This week's must-have accessories from Cath Kidston, Joules, Amazon and more
THERE'S something for every budget in this must-have selection.
From left to right clockwise:
A LOTTA BOTTLE
Cider Club subscription service, £15 a month for six bottles, Bignose & Beardy (07811 163495, bignoseandbeardy.com)
Why just give someone one present on Christmas Day when they could receive a treat every month? East Sussex cider makers Bignose & Beardy (named after its two founders’ most prominent features) have launched a subscription cider club service, where each month members receive six bottles of their handmade cider directly to their door. The bottles, packaged with simple, quirkly labels, are also available to buy by the case, too.
LET’S DANCE
The Ultimate Dirty Dancing 30th anniversary edition CD, HMV (store.hmv.com)
It’s one of the most iconic movies of the 80s, and this winter sees ultimate dance romance film Dirty Dancing celebrate its 30th anniversary with a new, rereleased album of the equally iconic soundtrack - plus it’s also available on vinyl for the first time. Listen out for hits such as ‘She’s Like the Wind’, ‘Hungry Eyes’ and ‘(I’ve Had) The Time of my Life’.
FLEECY FRIENDS
Slippers, £24.95, Joules (0845 250 7170, joules.com)
These cosy slippers are quick and easy to slide on and will keep you warm and toasty on cold winter evenings at home. They have a super-soft faux fur lining and a cute embroidered dachshund over the toes.
LIGHT SHOW
Lava lamp, £5, Flying Tiger (uk.flyingtiger.com)
The ultimate 70s home accessory, the lava lamp, has made a bit of a comeback in recent years, and this little one, filled with pink glitter, is a great value way of adding a touch of this kitsch style back in to your home. It’ll make a great gift for a young girl’s bedroom, too.
CUTS THE MUSTARD
Mustard with champagne brandy and Christmas spices, from £26, Maille (0800 121 8098, uk.maille.com)
Maille’s seasonal varieties of mustard are rich, indulgent and always a total treat. This year the limited-edition stoneware jar comes filled with mustard flavoured with Marc de Champagne, honey and festive spices for a condiment that will steal the show. It’s delicious with hot or cold meat, and Maille has some other interesting uses: added to stuffing, spread on Christmas cake or a spoonful stirred in to a whiskey cocktail.
JEWEL PURPOSE
Set of four agate coasters, £40, John Lewis (08456 049 049, johnlewis.com)
Add a splash of colour and a touch of luxury to your dining or coffee table with these beautiful agate coasters. They’re so pretty you almost won’t want to get coffee rings on them…
HOT TO HANDLE
Fire HD 10 tablet, £149.99, Amazon (amazon.co.uk)
The latest version of Amazon’s tablet comes with a host of impressive features, such as a 1080p HD display, Dolby Audio speakers and a hands-free function using Alexa, making it perfect for those who love watching TV shows, playing games and listening to music on the go. If you’re an Amazon Prime customer and you’ve really left it until the last minute, you can even get it delivered later today, in time for the big day tomorrow.
CHAIN REACTION
Aleina beaded necklace, £29, Coast (0845 899 1119, coast-stores.com)
Chic and striking, this black and gold, beaded, choker-style necklace is bound to impress a loved one. Alternatively it’s a great buy for yourself for Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve, jazzing up a simple outfit.
CHOCS AWAY
A Dozen Roly-Poly Robins chocolates, £7.50, Hotel Chocolat (03444 931313, hotelchocolat.com)
If you’re after a last-minute addition to the stocking, these cute little treats will go down well with people of all ages. Inside are twelve caramel milk chocolate discs with raspberry flavoured white chocolate tummies. What’s more, buy three or more from Hotel Chocolat’s Stocking Fillers range and they go down to £6 each.
FACT-FINDING MISSION
Worldly Wise travellers trivia, £9.99, Talking Tables (0207 627 6767, talkingtables.co.uk)
Looking for some fun around the dinner table or at a cosy evening in with friends? Test your knowledge of the wider world with these quick-fire questions and who knows, you might find you learn a thing or two too.
From left to right clockwise:
CUSHY NUMBER
Kayin cushion cover, £55, Kalinko (kalinko.com)
Give your home a fresh update with one of these colourful printed cushion covers from Kalinko, which sells homeware ethically handmade by crafters in Myanmar.
CALLED TO THE BARRE
The Nutcracker: A Papercut Pop-Up Book by Shobna Patel, £14.95, Waterstones (0808 118 8787, waterstones.com)
Tchaikovsky’s beloved Christmas ballet has been captured here in this beautiful story book, with a few secrets hidden inside: four pop-up pages of intricate ‘paperscope’ cut silhouettes, which help to bring the tale to life.
ON GUARD
Boy’s knitted hat, £16, Cath Kidston (0333 320 2663, cathkidston.com)
Keep little heads toasty this winter with this fun and undeniably British woolly hat, lined with marching guards and topped with a classic pompom.
ON THE BOIL
Russell Hobbs Purity Brita kettle, £44.99, Argos and John Lewis
With a glass casing that even lights up, this kettle will certainly be the talking point in your kitchen, but it does more than that too: it includes Brita filter technology, which reduces the levels of impurities in your water (which also reduces the build-up of limescale in your kettle).
TWINKLE TWINKLE
Wooden light up star, £15, Wilko (08000 329 329, wilko.com)
Whether a last-minute Christmas decoration or a sparkly addition to the home all year round, this battery-operated star light – able to be stood up or hung on the wall - will add a touch of magic to any room. We’ve seen loads of brands launch carnival-style home lights this year, but in our opinion this is one of the best value options.
PUMP UP THE VOLUME
Ella pompom shoes, £159, Pretty Ballerinas (0207 224 3225, prettyballerinas.co.uk)
Looking for a standout shoe without a high heel? These red pointy-toed ballet pumps are guaranteed to get attention. Finished in suede and topped with a fluffy pompom, they’ll look great with black skinny jeans and a simple top or worn underneath a floaty maxi dress.
MELLOW YELLOW
Audio-Technica AT-LP60BT turntable, £189, Urban Outfitters (urbanoutfitters.com)
Bring a burst of sunshine yellow to your room with this colourful retro-style turntable from Audio-Technica. Even better, sound can be streamed via Bluetooth to your speakers or headphones.
CRUNCH TIME
Christmas nutcracker biscuits, £7.95, Fortnum & Mason (0207 734 8040, fortnumandmason.com)
Posh biscuits will always go down a treat at Christmas, and they don’t get much better than these seasonal ones from the UK’s fanciest grocery store. Packed full of pistachios, almonds and cranberries, they’re certainly a moreish mouthful.
SCREEN IDOL
5T smartphone, from £449, OnePlus (01252 236307, oneplus.net/uk)
I’ve you’re after an (almost) full screen phone at half the price of some of the others on the market, take a look at the new 5T handset from OnePlus. As well as the state-of-the-art screen, other top features include an excellent camera, a quick, efficient operating system and speedy charging.
SCENTS AND SENSIBILITY
Fig & olive blossom scented candle, £28, Ted Baker (0345 450 2484, tedbaker.com) and John Lewis
Ted Baker’s fragrances are subtle in design but certainly don’t scrimp on the scent. This one is fresh and floral, with just a hint of sweetness coming from the fig.
SHINING EXAMPLES
Thea earrings, £19.99, Joma Jewellery (jomajewellery.com)
They cost less than £20, but these sparkly little earrings look a lot more expensive. Plated with rose gold (they also come in silver) and set with crystals, they’ll finish off any outfit perfectly.
MESSAGE ON A BOTTLE
Limited-edition Missoni designed bottle of Disaronno liqueur, £15, nationwide
Every year Disaronno team up with a fashion designer to create a limited edition, eye-catching bottle of their amaretto liqueur, and this year the drink wears legendary Italian fashion house Missoni’s iconic zigzag pattern. It’ll certainly stand out in the drinks cabinet.