Website: www.moonpig.com

Moonpig.com is one of our favourite greeting cards site and this season they have a brilliant new range of christmas cards on offer.

They’ve got hundreds – if not thousands – of cards from the cute and cuddly to the hilarious and ridiculous. You can even personalise cards now, or use your own digital photographs instead of using their traditionally designed ones. These cards are extremely popular and lots of fun to create!

The site’s easy peasy to use and you can enjoy big discounts of 20% if you use their Prepay system.

Take the hassle out of Christmas and shop online with moonpig.com.

One of our favourite online UK gift shops is Boutiko. They always have a gorgeous range of gifts at any time of the year.

But this christmas season they have a fantastic collection of winter treats. My particular favourites are these wonderful Noel tea light holders.

Ideal for the mantelpiece, the dining table or a windowsill, these enchanting fine porcelain tealight holders are hand thrown and decorated with tiny hole punched letters that give a magical flickering glow. They look as pretty with lit candles as they do without.

What makes them even more special is that they’re handmade by a British artist using offcuts of porcelain from other projects, so nothing is wasted.

Buy this set of 4 porcelain tealight holders for £25 from Boutiko.co.uk

Fed up with buying the usual restaurant meals, flowers, chocolates etc… he wanted more of an unusual gift.

He found the perfect idea from a friend who suggested hiring a spa for the weekend.

The great things about spas is that it doesn’t matter what the weather’s like – you’re always snuggly warm inside the bubbly hot water. And you can’t beat sitting in a spa, looking up at the stars on a crisp, winters evening with a mug of hot chocolate.

There are plenty of companies that offer this and prices vary from £150 for 5 days hire from one company, to £315 for a week at another. They all deliver around the UK with Free Delivery if you’re local, but a charge if you’re not. Again, the delivery price varies from company to company and how far away you are from them, so its worth finding a local company.

Spas can hold from 2 people up to 12 people, depending on how big a party you’re after. The great thing is that the company will set it all up for you and dismantle it at the end of the hire period – hassle-free relaxation for you!

Here’re a few companies to check out:

• http://spa2hire.co.uk
• http://www.thehottubshop.co.uk
• http://www.tubbies.co.uk/

Thanks for your fantastic gift suggestion Tommy!

If hiring a spa isn’t your cup of tea, why not buy gift vouchers for your loved one at SpaFinder, so they can be pampered in a spa resort of their choice.

Either way, it’s a lovely indulgent christmas treat!

Not an obvious website choice for gift ideas and presents but it’s surprising how much electrical stuff is bought for Birthdays, Christmas, Wedding presents, and Easter gifts.

If you’re on the search for MP3 players, mobile phones, cameras and camcorders, laptops and sat nav systems and all the accessories you could wish for, then Maplins has it all.

Buying for a DIY enthusiast? My dad would be like a kid in a sweet shop looking at this range of hand and power tools (they’re just big boys toys really).

Know a music fan? They have a dizzying array of musical equipment for those of us that listen to music, but also those that play instruments and work in the industry too. Prices start at £19.99 for a portable MP3 speaker system.

Buying for a computer buff? Get all the components, motherboards, software, graphics and memory cards that their little hearts desire.

See what I mean – they really have something for everyone without breaking the bank. And it’s all useful and practical stuff. Not gimmicky items that’ll remain at the bottom of the stairs under a pile of boxes until next years spring clean.

They have a loyalty club bonus too. Simply sign up to their newsletter and you can get money off your purchases. Even the free delivery on orders over £35 makes gift buying even cheaper for you.

Shop online at Maplin Electronics for electronics and gadgets galore.

The Good Spa Guide offers some of the best Spa Deals for Mother’s Day to make sure she is well and truly pampered.

Travelbite rounds up some of their favourite luxury hotel breaks and short cottage breaks for a Mother’s Day holiday treat.

Strapped for cash? Treat your mum to some gourmet delights with these yummy Mother’s Day recipes.

Complete the Times Online Poll and tell us what you do on Mothering Sunday.

A healthy Pick ’n’ Mix? And one that will definitely be cheaper than Woolworth’s last bag of Pick ’n’ Mix (which sold for a staggering £14,500!)

People always want to look and feel good, so buying presents from a health and well-being shop such as Holland & Barrett isn’t such a bizarre idea as it may first appear.

They have a range of everyday vitamins, minerals and supplements but they also excel at offering dried fruit, sweet snacks and beauty products.

You can get savings of up to 50% on supplements, free delivery on orders over £25 and regular offers and sales.

Collectively you can create a fabulous goodie hamper for birthdays, a Thank You or even Mother’s Day.

My mother’s gift hamper would probably be filled with their Aloe Vera lotion and shampoo, a box of raspberry leaf tea, a jar of delicious Royal Jelly Honey and a packet of delicious crystallised ginger for under £20 including the delivery!

What would you put in yours?

Visit Holland and Barrett and get some goodies at some special web exclusive prices.

Everyone has heard of Thanks Darling. It’s a well known name when you’re looking at buying gift experiences as a present.

Need inspiration for non-activity gifts? They now have a bundle of other gift ideas too, even if you’re on a budget you’ll be able to find a great gift for someone.

Thanks Darling specialise in theatre breaks, hotel breaks and fabulous experience days. They have activities of all kinds from the sedate to the adventurous. Plenty of the gift experiences are also available for hen & stag do’s or Corporate Events.

Gift and experience prices vary from the reasonable (£8-£50) to the more extravagant activities such as excursions on the Orient Express that cost upwards of £250. Buying through ThanksDarling.com makes present hunting a very convenient pastime.

The website is great for giving lots of ideas, but not so great at categorising in terms of price. So if you’re on a budget it may take a while to find something you’re looking for within your price range. If you simply cannot decide you always have the option of buying one of their Freedom gift vouchers, unfortunately they start at £75 so not great if you’re on limited budget.

Visit ThanksDarling.com for a gift experience shopping spree.

The Guardian shows us how traditional Valentine’s gifts like wine and champagne can be eco-friendly and ethical.

Meanwhile, the Independent gives us what they think are the ten best Valentine’s gifts.

Tech blog Gaj-IT picks their top Valentine Gifts for the Gadget Lover.

As Christmas becomes a distant memory and the snow starts to melt away, our thoughts turn to Valentine’s Day. A chance to melt your partners heart (and not the cold, white stuff clogging up your drive).

Yes, 14th February is fast approaching and there’s no time to lose when choosing and buying your Valentine gift to make the perfect impression.

Unfortunately many of us are feeling a lightness in our wallets at present, and with worries for our future finances it’s important not to overspend. Don’t fear, here are my Top Ten Valentine Gifts for under a tenner (in no particular order).

Top Ten Cheap Valentine Gifts

1. Salt and Pepper Lovers

These cute Salt and Pepper Lovers are only £4.95 from PrezzyBox.com. They won’t break the bank but they’ll get an ’aahhh’ every time they’re used.

2. Montezumas Strawberry Champers Truffles

Yummy, Scrummy. I know chocolate is classed as being a ’very unoriginal’ Valentine’s Day present, but Montezuma’s is so delicious it’s hard to resist! The strawberry and champagne truffles are smothered in white, milk or dark chocolate. Valentine’s Truffles for £4.50 from Montezuma’s.

3. Mood Toast

This ingenious little bit of plastic will create the perfect message on your toast when you bring him or her breakfast in bed on sunday morning. Simply push into your slice of white and toast as normal for a perfect imprint of your heartfelt message.

Get your Mood Toast message creator for £3.99 from Find Me A Gift.

4. I Love You Book by Edward Monkton

Edward Monkton is a favourite for occasions like Birthdays, Anniversaries and Valentine’s. His latest offering is a selection of quotes and phrases to make your true love go all gooey inside.

The I Love You Book is just £3.49 from Play.com (that includes free delivery)

5. Slap N Tickle Plant

Gift A Plant offers a quirky alternative to Valentine’s flowers. Get her this beautiful array of Dianthus Slap n Tickle flowers for the garden. They’ll last longer than flowers in a vase and with such a cheeky name will bring a smile to her face!

Buy some raspberry blooms for just £6.99 from GiftaPlant.com

6. I Love You Candles

I know candles may not seem like the most romantic gift in the world, but with a bit of imagination…

They only cost £3.84 from Getting Personal and with the remaining £6 you can buy a scrummy cream cake to share or even make one! Find out more about Getting Personnel

7. Happy Bottle Stopper

This saucy Valentine’s gift is a bit tongue in cheek but such fun! Perfect for the bottle of champagne you’ll be popping open.

Buy the Happy Man Bottle Stopper from Find Me A Gift for £3.99.

8. Rose petals

Set the mood for a night of romance and passion with these deep red rose petals. Unfortunately they’re artificial and don’t smell as heavenly as the real thing, but they look realistic and you can re-use them next year.

Buy Rose Petals for £4.84 from Paramount Zone.

9. Personalised Spoof Newspaper for couples

Go for a gift that’ll bring a giggle to your relationship. This spoof newspaper cover will feature your names and pictures and be a present you can frame and keep. It’ll be a talking point at dinner parties!

Order your personalised spoof newspaper for only £9.99 from Gonedigging.

10. With Love Bath Fizzers

Look just like Love Heart sweets. They scent and fizz up the water for a delicious Valentine’s soak in the bathtub. Add a few candles and a bottle of wine for a winning combination.

Buy some With Love Bath Fizzers for £6.95 from PrezzyBox.

Read more about Valentine Gifts and Valentine Cards on Giftchooser.co.uk

(Top image by Sister72 on Flickr)

As the credit crunch continues biting, everyone is starting to watch what they spend. Unfortunately people still have birthdays, so buying a gift that they’ll be able to enjoy time and time again is one of the best kinds of presents to get.

As we start to cut back on eating out, it’s clear that the dinner party is coming back into fashion.

I always find it so relaxing and much cheaper to have a candlelit soiree with a few close friends. Enjoying some home cooked food and a few bottles of wine.

But why not give someone the opportunity to add a bit of excitement to their evening by making it into a themed dinner party? I particularly love the idea of this Mafia based evening set in 1930’s America.

The packs contain all that’s needed to write invites, menus and place names as well as inspiring ideas for costumes, food and cocktail recipes based on the era.

They even throw in a CD with some musical tunes of the 1930’s to create that special ambience. And it’s a great opportunity to dress up – everybody loves fancy dress.

Despite this being the prohibition-era, alcohol is allowed at their party!

Buy the Dinner with the Mafia party pack from GoneDigging.co.uk for just £19.99 and give someone a swinging birthday.

If you happen to have a best mate, wife, husband or partner who has vowed to give up smoking as one of their New Years resolutions, then this electronic cigarette will make the perfect birthday gift to help them give up their habit.

It still lets you smoke – or act like you’re smoking – just without all the nasty side effects, like chemicals and smell. Using some technical micro-electronic gadgetry (that us mere mortals may or may not understand), the Gamucci smoking device apparently looks, feels and even tastes like a real cigarette.

Now despite looking a bit like a pen, it looks a hell of a lot more stylish than a nicorette inhaler. No matter what people say – appearances do matter.

It’s a non-flammable device, and each cartridge is equal to 20 fags so it works out cheaper too!

See it work here:

Not only is it a ’healthier’ option for them, but you can buy it with a stonking 50% January Sale discount for just £29.95 from Prezzy Box

The wonders of technology eh!

Oh, and don’t forget the refills at £4.85 for 5.

Do you have friends and family on your list who have everything they want anyway? Then what is the point of buying a present they don’t want, need or like?

Not everybody wants to spend their hard earned money on unwanted christmas gifts. So more people are turning to meaningful gifts and cards for their seasonal giving.

Do you have difficulty buying gifts for people? Then look at my selection of the best gifts around that not only bring a smile to someone’s face, but also raise funds for worthwhile charities and projects in the UK and around the world!

Global Giving

The charity that gives global gifts from your donations. You can buy a virtual gift online by choosing from hundreds of grassroot projects and send them to your loved ones.

You can also choose a gift card, that way they can spend on projects they specifically want to support. Buy your gift from Global Giving.

RHS – Royal Horticultural Society

For green fingered gardeners a gift or subscription to the RHS charity will help them continue to fund their work in training the gardeners of the future. Buy annual membership as a gift for someone to use and enjoy throughout the year.

Or buy a pressie from one of their online shops. They have a fabulous range of books, dvds, plants and other gifts suitable for the festive season. Buy your gift from RHS.

Practical Presents

Does exactly what it says on the tin. Practical presents lets you buy a present that will become a practical solution to help people and communities across the globe.

Whether its a fluffy duck to provide eggs for families in India, water pumps for communities in Nepal or flood resistant homes for vulnerable groups in Bangladesh, your gift will last longer than Christmas Day. Buy your gift from Practical Presents.

Rockcard

A new type of greeting card is out and ready to buy online. Rockcard is a great way to send greetings to a music fan – and at the same time raise money for the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy charity. They promote the use of music as therapy for individuals and groups who are challenged by disability, illness or injustice.

You get to choose the photo of the artist and then personalise the front and inside of the card to read whatever message you want. Buy your card from RockCard.

British Red Cross

Create and send your own virtual British Red Cross parcel to help those people in need. They may be on the other side of the world or just around the corner.

Items you can put in your parcel start at just over £1 so no matter what your budget you can buy a gift and make a difference.
Buy your gift from the British Red Cross.

A Meaningful Gift can make more than just one person smile – give one this year and spread the smiles!

Kate Gary is a designer and artist in the UK. She crafts and creates a quirky and eclectic range of loveable characters then uses them to embellish a variety of her handcrafted products.

They make truly unusual gifts for people as they are handmade in such a limited number.

From handbags, wallets and cosmetic purses, to soft cuddly toys and jewellery there is an adorable gift out there for everyone!

I especially love the Smug Cat range that was inspired by the designers cat Bella. Find the Smug Cat on brooches, purses, wallets and shopping bags like this one

This handmade designer bag is just £19.99

Or how about the snuggly muffin top softie – perfectly huggable and just £6

Make the most of the Free Christmas Delivery on orders over £50 too – it’ll save you £3.95.

Buy a selection of gifts for Christmas at Kate Garey shop

I have found the latest range of designer beds for cats that would make the perfect present for cat lovers everywhere.

The KatKabin DezRez is a fantastic feline shaped shelter for cats that can be placed inside or out and will have any cat owner eager to get one!

The KatKabin is the ideal snug shelter for your kitty cats that will protect them from rain, wind and cold. Great for those cats that like to be out at all times of the day and night.

Now you’ve no need to worry about being out at work when it rains as they will now have a retreat to snuggle away into and sleep through the storm. It even comes with a range of accessories to make it extra cosy!

The KatKabin comes in a range of funky colours and is just as practical outdoors as it is inside your home.

I particularly like the Kabin in this seasonal colour.

Buy the KatKabin DezRez for £49.95 – your pampered pussy will love their cosy new bed.

In days where we often entertain at home, or at least drink more at home than we ever used to (it’s often cheaper than visiting the pub!) a wine rack seems to be something that everyone needs.

It’s always handy having a bottle of the grape juice to hand in case of unexpected visitors or a bottle of bubbly for those surprise celebrations.

However, combine that fact with the size of houses, flats and rooms nowadays as they become smaller and smaller, then finding gifts that can fit into a home is just as important as finding a gift someone likes. After all if there is no room for it, it’ll get relegated to the loft or become someone else’s present next year!

This stylish wine rack is just the ticket I reckon. It’s sleek, shiny, functional and is designed to be fixed to the wall – a brilliant space saving gift! It can hold 8 bottles of wine – more than enough for an evenings entertaining.

Not only will this idea make a brilliant christmas present but it’s a great gift idea for a wedding present or someone just moving into their new home.

Buy this nifty device as a christmas gift for someone this year for just £24.95. And if you have a bit more budget why not stretch to a nice bottle of wine to go with it!

Get the Flow Wine Rack from PrezzyBox for £24.95.

Agony Aunt at Giftchooser recently got a query from a Julia who is stuck for gift ideas for a school friend.

She asks Agony Aunt:

We are doing a secret santa at school, and I don’t know what to get my 13 year old friend. She’s not exactly picky, but I want to get her something unusual. she likes ice-cream, chocolate, cows and pink, she’s a girly girl. She is also quite funny and likes jokes and humour. Please help as I am really stuck.

Julia doesn’t specify a budget but I have trawled the gift sites and found this lovely Ribbon Watch set which I think would make a fabulous girly Christmas gift for a teenage friend.

The Ribbon Watch is 11 watches in 1 as it comes with 11 different ribbons that can be changed easily to match your mood or outfit. The ribbons are comfy to wear and just need to be tied in a bow. The colours vary from a striking red and white polka dot to a pretty pastel stripe.

Unusual, fun and a bit of a bargain at under £13. It comes in a lovely pink gift box but you can even get it giftwrapped for her too!

Buy the Ribbon Watch from Present Finder for £12.99

Hope this helps and have a fabulous Christmas.

If you are like me and not very organised then you probably still have lots of xmas decorations and christmas gifts to buy.

Why not spend a few seconds entering our competition to win a hamper of christmas gifts to make life a bit easier for you.

Give the Purple Puffin Christmas Competition a try – you could be a winner!

Christmas is always a time for buying lots of presents for family and friends, but I find it harder and harder each year to find presents within my budget that are useful, wanted and appreciated.

I have to admit that I am turning to buying virtual gifts more and more. Avoid the busy shops and streets, the cold and wet weather and buy from the comfort of your own cosy living room. One charity gift site that I’ve discovered this year is called Part and Parcel.

Children 1st is a well established childrens charity in Scotland that promotes child welfare and works with disadvantaged and vulnerable children to ensure all kids get a safe and secure childhood – something every child should have. The Part and Parcel scheme is their new virtual gift giving project.

For under £20 your gift could provide children art and crafts materials to express themselves. It could provide storytelling classes which help abandoned, bullied or homeless children to open up. Or you may choose for it to go towards The Breakfast Club – a scheme that gives food and basic childcare items to children whose parents can’t.

Whichever you choose – you know it’s the children who will benefit from your generosity. I find virtual gifts to be a bit more interesting than a pair of socks, and you know you are giving to a worthy cause.

You don’t even have to wrap anything up! Great for people like me who don’t seem to have the necessary giftwrapping skills that most other people are equipped with.

Go to the Children 1st Part and Parcel shop to buy your virtual christmas gifts this year. And don’t forget it doesn’t just have to be for Xmas. These make ideal gift ideas for birthdays too!

Get involved in the Virtual Giving revolution.

A prize for all you sweet toothed gift hunters – win a scrummy box of muffins or cookies from the delectable Message Muffin Company.

It’s dead easy to take part. Just email us the answer to an easy question about the tasty treats and which goody box you would like. Then simply sit back and wait to win!

Enter the Muffins and Cookies Competition today before it ends.

Do you know a young football fan who would love to star in their very own footie story?

This personalised story book will give them the chance to play with their favourite players and win the Cup Final for their team.

Read more about the Personalised Football Book Competition and how you can enter today.