The Christmas Swap by Talia Samuels | Book Review

[This post contains affiliate links.]

Title & Author: The Christmas Swap by Talia Samuels

Genre: LGBTQIA+ romance

My rating: 4/5

Publisher: Penguin Michael Joseph 

Publication date: 21st September 2023

Blurb:

It's the perfect Christmas love story.

Margot Murray is a newly single, high-flying businesswoman with no interest in a cutesy seasonal romance.

Ben Gibson is an unlucky-in-love sweetheart in need of a woman to bring home for the holidays.

Together, they make a pact: Margot gets a blissful week away from London in a picture-perfect manor, in exchange for posing as Ben's girlfriend.

The story can only go one way. Margot is sure to fall in love for real.

And she does.

With Ben's sister, Ellie.

What could possibly go wrong?

Review:

I am loving festive romances at the minute and I'm sure we have all read our fair share of the fake dating trope where they go to one of their families homes for Christmas and end up falling in love for real.

The Christmas Swap is a slight twist on that. Ben is one of Margot's clients and she plays the role of doting girlfriend at Ben's family's country estate over Christmas. Ben doesn't want to be dealing with the questions about why he is still single in his mid-30s and Margot was due to go on holiday with her girlfriend but they have since broken up.

When they arrive at Ben's family home, his sister Ellie instantly thinks Margot is lying. She's heard hushed conversations and thinks that Margot may be a gold digger, not that they aren't really in a relationship. A romance does blossom between the two women and the whole story is just so interesting to read. Ellie's sleuthing and misunderstanding was brilliant to follow because you could absolutely see how it all made sense to her but was totally off the mark.

There is so much depth to both Ellie and Margot, and Margot's emotionally abusive past relationship was tackled really well. This is a really refreshing take on the fake dating trope!

Snowed In by Catherine Walsh | Book Review

[This post contains affiliate links.]

Title & Author: Snowed In by Catherine Walsh 

My rating: 4/5

Publisher: Bookouture 

Publication date: 1st November 2023

Blurb:

Megan is dreading going home for the holidays. She’s the village pariah, the she-devil who left local golden boy Isaac at the altar four years ago and ran away to the big city. She could really do without the drama. Particularly as he’s engaged again, and she’s just been dumped for the fourth time this year.

Christian’s fed up of being on his own every Christmas. He doesn’t mind being alone, but he hates his family’s sad eyes and soft tones as they sit around coupled up. Because he’s actually, totally, fine.

So when Megan literally bumps into Christian in a Dublin pub, they come up with a pact to see them through the holiday season. They’re going to be the very best fake dates for each other, ever.

Rules are drawn up, a contract is signed on a wine-stained napkin. They will sit through each other’s family gatherings and be outrageously in love until freed from their annual obligations. After all, it’s only for a few weeks.

But with everyone home for the holidays, two big families to deal with alongside old friends, old flames and old feelings, things are bound to get messy. And when a snowed-in cabin and a little Christmas magic are added to the mix, anything could happen…

Review:

As soon as I finished Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh, I instantly started Snowed In, the second in the Fitzpatrick Christmas series. This is Christian's story, Andrew's brother who we met briefly in the previous book.

Megan jilts her would-be husband Isaac on their wedding day, bumping into former schoolmate Christian outside the venue who promises to keep her abscondence secret.

Five years later, the two meet again in a pub in Dublin where they are both now living, and reconnect. Megan is going back home for the holidays for the first time since she walked out on her wedding and is nervous about being back in her hometown and potentially bumping into her ex-fiance. It doesn't help that she thinks everyone hates her for what she did to Isaac with no explanation. Christian is also not looking forward to Christmas with his family as the only single sibling and dreads the onslaught of relationship questions.

Christian proposes a fake relationship deal and Megan is absolutely not on board but eventually she is won round. What can go wrong?

I love how Catherine Walsh writes. Not only do we have a cute, Irish Christmas setting with humour and romance but serious topics such as controlling relationships and family dynamics are tackled too.

I read this in basically one sitting because I just didn't want to put it down. I now feel like I have read Catherine Walsh's entire back catalogue. Loved it!

Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh | Book Review

[This post contains affiliate links.]

Title & Author: Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh 

My rating: 4/5

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication date: 4th October 2022

Blurb:

Molly and Andrew are just trying to get home to Ireland for the holidays, when a freak snowstorm grounds their flight.

Nothing romantic has ever happened between them: they’re friends and that’s all. But once a year, for the last ten years, Molly has spent seven hours and fifteen minutes sitting next to Andrew on the last flight before Christmas from Chicago to Dublin, drinking terrible airplane wine and catching up on each other’s lives. In spite of all the ways the two friends are different, it’s the holiday tradition neither of them has ever wanted to give up.

Molly isn’t that bothered by Christmas, but—in yet another way they’re total opposites—Andrew is a full-on fanatic for the festive season and she knows how much getting back to Ireland means to him. So, instead of doing the sane thing and just celebrating the holidays together in America, she does the stupid thing. The irrational thing. She vows to get him home. And in time for his mam’s famous Christmas dinner.

The clock is ticking. But Molly always has a plan. And—as long as the highly-specific combination of taxis, planes, boats, and trains all run on time—it can’t possibly go wrong.

What she doesn’t know is that, as the snow falls over the city and over the heads of two friends who are sure they’re not meant to be together, the universe might just have a plan of its own…

Review:

I have been wanting to read as many festive books as I can this Christmas and this one had been on my radar for a while. Although I'm not usually a fan of friends to lovers, I absolutely loved this.

Molly is a lawyer from Ireland working and living in Chicago. Every year she flies back home to her family for Christmas. The first year of doing this, her best friend (who she is definitely going to stop being friends with) has informed her of her decision to split up with her boyfriend, Andrew. Who is sitting next to Molly on the flight? Yep, Andrew, who is also Irish and flying back home for Christmas.

After that first flight, Molly and Andrew have made it a tradition to fly back home together and it is now their tenth year of doing so. A storm has hit Chicago and Molly knows how much Christmas means to Andrew and his family so she will do anything to get him back to Ireland. So off they go to Paris, London then on the ferry to Ireland.

I loved how this was written. We have the story of their long winded trip back home in the present but also glimpses from the past ten years of flying together and you can really see their friendship building. After reading about all their journeys together over the years, Andrew delivers a wonderful monologue that really gripped my heart.

There is some really brilliant Irish humour in here too with fantastic characters. I am excited to read more by Catherine Walsh.

Santa Maybe by Mary Jayne Baker | Blog Tour Book Review

[ad/gifted - I received an ebook copy for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.]

Santa Maybe by Mary Jayne Baker

Star rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publisher: Aria

Publication date: 13th October 2022

Blurb:

Toy Store owner Elodie Martin is not one to get into the festive spirit but nothing gets her fired up more than the chance to get one over on her nemesis, Callum Ashley – the frosty, infuriatingly handsome owner of the local department store.

Christmas is the only time she can compete thanks to her grandad Jim, everyone's favourite Santa Claus. But when he has to unexpectedly hang up his red suit, Elodie is at risk of losing the business for good and has no choice but to rely on last-minute replacement out-of-work actor Nick Winter.

Can a sprinkling of Christmas magic warm Callum's heart and help Elodie find her happily-ever-after? Or is it just possible that love is to be found a little bit closer to home?

Review: 

I am a sucker for a festive romance. There is just something delightful about the setting and this one is super cute!

Elodie Martin currently owns Martin's, the family toy shop where her grandad used to play the best Santa in town when it came to grotto season. They have always had a family rivalry with bigger superstore Ashley's, currently owned by Callum Ashley.

Following Jim's retirement after a stroke, Elodie is hiring a new Santa. Enter - Nick Winter. Nick absolutely lives for Christmas and is the perfect replacement for Jim but also is perfect to make Elodie enjoy Christmas again, a time that she hasn't particularly liked ever since her parents died when she was eight years old.

Elodie is so sure in Nick's abilities to be Santa, that she places a bet with Callum Ashley - her grotto will rake in more profits than his.

Both men are completely different in every way but have one similar thing in common; how much they like Elodie. I absolutely loved the development and relationship between Nick and Elodie. I'll admit, I didn't care too much for Callum but the differences in their lives and misunderstandings kept me reading. 

A cosy festive romance that I would definitely recommend!

---

A massive thank you to Aria for having me on the blog tour. You can find information about the other bloggers taking part in the tour in the graphics below.

Gift a Hamper this Christmas with Highland Fayre

 [AD/Gifted - I received a Gift Box in exchange for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]

I find Christmas present shopping quite stressful. I always make sure I find the perfect present for the recipient, not wanting something that will sit around gathering dust or not be used.

Highland Fayre are a family run company in Scotland that has been around since 1985. Bespoke hampers are their specialty and they have lots to choose from so you will always be able to find the perfect one, whoever you are buying for.

With gifts ranging from presentation boxes and personalised bottles of wine to gift boxes and huge hampers, there are tons of different prices ranges and themes. Buying for someone who is vegan? A gin lover? Highland Fayre have got you sorted.

They very kindly sent me one of their Vegan Gift Boxes to try out which costs around £26. 

It came inside it's own gift boxes which is perfect for just wrapping and giving to your recipient and it included:

• Lovemore Vegan O'chocos
• Lazy Day Millionaire's Shortbread
• Lazy Day Belgian Dark Chocolate Tiffin
• Nudie Snacks Carrot Cake Protein Balls 
• Nudie Snacks Premiuim Toasty Coconut Chips
• Nudie Snacks Sour Cream & Chive Roasted Broad Beans
• Nudie Snacks Salted Caramel Brownie Protein Balls
• Rhythm 108 Hazelnut Praline Bar
• Growers Garden Broccoli Crisps
• Growers Garden Broccoli Crisps with Sour Cream & Chive

This is a lot packed into a little box and I was surprised by how much was in it. I was only aware of the Nudie and Rhythm 108 brands so it was nice to be introduced to some new ones.

I knew I'd love the Nudie Snacks Protein Balls but was pleasantly surprised by the broccoli crisps. Although broccoli is probably my favourite vegetable, I didn't see how it would translate into crisps format and still be tasty.

This would make a lovely gift this Christmas and, like it did me, it could introduce your recipient to some new brands.

If you want to find out more about Highland Fayre and their range of gifts, just head over to their website. 

Christmas Gift Ideas for Children

[AD/Gifted items and affiliate links - Some of the items featured have been gifted to me. I have also included affiliate links. Clicking through my links and making a purchase means I will get some pennies with no extra cost to you.] 

Following on from yesterday's post, I'm back with another gift guide - this time for kids! If you are like me and confused about the abundance of products that there are out there available to buy for children, I've put together a little list of smaller items that I think would make a lovely present.

Bibetta Newborn Plush Bib

 

It's so hard to buy for a newborn or young baby at Christmas. My own two were three months old when their first Christmases came along and I think I just bought for the sake of it. Practical gifts are great for this age as they won't know any better and mum and dad will be so appreciative. This plush bib from Bibetta is super soft, absorbs dribble and wetness and is quick drying to protect baby's skin. The little teddy bear motif is adorable too! You can purchase this from Bibetta for £5.99. 

Orangutwang

 

We love a family game, especially at Christmas time, and this one is so much fun and easy for all ages. It is a game of suspense which my two children love! Simply hang the fruit and other jungle friends onto the orangutan but, watch out! Soon, it will all be too much and he will spring up and everything will fly off! It's sure to make for lots of laughs. You can purchase this from Amazon for £12.99.

Lucky Fortune

These Lucky Fortune toys resemble Chinese fortune cookies but inside you'll find a surprise bracelet with a charm and a paper fortune. There are over 100 different bracelets to collect within four different rarity levels. The Collector's Guide that comes with them even doubles up as a Fortune Teller! They are a cute little twist on collectable toys and retail at £4.99 for one, £8.99 for the BFF pack containing two and £14.99 for the four pack Take Out box. You can find these on Amazon.

Personalised '...Goes to Sleep' Book

If you are a long time follower, you'll know that I love books and I love personalised items too. This '...Goes to Sleep' book puts your child in the story which I think gets them excited and keeps them engaged. It's been created in partnership with The Children's Sleep Charity and it is proven to help children sleep better through the night. 

The story and illustrations are just beautiful; E has been mesmerised by the imagery when we read and it's lovely to include as part of a bedtime routine. You can purchase your own personalised copy from the Goes to Sleep website for £16.99.

Angry Birds Game Pack

Angry Birds 2 was released in the cinemas in the summer of this year so all the Angry Birds related toys are back in again! We absolutely loved the first Angry Birds movie but haven't had a chance to see the second yet - I definitely think we'll be getting it on DVD.

The Angry Birds Game Pack is perfect for fans of Red and the gang. Simply push the button on each bird's bottom and watch them go from happy to angry! You get five characters to play with and you also get unique game card to scan for an exclusive in-app game! This can be purchased from Amazon for £11.99.

Nintendo Switch Steering Wheel

I think many children will have a Nintendo Switch on their Christmas lists this year - Santa is bringing C one - and there are so many accessories that you can buy to go along with the actual console. My son is obsessed with Super Mario so Mario Kart will definitely be a game that he will want to buy. For racing games, the Steering Wheel 2 pack is perfect for popping the Joy-con controller inside to play easily. You can purchase these from Amazon for £9.99.

Micro Scooters

 

I included Micro Scooters in my adult gift guide and they do a fantastic range for children too. The Mini Deluxe LED Scooters (£109.95) are my favourite though and I love that they can be personalised with the child's name too. 

To match with the child's scooter, they do a wide range of accessories too from lunchboxes (£9.95), fingerless gloves (£12.95), windmills (£6.95) and helmets (£32.95) meaning that everything will complement each other and look beautiful together. All of these items can be purchased from Micro Scooters.

Christmas Gift Ideas for Adults

[AD/Gifted items and affiliate links - Some of the items featured have been gifted to me. I have also included affiliate links. Clicking through my links and making a purchase means I will get some pennies with no extra cost to you.]

I can't quite believe how fast this year has flown by and here we are, almost a week into the final month of 2019. If you are anything like me, you'll be panicking about what to buy your loved ones for Christmas as soon as December hits. I'm here to help with a gift ideas for adults. I will have a children's one to follow.

BlueRock Bamboo Toothbrushes

It is so incredibly important that we all do our bit to help look after our planet and preserve it for future generations. Even over the past year or so, I'm more conscious about what I'm buying, whether it can be reused and I don't go a day without using my reusable water bottle and coffee cup.

BlueRock specialise in bamboo toothbrushes for adults and children (BlueRock minis). They are naturally antibacterial and hypoallergenic, it lasts just as long as a plastic toothbrush but of course, it's much better for the environment. They are even supplied in plastic free packaging.

The bamboo toothbrushes are available as one off purchases (£3.50-£3.90 per brush depending on order amount) or you can buy subscription for 1-4 months. With every toothbrush purchase, BlueRock will also make a donation to marine life conservation.

I think this make such a great gift for the eco-conscious and just generally as a way of easing someone into sustainability.

I have a discount code for anyone who would like to try BlueRock bamboo toothbrushes. Just pop MOAPB15 into the box at the checkout and you can get 15% off any 4 pack or 15% off the first delivery of your monthly subscription!

Guylian Chocolates
Everyone loves a fancy chocolate at Christmastime and where better to look than at Guylian? With sustainability being a priority, they have removed the palm oil from all of their chocolate recipes and have replaced it with shea butter and sunflower oil meaning that they taste even better, smoother and they also contain less saturated fat and sugar. 

Guylian have quite a range to choose from so you are sure to find something to suit everyone.
The classic Praline Sea Shells are made using hand-selected Mediterranean hazelnuts which are then roasted and caramelised to perfection. They are absolutely delicious and perfect if you have a chocoholic in the family! You can pick up at 250g box for £5 and a 375g box for £7.50.

If you have a more sophisticated and cultured chocolate lover to buy for, the Guylian Belgian Deluxe Assortment is the way to go. The box contains a mixture of the Sea Shells, Opus Luxury Assortment and Seahorses. The Opus Luxury Assortment have divine melt in the mouth flavours whilst you will find crunchy biscuit, caramel, coffee and milk truffle flavoured Seahorses. You can get a 369g box for £10.

Finally, for someone who loves to really indulge in the evening, the Guylian Temptations pouches are perfect. These contain beautifully wrapped Belgian chocolate Seahorses contain flavours of coffee, original hazelnut praline, dark praline, soft caramel, milk truffle, and crunchy biscuit. These are available in two sizes; 330g and 496g and you can pick these up for around £4-5.

Adult Micro Scooter

Who said kids get to have all the fun? Micro Scooter have branched out from children's scooters to adult ones too. I think these would be great to get out on as a family all together - imagine the fun you'd have! They would also be great if you are wanting to be a bit more eco-conscious and leave the car behind on your commute.

Available in Berry Flex Deluxe, Blue Flex Deluxe, Micro Classic White and Micro Speed Mint, there will be one to suit everyone. You can even opt to get it personalised with a name too. These are available to buy from Micro Scooters with prices starting from £139.95.

Stripey Blankie Knitting Kit

If you are buying for someone who is a novice at knitting, the Stitch & Story Stripey Blankie Kit is beautiful. I feel like there is nothing better than a baby blanket that has been knitted with love and it's a great way to practice and get a feel for knitting.

It comes with a complete beginner's guide to knitting, beautiful Merino wool, a sewing needle, the Stripey Blankie pattern and you can choose whether you would like needles included or not. This retails at £52 with needles and £44 without. 

BBC Countryfile Live

For fans of Countryfile on the BBC, they are doing two events next August in Castle Howard, York and Windsor Great Park. There is so much to see and do from watching interviews live on stage to watching some fabulous chefs in the Le Creuset kitchen and many more. You will also have the opportunity to meet some of the stars too - Matt Baker and John Craven to name a couple.

The tickets are priced at £12 each on the Countryfile Live website and you can add a festive gift wallet for just £3. 

Sandisk Flash Drive

Things like this are always great for techy people! the SanDisk Extreme Go USB 3.1 Flash Drive lets you quickly copy and go. It is up to 35 times faster than a standard 2.0 drive so you would be able to transfer an entire 4K movie in less than 40 seconds. It is also password protected to ensure that it doesn't get into the wrong hands.

You can pick up a 64GB flash drive for $19.99 or a 128GB for $31.99 from Western Digital Store.

T-Zone Glitter Face Mask

I love a wee pamper and it's so important to get some time for self care. The T-Zone Glitter face masks make a lovely little addition to a present and I actually think they work especially well for part of a Secret Santa gift.

It helps to draw out impurities and keep your skin clear and the Witch Hazel Extract helps refine pores. I love that the glitter is biodegradable and is made from plant cellulose. You can buy these for around £2.99.

Sleep Master Sleep Mask

These are divine! Made from beautiful satin fabric they feel so nice to wear and they even come with a little matching bag to pack them away in and some little ear plugs. I think the Sleep Master Sleep Mask would be perfect for anyone who travels a lot, works shifts or just likes complete peace and quiet at bedtime.

My partner works shifts so would definitely use this a lot when he is coming off a night shift. They have fantastic light elimination and the padded band helps to reduce noise. You can purchase this from Amazon for around £20.

Tru Bamboo Cheeseboard and Porcelain Markers

I absolutely love a cheeseboard at Christmas but I've always been the type to just stick it all on a plate and everyone eats what they want. Tru Bamboo have changed the game for me with their beautiful extra large bamboo cheeseboard and porcelain cheese markers.

The cheeseboard itself is amazing quality and even has a little drawer containing your cheese cutting tools. The fact that it is made from bamboo means that it is naturally antibacterial and it is hard wearing too. I love the little engraved panda image on the drawer too - a cute touch! 

Combining the cheeseboard with the porcelain markers makes it easier for your guests to tell which cheese is which and it just makes it looks so aesthetically pleasing too. They even come with a gold pen to label with. These can both be purchased from Amazon with the cheeseboard retailing at £24.99 and the porcelain markers are £4.95.

Personalised Socks

I am a sucker for anything personalised and I think these socks from Sparks & Daughters are adorable! The My Little Bear socks can be personalised for either mummy or daddy in a range of colours and you can include up to three children's names. The socks are super soft and great quality so would make a lovely gift for a loved one.

These can be purchased from Sparks & Daughters for £15.

Personalised Videos from Santa with Portable North Pole (PNP) - Review

(AD/Gifted - We received a code for a free Magic Pass in exchange for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)

Christmas is the most wonderful time of year but Christmas with children is utterly magical. My two are seven and five now and I dread the time they tell me that they don't believe.

I always want to try and keep the magic alive and the Portable North Pole app does exactly that. We were very kindly gifted a Magic Pass to use on the app (available on the App Store and Google Play or online too). The Portable North Pole is the original Santa messaging service which has sent over 220 million messages since its launch in 2008.

Downloading the app is super simple then there are lots of videos to choose from once you've purchased your Magic Pass. This is £12.99 at the moment but there will be free videos available later on this month so be sure to sign up to be notified!

With the Magic Pass, you get:

• Unlimited Premium videos and calls for an unlimited number of kids
• First name guaranteed
• Multi-device scenarios
• Reaction recorder
• 2019 PNP Nice List Certificates
• 1080hd downloads
• Family options
• Video calls from Santa

There is so much to choose from, from a simple personalised video, to birthday messages, and finding out if you are on the nice or naughty list! I started off with a simple personalised video for each of my children and it's very easy to customise. You type their name and you will be able to hear how Santa will pronounce it. You can also select gender, date of birth, a photograph of your child and some information about them such as what country they live in and what they do, such as going to nursery or school.

Once the video is created, it gets saved into the parent's section. You can then make it available to watch on the children's section, which means you won't get caught out! The parent's section is password (or, in my phone's case, fingerprint) protected so there's no chance of them ruining the magic.

Within the children's section, as well as being able to watch their videos, there are things like an advent calendar, bedtime stories and games.

When your child is ready to watch their video, you can opt to record their reaction. I absolutely love this aspect and genuinely thought I was going to burst into tears when watching them back. The smiles on their faces are absolutely amazing and E even asked "How does he know where I live!?" when Santa mentioned Northern Ireland. I mean, look at their smiles!

I am honestly blown away by what is available on the app and how convincing the videos are. The scenes are beautifully snowy with Santa and his elves all working hard. I would definitely recommend it to anyone with little ones.

What's even better is that PNP have partnered with leading hospitals around the world so that whenever you purchase a call or video, a portion is donated to the participating children's hospital closest to you.

You can find out more about PNP on their website.

Christmas Gift Ideas for Men

Buying for men is my least favourite thing to do at Christmas time. I'm not a man, so don't know what men like and if I ask my other half what he wants for Christmas he'll say, "Nothing, I don't need anything." Cue internal scream.

I've got a few little gift ideas that might help if you are struggling to buy for the man in your life too.

Moustache Wax

My partner is quite proud of his facial hair and I've noticed that quite a lot of men these days choose to wear a beard or moustache. This moustache wax is a gorgeous mix of lime, basil and sweet orange and it's perfect for getting their moustache looking fab.

You can purchase this from Handmade Soap Co for €9.95.

Body Wash set

Christmas isn't Christmas without some smellies! Stray away from the Lynx sets that no one really likes receiving and opt for a more exciting set like this Ocean Escape one from Fatface. You get a body wash and body spray for £8.00.

Fatface also do some lovely checked shirts and accessories like Christmas themed socks so they are definitely worth checking out if you've overlooked them!

Valet or keepsake box

My partner will come home from work and empty his pockets onto the arm of the sofa and it really winds me up. These little boxes are great for keeping their bits and bobs in and they are beautiful.

Each box is lovingly handmade and finished with five coats of 100% Tung oil then clear beeswax polish. They are made from Wych elm wood with a gorgeous red leather interior.

You can purchase these from artNM on etsy for £195.

Bluebeards Revenge Cut-throat Razor Kit

If your man isn't one for facial hair, this set is great! I love the packaging which has a little bit of humour and states that it's for real men. The set includes a shaving cream, post-shave Balm, doubloon bristle shaving brush and a cut-throat replaceable blade razor.

You can purchase this from Bluebeards Revenge for £34.99.

Zippo Hand Warmer and Hip Flask

It's been so cold this year already that we've already had snow so there's no perfect time than now to gift a hand warmer and boy, would it be appreciated! It has a gorgeous stainless steel finish and stays warm for up to 12 hours. It's reusable with Zippo lighter fluid too.

You can purchase this from Zippo for £21.99.

If they want to keep warm another way, a hip flask is another great gift for a classy man. It also has a stainless steel finish and holds 3 fl ozs.

You can purchase this from Zippo for £13.78.

Cafetière

Great for any coffee lover! It's an easy way to make good tasting coffee at home from ground whole beans.

Again, it's stainless steel and comes with a plunger to filter the ground coffee from your drink. It holds up to six cups too!

You can purchase this from VonShef for £18.99.

Encona Carolina Reaper Chilli Sauce

Does your man like a bit of spice? Why not test him with this chilli sauce?

The Carolina reaper chilli is the hottest in the world and even matches weapons-grade pepper spray! It's more 25 times hotter than a piri piri chilli too.

Maybe they'd be brave enough to give it a go with some leftover turkey this Christmas?

You can purchase this from Tesco for £1.49.

Harry Potter Playing Cards

How cool are these?! The cards come in an embossed gold tin featuring the Hogwarts crest and each suit is inspired by the houses; Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Slytherin and Griffyndor. The perfect gift for any Harry Potter fan!

You can get these from Find Me A Gift for £7.99.

(This post contains items that I have received for inclusion in this guide.)