A few Christmas gift ideas

Now is a good time to start thinking about the gifts you will buy for Christmas. If you know what you are going to buy in advance, you can avoid the stress of having to make last-minute purchases. It also gives you the chance to shop gradually and get the best deals. To help you to make a start on your Christmas shopping I have put together a few gift ideas.

* Collaborative post

Unique gifts that you can order online

Firms like Hello Canvas make it really easy for you to take your favourite photos and have them turned into unique prints for the home. If you have family photos they can potentially be arranged into a collage print and be given to your parents. Interestingly, any image can be used. This means that you could take a landscape or action photo you have taken and have that turned into a print for a friend.

This firm can also take these images and turn them into unique phone cases. Other companies can create mugs, soft furnishings, t-shirts and other unique items using images you send to them.

It is also possible to order other products that have been personalised in some way. For example, a storybook that features the person you are buying for or engraved key rings or photo frames.

Don’t have a great photo to use? Organising a professional photoshoot could help you create some amazing photos to use as gifts. Something like a baby photoshoot could be particularly worthwhile - you can then give beautiful photos of your baby to all your close relatives.

Hobby and pastime related gifts

If your friends and families have hobbies and interests that they enjoy, it is really easy to buy presents for them. Tickets for events or equipment related to their interests are ideal. Or, alternatively, you can buy them fan related memorabilia. Craft kits, equipment or materials can also make good gifts.

Experience related gifts

For others, experience related gifts can work really well. It can be anything from a track day to a cooking class or a voucher for a meal in a special restaurant. Some people will love tickets to a special exhibition at an art gallery, but for others tickets to the latest musical may be better. If you know that a friend or family member is due to go on a city break a voucher for a walking tour or something similar could be a good idea.

Clothing gifts

Clothing accessories can make really good gifts provided you truly understand the taste of the people you are buying for. If you want to buy something more substantial a coat, designer jeans or a party dress can be a good present.

For those who like to be well groomed, a voucher for a tailored item of clothing like a blouse or shirt can be an excellent gift. If you know which retailers your friend or family member likes to shop with you can always buy them a voucher.

Regardless, of which of the above gifts you decide to buy, you need to be aware of your consumer rights. It is particularly important not to buy anything that cannot be easily exchanged. You can find out about these rights by reading the advice in this newspaper article.