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Fill your stockings with this year’s Christmas ideas

Bonfire night’s sparklers are barely spent, yet the countdown to Christmas has begun. Worried about the credit crunch? Can’t face those Christmas Eve queues? A little time spent planning now will allow you to spend December curled up on your sofa with a glass of something warm and spicy, rather than battling out there in shopping hell. Strategy, tactics and an early shop will mean less stress, less hassle and, let’s face it, less expense… and what better place to start your Christmas shopping than the Latest Interiors guide to gorgeous gifts for the home?

Luxury living

Luxury has been an enduring trend for the last few seasons: buy less, but buy the best. Good quality classics will give years of use and pleasure. Perfect gifts for those with a classic sense of style include pure linen sheets, heavy cotton tea towels, cashmere throws or blankets, a simple sheepskin rug, or plain white bone china.

Uniquely you…

If you’re shopping for someone with a quirkier sense of style, be brave: 2007 saw colour and texture explode onto interiors. Bold ceramics, super-sized bowls, fantastic plastic accessories with a nod to the 1970s, cushions with fish-scale sequins, or a vintage colourful folk-art throw; the wonderful thing about eclectic style is that anything goes.

Green, green home

Get with the year’s ecofriendly theme, helping family and friends to reduce their carbon footprint. A logmaker (recycles household waste into fuel), a wormery, composter or stylish recycling storage would be welcome in most homes. If you or someone you love can’t face all the Christmas consumerism, why not donate to charity on their behalf? Oxfam Unwrapped have a marvellous selection of imaginative ‘gifts’, from simple schoolbooks to training a midwife in the developing world. Or support a local charity – it does begin at home, after all.

Eat, drink and be merry

Few foodies could fail to be delighted with a thoughtful hamper. Browse the Laines and local shops to make your own, or go for a good-quality department store offering: Interiors still loves the hampers on offer at recently renovated Fortnums (www.fortnumandmason.com). For the record, Santa, we can’t get enough of those sweet little baskets and oh, the paté and wine… Another good gift for regular entertainers is a scented candle: natural soy candles burn for hours, bestowing gentle light and ambience – check out www.naturalmagic.com for inspiration.

And now for something completely different…

Shopping for a time-poor relative or new parent? Organise a voucher with a local cleaning company, for a basic or deep home clean. If you can, makesure there is flexibility about when the gift can be used. Help with a post-Christmas clean? That has to be a miracle…

Gift Gallery

Here are more great gift ideas:

Wave pleated throw, £15, www.matalan.co.uk

Set of three recycling bins, £49.99, www.tch.net

From a selection of home gifts Design Studio, 58 Western Road, Hove.
Tel: 01273 206123
125 South Road, Haywards Heath.
Tel: 01444 443777
www.design-interiors.com

From a selection of home gifts Design Studio, 58 Western Road, Hove
Tel: 01273 206123
125 South Road, Haywards Heath.
Tel: 01444 443777
www.design-interiors.com

Large Stardish. Handmade glazed porcelain. £48 From Buxtons, 35 Ditchling Road (opp The Level park) Brighton
Tel: 01273 691750 www.buxtons.co.uk

Stag cushion (£46.00)
Rume, 54 Western Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 1JD
Tel: 01273 777 810 info@rume.co.uk / www.rume.co.uk

Large Stardish. Handmade glazed porcelain. £48
From Buxtons, 35 Ditchling Road (opp The Level park) Brighton
Tel 01273 691750 www.buxtons.co.uk

For even more gift ideas
Pick up our free magazine this week and turn to page 10

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 21st, 2007 at 11:55 am and is filed under Features, Interiors. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.