Tag: 2020

secret santa marmalade

12 great Secret Santa gifts 2020

  • 0 comments
  • 173 views

When it comes to finding Secret Santa gifts in 2020, then you may be wanting something unusual. After all, it’s been an unusual year and your workplace may be having a virtual secret Santa gifting session. Along with buying presents for friends and family, you should also be looking for inspiration when it comes to Secret Santa gifts. This is a Christmas gift that is generally similar to stocking fillers and most workplaces will have a limit on how much to spend. For those who may not be aware of what is a popular tradition in UK workplaces, a group of co-workers, or friends, or housemates, put the names of everyone into a hat – and then draw names. This is the person you buy a small gift for and this is usually exchanged in the workplace or at a work Christmas party. However, the pandemic may make face-to-face meetings a little difficult so be prepared for virtual Secret Santa gifting. The Christmas gift is usually no more than £5 or £10, which means you need to get your thinking cap on to buy for your Secret Santa recipient. This is also an opportunity to show how well you know that person – or not, as the case may be! There’s no doubt too that while a Secret Santa gift does not have to be boring, it is a great opportunity to be creative.   Christmas beard lights and tinsel Why not spread a little cheer with this great creation? If your secret Santa gifts recipient has a beard, then they’ll get a kick from this Christmassy beard lights and tinsel offering. The decorations are kept secure with clips and everything, the lights and tinsel, works a treat. Prices vary, but the Oliver Bonas site has the gift on offer at £5.95 currently.   Hy-Pro Two Player Table Tennis Set A great idea for slackers everywhere, this table tennis set is ideal for boring times in the workplace. It costs £9.99 from Argos and you can transform any table to become a sports venue in just seconds. There’s a simple clamp to push down and the net will spread easily across the table. The table tennis set can also be transported easily.   Colouring As Therapy Poster Everyone likes to colour in and this set of four posters is a worthy secret Santa present. It’s available on the School of Life website, and has been reduced from £30, to £8. The posters include Walden Pond, still live with fruit, wave and know yourself. Colouring can be a therapeutic pastime and will bring out the child in all of us.   Personalised bottle of champagne If you are struggling to find a secret Santa present, how about a personalised bottle of Moet and Chandon champagne? These are available for £20 from Selfridges.com and you simply send a photograph that is then printed up and added to the bottle. The photograph could be from a special event, for example a family wedding, or it could be a nice picture of you and the recipient sharing a cuddle. This is on the pricey side of secret Santa presents but it’s something they can keep once the fizzy contents have been consumed.   Spreadable Whisky Single Malt Marmalade If your secret Santa recipient is a marmalade lover, and enjoys that and a tipple of whisky, then the Spreadable whisky single malt marmalade is a great gift. Created by the Proper Marmalade Company, the alcohol cooks out but the real taste of whisky remains. For many reasons, this is the perfect marmalade to use at any time. It costs from £10 at Oliver Bonas.   Ridley’s 1990’s Music Trivia Game This is a great idea from John Lewis and Partners and will be great fun for anybody aged over 25. This is a party-friendly music card game based on the 1990s. There are 40 cards with a sing the next line competition as well as music trivia. The pack of cards comes in a lovely retro cassette tape case. This game can be used after all secret Santa presents have been opened with two teams competing to win. Great fun and laughter guaranteed! The secret Santa present costs £7.   Hot Chocolate Bombes Another popular secret Santa present is to offer chocolate, and these hot chocolate bombes will hit the target. They come as a pack of three and you place one in a mug, add hot milk and watch them explode into a tasty drink. The chocolate sphere consists of Belgian milk chocolate which contains mini marshmallows. The hot milk then melts the chocolate, and the marshmallows rise to the top. It’s a little bit different than buying a chocolate bar and a great idea for those who love a real hot chocolate drink. The hot chocolate balls cost £10 and are available from Oliver Bonas.   Light up Christmas necklace Sometimes, a secret Santa present just needs to be a talking point, so how about a light up Christmas necklace? The necklace is available from John Lewis and partners for £6.50 and consists of Christmas tree lights and a discreet on/off switch. There are three flashing light modes and if this necklace doesn’t get the party going, the recipient will certainly stand out from the crowd with the festive addition to their outfit.   Christmas dinner bibs Staying with John Lewis, they have a great secret Santa offering in the shape of Christmas dinner bibs. The recipient and their family or friends can eat, drink and be messy for their Christmas dinner. The present costs £10 and will add a festive cheer to those sat around the dinner table with a Christmas themed bib. There are eight bids made from plastic offered in four different designs.   Hotel Chocolat The Christmas Goody Bag For a secret Santa gifts to impress, how about this Hotel Chocolat Christmas Goody Bag? It costs £18 from John Lewis and consists of chocolate made reindeers, reefs and clementines. While some may see buying chocolate as a copout for a secret present, for someone who loves chocolate, this might be the ideal solution. This is a top-quality product and will delight a chocolate lover.   Beer Hawk BrewDog Canister If a chocolate lover would love a Christmas goody bag from Hotel Chocolat, why not get a beer lover this Beer Hawk BrewDog Canister? It costs £12 and is available from Next. These craft beer cans consist of two award-winning creations, plus a new offering. The canister contains India pale ale, punk IPA and Dead Pony Club. Creations from BrewDog are very popular and a sound choice for a beer lover.   Cocktail Syrups Gift Set This set of five cocktail syrups from Next will deliver the perfect mixers for your secret Santa recipient. The flavours include piña colada, raspberry cosmo, strawberry daiquiri and margarita. They cost £8 and for someone who likes cocktails, or at least the flavours of cocktails, they can have a non-alcoholic version while at your secret Santa present …

waitrose turkeys

The best turkey crown for Christmas 2020

  • 0 comments
  • 3171 views

With so much choice on offer, knowing which is the best turkey crown for Christmas 2020, can be a difficult decision to make. There is a wide variety of formats and sizes on offer but here we will help you make the decision as to which is the best turkey crown to tuck into. With our guide, you will find a turkey crown that is easy to cook and essentially offers something for everybody sat around your Christmas table. For many people, a traditional Christmas turkey is simply too large, particularly in 2020 when visitors may be restricted, plus not everyone likes dark meat. Though we do love a juicy turkey breast or a stuffed turkey crown with streaky bacon, roast potatoes, sage and onion stuffing to create a cracking Christmas dinner. However, finding a tender turkey breast that delivers perfect turkey white meat is not easy. Your Christmas crown needs to be big enough to feed family members and perhaps a few guests so the perfect crown, whether it is free range or a bronze turkey, should deliver delicious breast meat for everyone. Also, a crown takes less time to cook, and you will be avoiding (hopefully!) a flavourless or dry turkey on Christmas day. Most crowns, including stuffed ones, may be pre-basted and have been seasoned well. You simply put your chosen crown into your oven, and a short time later it’s ready to eat. Here is the Christmas.co.uk guide to enjoy the best Christmas turkey for Christmas 2020 – and you can look at our taste tests of the best frozen turkey crowns to enjoy this year.   Turkey crown winner – Waitrose Best of Both We loved the Waitrose Best of Both free-range bronze turkey crown. The creation will serve 12 and weighs 2.9 kg. It costs £65 – which might seem a lot, but this is a large crown and it really does a great job. Of the crowns we tried, this one was tender and the tastiest. It helps that this bacon-covered crown is cooked in a bag to help retain the crown’s moisture. For a great meal, you simply follow the instructions to cook a turkey crown that will impress. To ensure it’s a crispy offering, you remove the crown from the bag and cook for a further 15 minutes to become golden coloured with a crisp skin. This creation comes with a sage and onion stuffing and two boneless thighs that have been slow cooked. You can even use the juices from the tray for your turkey gravy and everything works out well. Essentially, if you are looking for a crown to impress – and with minimal effort – then this is the best turkey crown for you.   M&S Collection – the Perfect Turkey Crown This is a bold and impressive offering, and it nearly is the perfect turkey crown in our taste test. There’s a lot to like from this offering from M&S Collection but is no longer available to order online. You may have to wait until closer to Christmas Day, to see if stocks will arrive in store. The M&S crown costs £36 and will serve up to eight people. This streaky bacon covered crown also has a pork, chestnut and thyme stuffing and it smells delicious when cooked. The turkey crown comes in a foil tray, so it’s ready to put in the oven. Again, the juices that come from the crown help create an excellent and tasty gravy. This crown is easy to carve with juicy, moist meat. You will also find that the turkey is just as delicious when used for Boxing Day sandwiches, or for a buffet. Highly recommended.   Heston from Waitrose Turkey Breast on the Bone Crown If you want something unusual but really tasty, then the Heston from Waitrose Turkey Breast on the Bone Crown is worth considering. It costs £65 and will serve up to eight people, but it is something of a real treat. The crown comes with a poultry jus, turkey brine and a herb butter. It’s a more involved creation than other crowns; you need to put the crown in the brown bag for at least 24 hours before it is cooked. The brine is use for basting, so really this Heston Blumenthal offering should be seen as an upmarket turkey crown cooking kit. The tasters really enjoyed the meat, it’s a very tasty offering and certainly worth considering.   M&S British Boneless Oakham Turkey Breast If you don’t like the faff of having a large crown which will usually have a bone in it, then this M&S offering is a nice compromise. Since many people looking for a crown do not want the expense or the size of cooking a large bronze turkey – and this product is a delight. This boneless turkey breast comes in a foil tray so is ready to cook. It costs £21 and will serve up to eight people.   Iceland Perfect Turkey Crown One of the best priced crowns we came across was this frozen Perfect Turkey Crown from Iceland. This offering costs £16 and will serve up to 10 people. It’s not only oven-ready and comes wrapped in paper, it’s really easy to cook and full of flavour. Since Iceland is a frozen food specialist, there’s a lot to recommend their perfect crown as a nice Christmas Day offering. Iceland also offers another version wrapped in bacon for the same price. Again, the flavours work because of the oven-ready wrapping and it’s easy to cook and a very tasty creation.   Asda Extra Special Roast in the Bag Turkey Crown Another easy to cook offering is this roast in the bag turkey crown from Asda. It costs £34 will serve up to 10 dinner guests. The streaky bacon covered crown smells delicious and sweet when cooked and comes with a thyme stuffing that really does compliment the meat. If you are the cook on Christmas Day and have lots of guests, then this easy to cook turkey from Asda should be your number one choice.   Aldi Specially Selected Stuffed Turkey Crown Another value for money offering when it comes to a stuffed turkey crown, is from Aldi. The £16.99 creation is a stuffed crown with a streaky bacon topping. The sage and onion stuffing is also impressive and the bird is easy to cook, remains moist and is easy to carve. The cooked crown smells sweet and smoky and will impress Christmas Day dinner guests.   Waitrose Small Turkey Breast Crown with Prime Wing Finally, while most people will love a tasty turkey for their Christmas dinner, they may not a huge piece of meat to cook. That’s where this small turkey breast from Waitrose really does score. It costs from £30 and will serve up to three people. Not only is this creation simple to cook, it’s also a very tender crown that is easy to carve. For those who are having a small celebration for Christmas 2020, then this great and tasty offering from Waitrose will meet …

xmas stocking car

The best stocking fillers in 2020

  • 0 comments
  • 122 views

When it comes to choosing the best stocking fillers in 2020, you don’t have to spend a small fortune. Indeed, there is a lot to recommend buying lots of small stocking fillers and we take a look at those costing less than £5 that will delight the recipient. For us at Christmas.co.uk, there’s nothing like putting the perfect gift in Christmas stockings so everyone gets to have a small surprise come Christmas morning. One of the best things about festive stocking gift ideas is that they reflect how well you know the person who will open it. Whether you are young or old, there’s a lot to like about finding and then giving stocking filler presents.   Stocking filler presents for children While children will be receiving lots of presents for Christmas, there are some really cute and well-priced stocking fillers to consider. For example, boys would love Hot Wheels toy cars which cost just £1.50 from B&M. There are also Matchbox cars from Tesco for £1.25. Rainbow bath bombs also go down a treat, you just put one in your child’s bathwater and they fizzle to create a stream of colours that resemble a rainbow. It’s also worth checking Wilko because they are selling an Avengers bath fizzer for £2. The bath bomb looks like Capt America’s shield and turns into an impressive bath fizzer. Not be outdone, you can also buy a Spider-Man web shooter that fires out bath confetti. This delight costs £3 from Boots. There’s lots of bath time fun to be had by all! A stocking filler gift for girls might be something such as the Trolls World Tour tiny dancer which costs £2 from B&M. For those who are really committed, there are 12 Trolls figures for you to collect and complete the dancer set. The case they come in can also be turned into a pair of glasses. Argos is also selling six Trolls dancers as well which will work out cheaper if you are buying lots of Trolls. We also like the Blox dinosaurs assortment from Wilco at just £1.50 each. That’s great value for money per figure for anyone in your family who loves dinosaurs. If you want a full dinosaur set made from Lego, then John Lewis is selling them for £12.97. Books are always a good choice as a Christmas stocking filler for children. And this year, Asda is selling the famous ‘How the Grinch stole Christmas’ by Dr Seuss. It costs £4 and the classic festive tale is a great book to read with young ones. The story reveals how the Grinch steals Christmas, and then saves the day. WH Smith is also stocking the same book. Other popular books that children may like are the Peppa Pig books. A set costs £4.99 from B&M – who also have full book sets featuring Peter Rabbit. It’s also worth checking out the popular store The Works who are also selling bundles of Peppa Pig books at £10 for 10.   Stocking filler presents for women Again, there’s no need to spend a small fortune on stocking filler presents for women and there are so many great festive bargains to be had. For instance, the lady in your life may enjoy a pigs in blankets lip balm. This unusual creation costs £3 from Boots and is a festive and fun offering. There’s no need to worry about whether the recipient will enjoy pigs in blankets because it really is strawberry flavoured balm! However, if you would like a lip balm present that is not quite so outlandish, then head to Tesco. That’s because they are selling a Natural Extracts lip balm collection for £4. This is made from natural ingredients and there are four lip balms in the collection including lavender and grapefruit flavours. If you want to buy lip balms individually, then the Body Shop is selling a great range at £2.50. Smellies are always a good idea as a Christmas stocking filler, and the Lynx Attract gift set is worth considering. It’s from B&M and costs £3.49. The box contains a body wash and a body spray. Prosecco always goes down well as a Christmas present, so how about a small bottle of this fizzy wine? John Lewis is selling a bottle for £3.50 and the 20cl bottle will fit snuggly in a Christmas stocking. It’s also worth checking Asda, they are selling a similar-sized bottle of prosecco at £2.30. Bath bombs are also a crowd-pleaser for women and for £4, Asda is offering a ‘Decorate Your Own Bath Fizzer’. The box contains crayons, tissue, ribbon and gift tags. It’s a great alternative present, though you could try Boots who are selling something similar for £1.27. However, we also like another bath fizzer from Boots, and it’s the Reese’s peanut butter bath bomb. If the lady in your life loves the very moreish peanut butter delights produced by Reese’s, then will be a great treat. That’s mainly because it smells just like their favourite chocolate products! We also like the Pedicare skin smoother from Home Bargains at £4.99. This skin smoother is a great idea for tired feet and since there are no blades, no one will cut their skin. And if you think that’s a tad cheap, then Boots is selling a Scholl pedicure kit for £30.99. That’s a big difference in price!   Christmas stocking fillers for men A traditional staple for buying men’s Christmas stocking fillers is beer, socks or slippers. From the smellies we have seen, the Dove Men mini tin gift set at £4 from Asda is a cracking offer. The tin includes two anti-perspirants and a body spray plus the man in your life can use the empty tin for their odds and ends. The Dove mini gift set is also available from Tesco at the same price, and from Boots for slightly more. The Nivea Men super soft gift set which costs £4 from Wilco is also a very nice stocking filler. It’s also something of a classic gift at Christmas for the man in your life. The kit comes with a post-shave balm and shaving foam. There’s also a larger Nivea bundle available from Boots costing £15. For something unusual as a small gift, how about the Lynx of Africa and Marmite gift set? It does sound like a very strange combination, but if your man likes Lynx, and Marmite, then this gift is a winner. The gift is available from B&M at £3.49 and apparently, Lynx has managed to combine the scent of its Africa spray, an iconic odour for young men, with the aroma of Marmite. At least, the gift will be a conversation starter. Talking of ways to get people talking on Christmas Day when opening presents, how about a nose and beard trimmer from Barber & Groom? These are available at £2.99 from B&M, and this is a useful cordless trimmer with two heads for the nose and beard. It’s also a very small offering and would be ideal for when travelling. Popular Christmas presents for men also include beer and alcohol-related gifts. So, if you someone you know loves Guinness, why not buy them a set of mini chocolate pints? This offering comes from B&M for £3 and has been made with white and dark chocolate and a hint of the dark stuff. There’s also a useful beer can playing card set from Wilco at £3. The playing cards are shaped like a beer can and will provide entertainment after your Christmas dinner has finished. Or you could spend £3.49 at The Range for a beer jigsaw puzzle. The jigsaw has 100 pieces to create a pint glass shape and is suitable for those who enjoy jigsaws – and for those who have never done one before. Other presents we enjoyed were the sloth novelty socks from Boots at £4, a Batchelor’s Super Noodles gift set at £4 from B&M – a great choice for someone in your life who likes the snack with a bowl, spork and two packs of Super Noodles. Men also like techy presents, so how about the Hyper Gear Razer earphones from Matalan at £4. Or the Christmas beard lights and tinsel set from The Range at £3.99 – and we quite liked the wireless LED transparent charger, also from The Range at £2.97. Though the chilli sauce keyring from Matalan at £3 is also worth considering as one of the best stocking fillers for men – especially for those who like to enjoy chilli with every meal because they’ll have a supply of chilli sauce on their keyring.   What a …

Christmas Day countdown clock

How long until Christmas Day?

  • 0 comments
  • 253 views

Are you asking: ‘How long until Christmas Day?’ Then you need the Christmas.co.uk countdown clock. Whether you need to know how many sleeps are left until Christmas Day, then you should visit the Christmas.co.uk website regularly. That’s because our Christmas countdown clock will help you plan for the big day when Santa arrives with presents for everyone in your home. Also, checking our Christmas countdown clock on a regular basis means you will know how many shopping days are left before the shops close for the festivities. How many days until Christmas Day 2020 If you need to find out how many days until Christmas Day 2020, then our clock will tell you. And here it is (to help you from checking on the front page!): Indeed, the Christmas day countdown clock will appear every Christmas on our increasingly popular website as part of our roundup of the best festive food and presents to buy for friends, family and loved ones. Our festive countdown clock will answer these questions: How many hours until Christmas Day? If you don’t want to count the seconds or minutes until Christmas Day, then our clock will give you the hours. This will be the exact number. How many days until Christmas day? This is probably the most important question and you will find out how many days there are until Christmas Day – and you will know how many shopping days are left, how many days are left of children wanting to know ‘How many days until Christmas Day?’ over and over again. Our clock will give you that answer and then you’ll have peace and quiet. Until Christmas day that is! Reasons for having a Christmas countdown clock One of the most important reasons for having a Christmas countdown clock is to help families plan the perfect Christmas. And since 2020 has been such an unusual year, this festive season will be a spent with loved ones and contemplating on what has happened during the year. So, when you need to know how many days until Christmas Day, and you need a Christmas countdown clock you can rely on, then visit the Christmas.co.uk site …

M&S frozen xmas turkey

The BEST frozen Christmas turkey 2020

  • 0 comments
  • 5131 views

With so much choice available, finding the best frozen Christmas turkey for 2020 is not easy. But the dedicated taste testers at Christmas.co.uk have been sampling lots of tasty turkeys and wonderful frozen turkey crowns. Finding the perfect turkey for Christmas dinner is a very important undertaking since it is the centrepiece of the festive meal table. Whether you are looking for a free-range bronze turkey, covered with streaky bacon and served with delicious gravy, your Christmas Day turkey dinner will take time to prepare. To help, we also detail how to defrost a frozen turkey so you can serve up a delicious meal to your guests. Along with bronze turkeys, a Christmas turkey may come with stuffing and wrapped with smoked bacon. Many people like a turkey with stuffing, while others look for the dark meat to enjoy. Along with pigs in blankets, the range of frozen turkeys and crowns this year is impressive.   The Christmas.co.uk frozen turkey winner for 2020 Of all the frozen turkeys tested by the Christmas.co.uk team, the winner was a popular choice. The M&S British Oakham turkey crown landed the top spot with a nice balance of flavours. It costs £20 for 2kg, and this turkey is deliciously moist with a nice crisp bacon topping. It has a perfect golden colour and the sage and onion stuffing smells delicious. A well-deserved winner that will go down a treat with your Christmas dinner guests.   Runner-up for the best frozen turkey for Christmas 2020 The Tesco basted turkey crown was for us a tasty offering. It costs £23 for a 3kg product that is a juicy and nice smelling creation. We found the streaky bacon complemented the turkey meat and the stuffing has a nice texture. This was an all-round, cracking value for money offering.   Aldi Specially Selected Turkey Crown This stuffed turkey crown from Aldi was a close runner-up to the Tesco frozen crown. The crown costs £16.99 for 1.8kg to 2.3kg. We found the bird had a lovely, sweet flavour and the sage and onion stuffing complimented it well. This frozen turkey crown smelled delicious when it was brought to the table. The crisp bacon topping also helps the herby aroma. This Aldi turkey crown is also good value. How to defrost a frozen turkey properly For anyone buying a frozen turkey for Christmas 2020, it’s important that the bird is defrosted properly. Our friends at Tesco have given us the defrosting times for frozen turkey crowns and frozen whole birds. The length of defrosting time may come as a surprise for many people, particularly if you think you can defrost your frozen turkey on Christmas Day. That will be a mistake and under no circumstances should you try to cook a frozen turkey that has not been thoroughly defrosted. The table below shows the defrosting time for frozen turkeys and shows that a turkey crown weighing between 1kg and 1.4kg takes between 10 and 14 hours. However, for anybody entertaining lots of people, the frozen British turkey whole bird weighing between 8.9kg and 10.6kg will take up to 106 hours to defrost properly – that’s more than four days! British Turkey Crown 1kg – 1.4kg 10-14 hours British Turkey Crown 1.5kg – 1.9kg 15-19 hours British Turkey Crown 2kg – 2.3kg 20-23 hours British Turkey Crown 2.4kg – 2.8kg 24-28 hours British Turkey Crown 2.9 – 3.5kg 29-35 hours British Turkey Whole Bird 2 – 2.5kg 20-25 hours British Turkey Whole Bird 2.6 – 3.8 kg 26-38 hours British Turkey Whole Bird 3.9 – 5.2KG 39-52 hours British Turkey Whole Bird 5.3 – 6.9kg 53-69 hours British Turkey Whole Bird 7 – 8.8kg 70-88 hours British Turkey Whole Bird 8.9 – 10.6 kg 89-106 hours Finest FR Bronze 3.2 – 4.8kg 32-48 hours Tesco also told us how long it will take to defrost a fresh turkey that customers have frozen at home. From their Finest range, a small fresh turkey will take up to 40 hours to defrost. The medium turkey will take up to 53 hours, while a large Finest fresh turkey will take up to 65 hours. Again, it’s not worth taking the risk when it comes to defrosting a frozen turkey or a frozen turkey crown. Not only will you have a turkey that’s inedible, but you run the risk of delivering a serious case of food poisoning to your guests. The Food Standards Agency also publishes useful advice on how to defrost and then cook a frozen turkey or turkey crown properly. Morrisons The Best Bronze Frozen Turkey The best frozen turkey, rather than a turkey crown, that we tested was this offering from Morrisons. It costs £23 and the turkey weighs up to 5kg. The Morrisons frozen turkey was cooked up with crisp skin with nice, moist white meat. Also, tasters found the dark meat from this turkey was packed with flavour. It’s also an easy to carve bird and it smells delicious when doing so. Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Turkey Crown This tasty frozen turkey crown offering is for those who don’t want a big frozen turkey. The Sainsbury’s frozen turkey crown smells delicious when cooked, and the crispy skin is a lovely colour. The crown costs £27.50 for a product weighing between 3.6kg and 5kg. Again, the dark meat had a lovely robust flavour though some tasters found the white meat lacking in depth of flavour. This Sainsbury’s frozen turkey crown really does have a nice aroma and it is certainly worth considering. How to choose the best frozen turkey in 2020 Since celebrating on Christmas Day might look very different in 2020 for most families, it’s likely that frozen turkeys and turkey crowns will grow in popularity. Rather than buying a fresh bird, a frozen turkey means not only that you will be prepared, but you won’t have to run the risk of a shop selling out in the run-up to Christmas. Here are some tips for choosing the best frozen Turkey: Check the date that the turkey has been frozen You should eat your frozen turkey within three months of buying it because keeping it too long in the freezer will affect the taste and quality of the meat. By your frozen turkey locally There are lots of quality farmers selling frozen turkeys locally which makes them a quality and sustainable option. Ensure the bird has been frozen professionally and you will have a tasty turkey dinner. Do not refreeze frozen turkey A frozen turkey that you buy in a shop has been frozen at a temperature that is much lower than your freezer. Do not allow a frozen turkey to thaw, even slightly, because if you refreeze it there will be ice crystals forming in the meat – and the taste and quality will be affected. Asda Basted Medium Whole Turkey This frozen turkey from Asda came close to matching the frozen crown from Sainsbury’s. The bird costs £13 and weighs between 3.9kg and 5.29kg. When cooked, the turkey smells delicious with crisp skin. There’s almost a salty taste to the aroma with the light meat being juicy. Of all the frozen turkeys we tried, the Asda turkey delivered the most natural flavour.   Lidl Braemoor Large British Turkey with Giblets While this frozen turkey from Lidl is among the cheapest offerings, it is one of the best tasting meats. Priced at £16.99 for a frozen turkey weighing up to 7.2 kg, the cooked bird has a lovely crisp skin. The meet has a buttery taste, while the dark meat has a robust flavour. For some tasters, the texture of the meat was a tad dry but overall, it’s a nice offering.   Waitrose Frozen Medium Free Range Turkey Crown We were surprised to find that the frozen turkey crown from Waitrose was among the lowest scoring. It costs £12.50 and the 2kg product will serve up to six people. Waitrose says that its turkeys have the freedom to behave naturally in small flocks and it does have a nice flavour. It’s also an easy to carve roast turkey with a pleasant aroma but the overall offering, for us, just misses the mark.   Iceland Boneless Perfect Turkey Crown wrapped in Bacon One of the best places to shop for frozen foods at Christmas is Iceland. Their boneless perfect turkey crown wrapped in bacon is a very tasty offering. It weighs 2.32kg and costs £16. It looks great, it smells nice and while it is not as substantial as some of its rivals, for those who want a frozen turkey crown that cooks well and carves easily, this frozen turkey is hard to beat. Also, this Iceland frozen turkey crown can be cooked from frozen in three hours 30 minutes. The defrosted product takes two hours …

Booths xmas cake

The Best Christmas Cake for 2020

  • 0 comments
  • 723 views

Christmas cake can evoke strong emotions in human beings. With cheese?! (No!!) Topped with a thick slab of almond laced, yellow marzipan?! (Yes!) With or without mixed peel?! (Without!) Cake is always a popular festive choice as a treat – whether you or friends are dishing up an iced Christmas cake or a cake with layers of icing. There’s no doubt that cake is a popular Christmas dessert with glacé cherries, vine fruits and lots of royal icing. While some of us will make a cake from a cherished Christmas cake recipe that has been handed down the generations, some people are opting for more unusual cakes to celebrate the festivities with food at this time of year. They include gingerbread cake, chocolate cake, gluten free Christmas cake and bundt cake (a doughnut shaped cake). There’s also chocolate yule log. Whichever your preference, we guarantee that the perfect festive fruit cake is amongst this worthy list of the BEST Christmas cakes of 2020.   The Best Christmas Cake Winners! We don’t just listen to the foodies on our team at Christmas.co.uk. Awards from domestic stalwarts ‘Good Housekeeping’ and eminent magazine ‘Woman and Home’ are meaningful reasons to trust in the quality of a cake. Of course, we do double check for ourselves too!   Waitrose No.1 Richly Fruited Christmas Cake – £6 for 1.3kg The winner of Good Housekeeping Best Christmas Cake of 2020 is this beautifully rich treat from Waitrose and Partners. The sweetness of the soft icing is perfectly balanced by punchy citrus and warming spice from ginger and cinnamon. We loved the luxurious texture too, it’s incredibly moist! If you’re looking for a good-looking cake, this is it. Shimmering edible glitter, gold stars and snowflakes adorn the pristine white icing.   M&S Perfectly Matured Rich Fruit Cake – £10 for 907g The Good Housekeeping Best Christmas Cake 2020 Runner-up prize was awarded to M&S. We loved the extra fruity flavour provided by juicy whole cherries and plump vine fruits. The cake itself has a gorgeous depth of flavour that is almost treacly. All the expected spices are present in generous but not over-powering quantities. If you enjoy a thick slab of almond-dense marzipan and the boozy taste of brandy, then this is the cake for you! The pretty pearl and snowflake design is so chic and would look fabulous on any festive buffet table.   Booth’s Sherry and Rum Iced Christmas Cake – £18 for 2kg Booth’s is a northern supermarket chain which prides itself on excellent quality and stocking products made by local suppliers. They are also the worthy winner of Good Housekeeping’s third place award. The design is ace! Gingerbread men shaped cut-outs reveal the tempting golden cake underneath. The texture of this cake, soft and crumbly, is unusual but oh so delicious. It’s fruit cake still, but there is a nice sponge-like feel to it too. Aroma is a key part of food appreciation and this cake has a very seasonal fragrance. Nutty marzipan, booze and fruitiness caress the nose as you cut a slice to enjoy. Gentle spiciness, citrus and rum are the main flavours in Booth’s delightful cake. We couldn’t pick up the sherry but the earthy sweetness we detected showed it was in there, stealthily enhancing the other ingredients.   Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Holly Wreath Christmas Cake – £11 for 900g Woman and Home Best Buy 2020 awards are prestigious, so buying a Christmas cake with that badge of honour is a great idea. The décor atop this wreath shaped wreath is simple and elegant and the flavours inside are delicious. Underneath the squidgy marzipan and crisp icing is a sumptuous cake packed with plump fruits and glugs of warming brandy.   Betty’s Royal Iced Bell Christmas Cake – £25 for 1kg Another Woman and Home Best Buy 2020 comes from the iconic Yorkshire Tea Room, Betty’s. The stunning colourful bell design is hand stencilled by Betty’s team of artisan bakers and looks so special against the ivory royal icing. The flavour of this Christmas cake is sophisticated and complex. The Christmas.co.uk taste team particularly enjoyed the sherry-soaked sultanas and raisins and the sweet cherries. Nutty marzipan is thickly layered on this luscious cake but it’s not over-powering. We loved the hand piped icing and Betty’s branded golden cake frill too. They are a lovely finishing touch.   Excellent value Christmas cakes Christmas cake is an indulgence to enjoy throughout the festive season so you might need to buy a few if your family are fans. These options are a wonderful price for the size of the cake and the delectable flavours they contain.   Aldi Specially Selected Luxury All Over Iced Cake – £6.99 for 1kg Aldi are very good at producing exquisite Christmas food at reasonable prices and this yummy cake is a great example of that. It’s shimmery surface and jolly green and scarlet holly wreath are inviting, and the icing is smooth and squidgy. The moist cake is spicier than some but if you’re a lover of cinnamon and gingerbread that’s a very good thing! Brandy flavours are prominent which gives it a homemade taste.   Lidl Deluxe Luxury Fully Iced Christmas Cake – £6.99 for 1kg Our Christmas cake connoisseurs felt that Lidl’s deluxe offering would work beautifully with a (big!) slice of cheese as it is a lighter style of cake. Not everyone is a lover of dense, heavy fruit cake, so if that’s you, we highly recommend giving this fairly priced treat a try. Our favourite elements of this cake were the large pieces of crunchy nuts, extra spiciness and the lavish amount of whole fruits and fat vine fruit laden with juice.   Plain Fruit Christmas cakes Icing and marzipan are the work of the devil to some! (I know, weird isn’t it?!) So, we bring you un-iced Christmas cakes that can be decorated to you liking or served naked.   Country Fare Brandy Fruit Cake – £25 for 1kg This is a scrumptious looking cake! The topping of glossy nuts and cherries is a fabulous alternative to a traditionally iced cake. We enjoy the fact it still looks extravagant. The texture is delightful, it crumbles wonderfully as you cut into it and that makes it an ideal partner for cheese too. Hand fed with the best of French brandies so it warms the throat as you eat and tastes decadent. It’s maybe not the best cake to serve to children but that just means there is more for you!   Daylesford Organic Christmas Cake – £18 for 800g Daylesford may not have created a feast for the eyes, but they have put lots of love and effort into the taste and texture of their cakes. Organic and made at the Daylesford farm in the Cotswolds, this is as close to wholesome and homemade as you can get. A glow inducing alternative to mass produced supermarket cakes. You can even reuse the useful, durable tin. Fruits jostle for space in a cake steeped in brandy and spiced with ginger, a smidge of nutmeg and cinnamon. Gorgeous!   Unusual and Quirky Christmas cake Bored of the ‘usual’? Ready to break away from tradition and serve a cake with imagination? Try these and delight the haters of raisins and loathers of marzipan.   M&S Chocolate Fruit and Nut Cake – £15 for 800g With this chocolate-laced creation, M&S has produced a cake that defies description! Traditional Christmas cake ingredients such a dried fruits and sweet spices join indulgent chocolate liqueur and a smooth, dark cocoa rich sauce. Cranberries, lots of nuts and sweetened citrus pieces join the party in this awesome showstopper of a cake. There are twelve portions and each one is incredibly flavourful. Christmas.co.uk staff believe that December is not a time to worry about calories and we were reassured to taste butter, cream and lashings of sugar in every mouthful.   Waitrose Trio of Christmas Cakes – £35 for three cakes Waitrose and Partners clever bakers have dreamt up, for your delectation, the cutest trio of Christmassy cakes available in 2020. If you’re catering for children this year, then this is the perfect choice. Each cake is different so all palates will be happy. The classic fruit cake is laced with alcohol and smothered in an icing that is blessed with just the right amount of sweetness. The marzipan is almondy, jammy and moreish. These are good skills! Rich and gooey chocolate sponge cake and a Victoria Sponge style vanilla cake with raspberry jam and cream make up the rest of this adorable trio.   Special Diets Purveyors of Christmas cake appear not to be mindful about the needs of customer’s who have restricted diets, and so the choice is limited. Check these out for your best options.   Waitrose Vegan Iced Fruit Cake £13 for 800g LOTS of different fruits are crammed into this attractive cake. Happily, each one can be tasted so it’s a joy to sit down with a slice of this cake and a cup of tea. Standard cherries and raisins jostle for space with figs and prunes while brandy skilfully ties the flavours together.       Morrison’s The Best Gluten Free Christmas cake £5 for 406g Gluten Free, Wheat Free and suitable for vegetarians. There are also no artificial colours or flavourings. The spices are the star of this yummy cake. They are perfectly balanced, festive and show-off the loveliness of all the other flavours. Topped with sweet and salty pecan nuts, creamy almons and luscious cherries this cake is a triumph. Time and hard work have gone into the making of this cake, it has been matured and fed for …

Christmas Eve bank holiday question answered

Is Christmas Eve a Bank Holiday?

  • 0 comments
  • 144 views

Most of us will be looking forward to a Christmas break, and many people will be asking, ‘Is Christmas Eve a Bank Holiday?’ The short answer is ‘No’, Christmas Eve 2020 is on a Thursday and will not be a bank holiday. Indeed, it will be a normal working day, but many employers may encourage staff to leave early. You may find that if you are rushing to complete some last-minute Christmas shopping that many shops and even pubs and restaurants will close early as shoppers head home. There’s no doubt that Christmas Eve is part of the festive build-up and for many people, is the start of Christmas celebrations. Handing out Christmas Eve boxes There’s also the growing trend of families handing out Christmas Eve boxes which is rapidly becoming a new Christmas Eve tradition. For those families with small children – and also not-so-small children – they may be leaving treats out for Santa Claus and his reindeer, Rudolph. And after a strange and eventful 2020, most people will be looking for time to spend with loved ones and contemplate on what has been a stressful year. So, if you are looking to take time off over Christmas, it’s important that you know when the bank holidays are. UK bank holidays Before we move on to the issue of whether Boxing Day is a bank holiday, we should look at which days the UK celebrates as bank holidays. For 2020 and 2021, they are: Christmas Day – 25 December Boxing Day – 26 December but in 2020 the 28th is a Bank Holiday New Year’s Day – 1 January Good Friday – 2 April Easter Monday – 5 April Early May Bank Holiday – 3 May Spring Bank Holiday – 31 May Late Summer Bank Holiday – 30 August. This means that Christmas Eve is not a bank holiday, but Christmas Day is a recognised bank holiday and so is Boxing Day. However, because Boxing Day falls on a Saturday this year, things will be different. Is Boxing Day 2020 a bank holiday? The government makes clear with its legislation about bank holidays and for anybody asking, ‘Is Boxing Day 2020 a Bank Holiday?’, then this is the explanation you need. Basically, the government says that if a bank holiday falls on a weekend, then a day in the week can be substituted as the bank holiday. This will normally be the Monday following the traditional bank holiday. This means that not only do we get Christmas day off as a bank holiday because it falls on a Friday. It also means that we get the Saturday off because it’s the weekend, and we also get the following Monday off because that’s when the bank holiday has been transferred to. That means that we will be free to meet with family and friends from 23 to 27 December. Christmas lockdown regulations For many people, this extended Christmas break is a great way to spend time with family members, though we all need to be aware of how the Christmas lockdown regulations are going to be. It looks likely that most of us will get to see family and friends in a five-day window starting on Christmas Eve and finishing on the following bank holiday Monday. There’s no doubt that the festivities will look different this year for those who are living in areas classed as Tier 2 or Tier 3, but they can mix with someone from another household in their home, and one other household which can be of any size. In addition to the long weekend break at Christmas, we will get to enjoy a long weekend from 1 January, since New Year’s Day in 2020 falls on a Friday. Child benefit payments at Christmas Along with knowing when the bank holiday dates are, many people also want to know when their child benefit payments will be received. These payments help provide financial support to guardians and parents and the government has revealed when they will be paid. Usually, payments are made every four weeks on either a Monday or a Tuesday. This year, the festivities mean that the usual pattern will be disrupted. And if you are receiving child benefit, you will need to know when you will receive the payment over Christmas and New Year. As mentioned earlier, the important date in 2020 for child benefit payments is 28 December. Since this is a Monday, child benefit payments will be made earlier. The government says that instead of receiving the payment on Monday 28 December, it will now be made on Christmas Eve, that is Thursday 24 December. This is the last working day before the bank holidays take place over the Christmas week. In Scotland, the benefit payments that are planned on 4 January, a bank holiday in the country, will receive their money on 31 December. And for other Scottish parents waiting for benefit payments, instead of being paid on Tuesday 5 January, they will be paid the following day. When is my Universal Credit Christmas payment in 2020? Along with child benefit, for those in receipt of Universal Credit, there’s a Christmas change in 2020. This payment comes from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and helps those who have a low income or are out work. And with millions more people claiming Universal Credit in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 lockdown, this date could be very important. The DWP says that Universal Credit Christmas payments will be made earlier this year. For example, if your payment is due on Christmas Day, that is 25 December and is a Friday, it will be made on Christmas Eve instead. For those claimants who are scheduled to receive their payment on 26 December, they too will receive payment on 24 December. But that’s not all, since Boxing Day means there is an extra bank holiday, those who are expecting Universal Credit on 28 December, will now also be paid on 24 …

Monopoly biscuit tin

The best Christmas food gifts 2020

  • 0 comments
  • 271 views

If you or someone you love is a foodie, then finding the best Christmas food gifts in 2020, will be paramount. Food gifts for those who like to cook – and eat! – are an excellent choice and with so much to choose from, the food lover in your life is really spoilt choice. Along with food gift sets and various limited editions, food gifts really have taken off in popularity in recent years and it’s not just foodies and home cooks – but also for those who love to indulge in luxury offerings. Here, the Christmas.co.uk team take a closer look at the best Christmas food gifts available this year.   The Waitrose and Partners treat sack We begin our roundup with an excellent offering from Waitrose and it’s great for those who are foodies and you’re on a budget. The treat sack means you will get the best of both worlds with a range of some of the retailer’s finest snacks, plus there’s a bottle of Pinot Noir. Along with savoury snacks, there are delicious, sweet treats and the bag is reusable and practical. It’s a great choice for those who like to enjoy tasty and top-quality treats. The Waitrose and Partners treat sack is available from the John Lewis website at £35.   A vegan Christmas dinner for two Offering Christmas food gifts for the festivities is not just about offering quality crisps, snacks and sweet treats. The Tesco Finest range includes this impressive vegan Christmas dinner for two and is a bargain at £35. Essentially, it’s a hassle-free vegan festive feast including a bottle of champagne, Christmas crackers with vegan ‘No beef Wellington’, roast potatoes, sage and onion stuffing balls and roasted vegetables. There’s also meat-free cocktail sausages and a cranberry sauce – plus two Christmas puddings.   Vegan gift box of treats Sticking with vegan food delights, we also like the Christmas vegan gift box of treats by Lottie Shaw’s and stocked by Not on the High Street. It costs £35 and is a great choice for those who would love eco-friendly treats and dairy-free goods. The Christmas offering is inspired by festive favourites and the box can be sent directly to the recipient. The vegan baked foods include oatmeal and biscuits, traditional flapjack and stem ginger savoury oatmeal biscuits. There’s also stem ginger flapjacks, a coconut flapjack and two vegan gingerbread men.   Christmas Connoisseur Hamper For those who are serious about their festive food, a selection of Christmas connoisseur hampers from Panzers is certainly worth looking at. There’s something for everyone in the family including smoked salmon, chocolate, truffle butter and a bottle of port. It weighs in at £135 but includes some very impressive items including Montgomery Cheddar, dried figs with dark chocolate, caviar and Firetree Philippines Mindanao Island Dark Chocolate. In the blurb, Panzer says that the hamper is packed with undiscovered treats that will delight even the most knowledgeable of food lovers.   Virginia Hayward Christmas hamper There’s no doubt that Christmas hampers are a popular choice for many and the Virginia Hayward Season’s Greetings Christmas hamper is worth considering. It costs £50 from Yumbles and has a lovely mix of savoury and sweet snacks. There’s also a bottle of red wine, popcorn and Yorkshire crisps plus Christmas pudding and biscuits and nuts. Everything is delivered in an impressive wicker storage basket, though the suppliers also deliver in a postal carton.   Meg Rivers Classic Christmas hamper For those who like luxurious Christmas treats, there’s a classic on offer from Meg Rivers called the Classic Christmas hamper. It costs £45 and there’s a donation to the Teenage Cancer Trust with every hamper sold. The luxurious offering includes an indulgent iced fruit cake, various shortbreads, frangipane mince pies and chocolate brownies. Everything in the hamper is top quality and Meg Rivers call themselves ‘The bakers of happiness ‘ – and that is exactly what they deliver here.   Aldi’s Luxury Collection Hamper One of the best food and drink hampers currently available is the luxury collection hamper from Aldi. It costs just £59.99 and is packed with a range of treats including chocolate and fruit cakes as well as savoury surprises and sauces. The wicker basket is well made and there are two bottles of wine, plus a range of teas, preserves, foods, crackers, fruitcake, champagne truffles and chocolate winter desserts. Of the hampers available, the Aldi range is particularly impressive and includes a chocolate celebration hamper for £29.99, an afternoon treat selection hamper for £39.99 and the Christmas feast hamper at £79.99. The Christmas Day hamper is also good value and is packed with various indulgent treats including an iced Christmas cake and a bottle of prosecco.   3 months of pasta Not everyone wants to receive a festive hamper and many foodies will love a subscription to quality ingredients. Among the offers in 2020 that we love is the three-month gift subscription for quality pasta from the Pasta Evangelists. Recipients get to enjoy fresh artisan pasta that will be delivered every month and it’s a quality offering. The price depends on how many servings of pasta you want to enjoy with prices starting at £51.   The Christmas morning hamper It’s not just foodies who want to enjoy something unusual, the Daylesford’s Christmas morning hamper at £180 is certainly a luxurious and indulgent offering. Everything comes in a white wicker basket and there’s a cool bag as well for recipients to enjoy an astonishing range of foods on Christmas morning. They include organic unsalted butter, smoked salmon, marmalade, English breakfast tea and ground coffee. There’s also organic orange juice and a bottle of Prosecco to get things going. As the best Christmas food gifts for 2020, this offering from Daylesford’s is very impressive!   Monopoly luxe biscuit tin The most impressive collection of biscuits for food lovers in 2020, is this Monopoly luxe biscuit tin which costs £48. While that may appear to be a steep price, the tin and the iced biscuits are just incredible. The attention to detail will impress and you can even try to play the game of monopoly with the biscuits. It’s a well-designed and impressive creation and eating the tasty biscuits almost seems like a shame. There are 12 hand-baked biscuits that have a hint of ginger and cinnamon and are rich and sweet. There are fresh and presented in a square-shaped keepsake tin – so it can be used for years to come. The offering from Biscuiteers.com also includes the option to add a bottle Prosecco or a bottle of sparkling rosé plus other options.   Brie à la Truffe Wheel The Christmas.co.uk team absolutely love the Brie à la Truffe Wheel from Fortnum & Mason. While cheese boards are set to rocket in popularity this Christmas, this cheesy offering weighs in at 4kg. This is a traditional French brie but with an added twist – there’s also a layer of mascarpone, crème fraiche and truffle paste with fresh black truffle shavings. It’s really indulgent but it’s a table centrepiece that people will love. It costs £280 and for cheese lovers who are serious about indulging with a luxurious offering, there’s little to beat …

Christmas stockings with Rudolph and Santa

The best Christmas stockings for 2020

  • 0 comments
  • 298 views

They might be old-fashioned, but Christmas stockings are still popular and here we take a look at some of the best ones. Whether your old, knitted Christmas stocking needs replacing, or you would like to start a lovely family tradition to enjoy every Christmas morning, then Christmas stockings make for a great choice. They also add to the Christmas decor as the festive countdown begins and whether they have Christmas trees or a polar bear on the front, everyone loves a Christmas stocking to get stuck into on Christmas Day.   Large Tartan Christmas Stocking, Santa, Snowman and Reindeer 3 Pack – £21.99 These gorgeous Christmas stockings have jolly 3D characters on the front with festive red and neutral tartan detailing. Kids will love them, but they’ll also look great in all styles of home. The size is perfect for stocking filler gifts, or a collection of delicious seasonal food. Alternatively, they would simply make a cute fireplace decoration using the integrated hanging loop. We loved the beautifully made Reindeer, Snowman and Santa Claus that perch with quirky dangly legs. They are even dressed in fab little outfits and have happy smiling faces. You’ll be amazed at the value – all three stockings are just £21.99!   Giant 3D Reindeer Christmas Stocking – £16.99 How adorable is this single stocking?! It’s a huge 75cm long so would be ideal for several medium-sized presents. The team at Christmas.co.uk have bought them as a luxurious alternative to gift bags for our nieces, nephews and friends’ children. Rudolph and his red nose are the stars of this design with a distant Santa peering cheekily over his shoulder. The colours and pattern are bold but still elegant and the stocking can be hung from anywhere you fancy with the sturdy loop. We were impressed at the quality of the fabric and robust stitching.  Loads of room for presents inside this giant stocking.   John Lewis and Partners Red Ribbed Velvet Stocking – £20.00 John Lewis and Partners have designed this stunning scarlet Christmas stocking. It is part of their Japanese art range and is luxurious in colour and texture. The rich red reminds us of the breast of a Robin and the combination of quilting and soft velvet is both comforting and glam. If you’re searching for an unusual way to present the gifts of a cherished friend, or as part of a simpler theme for your Christmas decorations then this would be a wonderful choice. At £20 it won’t break the bank and can be used year and after year after treating yourself or a loved one.   Snowman Advent Calendar Stocking – £15.99 was £22.99 This clever design of a Christmas stocking with an advent calendar really made us smile. We adored the idea of hanging it up at the beginning of December full of daily treats and then, as the chocolates and sweets disappeared, popping a small gift inside the stocking itself. If you have naughty pets who can’t be trusted, this is also a cool way of building the excitement of gifts without risking them under the tree. Each carefully stitched pocket is big enough for a fun-size bar of chocolate or a small bag of Haribo, a much more satisfying snack than the tiny pieces of cheap chocolate behind the door of standard Advent calendars.   Understated Monogrammed Christmas Stocking – £16.00 For the sophisticated and understated person in your life, this style of monogrammed Christmas stocking is perfection. Hand-finished with the first letter of their name, this would be a classy way to display and/or present a collection of presents. The fabric is navy hessian that has a subtle shimmer that gives it a Christmassy spin. They have a rustic look that would look incredible in either a countryside cottage or mixed in with a bolder, brighter theme. At 50cm they would fit a good number of gifts inside and the durable, natural cotton lining will make sure it lasts for many years.   Personalised Nordic Knitted Christmas Stockings – £16.00 The Scandinavian look of these colourful knitted festive stockings is an awesome alternative to the usual Christmas character-led styles. There are five themes to choose from. Bright green, cheerful red, ice blue and ivory feature in the chunky knitted design as do trees, hearts, snowflakes and reindeers. Personalisation is available so that each member of the family has their own special place for presents. The birch wood tags hold enough engraved letters for a longer message if needed. This year, buying from small businesses is more important than ever. These stockings are made with love in the Yorkshire home of a talented craftsperson, so the quality is excellent. Generous sizing and flexible fabric mean that lots of presents can be squished in and hung from a durable hook throughout Christmas. Your friends and family will keen to know where you sourced them from.   A Christmas stocking for your dogs – £12.98 for 3 Now, if you are a family who adores your dogs, then this pooch-themed set of three stockings is for you! Family traditions should include everyone, so buy these and fill them with squeaky toys, tasty treats and antler chews. These Christmas stocking for dogs are bone-shaped in red, black, white and cream, these are decorated with charming bows and rustic ribbons. I wouldn’t trust my dogs not to steal the gifts and destroy the stocking before the 25th December, but if you secure them high up with the sturdy loops, they will sit neatly as for the whole month. Practicality was key with the dog lovers who designed these. There is enough room inside for spoiling your fluffy best friend and they are easy to wash and store until next year.   Christmas Stocking Holders for the Fireplace – £26.99 for 4 The traditional image of a row of stuffed stockings hanging from a roaring fireplace is a regular feature on Christmas cards, and in films and Pinterest pins. Make that fairy tale becomes a reality in your own home with these brilliant Christmas stocking hooks. Made from smooth, sturdy metal and kept in place by non-marking rubber grippers, these hooks are practical as well as beautiful. They are super simple to install and remove and can be used year after year. They can also be used on bookcases and staircases too, just read the instructions for placement inspiration. The Christmas.co.uk team were delighted by the vintage look of these hooks. In each pack, there is a snowflake, a prancing reindeer, a spruce tree and a snowman. Each one is expertly crafted and adds a rustic elegance to …

unusual Xmas gifts face cushion

11 unusual Christmas gifts for 2020

  • 0 comments
  • 176 views

If you would like inspirational ideas for unusual Christmas gifts for 2020, then the Christmas.co.uk team has been hard at work finding them for you. Everyone loves a Christmas present that reflects careful thought but sometimes unique gift ideas at this time of the year really do go down well. It can be a struggle finding the perfect gift, particularly gifts for dad, but there are fun gifts and some of these will be the perfect gift for the recipient – these ideas may also work for those who are searching for secret Santa gift ideas. These Christmas gift ideas also make for a great stocking stuffer treats and unique Christmas gifts tend to become a conversation point when someone opens their gift. It’s unlikely you will find these ideas on anyone’s Christmas wish list but they will make for a brilliant gift for someone you love or work with. So, here are our unusual Christmas is 2020. Enjoy!   Personalised face mask covering Since 2020 has been an unusual year, to say the least, and we still don’t know if we will be able to meet loved ones on Christmas Day, how about a personalised face mask covering? If you’ve been in a supermarket or shop and found everyone is wearing the same surgical type of mask, then these are a brilliant way to stand out from the crowd. They also make you look normal, at least from a distance, so people will recognise you. There’s no need to follow the crowd to cover your face with a bland face mask. You can buy a personalised face mask from Not On The High Street at £14.   Spreadable gin and tonic marmalade If there is a gin lover in your home, then this spreadable gin and tonic marmalade is a great gift. While there are lots of whisky marmalades, this gin creation really is a tasty offering. Though the Christmas.co.uk team is struggling to think of what it would work well with – we are open to suggestions! If you want to spread your morning toast with a delicious gin and tonic marmalade, then this is a great gift. It costs £10 from Oliver Bonas.   Stargazing experience For an unusual Christmas present, why not consider a stargazing experience for two in dark sky Wales? It will probably leave a lasting impression while visiting the Brecon Beacons Observatory. You will have astronomers on hand to point out the celestial objects in the sky and answer any questions. You don’t even have to love stars and it is a great way to experience the magic of a star-filled sky. The present costs just £50 from Virgin Experience Days. If looking at stars isn’t for you, then Virgin Experience Days have a wide range of other opportunities to enjoy.   Monthly house plant subscription As unusual Christmas gifts for 2020 go, how about a monthly house plant subscription? The offering from The Urban Botanist is a striking one for the plant lovers in your life. Also, there is a growing trend to have house plants among the hip and the young, and also those who have had plants all their lives. The Urban Botanist says that the house plants they supply are suitable for those who say that every plan they get dies – this will not happen, apparently. The subscription costs £85 for three months, and up to £300 for 12 months. The offer includes a cacti monthly subscription, a succulent monthly subscription and a ‘surprise’ monthly subscription and includes a unique ceramic pot.   Libreria book subscription While on the subject of subscriptions, how about subscribing for a unique book every month? This book subscription is a festive gift that keeps on giving, and the Libreria offering at £12.49 a month may be the ideal gift for the book lover in your life. The subscription will see the recipient enjoy a mix of non-fiction, undiscovered fiction and poetry. This is a great way to access books that broaden the mind and explore new ideas.   Stormtrooper decanter Do you have a massive Star Wars fan in your life? And do they like spirits, such as whisky? If so, then the Original Storm Trooper decanter from I Want One Of Those could be the ideal gift. It’s on offer for Christmas at £12.99 and is a great addition to any barware collection. It is made from super flint glass and will be a conversation starter whenever it’s brought out.   Grow a bonsai tree The I Want One Of Those website also has a great selection of children’s presents, including a bonsai tree growing kit. The kit costs £11.99 and comes with instructions, plant pots and seeds. The bonsai tree growing kit contains packets of mixed bonsai seeds and starter growing pots. For those children with green fingers, then they may successfully grow more than one bonsai tree.   Two mini portable speakers This great creation by Libratone is also available from I Want One Of Those in their festive present offers for women. It has been reduced to £84.99 and contains two mini portable wireless speakers and it also has Amazon Alexa functionality. The speakers zip together and the compact offering is easy to carry around – though the speakers themselves are very loud. With Amazon Alexa, the recipient will be able to request songs to be played and also check the weather and even ask questions. There’s a responsive touchpad with the ability to set five preset radio stations and playlists and the speakers also pick up mobile phone calls too.   Portable wood-fired outdoor pizza oven Picnics and trips to the beach will never be the same again with this portable wood-fired outdoor pizza oven from Ooni. It costs £229 from Cuckooland.com and is a great way to create pizza in just one minute. The kit weighs 10 kg and comes with recipes and tips. Everything fits together neatly and it’s easy to take apart and carry the various places. It’s an unusual festive gift for someone who likes showing off with something unusual when conjuring up outdoor meals.   Modern nose-shaped glasses holder Under the heading of ‘unusual Christmas gifts I never knew I wanted’ is the personalised wooden nose-shaped glasses holder. It costs £20 from MenKind and can be supplied with a name of up to 12 characters. Carved from acacia wood, the holder and will be an unusual desk ornament for the glasses-wearer in your life. This is a great present for that person who is forever losing or misplacing their glasses because they will always know where they will be!   Giant personalised face cushion We’ve mentioned having a personalised face mask as part of our unusual Christmas gifts listings  – but how about a giant personalised face cushion from Monster Cushions? It costs £21.99 from Firebox and you can add your face – if you think this would make a great gift for someone else – or you could get a loved one’s face added to the cushion. Again, it’s an unusual festive gift that will be something of a conversation starter when it is unwrapped on …

1234