LauraHadley.co.uk: christmas gifts

christmas gifts

What I Got For Christmas 2017

Every year I feature a few gifts I received for Christmas not only to say a thank you to those who very kindly bought me them, but to also have a recurring post I can write every year. It's also fun seeing other people's posts which gifts seemed to be popular that year as well. My previous posts (2016 and 2015) seemed to go down really well so I'm back with a few items photographed and a few not. I seem to be creating a new tradition of bringing some presents with me 2 hours away to my fiancé's family house (yes the engagement post will be up soon) so I didn't bring everything with me.

Vans Old Skool Burgundy
I've wanted a pair of Old Skool Vans for ages now, and when I was ordering them on behalf of my Dad, the black and the pale pink pairs seemed to have sold out everywhere. In hindsight I'm really pleased that I went with the Burgundy pair as they go with so many things that I own. I was looking at a really autumnal pair but they just wouldn't have gone with some items of clothing. The whole Christmas theme for me this year seemed to be burgundy and pale pink which is a welcome change.

Huda Beauty Desert Dusk Palette
If you've read my Anti-Haul post you'll notice that I said I'd never buy a full-sized Huda Beauty palette as they were quite expensive. Well, this doesn't break any rules as Andy actually bought me it so it's fair game. This is the Desert Dusk palette with a range of eyeshadow finishes that I'm desperate to start using. I'd look out for a full review, most likely including whether or not I think £56 is justifiable and I have a bad feeling that Huda has swayed my way of thinking by the means of glitter.

L'Oreal Galaxy Holographic Strobing Lip Gloss in Polaris Pink
This was from my little sister and it's such a 'me' product. I love holographic products and although I'm sure I've not worn a coloured lip gloss since 2008 I really like it! It's a clear base with lilac shimmer that shines pink and gold in the light. I've not worn it on top of a lip liner or other product yet but I'm betting it will look stunning. L'Oreal never seems to disappoint me.

Wedding Planner
With the recent engagement, it was very kind of my family to (at the last minute due to the timing) pick us up a wedding planner. I've seen so many around and I love the different categories for planning with items on the checklists that I'd never even thought about. It's a good job our wedding won't be for 2/3 years.

Carvela Mia Across Body Bag
I saw this bag online and I fell in love with it instantly. I do love a good Carvela bag, not necessarily for the name but I find the bags to be high quality with an affordable price tag. As you see with the Vans, there are plenty of items I own that will match or go well with it.

Adidas Originals Navy Suede Gazelle
I tried a pair of Gazelles a while ago but I wasn't sure if they were 'me' enough but they were a bright pair. Mine are navy and look far nicer n my opinion. I've never been one for nearly neon trainers so I'm glad I didn't pick those up now.

Huda Beauty Faux Filter Foundation
After watching countless reviews about this foundation, I'm glad Andy picked one up for me. I chose the shade Cashew and it's pretty spot on with my skin colour, and the guide online is incredibly accurate. It doesn't seem to oxidise much and blends in well when using a beauty blender. I did see some comments online about it encouraging blemishes but I'm yet to see this. Most likely I'll write up a full review.

Ikea Vouchers For Our House
Andy's Mum & Grandma have been kind enough for both our Birthday and Christmas presents to gift us Ikea vouchers to go towards our new home. We get spoilt enough with presents so have some vouchers in place didn't make much of a difference now but will really go a long way when we've just moved in. We found a sofa we love from there so we'll have to try it out in a showroom.

Ban.Do 2018 Agenda
I'm not the most naturally organised person so in 2016 when I saw the Ban.Do Agendas I knew I had to add one to my list. I have the Rose 2018 Agenda which includes monthly views, yearly views, a huge notes section, stickers, artwork, a double-sided pocket and much more. It's by far the best agenda I've ever had and I think I'll be taking it everywhere with me now.

Huda Beauty Mauve Obsessions & Huda Beauty Smokey Obsessions Palettes
I love these handy little palettes. They're £25 each and include 9 shadows per palette with four different palettes in total. I already had enough warm tones for the Warm Brown Obsessions Palette and plenty of bright ones for the Electric Obsessions Palette, and paired with the Desert Dusk palette I have a wide range of shades to play with now. Plus I really can't turn down glittery eyeshadows.

Pink Chenille Jumper
The Chenille jumpers have been brought back in a big way in 2017 and with the millennial pink trend also hyped up it seems that I have a very 2017 jumper on my hands. I'm head over heels for it. It's so soft and warm but not too frumpy on me with having a larger chest. I'm finding it so hard not to pick it up in a ton of other colours too.

Makeup Revolution Liquid Highlighter in Unicorn Elixir
I do love a good liquid highlighter and this one by Makeup Revolution is so unique. The unicorn trend was another 2017 hit and this does not disappoint. It has shimmery particles in, reflecting blue and pink into a silver. It's definitely not an everyday highlighter but it's bloody beautiful.

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Smashbox Create & Transform Masterclass Palette Review & Swatches

I do love a good multi-use palette, but how about a foldable box with four palettes inside that you can take everywhere with you? This is the Smashbox Create & Transform Masterclass Palette (£70 now £35!) and it's only available from the 1st December for 7 days. It contains 16 Photo Op Eyeshadows, 6 Be Legendary Lipsticks, 2 Powder Blushes, and 1 Contour, Bronzer and Highlighter. With the amount of makeup in this palette, it means there are 76+ eyeshadow possibilities, 18+ lipstick combinations and 4+ blush tones to play around with. The exciting thing about the palette is the fact that it's limited edition and with only seven days to buy it, there's a bit of a rush with having makeup that's only sold for a short amount of time. I'm definitely one of those people who will see this pop up and instantly want to have it for myself.

As you can see, all four palettes in the book pop out so you can add them to your makeup bag without worrying about space, or pack them in your suitcase without having to worry about a weight limit. The book itself folds in half so if you do want to take all four palettes out with you, they'll stay in place and it's magnetic so there is no worry about them falling out. With other face palettes, there is the tendency for eyeshadow to get into the lipstick area and make them gross, or them to be ridiculous in size that you'd never be able to take them away with you. I'm really impressed with how Smashbox have created this palette, including putting the shade names on the lid.

The eyeshadow palette has 10 shades in it, from a matte cream to a bold teal to the deep sparkly black. The matte shades (Vanilla, Nude, Hazelnut and Plummy) are pretty smooth in texture and easy to blend. Night Shoot is almost a matte in itself with added glitter which makes it unique to eyeshadows I've seen in my time as a beauty blogger. The shimmery shades (Washout Out, Amor, So Spicy, Tailfeather and Over Baked) are high-quality and pack a lot of pigment. I'm in love with So Spicy and it's very similar to Dirty Talk in the Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette. Tailfeather is a shade I will most likely not wear that often but I'm going to make an effort to at New Years Eve as it's the perfect shade in the palette for such an occasion.

This palette actually reminds me a lot of the Kat Von D Alchemist Holographic Palette but there are 8 shades in this. It includes 6 Eye Transformers and 2 Cheek Transformers that are shimmery and oh so beautiful. These shades are by far my favourite element in the whole box. You can use these as standalone eyeshadows, use on top of matte shades to transform them into something new, or use them as highlighters and I'll most likely do all three. Shades like Bewitched, Dial Up, Strange Magic and Say What will be stunning on your cheekbones, brow bone and upper lip. I'd use the shade Filtered alongside the eyeshadow So Spicy as they're a match made in heaven.

I'm really happy with this section in the palette, as for someone with pale skin, all five shades go well with my skintone. Obviously given that there is a contour and bronzer, I don't think these two shades would work well on darker tones. The highlighter looks matte but it does have glowy tones to it and the contour shade works really well on me. Guava reminds me of Nars Orgasm and Rosy is like a babydoll light pink.

The lipstick section is not what I had expected. I hadn't used any Smashbox lip products before so I had to have a look at the Be Legendary range first. These are cream lipsticks in unusual colours such as a black, a lilac and an orange. From the swatches they're not as opaque as I had expected them to be, but with lipliners or other lipsticks underneath they create some eye-popping looks. The shades Double Take and Fiery have tiny glitter particles in them and oh my they're amazing. I've not worn glittery lips for quite some time but over Christmas and NYE, it's the perfect time of the year to wear them. Red Rage would be an obvious choice for Christmas Day itself and they're lovely and creamy on the lips.

There are so many possibilites with this palette, and if you know someone who is a makeup lover I'd highly reccomend buying this for them for Christmas. Even if you love makeup yourself it's worth checking out. The palette is half price at £35 (that's only £1.20 per shade!) and is available on Boots.co.uk & in stores nationwide.

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Christmas Scents From Fragrance Direct & A Giveaway

I love shopping for Christmas gifts, and fragrances are something a lot of people love receiving. Choosing a scent can be difficult at times, but it can be fuss-free if you know what the person likes. I usually create a wishlist that people can choose from, and Fragrance Direct has made it even easier for you with their thoughtful gift section. For me, floral and fruity scents are my go-to, so it was quite easy to pick a few perfumes to go on to my wishlist. I chose one from Chloé, and one from Hugo Boss in 50ml bottles as they will last quite a long time but they're not too expensive as to make you shy away from selecting them.

Boss The Scent Intense For Her Eau De Parfum 50ml is a seductive scent for women, with a higher oil concentration and 'amplified aphrodisiac ingredients' to enhance the sensual journey. There are notes of freesia blossom and honeyed peach, heart notes of oriental osmanthus with a rich base of dark roasted cocoa, strengthened by vanilla. The bottle is sleek and sophisticated with the diamond-shaped flacon flowing upwards to the precious jewel cap. It is a pretty bottle with more structure than the Chloé perfume and would be great for someone with a strong personality.

Chloé Signature Eau De Parfum 50ml is a perfume that makes me feel classy. It's a unique bottle with that timeless design that makes you feel more expensive when it's on and when it's sat at your beauty desk. The fragrance is a combination of floral powder notes, with uplifting hints of lychee and peony with a drop of springtime freesia. It's a flirtatious and feminine perfume, with lily of the valley, magnolia and subtle notes of elegant cedarwood and warm amber. It would suit anyone from the early 20s onwards and now has a permanent place in my perfume collection.

If you love floral, feminine and fruity fragrances, these are the ones for you. There are some other amazing fragrances to pick from on the Fragrance Direct website, such as Marc Jacobs Daisy, Marc Jacobs Decadence and Lacoste L12 12 which would be amazing gifts for your loved ones. I tend to get fragrances as my main presents as it's something that I wear all year round and it means a lot to know someone would appreciate something I like as a huge beauty lover.

If you'd like to have a chance at winning the Chloé Signature EDP, make sure to enter my giveaway below!

Want to win a Chloé Signature EDP 50ml this Christmas? Follow @laurahadleyx and @FragranceDirect and RT to win.

T&C's :https://t.co/dJ6SLuADlr #win #giveaway #rttowin #bbloggers pic.twitter.com/RRlwSwjHVv
— Laura Hadley 🍁 (@LauraHadleyx) November 19, 2017

T&C's

UK entries only. Chloé Signature EDP Giveaway ends 3rd December 2017 at 10pm. Must follow @laurahadleyx and @fragrancedirect and still be following by the time the giveaway ends. To enter, follow @laurahadleyx and @fragrancedirect on Twitter and retweet the tweet to qualify, quote retweets are not permitted. Winner will be notified via Twitter. No cash alternative.

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What I Got For Christmas 2016

I write this post every year, with the usual disclaimer of course. I thought I would pick out my favourite bits that I received this Christmas and why I love them. Of course most of my presents were beauty based and I have left the homeware and stocking fillers out otherwise I wouldn't have the table space nor the patience to stop myself from eating chocolate before taking the photos. You may notice that my backdrop is a bit different to usual, and that's because I brought my marble board 2 hours away to Derbyshire where I'm staying with my boyfriend's mum because I wanted to get this post up before new year. Dedication!

As I mentioned, the majority of my present were beauty based so I'll start with the makeup. I received two palettes this year, one was the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance palette, and the Anastasia Beverly Hills Ultimate Glow Kit. I really wanted the Modern Renaissance palette when it came out earlier in the year but didn't have the money to pick it up, so when it finally came back in stock on Cult Beauty, Andy picked it up for me along with some Morphe Rose Gold Brushes which I just realised I forgot to photograph. I had asked my family to repurchase some items I was running out of, as they were asking for ideas and I couldn't think of much! They bought me the Benefit Gimmie Brow and Stay Don't Stray which are two items I couldn't live without, as they keep my brows strong and my lids perfect so my makeup doesn't come off during the day. As I'd tried the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara in mini form but it didn't stay on too well, I now have the waterproof version so hopefully it will last all day.

Every special event I always receive some Mac items since it's an easy gift for people to pick up and I'll never stop loving Mac. I received the Diva lipstick and the Cherry lip pencil which are both red shades that I know I'll love when I wear them. I received a Mac voucher too so I've ordered two more single eyeshadows to go into my Mac palette which I've not touched in a while so it needed some love. Another item I forgot to photograph (but brought all the way to Derbyshire regardless) is the Sigma Beauty Dry'n Shape Spa which is multi-purpose item to help with washing and drying your makeup brushes that can hold up to 18 brushes and has a detachable middle to aid with washing them. I have about 40-50 brushes right now and getting them all cleaned and dried has been a tough task, so this is going to help so much.

Of course it wouldn't be a haul without a bit of Colourpop. This as a gift from me to me, and also a gift to my best friend. I bought two of the value kits, the Persuede Me and Staycation and knew that e both wouldn't like all the colours, so took three out of one kit and swapped it with the other and we both adore the lippie stix we have now. From the two kits, I've got LBB, Goldie, Cookie, Le Freak, Hotline and Grunge. They're a mix of nudes and warm tones and since I have so many bright shades in my entire lipstick collection, it was time I tried some shades I wasn't to familiar with. Colourpop Lippie Stix are hands down one of my favourite lipstick products.

I received a few home and style items but I'll start with these beautiful silver heels from New Look, bought for me by my boyfriend's brother. He asked what I wanted and I sent him images of two pairs and told him to surprise me, and these were my favourite pair out of the two. They're more of a classic shape and style, with glitzy silver finish to make them perfect for this time of year. I was asked quite a lot what I wanted for Christmas this year and two items that I thought of was camera bags. I've had my Olympus Pen for quite a while and love being able to take my blog and Instagram photos with it, but I hated the bag it came with. I was looking for something that didn't look like a camera bag, and this one from Asos was exactly what I was after. It fits my camera in, phone and plenty of other things in without causing damage to the camera itself due to the soft lining. I've also had my Instax camera for most of the year but hadn't found a good bag for it yet. My best friend bought me this matching white Instax bag to carry it in and I'm in love.

Beauty Lovers Gift Guide 2016

I love creating gift guides for Christmas and this year I'm doing it in a different way. Focusing solely on beauty, I've picked out some of my favourite items this year to recommend to any beauty junkie, or for someone stuck for a gift to give that needs a little help. I've chosen to include fragrances, palettes, beauty tools and makeup so there should be something for everyone here. I'll start off with two new releases from 2016; the Urban Decay Blackmail Vice Lipstick Palette* (£31.50) and the Too Faced 'The Chocolate Shop' (£45) or similarly, the Too Faced Merry Macaroons Set* (£28). The Urban Decay Blackmail Vice Lipstick Palette has twelve different lipstick shades inside so you can guarantee someone who likes makeup would be over the moon with this. It's a great travel palette as it comes with a mirror and brush too. The Too Faced Christmas sets come with mini items included and a ton of different eyeshadow shades, and once you remove the palette from the packaging it's so compact and thin that you could take it anywhere with you and is such good value for quality Too Faced shadows.

For makeup tools and accessories, a well known applicator that is very well known is the Beauty Blender (£16). I picked one up when I went to Los Angeles and it was a total game changer when applying my foundation. You can pick different colours and sizes up in Boots and I'll definitely be picking up more of them. If you're more into brushes, Beaubelle have pretty rose gold brushes that are really lightweight and fluffy. I'm yet to post my full review but I would definitely recommend them so far! Finally, the Mac Brush Cleanser (£12) is the best product to thoroughly cleanse your brushes in my opinion. I've been using it for so long now I can't even remember when I first bought it, but it does the job, especially on stubborn makeup like foundation and concealer. I tend to receive one at Christmas every year as it tends to be an item I only remember to replace once I've ran out.

Lipsticks are a great stocking filler, so of course I'm going to recommend Mac lipsticks (£15.50) as they have a ton of different colours and finishes, with sleek packaging and limited editions to choose from if you're looking for something different. My newest shades are Kinda Sexy, Whirl and Velvet Teddy which I think would look amazing on everyone. For a touch more luxury, pick up a Tom Ford Lipstick (£39). My one is an Ultra Rich Lip Color in Les Mepris which is more of a spring/summer shade but there are plenty of shades available to pick up a colour to suit your recipient. If the person you're buying for is more into subtle lip products, try the Lancome Juicy Shakers* (£18) as they are basically lip oils with different shades and scents. They moisturise the lips and are incredibly natural looking, and even perfect for underneath lipstick.

A lot of people receive fragrances at Christmas time, as it's a product that not many people tend to pick up for themselves. Two favourites of mine this year have been the YSL Black Opium Eau de Parfums* (Ranging in price depending on the ml) as they're not sickly sweet but smell luxurious, with Black Opium Nuit Blanche being my current favourite. Another gift to buy is the Monsoon Rose Gold Fragrance Set* (£28.50) that comes with a large edition of the Rose Gold Perfume and 100ml of the corresponding Body Lotion and is packaged to match the products inside. A final gift choice that I would encourage you to pick up is the GlamGlow Gift Sexy Treatment Set* (£39) that comes with four of their mud treatments to leave you with 'sexy Hollywood skin' and I've really enjoyed using them this month. It's getting colder and your skin reacts to the weather, so having mud masks to help nourish and exfoliate is a lovely gift. You can also buy this in Boots and I'm going to pick up the SuperMud treatment as I've nearly ran out already! It's amazing at eliminating spots and imperfections which is what I've needed for party-ready skin this festive season.

Men's Luxury Christmas Gift Guide | Ad

Christmas is approaching and many people find men difficult to buy for. If you don't want to give them another pair of socks, an aerosol gift set or a granddad pair of slippers, have a look at my luxury gift guide for inspiration.
Corby Navy Double Breasted Trench Coat £700.00 - Aquascutum The classic double-breaste trench coat is meticulously crafted in the United Kingdom from a cotton mix and features raglan sleeves, military-inspired epaulettes to the shoulders, a double-breasted front with a button fastening and finally a waist belt. Acquascutum began as a Mayfair tailors in 1851 by John Emary, bringing fine craftsmanship and technical innovation which has Royal Warrant and long patronage with the Royal Family. They developed the trench coat in 1914 for use by the British Military in both the first and second world wars. The trench coat is now an integral part of British fashion and is a great gift to give for Christmas.
Single Coloured Briefcase £29.99 - Zara In black this briefcase has a tumbled effect finish, featuring an interior compartment for keeping small objects. Two regular sized handles to carry with and it also comes in 'orange' and 'green' for a more vibrant look. It's big enough to fit your Macbook and most important papers inside.
Facial Fuel SPF 15 £33.00 - Kiehl's This is a vitamin-enriched and energizing non-oily facial moisturiser with an SPF of 15 to offer protection from skin-damaging UV rays. The "facial recovery accelerator" helps skin resist the effects of enivornmental stress for a healthy and invigorated experience. Skin will feel refueled, re-energized and revitalized.
Charbonnel et Walker Sea Salt Caramel Milk Truffles £21.00 - John Lewis Established in 1875, Charbonnel et Walker is one of the UK's earliest producers of chocolates and is endorsed by the Royal Warrant as chocolate manufactures to Her Majesty the Queen. Break through the chocolate shell and discover the caramel sea salt filling. It will satisfy any sweet tooth and is presented in a beautiful box.
Fitbit Black Alta Fitness Tracker £100.00 - Debenhams I have my own Fitbit and I love it, so I think men would love the Alta customisable fitness tracker designed to fit your personal style. It tracks activity all day, including steps, distance, calories burned and active minutes. At night you can track your sleep and set a silent alarm to wake you in the morning, ensuring that you get your best rest. The OLED screen keeps goals in focus with stats, time and call/text notifications from your phone, and you can change the wrist strap to suit your own style.
Consul G Church Leather Formal Shoes £415.00 - Kurt Geiger The black leather five eyelet Oxford lace ups have Goodyear welted soles inside, with stitch detail for the best selling Church style. Kurt Geiger have been making English shoes since 1873 and sell a range of shoes including this formal style that are perfect for suiting up.
Tom Ford Noir Extreme Collection £94.00 - Selfridges Revealing a new dimension of the Noir man, this amber drenched, woody oriental fragrance has tantalising and delectable heart notes to capture the aspect of the man that relishes in immoderation and dares to be extraordinary. The gift collection features both the Eau de Parfum and the Aftershave Balm, both presented in a Tom Ford gift box.
Mulberry Leather Wash Case £295.00 - Harrods In the colour 'oak', it can carry all your essentials in the timeless natural-leather wash case that features the Mulberry stamped tree motif. It offers zipped interior pockets and an exterior carry handle, making it stylish and practical in equal measures.
GoPro Hero 5 Action Camcorder £349.00 - Currys With 4K Ultra HD video up to 30 fps and waterproof to 32 ft, this LCD touchscreen camcorder can record video and take 12 megapixel still photos, including a time lapse mode. Every adventure will look crisp and detailed, with an advanced sensor and bright lens. It has a tough waterproof design, large touchscreen, advanced digital image stablisation and can be attached to various Go Pro mounts to wear on the go.
*In collaboration with Aquascutum

Debenhams Festive Christmas Hamper

Debenhams are feeling very festive this season and I'm so glad I can share the Christmas spirit with you this year. They're one of the department stores in the UK that have a big focus on Christmas, stocking plenty of brands and gifts to make sure present buying is a doddle so there is something for everyone. I'm going to be talking about a selection of products they stock on their website and in store that they chose specifically for me, to help you with your Christmas shopping this year.

Firstly let's talk about makeup. It's my first point of call and these were the presents that were wrapped up all lovely when I opened the hamper. Too Faced is a brand that I've only been trying out for the past year but they're one of my favourite beauty brands. Every year they bring out the most beautiful Christmas collection and this is the Merry Macaroons set (£28)* which features a romantic New York ice skating rink filled with the delicious vanilla scent of Merry Macaroons. Inside the box there is a mini Better Than Sex Mascara and a pop out palette which contains twelve vanilla scented eyeshadows. The box is presented with such care, and after Christmas if you don't have room for the box anymore, you can pop the eyeshadow palette and mascara out to put in your makeup storage.

The second gift set is by Kat Von D which is another brand I've only recently fallen in love with. The London Calling limited edition makeup set (£19.50)* is filled with three of Kat's favourite products from her range so that you can create your own bold and beautiful look. It includes a mini Studded Kiss Lipstick in Lolita, mini Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Double Dare and a mini Tattoo Liner in Trooper. I've tried out all three of these products before, not in the same shades but they're honestly so good, which makes it perfect that Debenhams now stock Kat Von D. Having mini sized products also means they won't take up too much room in your bag too. The last makeup item was a pleasant surprise; the Mac Matte Lipstick in Kinda Sexy (£15.50)* which is a full sized lipstick. The shade is described as a pinky-peach with brown undertones and a semi-matte finish. It's a new favourite of mine and looks so lovely with my pale skin and blonde hair.

The second category I want to talk about is what I describe as home comforts. This starts with the Isotoner Ladies Novelty Penguin Original Slipper Socks (£6)* which are toastie socks with grips on the foot so that you can wear them instead of slippers. Aside from having the cutest design on them, they're so warm and comfortable to wear. I didn't even know Debenhams stocked slipper socks but I know what I'll be adding to my Christmas list this year now! The Yankee Candle Melt Cup in All is Bright (£5)* is a wax filled heat-resistant cup which can be used and reused for up to 24 hours of fragrance. The scent has top notes of grapefruit and orange, mid notes of redcurrant and the base note of sweet cup. I've never actually used a Melt Cup before but will be stocking up as I love Yankee Candle products, especially since they're actually cheaper from Debenhams than they are the Yankee Candle shop online. The last comforting product is the Lindt Advent Calendar which is 160g in weight and has 24 doors to open to count down towards Christmas. I've not bought myself a Lindt advent calendar since 2014 and was going to pop into the new Lindt store in Liverpool One but now I don't have to which saved me a trip!

The third section from the hamper was filled with Kitchen goods. My favourite item from this department is the Jamie Oliver Non-Stick Baking Sheet (£15)* because I absolutely love baking and I am a huge fan of Jamie's. I've been to his Italian restaurants more times than I can count and love watching him on TV. When this arrived I was so happy to finally have one of his products other than a recipe book. Each piece from his bakewear range has been smartly designed to turn out showstopper cakes and melt-in-the-mouth dishes time after time. After seeing the photo on the card around the sheet, I'm inspired to make scones for the first time and this is definitely the most heartfelt present in my eyes.

The other three products in this section are from the brand At Home with Ashley Thomas. There is the adorable Salt & Pepper Set which has two shakers in the shape of hearts with little red hearts dotted around them. They lean to the side and don't at all look like your traditional seasoning table item which mixes things up a bit. The set of three printed tea towels I couldn't find on the website for this specific set but they do have different designs on the site are £14* and made of super-soft cotton and scream Christmas to me. Although this year I'm still not into a new house, I'm going to put them away for the next place as they seem so lovely, I wouldn't want to mix them up with my cheap tea towels. Finally, the Jam-Packed With Love Storage Jar is so up my street and is a little jar with a floral print and an easy to close lock fastening to keep food items fresher for longer. I already have different sized lock jars similar to this from Ikea but they're plain and a little boring, so this one will be saved until I can fill it with something pretty, like party rings or a similar item.
I'd like to say a huge thank you to Debenhams for making this Christmas special and make me feel like a kid opening all of Santa's presents. The hamper really cheered me up and has filled me with inspiration for presents to buy for my family and friends. If you want to check out their Christmas range, click here to find a gift for everyone you know.

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