I have always had a rule:  no Christmas shopping before the 1st December, and this year will be no exception.  That of course does not mean that I do not start to think about it before then:  the organised part of me has already made lists, cut out pictures and shop details from magazines and newspapers so that when my shopping day comes, I am ready!

And that is how my husband and I have always managed to make our Christmas Shopping fun:  we choose a date, we get up early…ish, and armed with our list which is now shared on iCloud, we go off to the local town and just shop for a few hours.   When done, we “celebrate” with a nice lunch and then we head home to wrap and pack (a few of our presents get sent by post to places all over Europe).  That’s it: done in one day!  The only thing left to do will be the foodie presents, those that I buy and those that I bake myself in the last few days before Christmas.

The thing is, however, getting it right is not easy and being original is almost impossible, but here are a few ideas to inspire you…

For the foodie, Hertford Farmers’ Market is on the 13^th December and would be just the perfect place to pick up that special gift that was produced locally: tasty and sustainable.

For the older teenager? Well for the 17 year old that is about to learn to drive, how about putting something towards a driving lesson or two: Pelican School of Motoring offers lessons starting from £23.  Mind you, they also offer special Motorway Driving Lessons and we do all have that friend that does not like driving on motorways.

For those that like a bit of pampering (and who doesn’t), Jane deVera Lee offers a wide selection of treatments, or vouchers for treatments that you can give away as gifts of course, starting from as little as £30 for an express facial.

For all of us, how about a bit of bling: Lance James the Jewellers has something for everyone and for every budget.

And then of course, if “splash the cash” is what you want to do, a holiday must be the way to go and Travel Counsellor Karen Ward will definitely be the person to talk to.

And the last one, which admittedly I have thought about whilst I was writing this, how about one for the person hosting your Christmas: a cleaning voucher with Total Contract Cleaners for their “after the event” cleaning service.  After putting you up for a few days, your host will be able to put their feet up and enjoy a well-deserved rest! 

Don’t forget yourself:  buying Christmas presents can be a mammoth task, especially if you have little ones in your family, so don’t forget to treat yourself!

Enjoy your Christmas shopping…