Christmas

Top Advent Calendar Picks

We give you the lowdown on some of our favourites for this Christmas season.

RNLI Plasticine Advent Calendar

Instructions & plasticine to make a festive model behind each window. £20

City Vehicles Advent Calendar

Each door reveals a vehicle: police cars to double-decker buses. £25

Smiggle Advent Calendar

25 days of surprises! Includes mini notebook, highlighter & scented stationery. £20

Wooden Advent Calendar

A reusable traditional calendar with 24 magnetic ornaments. £9.99

The Crazy Scientist Advent Calendar

A unique advent calendar with 24 different experiments. £29.95

Magic Advent Calendar

Learn 24 new magic tricks in December & give a magic show! £19.99

Swizzels Sweet Factory Calendar

Enjoy 24 days of sweetie favourites. £5.

Usborne Advent Calendar Book Collection

Beautifully illustrated storybook behind each window. £19.99

Gourmet Popcorn Advent Calendar

24 daily packs of handmade gourmet popcorn with range of flavours. £30

Get greener this Christmas

Christmas trees

Don’t use artificial trees – they aren’t recyclable and will end up in landfill. Hire a Christmas tree from a garden centre or plant nursery. Buy a pot grown tree and plant it in the garden in January. Use it next year! Recycle real trees. Check arrangements with your council.

Christmas dinner

Plan meals in advance, taking account of visitors, so you don’t buy more food than you need. Seal and freeze all the leftovers that you can. Give unused food away to friends, family or neighbours. Eat less meat and try vegan versions of Christmas classics.

Eco alternatives

Use reusable, fabric crackers. Wrap gifts with recycled paper or fabric. Go for a real, fresh wreath made with seasonal, natural foliage. Buy a reusable Advent Calendar. Fill with your own gifts. Make your own decorations.

Pot grown tree care

Learn the difference between potted trees and container grown trees, which ones have the best chance of survival and how to care for them.

Christmas gifts

Consider second hand or refurbished items eg bikes, tech. Try giving experiences such as theatre tickets or days out instead of gifts. Buy reusable items like refillable water bottles and beeswax wraps. Buy consumables like food and toiletries as gifts.

Christmas leftovers

Four of Jamie’s tasty leftover recipes including turkey stew with leek & smoky bacon biscuit dumplings, bubble & squeak, smoky veggie chilli & hodgepodge pie.

Eco Christmas gift guide

Spread a bit of festive joy by being good to your family and the planet. These gifts for kids and adults will make everyone’s day without costing the earth.

Nature Curious subscription boxes

Explore British wildlife with eco-packaged worksheets & nature prints. £20 per month.

Barekind bamboo socks

Bright and colourful stocking filler helps save the endangered animal on them! £7.50

Kabode Alphabet children’s bedding

Fun collection of 100% certified organic cotton bedding makes learning fun. £44.95

Play Kits subscription boxes Sustainable & organic kits support pre-school brain development. From £80

Tartan wool blanket

Made from at least 70% recycled wool plus preloved, recycled fibres. £32

Bake at Home gingerbread people kit Home-delivered. Delicious ready-made dough, cutter & recipe. £15

Halo water bottle

Insulated, compact, lightweight, handbag & pocket-friendly. Hydration on the move. From £22

DIY lip tint or cheek balm kit

Design all-natural lip tints or cheek balms with gorgeous ingredients. Plastic-free. £19.99

Cashmere fingerless gloves Super-cosy, one-size, made from discarded cashmere jumpers. £24

Realised the kids break up soon and you haven’t chosen something for them to give as a gift? Here are some ideas that won’t break the budget.

The Body Shop ‘Create your Own’ gift pouch Fill the pouch with a selection of Body Shop goodies. £3

‘Epic things to teach’ personalised notebook

Add photos and teacher’s name for personalisation. £4.99

Personalised ‘Thank you’ bracelet

Apple-shaped bracelet with personalised message. £1.99

Terrific Teacher glasses case

Stylish gift for a teacher who wears glasses. £2.99

Jamie Oliver’s DIY Christmas pudding gift jar

Just buy the ingredients and the kids can make this themselves.

Milk chocolate trophy Award your teacher with a chocolate trophy. £10.

One4all gift card

Can be used with 130+ brands in store and online. £10

Personalised resin coaster

Handmade resin teacher coaster with a name of your choice. £8.99

Personalised mug

Remind them they’re the best teacher on the planet! £9.99

Festive family city breaks

Our friends at Tested by Tots have identified some of the best family friendly cities to explore with your little ones this Christmas.

Durham

A beautiful, picturesque city & a great Christmas Festival from 2-4 December.

Nottingham

Festive markets from retro style to a sparkling Winter Wonderland!

Glasgow

Festivals, pantos and children’s classic concerts such as The Night Before Christmas.

Winchester

Winchester Cathedral’s Christmas Market is inspired by German Christmas markets further afield.

Norwich

Home to the most anticipated Christmas attraction in the UK - The Tunnel of Light!

Exeter

Ice rink, Winter Wonderland, carol concerts, pantomimes. Exeter truly embraces Christmas!

Kidderminster

Santa Trains to Arley take families to see their favourite characters in pantomime.

Cardiff

Fantastic Christmas festival with incredible shows at Cardiff Castle.

Belfast

Light shows, displays, markets and a Georgian experience. This city goes big!

Christmas gingerbread people

Christmas cookie houses

Have some fun in the kitchen with a classic gingerbread recipe your kids will love to make. Decorate your people using dried fruits, nuts and coconut for a healthier treat that tastes fantastic. The kids will particularly enjoy making their little people truly personal.

Christmas pudding Malteser cake

This sneaky cake is a bit of a trickster! It looks like a Christmas pudding but is, in fact, a delicious chocolate cake covered in Maltesers. Kids will love tricking others with this cake and, of course, they will also love the taste of this chocolate extravaganza!

Gingerbread houses are a Christmas tradition but these little cookie houses are so much easier to assemble and just as fun.

Use different biscuits and decorative items to give each cookie house a unique, fun look. The kids can even make a small Christmas town of their own.

Christmas hacks for parents

Keeping presents hidden

In the loft – assuming your child can’t access it or wouldn’t think to look there! In the car boot – this is a winner if you can’t access it from the back seats. Inside luggage – zip presents into a suitcase. Another house – leaving with friends or family will thwart the most ardent snooper! Laundry basket – kids are unlikely to go digging through dirty laundry so stash some wrapped presents at the bottom.

Choosing and caring for your Christmas tree

Measure the height of your room before you choose a tree. Nordmann Fir is a great choice as it does not drop its glossy dark needles and has a good shape. Place in a stand with a well of water in the base. Check daily and top up the water when the level drops. Choose a cool place, away from radiators and fires. Don’t let your tree dry out.

In the run up

Ignore the hype – don’t compare your family to every trend on social media. Love your lists – getting things down on paper definitely helps you stay sane. Delegate – don’t do everything. Ask for help and get everyone involved. Drop high stress rituals – families thrive on traditions but choose the ones most important to you. Stick to routines - your child will find it reassuring. Avoid back to back socialising and travel – try to arrange some visits after Christmas.

On the day

Not all at once - spread out gift-opening to keep Christmas morning manageable. Turn present-giving into a game – everyone takes turns and must try to guess what it is before opening. Avoid present chaos - wrap everyone’s Christmas gifts in different paper so you can recognise them. Prioritise presence over presents – remember Christmas is really about time with your family. Avoid overload – kids can get over stimulated so give them time to play quietly or rest.

CHRISTMAS

More Christmas gift ideas

Hot Wheels Car Plate by Munchy Play

Rev-up mealtimes with the official Hot Wheels™ Car Plate. Race cars around the Hot Wheels™ track, pull stunts and dodge obstacles past the finish line. Designed by a mum, the colourful blue and orange plate makes a fun gift for kids (ages 3+), fussy eaters, and car fans. £16.50.

My Self-Esteem Journal & My Worry Journal

Girls Support Girls The Book for Badass Women

Two new activity journals inspired by the numberone best-selling children’s mental health title You’re a Star by Poppy O’Neill. Books contain cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and mindfulness techniques to help children aged 7+ grow in confidence. £7.99 each.

Girls Support Girls is a small but mighty book bursting with kick-ass quotes, uplifting statements and awesome affirmations – a celebration of female strength and solidarity.

There’s nothing more powerful than a strong woman – except for two strong women supporting each other! £6.99. The Book for Badass Women is a sassy little book filled with empowering tips and quotes. What is a badass woman? Whatever the heck she wants to be!

Dive head first into advice on strengthening your selfconfidence, going after your goals and empowering other women. £9.99

Have yourself a crafty Christmas

There are so many great decorations and accessories that the kids can make – so make the most of the opportunity Christmas offers for them to really get creative with these videos and instructions!

DIY origami Christmas tree Christmas fairy Easy paper baubles

CBeebies snowman socks

Simple gingerbread house

Easy DIY crackers Victorian kissing ball

Easy paper Christmas wreath

Paper snowman

Let’s go crackers!

Do you fling a box of whatever’s closest to hand at the supermarket in your trolley with the mental note to research other options next year? If so, this is for you!

Racing pigs in blankets crackers

Joke, snap, hat & pullback racing pig + racetrack. £19.99

Make Your Own crackers

DIY colour in cracker kit. £14.50

Nutcracker crackers

Joke, hat, snap & handpainted tree decoration. £19.99

Who or what am I game crackers

Game cards, headbands & winners crown. £14.99

Giant popcorn cracker

Giant cracker & 6 salted caramel popcorn bags, hats and jokes. £16

Bowling crackers

6 bowling pins, a ball and bowling alley. £12.54

Recycled origami crackers

Everything needed to make an origami shape. £17

Xylophone musical crackers

Hat, snap, joke & xylophone piece. £30

Bingo crackers

Family friendly bingo game, paper hat & joke. £29