use a coffee machine to make it? Well, in truth, no, you don't. We found that our trusty over the jug filter worked equally well! (There are some bits left in the cup, but sacrifices have to be made for great tasting coffee, we feel.)

(Editor: That's Christmas acknowledges that Nespresso is a registered trademark Nestle.)

Magners Light all the taste, 30% less calories

Yes, it's true. Magners Light does truly have all the taste, yet  30% less calories.

Magners Orchard Berries Light is a premium fruit-flavoured cider with a big difference.

Although it is made from highest quality Irish pears and then has blackcurrants, strawberries and raspberries added, the experts at Magners have been able to keep all of the taste of Magners Orchard Berries pear cider, yet make sure that there is 30% less calories than then original variety.

The flavour is good and refreshing, yet it reminds me of the novelty vinyl LPs that were produced back in the day.

The record producers would have two sound grooves cut on each side of the LP and it was a matter of luck which one the needle fell in when you started the record player.

And I feel the same way about the flavour of Magners Orchard Berries Light. Sometimes the raspberries predominate, sometimes the pear, sometimes the strawberries, sometimes the blackcurrants.

This is an ideal party drink and even those who are on a diet will be able to indulge themselves!

Even though it is low in calories, it's still got 4% alcohol, so could be treated with caution.

It;'s available in packs of four.

Top tips to boost young children’s Christmas excitement

It’s getting closer to Christmas Day, so postbags across the country are stuffed full of hopeful letters to Santa.

Mark O’Donnell, the new headmaster of St Martin’s Ampleforth, the prep school at Ampleforth College, has over 200 excited children eagerly awaiting a fun-filled festive season and has provided some tips on how to manage children’s excitement in a way which puts the true meaning back into the holiday season.

Mark says: “For parents, channeling young children’s Christmas excitement can be both fun and challenging. Finding a balance between the ‘giving’ and ‘receiving’ messages are key to a fulfilling festive season.”

1.      Outside and Festive – Playing in the great outdoors is a fantastic way to wear out excited kids. Ampleforth is set in two thousand acres of scenic Yorkshire countryside so whether it’s building a snowman, sledging or an old fashioned country ramble, busy days mean children sleep well.

2.      Nativity – Popular film “Love, Actually” showed there’s great diversity in nativity plays and this is true across the country. Helping build excitement for your child’s school nativity is a great way to encourage creativity and confidence and their first experience on stage is memorable for both the parent and child.

3.      Church Service – Being a Benedictine school, we have lots of traditional church services around the festive season, but also a big focus on working the earth and being part of nature which is reflected in our Gardening Club where the children are able to collect holly and pine cones to make Christmas wreaths.

4.      School-made creations – Here at St. Martin’s we have a 20ft Christmas tree with all the decorations made by the children at the school. It’s a great way to keep the children entertained and get them involved in some creative Christmas crafting.

5.      Story Time – Reading an extract from a child’s favourite book can be one way to keep a youngster’s attention, as can reading a child’s version of Luke chapter 2, the nativity story. Also, older children can keep younger children occupied by playing board games or other activities.

KEY FACTS:
St Martin’s Ampleforth is the Preparatory School for Ampleforth College and welcomes boys and girls as day or full-boarding students from the ages of seven to 13, with a nursery and pre-prep for children aged three to six.  http://www.stmartins.ampleforth.org.uk)

The school is located in a Grade I listed castle within the 2,000-acre estate of Ampleforth Abbey.

Set in one of North Yorkshire’s Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Ampleforth is the UK’s largest and most forward-looking Benedictine community.

Steered by a moral ‘Compass for Life’ nurtured by the Benedictine ethos, children are taught at co-educational Prep school St Martin’s Ampleforth (3-13) and Ampleforth College (13-18). Ampleforth also runs a permanent private hall at Oxford University, St Benet's Hall.

Ampleforth Abbey visitor centre welcomed its 10,000 visitor in June 2012 and the Benedictine monastery at Ampleforth is a centre for spirituality, education, pastoral work and evangelisation.

Ampleforth was established in 1802 when the monks returned to England following a 200-year exile in France following the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII. The famous Abbey orchard now has some 2,000 trees and more than 40 varieties of apples, some of which are used to make the famous Ampleforth Abbey Cider and Cider Brandy.

The Abbey also started selling Ampleforth Abbey Beer in 2012. Derived from a 17th century recipe in the Belgian Trappist style, the beer is brewed in partnership with local brewery Little Valley Brewery.

Buckfast Tonic Wine for Christmas

Buckfast Tonic Wine... for Christmas?

But why not? Those clever Benedictine Monks from Buckfast Abbey know a thing or two about the production of wine, and their Buckfast Tonic Wine is a full-bodied red wine with a subtle hint of something a little bit different about the taste.

It's chock full of caffeine, so obviously it's not an ideal bedtime drink, but for a mid-morning pick-me-up (ideal if you have been hit by those irksome little bugs that seem to love to attack us at Christmas time) for example, it is ideal.

Yes, we are fully aware that Buckfast Tonic Wine is no longer able to claim any medicinal benefits from people drinking it, but my wife was introduced to it by an elderly gentleman who had been drinking it for many years.

She hadn't been feeling well and he gave her a bottle to try. Try it she did, and she tells me  she's not looked back, since!

Serve it to your guests with mince pies or Stollen or secrete the bottle in a safe hiding place and bring it out when the last guests have gone. either way, it's all good!

http://www.buckfast.org.uk

POM Wonderful is wonderful for Christmas, too

There's sometimes a temptation to forget the important things in life over the mad and exciting rush of the Christmas and New Year period.

Whilst we make sure there's plenty of beer, wine, spirits and soft drinks available for your guests it's vital not to forget about you and your needs during this fraught, yet fun, period of the year.

One thin that you must not forget is stuff that does you good yet also tastes good, too. In fact why not source some for you and your guests?

You need a super fruit super drink that not only has the potential to do you good, yet also tastes good too.

What are we talking about? POM Wonderful.

POM Wonderful is made from 100% California pomegranates, which are grown in  the orchards owned by Wonderful, so they know exactly where the fruits came from.

You should refrigerate POM Wonderful, before shaking it and sharing it amongst your guests who want something uniquely tasty. 

You and your guests will find it just as drinkable as our taste team did!

There's an advisory notification on the bottle warning you to drink it within five days of opening, well, good luck with that, because if it last longer than five seconds before the bottle is empty, you'll be lucky!

It comes in three varieties, Pomegranate, Blueberry or Cranberry flavours, all equally delicious.  

It also makes some super cocktails, too! All of which you can find, here: http://www.pomwonderful.co.uk/pomegranate-cocktails/

Serve baby's Christmas dinner in style with Placematic

Mealtimes with toddlers can be tricky at any time but Christmas Dinner is a whole different and potentially even more stessful ball game!

Trying to keep little ones still at the table when they are so excited by Christmas is no mean feat so treat them to the Placematix range of children's tableware.

The high-quality unique interlocking tableware is designed for both function and fun. Not only does it feature a large non-slip placemat, plate, bowl, spoon and fork, the Placematix Gift Set is all about fun.

It's ideal for fussy eaters, the range features brightly coloured, highly durable, food safe tableware that makes mealtimes more enjoyable for children (and mums!).

And here is what is even more amazing, each piece is compatible with Duplo, Megabloks and other brick construction sets!

So if you like to linger at the table long after the Christmas Pudding has been devoured, the Placematix tableware will keep your toddler entertained and inspire them to eat all their sprouts!

Priced in the region of £24.99, the Placematix Tableware set is available from Jo Jo Maman Bebe and www.goldbug.co.uk.

Lots of fantastic Christmas games from SAMBRO

Top of its game (if you'll pardon that expression!) UK toy firm SAMBRO has a wide variety of games to entertain the whole family this Christmas.

Get toddlers in a spin with the brand new Spin Off Mickey Mouse and Spin Off Minnie Mouse games. As Mickey spins, hang various items on him such as keys, an umbrella, a watch and a mobile phone...but do it quickly before the timer runs out and all the items pop off. Whoever hangs the most on Mickey wins.

Little girls will love Spin Off Minnie...watch how she spins in her pretty pink polka dot dress and hand as many co-ordinating items onto her before the timer runs out. Place cool shades, a pink handbag, a lollipop and much more. Priced at around £25 and available from ToysRUs.

For spooktacular fun, the Zed the Zombie Unrest in Pieces game is a sure-fire hit. Activate the timer on the base unit and then race against the clock to put Zed's body parts and accessories back together.

Hit the stop button before the time runs out - fail and Zombie parts will fly everywhere! Yuck! Priced at around £25 from ARGOS & ToysRUS.

Poochie Bag will make it a great Christmas

The US mini celeb sensation has reached our shores just in time for Christmas!

Poochie&Co is a collection of the cutest handbags that will certainly make it onto your little fashionista's wish list.

These aren't just any old handbag - the Poochie&Co Handbags feature the cutest dogs covered in sequins. Choose from loveable Yorkie with her pretty pink bow and pink sequin body and co-ordinating strap or why not carry your goodies in the super-strokable Golden Labrador bag who has a sparkly gold sequin body.  From pugs and poodles to terriers and spaniels. Whatever breed of dog you love, there is a Poochie&Co handbag just for you.

Seen on some of the most high-profile young celebrities in Hollywood, including 9 year old Oscar nominated start Quvenzhané Wallis, the Poochie&Co range of handbags are the must-have bag for girls and dog-lovers in 2015.

Priced at around £14.99 each, the Poochie&Co Handbags are available from Amazon.

Make Christmas come to light this year with Cool Circuits

Everyone is always on the lookout for the perfect game to play on Christmas Day (and beyond, too!)

Enter Cool Circuits(tm) from Maps Toys. – It’s an award-winning puzzle that will challenge every member of the family and is guaranteed to light up your Christmas...quite literally!

Cool Circuits(tm) features a chunky white circuit board and eight fluorescent 3D puzzle pieces.

All you have to do is solve the 40 different challenges! You can begin with an easy challenge then when you think you are a Cool Circuits(tm) whiz move on to practically impossible!

Choose a puzzle card and create the circuit loop shown and watch the board flash and illuminate with lights and music if you join each circuit correctly.

Cool Circuits(tm) emphasises abstract thinking and spatial reasoning and we defy you not to get hooked by Boxing Day. It should cost £24.99 and it is available from Prezzybox.

Let your kids celebrate Christmas with the world’s most famous caterpillar!

Every child knows and loves the Hungry Caterpillar. And in this, his anniversary year, the famous caterpillar is more popular than ever.

This Christmas treat the smallest member of your family to some of the cutest Hungry Caterpillar products around.

Goldbug launch the stunning Hungry Caterpillar Neck Support. The vibrant, soft and cuddly character caterpillar not only looks cute and loveable but also provides a brilliant support for your child's neck when travelling - perfect for all those long Christmas journeys to see the family. Priced at around £9.99.

The range also includes a cool window shade that will help protect your child from the Sun's rays all year. It will also make mum's car look pretty special too! RRP £14.99.

And for an extra cuddlesome Christmas journey, treat toddlers to the Hungry Caterpillar Seat Belt Covers. Soft and snuggly, the covers make travelling more comfortable and children will love having their favourite companion along for the ride! Priced at around £6.99.

The Hungry Caterpillar range brought to you by Goldbug is available from Amazon or www.goldbug.eu.

The ultimate action toy for Christmas!

Seeking out what’s got to be the ultimate action toy for this Christmas?

Looking for a present that Mums, Dads and Grandparents will love to play just as much as the kids?

Well you need look no further, because That’s Christmas has found that ideal toy for you!

It’s the brand new Hover Shot from Maps Toys. This amazing game will test your shooting skills with pinpoint accuracy and bring out the competitor in everyone. Challenge yourself or another player but most of all have tons of fun!

The Hover Shot includes a battery-operated base which features five stands on which you place balls. Turn on the airflow and watch as they bob up and down in the air ready for you to fire at. You can control the airflow of the base to challenge players even further.

But what makes this game really fun is that when you turn the lights out and turn the game on to night mode, the balls appear like glowing stars in the air – awesome! Each gun can hold 3 foam darts and you just pullback, shoot and reload. The game is perfect for 2 players so pit your wits against every member of your family.

Expect to pay somewhere in the region of £24.99. Available from Amazon.

Give your kids the moon on a stick this Christmas!

Remember when you were a child? Taking a peep to see if you could see Santa's silhouette pass in front of the moon?

Well this Christmas, Brainstorm allows you to bring this most fascinating of all our solar system neighbours into your child's bedroom.

The Remote Controlled Illuminated Moon is an authentically detailed model of the moon that you can hang easily on your child's wall like a picture or cool wall art.

This wall art is unlike any other though as your child can control the moonlight with their very own remote control. Children will love changing the moon to light up through twelve illuminated lunar phases.

It's a stunning way to learn about the moon and makes a fantastic night light.

You can also use the manual function to set your own moon so it looks just like the moon in the night sky - from a new moon all the way to a full moon.

It features an auto shut-off mechanism to preserve battery life and making it an ideal way to light a child's room when they settle to sleep.

It's powered by just 4 AA batteries in the Moon and 2 AAA batteries in the remote; there are no fussy wires and it is super-easy to install.

The RC Illuminated Moon also comes with a detailed colour education booklet containing fascinating information about the moon. This Christmas Gift will not only look great in your child's room but will also inspire them to learn more about the world around them.

The RC Illuminated Moon will cost you somewhere in the region of £29.99 and is available from Amazon, Argos, Toymaster and all good toy stores.

Make sure your kids are well and truly Frozen this Christmas!

The unprecedented popularity of Disney's Frozen shows no sign of slowing down, and SAMBRO has a range of unique Frozen goodies that will make your very own little versions of Elsa or Anna the envy of all their friends.

The collection includes lots of arts and crafts entertainment for children of all ages including the Frozen Filled Backpack which is a must-have for any fan of the film.

Featuring the amazing characters, the bag contains a notebook, pencil case and pen so back to school after Christmas will be a doddle. Priced at around £15 available at Argos.

House getting filled with Frozen artwork?  Well why not harness and channel their inner artist with the Frozen Colouring Table?

The self-assembly table includes chunky coloured crayons and a 5 metre colouring roll which features illustrations of the Frozen characters which little girls can spend endless hours colouring in. Priced around £12.

The ice-cool Frozen Large Magnetic Scribbler will allow your children to create fun art on the go. It features a magnetic pen and two themed magnetic stamps. The scribbler also comes in medium and small so perfect for stocking fillers for every Frozen fan you know! Prices start from £2. The large Scribbler is priced at around £10.

Little girls will adore their very own Frozen Sparkle Station - a cushioned desk with its very own light so you can illuminate your artwork. It features six themed colouring sheets and six coloured markers for on the go arty fun. Perfect for long journeys to see family during the holidays. Around £15.

The collection also includes art cases, coloured pencils, a colour wheel and funky Colour your Own Frozen Bag sets starting at around £5.



(Please note: That's Christmas acknowledges the rights of Disney, SAMBRO, etc, in regards to images and their fair use.)

Have yourself a truly bodacious Christmas, dudes and dudettes! With the Teenage Mutant ninja Turtles!

Dudes and dudettes, get yourselves ready for the most awesome Christmas ever!

Why? Because as everybody's favourite turtles are back and they are even bigger and better than ever before!

Well prepared for a new legion of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans, Sambro have launched a turt-ally amazing range of goodies that your kids will love.

The fabulous foursome LOVE Pizza and they would love the Catapult Pizza Game (RRP £20).

This is an epic game of skill, action and... FLYING PIZZA! Use your ninja skills to knock down villains like Shredder, Kraang Droid, and the evil Foot Clan Soldiers! With four catapults launching pizzas at the same time, it's PIES IN THE SKY, DUDE! Suitable for 2-4 players, the catapult can launch the pizzas over a whopping 60cms. Everyone plays at once in a race to be the one to knock out the bad guys first. It's a nonstop action game ideal for children aged 6 and upwards.

Become a Pinball Wizard with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Arcade Pinball Game (RRP £14.99). With cool electronic lights and sounds and a double flipper, you can truly master this iconic game. Also features an electronic scoreboard so challenge your mates to a game.

You don't get named after the most famous artists of all time without being that bit creative and Sambro's Sit & Play Creative Art Desk (RRP £29.99) will allow your child to channel their inner Michaelangelo!

The self-assembly desk features 5 colouring sheets featuring all your favourite characters as well as eight crayons and eight washable markers that can slot into the desk. Suitable for children aged between 3 and 6 years of age.

For more details on the whole TNMT range go to www.sambro.co.uk The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle range is available from leading toy retailers and supermarkets.

Space toys for your boys and girls, too

Let's face it, Space Toys ae always popular! And this Christmas Santa's Sleigh with be weighed down with enough space toys to make even a NASA Astronaut a bit green with envy!

The Deluxe NASA Spaceman costume (RRP £39.99) is made from high-quality, tough material and will probably last to infinity and beyond!

The hard-wearing, bright orange, zip-fronted suit features authentic NASA badges and is guaranteed to create Christmas costume jealousy. There is also a white spacesuit available for the ultimate astronautical adventures.

The quality costumes are more durable than most dress-up outfits costumes and will last for years to come and can even be handed down to younger siblings.

The costume comes with a cool Astronaut cap but every astronaut requires a space helmet. Wear your astronaut costume with the cool Talking NASA Space Helmet and you're all set for your next space mission. The Talking Space Helmet is priced at around £35.99 and looks just like the real thing.

It features a mission control countdown and life-like blast off sounds, too!

A spring-loaded retractable visor lets them really get into character, too.

Complete the costume with cool NASA branded boots (RRP £19.99) - for your first steps on the moon as well as must-have astronaut gloves (RRP £12.99) perfect for picking up space specimens!

 Every astronaut also needs a rocket and the inflatable NASA Spaceship Ride-On to complete their mission (RRP £29.99). Once you're kitted out, load up the Astronaut Space Backpack Water Blaster (RRP £12.99) and get squirting those Aliens...or your annoying siblings!

And if Dad (or mum!)  hasn't quite grown out of his dreams to be an astronaut, there are adult costumes available too!

Get the full Aeromax range from Amazon. The NASA Space range is available from www.spacekids.co.uk

(EDITOR: Adult costumes are available? I really must check out that web address!)

Your kids can share their rooms with 24 dinosaurs!

Boys and girls of all ages LOVE dinosaurs and Brainstorm have come up with the perfect Christmas gift for fans of all things prehistoric.

The T-Rex Projector and Room Guard will delight your children.

The bloodcurdlingly awesome T-Rex is actually a special projector that allows kids to project cool images of 24 dinosaurs onto their bedroom walls.

The images can be projected up to one metre wide for a roar-some view of some of the most famous dinosaurs. In fact, the projector beams 18 different types of dinosaur and children will have fun on Christmas Day learning all about them. (If dad and mum can be kept away from the projector, that is!)

However, that's not all that this unique T-Rex Projector can do...your child's new best friend also doubles as a cool room guard to keep unwanted visitors out of your bedroom.

So if siblings won't leave your Christmas presents alone and parents want to check that you are asleep, give them the ultimate surprise when your T-Rex roars into action! As well as the projector, T-Rex also features motion sensors that detect movement. Place near your bedroom door and listen as he makes five different roar sounds to terrify your unwanted guests. Hours of fun!

The T-Rex Projector and Room Guard stands at a mighty 40 cm and makes a great room decoration too. The box also contains a secret code which allows children to take their fun learning experience even further. They can use this special code to unlock fascinating dinosaur facts online. There's also a bonus T-Rex Door Sticker included....for added room protection! RRP £29.99.

Available from Argos, Amazon, Hawkins Bazaar, selected Toymaster stores and all good high quality toy retailers.

Everyone loves New Baileys Mini Delights!

Award-winning chocolatiers, Lir, has created a real winning combination, truly delightful bite-sized milk chocolate truffles with Baileys® liqueur.

Spoil yourself or even better, a loved one this Christmas with new Baileys® Mini Delights.

The world class combination of Baileys®, liqueur, with gorgeous Lir milk chocolate, is an already proven success and these NEW light and moreish minis mean Baileys® chocolates can now be enjoyed at any time.

Each chocolate is made using the finest ingredients and they are sold in a handy re-sealable pack. If they last that long!

The Baileys® Mini Delights are available now, costing a remarkably reasonable £2.49 RRP for 102g.

Baileys® boxed chocolates are also available at all major retailers. They will be available from £5.00 RRP.

The That's Christmas Taste Team marked them as 9/10.

One member of the team said: "I have to confess, I'm not actually a fan of Baileys. But these Mini Delights are so delicious, they might change my mind on that!"

Angels, Dreams and Messages

Angels, Dreams and Messages is a book by Frederick Charles.

Frederick Charles has all the appearance of a modern renaissance man. Which what he is, pretty much.

He is an actor, a motivational speaker, a life coach and an author.

Frederick has a firm and unwavering belief in angels. He also believes in the importance of dreams, which he feels are "doorways into the subconscious and windows to the soul."

He believes that we can use our dreams to understand who we are and can be used to get a handle on what is happening in our lives.

They can, he avers, help us solve mysteries,  guide us, help us and act as teachers and mentors.

We can, he states, harness  the power of our dreams to help us to shape the reality that we want our lives to be.

He discusses the different types of dreams that we all are familiar with including sex dreams, dream where we are being chased, anxiety dreams, nightmares, psychic dreams and so forth.

Frederick describes many of the different dreams that he has had through the years.

Reading the book, I felt that Frederick was taking me on a journey through his mind, the mind of a man who is a genius, yet also warm, compassionate and filled with energy and a genuine love not only of life but a love of all humanity.

The book is an ideal present for those of us who are, generally speaking, hard to find presents for, those who are interested in esoteric subjects.

It is published by Austin Macauley at £7.99 and for a book of 324 pages, is very reasonably priced.

The ISBN is 798 1 84963 555 4.

www.austinmacauley.com.

Who's Who in Thomas Hardy

Who's who in Thomas Hardy is a book by Huw Barker Rahane that needs to be on the bookshelves of every Thomas Hardy fan in the world.

For the first time in years, certainly for the first time this century, someone has taken the time and trouble to methodically catalogue all fictional characters that grace the great works of one of the giants of English Literature, Thomas Hardy.

There's a handy key at the beginning of the book, next comes an alphabetical register of characters, cross-referenced to the book in which they appear. All 210 of them.

Part 1 covers the novels. There's a potted retelling of the story, then sometimes very detailed descriptions of the characters and how they relate to other characters in the book.

Part 2 covers the collections, the other works of Thomas Hardy.

There's even a short Thomas Hardy themed quiz at the end of the book.

At a mere £5.99 this book must be in the Christmas stocking of every student of English literature and every fan of Thomas Hardy.

It is published by Austin Macauley and the ISBN is 978 178455 020 2.

http://www.austinmacauley.com.

More from Terre a Terre for Christmas

That’s Christmas has mentioned Terre a Terre, the culinary star of Brighton, before. 

This time we are writing about the range of Christmas hampers and gifts that they have on offer.

They have hampers which are a wooden wine box stuffed full of festive goodies which are all, of course, from the Terre a Terre range, plus some absolutely delightful little extras that will help your Christmas holiday season go remarkably well.

There’s the Terre a Terre Hamper at £50. (Vegan option)

Boozy Rum Truffles, Wasabi Cashews, Tamari Seeds, Chilly Chelly, Cipollini Onions, Kalamata Crush, Smoked Sundried Tomatoes, Piccalishus Piccalilli and Merlot Onion Marmalade.

Proof is in the Pudding Hamper at £60.

Terre a Terre Salt Caramel Truffles and Boozy Run Truffles, Boozy Christmas Pudding, Calabrian Baked Fig Ball, Spiced Panforte pus a bottle of Pedro Ximenez Sherry (Piedra Luenga Fino 50cl.)

Cheese Port Pickle Hamper (£60)

Terre a Terre Damson Fruit Cheese, Quince Fruit Cheese, Crabapple Jelly Piccalishus Piccalilli, Mulled Spiced Apple Chutney, Godminster Waxed Orgainc Vintage Cheddar Round 400g, Calabrian Baked fig Ball and Finest Reserve Port (Casal dos Jordoes 50cl)

Or what about a copy of the famed Terre a Terre Vegetarian Cookbook? 100 recipes from their own kitchen and only costing £20. And they sell Terre a Terra gift vouchers in denominations of £15, £25 and £50.

They also sell the delightfully eccentrically Espresso Mushroom co. Hot Pinks Kitchen Garden at £19.95. Watch with wonder as the Hot Pink Oyster mushrooms grow before your very eyes, doubling in size every day! They’ll make a great gift for the aspiring young farmer or the foodie who is really, seriously into picking live food form their kitchen garden. But in this case the garden is actually inside the kitchen!

You can even do a sort of pick-and-mix from their range. To find out how to order and to browse their range visit www.terreaterre.co.uk.

(EDITOR: Image courtesy of Terre a Terre.)

Pick some good quality picks for the guitarist in your life

The guitarist in your life, be they a neophyte or a long-established guitar player will need to protect their fingers. And their are many trips and techniques that they can learn from older guitarists, from their guitar teacher, from the Internet and from YouTube.

But the one sure fire method of protecting their fingers that all seasoned guitarists, professional and amateur, will swear by are guitar picks.

But not any old guitar picks will do!

They have to be good, solid and dependable, guitar picks they will not bend, break or bow, that will be able to help them get the best performances ever from their guitars.

In short, they have to be decent, professionally designed and professionally made guitar picks.

One such manufacturer of professional, high grade, quality guitar picks is Jim Dunlop over at  http://www.jimdunlop.com/products/guitar-picks#brand-picks where you will see more guitar picks than you ever thought possible!

There are guitar picks for every conceivable type of guitar music. A favourite with many guitarists is the Jimi Hendrix range, for example "The Jimi Hendrix Hear My Music Pick Tin contains six picks with unique images of Jimi playing the music that made him famous. Gauges: Medium."

They are available in the UK via Amazon and most good guitar dealers up and down the country. Remember, Google is your friend. Google "Jim Dunlop Guitar Picks" but have Google set to "UK Search only".

Stag Bakeries must be on your shopping list this Christmas

It's said that Stag Bakeries is probably one of the most remote bakeries in the UK, based as it is in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis on the Scottish Outer Hebrides.

Stag produces a range with provenance include the award-winning Stornoway Water Biscuit with Hebridean seaweed that was awarded Best Scottish Speciality Product 2013.

 New for 2014 are a new range of four cheese straws, each made with a different Scottish speciality cheese. Available from independent retail stores.

They also have a range of very tasty seasonal specials. Do please check these out.

To learn more about Stag Bakeries, you can visit them at http://www.stagbakeries.co.uk.

The Seadweed Stornoway Water Biscuits are a real treat. Although I like them plain, my wife thought they tasted better with a rather nice mature cheddar.

Winter Wonder - The Florin Street Band (New Christmas Songs 2014)

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More great products from Wasgij

Wasgij has produced some more stunningly inventive gifts that will be keeping you and your family entertained all through Christmas and beyond.

Wasgij products give everyone the very real opportunity to use their skill, ingenuity and the power of their imaginations.

Yes, it's the Wasgij Christmas Puzzle!

Dom't puzzle what you see, puzzle what will happen next!

What? Really? Yes, really! Becaue Wasgij isn't 'just' a jigsaw, it's something that is much, much more than that.

You have the picture, but now you have to work out what happens next!

Sounds like fun? Well, yes, it is! But the folks at Wasgij will not leave you completely in the dark, they provide you with a number of very helpful hints and indications as to how you can proceed.

There are two versions of the Wasgij Christmas puzzle, one for children and the other for adults.

The adult version offers you not only the pleasure and fun of trying to crack the puzzle, but also the opportunity to win a cool £10,000 cash prize and special Wasgij goodies, too!

Just visit www.wasgij.com for more details. They are available on Amazon and other online retailers and from high street toy and gift retailers, too, the adult version should cost about £15.00.

T'Was A Death Before Christmas

Ever year the good folks of the small English country village of Mid-Trimming come together to enjoy themselves and to entertain their neighbours by singing Christmas Carols as they wander through the streets of their picture perfect village.

At the end of their evening of traditional wassailing custom and practice has it that they all gather together for a final, special Christmas party before the advent of Christmas Day, itself.

This year the venue for the party is the Manor House, which is owned by the wealthy miser, Bob Scratchitt.

Everyone had been bemused by his agreement to play the host, but they were shocked to find him dead in his own lounge!

Who wanted Bob dead? Carole Singer? Jacques Frost? Holly Reath? Declan Halls? Gaye Buntin? Chris Tingle? Silvia Bells? Or perhaps it was Noel Nowell?

The game pack contains instructions, invitations and envelopes, character booklets, name labels and place settings plus some suggestions for making the most of the theme and some recipe suggestions.

There's a CD a DVD and a script for the character of the police inspector, who guides you through the mystery and provides the solution at the end.

It's a game that's suitable for ages 13 and up.

It is available from Red Herring Games at www.Red-Herring-Games.co.uk.

T'was a death before Christmas is for 6-12 players and costs £ 19.99.

Give them the gift of peace of mind with The EasyLock

The EasyLock is a fantastic and utterly revolutionary way of protecting what you value, or what other people in your life value,including their own lives.

It's a gift that anyone would like to receive.

It's light (said to be the lightest of any lock of its kind in the world) and it will offer complete protection for 95% of doors that open inwardly.

It's a brilliant and portable locking solution that offers that extra bit of security and improved peace of mind to students living away from home, business travellers, people who live by themselves and for the home.

It's as strong as steel, yet is as light as plastic.

It's durable (there's a lifetime guarantee) and it can be installed within a matter of seconds, making the user feel safe and secure.

It's small enough to fit within a pocket and comes with an attractive and very handy carrying case.

It was invented by Bob Fitzjohn an entrepreneur of some 66 summers. He told That's Christmas that he invented it for his own grandchildren, as he knew that, one day, "they'll be off travelling the world and I wanted to create a solution that would keep them 100% safe, no matter where they stayed."

The EasyLock will cost £24.95, with free postage and is available in pink or silver colours.

Buy it at www.The-EasyLock.com.

Pralines? Guylian Perlines Artisnal Beligian Pralines, please!

Christmas comes but once a year, and to make sure that the special person in your life knows how really, genuinely special they are in your life, buy them a box of unexpectedly splendid delights, a box of Guylian Artisanal Belgian Chocolate Perlines, Praline Chocolates.

There's a box of 16 of the most delightful Belgian Chocolates ever created and they are waiting for you to go and buy them for your lover, your mother, your spouse or just a special friend.

Perhaps they are feeling a little low? Well, send them a prescription from Dr Guylian and they'll soon be perking up for Christmas!

Exactly who or what is Guylian? One of the best chocolatiers in the whole world (obviously, it helps, greatly, that they are from Belgium which is acknowledged to be the world leader in chocolate production, with only the Swiss anywhere near in comparison) who have been creating fine, quality luxury chocolates since 1958.

These are 16 Belgian chocolates each with a delicious Praline Truffle filling. All just waiting to be part of a very special present for a very special person.

You can buy them online at http://guylianukshop.mygostore.co.uk along with a very wide range of other tempting chocolate delights.

And for people who can't tolerate sugars in their diet, Guylian has thought of you, with some sugar free chocolates.

(PICTURED: Someone is guarding his mum's Guylians!)

1,000 years of history condensed into a handy card game

You would not have thought it possible, but those brilliantly clever people at History Heroes set themselves one heck of a task, and managed to being it off with flying colours.

They have brought to the families of Britain (and the rest of the world, too) over 1,000 years of history presented in the form of a quiz for all the family card game.

It covers Explorers, World War 1, Sport and Scientists, each in their own set of playing cards.

The cards are not small, yet nor are they too big (11.8 x 7 x 1.8 cm) and they are well printed and each pack of cards covers a wide range of subjects.

For example in the Scientists pack you'll find information about Archimedes (c287-112BC, John Dalton 1766-1844, Edward Jenner 1749-1823, Alan Turing 1912-1954 and many more, besides.

What is the aim of the game? To capture as many of the cards as you can within an agreed time, all of them if you can manage it.

You shuffle the pack, deal the cards equally and then fun begins.

The game is not a game of chance, you must use the information on the cards in order to try to win as many of your opponent's cards as you can.

You can also use them as flash cards to learn facts about the great scientists, explorers, sports people and about World War 1.

It is ideal for all ages and will be highly useful for parents who are self-educating their children at home, or who want to help their children learn more about history in a pleasant, fun and interactive way.

Don't worry, full instructions are included with each pack of cards. Each pack in the series costs a reasonable £8.99 and should keep the family happy and quiet (well... sort of quiet!) for hours of fun learning.

You can order the cards online at the official website https://www.historyheroes.co.uk.

It's beginning to look a lot like Crispmas with Fairfields Farm Turkey Crisps

Yes, it's beginning to look a lot like Crispmas with Fairfields Farm Turkey Crisps.

When the brilliant family who farm at Fairfields Farm in Essex have a good idea, they don't do it by halves!

They go all out to ensure that whatever they do is done exactly right.

And so it is with their Turkey flavoured crisps.

They grow the potatoes and the Kellybronze turkeys on their own farm.

Then they carefully handcook the crisps, adding just the right amount of herbs (sage, parsley and thyme) to create their signature dish, their Turkey Crisps.

What are they like?

They are firmly crispy, yet not too crisp, being cooked to perfection.

And they taste just asw you would expect a Kellybronze Turkey to taste, when deliciously melded with the finest Essex-grown potatoes.

And don't forget, Kellybronze Turkeys are "Bred to be Wild."

You can learn more by visiting them at www.fairfieldsfarmcrisps.co.uk or call 01206 241613.

(That's Christmas would like to express our thanks to Fairfield Farm Crisps for their invaluable help in putting this feature together, including supplying the image and the crisps!)

My Favourite Time of Year - The Florin Street Band (New Christmas Songs)

In Your Wildest Dreams!

This is a remarkably charming book by Seniha Ozer, with compelling a brightly coloured illustrations by Gill Guile.

The book follows on from Sweet Dreams, a book in which Poppy found out how to change her bad dreams into good dreams, with the help of her Grandad.

Poppy finds out that she can use this newly acquired knowledge to help her brother Henry to enjoy sweet, magical dreams, too.

Until one night they both had the same dream, the wildest, wackiest dream ever!

Was the Grandad in their dream? And what was on that piece of paper?

This book is an ideal bedtime read for parents, grandparents and children alike and will make a great Christmas present. It is published by Matador at £7.99.

ISBN 978 1784620 639.

Rusty and Friends

Rusty and Friends is a book by Marianne Parry. It is a book for children, which deals with a range of important topics such as friendship, bullying, being let down and, ultimately, redemption.

Rusty loves his father and he is heartbroken when he learns that the man he loves, his very own father, is a thief.

Marianne Parry depicts well the conflicts that Rusty feels, on the one had he longs to visit his father in prison with his mother, yet he always feels anxious before and during the visit.

Rusty is bullied at school, yet he has the support and help of his two best friends Willie and Sylvester.

The book has several interweaving plots that cross various generations and sensitively touches on images of race, racism, identify and redemption when, perhaps unexpectedly, Rusty's father proves himself to be a better man than perhaps even he himself realised and something of a heroic figure.

It is a charming book and is ideal for boys and girls and will be a well-received Christmas present.

The book costs £6.99 and is published by Matador as a paperback and also as an e-book.

The ISBN is 978 1784620 363.

Cool Chile Co. It's just like having your own bartender in your home!

Everyone likes the ideas of providing some really good cocktails at their Christmas and New Year's Eve parties.

But when someone asks for a "proper" Margarita, what exactly does that mean?

And do they want a sweet one? Or Not?

Have no fear, folks! The Cool Chile Co (the UK's top supplier of Mexican cooking supplies) can step in and help you to produce two of the best type of Margaritas that you will ever have tasted, and it's going to be one of the easiest things you have ever done.

Firstly, take your packet of specially selected and specially blended packet of spices, seasoning and salt.

Place some of the powder into a saucer, we the rim of your glass with a cut lime and then place the inverted Margarita glass into the powder, then remove your glass from the powder and carefully add your drink into the glass and serve your instantly authentic and delicious Margarita!

There are two type available, the Salty Chilli Margarita Rim and the Sweet Hibiscus Margarita Rim.

Why not provide both for your guests to see which they prefer?

They come in attractive tins so will make an ideal gift for the cocktail lover in your life.

They cost £3.50 a tin.

You can learn more about them at www.coolchile.co.uk.

Sugru is an ideal gift for the crafters in your life

Sometimes, people can be quite difficult to buy presents for. Especially the creative folks in your life.

That's Christmas has found an ideal item for a Christmas gift for the crafters in your life.

It is Sugru which is a special mouldable glue, and which is now available in special limited edition Silver Grey and five awesome new colours varieties, specially for Christmas.

What can crafters do with Sugru? They can stick it permanently to lots of different surfaces. Such as glass, metal, wood and most plastics and even some fabrics, too.

But that's only the first stage. At the second stage they will be able to shape it to build up, make, seal or repair. Or even stick things together.

At the third stage they can give it 24 hours and, guess what? At the end of the 24 hour period, Sugru turns into a durable and flexible silicone rubber compound that stays exactly where  they left it. Or at least, until they decide to remove it.

Sugru comes in handy resealable pocket sized tins and was invented by Jane and is made in the UK "with science and love."

To learn more about this amazing product you can visit www.sugru.com.

Looking for a cheeky little stocking filler? Then M. T. Books can help you!

If you are looking for a cheeky little stocking filler of a present, then British-based publisher M. T. Books will be able to help you.

M. T. Books has a growing catalogue of books on a wide range of subjects.

Subjects covered include:

Good Reasons to Support Chelsea, The Integrity of Piers Morgan, The Point of Katie Hopkins,  Everything The Scots Love About the English, Manchester United: The Trophy Cabinet Story 2014-50 and The Wit and Wisdom of Jeremy Clarkson.

And when your friend or colleague opens the book, well, let's just hope that they get as good a laugh out of the 'contents' of the book as you did when you chose it for them!

They are available via Amazon and at £3.99 each, make a novel conversation piece and a spiffy stocking filler!

Re'al is real gourmet Cream of Coconut

There's absolutely no doubt about it, Re'al is really and genuinely a real gourmet cream of coconut.

It's smooth and it's got that real and genuine taste that one can only get from hand picked tropical coconuts.

If you can resist eating it with a spoon straight out of the easy serve squeezable container, what can you do with it?

Just about anything you'd want to, really.

It's going to make a great standby for all of your coconut cream-based cocktail drinks.

It helps you prepare the ultimate in Pina Coladas, the best ever Coconut Daiquiri and a really good Coconut Mojito.

You can use it not only in your cocktails but as a cooking ingredient and a sauce to pour on ice cream and so much more.

And don't forget, there are eight other flavours, too! Blueberry, Peach, Mango, Raspberry, Strawberry, Pumpkin, Blue Agave Nectar and Ginger Purées.

Just visit http://realingredients.com to learn more.

Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin

For people who think that all gins are the same, I hope that over the years, That's Christmas and our sister publication/site, That's Food and Drink has been able to bring you some rather special gins that might, hopefully, change your opinions of gin.

One such of these very special gins is Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin.

Although it describes itself as a London Dry Gin (and there's nothing wrong with a London dry Gin) Ophir Oriental Spiced Gin is far, far more than a London Dry Gin.

It is cunningly and lovingly crafted using a range of some very special botanicals  from the ancient spice route travelled by the likes of Marco Polo all those centuries ago.

So, what spices are actually used in this very special Oriental gin?

There is Cubebs (or tailed peppers) from Indonesia, Black Pepper from India and Coriander from Morocco.

Hand-picked, we are informed, to create a unique spiced gin.

And, yes, that description is right. It is unique and it is spiced.

What does it take like?

Like no other gin I have ever tasted, to be honest. And I mean that in a good, positive way.

The aroma is like when you open the doors of one of those secretive yet exciting spice shops that you find in parts of our major cities. It reminds me also of my wife's recipe for rice pudding, which, being an old family recipe from her Indian family, contains Coriander.)

So, we have established that it smells nice. What does it taste like?

There's an undercurrent of the two types of peppers, in the taste. But the predominant flavour is that of the Coriander. But it's not too strong, the balance between the different flavours is just right.

You really should give your Christmas guests a special treat this year and have a bottle of Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin in your drinks cabinet.

Served neat, or as part of a vastly different gin-based cocktail, Opihr will make you the talking point of your circle of friends and your family for some time to come.

http://opihr.com/

Got a gift to parcel up? Scotch will help you get it taped

It's all very well buying all the gifts for everyone, but what are you going to do when the time comes to giftwrap them?

Well, using giftwrap paper that you bought a year or so back might work. Just. But that cheap tape you bought a couple of years ago? You might as well put it in with the recycling, because its sticky has all gone away!

So, what to do? What to do?

Get down to your nearest stationary store (or your favourite on line retailer) and get yourself a whole load of Scotch tapes from those incredibly cleaver people at 3M!

From tape dispensers shaped like a cute little puppy dog to really nifty pop-up handband tape dispensers (so you can in effect have three hands when you are wrapping up the Christmas presents!

I mean, how cool is that?!

3M and Scotch they really do have it taped, don't they?

Tyrell's go Ho Ho ho for Christmas

Yes, Tyrell's have gone all seasonal, with the launch of some Deep and Crisp and Even crisps.

Called Merry Crisp-Mas, they are made using red and white potatoes which are served up with just the right amount of real sea salt. Enough to tickle your tastebuds but not enough to make you too thirsty.

And being Tyrell's Crisps you know that the potatoes were properly sourced (sauced, even? Sorry, so very sorry about that!)  and then lovingly and carefully hand cooked and carefully packed (with cute photos to give you a bit of a laugh, too!) and sent on their way to you to enjoy.

They are also vegan friendly (no vegans were harmed in the creation of these crisps)  and a 150g bag should cost you about £2.19.

They'll be ideal for the crisp bowl at your next party, so do put them on the shopping list before you forget.

Cardhu Gold Reserve. The Spirit of Christmas yet to come

Cardhu Gold Reserve is a premium quality single malt Scotch.

Every-so-often one of the great distilleries of Scotland will bring out a new type of single malt Scotch which makes all the other distillers offer up a round of applause whilst thinking: I wish we'd made that!"

And the advent of Cardhu Gold Reserve is one such moment.

The golden liquid, Cardhu Gold Reserve has been keenly crafted and created by Maureen Robinson, who is a Diageo Master Blender.

In order to give this Scotch the start in life that it deserves, Cardhu is releasing a very special Cardu golden Moments gift set.

And Maureen decided to request that three people who she admires greatly to help her by asking them to design some elements to compliment Cardhu Gold Reserve.

Angela Flanders, a perfumier of some renown included a very special Figue Noire candle. This candle brings with it the heady scents of candied fig.

And Andrea Montague, a bartender who is known as a bartender's bartender, designed two quintessential cocktail recipes under the banner Golden Moments. Honeyed gold and Golden Delicious.

Contained within the presentation set is a special guide and two delightful Cardhu balloon glasses.

The recommended retail price that you can expect to pay is around the £55 mark.

So, what does Cardhu Gold Reserve single malt Scotch taste like?

It has a golden amber appearance and has the classic nose of an excellent single malt.

It has a quiet, unassuming start. But then something magical happens. Is there a hint of spiced Christmas cake?  Yes, I thought there was. But then came a rolling sea of other, complimentary tastes. Hints of summer fruits came through, perhaps a slight tang of the art of the expert maltster? Yes, there was a touch of the smoke, there.

The finish was equally delicious and as my non-Scotch drinking wife (her drink of preference is small batch made gins, in case you are interested) said: "Wow! There's a really good finish to this one! I think this is one of your better finds!"

You can buy the Cardhu Golden Moment Gifting Set at www.alexanderandjames.com.

Boozyrum Truffles. Best buy two boxes at a time, really

When you decide to buy someone you love some Boozyrum Truffles you will be best advised to always double up on your order.

Why? Because when you smell the delicious aroma of the rich, chocolaty boozy, rum treats, you will just have to try one.

And even if you can show a little self-control and stick at only snaffling one of these delicious little treats for yourself, well, the problem is that they are always packed so firmly in the box (there were twelve, I counted them!) that there's no way that you can hide the fact that one is missing, no matter how hard you try to disguise what you did.

(EDITOR: And please stop looking at the box! There's twelve. And no, you can't have a little peak, just in case anything might have happened to them!)

Sorry, I got distracted there. Where was I? Oh, yes. They are remarkable rich and moresome, but even though they are deliciously creamy, they are absolutely fine for vegans to eat as the clever folks at Terre a Terre have used soya cream, not dairy cream! 

They cost £8.20 a box and are also available as a vegetarian, too. There are also some salt caramel truffles, also.

Terra a Terre is one of the finest vegetarian restaurants in Brighton. To learn more please visit them at http://www.terreaterre.co.uk/shop/chocolate.