3 min read
Give your Christmas list a theme
A Christmas list with a theme is easier to shop from. How to build one around a hobby, a stage in life or things to do, with examples.
Tips and gift ideas, page 5
Practical tips, trends and gift ideas for birthdays, weddings, new babies, Christmas and Secret Santa. This is page 5 of our blog.
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How to run an office Secret Santa without the grumbling
Budget, rules, drawing names and the mistakes that spoil an office Secret Santa, and how to set one up so nobody draws their own name.
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Birthday gifts for toddlers under three that get used
Which gifts hold a toddler's attention at each stage from birth to three, what is safe, and which cheap options beat the expensive ones.
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Why spring is the best time to move and throw a housewarming
Mild weather, long evenings, removal vans you can still book and a full turnout at the party: why moving in spring beats every other season.
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What to put on a nursery registry
A nursery registry list for safety, lighting, sleep and storage, including the things you can skip.
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Which wedding registry platform suits your guests
Department store list, universal registry or honeymoon fund? How to choose a wedding registry based on who will actually be buying the gifts.
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Gifts for International Women's Day that fit the woman
Gift ideas for 8 March sorted by who she is: building a business, looking after everyone else, learning something new, plus the touches that get kept.
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What belongs on a wishlist and what does not
Wishlist manners: how to match the list to who is buying, what is always fine to ask for, what needs care (perfume, clothes) and what to leave off.
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Keep a Christmas ideas list from February onwards
How to build a Christmas list slowly over the year: sort it into groups, add things the moment you notice them, and write it so someone else can shop.
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Outdoor things to put on a spring housewarming wishlist
What to put on the list when you move in spring and the garden is bare, from terrace furniture that survives rain to tools, a barbecue, lights and dry storage.
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The baby registry items guests actually like buying
Which baby registry items go first at a shower and why: the basics, the small soft things, feeding kit, gifts for the parents, and how to spread prices.
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How to build a wedding registry that does not end in a skip
A wedding registry built to last: cast iron over non-stick, linen over polyester, second-hand where it makes sense, and how to tell guests why.
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What teenagers actually want for their birthday
Birthday gifts a 13 to 18 year old will actually use, from the tech they ask for to a clothes voucher, time with friends and why cash is not lazy.
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A Secret Santa for two on Valentine's Day
How a two-person Secret Santa works for Valentine's: agree a budget and a theme, keep the wishlists apart, plan the reveal and repeat it in June.
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Ten housewarming gifts that get used after the first week
Housewarming gifts that beat wine and candles: a toolkit, a plant that survives, a proper chopping board, an address stamp and more, for any budget.
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It is 11 February and you have no Valentine's gift
How to get a Valentine's gift right with three days to go: check the wishlist first, then digital gifts, express delivery, or a date you book tonight.
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What you need on a baby registry and what you can skip
The short list of what a newborn actually needs, the popular items you can skip (wipe warmer, baby shoes) and a few things guests never think of.
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Which kind of wedding registry suits you and your guests
Department store, Amazon, a multi-shop list or a boutique registry: what each is good at, where each falls down, and how to pick for your guest list.
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Valentine's wishlist ideas for four kinds of couple
Concrete Valentine's gift ideas to put on a wishlist, sorted by the kind of couple you are: romantic, outdoorsy, silly or practical. With prices.
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Secret Santa works in March too
Why an anonymous gift draw works outside December: for a quiet month at the office, a fortieth birthday, a big family weekend or a book club.
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How to add a wishlist to your housewarming party
How to set up a housewarming wishlist and mention it on the invitation without sounding pushy, plus what to do with the gifts on the day and after.
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What to buy twice and what to share on a baby registry for twins
Twins do not need two of everything. What genuinely needs doubling (car seats, cots, high chairs), what one of covers, and how many clothes to ask for.
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How couples decide between a wedding registry and a cash fund
Gifts or money for the wedding? What couples choose today, why most end up with both, and how to build a registry that keeps every guest comfortable.
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Start your Christmas list in January
Why a Christmas list started in January ends up better than one written in December: you catch what you want all year and your family shops the sales.