Rocking around the Christmas tree

Stunning new Rockers from Little Bird Told Me

If you’re looking for the ultimate gift for baby and the type that can be passed down through generations, look no further than the stunning collection of infant rockers and rocking horses from Little Bird Told Me.

This Christmas sees the addition of two brand new rockers to the Little Bird Told Me stable and parents won’t be disappointed. The gorgeous Ruby & Belle Rocking Horse is the perfect playmate for little girls. Ruby is a beauty of a horse and features stunning vintage printed fabric in vibrant pinks and a scrunchy faux suede mane and tail. Ruby carries her pretty little friend Belle wherever she goes in an appliquéd pocket on her body. Belle is an adorable rag doll that can be played with separately too. RRP £125.00 and suitable from 12 months.

The Baby Bear Infant Rocker is part of the new Hey Bear, it’s me Bear range and is an ideal first rocker for babies aged 9 months plus. This huggable rocker carries his friend Birdy Bear in his pocket who has lots of stimulating features to delight baby. The sturdy quality wood rocking frame make this a safe and comfortable rocker for novice riders. RRP £88.00.

Little Bird Told Me have designed rockers with both babies and parents in mind. Their newest rockers will transform any nursery into a stylish haven and become the envy of every nursery around. The ultra-modern Dylan & Boo Rocking Horse is set to become a style icon. Dylan is a charming horse who carries his lovable little friend Boo Bear wherever he goes. Dylan's distinctive grey fabric has been designed exclusively for Little Bird Told Me by designer Rosalind Maroney. The cute button print is complemented by a soft, tactile fine wale cord mane and tail - a real show-stopper of a horse, Dylan will be the envy of every nursery. Suitable from 12months plus, Dylan & Boo retails at £125.00.

For parents who prefer to make a splash with colour, the new Doodle & Crumb Infant Rocker is for you and your baby. Suitable for babies aged 9months plus, Doodle is a fun and friendly horse who carries his little friend Crumb the bean horse wherever he goes. His vibrant red button print fabric is also designed by Maroney and is complemented by a faux suede mane and tail. The sturdy dark wood frame comes with detachable foot rests for novice riders. Doodle & Crumb is a totally unique rocker whose contemporary style will stay fresh for years to come. Priced at around £85.00.

Create real nursery envy with the super-stylish Jasper Rocking Horse. The irresistible Jasper is the ultimate gift for older babies this Christmas. Jasper features a classic woven check fabric in shades of chocolate and has a stylised leatherette saddle with stirrups to support little ones. His soft and scrunchy mane and tail are made from strokeable faux suede and he stands proudly on a sturdy wooden bow rocking base. There really is no other rocking horse like Jasper available on the market.

Priced at around £200 he will become the talking point of any nursery and be adored by adults for his charm and sophistication as much as little ones will love him for his play value. Jasper stands at around 55cm and is suitable for infants aged 18months plus.

Cuddly and lovable Bobble & Pip is an Infant Rocker that babies will fall in love with. Bobble's luxurious bouclé fabric body just wants to be stroked and the cute Pip Bean Horse is soft and huggable. Tuck Pip into the pocket on Bobble's side and off you rock! Suitable from 9 months plus and priced at £85.00.

For those who are looking for a fun and funky addition to a child's nursery this festive season, look no further than the Softly Snail Infant Rocker. Suitable for 9 months plus, Softly Snail comes in pretty pink plush fabrics and carries her cosy little house on her back. Her soft house creates a snug, supportive seat and offers a fun storage space to put toys. The rocker also features lots of additions to keep baby amused including hidden squeaks, chimes and crinkles and comes with a separate rattle toy for little hands. Priced at around £85.00.

If you love cute characters then the Caterpillar Infant Rocker is for you. Suitable for 9 months plus, Curious Caterpillar comes in fresh plush fabrics of green, blue and red and has lots for a baby to discover. A soft apple creates a comfortable seat and comes with a lift-up flap which reveals a handy storage section for toys. A separate chime toy peeps out of the apple for little hands to explore. The rocker also features lots of additions to keep baby engaged including hidden squeaks, chimes and crinkles. Priced at around £85.00.

To see these and the whole collection of Infant Rockers and Rocking Horses, visit the Little Bird Told Me website www.littlebirdtoldme.co.uk. Selected rockers are also available from John Lewis, Harrods and Jojo Maman Bebe and selected independent retailers. Last date for website deliveries is 18 December.

Have a ‘Bear-y’ Special Christmas with Little Bird Told Me

Just when you thought Little Bird Told Me couldn’t come up with any more brilliant baby toys, up they pop for Christmas with one of their most loveable and innovative ranges to date.

Hey Bear, It’s Me Bear… is a brand new range of infant toys to inspire and engage little hands and minds. The collection of whimsical characters in this huggable bear family will delight both children and their parents. The loveable bears feature a mix of traditional, textured bouclé fabrics combined with soft, strokeable contemporary fabrics to add zing to any nursery and playtime.

The Bear family is made up of Papa Bear – a real softy inside and out, Mama Bear – who likes to be hugged all day long and Baby Bear – who makes playful adventures more fun! The loveable bears and their friend Birdy Bear are a constant throughout the collection which is sure to be the most sought after nursery must-have.

The Baby Bear Infant Rocker is the ultimate present for baby’s first Christmas. He features a plush huggable body with strokable textured bouclé fabric with lots of crinkles to delight little ones. In his pocket, Baby Bear carries his little buddy Birdy Bear who has a rattle in his tummy and crinkly wings. The rocker is a perfect safe ride for young novice riders and is priced at around £88.00.

Keeping young babies amused is hard work and the 3 in 1 Nursing Cushion is therefore a perfect gift for new mums and baby. The versatile cushion has soft shiny red fabric on one side and beautiful textured bouclé material on the reverse. It acts as a support for baby while seated or during tummy-time play and features two separate activity toys that can be attached to the cushion to engage baby. RRP £36.00.

The cute Birdy Bear Activity Toy (RRP £22.00) is sure to become baby’s best friend. Suitable for babies aged 6 months plus, Birdy Bear is brimming with fun features to delight little ones. His cuddly cube body comes with scrunchy wings, a rotating emroidered spiral, rattles, squeaks, crinkles and more. Make Birdy Bear top of baby’s wish list!

If you are looking for a big present for the youngest member of the family, you can’t go wrong with the luxury Baby Bear Multi-Activity Playgym (RRP £70.00). The super-soft, padded playgym is crammed full of fun features for extended play and discovery. It even comes with a Tummy-Time cushion, three bear activity toys and a Birdy musical toy, all of which can be played with separately. Suitable from birth.

A perfect trio of stocking fillers are the cuddly hug toys. Little ones will fall in love with Papa Bear (RRP£16.00), Mama Bear (RRP£14.00) and not forgetting Baby Bear (RRP£10.00). The soft textures and cute characteristics will make each toy a constant companion for your baby. If you want to keep baby entertained on the go, the Chirping Birdy Bear Travel Toy (RRP£14.00) attaches to prams and car seats and will happily chirp away to soothe your child. In fact, you can create a comforting Hey Bear, it’s Me Bear... world when travelling.

Treat new mums to the Baby Bear on Board sign (RRP£7.00) who will swing merrily in your car window telling drivers about your precious cargo – in the most stylish of ways! The Soft Activity Spiral is added to the collection. Wrap it around car seat handles or even cots and let the soft multi-coloured textured toys entertain baby with mirrors, crinkles, rattles and chimes. RRP£18.00.

How well do you know your monarchs?

History Heroes is a brilliant new card game designed to test the whole family’s knowledge of British monarchs from William the Conqueror in 1066 to today’s reigning monarch Queen Elizabeth II.

Created by Harry Hastings, a teacher from Sussex, the game provides a fun, interactive way for children to learn about the kings and queens of England, and for adults to brush up on their history lessons, by challenging them to identify monarchs either from a series of facts, from a portrait or from the dates of their reign, thereby capturing their opponents cards in the style of Top Trumps.

Do you know which king was the last to lead his troops into battle or who was on the throne when the Great Plague struck?

Did you know that Henry I had a record-breaking 25 illegitimate children or that Queen Victoria survived five assassination attempts?


And would you be able to name the tallest monarch or identify the king famed for his red face and red hair?

With a total of 42 monarchs to identify, each with six different clues, ranging from easy – ‘Who won the Battle of Hastings?’ - to difficult – ‘Who lost the War of Jenkins’ Ear?’ – the game can be enjoyed by all ages and, with six different ways to play it, can provide hours of fun at home, on long car journeys or simply as a way of helping children with their history homework.

Beautifully illustrated by the well-known cartoonist Bill Stott, History Heroes is the first of a series of similar games created by Harry Hastings, covering famous Battles, Shakespeare, Inventors, Scientists and Explorers.

Harry Hastings History Heroes is priced at £7.99. For stockist details, or to buy direct go to

www.historyheroes.co.uk

Baby&More gives baby much more this Christmas

Nursery specialists Baby&More have a range of Christmas gifts for people looking for something different for baby. From impulse stocking fillers to lust-after items, the website is a one-stop Christmas shop for little ones.

The brand new 7 A.M Enfant collection has finally hit the UK. Already popular with Hollywood A-listers, this range features tons of winter essentials to keep baby (and you) warm and snuggly during the festive period. The innovative luxe Blanket 212 is a real investment buy. The super-cosy muff is suitable for both car seats and pushchairs.

The patented zip mechanism allows parents to extend the width and length of the footmuff so there is no need to but new footmuffs as your child grows. The product literally blankets baby in comfort and warmth and can be zipped back to create a pushchair liner. An adjustable hood can be cinched to baby’s face for those days when your child needs more protection against the elements. Choose from a range of colours to complement your pushchair and other items in the 7 A.M range. Priced at around £135.00.

The brand new WarMMuffs™ from 7 A.M make a lovely gift for mums of winter babies. They secure easily to any pushchair and allow parents the flexibility of using bare hands to strap in and lift baby. The WarMMuffs™ feature a faux fur lining for extra cosiness and the on-trend colourways of the waterproof outer shell mean you don’t have to sacrifice style to be warm! RRP £30 (with fur) £25 (no fur). The collection includes an array of on-trend winter essentials and cool changing bags too and the full range can be seen at www.babyandmore.co.uk.

The Lots to Say Soothers from the Booginhead range are a brilliant stocking filler. With cool slogans including ‘Just Chillin,’ ’volume control,’ ‘Hi’ and ‘Snooze,’ these dummies will soothe baby on Christmas Day as well as making a real talking point. RRP £5.99 for packs of two.

The Mum2Mum Wonder Bib range are great for jazzing up any Christmas outfit. Choose from an array of colours including pink, navy, yellow, orange, red and many more shades. Made from soft, super-absorbent towelling, the bibs come in different styles including the stylish bandana ideal for dribblers, the standard bib which is perfect for meal times and the sleeved bib to ensure messy toddlers stay clean during Christmas dinner. Suitable from 4months to 3 years and priced from £4.00.

All products available from www.babyandmore.co.uk

Luxury Hamper Company Re-launch Website in Time for Busy Christmas Period

The recent launch of luxury hamper company Highland Fayre’s revamped website, www.highlandfayre.co.uk has come at a very opportune time as hamper companies start to gear up for the Christmas season.

Whilst retail stores still face an uncertain future, the online shopping market is forecast to continue to grow at a rate of 14% – 16%. This strong growth curve has been a major factor in the increase of multi channel retailers and, as a result, the consumer can find himself in a position where there are plenty of discounts and offers to consider.

There is no doubt that online gift buying will go from strength to strength; the luxury hamper market is a prime example of this. The increased competition within the hamper market has led to a need for specialist companies to engage and entice the consumer with more than just the traditional Christmas hamper.

In the last few years, popularity within the online personalised card market has experienced considerable growth. Hamper companies have taken note, and have themselves begun to introduce a personalised gift hamper service, allowing consumers to easily create gifts online for any occasion, including Christmas, Anniversary, Corporate, or Birthday hampers. This new diversity is just the beginning in what is going to become a very exciting and interesting e-commerce market.

Although some speculate that the continued growth of the online retailer could have serious consequences for our favourite high street stores, it is not necessarily the case that brick and mortar businesses will disappear as a result. It is true, however, that in order for traditional retail stores to survive, the way in which they do business and engage with customers will need to evolve.

For more information on Highland Fayre, view their website at: www.highlandfayre.co.uk/
With prices starting from as little as £17.95, they stock ranges of gift hampers to suit all budgets.

Highland Fayre ltd. have been supplying luxury hampers, since 1985, to thousands of corporate and private customers throughout the UK and Europe, becoming Scotland’s premier hamper company.

Highland Fayre are also a family owned company who take pride in the personal service offered.

Arklu Launches New British Fashion Doll “Lottie”™

Autumn Leaves Lottie Doll

English Country Garden Lottie Doll

Lottieville Festival Lottie Doll

Pony Flag Race Lottie Doll

Snow Queen Lottie Doll

Spring Celebration Ballet Lottie Doll

Autumn Leaves themed packaging

English Country Garden themed packaging

Lottieville Festival themed packaging

Pony Flag Race themed packaging

Snow Queen themed packaging

Spring Celebration Ballet packaging

Innovative British Toy Company Arklu launches new fashion doll in a David V Goliath battle against the might of Barbie, Monster High and Bratz.

London Toy Company Arklu is launching an exciting new fashion doll, Lottie™, pitting British design and commonsense values in a market dominated by US brands Barbie, Monster High and Bratz.

Arklu’s bestselling Royal Wedding Dolls garnered global press coverage and sales, specifically in the USA. The company has spent the past year on research and development to create a refreshingly different and innovative fashion doll. Their designs previewed at the London Toy Fair to overwhelmingly positive retailer feedback and the company are now bringing their new creation to market in time for Christmas 2012. Taking their learnings from this, Arklu has applied their quintessentially British approach in to a new doll brand.

Designed for girls aged 3 - 8, Lottie™ has been developed with scientific expertise from leading British academics, alongside consumer research, to address parental concerns about other fashion dolls including negative body image, an increased perception of premature sexualisation as well as a desire for a return to good old-fashioned creative and imaginative play.

Unlike other fashion dolls, there is no pushing the envelope with adult agendas such as scanty clothes, high heels, jewellery, tattoos or makeup; these are girl dolls intended for girls. Most of all, Lottie is super cute and rather lovely.

Lottie’s body is ‘childlike’ – as you might expect as she is aged nine; her dimensions (with the exception of her head) are based upon those devised by leading British academics, Professor David McCarthy (Professor of Nutrition and Health at the Institute for Health Research & Policy, London Metropolitan University) and Dr Margaret Ashwell OBE (formerly Science Director of the British Nutrition Foundation).

Her distinctive height of 7” (18cm) sets her apart from other fashion dolls; she’s super cute and easy to pack and carry around.

Lottie™ is designed for maximum creative play value. She has high-quality, strokable hair that doesn’t tangle easily and her premium quality clothes and accessories are detailed and lifelike, with lots of tactile elements. Super cute, fun details such as detachable velcro patches on the clothing make for added appeal and “swapability”. Accessory packs include a picnic set, dressable Biscuit the Beagle dog as well as detachable velcro pony race winner rosettes. A background story is included on each doll box to encourage imaginative roleplay.

Lottie™ has a quintessentially British feel to her, with an emphasis on seasonality, quirky attention to detail as well as ‘Back to Basics’ play values. Lottie™ is about celebrating childhood in all its many facets; imagination, creativity and pretty clothes, as well as being bold, brave and active in the Great Outdoors. She is flexible, poseable and can stand on her own two feet….a life-skill that is important for girls both big and small. The brand’s (and Lottie’s) approach to life is summed up in the tagline: “Be bold, be brave, be you”.

The bright and colourful packaging has been specifically designed with an eye to lessening use of excessive plastic blister packaging. Each doll box is themed and designed with a cute handle to encourage reuse and doll portability.

The complete range of Lottie™ dolls and accessories are available now at leading retailers and specialty stores, and online at www.lottie.com and Amazon. Like Lottie Dolls on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/lottiedolls
and on Twitter @Lottie_dolls
Dolls retail at £16.99 ($19.99 in USA); accessory packs at £7.99 ($12.99 in USA).

DOLLS
Pony Flag Race (£16.99 /$19.99)
Lottie loves to be out in the countryside riding her pony, Black Beauty. Lottie enjoys taking part in gymkhana competitions and games on horseback. It’s fun to take part and try your best. The Pony Flag Race is Lottie’s favourite; she loves the challenge of trying to pick up, carry and put down a flag while riding Black Beauty. Who will win the race?

Spring Celebration Ballet (£16.99 / $19.99)
Lottie loves to dance and is really excited to be performing in the Spring Celebration Ballet at Lottieville Theatre. Lottie works hard to prepare and practices for hours on end to perfect her dance steps, including pirouettes and arabesques. Will the performance be a success? Will Lottie remember all her dance steps?

English Country Garden (£16.99 / $19.99)
Spring has sprung and Lottieville is full of bright, colourful flowers, the smell of freshly cut grass, the distant hum of bees buzzing and the gentle flitter of butterflies across the meadows. Lottie loves to be outside and to enjoy a picnic in the garden, especially with her favourite strawberry fairy cakes.

Lottieville Festival (£16.99 / $19.99)
Summer has arrived at last! The sun is shining and the sky is blue as Lottieville prepares for its annual Festival. Lottie is excited and is looking forward to live music, face painting, storytelling, and arts and crafts. Will the good weather continue or will the celebrations be spoiled by rain?

Autumn Leaves (£16.99 / $19.99)
Lottie loves Autumn and especially the changing colours of the leaves on the trees. Wrapped up warm in her coat, hat, scarf and boots, Lottie explores Lottieville Forest with her dog, Biscuit the Beagle, kicking her way through all the crisp, colourful leaves. Getting muddy, kicking leaves and building dens is just so much fun!

Snow Queen (£16.99 / $19.99)
Lottie is thrilled to receive a party invitation to the Lottieville Masked Ball. Inspired by one of her favourite stories, Lottie decides to dress as a Snow Queen. Wearing a silver, sparkly mask and a magnificent ice blue and frosty white gown studded with silver snowflakes – will any of her friends recognise her?

ACCESSORY PACKS
Pony Flag Race Accessory Pack (£7.99 / $12.99)
Fleece jumper, riding hat cover, trophy and 3 velcro rosettes.

Biscuit the Beagle Accessory Pack (£7.99 / $12.99)
Biscuit the Beagle dog figure, dog coat, leash, dog bed, bone and drinking bowl.

English Country Garden Accessory Pack (£7.99 / $12.99)
Picnic rug, picnic basket, 2 cups, 2 plates, 2 strawberry fairy cakes.

FACTFILE:
Arklu is a toy development company based in London, UK. Creators of the best selling Royal Wedding Dolls.
For more information please visit: www.lottie.com

Stone Rose Jewellery for unique Christmas presents

Stone Rose Jewellery sells stunning hand-crafted jewellery; with dazzling and sparkling designs, they are best described as an Aladdin's cave of treasures. They have a variety of incredible collections to suit different tastes and their gorgeous bespoke jewellery is perfect for your Christmas gift guide.

If you are searching for bold, statement jewellery, look no further than Stone Rose's 'Stardust' collection. Using rich, vibrant colours and crystals, these eye-catching designs twinkle like the lights on the Christmas tree.

Alternatively, their 'Elegance' collection has striking, yet understated, jewellery. Made with Swarovski crystals, pearls, silver and gold these designs are opulent and suited to those with sophisticated tastes.

Stone Rose Jewellery is fantastic. Sparkly and glamorous, their designs are perfect for this magical time of year. You can view these tantalising pieces at www.stonerosejewellery.com.

Harveys Bristol Cream and Christmas

Heralding the festive season as loudly as Christmas jumpers and carol singers, this seasonal favourite is loved by family and friends alike.

Whether you sneak a sip whilst basting the turkey, mix it in a fashionable cocktail or toast the Queen’s speech with an annual tipple, one taste of Harveys Bristol Cream will put everyone in an unfailingly jolly mood.  

Its  distinctive nutty, dried fruit flavours and softly spicy aromas make Harveys the perfect accompaniment to some of the season’s best-loved foods; buttery mince pies and indulgent luxury Christmas puddings. 

(EDITOR: Every year, my wife and I like to watch the 1951 version of A Christmas Carol whilst eating mince pies and sipping Harveys Bristol Cream!)

Harveys Bristol Cream (75cl RRP £9.22) is widely available in supermarkets across the UK.

Harveys over ice with a slice of orange

The simplest of serves, Harveys over ice with a slice of orange brings out the taste of candied orange and perfectly complements the dried fruit and toasted almond flavours of this delicious sherry.

Recipe:

•             Place two or three cubes of ice in a tumbler

•             Pour over 50ml Harveys Bristol Cream

•             Garnish with a slice of orange

Harveys mulled apple and winter spice

Recipe (serves six):

•             Slowly warm 200ml Harveys Bristol Cream with 500ml premium pressed apple juice, six cloves and 50g vanilla sugar in a pan for 10-15 minutes to release the incredible flavours

•             Strain the liquid into a warmed 2 pint/ 1 litre punch bowl

•             Garnish with apple slices and serve in glass mugs decorated with star anise

NOTANOTHERBILL is the great new gift that keeps on giving!

In this modern day and age no one receives anything good in the post, just bills and the odd pizza menu...

NOTANOTHERBILL is here to revitalise your letterbox. It’s a new subscription service where you receive a beautifully wrapped and carefully curated surprise present in the post every month - something that is not another bill.

Presents are sourced from far and wide with the aim of introducing subscribers to great artists, designers and brands.

Presents to date have ranged from limited edition art prints, collaborations with up and coming designers, exclusive leather products, jewellery, and even a ‘Take over the world kit’.

Each beautifully packaged surprise comes with a personalised letter explaining more about the present, where it was sourced and why NOTANOTHERBILL think you’ll like it.

It costs £15 per month and you can subscribe for yourself (or as a gift) from 1 month to a whole year – to find out more visit www.notanotherbill.com “BILLS ARE BORING, GET COOL SURPRISE PRESENTS INSTEAD”

Give them a gift of love. Give them Single Malts for Christmas!

Don’t let choosing whisky be a daunting task this Christmas, check out our handpicked selection of award winning single malts guaranteed to impress your loved ones this festive season...

The foodie in your family, will love nosing Highland Park 12 Year Old and discovering the characteristic honey sweetness followed by fruit.  On the palate it is drying with a hint of gentle smoke and a flavour that just keeps on going. (RRP £31.65) Highland Park’s full portfolio of single malts is available at www.highlandpark.co.uk. Highland Park 12 Year Old is available at multiple retailers including Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose, Morrisons, Co-op and Somerfield.

The gift of Ardmore is perfect for the person eager to discover a new dram this holiday season.  With an unshakable belief in traditional distilling methods, Ardmore Traditional Cask delivers a sweet ripe fruit start followed by the tang of peat. (RRP £30.93) The full Ardmore portfolio is available from www.ardmorewhisky.com. Ardmore Traditional Cask is available in selected major multiples and all good whisky shops.

Presented in its iconic bottle, The Glenrothes Select Reserve is the very essence of The Glenrothes range.  Perfect for the most stylist gent on your Christmas list, Select Reserve is produced in The Glenrothes ‘House Style’ laden with ripe fruits, citrus, vanilla and hints of spice.  (RRP £36.18) The Glenrothes full portfolio of single malts is available at www.theglenrothes.com. The Glenrothes Select Reserve is available from Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Asda and whisky specialists.

Laphroaig Quarter Cask is an ideal dram for the adventurer amongst your friends.  The vibrant single malt shows soft sweetness and a velvety feel when first tasted, then the intense peatiness so unique to Laphroaig comes bursting through. (RRP £35.99) Laphroaig’s full portfolio is available at www.laphroaig.com and Laphroaig Quarter Cask Single Malt is available in all major multiples.

For the whisky aficionado, Highland Park 18 Year Old is an ideal gift this Christmas.  Twice named, "Best Spirit in the World" by US spirits writer F. Paul Pacult, this single malt displays characteristic toffee sweetness and leaves you with a full, smokey finish.  (RRP £68.48) Highland Park’s full portfolio of single malts is available at www.highlandpark.co.uk. Highland Park 18 Year Old is available at multiple retailers including Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose, Morrisons, Co-op, Somerfield and whisky specialists.

For the lady or gent that enjoys the classic things in life, the gift of The Macallan Sherry Oak 18 Year Old will not disappoint.  This signature style Macallan is wonderfully rich in colour with hints of dried fruits, spice and chocolate orange. (RRP £76) The Macallan’s full portfolio is available at www.themacallan.com. The Macallan Sherry Oak 18 Year Old is in specialist whisky retailers.

For the single malt fan, spoil them with the Laphroaig 18 Year Old.  Made in limited quantities each year and savoured by a fortunate few, the immediate taste is an oak sweetness, from 18 years in the cask. A faint hint of the sea can be detected, testimony to its time maturing on the sea-sprayed island of Islay. (RRP: £77.17) Laphroaig’s full portfolio is available at www.laphroaig.com and Laphroaig 18 Year Old is available in specialist whisky retailers.

Get them a special personalised mug for Christmas!

Everyone needs mugs. And mugs make excellent Christmas presents. Especially the supremely elegeant and rather fetching personalised mugs carefully crafted by Mclaggan Smith Mugs.

Mclaggan Smith Mugs have a special and incredibly funky knit pattern. Each mug costs £8.00 and for an additional £5.00 you can have the handle personalised (uo to 30 characters.) for the ideal gift for that extra-special person in your life!

To learn more please visit Mclaggan Smith Mugs at www.msmugs.com or call them on 01389 755 655

Red, white or rosé? Give the gift of home-made wine this Christmas

If your friends and family enjoy relaxing with a glass of wine, why not treat them to the new ibrew Wine Starter Kit? The ibrew Wine Starter Kit is a complete micro winery perfect for people who love wine and love having fun.

The ibrew micro winery is completely reusable and can be used time and time again to make 30 bottles of quality wine. Making your own wine is fun and the ibrew system makes it so simple. It takes just 21 days to make your own wine. Imagine the enjoyment of serving your very own wine, hand-made by you!

Whatever your taste in wine there’s a variety to suit you. If you enjoy a rich, full bodied red, try the Cabernet Sauvignon variety or for soft, ruby red the Merlot is ideal. There are also two choices of white, including a light, delicate and floral Pinot Grigio and a golden, fresh, zingy Soave. For lovers of rosé there is a medium bodied Shiraz Blush with floral overtones.

The equipment is reusable and has been built to last. After you have made your wine, simply clean and rinse the equipment and you are ready for your next brew.

The complete ibrew micro winery is available from www.ibrew.co.uk and www.wilkinsonplus.com and each kit costs from £70.00 per variety for two batches of 15 bottles. Refill kits cost from £24.99 to make a further 15 bottles of wine – less than £1.70 per bottle!

So, if you know someone who loves a tipple, the complete ibrew micro winery makes the perfect Christmas gift.

Christmastime at John Crane Ltd!

What better tradition to begin in the home than each Christmas telling the story of the Nativity.  Each day a new character is placed upon the growing scene, until finally the story is told and the Baby Jesus is placed in his manger.

John Crane Ltd boasts a number of Nativity Scenes, each offering a different look and feel.  There’s one to fit with any décor!         

Take a look at the Sevi Large Nativity Scene, Lilliputiens Nativity Set, Tidlo Nativity Set, Sevi Nativity Scene.

Of course Christmas is also about fun, laughter and music too so the Snowman Music Box and Santa Claus Music Box from Sevi are both sure to be festive hits.  Santa plays ‘We with you a Merry Christmas’ and the Snowman plays ‘White Christmas’ both while turning around.

Finally, a Dog with Reindeer Hat by Trudi completes the festive ensemble.

John Crane Ltd Nativity Scenes can be found in John Lewis stores or call 01604 774949 for a local stockist.

To take a look for yourself, visit www.john-crane.co.uk

Hickory Dickory Clock - nursery rhyme inspired clock from Folly

The stylish internet boutique Folly has added this nursery rhyme inspired clock to their collection of design-led gifts, home wares and vintage finds.

Super stylish and made using powder coated mild steel with a gloss white finish and bespoke black metal hands, the Hickory Dickory Clock has a laser cut mouse on the hour hand, which appears to run down when the clock strikes one, staying true to the original nursery rhyme

The clock is lovingly hand assembled and measures 270mm diameter, and a battery is included.

Hickory Dickory Clock £34.95 from Folly, www.follyhome.co.uk telephone 01455 631984 

The must-have gadget for clean fiends this Christmas

Stylish, compact and incredibly useful, the brand new Kobold VC100 handheld vacuum cleaner by Vorwerk makes the perfect gift for neat gadget-lovers this Christmas.

Everyone from house-proud mums to technology-obsessed dads will be impressed by its slick look and powerful suction capacity. In gloss white with a dash of festive green and silver detailing, the VC100 is exceptionally stylish and will take pride of place among other appliances in the home.

Ideal for vacuuming up crumbs from the Christmas dinner table or pine needles from under the tree, this device can also be used to keep home-offices spick and span and will be appreciated by car enthusiasts who want to keep their pride and joy clean and tidy.

Despite weighing in at just 750g and compact in length at under 42cm, the VC100 certainly packs a punch in terms of supreme cleaning ability. With 2 power level settings, an LED battery indicator and a quick-charge lithium-ion battery, this handheld vacuum has a life of 20 minutes – far longer than other handheld models.

See the VC100 in action here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqW9-d4e3kg

The Vorwerk VC100 is available from £149 exclusively through VK Direct on 0844 8000123 or visit www.vkdirect.co.uk

Spread a Little Christmas Cheer With gorgeous gifts from Arbonne

 We all love to see the smile on our loved ones faces on Christmas day so why not let them unwrap Arbonne’s beautiful range of gift sets, designed exclusively to appeal to the whole family.  Providing everything you need to spread some joy this Christmas, from cosmetics to fragrance, skin care to home scents and stocking fillers to gift wrap, you’ll want it all! The full list of Arbonne product lines can be viewed at www.arbonneinternational.co.uk.

I want it all….

Mandarin Pomegranate Spa Set RRP: £98.00

This lightly floral, fruity fragrance allows you to immerse yourself in exotic Mandarin Pomegranate.  This luxurious set includes cleansing and hydrating Shower Gel (355ml), dreamy Bubble Bath (355ml), soft and silky Body Lotion (163 ml) and soothing Bath Salts (198g) in a beautifully designed keepsake chest.

Mandarin Pomegranate Hair Care RRP: £28.00

Indulge your hair with a luxurious scent that strengthens and cleanses using a sulfate cleansing system.  They condition the hair with beneficial soy proteins and amino acids as well as including grapefruit, orange peel and pomegranate extract.  The set includes Mandarin Pomegranate Shampoo (355ml) and Conditioner (355ml). 

Ginger Citrus Luxury Gift Set RRP: £57.00

A Christmas gift that indulges the body with Ginger Citrus! Everything you need to feel refreshed and luxurious through cleansing, polishing and moisturising the skin. The set includes Ginger Citrus zesty Body Wash (354 ml), gently exfoliating Sugar Scrub (453g) and luscious Body Butter (340g).

Ginger Citrus Hair Care RRP: £20.00

Complete your gift indulgence with Ginger Citrus Shampoo (236 ml) and Conditioner (236 ml).  This sulfate free cleansing system leaves hair soft, manageable and lightly fragrant and is safe for colour treated hair and includes grapefruit extract, ginger root extract and orange peel extract.

Nourishing Shea Butter Blends Hand Cream Duo RRP: £23.00

Come in from the cold this winter with Arbonne’s exclusive Shea Butter gift set, designed to add a softer touch to dry hands with cocoa seed butter, sweet almond oil and Vitamin A.  Your loved one will adore this hand cream trio gift set that comes complete with Original, romantic English Garden and Lavender scented Meadow Flower. 3 tubes, 60ml each.

Signature Scent Candles RRP: £37.00

Let the light and floral fragrance of Mandarin Pomegranate and the zesty scent of Ginger Citrus warm you on cold winter days.  The soy based candles feature a 100% cotton wick for a longer lasting burn.

Pampermint Body Care Set RRP: £20.00

Get ready for a festive, all-over tingle with new Pampermint Body Wash (236ml) and Body lotion (236ml) including apple fruit extract, grape seed oil and peppermint oil.

Pampermint Foot Care Gift Set RRP: £36.00

Let your feet sparkle and shine this Christmas with the joyful tingle of peppermint and oh so comfy festive socks. This festive set includes FootWork Foot Scrub (340g), SoleMate Foot Cream (255g) and Signature Socks in a beautifully designed gift box.

Vanilla Amber Gift Set RRP: £57.00

A gift to pamper your loved ones, the Vanilla Amber gift set from Arbonne will immerse the body in a blissful blend of warm vanilla and romantic amber with cleansing and nourishing Body Wash (340ml), smooth Body Lotion (340ml) and softening Sugar Scrub (453g) for top to toe indulgence this Christmas. 

Comet Cosmetics Collection RRP: £67.00

Become a vision of glamour this Christmas with the beautiful Comet Cosmetics Collection.  The stunning set includes a sparkling Comet  Clutch, Cosmic Kiss lipstick  and Starry, Starry night Eye Shadow Palette that comes complete with the festive colours; Nightscape, Solar, Stardust and Meteorite festive colours.  A beautiful lipstick finishes the set perfectly with wild mango butter and pomegranate extract.

Woolenstocks, the ideal and ethical Christmas gift from the Himalayas

Woolenstocks’ range of indoor slippers and boots is directed towards everyone! Men, women and children who value comfort and luxury. Woolenstocks’ original line is handmade in the Himalayas from 100% felt wool and faux fur by a dedicated team of local artisans who for generations have perfected the art of footwear design.

As feet bear the burden of body and soul, Woolenstocks believe they should only be touched by the most pure and comforting apparel. Each slipper and boot is individually crafted over the course of 40 hours meaning that no one product is the same.  Every design is characterised by colour and the utmost comfort immediately putting the consumer at ease within their environment.

Woolenstocks is confident that once in one of their creations; you will succumb to the fun and freedom that is the essence of the brand.

With increasing popularity in the USA and Europe and a celebrity fans of the brand including Sienna Miller, Lauren Goodger, Camilla Dallerup and Gail Porter, Woolenstocks Linen Boots are sure to be the next big thing!

• Woolenstocks is an ethical brand that strives to create truly original and unique footwear. The original range is handmade in the Himalayas by a team of local artisans, with each product taking 40 hours to make.
• Woolenstocks can be bought in boutiques across the UK and online at www.woolenstocks.com.

• Please follow Woolenstocks on Twitter @Woolenstocks or “Like” them on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/woolenstocks.

(EDITOR: It is our opinion that these products will make admirable Christmas presents for the more ethically minded and also for those who just love to own and wear exquisite hand-crafted items)
 

(Note: Picture taken by Anni)

Ramp Up Christmas With an XtraVert Skate Ramp

XtraVert Mini Quarter Ramp

Looking for the perfect Christmas gift for the skater boy or girl in your life? Then look no further. Social enterprise XtraVert has launched a range of skate ramps handmade in the UK, by skaters for skaters.

A bestseller that’s received a bit of a facelift recently (jet black paint with fire engine red rails) is the Mini Quarter Ramp, (£260 inc. delivery) perfect for practicing the basics, building confidence and mastering tricks on a skateboard, BMX or scooter. With a bespoke personalisation service offered exclusively for Christmas orders, each ramp comes with the name of its recipient emblazoned on the side.

 Designed, developed and tested by XtraVert’s team of skaters and carpenters, the Mini Quarter Ramp is just one product in a large range of ramps hand built to the highest standard and for optimum riding pleasure.

XtraVert Manager Jenna Grassick, commented: “We’re skaters born and bred, so we understand what it takes to make a great ramp and we have the skills, experience and craftsmanship to really deliver. If you’re looking to earn brownie points with any skater this Christmas the Mini Quarter Ramp from XtraVert is a surefire hit.”

Purchase details: http://xtravert.bigcartel.com or call 0845 862 1288

Perfect Christmas Gifts from Neptune

Neptune’s beautiful new collection of accessories not only provide a stylish and sophisticated atmosphere to your home all year round, but can also work as a luxurious gift for your loved ones this Christmas.


The new collection of elegant Porter silver plated photo frames (displayed right) are finished with soft edges which offers a more classical style. The Newton frame (displayed left), has a more contemporary, angular design with a mount for your choice of display. Both designs, range from £15 to £35 and come in four different sizes from 4x6” to 8x10”. Paired together the two frames create an interesting mix of styles and allow you to decorate dressers and mantelpieces with fun, family memories.

The striking Hurricane Lantern Vase from Neptune’s new Kennington collection would be lovely as a table centerpiece or simply to create a subtle and relaxing ambience in your home. Offered in two sizes from 260mm to 380mm and priced at £19.50 and £35.00, complimented with a variety of different coloured and sized candles from the new Blyton range (shown above). Included in the new collections are Bronte and Christie, delightfully fragranced scented candles in varying sizes and scents. All these accessories are perfect gifts to add a seasonal touch.

Another new edition is the wonderful Charlton Vase, a modern interpretation of a classic style. Shown here sized at W39cm, D39cm, H34cm and priced at £79.00, two additional sizes and styles are also offered. Perfect for showcasing a Christmassy floral display for the festive season.

Whether you are looking for a stylish gift for a loved one to enjoy whatever the occasion, or an accessory to enhance your home, Neptune has the perfect variety of innovative and distinctive designs to suit all tastes.

Visit www.neptune.com

Christmas is on the way!

Yes, strange as it might seem, Christmas is on the way! It's now August and Chirstmas is just four months away!

Between now and Christmas 2012, That's Christmas will seek out festive food and drink and some fantastic presents and gifts that you will be able to buy.

If you have something you want to promote please email to afj_uk@yahoo.com and we'll be in touch as soon as we can!

Baby’s First Christmas? Look no further for the perfect Christmas gift, delivered in style

Personalised Baby's 1st Xmas tree gift

Fully personalised and beautifully handmade, these cutest of personalised Christmas tree decorations are perfect for such an important occasion as Baby’s First Christmas. Truly for You solve that age-old problem of what to give to the youngest family members that is meaningful, will last a lifetime and will be very well received.

No matter how unusual a name, because each personalised Christmas tree decoration is handmade truly for you, the baby’s name and any message you choose will be hand written with care on to the handmade Christmas keepsake gift.

So for a personalised, unique and charming Christmas gift for under £10, which will be treasured forever just visit Truly for You and choose your perfect Christmas tree ornament. Postage is included to any UK address and Truly for You can easily arrange to have gifts delivered directly to your friends and relatives, if you prefer, for no extra charge.

Father Christmas is just one of the personalised Christmas Tree Decorations available from Truly for You where there are many designs to choose from, but NEW for 2012 is the cutest Baby in Snowsuit with fluffy white trim, available in Baby Blue, Baby Pink or Red. The smiling Snowman is a very popular choice and comes in 8 different gorgeous colours, making a great gift for under £10 suitable for all the family.
It is easy to order fully personalised Christmas Tree Decorations by just following 3 simple steps on the Truly for You website.

Also available:

“Truly for You” Christmas Lovespoon Gift – is a great new couples gift, Mums and Dads gift, for friends or anyone special to your heart. In Wales a hand-carved wooden spoon would be given to a loved one as a love token. “Truly for You” has taken this delightful idea and given it a softer, more feminine appeal. These ivory-coloured, cold-cast, ceramic-like lovespoons look gorgeous hanging on the Christmas tree from their pretty organza ribbon.

Available in three designs Love Cariad (meaning love in Welsh) and Cwtch (meaning a special hug in Welsh) are great gifts and come in 15 colour choices including Holly and Snowflake Christmas designs, with jingle bells and snowflake charms. Go on, send some love or a cwtch this Christmas!

Personalised Christmas gifts are priced at just £9.95 each which includes UK mainland P&P. When you order at www.trulyforyou.co.uk it’s easy to request direct delivery to the gift recipient saving you time and money. All Truly for You gifts are beautifully presented in a crystal clear display box. For just £1.95 extra, top quality gorgeous silver sparkly wrap is added with matching gift tag and curling ribbon in a colour to complement your choice of gift.

A very special Christmas keepsake for the newest family member. Check out a unique range of personalised gifts at www.trulyforyou.co.uk

For more information about “Truly for You” and its range of unique keepsakes, visit www.trulyforyou.co.uk email info@trulyforyou.co.uk or call 0800 612 8745 and ask for KIM RAE.

Give Dad some Wicked Wheels for Father’s Day from Prestige from Europcar

Forget about the new tie or cufflinks for Dad on Father’s Day. Give him a set of wicked wheels for the weekend instead! And don’t worry about breaking the bank – Prestige from Europcar makes a whole range of performance and sports cars even more accessible for that special Father’s Day treat with up to 15% off when booked before 31st July and taken before 31st August.

Available from Europcar’s 20 Prestige locations around the UK, anything from a seriously sleek Mercedes SLK or Porsche Boxster to a fun MINI Cooper S or the latest Range Rover Vogue and Sport models can be booked through Prestige from Europcar. What better way is there to say thanks to Dad?

"For most Dads, being able to drive a sports or performance car is just a dream. Prestige from Europcar can make those dreams come true." said Ken McCall, Managing Director, Europcar UK Group. Kids who want to show Dad just how much they appreciate him being their taxi service for the rest of the year, can give him the chance to drive in style from just £84 GBP per day.

Customers can choose from a wide range of models in the prestige range, from 4x4s and luxury saloons to sports and performance cars – all of which are under six months old. All the vehicles are available from Europcar’s network of 20 prestige locations in the UK, with delivery and collection to a home address.

Prepare Now for Christmas in July Events, says Punch Communications

While carols, eggnog and Santa Claus are still over half a year away, for many PR people and journalists the festive season comes early this summer with an influx of Christmas in July events. Integrated PR, search and social media agency Punch Communications advises that consumer brands with Christmas and winter-specific products should act now to ensure they don’t miss out on listings in those all-important festive gift guides.

“We are already seeing a large volume of requests from journalists asking to be invited to Christmas in July events. While it may seem early, especially as we are only just entering summer, it is important to remember that many consumer publications work at least three months in advance and we all know that Christmas fever starts gripping the nation from around October, and even earlier in some instances!” explains Georgina Dunkley, account director at the online PR agency.

“Events of this nature not only provide excellent opportunities for brands to meet with their key media and build relationships in an informal setting, but they also allow journalists to touch, see, smell and, in some instances, taste the products for themselves. It can be difficult to fully describe the quality and benefits of a product via the telephone; Christmas in July events remove this barrier and allow the media to get a true picture of the festive products that will be available on the market while identifying the season’s ‘must-haves’.”

Brands initiating a SEO campaign to support their seasonal products should also commence activity immediately. “Building up the rankings of keywords can take time, so brands need to invest resource now to ensure that when Christmas shopping arrives, they have secured strong rankings for their terms in search engines,” Georgina concludes.

Punch Communications is a leading PR, social media and SEO agency. For more information visit www.punchcomms.com.

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Mother's Day By evitavonni

Over three magnificent floors, evitavonni's unique luxury living concept store comprises of several enticing departments offering you a wealth of choice for gifts Mother's Day. Their exciting new venture comprises of our in-house florist, sensory room with bath & body products from renowned English brand Mitchell & Peach, True Grace candles, stunning Baccarat jewellery and classic bedding amongst other beautiful items.

evitavonni have lovingly chosen a selection of beautiful gifts, perfectly-suited for the occasion:

After a long day, every mother covets time to relax, unwind and let daily stresses drift away. evitavonni supply a broad range of deluxe bath and body products from two quintessentially English brands: Mitchell and Peach and Green & Spring. Mitchell and Peach products are hand-blended in England using the finest natural ingredients, including matured essential oils and honey. Their favourite choices for Mother's Day gifts are their Bath Oil and Indulgent Body Cream. Similarly, Green & Spring products are inspired by the British countryside and all products are created using herbs and flowers native to the British Isles.

Their new Farnham store also encompasses a home fragrance area; a room bursting with scents to delight from around the globe. Their divine collection of room fragrances and diffusers by Very would make a charming gift. Their selection of Gianna Rose Atelier soaps are delightfully unusual. Coming in a range of fragrances and shapes, there is a soap for every taste. evitavonni loves the 'Tresors Du Jardin' Gardenia Soaps in Apothecary Jar, inspired by the boutique garden shops and fragrances of the French countryside and the very witty Three Wise Monkeys 'Trois Singes' Soaps.

Let your Mother wrap up in pure luxury in her home or while travelling with their sumptuous travel set by Sophia Cashmere or a 100% wool blanket by Eleanor Pritchard. For a quirky little treat, their Bon Bon lip balms or soap bars by Tokyo Milk are sure to delight.

Flowers by evitavonni, their luxurious in-house floristry service, is the latest extension of the evitavonni brand. Mother's Day is the perfect time to discover our beautiful florist: let their expert florists create a bespoke and unique bouquet for you, using the freshest and most distinctive seasonal flowers.

Mother's Day is on Sunday 18th March

For more information please visit www.evitavonni.co.uk

Luxury Gifts From GiftVault.com

Luxury Gifting with a Social Network Twist. GiftVault.com is the ultimate online destination for beautiful luxury gifts - many available exclusively via the site. But it is also much more.

GiftVault is a gifts emporium curated by luxury experts.

GiftVault is a social gifting network developed by new media specialists.

GiftVault is your gift planner.

GiftVault welcomes special requests, both for corporate clients and unforgettable occasions.

Handpicked, meticulously curated gifts, from Missoni throws to Christofle silverware, mini trees made entirely of sweets and hand-crafted leather games, lovingly packaged and shipped to customers, are GiftVault's forte - as are gifts not found anywhere else online, like De Grisogono's sumptuous leather bags or a show-stopping Superleggera & Lazerian bespoke carbon

GiftVault's forthright, glamorous and passionate owners Lee Greenberg and Violetta Winkworth-Gruosi know social networks are pivotal to future expansion.

The GiftVault Social Network makes buying the right gift for the right person easy and fun. GiftVault users share wishlists, gift ideas and experiences; upload videos; discuss how to make an occasion perfect; surprise friends with gifts without having to ask their shoe size; shop via Facebook; and post favourite products on their wall. The GiftVault Planner ensures users receive sms/email reminders of special occasions along with friends' updated wishlists.

GiftVault's owners are Lee Greenberg, a formerly Beijing-based new media fund-raising and venture capital specialist, and Violetta Winkworth-Gruosi, a luxury expert with degrees in business, gemmology and international management, and the daughter and step-daughter of the heads of Geneva-based jewellery brands De Grisogono and Chopard.

Lee and Violetta are now putting their heart and soul into making your materialistic dreams come true - and often even more. One customer ordered a 3 carat heart-shaped engagement ring and needed help with the proposal. GiftVault suggested hiding the ring with a special message in one of its sweet trees - a specially commissioned life-size sweet tree delivered by two security guards!

"At GiftVault we treat every gift with the same love and care as if it were for our own special occasion. Our social gifting network massively ups your chances of buying your friends a gift they'll really adore," says founder Lee Greenberg.

"We source gifts from round the world, hand-picking the best of the best in every category," says Violetta Winkworth-Gruosi.

www.giftvault.com

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Eventa good party? Eventa the Christmas party experts launch Summer events arm

Eventa, the Brighton-based corporate Christmas party agency, has announced details of an exciting new business arm that will focus on summer events.

The new section of the website is due to be made live in early March and will be promoting a series of themed summer balls, soirées and team building days in and around fourteen cities across the whole of the UK, including London. Amongst the themes available will be the classic masquerade ball, British-oriented garden party and school sports day events! All packages include a barbecue or buffet meal, as required by the clients.

The organisation will be creating a whole section dedicated to Olympics-themed summer parties and team building activities to tie in with the London games and Managing Director Rob Hill, recently featured in the Sunday Times' 'How I Made It Column', sees the new venture as an obvious one.

"It was the next logical step really. We were receiving enquiries for summer parties without even mentioning them on the site, so decided to channel all of our festive events experience down the summer avenue," he states.

Eventa ended up organising several summer parties for large corporate clients in London last year in light of the enquiries so decided to begin advertising them officially as of this year. Research has shown that large companies based in the capital city in particular are now investing in summer parties as their budgets begin to allow for ancillary spending once more.

Hill has moved to reassure customers that by focusing efforts on their summer offering Eventa will not be moving away from devoting as much effort into Christmas parties for 2012.

"Absolutely not. We will be continuing on with our recruitment drive to offer new and existing customers an even bigger platform upon which to build their perfect corporate event."

www.eventa.co.uk

Make Mother's Day A Special Day At The Country Living Magazine Spring Fair

There is something very special about spending time with your mother, so why not make it a lovely day together at the Country Living Magazine Spring fair. A VIP ticket package to the Country Living Magazine Spring fair makes an unusual and thoughtful gift for Mother's Day.

There are two delightful VIP packages available:-

For just £49.50 VIP guests receive a delightful Cath Kidston Book Bag, including a copy of 'The Unseen' by Katherine Webb as well as luxury chocolates from Rococo and goodies from selected exhibitors and sponsors including Rituals and Ecover.

There's the Country Living VIP Lounge as a haven to relax in with refreshing tea and coffee available all day - the ideal way to take stock of all the beautiful items and ideas at the Fair - and at the end of the day there's a glass of chilled cava to enjoy before heading home with lots of unique and original purchases from the 400 specialist artisans and exhibitors.

Throughout the day there are demonstrations and hands-on workshops offering expert advice on how to make and create personalised gifts for Easter and craft inspirations for every occasion. In the Food Hall, some of the finest regional food producers have tempting offers with tastes to savour and take home. And there's a VIP fast track entrance to beat the crowds.

For the deluxe experience, give Mother the VIP Dining Ticket that has all the benefits of the VIP ticket with the addition of an exclusive dining experience at Fredericks, with a two course meal and a glass of champagne to put the final touches to a wonderful day.

Standard VIP ticket £49.50

VIP Dining Ticket £70

The Country Living Magazine Spring Fair promises a day to remember - and a day that every mother will cherish.

Book online at www.countrylivingfair.com

21-25 March 2012 at the Business Design Centre,

Islington, London N1.

COUNTRY LIVING SPRING FAIR (21 to 25 March 2012)

Address Business Design Centre, Islington, London N1 0QH

Nearest tube: Angel - Northern Line (Bank branch)

Opening Hours: Wednesday 21 March to Friday 23 March - 10.00am to 6.00pm

Wednesday Gala Evening - 6.30pm to 9.00pm

Saturday 24th March - 9.30am to 6.00pm

Sunday 25th March - 10.00am to 3.00pm

Standard Ticket prices: Adult advance £12.50 / On the door £16.00

OAP advance n/a / On the door £12.50

Child (5-16) advance £7.00 / On the door £8.50

Under 5s free

Tickets: 0844 848 0160

IWOOT customer spreads joy and cheer... and it’s not even Christmas!

Over 3,000 customers invested in the utterly fantastic Christmas pudding bin bags from gift and gadget site www.Iwantoneofthose.com last Christmas.

IWOOT, which is owned by The Hut Group, the UK’s leading, multi-website online retailer received over 25,000 inbound emails, more than 16,000 telephone calls, 1,500 live chats and 2,500 social media queries over Christmas.

After such a demanding time of year, IWOOT’s customer service department were delighted to receive a poem from a happy customer who was clearly delighted by the product and service he received from Iwantoneofthose.com

Dear I Want One Of Those dot com
I am writing to you – London I’m from –
To thank you for bin bags so festively bright;
They were such a Christmassy delight!

The bin bags are strong and of excellent size
And to top it all, came with hard wearing ties
So rubbish stayed in, and made us feel good;
Who can help but smile at a huge Christmas pud!

There was a tense moment pre-bin bag appearance
As it dawned that amongst festive postal interference
The bin bags went missing, aghast I did feel
Black bin bags don’t cut it, pud shaped ones are unreal!

Mr Berry, Customer Service Headquarters chap
Hastily sent out replacements, apologised for the mishap
Festive bright pudding bags arrived well in time
For Christmas day, hence my most grateful rhyme.

So, in short, I give these bags maximum stars
And too for the IWOOT superstars;
Our Christmas season was entirely enhanced
I looked upon the bags and sang, laughed and danced
Once you’ve purchased these wonders you’ll never go back
To unfestive bin bags of boring-est black.

www.iwantoneofthose.com was launched in 2000 as an online retailer offering a selection of quirky, ‘off the wall’ gifts including gadgets, gizmos, toys, photo gifts, experience days and home and office accessories. IWOOT is an ideal gift shopping solution for those who have everything, a great place to buy things you don’t really need but really, really want! All orders come with free UK delivery.


(EDITOR: This is actually a fine example of good customer service. Some other firms would have shrugged their shoulders and said: "It's nothing to do with us! It's the delivery firm!"

But IWOOT did not do that. Although it was not their problem, they took responsibility for the problem and solved it to the satisfaction and delight of the customer. Well done, IWOOT! That's Christmas salutes you! May your order book be even fuller next Christmas!)

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Love Surprises? You'll Love myByBox

Lovestruck romeos who want to surprise their partners on Valentine’s Day with a present bought online can now ensure their secret gifts are kept safe thanks to www.myByBox.com and its network of electronic locker banks.

Whether they hate waiting at home for deliveries, or simply want to keep their purchases a secret until the big man's day, an increasing number of online shoppers are opting to pick up their purchases from one of the thousands of ByBox locker banks located around the country in convenient locations.

And those who have left it to the last minute can rest easy as www.figleaves.com is able to take orders up to 3pm on Monday February 13 for its range of lingerie for delivery into your choice of locker box on the morning of the 14th. Happy days!

“With ByBox lockers you can either keep a surprise as a surprise or make sure cupid's arrow doesn't misfire if St Valentine has fallen off your radar until the 11th hour," said Stuart Miller, Chief Executive and co-founder of ByBox.

“People want the flexibility of being able to pick up a parcel to suit them rather than spend hours looking out for the postman or waiting for a parcel carrier to arrive – myByBox makes the whole process simple.

“And on Valentine’s Day there’s no need to rush to answer the door before your partner – using myByBox.com we will keep your gifts discreetly tucked away until you decide to collect them or get you out of a hole if you've forgotten!

There are over 300 ByBox locker bank locations in the UK and ByBox delivers parcels to them in the middle of the night, 365 days a year, including Bank Holidays, with an enviable success rate of 99.77%.

The model is proving so popular that ByBox plans to invest £2 million installing extra banks of secure lockers at handy spots within the M25 London area such as railway stations and shopping centres.

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That's Food and Drink: Want a romantic foodie night in? Ristorante Pizza ...: With Valentine’s Day reminding us that the only way to spend an evening is with those you love, now is the time to avoid the cold, get cos...

British Airways launch auction to win a Valentine’s dinner on Concorde

British Airways have announced a charity auction that will allow a pair of high-flying romantics to enjoy the ultimate Valentines dinner date.

The airline is inviting couples to bid in the auction for the chance to be wined and dined on board the world’s most iconic aircraft – without even leaving the ground. The highest bidder will win a romantic dinner for two on board the British Airways flagship Concorde G-BOAC at Manchester Airport’s Runway Visitor Park on February 14.

The lucky couple will receive red carpet treatment from the steps of Concorde to their exclusive table for two in the main cabin, where they will be served a three-course dinner, created by a top chef, with a bottle of champagne to celebrate Valentine's Day.

All proceeds from the auction will go to Flying Start, British Airways’ global charity partnership with Comic Relief whose aim is to raise money to help children living incredibly tough lives in the UK and around the world.

The auction was launched this week by famed Cheshire toastmaster Ian Parrott, who actually flew to New York on Concorde twice during a previous career.

He said: "Concorde has always offered the ultimate in romance, you don’t have to fly anywhere to appreciate the very intimate and luxurious surroundings of this beautiful aircraft. To have it all to yourself for one evening is possibly the most romantic gesture you can make."

Anyone is welcome to bid for the ultimate Valentine dinner on Concorde in the company's e-mail auction, all they have to do is send an e-mail to valentines.concorde@ba.com stating how much they would be prepared to pay for the prize and give their name and contact details. The prize will be awarded to the highest bidder and there is a reserve price of £500. The auction closes on Sunday, February 12 at midnight and the winner will be notified on Monday, February 13.

FACTFILE:
British Airways plc offers a wide range of worldwide destinations - including holidays in New York, flights to Dubai and a whole host of other all inclusive holidays as well as plenty of valentines breaks 2012.

Customers can save time and money with www.ba.com when booking ATOL protected holiday packages, ATOL number is 5985. Passengers are offered added peace of mind to their holiday plans and the security of travelling with British Airways. British Airways plc constantly seeks to exceed customers' expectations, both in terms of the value for money and quality of the service provided.